ORAL HISTORY PROJECT
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The Oral History Project was recently started by Colin McCourt to establish a collection of memories of the local miners and their families. The digital recordings are achieved using the latest technology, i.e. Mini-Disc equipment to broadcast standards. These are held as master discs, but copies are made onto conventional tapes and CD-ROMS. They are also available as WAV files. Transcripts are then typed from the CD-ROMS. Downloadable samples are available below. More information on the Cumbrian Dialect can be found at The Lakeland Dialect Society
The focus of the first sessions were to record memories of the notorious New Houses, miners dwellings built in 1788 to house the influx of miners to work the Lowther's mines. They were inhabited right up to 1940 and many local people remember living there. The remains are currently undergoing restoration by Copeland Borough Council and were recently visited by interviewees after a group recording session had been held in The Stump public house.
The project is continuing with recordings being made of the ex-miner's memories of working at Haig
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After sixty years abscence, former residents walk back up Castle Row at Newhouses |
This is an early photograph of New Houses looking down Castle Row at the turn of the century. |
For copies of transcripts/recordings or further information, please contact Toni Desovski at the museum on (Intl 00 44) 01946 599949 or E.Mail at Toni@Haigpit.com.
Unfortunately, we have to make a small charge for transcripts / tapes, to cover our overheads and postage. Prices are as follows to the UK (Please enquire about Overseas postage).
Transcripts of each tape - £4.00 (incl postage)
CDROM or Cassette Tape of each interview - £5.00 (plus postage). For CDROMS please specify Music disc (to play on a music system) or WAV file (to play on a PC).
Small samples can be downloaded by pressing the buttons below. Each file will take about 1 minute to download. This will then play automatically on the computers default WAV player (it may take a few seconds to launch this, once the download is complete). A stream player (e.g. Real Player) is recommended as this will begin playing the file while it is still being downloading
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Tape : T001/99 Full Tape Length : 50 mins (Download File : 312 Kb) An ex-Deputy describes Haig Pit. The Tasks of the Deputy. Solway training Pit. The improvements made over the years. Some of the jokes and pranks that miner's played on each other. |
Tape : T002/99 Full Tape Length : 10 mins (Download File : 240 Kb) A local resident remembers living on Newhouses, where many local pitmen lived. Playing on the Brows. Interior and exterior description of pitmen's houses built in 1788. Children's games. |
Tape : T003/99 Full Tape Length : 36 mins (Download File : 347 Kb) Assistant Manager at Haig describes the differences between Yorkshire pits and Haig, and the different mining methods. Pay and how the miners were paid including tub tallies and Check Weighman. |
Tape T004/99 Full Tape Length : 38 mins (Download File : 244 Kb) An ex-Haig miner remembers his father sinking the shafts at Haig Pit in 1914. Also life in Newhouses. Descriptions of steam engines and Ladysmith Pit. Signing up for the army. Characters down the pit. |
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Tape : T005/99 Full Tape Length : 48 Mins (Download File : 339 Kb) An ex-William Pit Overman recounts surviving two disasters in 1941 and 1947 at William Pit, which killed over 100 men. Living on Newhouses, schooling, games and gambling. |
Tape : T006/00 Full Tape Length : 49 Mins (Download File : 311 Kb) An ex-miner remembers the screens and the screen lasses. Living on Newhouses and Haig Pit including descriptions of time keeping board. Coal picking when unemployed. |
Tape : T007/00 Full Tape Length : 20 Mins (Download File : 463 Kb) The Wife of the Overman remembers losing her Brother at Lowca Pit and the dreadful wait to see if her husband had survived two disasters. Also memories of working on the screens. |
Tape : T008/00 Full Tape Length : 50 mins (Download File : 340 Kb) Group of 10 people discussing life in Newhouses before they were demolished in the 1940's. The communal facilities for washing, etc. Some of the local characters and officials. |
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Tape : T009/00 Full Tape Length : 18 Mins (Download File : 320 Kb) An ex-Instructor at Haig talks about starting work as a Brusher. Deputies courses at Haig. Taking up boxing and Rugby League. |
Tape T010/00 Full Tape Length : 27 Mins (Download File : 302 Kb) A Haig miner talking about widening Thwaite Shaft, some lucky misses and not so lucky accidents. Drinking and pub life in Whitehaven |
Tape T011/00 Full Tape Length : 47 mins (Download File : 798 Kb) An ex-Deputy describes starting work at Haig at 14. Butty money and working methods underground. The causes of many accidents. |
Tape T012/00 Full Tape Length : 43 mins (Download File : 576 Kb) Haig Pit Coal-tub Repairer remembers working at the pit top at Haig and the scenes at the pit top after the disasters. Strikes & Church. |
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Tape : T013/00 Full Tape Length : 67 Mins (Download File : 653 Kb) A member of the Clifton Pit Rescue Team, who attended the William Disaster in 1947, remembers the tragic days after the disaster and the desperate rescue attempts. |
Tape T014/00 Full Tape Length : 32 Mins (Download File : 596 Kb) Two Haig miners talk about the layout of the houses at Newhouses and the day to day life in the three rows of miners cottages before electricity was installed. |
Tape T015/00 Full Tape Length : 4 mins (Download File : 896 Kb) Two poems written by a member of the Mines Rescue Team from Clifton Pit. |
Tape T016/00 Full Tape Length : 35 mins (Download File : 330 Kb) Ex-residents talk about Newhouses, Seldom Seen Mine, William Pit Disaster, Manx Willy, and the local characters |
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Tape : T017/00 Full Tape Length : 37 Mins (Download File : 313 Kb) McGarry's buildings, Littledale Lane, Quay Street and the dock area, and more local characters |
Tape T018/00 Full Tape Length : 74 Mins (Download File : 534 Kb) Poem sent in a letter to America from a resident of Newhouses who was moved to Greenbank when the houses were demolished |
Tape T019/01 Full Tape Length : 75 Mins (Download File : 386 Kb) The lifelong memories of an ex-Haig pit man including the Pit, the Second World War, Rugby League, and the Merchant Navy. |
Tape T020/01 Full Tape Length : 13 Mins (Download File : 288 Kb) Continuation of T019 with memories of the Second World War years in Whitehaven, and Spitfires over the beach at St Bee's |
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Home Page | Project History | The Museum | The Winding Engines | Disasters | Haig Pit | Other Whitehaven Mines | LATEST NEWS | Links
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