Dean, I've only just found this thread. What great pictures. I've got mining in my background, too, though more recently it's been iron and steel. My wife's family having a strong mining background, too. I once sang a concert for an NUM benefit in Nottingham during the last, fatal strike. They gave me a limited edition plate as a memento. It's just about my proudest posession.
Tourist Tony, I don't suppose Ed ever expected the last line of the chorus to be so predictive:
"Now me hewin' days are through, through, Now vme hewin' days are through.
Did you ever hear a song about a miner called Joe Peel?