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Coal miners, carrying their safety lamps, being lowered down the pit shaft on a chain
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Coal miners, carrying their safety lamps, being lowered down the pit shaft on a chain
Coal miners, carrying their safety lamps, being lowered down the pit shaft on a chain with stirrups attached. The man the bottom has lost his grip and is in danger of plunging to his death. By the middle of the 19th century this method of descending mines was abandoned except in a few very shallow pits From Underground Life: or, Mines and Miners by Louis Simonin (London, 1869). Wood engraving
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Media ID 9752725
© Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group
1869 Abandoned Attached Bottom Carrying Century Chain Coal Danger Death Descending Down Grip Lamps Life Lost Louis Lowered Method Middle Miners Mines Mining Safety Shaft Shallow Simonin Underground Wood Pits Plunging Stirrups
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This print captures a perilous moment in the lives of coal miners from the 19th century. In this scene, we witness a group of courageous men being lowered down a deep pit shaft on a chain, each carrying their trusty safety lamps to guide them through the darkness below. The wood engraving showcases their determination as they cling onto stirrups attached to the chain, braving unimaginable depths in search of precious coal. However, amidst this display of bravery, tragedy looms dangerously close. At the bottom of the pit shaft, one miner has lost his grip and teeters on the edge of disaster. His life hangs by a thread as he dangles above an abyss that threatens to consume him. This method of descending mines was once commonplace but had been abandoned by most pits due to its inherent dangers. Only shallow mines continued with this treacherous practice by the time Louis Simonin documented it in his book "Underground Life: or Mines and Miners" published in London in 1869. As we gaze upon this historic image, let us reflect on the immense risks these miners faced daily to provide for their families and fuel industrial progress. Their unwavering spirit serves as a reminder of human resilience even under extreme circumstances.
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