We had a fairly tight turnaround after getting to Cardiff: we arrived Wednesday evening and headed off early Sunday morning for our last travel-heavy adventures (John and Belle to Paris/Amsterdam; Indy and me to Edinburgh—recaps here and here).
But… before we left for those escapades, we managed to fit in a very fun day trip to the Big Pit National Coal Museum with blogger and adventurer extraordinaire, Rachel, and her son, Ezra.
We were treated to a proper Welsh day: rain, wind, sun, back to rain, then some more sun. The only thing missing was hail (though when I checked the weather forecast in the morning, it did mention hail as a possibility).
The weather definitely runs the gamut here!
I know I went to a coal mine when I was a small child and came away with a little piece of coal (I have no idea where it is and I can’t remember a single thing about the experience). So when Rachel suggested we make time to visit Big Pit, I jumped on board with that idea. Especially since coal mining had a huge impact on the development of both the economy and culture of Wales.
From the late 1700s onward, coalfields in southern Wales helped power the Industrial Revolution. Welsh coal fuelled steamships, railways, factories, and homes across Britain and around the world. (Apparently, the boilers on the Titanic were designed specifically to run on Welsh coal.)
Mining communities popped up all around the country, and for generations these coal mines shaped daily life. By the early twentieth century, coal production reached its peak, but then technology advanced, demand for coal changed, other energy sources came into vogue, and health and safety regulations became more stringent (a good thing!!). Mines became increasingly mechanized and eventually most were closed.
I was surprised to learn that some people do still use coal as a fuel source, but today’s coal is mostly imported from China. Where, sadly, there are still incredibly deadly mining disasters.
Since shutting down coal production, Big Pit has become one of the main sites in the UK to learn about the mining industry in a hands-on capacity.
The museum is spread across a number of original buildings, each packed with exhibits that cover all sorts of different aspects of mining life.
Entrance to the main museum exhibits is free, but you can buy tickets to go on an underground tour of the mine.
Rachel suggested we opt for the full experience, and I’m so glad we did. The mine shaft goes 90 metres (~300 feet) below ground which is actually quite shallow by coal-mining standards.
Before heading down, we had to get kitted out with safety equipment. We won’t be featured in any fashion magazines, but when one member of our group accidentally walked into a low wooden beam, those helmets suddenly seemed very practical, if not stylish!
Sibling selfie!
One of the tour guides took a group photo before we stowed our phones away (they weren’t allowed down in the mine).
Our tour guide was fantastic: very knowledgeable, engaging, and a former miner himself. His thick Welsh accent added to the experience, though admittedly I couldn’t understand absolutely everything he said. It was THICK.
He shared stories about daily life underground, the work carried out by women and children during the industry’s early years (I couldn’t help but think that their work in the mines sounded less onerous than their subsequent homemaking responsibilities), and the horses that spent up to 50 consecutive weeks below ground. It was both fascinating and heartbreaking.
He also explained how mining practices evolved over time, with new technologies and stricter safety procedures making the work considerably safer. That said, when things go wrong in mines they tend to go VERY wrong.
Our guide mentioned the origin of the phrase “canary in the coal mine,” and we made a point of visiting the canaries when we emerged from underground.
There are all sorts of exhibits to explore, and since most of them are indoors, the ever-changing Welsh weather didn’t dampen our enthusiasm.
I took a picture of the same coal carts when we walked by them on our way to eat our picnic lunch (they had space to eat inside, thankfully, since the weather was not inspiring)…
And then again half an hour later, blue sky!
One section focused on mining disasters, rescue efforts, and the risks miners faced every time they went underground. Combined with the underground tour, it gave us a good sense of what life was like for the people who worked in coal mines.
I must have said to Rachel a dozen times: I cannot imagine living in this time! The men, yes, but the women, too. What a hard time to be alive. I think the guide said the average lifespan of a miner was 45.
There are lots of spots where you can touch and feel things which is always a big hit with kids!
The locker room was probably my favourite part of the museum. Each miner had two lockers: one for his filthy work clothes and one for clean clothes. At the end of a shift, he’d take off his filthy clothing, shower, and then change into the clean clothes he’d left in his clean locker before heading home. It sounds simple, but this system dramatically improved family life. Before baths became common, miners would go home covered in coal dust, leaving their wives with the enormous task of washing heavily soiled clothes.
Another reason this was so important was that when women had an excess of dirty clothes to wash, it meant their homes basically perpetually had scalding water sitting in wash basins. Horrifically, accidents involving children getting burned on this hot water were incredibly common, and doctors reportedly treated more injuries suffered by miners’ wives and children than miners themselves! Crazy, right?
This display case had hand flaps where you’d stick your hands inside and by feeling the item, try to figure out what you were feeling. The boys were big fans.
This was a demonstration of what a miner’s home might look like.
Each of these coal carts weighed the same but had different mechanisms for movement (over wooden rails, over iron rails, and over solid ground) so you could get a sense of the efficiency of different movement mechanisms.
Indy came across this giant statue and said, I can look up to this guy. Haha.
Indy bought a key chain made out of a piece of coal and that was all we were talked into buying in the gift shop, but I thought this little hanging sign could be repurposed as a cute Christmas ornament!
A huge thanks to Rachel for driving us to Big Pit and giving us the opportunity to try such an authentic Welsh experience.
Your turn.
- Have you ever been down inside a coal mine?
- What homemaking task are you most thankful to have modernized technology to tackle? I pick laundry!
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