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Description: | On this recording we hear David Mountford singing about the woes of a hewer. Like most jobs in the pit the role of the hewer was extremely physically demanding. A hewer was actually responsible for filling coal into tubs in addition to undercutting the coal seam with a pick. In more recent years a new agreement with pitmen working power loaders meant that they were paid the same wage as those working manually. As the song reflects those who had physically demanding roles in the pit were not pleased at this. The effect of this physical exertion on the health of the hewers is also evident in the song. The song has been taken up by several singers in the Durham area, and could now be said to have 'passed into tradition'. The song can be heard sung by Bert Draycott on the record - English Folk Music Anthology, Folkways FE 38553 (1981).David Mountford is a miner from Seaham Harbour. His compositions deal with conditions in the Durham Coalfield in the second half of the 20th century, when large machines brought automation to coal mining. However by this time coal reserves were becoming exhausted in the areas beneath the land, and undersea exploration was proving efficient. Dave visited various folk clubs in the area, singing with his guitar.The tape from which this and several other songs sung by David Mountford are drawn is one of a large number of sound recordings held by the North of England Open Air Museum, Beamish, Co. Durham. This important resource is made up of oral history recordings drawn from many different sources. Some recordings have been made by the museum for their own use, whilst others have been copied from other sources or donated by other collectors and individuals. This large collection of mostly spoken word recordings also includes many recordings of singers, musicians and dancers from Durham, Northumberland and Cumbria. The collection includes recordings of Haltwhistle fiddle player George Hepple, Nenthead singer Martha Armstrong, the Elliotts of Birtley, piping competitions, Newcastleton traditional music festival, concertina bands and playground games. ; song | Rights holder: | rights holder : Beamish Museum | Subjects: | protest & industry and occupation protest & hewers & miners & wages | Temporal: | start=1970;end=1980; | Source: | Folk Archive Resource North East | Identifier: | farne:B1704006 | Go to resource |
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