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Quarry or pit workers?.

Quarry workers?

Quarry or 'Pit' workers?

Row 4: 1 Mr Waite, 2 (man holding pickaxe) .
Row 3: (both sitting) 1 , 2 , (group of 3 men- all leaning against front of wall) 3 , 4 , 5
Row 2: (all sitting) 1 , 2, 3, 4, 5 (standing to the right) Alfred William (Tom) Waite.
Row 1: (all sitting) 1 , 2, 3, 4, 5

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Kelly thinks that this photo shows either a group of miners or quarry workers in the Forest of Dean.

Although, many of the men have dirt on their clothes, there is no indication of dark coloured coal dust. None of the men are carrying lamps.

A clue to photo may be the small devices that some of the men are holding (see detail- left)

The wall behind the men appears to be propped up and has very distinctive brickwork.

Mr Waite lived at Blakeney.

Can anyone help add more details to the photo?.


Dave Tuffley
added (Sept 2007): "It looks as though the things held in the workers hands are a flame lamp as used typically in the cornish tin mines. The wick is held in an upper long thin tube, the reservoir is in the larger diameter at mid point and the lower thinner diameter was put in a external hat band. The fuel used was a lamp fuel of some sort. I have seen examples of such lamps but not locally to the Forest of Dean".
Dave further added (November 2010): "... The lamps were peg and ball lamps and were used across the country but particularly anywhere underground".

Jeff Jones added (February 2011): "... now Im no expert at all, but regarding the observation that there's no sign of coal dust, which I interpret to mean they're not coal miners. To me their butty bags or whatever they called em appear full. Does n't this suggest they're yet to start their shift so they would still be clean".

David Waite added (December 2013): "... The man on the right of the photo (row 2 number 5) is my grandfather Alfred William (Tom) Waite. Born on Bradley Hill he lived for most of his life on Blakeney Hill. He was a coal miner and the photograph was taken before commencing work hence the clean faces. Where (the photo was taken) I am not sure, I know at one time he worked at the Wallsend Colliery, Howbeach. When it was taken I also don't know, he was born in 1868 therefore as a guess early 1900's. The other Mr Waite I don't recognize".


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