Pen and Sword Books: Yorkshire Mining Veterans by Brian Elliott

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Yorkshire Mining Veterans is an extraordinary collection of stories told by the Veterans of the mines. Their memories span nearly a century from the early 1900's to the great strike of 1984/85 as well as the pit closures of the 1990's. Miners all across the Yorkshire region from the Selby Coalfield to the old West Riding area in and around Barnsley, Rotherham, Doncaster and Sheffield share their experiences with the reader.Brian began his research prepared to explore the many roles of miners, working conditions and their way of life, but interviews uncovered more remarkable stories, especially relating to the period before nationalisation. Getting a job often meant leaving school on Friday and starting work either in terrible conditions on the pit top screens, described by a 99 year old veteran as 'Miltonic' or 'on the haulage' in the cold pit bottom. Incredibly, one man described his work as a young trammer in the 1930's, painfully pushing tubs along a low underground roadway using a candle as his source of light, 'a throw back to conditions a century or more earlier'. A sprightly 93-year-old described an occasion when. as a young lad, he worked naked alongside his father and refused to make himself to make himself 'descent' when the lady Mayor made a VIP visit.Set chronologically according to the age of the miner, the author profiles each of the 47 veterans and tells their individual stories based on his interviews with them. Their stories, all previously untold, together with a superb collection of photographs makes fascinating reading.

by by Brian Elliott

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Brian Elliott is a highly experienced local author and editor. He was born in Royston, Barnsley, and spent most of his childhood in the nearby mining community of Carlton. His father was a miner, so were his uncles, paternal grandfather and great grandfather.

In 1991, he was awarded a Master of Philosophy degree by the University of Sheffield for his research on Barnsley and its hinterland. His knowledge and enthusiasm for local and family history has encouraged contributors from a wide variety of backgrounds to write features for the Aspects Series, which has resulted in this unique, highly accessible range of books.

Brain has now published more than twenty books on local history and after retiring from his post at Rother Valley College is now pursuing his career as a full-time editor and freelance writer, with a special interest in former coal mining communities.

Brian is married, has two children and lives in Warmsworth, near Doncaster.