My step sister was twenty two years older than me and when I was a toddler I became aware of the fact that she was in the Land Army and we only had infrequent visits from her. She was working somewhere near Atherstone and she met a feller who was a coal miner at Baddesley or Baddesley Ensor. I remember the marriage and they moved in with one of his relatives in Westwood Crescent Atherstone, the same road as his family home. A small group of us, as school kids used to go there on our cycles, no mudguards, ropey brakes and loose chains. A cake and a cup of tea and we would ride home again. A couple of years later and the happy couple were re-housed in a newly built Coal-Board house in Dordon and from their back garden you could see a working pit and slag heap, I don't know what pit it was.
My sister died from leukaemia about 45 years ago but her husband lived on in misery. After her death, he survived another fifteen years with heart and lung problems caused through mining. His last ten years were deadful but he was a proud man and he really would not allow anyone to do very much for him.
My son has a top of the range 'wood burner' and he tried burning anthracite, he remarked that people were silly to have allowed the banning of coal because it is so pleasant to watch as it burns and seems more efficient than wood.
I told him about my brother in law and how he died after digging up coal for a living. My son has gone back to burning wood now.
I know several industries were health destroyng in the past, but I also believe that coal mining was the worst. I know they did it for a living but how good was it in the 40s and before when we all sat in front of the fire? I have had the utmost respect for all those men from a long time ago.