Photo-a-Day  (Monday, 24th February, 2020)

Tom Morton has done much work on mining fatalities, these are some of the figures, over the country 128,155 deaths .Lancashire the biggest single area 45,223 deaths next Glamorgan 283,353. We must also remember probably more died through lung disease. R.I.P. The names of many miners were placed inside the capsule.

What, no mint balls or a can of soup.

Great idea. Maybe some photos of the mines as they were

With all due respect Tom you seem to have put too many 3's in Glamorgan's total, should it not be 28,335 or something like that ?

Sorry the Figure for Glamorgan should read 28,353.

Kath, I did put pictures of miners and details of casualties. I put other artifacts, including an old mobile telephone, don't ask why , it was just on the table as I sealed the capsule so in it went . We would never have got to this stage without an anonymous benefactor, so I placed a statement of gratitude . One day His / Her name maybe known in the meantime I know the people of Wigan will be eternally grateful to Him/Her . If the donor reads Wigan World , may I give personal THANK YOU .

What, Were are the pies.???????

A miniature can of Heinz Beanz wouldn't have gone amiss?. ;0)) just the tin!

I agree Tom. Thankyou to the anonymous benefactor. I wonder who it is?? On behalf of all Wigan's miners and pit-brow lasses and their descendants, Thankyou.

It’s about Miners, not beans, pies or mint balls.
My Dad was a miner and he came home more than once in the middle of the night in an ambulance after receiving an injury, I was a child but I still remember.
Also my grandma was a pit brow lass.
Have some respect.

So did most of my family! If it comes to that coal was used in the factories that produced some of the items... There was certainly no disrespect intended - artefacts from Wigan if you used your imagination.....

According to Uncle Joe, Mint Balls were made to be be sucked down the mines to moisten the miners dusty throats.

Kathy H. - Well said - fully support your comment, this is an historic event. Can't accept that some of the above submissions can be from Wigan mining families.

My grandparents and grt grandparents worked the mines, one leaving his home in Glamorgan! A pick, spade , or pith helmet can hardly be inserted in the the time capsule! The men had to eat.. Why should that be disrespectful? I object to the comment being disrespectful, wars were fought and won from the benefits of coal. I have the utmost admiration for the miners...

Veronica, I don’t need to use my imagination to know what Wigan artefacts are, being born and bred in Wigan, I know what they are. However this is a mining monument after all.

Mick, my Dad certainly didn’t suck mint balls, he had chewing Tabacco.

Eric R thank you for your comments.

With regard to the comments regarding food and mint-balls, the coal that was mined would indeed have been involved in their manufacture in the early years. Veronica's ancestors, like mine, came from Wales to look for work in the mines of Wigan, and their sons and daughters and grandchildren became Wigan's miners and pit-brow lasses, and she would never have anything more than the utmost respect for them.

Kath H, well said. My Grandfather started his mining life in Scotland & it was a hard time for himself & his family, he eventually moved south to Wigan to work at The Mining & Tech College. My Fathers family Wiganers born & bred were nearly all miners or cotton mill workers. I expect they could tell the people today a tale of a hard life.

An afterthought, Cornish Miners (in the tin mines) took pasties down for their 'snap'. They were made specially with the thick edges curled back where the dirty fingers touched, so that part of the pastie could be thrown away! Pasties similar to 'our' pies..
We should be rejoicing, not bickering and finding fault for what is about to take place in Wigan in memory of the miners.
Thank you Irene for your comment.

A bit of coal dust on my pastie crust wouldnt have stopped me from eating it, when I was a child slave spud picker my hands used to be cover with al sorts of muck but I still would eat my butties and crisp with them

My brother worked in the mines for 30 plus yrs.,and he would put uncle Joe's in and Heinz beans.For heaven's sake were has humour gone?All the pitmen I know have it.

I remember the time-capsule that our small group had buried beneath a pile of rocks in Billinge Hill quarry during the late 1950s.
My contribution had been the Manchester United card from Soccer Bubble Gum's 'Soccer Teams No1 Series', while another person had tossed-in a coin of low denomination. Our chosen spot was also in close proximity to the lovely sounding yet now departed Acorn Wood, a name agreed by just a few.

I must come to the defence of Veronica and Irene , they are both good friends of mine. Both are true to their roots and would never wish to cause offence in anyone, especially people with mining backgrounds . I know they would be mortified if they thought they had offended anybody . Let's put it behind us , and realise we are all on the same side !

If you'd asked, Tom, I would have donated something from my brief stint as a pitman:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/falconer41337/albums/72157665024401546

Well done to Tom for all his hard work, his loyalty to his Wigan/ Scholes roots knows no bounds!
Thanks for your comment.

Tom its Kath H and Eric R who you should be telling , dont be so daft by trying to cause trouble over some genuine comments.
Well done Rev for offering your donation, lets hope Tom gets it before the hole is filled in

That’s rich coming from the biggest troublemaker on PAD.

no clog iron no clay pip no pie