“And, eh, when a use’ ter go out ter pit bottom it’s three mile out to get to the pit bottom then four mile on the top from Shireoaks and I’d bought a bicycle then. And eh, we eh, what we use’ t’ do course when ye young y’ don’t see, y’ don’t see any danger as y’ do when y’ get older we used t, drivers were goin’ up to the pit bottom with the ponies so oh course they got the ‘ed gear on and the collar on and thes the ainchain hangin’ dahn. Hanging down an ainchain each side of the pony. Well we use’ t’ wait while the ponies comin’ up then we used t’, the driver of the pony use’ t’ be on one side of the ainchain get ‘old of it while one use’ t’ get on th’uther side and if y’ couldn’t get then we use’ t’ get ‘old of its tail an’ jus’ giv’ ‘im a tap an’ ‘e set off at a run y’ know. An’ we use’ ter, we use’ ter put both feet on that eh, the endless rope, of course yer finish and yer dead. Yer use’ ter put both feet on that steel rope I’ was a steel rope that wide and off wi shud go. Wel it, yus as good as ridin’ an’t y’. Y’ feet’s not goin’, y’ slidin’ on the rope. But when we got t’ yon end y’ saw that why that were red ‘ot and we use’ ter’ do that. Well we use’ ter wear the shoes out we use’ ter’ go an’ get sum mower. But, and fortunately, nothing did happen but when y’ look at it those steel ropes use’ ter slough they use’ ter. I mean nothing ‘ll work for ever and this endless rope that’s er, three mile that way an’ three mile back that’s six mile of endless rope an’ now an’ again a little piece gives way it dusn’t break, one of the, all that rope is made of strands in’t it all put together well they break and what the’ call they slough. And little bit of wire it’s about three times as wide as it was before, so all sloughed up. So of course use’ t’ave ter stop the, they use’ ter ‘ave ter put anuther piece in. Well, well that’s what could ‘ave ‘appened when we was ridin’ the rope. It only wanted one piece t’ come out and it’d gone right through y’ foot wan’t it. An when we use’ ter, I use’ ter walk back ‘ome, oh I walked it a good long time becos’ I couldn’t afford anythin’ an’ then I bought a bicycle. And I bought it at Campion Bicycle shop at Worksop. And it wer’ nine pound fifteen shillin’s an’ I got it on HP. An’ mi Father, ‘e was in the trenches in the firs’ world war and was a bomber an’’ there were only me an’ mi bruther and I was I was the eldest so I was the breadwinner.

And I bought this bicycle, an’ it wer’ a luvly bicycle all stainless steel I thought an’ I thought the world of it an’ I bought a paraffin lamp with a good beam on it. Costin’ four n’ six (22.5p today) which was a lot a money those days. (Wilf said his friends were earning eleven shillings a week – (55 pence per week). An’ I come out of the pit that day and went fer mi bike, brought mi bike out an’ I just gonna put mi foot on and mi lamp ‘ad gone.

Someone ‘ad stolen it.

Well I looked on the racks next to me an’ there was an acetylene lamp they’d jus’ come out an’ I fetched that off ‘is, I thought, ‘Somebody’s stolen mine I’m goin’ to steal ‘is.’ So I put tht on mine, I come out an’ I put me foot, my leg ova’ but mi conscience wouldn’t allow mi t’ go.

I went an’ put that lamp back.”

Contact information for the Osteopath / Dance school / Beauty and therapy centre 

Baila - Cusworth Dance Schools
Ballroom and International Latin American dance
A company - 'Devoted to Dance and Dancers'>
Zumba instructor - Shirley Cusworth
Courses held in Berkhamsted, Bovingdon and Hemel Hempstead
Wedding dance lessons | Party hosts | Private lessons
Tel: 01442 255610
Mob: 07730 591786
In association with Brian Cusworth BSc (Hons)., DO., AISTD
at The Boxmoor Osteopathy and Sports Injury Clinics
Osteopaths at this practice treat:
Back pain/ Neck pain
Frozen shoulder, Twisted and sprained ankle,
Joint pain, Sports injury, Dance injury
Rehabilitation packages available
Massage / Reflexology / Aromatherapy / Facials / Manicure / Pedicure
with Shirley Cusworth AISTD., IPTI
Mob: 07947 713659
Website: www.bailacusworthdanceschools.com
To see examples of our classes go to 'YouTube' and enter 'Strictly Learn Dancing' You will see the St. Francis Hospice dance competition for which we are the Dance Teachers