Mining Regions in England
20/20 
Plate commemorating Chislet colliery, Kent
© National Coal Mining Museum for England (Photo: National Coal Mining Museum for England)
© National Coal Mining Museum for England (Photo: National Coal Mining Museum for England)
Four collieries made up the Kent coalfield, Betteshanger, Chislet, Snowdown and Tilmanstone all of which were closed by the 1990s. The coal extracted from these collieries was very soft and has been used to make gas and to fire power stations.
As there was no previous tradition of coal mining in the Kent coalfield coal miners had to be imported from other British coalfields, especially during the 1920s and 1930s. This was particularly the case after the 1926 strike when many political activists who had been blacklisted in other regions moved to work in the Kent coalfield. This influenced the political makeup of the workforce, and Kent collieries had a reputation for militancy.
As there was no previous tradition of coal mining in the Kent coalfield coal miners had to be imported from other British coalfields, especially during the 1920s and 1930s. This was particularly the case after the 1926 strike when many political activists who had been blacklisted in other regions moved to work in the Kent coalfield. This influenced the political makeup of the workforce, and Kent collieries had a reputation for militancy.