I found out whilst researching my family tree that my 2nd great grandfather was working down the mines in Wigan at 9 years old. He was a “Drawer” which I found out was a the name for the boys that pulled the trucks underground whilst crawling on their hands and knees. 😢❤
Mineros del carbón del mundo. Gracias. Jamás seréis olvidados. Los que hemos sido hijos de mineros seguiremos siendo los niños del humo. Que viva la gente minera.
Why did they want to legislate against the women’s employment? I admit that I’m surprised at the sheer number of women in this video. I wonder how many of these people were my relatives? I have centuries of ancestors in Wigan.
Social reformers, often from non mining areas did not understand the ancient family nature of mining. They were shocked to see images in dirty clothing and felt they were ‘rescuing’ them from their ‘dismal’ lives. Over 90% of women surface workers were the wives of miners, their additional earnings were vital. Mjners in areas where good wages were possible occasionally voted for women’s employment to cease. You’ve got to admire the women organising themselves sending deputations to parliament. You might like the book I wrote; The Pit Brow Women of the Wigan Coalfield, my name’s Alan Davies
@@coalboard6292 I have an ancestor who was said to have been raped by the son of a lord, so I was interested to see that many of the mine owners sat in the House of Lords. They lived in mining houses at the time, I think. Florida Smithies or something like that? I think it was in Haydock. Maybe Ashton in Makerfield. I’m always trying to figure out who the man was, because he would be my 3x great-grandfather.
@@lainey7985 Hi That’s nasty, coalowner Lord Gerard had links with Ashton in Makerfield. Gerard family records may exist possibly at Lancs Archives Preston, correspondence or compensation documents may have survived, worth getting in touch with them. Let me know how you get on, my email is; pitheadbaths@aol.com Bye Alan
Amazing footage. My Great Grandad was a coal miner in the Rhondda Valley around the time this footage was taken. Us today could never truly imagine the life that generation had, absolute heroes everyone of them.
My mother came from Lancashire- nearby Westleigh - and worked in a Cotton Mill from 12 years old (she had to leave school early to bring in extra money). Her father worked in the pits but was wounded and left with a crippled arm in World War One so he was unable to go back down the pit at the end of the war - he was forced to take a lesser paid job and no pension etc for war service. My mother's brother went down the pit after World War Two having served in the RAF. He died in 1982 aged just 59 of a heart attack brought on by lung disease caused by being a miner. Times back then were so unimaginably tough - two World Wars, poverty, shortages, and health destroying hard work. It was another world that the modern generation need to be taught and shown - their world is built on it.
It's sad to me that the folks working so hard could only make the bare minimum to survive while the 4-5 guys at the top rake in exorbitant riches. Why they could not pay the workers a fair share ?? Why should only a few be allowed to prosper ?
Quite a few probably, although mining was nationalised during WW1 and a partly reserved occupation. I found one unlucky miner in Tyldesley cemetery who returned from the war to die downs Cleworth Hall Colliery a few months later
My great Grandad worked down the pit for 20 years. He always dressed with handkerchiefs on his cuffs and bells attached to his ankles. He was a Morris Miner.
My paternal Grandfather who I briefly knew, worked as a 'Hewer'/ a coal face worker, in the pits in Wigan at this time. He was 29 years old in 1911, and married with one son, who was my Uncle who I never met, born in 1910 down Miry lane, Wigan. My Great Granddad was killed down the pit in Wigan in the early 1890's .Worse was to come for my Granddad. He volunteered in 1915 and enlisted in the Army, during WW1. In 1916, he was shot through his right leg during the Battle of the Somme. And in April 1918, during the 'German Spring Offensive/Kaiserschlacht' , he was gassed and then shot through his right eye and taken POW .
Its very hard to comprehend the reality of long days, meagre wages and thin seams. Some of the hewing here seems 'staged' ie unreal. I think in reality it was much grimmer than portrayed in this publicity film. Poor things, my heart bleeds for them...whilst the rich mine-owners knew nothing but luxury.
I doubt the wife and children would have gone out to wish him goodbye for the day because most minerz did a ten or twelve hour shift. So they would most likely been leaving before dawn most of the year, and returning home after sunset.
greetings from cardiff, south wales.. i know this is a bit different but one of my grandfathers was a coal trimmer, someone on a ship i think?? round about the time of the first world war.. anything that can shed light on this whole time is so interesting.. thankyou for sharing this..
This is invaluable. I've been down two pits and, tho it may seem a cliché, there were REAL men down there. Down to earth, no nonsense and good humoured. As I recall there were morphine safes every 200 yards. I've seen the floor rising up to meet the ceiling. Formative experiences.
