From: chris@cjpl.co.uk
On 22/04/2018 05:56, Steve Hayes wrote:
> On Fri, 20 Apr 2018 20:11:14 +0100, Tickettyboo
> wrote:
>
>> Above and below are common 'additions' to census returns for mine
>> workers - at least in my experience of researching miners in Durham . I
>> assume that some sort of statistical analysis was done - the chances of
>> dying young(er) were, for instance, much higher if the employees of a
>> mine worked below ground.
>>
>> On that page, 'hewer', I would have thought, would be self explanatory
>> as below ground. Rolleywayman and Belt Boy were perhaps a more
>> specialised terms and therefore needed clarification, ditto for
>> Screener and Colliery Labour Watcher- if you knew nothing about the
>> coal mines you may not know if that was an above or below ground
>> occupation.
>
> I'ce found some pit pony carers with additions of (underground) and
> such things.
>
>
Many years ago I had a fascinating conversation with an old man who had
been a farrier in one of the South Wales pits. The pit ponies lived
permanently underground. Consequently, when they needed new shoes, they
were fitted underground. Lighting a fire was obviously not an option, so
he had to cold-shoe them.
No doubt the horseshoes were made above ground, but the final shaping so
that they fitted properly had to be done on the spot, and involved
hammering the cold shoe. I imagine this was at least part of the job
recorded in this census entry, though I suppose there was also other
metal work underground (rails, trolley wheels, tools?) that required
maintenance.
--
Chris Pitt Lewis
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