Rochsoles  - Extract from 1871 Truck Report

Workmen employed at Messrs. Struthers' colliery works told us that there was both a store and poundage. But no poundage was charged on any money spent in the store. It appears that the advances on which no poundage is paid are given on the understanding that they, or a portion of them, shall be so spent. Mullins, one of the workmen, complained as follows of the smithy off take:-

Q Have you anything else to add?- The smithy is about a mile away from the work, and during the first five or six mouths I was there I paid a boy 6d. a fortnight for carrying my picks to get sharpened. That was 1s. a fortnight I had to pay for the smithy. Now my own boy goes with them, and they won't shift the smithy nearer to the pit. You must either send your picks all that distance to the smithy or take them to another smithy to be sharpened, and if you take them to another then you have to pay for that in addition to paying the smithy off-take.

Petition against truck from Rochsholes Colliery

Rouchsoles Colliery & Oil Works,
Aug. 30th 1870.

To the Gentlemen of the Royal Commision appointed by Government to make Inquiry Into Workings of the present Truck Act in Scotland.

Gentlemen
We the workmen of Messrs. James Struthers & Comp Feel it our duty to ourselves and evey Workman in Scoatland to aid and assist all that Lies in our power The Honourable Gentlemen That has Brought Forward The Bill to abolish that abominable and Tyranical Act called the Truck Act which is Hurtfull to evey man that is con­nected with it Gentlemen As it is to great a distance for every man of this work to be present at the Inquiry con­cerning the Truck system we send you the Signaturs of every Forth Man in the work as a sample along with our Representative James Hamilton who will give you all the Information anent the workings of the Truck system carried on in the work Gentlemen, It is the opinion of every workman in this work that the only Remedy for this Evil is Weekly Pays.