Coal Mining in the East Neuk of Fife

Coal mining in the East Neuk of Fife was the means of providing industrial development in this area from medieval times until the twentieth century. The understanding of the rocks, their origin and how to exploit them to advantage forms the basis for this text.In the early days of the industry, the coals were recovered on the shorelines or on the valley sides where their excavation was relatively simple. The mining of the coals gradually gave rise to the need to dig deeper into the ground and the need for knowledge of the rocks became essential, how and why they formed as they did and how to cope with the difficulties presented by the turbulent events experienced in past geological times.. The welfare of the miners and their families also grew in importance as the industry grew and developed.John McManus surveys the geology and social history of the mines and the people who explored, owned and laboured under and above ground in an industry which began so many centuries ago, flourished all too briefly and ultimately declined in this area. With his lifelong interest and scholarly achievement in his chosen profession, John McManus takes the reader on a graphic and fascinating tour of the mining industry in this beautiful part of Fife shining a different light on aspects of its history which have, until now, remained less well known.

John McManus BSc, PhD, DSc, FRSE, graduated from the Royal School of Mines, Imperial College, University of London. He lectured, first in the University of Dundee, later in the University of St Andrews, where he was appointed Professor in 1993. John McManus has published more than 200 scientific papers and an earlier book on mining in Fife, Mining between Ceres and St Andrews (Windfall Books, 2010), he continues to research the history of the mining industry in East Fife.