| The Breakroom > The Water Cooler |
| Just as well .... |
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| Sid_Vicious:
--- Quote from: DavidA on December 19, 2015, 02:31:42 PM ---I believe that Bob Dylan had a song for the occasion. can't remember the title, but it had a line something like the coals cheaper from the South American mines; where the miners work almost for noth. Dave. --- End quote --- I think that song is called sundown for the union, or something like it. |
| hermetic:
the song is "north Country Blues" as I type this coal is providing less than 11% of the base load, whereas wind is providing 15% (http://www.gridwatch.templar.co.uk/) The days of king coal are over for now. A pity we have so much good quality coal under our island. |
| hermetic:
The song was about iron ore mining, but the same effects are suffered by the UK coal mining communities as are recounted in the song. Phil |
| Fergus OMore:
You see- but mine wasn't a song. Mine was the real world. A couple of miles from Hedgefield office mentioned, there was a cinema. Not much of one but it was all that we had. I'd taken a break from homework. Matriculation, school cert -whatever but the film was Cronin's the Stars Look down- a mining story. I came home in the blackout to a home in another dirty mining village to find my father sitting naked in the tin bath in front of the fire with my Mum trying to remove a mixture of coal dust, shale grease and blood from cuts which ran from the base of his spine almost to his scrawny neck. A month or two later- in January 1946, he was again in hospital, this time he'd been in the mine locomotive and in the boiler and a heating tube had crushed his thumb etc. I'd just started to work but the boss was kind and gave me permission to visit. He had more complications but in the next beds were closed with screens but the moans couldn't be masked. There had been a misfire and the occupants were riddled with coal and rock- and it was not a question of 'If' but 'When' would they die. I still live in a former mining village not far away. Perhaps the moderators will delete my post. So far, it is in print. |
| Bluechip:
I don't see any reason to delete it. I lived in a coal mining area and that's the way things were. I believe safety improved after nationalisation but that work always was, and still is, dangerous. The Chinese seem to have regular incidents. My father was in mining during WW2, shot-firing amongst other things, and had some horrendous tales when you could drag them out of him. The 'Bevin Boys' thought the Services were a safer bet re: survival. I actually got a job as an Apprentice Electrician with the NCB but, as I was not 18, he had to sign the papers. He tore them up and put them on the fire in front of me. He said what you do when you're 18 is up to you, but no way will I sign them. There ended my career with #5 Area NCB. Subsequent events proved him right. Thanks Pop ... :thumbup: Best Wishes to you, Norman. Keep up the good work. Dave |
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