O/t A coalminers tale...

[CAMiller]

Quick question, be honest, how many who post on here could have worked underground down a pit?

My Dad wouldn't let me after seeing what it did to his 3 brothers. Funnily enough I've never been down t'pit. Studying A level Geology at school we had a trip to go down one and unfortunately there was 1 too many in the class for H&S regulations so guess who drew the short straw? I also applied to get University sponsorship from the NCB but seem to remember they passed on me when I hesitated over their suggestion about switching from Mechanical Engineering to Mining Engineering. Was all moot anyway as I screwed up my Physics A level. Went on to do Geology at college but never worked in either the oil or mining sectors.

Guess I'll never get the chance now but in answer to the question, I don't think I could have done it. As Roly says, I never put a shift in

[sota]

Quick question, be honest, how many who post on here could have worked underground down a pit?

Not me mate, but I did do the opposite....working high in the air in the days without a harness or cherry picker in sight. Not many would fancy that either ;-)

[CTMilller]

Quick question, be honest, how many who post on here could have worked underground down a pit?

Nor me. I went down the Wakefield pit a few years ago (part of the excellent NCB museum there) and, even though it’s been spruced up and made totally safe, I would not have wanted to spend a large part of my life in a place like that. Just going down a thousand feet in the cage is enough to put you off. I take my hat off to Brin and the others on here who started their working lives underground and tried to fight for their livelihoods in the mid eighties. Respect.

[Exiletyke]

My Dad was a miner from the age of 14 & kept telling me on a regular basis that he was not going to allow me to go darnt' pit
As a consequence of his constant pressure in this regard I never saw the inside of a mine
In a strange sort of way he would when shifts allowed take me on pay day & dressed me quite well It was not uncommon to see others with their dads on pay day doing the same thing with some degree of pride I reckon
I have nothing but admiration for all the miners & the incredibly difficult & dangerous job they did to put food on the table
Thanks Dad
Thanks Brin for the thread

[Ericsladkilnhurst]

Picket Line
I spent some time on the picket line, back in eighty four, Scargill was the union man, Thatcher was the foe,
We tried to stop pit closures, our one and only goal,
Our jobs were been threatened: we wanted coal not dole.

I spent sometime on the picket line, trying to stop the scabs,
They drove them through in heavy trucks and guarded taxi cabs.
Now Maggie said, " These miners, we must not let them win ",
She called us " Reds and Traitors " and " The enemy within ".

I spent some time on the picket line, I did my duty there,
But Maggie used her bullyboys: they came from everywhere.
They were not your friendly Bobbies, to see that all was fair,
Those Baton Beating Maniacs, they hit and did not care.

I spent some time on the picket line, with no money money coming in,
We survived on a weekly parcel and the help of friends and kin,
After 12 long months, we'd had enough nothing did we gain,
So one by one she closed the mines: our struggle was in vain.

I spent some time on the picket line, i sometimes wonder why,
Why fight to work in danger and dirt ? It's stupid I can't deny.
And the valleys are looking greener, now the pits are no more,
Perhaps she did us a favour, back in nine**** eighty-four. ?

[Archiemiller]

Quick question, be honest, how many who post on here could have worked underground down a pit?

Sounds like tha ad a cushy number Brin, ah left school ont friday, started at Stubbin ont monday, the gid mi most dangerist job int pit, ad to gu daarn pit 1st to mek sure it wer safe for canaries.

[Ericsladkilnhurst]

............ The Men Below ...........

Did you ever see a sight so grim,
Of pit head wheels on high so trim ?.
And think about the men who go,
Down the shaft to work below.

Did you ever think of seam's so low,
Of backs that bend just like a bow ?.
Then think about the men whose goal,
is sweat and toil to get the coal.

Did you leave a winter storm,
To sit by the fire so smug and warm ?.
Did you ever think of the men below,
Whose efforts bring you such a glow ?.

Did you ever walk on a summer's day,
With skies so blue and flowers so gay,
And stop to think of the men below,
Whose bright skies come from a cap lamps glow ?.

Did you ever step into the city lairs,
Where all the talk is of stock and shares,
Whose praise for efforts seldom grow.

Did you ever think how feelings grow,
As men walk on with darkened brow ?.
Come wind, come rain, come sleet and snow,
Only then you'll think of the men below.

[Lolmorgan]

Sounds like tha ad a cushy number Brin, ah left school ont friday, started at Stubbin ont monday, the gid mi most dangerist job int pit, ad to gu daarn pit 1st to mek sure it wer safe for canaries.

Didn't know anybody from Norwich that worked at Stubbin.

[Exiletyke]

Picket Line
I spent some time on the picket line, back in eighty four, Scargill was the union man, Thatcher was the foe,
We tried to stop pit closures, our one and only goal,
Our jobs were been threatened: we wanted coal not dole.

I spent sometime on the picket line, trying to stop the scabs,
They drove them through in heavy trucks and guarded taxi cabs.
Now Maggie said, " These miners, we must not let them win ",
She called us " Reds and Traitors " and " The enemy within ".

I spent some time on the picket line, I did my duty there,
But Maggie used her bullyboys: they came from everywhere.
They were not your friendly Bobbies, to see that all was fair,
Those Baton Beating Maniacs, they hit and did not care.

I spent some time on the picket line, with no money money coming in,
We survived on a weekly parcel and the help of friends and kin,
After 12 long months, we'd had enough nothing did we gain,
So one by one she closed the mines: our struggle was in vain.

I spent some time on the picket line, i sometimes wonder why,
Why fight to work in danger and dirt ? It's stupid I can't deny.
And the valleys are looking greener, now the pits are no more,
Perhaps she did us a favour, back in nine**** eighty-four. ?

Perhaps she did us a favour, back in nine**** eighty-four. ?
Just a shame that wasn't her reason

[Grist_To_The_Mill]

Even Churchill honoured the miners in a famous House of Commons speech

"Never in the field of human endeavour was so much earned for doing so little work. Overtime was their finest hour"