Welsh Journals

often irregular because of the poor state of the roads and the inclement weather, particularly in winter. During the winter months the carriers were poor farmers living near the mines. 'The poverty of some of these is shown only too clearly by the comment made in December 1766, that the local carriers were then too weak to do much work." The miners as well as the labourers had other sources of income. During the period of potato-planting in spring and at the turf or peat harvest, usually in May and September, and at the corn and potato harvest, miners and labourers would often leave their work for the plant- ing and the harvests. Sometimes mines would be forced to close down as a result of absenteeism. In 1768, for instance, the Esgair-ddu mine was idle for several weeks as a result of the peat harvest. Women and children were often employed in the mines during the period. In 1788, for instance, women 'were used to carry the ore out of an open-cast at the Fairchance mine at Cardiganshire at 30s. a ton', while children were employed to wash ore for their fathers or their brothers at the mines. 8 Although mining was a regular occupation, wages were relatively low and miners often complained that they were not certain of being paid regularly. The institution of 'truck' served to reduce the miner's standard of living. John Ball, the mining agent to the Company of Mine Advent- urers, was guilty of this practice. 'Of the sum of £ 30. 15s. 9d. owed as wages to a group of miners at Grogwynion, only 3s. was received in cash; the remainder had to be taken from Ball's shop in the form of goods at extortionate prices.' In 1763 he was dismissed for corrupting and robbing miners. By 1794, money wages earned by labourers had risen somewhat. The Report of the Board of Agriculture on the state of agriculture in the county gives evidence of the advance. Labourers were normally paid about 10d. a day in summer and 8d. in winter in north Cardiganshire, particularly around Aberystwyth, where the lead mines were flourishing. 10 Those working in the mines as labourers could earn as much as 14d. to 16d. a day in 1792, while pumpers received 10s. 6d. and joiners 9s. a week. n The daily wage was 8d. a day in summer and 6d. a day in winter in other parts of north Cardiganshire. In south Cardiganshire, wages were even lower and until 1793 they were reported to be about 6d. a day, but as this was thought to be 'too little (and well it might) seven-pence was given in winter, eight-pence in summer'.12 Sometimes the farmer provided food as well, but only 2d. or 3d. a day was then given in wages. The more prosperous farmers provided rent-free cottages, but this was not the usual practice, and the labourers, as tenants, were normally