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Jim Wilkie (1910-1981) - Mineworker, Aberdare Central & Hebburn No. 2 Collieries. Recorded 27 June 1978. Part 2/3

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Summary305B Jim Wilkie Recorded 27 June 1978 Part 2/3.

0:08
Recollection of time & motion studies.
Jim describes himself as "a man reared from the soil".

1:49
Billy Parkinson - "a fluent orator".
He looks at the politics of mining mixed up with the Miner's Federation - they have never been divorced.

4:04
Bondy Hoare - "a terrific orator, a good brain and terrific at negotiation" - he says "anybody can lead in easy times but it takes a good leader to lead in difficult times. He led through very, very difficult times. The boys rejected him once and couldn't get him back quick enough".

4:44
Billy Hoare - "he was a very staid, steady man".

5:06
Henry Scanlon - "razor edge with his sharpness. He was very cunning if you didn't conform with what Henry wanted."
Jim clashed with him but "he (Jim) mowed him down".
"Henry failed - he treated most people as a ningnong. Now that's wrong. The ordinary bloke you can learn from any time, all the time".

7:09
Idris Williams, Billy Parkinson, Jimmy Comerford.
"Jimmy was a fence sitter." said Jack."That's where he failed - between the Party and the Labor Party" said Jim.

7:53
Jim "A man who never changed his mind, never changed anything".
Jim said " He ( Comerford) has one obsession but he doesn't get to the mass with it. He blinds everyone with statistics. The average worker can't be bothered with statistics."
They agree about the need for coal conservation.

8:21
Kenny Wybrow.

9:57
Prof. Ian Stewart Chief Engineer at Hebburn.
"He's a boffin, but I have profound respect for him".
"He's great on underground gassification of coal".

10:57
Recovery of coal reserves - Bellbird, Aberdare.
Stewart used to question Jim on the cost of a given area, of the restoration and protection of roadways of the workmen which is of prime importance.

12:30
Description of gassification of coal.
Jim's son spoke of Stewart's conversations with Russian,German and French scientists for many years.

13:50
Conservation of fossil fuels - the inevitable exhaustion of oil supplies.

16:49
Outcome of mines symposium - "constant vigilance in a pit". Notice needs to be taken of the men's observations. OH&S.

17:40
Recollection of fatal mine explosions. Aberdare. Kyanga Qld. Box Flat. Liddell. "Its not what they say. Its what they don't say". Spontaneous combustion.

19:26
Recalls Aberdare Central catching alight - Jim thinks the cause of the fire was due to a cable which blew out and this ignited the fine coal dust that had accumulated on top of the timbers. When the coal dust is mixed with stone dust it lowers the specific heat and it reduces the likelihood of an explosion.

23:20
Tom Barrett - the Deputy on the shift at the time of the fire. He later became under manager of Aberdare Extended.
Jack Barrett.

24:15
Introduction of electric safety lamps at Central. It had a wet cell battery.

24:52
Johnny Brown, Greer Bevan and Reg Young (surveyor) appear in a photo with Jim's father who was Pit Top Boss at Abermain No. 2.

26:17
"A mining man always knows where he's likely to find gas" - up on cavities, places which are badly ventilated, where there is stagnant air.

26:40
Methane most explosive of all gasses - it's most explosive at 4% = the danger point is between 4.5% and 15% - below 4% there's too much oxygen and over 15% there's too little oxygen to burn. Carbon Monoxide can't be tested on a safety lamp.

27:45
Dusty Lane and two other men (including Wilson) died from lack of oxygen.

29:38
Reason for carrying walking stick - "I wouldn't go anywhere without it. You must learn from experience. If it’s not your own, it’s by other people's...you can feel "stagnant" on your body, you sense it on your skin".

30:17
End (Tape 305/Side B) Part 2 of 3 Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au