Ladyshore Colliery Miner Richard Thomas Pritchard (1921 -2011) Manchester, Bolton, and Bury Canal

This is a recording made in 2008 with Richard Thomas Pritchard who was 86 at the time. It was filmed in the former Ladyshore Colliery Office which is now a private house and was owned at the time by his family. Tom Pritchard worked at the mine in the 1930s from the age of 14. The Ladyshore Pit was closed in 1949.
Due to the historic nature of the information in this video going back to the 1930s, there is an outdated word used for the name of a pit pony which is now an offensive racial slur; however at the time it was a common name for animals and pets (think of the dog in the Dambusters). No offense is intended, and I hope no offensive is taken.
en.wikipedia.o...

[@michaelwebber8631]

Bloody fantastic !

[@Lerie2010able]

Same age as my Dad - he worked down the pits

[@edgreenhalgh6890]

Richard may well have known my dad. He worked at Ladyshore in the 1930's. He was a tunneller due to his small build.

[@johnthecloud]

That's amazing. There are so many untold stories out there.

[@TheElectronicOnion]

Bob on this !!!

[@robertrothwell271]

Proper chap.

[@MrAndysoul]

God bless him

[@johnthecloud]

I've had this piece of video sitting on a DVD since 2008. It's sad to know that Tom passed away in November 2011. I'm glad that Steve and I got to speak to him, and learn a little about his extraordinary life.

[@MrAndysoul]

@@johnthecloud It's a fantastic clip & so rare to find someone who worked in the local pits , The famous Ladyshore ,& Bury road, Wheatsheaf ,etc , people don't realise how hard it was to work the pits back then , i will sit & listen to it in full later , it really is a window into history , thanks for posting

[@keithpilkington4682]

Respect them men they did it for our future what did they get