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TIN MINERS, circa 1950 - an obviously posed photo of miners; note the men at the top! Miners in the 1800's wore white "dresses", which were rather like sacks, when below ground, and had hats that held candles, the only light they had to use. (The mines did not have lights lining the tunnels, of course.) When they "came to grass" they'd change into their regular clothes which had been hanging in the changing room.

The rods being held by some of the men were turned 1/4 turn after every strike; once the holes were drilled, they would put powder in the holes and fire it, cracking the rock; men with pick-axes would then break the rock, which was hand-carted away.

used with permission of British Heritage, 2005