Hello Listers, The 1911 census shows a relative listed as a pony driver below ground. I have a pretty good idea what this is, but if anyone has a good description, I would appreciate having it. Also, this relative is listed as 15 years old. I am wondering what the child labor laws were in 1911 and a few years back. I would like to know how long he could have been working at this employment. Thanks. Sandi in the U.S.

Further to what Stan has posted, my Dad started down the pit aged 14 in 1934 and was for the early part of his working life a "Pony Driver" but according to him you did not drive the pony, but lead it. And the way you led it was by allowing it to hold your hand in its mouth. Now anybody who has worked with horses and ponies will will know that when they want to they can give a nasty bite, so I asked him why they did things that way and he said it was so that the pony would know that you trusted it. Apparently they would not move without a hand in their mouth, except for the last stretch back to their (underground) stables. Cheers Steve Sandra Trapp wrote: > Hello Listers, > > The 1911 census shows a relative listed as a pony driver below ground. I > have a pretty good idea what this is, but if anyone has a good description, > I would appreciate having it. > > Also, this relative is listed as 15 years old. I am wondering what the > child labor laws were in 1911 and a few years back. I would like to know > how long he could have been working at this employment. > > Thanks. > > Sandi in the U.S. > > ==== DUR-NBL Mailing List ==== > To Post a message to this list send it to, > [email protected] > > ==== DUR-NBL Mailing List ==== > List Web Page > http://www.communigate.co.uk/ne/durhamgenealogy/index.phtml > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message > >