mas Rudge, for the same 2_s._
John Griffiths, for disturbing 2_s._
the Court
Thomas Rudge, for the same 2_s._
offence
John Trigg, for the same offence 2_s._
Griffith Cooper, for talking in 2_s._
Court

Writing upon the subject of the Forest collieries, about the year 1779,
Mr. Rudder remarks in his History of the county,--"The pits are not deep,
for when the miners find themselves much incommoded with water, they sink
a new one, rather than erect a fire engine, which might answer the
expense very well, yet there is not one of them in all this division.
They have indeed two or three pumps worked by cranks, that in some
measure answer the intention."

In the year 1788 we are informed by the evidence of the Gaveller, that,
according to an account made out in the previous August, "there were then
within the Forest 121 coal-pits (thirty-one of which were not actually in
work), which pits produced 1,816 tons of coal per week; that there were
662 free miners concerned and employed therein; and that the annual
compositions paid by them amounted to 215 pounds 8s. or thereabouts,
although many of them were so poor that no money could be collected from
them." "At this time," says the same officer, "house-fire coal, on the
Mitcheldean side the Forest, is sold at the pit's mouth for 4s. 6d. per
ton of 20 cwt., smith's coal 3s. 3d., lime coal 2s. per ton. When sold
by the waggonload at the pit's mouth, and the purchaser brings victuals
and drink for the colliers, the price of a waggonload was 10s. of
house-fire coal, smith coal 6s. 6d., lime coal 4s. On the Coleford side
the Forest, house-fire coal was sold at the pit's mouth for 3s. 9d. per
ton of 20 cwt., smith coal 2s. 9d., lime coal 1s. 3d. By the waggonload
at the pit's mouth, house-fire coal 8s. 6d., smith coal 5s. 6d., lime
coal 2s. 6d."

In addition to the above, the Assistant Deputy Surveyor of the same
period reported,--"the parts of the Forest in which the principal
collieries are situate are these:--The Level of the Fire Engine Colliery,
which is one of the principal works, is in the bottom between Nail Bridge
and Cinderford Bridge, and there are pits all along the Bottom. There
are several Levels in the Bottom from Beechenhurst Hill along the Delves
quite up to Nail Bridge. Another large field of coal from Whitecroft
Bridge, at the back of White Mead Park along the Delves to Great Moseley
Green, and from thence through Old Vall