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Gales and galees.
A gale is the area that a Freeminer has the right to work for coal, iron ore or stone and associated minerals. The holder of a gale is called a galee. A gale is granted to a Freeminer by the Crown (Forestry Commission). Since 1838 with the passing of the Dean Forest Mines Act, once a gale is granted it can subsequently be owned by a non Freeminer through sale, gift, will etc. Subsequent owners of a gale, continue to have the Freeminer's right to mine that gale. Gales contain a license for a iron ore, coal or stone but other minerals found in a gale may be mined by the galee at an improved royalty to the Crown. Since 1838 the boundaries and extent of gales have been clearly defined on plans, with gale stones on the surface. The Deputy Gaveller's office holds plans of all gales and he is responsible for their administration. Contemporary Freemining. The Coal Act 1938 and Coal Industry Nationalisation Act 1946 both gave specific exemption for this unique local privilege to continue intact. 52 mainly large colliery gales, were subsequently purchased by the National Coal Board (NCB) who became galees and paid a royalty to the Freeminer Trustees of the Deep Gales, until just before the closure of the last deep NCB colliery in 1965. After Coal Nationalisation in 1947, small gales continued to operate alongside those owned by the NCB, some miners obtaining 36(2a) licenses to work outcrop NCB owned coal, or Freeminers holding an NCB 'bare licence' with no cost or conditions attached, so they could be registered with the NCB, to sell their coal through NCB collieries, or small coal to power stations. Some gales remained unlicensed, if they only sold to the local market. As the larger deep mines closed, some ex-NCB colliers took up their right to register as a Freeminer, obtaining their own gales, to continue mining. More recently, with the passing of the Coal Industry Act 1994, legislation changed in relation to licensing in the Forest of Dean coal field. There have been many discussions about how licensing of 'all coal' under the 1994 Act should be applied to gales. There is now a special license issued for coal gales, under Part II of the 1994 Act for the Forest of Dean after exception was made in conjunction with the Forestry Commission, as to how coal licensing should apply. Part 40 of the 1994 Act adds: 40 (4) Nothing in section 38 above shall confer any entitlement to withdraw support in connection with the working of any coal or coal mines comprised in land in the Forest of Dean or any other part of the area of what was the Hundred of Saint Briavels in the county of Gloucester, being land in respect of which the privileges of free miners are exercisable. 
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To register as a Freeminer, a miner must satisfy four legal conditions:
The Dean Forest Mines Act 1838 states: Section XXI: No person a Freeminer who is not registered. Registration. Once a person has fulfilled the correct conditions, they can apply to be entered into the Freeminer registration book kept by the Deputy Gaveller; a blue registration strip with their number is issued to the miner. There are over 4,300 Freeminers registered since the 1840’s. Once registered, a Freeminer can claim gales from the Crown (if not already granted) and make applications for other gales that are available. When granted, the Freeminer becomes the owner of that gale and can work it according to the Rules in the Award of coal and iron mines 1841 Rules and Regulations. A royalty is paid to the Crown annually for each ton of mineral raised, otherwise a minimum ‘dead rent’ or "composition" is paid if the gale is less productive, or idle. The ‘dead rent’ or ‘composition’ is paid on an agreed minimum tonnage output (since 1838, paid in lieu of the Crown's right to put in the 'fifth man' and take a profit share from the mine - the extra person was the 'King's Man' or 'Fifth Man' - traditionally there were four partners in a mine). If a gale is worked under private land there could be a sixth man or ‘lord's man’. Subsequently also converted to an additional sixth share of the profit from the mine. Present day. A Freemine is worked according to the Dean Forest Mines Acts, the Mines Regulations 2014, as well as modern Health and Safety and Environmental laws, where applicable. Gales are worked full time, part time, evenings, or just a day on the weekend. They offer full time incomes, or a useful supplement to the household income, or even as a personal interest. Trainees absorb the tradition through working alongside experienced Freeminers. Today Freeminers can be found working with local miners who have become involved with the custom. Although hard work, with on the job training, it is an interesting, satisfying and productive experience. The Freeminers' Association works closely with the Forestry Commission, and recently worked with the Heritage Lottery Scheme through the Forester's Forest to keep Freemining a living tradition, a distinctly unique part of the Forest of Dean. 
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