What was it like working in the Pits?

[Select coaches]

Trying to phrase this correctly, I have wondered why County Durham never attracted any foreign workers to the pits.

 

[Gobuchul]

Trying to phrase this correctly, I have wondered why County Durham never attracted any foreign workers to the pits.

They did. The irish.

 

[Makem57]

Went to my mates 50th birthday party, lot of the lads were ex miners , all said they missed the crack and camaraderie and would have gone back the next day if they could ,

 

[Gobuchul]

Tin hat on but for unskilled men would it be any worse than going to Nissan?

Well working in searing heat, covered in dust, no toilets, pitch black with a significant real risk of injury, long term health problems and physically exhausting.

Nothing like Nissan.

 

[JAZZMANB]

I doubt you got many miners packed another job in to do it . Tend to be just out of school, there you go son .

 

[Joe Baker]

Granda was down easington his entire life, had just came on shift when the disaster struck. Hes on the famous picture outside the offices.

The anniversary was a few days ago:

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[Tin Man]

Coal dust in the lungs was a death sentence, lots of miners died young in there 50’s and 60’s

Yet my fatha who worked from 14 -65 at the pit said the dustiest job he had was before he went underground,the young & infirm manned the screens where stone was picked out of the coals.He said you couldn’t breathe or see for thick dust.Cause of his death COPD.

 

[Joe Baker]

Trying to phrase this correctly, I have wondered why County Durham never attracted any foreign workers to the pits.

I have ancestors from Norfolk, West Yorkshire, Cumbria, Ireland and Scotland who moved to the NE to work in the mines. Mine owners sent recruiting parties to fill jobs as the Durham coalfield expanded.

 

[CPLforever]

You know for all the oh my God and I wouldn't do it and my Da didn't want his sons to go down and nostalgia for a dirty dangerous job comments.

It's a good job someone did it. In the days of work to live and heavy industry and keeping the country going it's a good job we had people willing to do it and not loads and loads of people thinking I want to do a media studies degree. And nothing else.

Mind a Health and Safety at work degree might be useful.... even today.

 

[Gobuchul]

You know for all the oh my God and I wouldn't do it and my Da didn't want his sons to go down and nostalgia for a dirty dangerous job comments.

It's a good job someone did it. In the days of work to live and heavy industry and keeping the country going it's a good job we had people willing to do it and not loads and loads of people thinking I want to do a media studies degree. And nothing else.

Mind a Health and Safety at work degree might be useful....

My dad went down the pit for a few months, in the 1930's, jacked it in, said it was absolutely horrendous. He also realised a way of making more money in a day than his father could earn as a miner in a week.

 

[Mousehold Mackem]

My Grandad was a hewer at Brandon. Died before his time because of the job.

Had an uncle who worked at Chilton.

Rest of the family managed to avoid the pits.