John Forman (trade unionist)

John Forman was born at East Allerdean and baptised (with his twin sister Mary) in nearby St. Anne's church, Ancroft in Northumberland. The family moved to nearby Seaton Delaval where he was educated and became a coal miner at an early age.^[1] He "made use of every available opportunity to improve his mind and his station in life".^[1]

In 1851 he married Sarah Musgrove in St. Mary's Church, Gateshead. They had six children: Benjamin Musgrove, William Duncan, John Frederick, Mary Margaret Margery, Eva Annie Annalinda and Florence Regina.

At some point in the 1850s, he moved to the Annfield Plain district and in 1853 he was working in Dipton colliery. In 1861 he lived in Bantling Castle (now East Castle in Greencroft) and in 1862 he was Deputy Overman at one of the Annfield Plain collieries. In 1868 he was a Deputy at Pontop colliery and was involved in the rescue operations during the inundation there.^[2]

Whilst in Annfield Plain, he became involved in the labour movement^[1] and in 1867 was the delegate for Annfield Plain to the Northumberland & Durham Miners' Relief Fund.^[3] He moved to Roddymoor (near Crook) in County Durham, where he was elected checkweighman at Grahamsley Colliery.^[4] "In this capacity, as representative of the Crook miners he was actively identified with the earliest endeavors of the Durham mineworkers to form a trade union".^[1] He joined the Durham Miners' Association on its formation and was a member of the first executive.^[1] He became President in 1871 and served until his death in 1900; he was Chairman of the first Durham Miners' Gala in 1872.^[1] He worked as its agent for twenty-eight years.^[5][4]