Northumberland's Last Pit Pony

Aug 3, 2011
Paula Sainthouse

A Pit Pony Used in Demonstrations at Beamish - Eccles (2011)

North East England said goodbye to a piece of its heritage this month as an animal sanctuary bid one of its residents farewell.

Forty-year-old Tony the pit pony passed away peacefully on the 16th of July 2011. He is believed to have been among the last working pit ponies in the country, as he came from Northumberland’s Ellington colliery. This pit was one of the last to use the ponies, and Tony and three of his friends ended their working lives there in 1994.

Historical Significance

The industry of the North East region was once dominated by coal mining, and in 1919 there were more than 223,000 coal miners at work in the area. Despite conditions being hard, dirty and often dangerous, the steady work generated by coal mining benefited many and generations found work at the pits.

The decline of the trade began in the later 20th century when colliery closures steadily increased. The government took control of the pits in 1947, but the nationalisation failed to stop the closures as many sites were considered ‘uneconomic’– a frequently controversial decision.

Between 1950 and 1970, it is estimated that 100 North East mines were closed, devastating whole communities who had depended on the pits for employment. The trend continued throughout the 80s and 90s despite protests, including the memorable and frequently violent miners’ strike of 1984-1985. Now, North East England has only one surviving coal mine- Steadsburn near Widdrington in Northumberland, which is a surface mining site.

The Pit Ponies

The majority of pit ponies were Shetland or Welsh in breeding, and carefully selected to be even tempered, compact and strong in stature. Most were geldings, with stallions in occasional use and mares, unusual below ground.

Pit Ponies worked hard alongside the men, enduring the same difficult conditions and taking the same risks of injury or death. In the latter part of the 18th century, the welfare of these ponies was often poor, and that they were regularly put down due to broken legs or limb damage after trapping their feet in the carts they pulled. Groups like the National Equine Defence League and the Scottish Society to Promote Kindness to Pit Ponies, pressurised the government to improve existing legislation and a new report was issued in 1911, containing regulations which would affect the lives of all pit ponies for years to come.

Ponies now had to be at least four years ago before they were sent below ground to work. The stables had to be monitored to ensure they were maintained in good condition and at least one skilled horse keeper was needed for each 15 ponies. Blind ponies could not be used, although it is true that some went blind due to old age or damage to the eye balls, experienced before the introduction of the protective leather head gear often seen in old pictures.

At the peak of their use, in 1913, 70,000 ponies were at work in the mines. Increasing mechanisation of the process meant that from then on, their use declined. This drop in numbers was probably hastened by the introduction of more welfare laws in 1949 and 1956, prohibiting the ponies from working more than 48 hours a week, unless in exceptional circumstances. While clearly of benefit to the ponies, for those running the mines, it reduced their value.

Tales abound of these ponies saving the lives of miners with their extraordinary sixth sense, by refusing to go down shafts where the roof suddenly collapsed. Accounts of their care are variable, but most believe they were regarded affectionately by their human colleagues, often sharing their lunch at break time.

The need for them to be in good condition to work at their best, dictated that their management was high quality. However, it would still have been a hard life for an animal used to life in the open. The ponies were able to get a fortnight’s break a year at the surface, when they were turned out in a field during the colliery’s annual holiday. By 1984, only 55 ponies were still working in UK mines.

Tony and his Workmates

Tony left Ellington Colliery in 1994, but he was not alone. He was joined at his sanctuary home at Newcastle’s Cat and Dog Shelter in Benton, by his friend Pike. Two other ponies, Sparky and Carl, went to live at the National Coal Mining Museum for England in Wakefield, West Yorkshire. Although happy in their retirement the ponies gradually succumbed to old age.

Carl passed away in 2006, followed by Sparky in 2007. At the sanctuary, Tony lost his workmate Pike in 2005. Fortunately, he remained happy, making new friendships with a Shetland named Willie, and with numerous donkeys. Staff remember him being fit and healthy into his twilight years, still enjoying a play and an occasional gallop in the field. Leyla Rutter, chief executive of Newcastle Cat and Dog Shelter said, “As the last surviving pit pony from Ellington Colliery, his sad death marks the end of an era and an important part of our North East Heritage.”