“Throughout his life from his early days in Chopwell, Jack Bell was a tireless worker for the improvement in employment and social conditions of his fellow men and was an active member of the Independent Labour Party, the Labour Representative Committee and the Labour Party as well as a prominent member of the Coal Miners’ Trade Union Movement.”

Nancy Bell 26 July 1994

Family Details

John “Jack” Bell was born 10 February 1884 at Hallbankgate, Cumberland, the eldest son of Joseph and Annie Bell.  There were 14 children:

• John born 1884
• William bc1886
• Robert bc1887
• Mary bc1888
• Joseph bc1890
• George bc1891
• Rhoda bc1893
• James bc1894
• Annie bc1895
• Harold bc1898
• Florence bc1899
• Ruth bc1902
• Charles bc.1903
• Roland bc.1905

In 1891, the family lived at Coal Fell, Farlam near Brampton, Cumberland where Joseph Bell worked as a coal miner and 7 years old John was a scholar. By 1901, the family lived at Park Terrace, Farlam, Cumberland and Joseph Bell was then employed as a Deputy Overman.  John, now 17 years old was employed as a coal miner, “Incline Brakesman”. Both worked at Roachburn Colliery, Cumberland. In August 1905, the family moved from Cumberland to Chopwell, County Durham to find work at Chopwell Colliery.

In 1909, John Bell married Ann Milburn at Victoria Garesfield Primitive Methodist Church and they had 4 children, all born at Chopwell:

• Winnifred born 1913
• Clifford, born June 1918, died September 1918
• Joseph Denis Milburn born 1920
• Nancy born 1928

In 1911, John and Annie Bell lived at Beech Grove, Blackhall Mill, Ebchester, County Durham where 27 years old John, worked as a, “Coal Miner – hewer”.  John’s parents lived at Mersey Street, Chopwell with 12 of their children.  Joseph and 4 of his sons were all coal miners.

In 1931, the family moved to Evenwood when he took up the position of checkweighman at Randolph Colliery.  They lived at Alexandra Terrace until July 1954 when they moved to Wellgarth, Evenwood.  The house at Alexandra Terrace was part of the conditions of his employment as checkweighman.

1939: The Bell family lived at Alexandra Terrace with John, now aged 55 still employed as a checkweighman and he was a member of Durham County Council.

26 July 1968: Jack Bell died aged 84.

Working Details

About 1898, at the age of 14, John Bell left school to begin work at Roachburn Colliery as a “Stone Picker” on the screens, then worked as a pony driver, then a hand putter, then a hewing putter and finally at the age of 19, a coal hewer.  This was the traditional working path of the pitman.  In 1905, the family moved to Chopwell to work at the Consett Iron Company’s colliery.   In December 1912, he qualified as a Deputy under the Coal Mines Act, 1911, possessing a second class Certificate in Mining. After a relatively short spell working as a Deputy Overman, he asked to be returned to coal hewing at the coal face. 

In June 1925, a dispute between the pitmen at Chopwell Colliery and the owners, the Consett Iron Company, concerning the tonnage price of coal, resulted in the whole workforce being given 14 days’ notice to terminate their employment, 18 June 1925.  Thus, when the General Strike of 1926 was called, Chopwell miners had already been out of work for 11 months.  

1 June 1931:  John Bell took up the position of checkweighman at Randolph Colliery, Evenwood.

Below: May 1931: Randolph Colliery, Evenwood: Ballot for Checkweighman: Final Vote

1 June 1953:  He was awarded the British Empire Medal (BEM) in the Queen’s Coronation Honours List for services to the Coal Mining Industry.

7 August 1953: John Bell retired from work, aged 69.

Political & Social Interests

Between 1908 and 1913, John Bell was a keen member of the Primitive Methodists.  It is not clear whether he lost his faith but ultimately he applied his mind and energy to social and political affairs. 

Since 1898, from the age of 14, he had been a member of the miners’ union and was a regular attender of meetings.  In education, he sought improvement and attended Durham County Council and the Workers’ Educational Association evening classes for English and Mathematics.  He also enrolled into a correspondence course from Hartley College, Manchester gaining certificates in psychology and the social teachings of John Ruskin, being awarded book prizes for his achievements.    In December 1916, John Bell was elected a Delegate of the Chopwell Miners Lodge to the Durham Miners’ Association.  He served several terms as a member of the Durham Miners’ Executive Committee.

In April 1919, he was elected to Blaydon Urban District Council and remained a councillor there until 1931 when he and his family moved to Evenwood. 

John Bell was elected to Durham County Council in March 1934, a position he held until his resignation in 1944.  He was appointed a Justice of the Peace (JP) in 1938. He was elected to Barnard Castle Rural District Council in May 1946.  He remained a councillor until 1967. John Bell was a committed socialist and member of the Labour Party.

Below:

June 1932: A letter to the Northern Echo written by John Bell questioning the closure of Randolph Colliery

Below: Probably May 1954 following the unveiling of the new NUM Randolph Lodge banner

The Queens Head, Evenwood, Tommy Clarkson, Hugh Dalton MP, Eddie Banks and Jack Bell

Below:

March 1953: Randolph Lodge Officials

Back seated left to right: J. Hudson; J. Armstrong; T.K. Maughan; T. Clarkson; E. Banks; J. Bell; T. Mason

Front left to right: A. Watkins; J. Wren; F. Hutchinson; A. Priestley; F. Lowson; B. Kay; W. Bayles

At the back left N. Robson and right J. Carrick

Below: May 1954: Unfurling of the new Randolph Lodge banner. Lodge Secretary and Checkweighman, E. Banks; Bishop Auckland’s MP Hugh Dalton, (depicted on the banner with Clement Atlee); retired Checkweighman J. Bell and Lodge Chairman T. Clarkson.

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