Wages & Cost of Living

Miners wages constantly fluctuated depending on the price of coal.  The following table gives reported for average wages and some costs of living.

This table is under construction and will be updated regularly

Year	Miners Wages (per day, unless stated otherwise)	Cost of living
1679	7-8 shillings Scots a week (Equivalent 1 English shilling) - Kincardine colliery, Fife [1]
1761	12s. to 13s. [2]
1771	Scots Colliers - 12s. to 13s. Colliers in Newcastle - 9s. Labourers in Scots Collieries - 4 to 6s. [1]
1791		Bacon 3d. to 3 1/2d. per lb 7lb. peck of meal  10d
1812	20s. [1]
1822	25s. [1]
1836	5s. [1]
1841	2s. per day for woman drawer [3]
1842	2s. [1]
1862	3s. 6d. to 4s. 6d. [1]
1872	Period of wage increases 4s. 6d. rising to as much as 9s. 9d. later in year [1]
1874	5s. [1]
1876	May 1876 - 3s. [1]
1887	2s. 6d. to 4s. [1]
1894	5s. 3d. to 6s. [1]
1899	5s. 3d. to 7s. [1]
1901	6s. [1]
1903	5s. 6d. [1]
1906	5s 6d. [1]
1907	7s. 6d. [1]
1912	6s. [1]
1914		Rent 2s. 6d. per week to 3s. 2d. [5]
1926	9s 4d [6]
1931	8s. [1]
1936	9s. [1]
1947	18s 8d for underground 15s. 6 1/2d for surface workers [1]

Sources
[1] R. Page Arnott “A History of the Scottish Miners From the Earliest Times” 1955
[2]  William Grossart "Historic Notices and Domestic History of the Parish of Shotts", 1880
[3] 1842 Royal Commission
[4] 1871 Truck report
[5] Evidence presented to Royal Commission on Housing 1918
[6] Scotsman