tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14874528.post2741618241291827819..comments2024-03-27T13:32:06.780-02:30Comments on The Other Side of Eighty: Blog Jam from Nova ScotiaWisewebwomanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15281689872840844191noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14874528.post-11894898261941814142008-05-08T22:41:00.000-02:302008-05-08T22:41:00.000-02:30OF:It was a horrible way to earn a living in the d...OF:<BR/>It was a horrible way to earn a living in the days without safety measures or sanctions. Your grandfather's life over in his thirties without any form of compensation either, I would venture.<BR/>XO<BR/>WWWWisewebwomanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15281689872840844191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14874528.post-21555350322635697202008-05-08T15:36:00.000-02:302008-05-08T15:36:00.000-02:30My grandfather was a Lancashire miner. He was crip...My grandfather was a Lancashire miner. He was crippled by a roof fall when he was in his thirties. He also had those odd blue scars on his back that you got from knocking semi naked against the coal seams. Lots of miners died from emphysemia, from the coal dust. Lancashire miners had their own hospital in Blackpool. I'm not sure where I stand on Mrs Thatcher's treatment of them. But I was immensely impressed by the miners loyalty to each other, no matter how badly lead they were - and they were badly lead.Old Fogeyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11247102564173946623noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14874528.post-6199441556140578162008-05-06T11:40:00.000-02:302008-05-06T11:40:00.000-02:30Irene:I'm glad that these terribly dangerous, haza...Irene:<BR/>I'm glad that these terribly dangerous, hazardous jobs can be recalled in song and pride in one's province can't be a bad thing surely? We are a peace-loving nation here. And none of us can forget where we came from.<BR/>Nick:<BR/>I will never forget the film "How green was my valley" which did a wonderful service to the coalminers and their work.<BR/>Ah anonymouses:<BR/>Where would we be without you and your presumptions? Of course I've heard many coal-mining songs and rather than hint at your encyclopaedic knowledge of them all, maybe you could share one or ten with the rest of us?<BR/>I did have a safe trip, thank you.<BR/>XO<BR/>WWWWisewebwomanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15281689872840844191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14874528.post-15729930276288843322008-05-03T16:12:00.000-02:302008-05-03T16:12:00.000-02:30No offense, wisewebwoman, but if you think "Workin...No offense, wisewebwoman, but if you think "Working Man" is the best coal mining song ever written, I'd venture to say that you haven't heard many in your time... I can name you 100 better coal mining songs, and I'm not exaggerating... Have a safe trip!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14874528.post-54330618574399519232008-05-03T05:17:00.000-02:302008-05-03T05:17:00.000-02:30There was always strong affection for British mine...There was always strong affection for British miners back in the days when there were still masses of working coal mines (before Mrs Thatcher closed most of them and threw all the miners on the dole). There's still a tremendous sense of community in the old mining districts even though many people have moved on to other jobs and lifestyles.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14874528.post-29892758142749220022008-05-03T01:57:00.000-02:302008-05-03T01:57:00.000-02:30That was a beautiful song. We dare not have such n...That was a beautiful song. We dare not have such nostalgic music about our miners here and would dismiss it as a sentimental rag. In the Netherlands, sentiment is for the lower classes, who are considered more gullible for those sort of things. Sentimentalism is not a great virtue, neither is nationalism, although being proud of your province is somewhat okay, but not too much of that. You must never let these kind of emotions rule your heart as they lead to war and civil unrest. (See Germany)<BR/><BR/>Happy to hear that your trip is going well and that you are nearing your destination. I think about you a lot and about your safety. I know you will be fine, because you are WWW!!!Irenehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05043376053971475659noreply@blogger.com