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General => The Common Room => Topic started by: Griffl on Tuesday 02 December 14 07:12 GMT (UK)
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Hello all,
Seeing as that one side of the tree is almost all made up of coal miners..
Im looking for a book about their lives etc
My family moved to the South wales coal fields froms carmarthenshire,pembrokeshire etc in a first wave of about 1860-70ish
Then the latest wave is my mothers paternal line... That moved from Montgomeryshire here around 1920ish
If the book is specific to South Wales area that would be good
But any suggestion are appreciates:)
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Have you seen http://www.welshcoalmines.co.uk/ there is a forum with a section on Mining Links, Books and Resources
Stan
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If you follow the links through, from the site that Stan posted, you get to this site:
http://www.booksonwelshcoalminingandcollieries.co.uk/epages/es137064.sf/secmfMcfktUUiM/?ObjectPath=/Shops/es137064/Categories
Seems to be just what you want?
(Grandfather was in Oakdale pit; mother born in Blaina!)
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Many years ago I recall a film 'How Green Was My Valley' about a South Wales mining family and their community. From a 1939 novel by Richard Llewellyn.
Look out for it, the film is sure to be repeated sometime. :)
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I would like to recommend the book "These Poor Hands" by B L Coombes. The author worked as a miner in the Neath Valley and is basically an autobiography. he wrote one or two other books as well.There is a biography of the author by Chris Williams and Bill Jones. These authors have written other books on coal mining in South Wales.
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The film mentioned by mauricej was one of the first things to mind. It's a good film. It can be got on DVD. Also there are some coal mining books by Micky drury to do with pits around the Cannock area.
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Many years ago I recall a film 'How Green Was My Valley' about a South Wales mining family and their community. From a 1939 novel by Richard Llewellyn.
Look out for it, the film is sure to be repeated sometime. :)
Agreed a wonderful film about trials, tribulation and hardship in the mining community. Heartwarming and definately enjoyable if not seen. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-kE3CC2uDc
Another film, is Solomon and Gaenor, a turn of the century film, about a love story in the mining community that was made in 1999 in my area, South Wales (actually some of it in my street) They turned it back to turn of the century :) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-h9EPW7l0t8
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solomon_%26_Gaenor
Fact often lays in fiction..maybe you will enjoy?
Cas
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As for the written word, another to contemplate..I have read the trilogy
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rape_of_the_Fair_Country
Cas
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My Ancestor Was a Coalminer, Paperback – Illustrated, 1 May 2003 - by David Tonks.
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You may have already read it and its not about Wales (but it would be similar conditions).
There is a very vivid description in George Orwells book The Road To Wigan Pier (1937) , when he describes going down a coal mine in Chesterton
You can read the short chapter from the book here online
http://www.orwell.ru/library/essays/mine/english/e_dtm
Also there is an excellent video on YouTube, showing old film footage of a coal mine (1911) called A Day in the Life of a Wigan Coal Miner.
There is film of Wales coal mines on YT too
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I agree with Cas that Alexander Cordell's books Rape of the Fair Country, The Hosts of Rebecca and Song of the Earth (The Mortymer Trilogy) are excellent reading and give a wonderful insight into the life of mining families in the South Wales area. I live about 25 miles from the areas where the books are set and the area is now a World Heritage Site because of its industrial past.
I would advise anyone visiting this area who is interested in coal-mining history in South Wales to visit The Big Pit at Blaenavon where there are wonderful exhibitions about the living and working conditions of people in those days. You can also go down the mine (complete with all the miners' gear such as helmet, light etc) which certainly adds to your understanding of conditions. And what's more, it is all free as The Big Pit is part of the National Museum of Wales.