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Lyle O'Connell (1906-1989) - Mineworker. Recorded 9 February 1988. Part 1/1.

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Summary392A Lyle O'Connell.
Recorded 09 February 1988

0:27
Began working at Millfield in 1943
Worked also at "Old" Greta Colliery

0:51
Number of pits where have worked
"Tex" Allan
Born 1906

1:27
First started work at Whitburn, age 14
Recalls living on farm at Glen Oak

2:04
First job was "chitter picker"
Griff Thomas

2:12
Harry Thomas
Worked underground at Whitburn, age 15

2:40
Number of tunnels, Whitburn
Whitburn used "endless rope" haulage
Mining equipment used at Whitburn
Dimension of "coal shakers" & "steel belts"
Recalls miners being fired

4:26
Steam engine drove "endless rope" haulage
Ventilation fan was electrically powered
Contract miners worked with hand-borers
Short description of boring methods

5:57
Small coal was held in "coal box"
Coal washery plant operated at Whitburn

6:16
Description of coal washery plant
Recalls usage of household coal

7:27
Whitburn supplied Weston with power
Depth of main tunnel, Whitburn
Direction of main tunnel, Whitburn

8:49
Width of "board & pillars", Whitburn
Recalls barriers in place from Old Greta

9:09
Water from Old Greta seeped into Whitburn
Recalls water being pumped from pit
Electrically-powered winch pulled skips

10:06
Two skips per time were pulled by winch
Recalls "working off" main tunnel

11:09
Number of tunnels, New Greta
Direction of Old Greta tunnel

11:49
Description of "main & tail" haulage
"Old" Greta used steam powered haulage
Recalls ventilation fan at Old Greta
Old Greta originally used furnace ventilation
Depth of "Old" Greta pit headings
Greta pits operated under "contract" mining

15:14
Direction of New Greta tunnels

15:26
Broxburn Pit, recollection of
Anzac Colliery, location of

16:08
Leconfield Colliery, location of
Re-modernised ventilator fan, New Greta

17:23
New Greta used twin "endless ropes"
Anvil Creek, Greta

18:53
Anvil Creek Colliery, location of
Number of miners, Anvil Creek

19:13
Bill Humphrey
Anvil Creek drove heading to Greta pit

20:16
Recalls "gaseous" quality of Old Greta coal
Recalls building own home in 1926

21:24
Worked at Rothbury after New Greta
Recalls hand-wheeling at New Greta Colliery

22:13
Recalls steepness of New Greta pit
Width of seam, New Greta

22:27
Width of board & pillar, New Greta
Worked as foreman at Greta Migrant Camp

24:00
Sid Bowden
Born 1906, Minmi

24:25
Sam Nixon
Worked at Aberdare Central, 1940

24:50
"Swinger" Hemingway
Worked as first-class shift man
"Darky" Hardman

25:50
Size of pillars, Aberdare Central
Width of boards, Aberdare Central

26:10
Direction of headings, Aberdare Central
Depth of main headings, Aberdare Central

26:47
Recalls working in "Stones Eye" section
Recalls seeing first machine borer

27:25
Worked at Millfield after Aberdare Central fire
Jock Sneddon

27:54
Jimmy Wilson
"Dusty" Lane

29:19
Secretary, Millfield Miners Lodge
Jim McWilliams

29:44
Millfield North opened c.1950
Recalls horses pulling 2 tonne skips
Method of tipping skips, Millfield North

30:49
Geordie Stevens, Tedger Hill
Athol Walters
George Neilly

31:59
Billy Parkinson
Millfield North used propellor for ventilation
Recalls carting coal from Millfield North

33:34
Direction of Millfield North tunnel
Worked at Elrington for 3 years (1959-61)

34:48
Number of shafts, Elrington
Roy Vickers

35:50
Elrington used 2 tonne iron skips
Worked as first-class shiftman at Elrington

36:31
Recalls working at BHP steelworks
Harry Cotterill

37:27
Number of employees, Elrington
Ian McKensey, Bruce McKensey

37:50
Jack Sharp
Secretary, Elrington Miners' Lodge
Frank Pemberton
Recalls machinery used at Elrington

40:11
Description of 11BU Joy miner
Recalls how shuttlecars were filled

41:29
Number of employees, Millfield North
Number of employees, Millfield Greta

42:01
Frank Gillwyler
Recalls strength of Millfield roof

43:12
Height of seam, Millfield Greta
Ernie Stryker
Reason for sharpening timber props

44:26
"Wizzy" Mowatt
Geordie Little

45:09
Danny Hanrahan

45:29
End (Tape 392/Side A) Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

SubjectO'Connell, Lyle Christopher, 1906-1989 Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

Leconfield Colliery (N.S.W.) Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

Whitburn Colliery (N.S.W.) Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

New Greta Colliery (N.S.W.) Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

Broxburne Colliery (N.S.W.) Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

Anzac Colliery (N.S.W.) Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

Anvil Creek Colliery (N.S.W.) Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

Aberdare Central Colliery (N.S.W.) Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

Millfield North Colliery (N.S.W.) Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

Elrington Colliery (N.S.W.) Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

Coal mines and mining -- New South Wales -- Cessnock Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

Coal mines and mining -- New South Wales -- Greta Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

PersonJack Delaney Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

Depicts or Relates ToGeorge Neilly Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

Bruce McKensey Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

CreatorO'Connell, Lyle Christopher, 1906-1989 Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

Delaney, Jack, 1919-2010 Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

CollectionVoices of the Hunter Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

PlaceCessnock, NSW Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

Date Created9th February 1988 Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

Location^[1]Whitburn Colliery, NSW Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

^[2]Leconfield Colliery, NSW Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

^[3]Aberdare Central Colliery, NSW Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

Identifier392A Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

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