Scotswood, Newcastle, 1925

 Pit's Mystery Noises.

Mr Herbert Smith, President of the Miners' Federation, and Mr WP Richardson, of the Durham Miners' Association, who are to represent the men at the inquiry into the Scotswood Pit disaster, descended the pit, accompanied by a number of local officials, on Saturday afternoon. Mr Smith and his friends donned pit clothes and penetrated into the mine to within 230 yards of the spot where the water broke through. At times they had to wade waist deep through the water.

Mr Smith declined to make any statement when he returned to the bank, but it was said the party had the opportunity of listening to the hammering noises to which Mr William Straker referred in his circular.

Lancashire Evening Post, 29th June 1925.

Leicestershire, Northumberland, Manchester (1927)

 Some queer beliefs about birds are given in "Bird Facts and Fallacies," by Lewis R. W. Loyd, which Hutchinson and Co. publish at 10s 6d to-day.

Migrating birds have often conveyed the impression to the poetically minded that they contain the "souls of departed spirits," and, with regard to the lapwing, Mr. Loyd declares that some people believe these birds are metamorphosed old maids, and the green sandpipers metamorphosed old bachelors.

Some interesting stories are told of the plover, and it is stated that "Leicestershire colliers who hear the cry of these birds refuse to go down into the mine until the next day, and that they gave warning of the great colliery explosions at Hartley and Wigan."

Staffordshire Sentinel, 11th February 1927.

Medical superstition

Gloucestershire Echo, Wednesday 23rd July 1924.
Welsh Poultice Superstition.
Miner's wife who believed it.

A South Wales superstition was mentioned in the Court of Appeal on Tuesday, when the Craigola Merthyr Company, Ltd., of Swansea, appealed from a decision that compensation was payable to Mrs. Phoebe Williams, of Pontardulais, for the death of her husband, Thomas Williams.

For the employers it was said that Williams was certified as suffering from knee trouble due to his work. Some well-meaning friend apparently advised the wife that a poultice of cow dung afforded the best treatment for such a trouble, there being a superstition that such a poultice had herbal virtues.

The employers' doctor saw the man with this poultice on, and in consequence of his disapproval the poultice was removed. Two days later the man's own doctor, who had no knowledge of the wife's mistaken treatment, lanced the knee to reduce the swelling. The result was that the germs of tetanus got into the wound and the man died. The question was whether in these circumstances it was possible to hold that the accident was due to the scheduled disease.

Their lordships decided for the widow, and dismissed the appeal with costs.

Chinese tin mines, 1923

Nottingham Journal, Wednesday 14th March 1923.
The Miners' Superstition.#
Illustrating the superstitions that still prevail among Chinese tin miners in British Malaya, Col. M.C. Nangle mentioned at a lecture yesterday at the Imperial Institute, London, that in a mine worked by Chinese labour on the tribute system it was believed that the wearing of boots, or the opening of an umbrella in the mine was likely to drive the tin ore away or bring misfortune to the venture.

Penrhyn, 1920s

Nottingham Evening Post, Thursday 10th May 1923.
A Miners' Superstition.
Ascension Day, associated in many districts with the old-time ceremonial of "beating the bounds," has a sinister reputation among the Penrhyn quarrymen. There is a long-standing superstition that no work must be done in the quarries on this day or evil will result, and for many years, therefore, Ascension Day has been a day of idleness in Penrhyn.

Some years ago the managers did persuade a number of men to work, but, sure enough, a serious accident occurred, and since then the quarrymen have refused to risk a defiance of superstition.

Superstitions of the Miner: Cornwall

By T.H. Rogers.

In addition to the general superstitions of Celtic Cornwall, there are, or were, several others held by the miners specially connected with their occupation, and as dangers usually increase strange beliefs there is little wonder that we find remarkable superstitions extant in mining circles.

Superstitions connected with the "Knockers," who were believed to have lived and worked in the mines, hold premier place in the Duchy. They are spoken of as the spirits of persons who inhabited Cornwall many thousands of years ago, and who, "though too good to be condemned to hell, were not good enough for the joys of heaven." Old miners state that in bygone days the noises "Knockers" made came through the blackness of the levels, and there were occasions when the beating of the borers, the falling of rock, and the rolling of barrows by the little people were mingled with their sharp cries.

The "Knockers" were eceedingly playful amongst themselves, but a demureness came over them when they knew they were being watched. Miners considered them friendly, and that they rendered meritorious service by leading them to valuable mineral deposits and lodes, as these little people were never heard working on other than rich ground. They could, however, be vindictive, and this the miner found to his dismay if he spoke of them in disrespectful language or neglected to follow the custom of leaving a part of his dinner in the level of the mine for their enjoyment.

Time was also when Bucca, the "Storm God," was a spirit Cornish fishermen thought necessary to propitiate. They left a fish on the sands for him, and in the harvest field at lunch-time a piece of bread was thrown over the shoulder and a few drops of beer spilled on the ground for him to insure good luck.

Lewis Morris, writing in 1754, illustrates the quaint earnestness with which miners of that time spoke of the "Knockers." He states: "They are a kind of good-natured, impalpable people, but to be seen and heard, and who seem to us to work in the mines; that is to say, they are types or forerunners of workers in the mines, as dreams are of some accidents which happen to us. I must speak well of these 'Knockers' for they have actually stood my very good friends, whether they are aerial beings called spirits or whether they are people made of matter not to be felt by our gross bodies. Our old miners are no more concerned at hearing them blasting, boring holes, landing deads, &c., than if they were some of their own people; and a single miner will stay in the work in the dead of night without any man near him and never think of any fear or harm that they will do him; for they have a notion that the 'Knockers' are of their own tribe and profession and are a harmless people who mean well.

"Let who will laugh, we have the greatest reason to rejoice and to thank the 'Knockers,' or rather God, Who sends us these notices. The word 'supernatural ' used among us is nonsense; there is nothing supernatural, for the degrees of all beings, from the vegetable life to the archangel, are natural, real, absolute creatures, made by God's own hand; and all their actions, motions, and qualities are natural."

The "spectral hand" was another superstition of great importance. It was known in several mines as well as in the slate quarries of Delabole. A light was said to ascend and descend near the  ladders just ast the light of a miner's candle did when a man was going to or coming from his work, and when the credulous watched the strange light they saw a spectral hand near by. Unhappy was the man who caught sight of this, for he read in it the coming of death or great misfortune.

St. Agnes miners believed in the strange story of a woman named Dorcas, who committed suicide by throwing herself down one of the shafts of Polbreen Mine, and the apparition of her haunted the place long after. She took special delight in tormenting the miners when they were at work by calling their names and in other ways enticing them to leave their occupations. This prevailed, it is said, to such an extent that when a tributer had not done well during the month he was jeeringly asked whether he had been chasing Dorcas. When a fall of ground was about to occur it is said that she more than once warned the miners, and not a few lives were saved in consequence.

It is related that a miner named Lean was saved from sudden death in Wheal Jewel Mine in the parish of Gwennap by a "spectral" voice. He was hundreds of fathoms distant from any other person, and as he walked slowly through the levels, absorbed in examining a rich course of copper ore in the roof, he was startled by the words, "You are in the winze." He at once threw himself flat on his back at the bottom of the level, and, on sitting up, discovered that his heels were on the verge of the end of the winze, left exposed and open, embracing the width of the "gunnis" communicating with the next level, ten fathoms below. When warned he was about to take a step that would have resulted in death.

A miner considered it extremely unlucky to see a hare cross his path; it was believed that the spell could be avoided by going home and recommencing his journey, and people are known to have walked several miles to rid themselves of the bane that was upon them. It is recorded that a fatal accident was once foreshadowed at the famous Wheal Vor Mine, in the parish of Breage, by the appearance of a "spectral" hare, or white rabbit, in one of the engine houses. Men tried hard to catch the animal without success, and once when shut in a wind bore in which it had run it is said to have disappeared altogether.

It was a belief long held in Cornwall that when a woman died broken-hearted she came back to haunt the originator of her death in the shape of a white hare, and this phantom accompanied him everywhere and ultimately caused his death. People of the parish of Gulval relate a story concerning the victim of a white hare. It is said that a man of Kenegie was killed when hunting through falling from his horse, frightened by the spirit of a maiden, and was often seen riding and walking about in his hunting clothes.

In the days when witches and witchcraft held sway it was believed that witches took the form of a hare, and that they uttered some queer incantations when they changed from one shape to another, and it is interesting to note that colliers of the North of England and the miners of France held similar superstitions in connection with the hare.

It has been claimed that the courses of rich lodes have been indicated by small dancing lights, known in Cornwall as "Jack o' Lanterns," and not a few miners to-day hold the belief that where these are observed there are rich mineral deposits underground. It is said that the fortunes of North Basset Mine, near Carn Brea, were entirely changed by means of these strange lights.

About 70 years ago the miners could not discover sufficient mineral to meet the cost, and it was decided that if matters did not improve the mine would have to be closed. Grace Mill, an elderly woman, who lived near the mine, implored the miners - without success at first - to sink a shaft where she had seen the "Jack o' Lanterns," and when everything else had failed they set to work in the place recommended by Grace. Here was found what has been described as one of the richest deposits of malachite, red oxide, and black and grey copper ore ever found in the county, and profits of over £90,000 were made. "Grace's" shaft is still pointed out, and the old woman for the remainder of her days received a weekly sum of money from the directors in recognition of her services and advice.

Black cats are said to bring luck, but for some reason not easily accounted for miners considered themselves warned off a level if they met a black cat in it, and would not go there until the animal had been driven out. Old miners dropped tallow from their candles or a piece of their dinner by the side of snails to ensure good luck. In early times, however, snails were regarded as mysterious creatures, and Herodotus wrote that they were hermaphrodites, and therefore capable of determining events. Throughout the ages they were used in various forms of divination, and this probably accounts for the respect shown them by the old tinners of Cornwall.

There were many other superstitions that entered into the lives of the miners, and some of them come to us as meaningless; but that may be because the fragment bears no likeness to the cermony or belief to which it belonged in far-off days. Careful study will reveal the fact that the superstitions of numerous districts are strikingly similar, and things identical are widely diffused, which causes students of folk-lore to speak of the legends and traditions of different countries as parts of a creed once common to almost the whole world.

Western Morning News, 24th February 1926.

Ascension day superstitions

Thursday was carefully observed at the Bethesda slate quarries, not, however out of respect to the religious character of the day, but in deference to a superstition which has lingered for many years amongst the Penrhyn quarrymen, that working on Ascension Day, or Holy Thursday as it is better known in the district, was sure to be attended with a fatality or accidents of a serious charachter. Some six years back, the management succeeded in partly overcoming this feeling, and several of the men worked, an arrangement which was continued about two years. Strange to say, there was always an accident, and Ascension Day continues to be an idle day so far as the Penrhyn quarrymen are concerned.
Cheshire Observer,  24th May 1879



A Welsh Quarry Superstition.
Edinburgh Evening News, Friday 27th May 1881.
Superstition among quarrymen.
The old superstition which has existed for many years amongst the quarrymen engaged at Lord Penrhyn's extensive Carnarvonshire slate quarries, that working on Ascension Day is always attended with an accident, prevailed yesterday, and although, owing to the slackness of the market, the quarries have for some months been working only four days weekly, not a man went near yesterday. Seven years ago the management succeeded in persuading the men to disregard the superstition and go to work, but it was noticed that each year the custom was broken, serious accidents occurred.



Yesterday, work at Lord Penrhyn's slate quarries at Bethesda was entirely suspended, not out of any religious regard, but in deference to the belief that has long lingered in the district that working on Ascension Day is invariably accompanied by some serious accident. Several years ago the management induced the men to disregard this feeling, but every year there was an accident, and now not a man will venture into the quarries on "Holy Thursday," as it is locally termed.


Nottingham Evening Post, Saturday May 12th 1888.
Superstitions die hard. That Friday is a dies infausta is still a prime article in the creed of our sailors, and though you adduced all the practical disproof possible you could not get them to set sail with a light heart on the sixth day of the week. A similar superstition, it appears, exists in the Welsh slate quarries, but fortunately it only attaches to one day of the year, and not one in every week. Thursday being Ascension Day, the numerous workmen in Lord Penrhyn's slate quarries all suspended work, not because, being mostly Dissenters, they had any special regard for the sanctity of the day, but because there exists a lingering tradition, handed down from those early times when the old faith was still predominant, and the voice of the angelus was heard on every hill, that accident would follow labour on that day. Curiously enough a successful attempt to induce the men to ignore their traditions has more deeply rooted the superstition in their minds. Some years ago, it appears that the managers of Lord Penrhyn's quarries, after enormous trouble, succeeded in inducing the men to continue work on Ascension Day. But that year there was an accident - hardly a very marvellous occurrence where so many men are employed - and the consequence is that no man can now be persuaded to go near the quarries on Ascension day. [churnalism]




Lancashire Evening Post, 8th May 1891.





Thursday, being Ascension Day, there was a complete cessation of work at the Bethesda slate quarries. This is occasioned, not by any religious regard for the day, but because of the feeling long prevalent that work on Ascension Day is inevitably attended with accident. No quarryman will set foot in the quarries on that day. The slate trade is extremely brisk here and in other parts of Carnarvonshire.

Blackburn Standard,  25th May 1895.


Nottingham Evening Post, Friday 2nd June 1905.
Superstitious Quarrymen.
In deference to a superstition which has prevailed for many years, there was yesterday a complete cessation of work at Lord Penrhyn's quarries at Bethesda, where 4,000 men are employed. The superstition owes its origin to a succession of fatal accidents on Ascension Day. Some years ago the management succeeded in inducing the employees to remain at their posts, but, strange to relate, a fatal accident occurred, and now not a single quarryman will venture into the workings on what is locally known as Holy Thursday.


Nottingham Evening Post, Thursday 10th May 1923.
A Miners' Superstition.
Ascension Day, associated in many districts with the old-time ceremonial of "beating the bounds," has a sinister reputation among the Penrhyn quarrymen. There is a long-standing superstition that no work must be done in the quarries on this day or evil will result, and for many years, therefore, Ascension Day has been a day of idleness in Penrhyn.

Some years ago the managers did persuade a number of men to work, but, sure enough, a serious accident occurred, and since then the quarrymen have refused to risk a defiance of superstition.




Quarry owners yesterday intimated to the North Wales quarrymen that a free day in August will be granted to the men as compensation for working on Ascension Day in disregard of the old superstition that it is fatal to work on that day.
 Shields Daily News, 23rd May 1925.

 Western Mail, Saturday 28th May 1927.
Bethesda Quarrymen and Ascension Day.
Time was when the 3,000 quarrymen at Lord Penrhyn's Quarry at Bethesda declined to work on Ascension Day, not for any religious motive, but in deference to a superstition that work on that day would inevitably be accompanied by an accident. Fatal accidents did occur until the day was observed as a holiday, but gradually the men overcame the superstition and now work as usual that day. 

Knockers and other Little People: Cornish Miners' Superstitions

By John Lavington.
Special to "The Western Morning News and Mercury."

Among Cornish mining superstitions most prominent place must be given to the belief in the tribes of small people, usually known as "knockers," who are supposed to live and work in the mines. "Knockers" are akin to brownies and pixies, and are rumoured to be "little, withered, dried-up creatures," about the size of children a year old, having heads disproportionately big for their bodies, ungainly limbs, and small, squeaky voices.

In North Britain and Ireland they are supposed to be benevolent demons, too good for hell but not good enough for heaven. By some in the Western peninsula they are supposed to be the spirits of an ancient people who inhabited Cornwall. Formerly they were much larger, but since the time of Christ they have become smaller and feebler, and it is supposed that they will ultimately become extinct - which in one sense, no doubt, is true.

By others they are supposed to be the spirits of the Jews who crucified the Christ, and who were condemned to live and work in the deep levels of the mine. On certain festivals, such as Easter, All Saints' Day, the Jewish Sabbath, and Christmas Day, they were allowed to rest, but on Christmas Day they were compelled to sing carols. Stories are told of these who have heard the sweet, unearthly music of the knockers as they have sung their carols in the depths of the mine.

Generally the knockers were supposed to befriend the miners by assisting in their labours and signifying the presence of rich lodes - for the knockers were never heard except where there was an abundance of rich mineral - but if treated disrespectfully they could be very vindictive and cause great ill-luck. Consequently they were regarded with a certain amount of reverence by the miners, who sought to propitiate them by leaving a part of their dinner on the ground for their enjoyment. Similarly, fishermen left a fish upon the sands for the pixies, and harvesters scattered bread from their lunch and spilled a few drops of ale upon the ground for them.

Many old Cornish miners can tell of the prognostication of the knockers, whose noises came through the dark workings of the mine, sometimes like the beating of the borers or the roiling of barrows, and sometimes like the falling of rock, and even the dull metallic clink of ripe ore.

In connection with the Wheal Rodney Mine, near Marazion, an old miner recently told me the following story:--
"A miner named P-- and his son were at work in one of the levels which for some days had proved very unremunerative, but they continued to dig in the hope that they would again find the lode. They were busily working one day, when they heard someone throw down a 'bag of drills' in a working near by which had long been considered 'dead.' The old man expressed surprise that anyone should take the sett, and their curiosity was further aroused by the sound of vigorous working there.
"At last the old man's curiosity got the better of him, and he told his son to throw down his tool 'and we'll gone and see what to'ther fellow's about.' When they reached the old working they found neither miner nor signs of work, and the old sett appeared as for months past. 'Them must have bin the knockers,' said the old man. 'We'll knack ovver there and see if we can do better here.' After some ridicule the captain gave them permission to work the sett, when they quickly discovered that the 'knockers' had led them aright and an exceptionally rich lode was found."

Another story tells of a miner who was going to his work along one of the levels, when he was suddenly surprised by the sound as of someone "shooting ripe ore from a sack" just by his side. He looked about, but plainly no one could be near, as the level was narrow and straight and could be clearly scanned by the light of his lamp. As he turned to continue his journey he again heard the sound and noted its direction. It seemed to proceed from a large shaley piece of rock, which he pulled down with his fingers. Imagine his surprise when there "rolled at his feet a pile of ripe, red copper, like cinders."

An amazing story was published in "The Western Morning News" some years ago under the title of the "Wendron Treasure Hunt." An old lady living at Wendron was alledged to have been visited on several occasions by the "little people." When she eventually summoned courage enough to inquire why they troubled her, she was told to break down the plaster at one part of the house and a secret passage would be discovered, and if she dug deep enough much treasure would be found.
An attempt was made to recover the treasure, but while nothing was found that could possibly be described as treasure, the amazing thing is that at the place indicated by the little people a secret passage leading to the earth was actually found hidden by the lath and plaster. Several of the men who pursued the search are still living, and one of them from whom I recently had the story, still firmly believes that the treasure would have been found if only the landlord had granted the facilities required to prosecute the search!

The knockers are not confined to the Cornish mines, but are said to inhabit the coal mines of Wales. The coal mines of the north are said to be frequented by elves, - some of which are helpful tothe miners, but others are mischievous sprites.

The "duergars" of Scandinavia and the "kobolds" of the German mines are akin to the knockers, but unlike the knockers of the Cornish mines, which were usually friendly, the kobolds and duergars were frequently antagonistic to the miner, delighting to frustrate his work at every opportunity. In the mines in Africa and America, the earth is said to "talk," and there is probably some affinity between such "earth talks" and the "knockings" of the Cornish mines.

Ghosts were not unknown to haunt the mines, as is evidenced by the name of one mine - Wheel Sperris, the haunted mine - near St. Ives. Robert Hunt in his "Popular Romances of the West of England," published a story of a ghost which was supposed to frequent Polbrean Mine. A woman named Dorcas committed suicide by throwing herself down the mine, and for some time after her spirit haunted the place. She seems to have been of a malevolent turn of mind and delighted to torment the miners by calling their names and hindering them in their work. This occurred so frequently, that the miner who was unfortunate in his work was proverbially spoken of as "chasing Dorcas." On one occasion, however, Dorcas is said to have redeemed her character. Two miners were boring in an end, when the name of one of them was clearly heard between the blows. Hoever, when they listened, they could hear nothing. On resuming the boring the name was heard again, and when they took no notice it was again pronounced, but so vehemently that the man threw down his hammer and went to see who called him. Immediately he did so a huge granite boulder fell upon the spot where he had been standing, completely covering his companion, who, however, was taken out alive.

No doubt there are physical explanations for most of the basal causes of these superstitions. The miner laboured in an environment which lent itself to tales of the weird and uncanny, and in an atmosphere decidedly sepulchral and ghostly. If to-day we still feel unhappy at the sight of a single magpie or a broken mirror, and uncomfortable in the company of twelve other persons, let us be tolerant of those superstitions which enthralled the untutored minds of our fathers, and which here and there still exert their paralysing grip of fear upon the credulous and ignorant.

Western Morning News, 20th March 1922.

Some other people's ideas stranger than the miners'?

Miners' Superstitions and Prejudices. Pit-Head Baths.

The general public must often have wondered why there is no provision made at collieries for miners to wash off the dirt after work, so that they might travel home through the streets looking clean and neat. This question was discussed at the meeting of the North Staffordshire Institute of Mining Engineers at the Central School of Science and Technology, Stoke-on-Trent, on Monday, and it arose out of a paper read by Mr. James B. Sproston, M.C., who is chief assistant to Mr. Arthur Hassam, the well-known consulting mining engineer.

Mr. Sproston advanced two reasons as to why objection would be raised to compulsory baths at pit-heads by miners. They were superstition and prejudice, and while he thought the former was existent to a greater extent in some districts than in others, he believed the latter was quite general. An old superstition in North Staffordshire and in other parts of the country was that if a man washed his back it became weak, while another belief was that if a man washed his back in the middle of the week an accident would ensure.

Mr Sproston advocated modern installations of baths, and declared that since demobilisation men were less inclined to object to washing, having been inculcated with habits of cleanliness in the Army. A miner coming from the pit to the surface, bathed in perspiration, rendered himself liable to illness, and baths would obviate this. Mining, however, was generally a healthy occupation.

Mr. J.R.L.Allott, the President, recalled the fact that in 1913 general regulations were made in regard to the establishment of pit-head baths in this country, but baths had not been installed with few exceptions. An interesting point Mr. Allott made wass that the installation of baths would produce a domestic revolution in the miners' homes of the country, and while the cost would be considerable, they must not altogether forget that the health of the workers was the primary duty. The proposal was that the employer and the workman should share the cost of the baths. He believed it would certainly be conducive to better work if baths were installed.

An important and interesting letter was read from Dr. J. S. Haldane, the famous mining physiologist, who stated that in his opinion the Miners' Federation had failed in not using its influence to bring pit-head baths into existence. He did not attach much importance to pit-head baths from the point of view of the health of the miners, because mining was a very healthy occupation. The important factor was the effect of cleanliness on home life. "Coal miners and their families lose also very seriously in social standing owing to their dirty appearance in public," added Dr. Haldane, "and the dirt is apt, unless great efforts are made by their wives, to invade thier homes. Those who go about the streets and in public conveyances with dirty faces and clothes suffer inevitably in public estimation, and tend to be regarded as of a lower class. Mining is a skilled occupation, requiring and actually evoking, not only greater intelligence, but also moral qualities of the highest order. Those who know what a good miner is can see the intelligence and moral qualities through the dirt on a miner's face and clothes; but to the world in general a dirty miner is apt to appear as no better than other dirty and untidy persons.

A colliery, as the source of so many dirty and untidy persons, suffers correspondingly in public estimation; whereas, by rights, coal-mining ought to be esteemed as an occupation, which, taking it all round, is second to none in this country." Dr. Haldane added that he felt convinced that the absence of pit washing and changing was at the root of the troubles of coal-mining in this country.

Staffordshire Advertiser. 26th March 1921.

Sarky hyperbole vs miners' superstition in the 1920s.

Miners' Superstitions.

Yesterday saw the finishing touches to the settlement of the coal dispute -  a settlement which is to be operative, including the "carry over" period of the subsidy, for eighteen months! The voting in districts has resulted in 832,840 votes for the signing of the agreement and immediate resumption of work, and 105,820 against. This is decisive enough and serves to show that the miners are abundantly consoled by the readjustment of wages and the profit-sharing clause for the defeat of the "national pool."

Now that the miners are going back to work, it is earnestly to be hoped that they will work. "The will to work," as the "Daily Telegraph" sagely remarks, is the greatest need of the day. Ca-canny on the one hand, and the frivolous love of play on the other, are menacing the whole future of the country. There is no class more addicted to making a pretence of work than the miners, whose inflated wages in the recent past have enabled them, or a considerable section of them, to spend as much time in sport and joy rides as in getting coal. This spirit of thoughtless and idle levity will have to be checked very considerably if coal is to be procured at a price that will enable us to recover our manufacturing interest, now shaken and weakened in all the markets of the world.

Though only very slightly connected with the economic aspect of the industry, an article in "The Occult Review" is worthy of some attention before these men pass out of the newspaper lime-light. It seems that, a generation ago, miners as a class were very superstitious, and queer notions of "forebodings" of evil still in some degree persist. Mechanical improvements, as well as education, have had a good deal to do in killing such notions.

Life in a coal pit today is much less eerie than was the case a quarter of a century ago, much less uncomfortable, and decidedly less dangerous. It is, of course, impossible to eliminate danger altogether, and the very efficiency of the management may in some circumstances add to the risks. Human nature is apt to be careless in the presence of known peril, and the knowledge that there exist precautions for minimising risks may occasionally breed that contempt which is the child of familiarity. Speaking generally, however, there is to-day a stronger sense of safety, and less superstition among miners than there used to be. As might be supposed, most of the old superstitions were on the gloomy or fearful side. They took the form of a strong objection to working in the mines on certain days of the year - a feeling probably religious in origin and inherited from Roman Catholic times. A notably "unlucky" day for working is Ascension Day: and a certain mine in South Wales has a tradition of accidents that invariably occurred in the past to those who persisted in working on that festival. We can only hope that the spell has been broken by the long strike, and that the miners will not allow either frivolity or superstition to impede their highly necessary labour.

 Gloucestershire Echo, 2nd July 1921.

Occult review indeed. Menacing the whole future of the country indeed. Pff.

Halesowen colliery, Worcestershire

A Miners' Superstition.

The colliery at Halesowen, Worcestershire, has been idle for two days through a superstitious fear that ill-luck would befall the miners who failed to cease work as a mark of respect for a comrade who had been killed. This has caused the large ironworks to be closed for three days.

Yorkshire Evening Post, 1st March 1920.

Miner's bathing in Lancashire

There was a superstition or belief prevalent in Lancashire among the miners, said Dr. I. Watts, M.P., at a labour conference in London, yesterday, that if they had a bath it was never wise to wash the back. There was a deep-rooted impression that this would weaken the back.

In Leeds Mercury, 21st June 1923.