The Miner

My dad also played in a band with his brothers called the Havana Four. They played in all the dance halls during the Second World War and at Kirknewton Air Base when the Americans were there. They tell a story about my dad (I can't confirm it), but the story goes that when he won the domino competition at Dykes' club in the late sixties, he got a mention in The Courier. It went like: the winner of the dominos at Dykes' club last week was Sam Squeeze Box Woods. Well my da took umbridge to this and fired off a nasty letter to the editor the next week. He had an apology in the said paper the following week. He could be a carnaptious auld toerag at times but we all loved him and still miss him very much

What a great poem, it brought tears to my eyes. My uncle Henry Foley was killed in Dykes pit; he was a young man and many mining families were affected by sudden deaths at the pit. In those days there was no National Coal Board and therefore no compensation for the families left behind- the Coal Owners could not have cared less. I remember many years later a scroll was sent to my Grandad Tommy Foley, stating he had given 50 loyal years to the Coal Mining Industry- he threw it in the fire immediately; after fifty years and all you got was a piece of paper. I often hear men here in Barbados saying the hardest job in the world is cutting sugar cane by hand and it undoubtedly is hard work in the searing hot sun. I soon tell them they are so lucky to work in the daylight, the sun shining and not down a Scottish Coal Mine. I am extremely proud of my coal mining background and proud of all those miners who slaved in the bowels of the earth.

That is a beautiful poem. I am going to print it and get it framed to hang in my house. Coal Mining is a subject close to my heart and I read everything I can find about it. I am very proud to tell people that my father and grandfather were coal miners. It takes a brave man to go down a pit, especially in war time when bombs are being dropped above you. Good for your Dad.... put the "Colonel Blimps" of this world in their place.

This brought a tear to my eye, what a superb poem, you were the best accordian player papa woods xx

Henry Foley: I have looked for articles about my Uncle Henry Foley being killed in the mine and I cannot find one. I have looked up all of the Scottish Coal Mining disasters and deaths and there are actual lists year by year, but he was not on any of them. I did read that the biggest dangers were from fire and floods and seems like most were explosions. It must have been terrifying to be down under the ground when an explosion happened and yet I read numerous stories of men as young as 20 years old carrying others out and going back for more. Like my cousin Catherine Cassidy Alleyne, I am very proud of my coal mining heritage. We were raised to be proud of it. To do the best we could in life but never forget where we came from. If anyone has any information on Henry Foley's accident I would really appreciate it if they would send it to me. I would like to do an article on him, but I don't have enough information.

Anne, it was a cave-in that broke Uncle Henry's back but he died in Bangour; maybe that is the reason it is not mentioned under any of the fatal accidents. He was a great favourite of all the family: they all loved him. He was only a young man and my mother told me he was working an extra shift to get money to go to Wembley and support Scotland against England.

Thanks for all the lovely comments about our Dad, especially from his beautiful grand daughter Pauline

I always tear up every time I read this poem I think only the mining communities and the miners and their families would really understand it lovely ??