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David "Dai" Price (1893-1996) -- Mine worker, Aberdare Extended Colliery. Recorded 20 November 1979. Part 3/4.
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SummaryDavid "Dai" Price
Recorded 20 November 1979
Part 3 of 4
0:19
Harry Peters was one of the first miners near East Cessnock Public School. Harry Peters worked in Extended in 1907 the grandfather of Ernie Peters the racehorse bloke. Jack Baddeley was at Extended with Harry Peters. Dai was there with Baddeley, Prescott, Ernie, Joe Collins, worked as miners. Worked 12 hour days.
1:52
Gallagher Street - Dai had the first home there, his father built it, his name is Alec Price, Before that they had a hut and tent there for 6 months. Dai’s father worked at Neath Colliery and travelled there by sulky. Alec Price came back to Aberdare in Dave Murdoch’s time. Between Gallagher Street and David Street Wal Wilson lived there, who worked at Aberdare. The next house was Hutchins house, on Davie street. King the farmer lived in Gallagher's place later, it was an old farmhouse, and the foundation was cut out with a broad axe.
5:19
Describing the layout of the area, and where Abernock Pit, and Hill End Pit were located. Davie street and those that lived there and nearby. Pat Carroll. "Capper" Gehrig was the Deputy, and Dai saved his house from burning down one night. Gehrig owned a winery out the back and was drunk every Sunday. Blacksmith on corner of George Street - there was a funeral director, a post office and police station. Then Kenny's Saddlery shop. A little further down was the Cessnock Inn.
10:50
After the bank was all vineyards, "Yorky" Ward had a place there - he made the best little drinks, he had a soft drink shop. George Brown lived up on Mount View Road. Bernard McGrane was still up on McGrane Street hill, only one or two places were up there. Mary McGrane used to have a little shop opposite the barber.
16:18
Ernie Humble lived around the corner later on - he had been in Central. Charlie Lightfoot did work on the railway. In Vincent street George Brown had a store, Billy Glynn's had a bike shop in a shed alongside Vincent street. A doctor came once a week into Cessnock. Paddy Ryan had a store named Lane & Quinn's. Above that was a big empty paddock except for a big shed which was a wine cellar
21:01
Early Mount View Road - they went through a paddock, the road didn’t go through it was just a track. Early Vincent Street - there was no side streets except Maitland Road, there was a school of art, but before that it was a hall for concerts and dances. Tom Callaghan lived on Edward Street. Northumberland Hotel, Cessnock came when the big strike was on. Fred Parker was on High street and was related to Bill Coaldrake. The building of Neath Hotel cost six thousand pounds.
28:55
Sam Snape was the union councilman, his great-grandfather started the council. Dai remembers being told about gold found in mountains when he was 7 years old. Sarah Lawton had a two-storey building.
31:40
Aberdare Extended when Dai started - the first tunnel had gone into the top of the coal and put in an airway and second entrance. Put a furnace in. In driving tunnel, extent of mining was seven skips a day. They put the Jig in half a mile down the hill, the full coal travelled "downhill". Reason for this explained. Capper Gehrig worked at Little Neath, and when there was a fire at Capper Gehrig's house, the kitchen on fire, Dai put it out. Capper related to the Jones. John Brown was the Aberdare manager when Dai went to get work. On the day of the Bellbird disaster Dai was in the Aberdare pit number 12 section, they were looking for a deputy and gave the job to Dai. That day Brown was killed at Bellbird the same day. Fred Price was the manager. Dai became deputy at Aberdare in 1926, retired at 60 years of age.
40:19
Worked at Glebe pit at age 13. First weeks wages Dai did some overtime and got a pound and sixpence, he went and got a dummy for Jim to shut him up. Murray Marshall was the undermanager about 1906 and Bob Kelsick was looking after both pits. Ernie’s father was the mines inspector. Best mines inspector was Fred Hemingway. Tom Croudace wasn’t a very good mining man, Nathaniel Clarke was at Extended in the early days.
45:11
End (Tape 223/Side A) side 3 of 4.
PersonJack DelaneyDelaney, Jack, 1919-2010CollectionVoices of the HunterPlaceCessnock, NSWLocation[1] Cessnock[2] Aberdare Extended Colliery[3] NeathIdentifier223A
Recorded 20 November 1979
Part 3 of 4
0:19
Harry Peters was one of the first miners near East Cessnock Public School. Harry Peters worked in Extended in 1907 the grandfather of Ernie Peters the racehorse bloke. Jack Baddeley was at Extended with Harry Peters. Dai was there with Baddeley, Prescott, Ernie, Joe Collins, worked as miners. Worked 12 hour days.
1:52
Gallagher Street - Dai had the first home there, his father built it, his name is Alec Price, Before that they had a hut and tent there for 6 months. Dai’s father worked at Neath Colliery and travelled there by sulky. Alec Price came back to Aberdare in Dave Murdoch’s time. Between Gallagher Street and David Street Wal Wilson lived there, who worked at Aberdare. The next house was Hutchins house, on Davie street. King the farmer lived in Gallagher's place later, it was an old farmhouse, and the foundation was cut out with a broad axe.
5:19
Describing the layout of the area, and where Abernock Pit, and Hill End Pit were located. Davie street and those that lived there and nearby. Pat Carroll. "Capper" Gehrig was the Deputy, and Dai saved his house from burning down one night. Gehrig owned a winery out the back and was drunk every Sunday. Blacksmith on corner of George Street - there was a funeral director, a post office and police station. Then Kenny's Saddlery shop. A little further down was the Cessnock Inn.
10:50
After the bank was all vineyards, "Yorky" Ward had a place there - he made the best little drinks, he had a soft drink shop. George Brown lived up on Mount View Road. Bernard McGrane was still up on McGrane Street hill, only one or two places were up there. Mary McGrane used to have a little shop opposite the barber.
16:18
Ernie Humble lived around the corner later on - he had been in Central. Charlie Lightfoot did work on the railway. In Vincent street George Brown had a store, Billy Glynn's had a bike shop in a shed alongside Vincent street. A doctor came once a week into Cessnock. Paddy Ryan had a store named Lane & Quinn's. Above that was a big empty paddock except for a big shed which was a wine cellar
21:01
Early Mount View Road - they went through a paddock, the road didn’t go through it was just a track. Early Vincent Street - there was no side streets except Maitland Road, there was a school of art, but before that it was a hall for concerts and dances. Tom Callaghan lived on Edward Street. Northumberland Hotel, Cessnock came when the big strike was on. Fred Parker was on High street and was related to Bill Coaldrake. The building of Neath Hotel cost six thousand pounds.
28:55
Sam Snape was the union councilman, his great-grandfather started the council. Dai remembers being told about gold found in mountains when he was 7 years old. Sarah Lawton had a two-storey building.
31:40
Aberdare Extended when Dai started - the first tunnel had gone into the top of the coal and put in an airway and second entrance. Put a furnace in. In driving tunnel, extent of mining was seven skips a day. They put the Jig in half a mile down the hill, the full coal travelled "downhill". Reason for this explained. Capper Gehrig worked at Little Neath, and when there was a fire at Capper Gehrig's house, the kitchen on fire, Dai put it out. Capper related to the Jones. John Brown was the Aberdare manager when Dai went to get work. On the day of the Bellbird disaster Dai was in the Aberdare pit number 12 section, they were looking for a deputy and gave the job to Dai. That day Brown was killed at Bellbird the same day. Fred Price was the manager. Dai became deputy at Aberdare in 1926, retired at 60 years of age.
40:19
Worked at Glebe pit at age 13. First weeks wages Dai did some overtime and got a pound and sixpence, he went and got a dummy for Jim to shut him up. Murray Marshall was the undermanager about 1906 and Bob Kelsick was looking after both pits. Ernie’s father was the mines inspector. Best mines inspector was Fred Hemingway. Tom Croudace wasn’t a very good mining man, Nathaniel Clarke was at Extended in the early days.
45:11
End (Tape 223/Side A) side 3 of 4.
PersonJack DelaneyDelaney, Jack, 1919-2010CollectionVoices of the HunterPlaceCessnock, NSWLocation[1] Cessnock[2] Aberdare Extended Colliery[3] NeathIdentifier223Aloading google map....
Delaney, Jack, 1919-2010, David "Dai" Price (1893-1996) -- Mine worker, Aberdare Extended Colliery. Recorded 20 November 1979. Part 3/4., [223A]. Living Histories, accessed 08/06/2023, https://livinghistories.newcastle.edu.au/nodes/view/55862