Stories of the Coal Mine

Men, women and children (who could until 1842 be as young as four years old and from 1900 had to be over thirteen years of age) worked in the coalmines which was hard, relentless and dangerous work. This was especially true for those men who mined the coal and who were forced to work in spaces of about 30 inches (75cm) high and to tunnel using pickaxes for long distances from the main shaft. Flood, firedamp and chokedamp are ever-present dangers to the miner, all hidden maybe mere inches away to