Coal Mining

[HIGH PIT WILMA]

Hi Canny Lass,we are now talking about conditions under the National Coal Board which was invested [is that the right word?!]..in 1947,in which Widows were allowed to live in their family home.Remember my Mother was evicted by the coal owners thugs ["Bailiffs"...THUGS]...BECAUSE MY fATHER WAS IN hOSPITAL DYING..AND NOT WORKING DOWN THE PIT WHERE THE OWNERS THOUGHT HE SHOULD BE..THEY HAD NO CONSCIENCE..NO CONCERN ABOUT THE WORKERS AT ALL..BUT IF A PONY WAS INJURED OR KILLED..THERE WAS AN INQUIREY AND THE PONY HANDLER WOULD LOSE HIS JOB AND POOSSIBLY BE JAILED ON TRUMPED UP NEGLIGENCE CHARGES....sorry about caps lock being on..glaucoma now..difficult trying to type and watch the screen..didn't realise it was on!!..I live at West Terrace in Stakeford for thirty years..the first 14 yrs were under NCB ownership,and I paid rent weekly from my pay.Down the street there were several Miner's Widows living with families in those houses.But NOT in the days before 1947!!...The pony's were "hung" onto the tubs or trams with either tracing chains from their collar each side and onto the tub handles,or Limbers..["Limma's"]..Shafts either side attached to a steel yoke and coupled to the tub middle "CockHole"..[I explained a few years ago about that term!...not indecent!!"]..with a Sheckle and Sheckle pin.So they PULLED the tubs along behind them.

[Canny lass]

2 hours ago, HIGH PIT WILMA said:

the pony's were "hung" onto the tubs or trams with either tracing chains from their collar each side and onto the tub handles,

Thanks HPW! I read a wonderful book some years ago called the The White Slaves of Britain which described vividly the social conditions of 19th century Britain. Some of these "white slaves" were women and children working in Britain's coal mines. The woman would be shackled to a 'cart' (sometimes called a corv) in exactly the way you describe. with a chain from a belt around her waist. She was then called a 'hurrier'. It's the one and only time I've ever seen that word and I've never been able to find its origins. With no child-minding facilities, and needing money, she would have her children, as young as 4 years old,  employed in the mine as well - the cheapest of labour. They would push the cart from behind to assist her and they were called 'thrusters' or 'putters'. These people worked in tunnels only 60 cm high. Thank heavens as things got better the tunnels were high enough to stand up in and eventually enough to get a small horse into.

Edited Wednesday at 15:08 by Canny lass

[Vic Patterson]

12 minutes ago, Canny lass said:

Some of these "white slaves" were women and children working in Britain's coal mines. 

My great grandfather worked underground 1861 when he was 9 years old at the Bella pit. his mom would carry him home.

[Alias Joppa]

my Father was  coal minor at isabella pit Jonty jobson  as kids the joppa's would steak in and nick the pit props and cut them up for firewood we were chased by the caretaker one night as it happens we got a good hiding good old days the gala every year my first taste of caramac 1950's

 

Edited Wednesday at 22:51 by Alias Joppa

[HIGH PIT WILMA]

All true CL,and Vic!..not so long ago,my GrandMother   was just one of a set of children aged 14 yrs old working at Ashington colliery with the  ShaftSinkers when they sunk the later shafts..the Men did the hard work drilling and firing the bottom up but the lassies,because they were small and took no room up in the confined space,were employed to fill the basket with the stones that were fired up.That would be in the very early 1900's..Ashington was five pits in one with five shafts ...5000 miners..and the biggest mining complex in the world in those days.

[Canny lass]

15 hours ago, Alias Joppa said:

my first taste of caramac 1950's

Oh happy days! That brought back a few memories

[Canny lass]

22 hours ago, Vic Patterson said:

My great grandfather worked underground 1861 when he was 9 years old at the Bella pit. his mom would carry him home.

 

12 hours ago, HIGH PIT WILMA said:

my GrandMother   was just one of a set of children aged 14 yrs old working at Ashington colliery with the  ShaftSinkers

It's horrendous to think that is just a couple of generations ago. We have it very easy with today's working conditions yet there are still those who complain.

Edited Thursday at 14:09 by Canny lass