Grandfathers BackGrandfathers BackGrandfathers BackGrandfathers Back
By GeorgePBy GeorgePBy GeorgePBy GeorgeP
Dirty and Black was my Grandfathers back, Dirty and black being scrubbed with a sack “Water makes weak”, his mother had said Water most never get below head. Buckled and narled were his fathers hands Through heaving the coal far below ground “We need the money”, Gt. Grandmother said Every day as he got out of his bed. Eight years of age he started to toil Twelve years of age went down below soil Down in the depths where the sun never shines Down in the depths deep down in the mine.
A pony for company this twelve year old had Pulling coal from the mine just helping his dad “Keep up the pace Boy”, father would say Ten trips a day the company will pay. At fourteen he moved from hauling the coal To picking and shovelling in a small hole “Don’t you dare slacken”, his father would say “The company needs three tons a day”. At Twenty the Union came on the scene My Grandad was working a very bad seam Come join the Union his father had said Its time that you started to work with your head. United we stand, divided we fall This was their leaders every day call He joined the Union, he answered their call But the work never ceased, nor did the toil. At thirty the strike call came to the mine For miners it really was a bad time With little to eat no coal in the shed The miners stood tall and held up their heads When that strike was over the miners had lost There’s no job for you he was told by his boss He left the Tyne in search of a job He’d go anywhere to earn a few bob.
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Grandfathers Back
Over a hundred years ago the coal miners of County Durham in the UK never washed their backs because the thought it would weaken them. Ihstead a hessian sack was used to rub the...
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| Category: | Uncategorized. |
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| Upload Date: | 01/13/2008 |
| Copyright: | Attribution Non-commercial |
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