Census Occupations - Coal Mine Hewer
Below are some resources I recommend if any of your ancestors in your family tree were coal mine hewers.
A,B,C,D,E,F,G,H,I,J,K,L,M,N,O,P,Q,R,S,T,U,V,W,X,Y,Z
Description: Someone who mines coal, particularly by hand. This was a generic term for anyone involved in coal mining although was used more specifically for someone working at the pit face itself. Mining was often a family business with father and son working together and was usually the biggest employer in the area with towns and villages growing around the pits. This was a tough job, working long hours in very poor conditions. Mine collapse, flooding, gas build-up and explosions, not to mention long-term disease such as 'black lung' were common occurrences. Miners were used during the First and Second World War to dig in between no-man's land, planting mines to either create craters (used for cover in advances) or collapse enemy tunnels. In some cases, tunnels were dug to allow troops to move to the frontline safely. During the Second World War, miners were used to dig trenches. See also: Coal Miner, Collier, Coal Carter, Coal Mine Ripper, Colliery Banksman, Coal Merchant.
Websites:
Coal Mining History Resource Centre
The National Coal Mining Museum, Wakefield
Reading materials:
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