Full description

## 1916-7

Francis – usually known as Frank – Coulson was born in 1849. His father William and grandfather (also William) were well known shaft sinkers and he became an expert too, working with his father until the latter died in 1894. Indeed Richard Redmayne, when Chief Inspector of Mines, said he was “justly reputed one of the foremost sinking contractors in the United Kingdom.” Frank Coulson was responsible, for example, for the Seaham Colliery shaft development in 1898.

He became a member of the North of England Institute of Mining and Mechanical Engineers in 1868; was elected a member of the Council in 1904, was Vice-President in 1905 and then President in 1916-17.

He was an officer in the Volunteer Battalion of the Durham Light Infantry reaching the rank of Colonel. He married Annie Hall in 1877. Their son William was captured near Ypres in 1915, though he was originally reported as killed.

Frank Coulson died in 1919.

Coulson, F. Sinking with rock drills Transactions – NEIMME 44 1894-95, 17-25
Redmayne, R. A.S. Modern practice in mining Vol2 Sinking of shafts. 1909, p14