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Bill did tell us that when he worked in the mines
himself he frequently worked on his side in
tunnels two feet high, and you would remain in
that position for the eight hour shift, including
whilst eating your food. He was never short of
identifying the extreme dangers of working down
in the mines, although when asked if he would
encourage his son to work in that profession
should the opportunity arise again, he said
he would. Very strange, but anyone knowing
the mining community will quickly identify the
immense strong bond that these men have
towards each other. It is sad that with the demise
of the mining industry in this country we saw a
whole way of life swept aside. Within the Welsh
Valleys it broke the chapel communities that gave
rise to the wonderful choral singing that is so
identifiable with male voice choirs.
On leaving the Big Pit we headed a mile down the
road to the UNESCO site of the Blaenafon Iron
Works. This is a large open museum (and free)
where visitors are able to view the old furnaces
and workers cottages, as well as listening to
extremely loud descriptive commentaries played
out against the background and roar of the
furnaces.
By now the wet weather was really sweeping
through the valley, but it didn’t deter a member
of the office team who had offered to present a
basic guide to the buildings and museum area
once she had heard we were members of the IPA.
For anyone who has never yet visited the South
Wales area, we would really encourage you to
take in all of these aforementioned activities,
which are all children friendly, although you
should contact the Big Pit first to identify any age
restriction. The other point that would need to be
mentioned as regards the Big Pit is that whilst
the entrance to the mine is at road level, the
restaurant area is at the top of an extremely long
and steep walk up the hillside. There is no road
up to this level for the public.
So now we start working on ideas for the 2018
event, which we hope will be held in the Dyfed
Powys Branch area of the Region.
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Article
POLICE WORLD
Vol 63 No. 1, 2018