Fig 1: Miners at the end of their shift in the Pit Head Baths shower cubicles.

The Miners Lot

Helen Sharp’s short story, written in broad Eastwood region dialect, is based in the 1950’s on the eve of the opening of the Colliery Pit Head Baths. This cultural change in coal mining communities would eventually mean the end of coal miners having to go home in their pit dirt after their shift and wash there.

Helen, now sadly passed away, was a creative writer from Eastwood, Nottinghamshire.

Fig 2: Helen Sharp in 2011.

My Uncle Eric and Aunt Louie were talking.

“Ow many towels dusta want then Louie. Yo know, yo ay ta tek pot luck wi culors don’t ya? Some culors ar a bit bright bu ra I canna pick an chews which I want, once yo int queue at cantain counta, yo ay t ay whats gin ya”

“Just bring a couple for now Eric. We are going to miss these cheap towels and soap when the pit head baths come in aren’t we? Must get a good stock of both in while we can.”

Fig 3: PHB miners soap.

“Talkin bowt t’ soap, I’ll get two lots while I’m thear an ope I get both bags wi’out any o’ that thear pink stuff. Stinks ta high heaven, jus like one of them thear French Brothels.”

Louie laughs at the look on her husband’s face. It is a bit scenty though. “Just how the dickens do you know what a French brothel smells like Eric. Just tell me that?”

Fig 4: Carbolic soap

“Well ya no whar I mean, chape an tarty.Ya just cana beat a bit a carbolic now can ya, come on be honest can ya?”

“No I suppose not. Mind you the green one smells nice and fresh. Just do what you can lad.”

Fig 5: Miner having a strip wash after his shift in the pre Pit Head Baths days.

“Ay I will, cana do na moor. E, look at that clock, he’s may standin roun gabin on bou soap an towels. I’ve gora shift to do down Pye Hill pit fost else whe’ll noray any money ta buy nowt we. Wears mi snap woman? Shall I get bath down for thee now or wilt ta be alrate we it till I ge wom? Ye, that’s one thing I shana miss when pit head baths com in is fillin that dammed owd tin bath ivery dee. Canna wait till nex year.”   

Fig 6: Plan for Pit Head Baths at Langwith Colliery, north Derbyshire coalfield.

Fig 7: Shower cubicles at Annesley Colliery Pit Head Baths in 1995. Photo by David Amos

Louie gives Eric a lingering kiss and utters the words that all miner’s wives say as their men go off to work down the mines “See ya duck. Be careful”

Fig 8: Miners at the end of their shift with snap tins and dudley’s.

So with his water bottle and snap-tin containing his home made plum jam sandwiches hanging from his belt off my Uncle Eric would go to walk the two miles to work.

Fig 9: Shifts End by Irene Morris for the Selstonia Living Heritage Project (2008-2011)

For years miners had brought the dust and dirt from the coal face home with them to share with their wives and families. At the end of a stint a black face would appear round the door. Recognisable only by the white teeth and smiling eyes. Just glad to be home safe and not too badly hurt from another shift down the hell hole.

Fig 10 : Staged photo of a roof fall at coalface. Source: NCB East Midlands No.5 Area Safety Book 1952.

Many is the time my uncle Eric came home with his helmet hanging from his belt and blood running down his face from a roof fall that had split his head open. Or hopping on one foot, boot in hand, again because of yet another fall, this time on to his foot while he was trying to put the pit props in place.

Fig 11 : Foot injury cartoon from a 1960’s NCB Safety booklet.

The boot would have cut straight into his toes sometimes down to the bone. Treatment was very basic, painful and barbaric. Undiluted ‘Dettol’ would see off any germs and bacteria — it was poured directly into the wound neat wherever it was and left to do its work.

Next day would see him back at work. Remember they had to complete ‘five’ shifts to get their weekly bonus or any overtime that was going.

Fig 12: Miner and whippet at a Miners Gala.

This was a time when men were men and proud of it. What went wrong?

Helen Sharp

Fig 13: Brookhill Colliery Pit Head Baths building at Pinxton (foreground) closed in 1968, is dwarfed by the 21st century Co-op distribution warehouse near to J28 on the M1 motorway. Photo by David Amos – 2018.

The Miners Lot first appeared in ‘The Selstonia Anthology’, published in 2010 as part of the Heritage Lottery funded Selstonia Living Heritage Project (2008-2011). It also appeared in ‘Coal in the Blood: An East Midlands Coal Mining Anthology’, edited by Natalie Braber and David Amos and published by Trent Edition in 2021.

Fig 14: The Selstonia Anthology and Coal in the Blood: An East Midlands Coal Mining Anthology.

Fig 15: Helen Sharp and David Amos recording an audio of The Miners Lot in 2011. 

The short story also appears on YouTube, being posted as a prototype video in 2011, the voice over being provided by Helen Sharp and David Amos.

Fig 16: Lush Cosmetics at Nottingham in 2014. Photo by David Amos

Postscript

On a shopping visit to Nottingham in 2014, my wife and daughter visited Lush Cosmetics on Clumber Street. Whilst hanging around waiting for the ladies to do their shopping, a young assistant asked me if she could help me. I asked her if they had any PHB soap. “No, I’ve never heard of it, is it rare” she replied. I informed her that it was the most popular soap in the county at one time. “What did PHB stand for” she asked. “Paris Home Beauty” I replied!

Blog by David Amos

Mine2Minds Education

Posted – 20th August 2026