Pencaitland and Ormiston @ Urbansea

Bevin Boys were young men between 18 and 25 who were chosen by ballot to serve in the mining industry.  They were named after Ernest Bevin the wartime Minister of Labour and leader of the Transport and General Workers Union. The system employed by Ernest Bevin was that of a ballot scheme whereby young men […]

Agriculture was a prominent use of land until the unearthing of coal, nowadays, agriculture has reverted to being the most common land use. As mining methods improved, coal was extracted from the surrounding seams around the village. The village changed in size and character and many new houses were built. The Miners Welfare Institute was […]