Adopt our Miner’s Cottage.

This miner’s cottage is how one would have looked in the early 1900’s. This was long before pit-head baths, when bathing meant a tin bath.

Life was hard, and often brutally short for coal miners in the North East for much of the period when mining was a major source of employment. Conditions were crampted, both at work and at home with often a large family to support.

See how it would have looked inside a typical miner’s cottage in the early 1900’s, long before the introduction of pit-head baths. A tin bath in front of the fire was the only way to attempt to remove an almost all-over coating of coal dust. Note the washboards and linen drying..

Note: Adjacent to this display we also offer a replica coal mine for children to enjoy.  

Each item in our collection has its own curious story; from being created, travelling through different owners and uses, and ending up at Bailiffgate Museum where it starts a new life. We’d like to offer you the unique chance to help us raise essential Museum funds by choosing to adopt one of our fascinating items or displays, and become part of that story yourself.  

Adoption costs £50 a year for an individual and £100 for a company, and all proceeds go to Bailiffgate Museum to help us fund our daily running costs. 

Your donation brings you a special adoption certificate, a digital image of your object, free visits to your item, and your name credited on our website and in the display near your item.

For companies, we offer your logo on our website and a name credit near the item, an invitation to attend our special exhibition launch events throughout the year, special adoption certificate, a digital image of your object, and the chance for a photo opportunity with the item to use on your website or in local pres.

Whether as a gift for a friend, your company, or for yourself; adopting an object is a wonderful way to support your local Museum. 

Objects are immediately available for adoption unless otherwise stated. Please note that you are welcome to nominate the name of another person to be carried on the certificate and on the display, and to have the certificate posted to another address if you wish. Just order and proceed to the Checkout page. Complete a new delivery  address if required and enter the text you require to be displayed next to the item in the Order Notes.

If adopting on behalf of a company, please order as normal and we will contact you to discuss the details of your adoption and the balance of your payment.

Please contact us to discuss details before adopting this item