March 5, 2025 - Below is the Spring Newsletter of the Sir George Dowty Memorial Committee:

American debt to Sir George

The extent to which respect for Sir George Dowty is still held in the mining industry across the USA fifty years after his passing is shown below:

“As you know, Sir George Dowty brought the technology from aircraft undercarriage hydraulic systems and applied it to supporting the roof of underground coal mines around the world.

This occurred in the 1950’s and resulted in the development of hydraulic self-advancing roof supports with the Dowty Roofmaster being the first one.

Dowty Mining Equipment – Roofmaster Mark 1B Self-Advancing Support System

Here in the United States, the technology has improved and was employed in the first hydraulic shield supports, which are still used in the highly productive longwall mining system today.

CoalZoom.com coal’s foremost digital newsletter, recently estimated that longwall mining represents 62% of underground coal production today and since the early longwall mining installations in the mid-sixties, 60 years ago, has accounted for a total huge production of 7.5 billion tons of coal.

Diagram of Longwall Mining Technique

All this was made possible from the hydraulic technology originally introduced by the imaginative forward-thinking mind of Sir George.

The American coal industry is forever in debt to Sir George, who is often celebrated at mining gatherings everywhere.”

Bill Reid,

Managing Editor,

CoalZoom.com

Sir George Dowty’s Diaries

Sir George Dowty’s last secretary is summarising his diaries covering the years 1919 until his passing in 1975 and this is to be released in booklet form.

An eminent educationalist from Sir George Dowty’s hometown of Pershore, Mr Tim Hickson who has already written extensively regarding Sir George’s life and times, has written a most excellent Introduction.

Note: The booklet will be published on March 31 and to obtain copies please contact Martin Robins:

Martin Robins (martinrobins@btinternet.com)

Glebe Farm

Lower Stanton St Quintin

Chippenham

SN14 6DB