This photograph is from the collection of Barry Howard, who was an electrician at local coal mines such as Hebburn No. 2 and Northern (Rhondda) Colliery, and at Saxonvale Colliery, further up the Hunter Valley. This photo was taken by his late father, Baden Powell Howard. Mr Howard has very kindly permitted us to to publish these photographs on this website for the benefit of researchers and for those who served in the mines and their families.

The image can be used for study and personal research purposes. If you wish to reproduce this image for any other purpose please contact Special Collections.

If you would like to comment on the photograph, please contact Special Collections.

Dave111_1111: My father can remember riding from Barnsley to Rhondda on Saturday mornings with his father to look after the horses in the stables at Rhondda Colliery! After they were finished tending to the horses his dad would take him to the hotel for a drink. He was under age and wasnt allowed in the pub but would sit on the front step & the publican would bring him out a "red" drink as he calls it! That was their ritual every Saturday morning for years. My other grandfather worked at the pit as well & tells the tale of the men coming out of the pit via "cave ins" & they would go to the pub for a beer at lunch time! The publican would stand at the door of the pub & not let them in until they had tipped the water out of their water bottles!!! (The pit worked the seam very close to the surface & a "cave ins" were very common hence the reason the pit caught on fire in 1974!). UON Library,University of Newcastle, Australia: These reminiscences really bring the photos to life, Dave. Thanks!

© Barry Howard