This is a photo that I will be putting on another topic
but I thought it might be of interest to those who have been
following this one. It's a representation of a wagon or "tub".
It's probably not historically accurate but near enough to show
what the children would be pulling or pushing. That is, if they were
fortunate enough to have tubs with wheels and tracks. The size would
vary depending on the height of the tunnel through which the coal would
be transported. In this case we will imagine the height to be approximately
3 feet. The child would wear a stout leather belt and a chain would be
attached to the front . The chain would pass between the legs and be
fastened to the coupling at the front of the tub. The child would then
lean forward, and again depending an the conditions, pull the load often
on all fours. Another child would push from the back, often using his head
which quite frequently would become swollen from the pressure. They
could often be identified by the bald spot that would form in that area of
the scalp. This was more often than not, done in total darkness. A child
would consider themselves very lucky if someone had greased the axles
making the task a little easier. The tubs would be filled as much as possible
because the wages were dependant on the amount of coal moved.
Tomkin
