Netherton Pitmen in 1911

Laddies aboot 13 or 14 years old,and older ones....and we criticised other countries for using child labour!!

Aa was 15 years aad when aa started the pits straight from me school desk..in 1959...and aa was a little lad back then,aboot the height of the lads at the left hand side...and looking back noo,it was child labour even in more modern times compared to this era!

Info from the topic 'Netherton Colliery - People And Places :- 

@Jennifer Ann Atkinson- More info posted by 

The young lad on the left is Tommy Harrison, also called Percy by some (his middle name). His older sister later married my grandfather, so Tommy was my great uncle. When the First World War broke out he ran away and joined the army and he was sent to France. His parents contacted the army authorities because Tommy was only 16 and he was sent home. He did it again the next year and this time his parents decided to let him go. He served with the Scottish Regiment of Horse, surviving the Western Front and Battle of the Somme. After the War he worked as an engine fitter at Netherton Colliery.

The slightly older lad second left is Joe Swann, Tommy's cousin. Joe also became a winding engineman. He worked at the Hall Pit (near Nedderton village) while my grandfather worked at the Howard Pit. I don't know who any of the others are.