Self portrait when I worked down the coal mines,(many moons ago !) by James Hamilton

My Father Brother and Father in Law worked in the mines like yourself Jim and often in water, I have one of the pick heads as a feature preserved in my garden, you have done a nice record of a hard life that was also a brotherhood, nice one.

You’ve captured the difficulty and hardship of working in the pits Jim.

Powerful.

What a terribly hard path industry took its workers in the past. My hat is firmly off for your courage and good painting Jim.

“Kids these days don’t know they are born “ springs to mind. Fab painting.

Thank you all for your comments,I did this to show we were still using carbide lamps in the fifties, when our local mine closed at Broomhill I was transferred To Hauxley (near Amble Northumberland) and we were working 2 miles out under the North Sea, it was very wet! but the water was sweet to drink.

Nice painting Jim. Must have been a strong roof to work in front of the last prop. I worked at Easington in the sixties and if was 4 miles under the sea and dry!

A tough inhospitable environment very well portrayed, brilliant painting

A powerful painting of a respected occupation.