We are fortunate enough to have a number of members who have worked/are working in the mining industry. Whilst we have an unparalled collection of images, some contemporary with active working, we don't have much (waiting for the 'soon to be disproved emoticon') in the way of reminiscences and factual accounts of recent periods of working. I know more mineral has been turned in pubs and clubs than was ever mined, but it would be a shame if those of us who have been fortunate (?!, discuss) enough to do some of these jobs didn't try to record some of the day to day history, before we shuffle off or forget. It might be cheaper than using a therapist, after all. Is there an audience, or will we be talking to ourselves? What do you think?

I suspect there is a "market", if a bit niche, as an example BBC4 had a short programme about Scottish oil shale containing a few clips of people who had worked in the industry and their stories were fascinating.

Every now and again tales of characters like Malcolm Brown crop up on AN and they are also very interesting, even if they sometimes sail close to the wind.

My view is that it's a good idea Boy Engineer.

As you might be aware, with this in mind I wrote a small article which was posted here, and then appeared in print called Smallcleugh mining History.
Naturally it could not dot every eye nor cross every t but it relates the dates of major discoveries in what is probably the most extensive, accessible disused mine in the U.K.
I think boy engineer must be exaggerating when he claims more mineral has been sold in pubs than raised!
Just look at the fluorspar production figures for Derbyshire.

John,
I think he means tongue in cheek. Certainly in the coal industry it was always reckoned that they mined a lot of coal in the bar in the Welfare.

There is always an ear for it.

I spent many afternoons as a kid listening to my ancient granddad telling me horror stories about life in t'pit and sternly telling me to never to have anything to do with mines of any kind and to embrace something new and safe like computers.

Ok I did start with computers but I'm an underground man through and through. Always will be.

Sorry granddad! ;D

Bless him...

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Staffordshire China,
I bought my first working miner's lamp and in a pub, in Stoney Middleton, some 50 years ago.
I also know that lots of spar has been sold in pubs, hence my comment.

I know more mineral has been turned in pubs and clubs than was ever mined

"What time did we start turning?" was the first thing one asked on arrival at work. I'm not sure if about the etymology and am too lazy to look it up, so let's assume it referred either to the sheaves, cutting discs or conveyors. We had neither sheaves or discs in the mines where I worked, so belts it had to be. I'm also not sure if it is a term used elsewhere and of course my experience is largely confined to the Midlands, mostly in non-coal mines. My comment referred (as Les has confirmed) to the habit of "talking a good shift"; I'm not going to speculate on why. Almost as unfathomable (no offence meant for our Cornish measurement fans) as going back down once the mines are abandoned. 😉

If you go on the Big Pit website, there are scans of most, if not all of the ten issues of Coal / Glo magazine that have been published over the last ten years. Every issue was a mix of oral history memories and photographs relating to the oral history. Many of the issues were themed - for example there was one on Bevin Boys, there was another on Poles and other late 1940s immigrants to the coal industry. Other issues simply looked across the breadth of jobs that existed in the coal industry. A browse of back issues of Glo magazine might inspire oral history recording projects in other regions.

The equipment to gather the basic information was a tape recorder, a scanner to copy photos, plus a camera to photograph the interviewees.

The important thing is to donate the recordings and transcripts to a museum or archive that has the equipment and resources to migrate the recordings and scanned photos, without loss, to each new format as it replaces old formats.

Hi,
Why go back down ?

Well, going caving is like doing a long work-out in a Gym, but prettier...and more exiting! In Devon & Cornwall there were not many caves, but lots of abandoned mines which nobody new what they were like underground. So the Plymouth Caving Group decided to investigate and produced a booklet, 'All that Remains'. Over the years huge undergound workings were explored, pushing ever longer and deeper. Indeed we had to invent new rope climbing equipment for 200 fathom shafts on the underlie down to adit level. Morwelham Key mining center opened partly as a result of our work. All passonate activity, but all due to the blood, sweat and tears of the miners, whose songs we learnt and sang undergound wherever the accoustics are fine.
Once we had learnt the traps to avoid, (such as false floors and deads), exploration became quite safe. Much time was spent investigating the 'County Adit'. And most of the time it was all done with full permission.
No doubt the picture was quite the same in other parts of the country, at the time far, far away up 'the longest lane in England'.... the A38.
BTW : Anyone know of any books on mining songs?
Happy Trogging...
D.Send. (Now active in Chalk river caves in Normandy).

For miner's songs, I'd suggest starting with a copy of "Come All Ye Bold Miners" by A.L. LLoyd.

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