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The year in which this notice was published is uncertain but it is possible that it was around 1893 when there was a crisis in the coal industry that resulted in one of the greatest coal strikes on record up to that time. It was estimated that around 300,000 miners went on strike. The areas affected by the strike included; Lancashire, Yorkshire, Cheshire, Staffordshire, Worcestershire, Cannock Chase, Shropshire, Nottinghamshire, South Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Forest of Dean, Radstock, Bristol, Warwickshire, Monmouth, North Wales and Stirlingshire. All these areas had active trade unions that were affiliated to the recently founded Miners' Federation of Great Britain.

This public meeting of coal miners was held on Kersal Moor, Salford, which is situated off the west side of Bury New Road and it is bounded by Moor Lane, Highlands Road, Singleton Brook and Church Lane (St Paul’s Church). The moor was often was used for public gatherings and by the military for manoeuvres. Typically, it was used by the Chartists when they were campaigning for political reform. The Chartist movement was active between 1838 and 1857.

To the Public

To the Gentlemen of Oldham, Manchester and its
Vicinity, and others.

WE, the COALMINERS of Oldham and Bradford, near Manchester, think it our duty to solicit you, to take into consideration the toils and dangers that we undergo; it is well-known to the greatest part of you, that when you come to the side of a Coal Pit, for you to look down, that sight will make many of you tremble; but was you to go down to the bottom of the Pit, and there to see the dan- gers that the Colliers are exposed to, you would never think their wages too much, was they to get a Pound per day, that to work in those doleful and dangerous places - was we to lay down all the dangers we are in, with the carry- ing on of our Work, it would be more than this paper would hold - it is well known that in different places that we are exposed to all kinds of damps; and not only this, but look at it in its proper view, we are in danger of our lives every moment, and all this we endure for the good of the country at large - Gentlemen, without us, no kind of business can go on; and we think it very hard that we must be confined to the bowels of the Earth from 9 to 10, and from that to 11 and 12 hours or more to the day, for 10 to 12, and from that to 14 Shillings per Week. Gentlemen, do you think that this is sufficient for men to have, that toils as Miners do. Therefore, we think it our duty to inform the PUBLIC, that there will be a MEETING of COALMINERS, on the 17th. of August, on KERSAL-MOOR.