There is important work at our company for many local people. In total we employ 300 people. It is a close knit company; we have two generations of some families working for us. Many of our workers joined us as boys and have steadily progressed. Beginning at 12 years they move on to the more difficult tasks of moving the coal, eventually becoming hewers, cutting at the coalface. We also have a team of craftsmen working above ground.
There are many different workers needed to support the miners as our employment list indicates.
Overseer
Overall responsibility for the mine
Under official
To carry out daily inspections of the mine for gas
Winding man
To operate the winding gear, raising the coal and lowering the tubs and miners down the shaft
Banksman
To supervise the unloading of coal and check off who goes down and comes up the mine
Hewer
To cut and load at the coal face
Joiner
To maintain the ventilation doors, props and tubs
Blacksmith
To maintain the miners’ tools (picks, shovels etc), ponies’ tackle and coal tub wheels
Hand putter
To take empty tubs to the hewer at the coal face and bring full tubs to the nearest main roadway
Saddler
To make and repair pony halters and saddles
Pony driver
To draw the train of loaded tubs to the foot of the shaft for winching to the surface
Labourers
To weigh tubs, move the wagons, work the tippers and pick the coal
Trapper
To open and close ventilation doors for coal tubs to pass, to regulate the current of air and prevent the build up of dangerous gasses
