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Thomas Emerson Forster Summary:
Early Life Mr Thomas Emerson Forster was born in Garrigill Gate Northumberland in 1802. His father brought him to Hebburn near Newcastle upon Tyne and commenced his professional life in 1817 at Hebburn Colliery . On completion of his apprenticeship in 1823 he obtained the position of Resident Viewer at Walker Colliery near Newcastle upon Tyne.Later he moved to Hetton Colliery aged 22 at a salary of £80 per annum.He continued to make progress in his career when in 1831 he was charged with the establishment of Haswell Colliery. After 1834 he was appointed as Engineer to Durhan and Sunderland Railway and subsequently as Chief Viewer of Haswell and Felling Collieries. He was responsible for the establishment of Belmont, Shincliffe, Cornforth , Shotton, Byers Green and Scremerton Collieries. He was also responsible for the management of several colliries in North of England and Colliery property in Ireland.
Mr Forster has made a major contribution to safety of Miners regarding Ventilation. By adoption of large air-courses kept under control and powerful furnaces , Mr Forster was one of the poineers of one that greatly increased ventilation which, between the years 1830 and 1840 became the rule in all well-conducted collieries ; he was also one of the first to adopt the cage system of drawing coals. the use of wire ropes for winding and the lighting of mines with Gas from the surface.
Mr Forster was never in favour of Government interference in the management of Collieries which was evident when he said in a letter dated 17 March 1847 This accident in Yorkshire will be the means of getting Government Inspecters employed and that will lead to a great of unpleasentness".
In 1836 Mr Forster was elected as a member of the Institution of Civil Engineers. In 1852 he was elected member of the North East Institute of Mining Engineers.He became Vice President (1861-65)
Family: After he left hetton in 1828 Mr Forster went to live at Houghton le Spring where he married Miss Dodd the eldest daughter of Rev John Dodd of Chester le Street. Mr Forster's sucess in his Mining Career can be atributed to his wife. She died in 1873
Later Life: Mr Forster fell heavily ill in 1873 and he died at his residence in Ellison in Ellison Place Newcastle upon Tyne on 7th March of the same year.