85
HI-HO, HI-HO
Early on a cold Welsh morning, many villagers would be ready to leave home for a long days work in the mine. Why? Because that's the only way they could earn money! Risking their lives on a day to day basis to gather some sweet, sweet coal!
Recently, I went to visit a real coal mine called "Big Pit" with my girlfriend, mainly to gather photographs for my art project. But we learnt quite a lot about the mining community at the time and truly how much of a risky job it was, if you hadn't already figured!
FETCH ME' PICK!
Before descending down 300ft below, we were equipped with new helmets and head lamps. During an underground tour we were told how children as young as 7 years old would be working in the mines, they were known as "trappers" as their responsibility was to open and close the doors to let horses and miners through. This was important because the doors were used to store fresh air and ventilate the shafts.
These children would be guided into the mines by a miner with a candle, but then left to sit by their door for 12 hours a day without ANY light what so ever! We were all asked to turn off our head lamps to experience this darkness and it was deeply unsettling! How do they find the door you may ask? Well they were attached to it by a piece of rope so they could find their way to the door if they could hear someone coming.
NOT SO STABLE
Horses were used in the mines! This was news to me as I never thought they'd be much use in a mine, but they were used to pull the carts back and forth; they liked to call them "Pit Ponies". We got to see their stables that they lived in overnight... underground! The horses never saw daylight when the miners got to go home, only on the miners holiday (2 weeks in summer) do they get released above ground to enjoy fresh air and the summer sun, to then be brought back down to work for another year.
That wasn't the least of the troubles for the poor Pit Ponies as they also had to stay down with the unwanted guests, the rats! The tour guide explained how the rats would bathe in their drinking water leaving them prone to disease! The largest rat they reported in Big Pit was said to be as big as 13 inches! Just over a foot long! They may as well had put a helmet on it and sent it to work!
IT'S NOT ALL DOOM AND GLOOM
The guide did actually say if the mines were to re-open then he would be back working as a miner, as he said the close knit bond each of them had was phenomenal! He described it much like the words of Leonidas from 300 as he said "You were responsible for the man next to you, and him to you". I noticed throughout all the images of these miners in their gallery, not one of them looked sad.
Despite all the dire risks of working in these mines, those men shared a strong friendship amongst themselves as they were responsible for each other, working hard and earning the same wage. I've always wondered how I would be if I was a miner, I always wanted to be one for some strange reason... Maybe it's just in my Welsh blood? Many ancestors were miners you know!
POPULAR?
I'm also pretty dazzled by the surprising amount of attention I've been getting here on PMC? I've only been here a week creating blogs and I've already met some great people who support what I am doing here. I've been sending thank you messages to my subscribers with a special image, which seemed to surprise a lot of you as superstrangerlika said "I've never seen anyone send messages to their subscribers saying thank you, it amazes me."
I feel welcomed by the PMC community and I hope I can treat you all to great content and constant surprises!
Thanks for reading!
-WelshCake
Help a new time blogger like me out? Hit that diamond button... please?
Early on a cold Welsh morning, many villagers would be ready to leave home for a long days work in the mine. Why? Because that's the only way they could earn money! Risking their lives on a day to day basis to gather some sweet, sweet coal!
Recently, I went to visit a real coal mine called "Big Pit" with my girlfriend, mainly to gather photographs for my art project. But we learnt quite a lot about the mining community at the time and truly how much of a risky job it was, if you hadn't already figured!
FETCH ME' PICK!
Before descending down 300ft below, we were equipped with new helmets and head lamps. During an underground tour we were told how children as young as 7 years old would be working in the mines, they were known as "trappers" as their responsibility was to open and close the doors to let horses and miners through. This was important because the doors were used to store fresh air and ventilate the shafts.
These children would be guided into the mines by a miner with a candle, but then left to sit by their door for 12 hours a day without ANY light what so ever! We were all asked to turn off our head lamps to experience this darkness and it was deeply unsettling! How do they find the door you may ask? Well they were attached to it by a piece of rope so they could find their way to the door if they could hear someone coming.
NOT SO STABLE
Horses were used in the mines! This was news to me as I never thought they'd be much use in a mine, but they were used to pull the carts back and forth; they liked to call them "Pit Ponies". We got to see their stables that they lived in overnight... underground! The horses never saw daylight when the miners got to go home, only on the miners holiday (2 weeks in summer) do they get released above ground to enjoy fresh air and the summer sun, to then be brought back down to work for another year.
That wasn't the least of the troubles for the poor Pit Ponies as they also had to stay down with the unwanted guests, the rats! The tour guide explained how the rats would bathe in their drinking water leaving them prone to disease! The largest rat they reported in Big Pit was said to be as big as 13 inches! Just over a foot long! They may as well had put a helmet on it and sent it to work!
IT'S NOT ALL DOOM AND GLOOM
The guide did actually say if the mines were to re-open then he would be back working as a miner, as he said the close knit bond each of them had was phenomenal! He described it much like the words of Leonidas from 300 as he said "You were responsible for the man next to you, and him to you". I noticed throughout all the images of these miners in their gallery, not one of them looked sad.
Despite all the dire risks of working in these mines, those men shared a strong friendship amongst themselves as they were responsible for each other, working hard and earning the same wage. I've always wondered how I would be if I was a miner, I always wanted to be one for some strange reason... Maybe it's just in my Welsh blood? Many ancestors were miners you know!
POPULAR?
I'm also pretty dazzled by the surprising amount of attention I've been getting here on PMC? I've only been here a week creating blogs and I've already met some great people who support what I am doing here. I've been sending thank you messages to my subscribers with a special image, which seemed to surprise a lot of you as superstrangerlika said "I've never seen anyone send messages to their subscribers saying thank you, it amazes me."
I feel welcomed by the PMC community and I hope I can treat you all to great content and constant surprises!
Thanks for reading!
-WelshCake
Help a new time blogger like me out? Hit that diamond button... please?
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Still, i really like this blog! Diamonds to you! (Achievement Reference)