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  1. #1
    Colin Rowledge
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    Default Attending the Mine/Miners?

    Many of my ancestors were involved with the mining industry in both Cornwall and Wales.

    The wording in the title of this thread is how some were enumerated and they were all young ladies - either unmarried or widows of miners. In the next census, I've seen the same folks, some now married and it has been interesting to see how their lives changed. Others were still unmarried or widows, but as of the next census, they were in the workhouse and in some instances with additional children.

    I may be naive, but am also thick skinned. I know from my Cornish ancestors that went to the States and lived in mining camps that young ladies [and some not so young] paid nocturnal visits to these camps. The purpose of these visits was obvious

    Cornwall and Wales was much more civilzed then than the 'wild west' of the late 19th century,so to consider these ladies as such, in my opinion is improper. So my question is- - were they bringing pasties and sandwiches, were they paid a wage for jobs in the mines or were they intune with those in the 'wild west?'

    I don't think this post exceeds the boudaries of this site, so I hope for some serious answers.

    Colin

  2. #2
    Colin Rowledge
    Guest

    Default

    One such lady in my tree was never married. She lived in a small cottage beside the site and did 'her duties' - whatever they were. During her lifetime, she had 8 children, all were dressed properly, went to school and learned to read and write. Recognizing that the small school needed a caretaker, she volunteered her services and because of her many pregnancies she was also called upon to assist in the hours leading up to the 'big event'. She grew old gracefully in the village, was well respected and loved and when she died at almost 85 years of age, 200 people attended her funeral.

    So she was not a hooker or a harlot. She was, herself, uneducated, but made the best of her life and paid back the community and the community in turn paid tribute to her.

    May she R.I.P.

    Colin

  3. #3
    MarkJ
    Guest

    Default

    Not exactly sure about your "attending" enumeration Colin. Many ladies were employed in mining in Cornwall - my own great gran for example. They generally worked as Bal Maidens - which was an above ground job. Bal Maidens did various tasks - picking ore from the rubble, sorting the various qualities of ore, breaking up larger rocks to extract the ore etc.

    On the unmarried side of things, we have to remember that these young ladies were not well educated and I suspect they were often "led astray" which sometimes ended up with pregnancy. In many cases, the lads would accept their responsibilities and marry the lady (check the dates of marriages versus births of first children!) but sometimes they presumably refused to acknowledge their actions...

    This type of thing is not limited to Cornwall - it happened all over the place.

  4. #4
    Colin Rowledge
    Guest

    Default

    Thanks Mark, for responding. I wasn't intending to denigrate the morals of young Cornish [or Welsh, for that matter] lassies, but whether or not the girls were living at home with parents and siblings involved in the industry, this was how they appeared on the schedules.

    Quote Originally Posted by MarkJ View Post
    Not exactly sure about your "attending" enumeration Colin. .
    Others had specific titles - Mine Labourer [above ground] - and father and brothers - Miners or mine labourers below ground.

    While I had an inkling of what the guys did below ground, your answer has somewhat clarified the role of those employed above ground.

    Pretty much like my Explosives lot from Connor Downs, eh?

    Cheers
    Colin

  5. #5
    AnnB
    Guest

    Default

    A site which may interest you Colin, can be found at balmaiden.co.uk/index.htm (usual www in front) and the BBC has some info at bbc.co.uk/nationonfilm/topics/tin-mining/background_conditions.shtml (again www in front).

    Best wishes
    Ann

  6. #6
    MarkJ
    Guest

    Default

    It was usually the case that in certain areas the only employment was farm work or the mines. If hubby has a job in the mine, then the male children usually followed and the wife and female children often worked as Bal Maidens - which tend to be enumerated as Mine Workers (often with the "above ground" distinction as you have noted Colin)

    Very hard work for which I expect the pay was poor...

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