I was very interested in Sally's comments about miners' rights, as my grandfather David MORGAN (1865-1927) from Brecon worked all his life as a miner in the New Tredegar/Elliotts Town area. I have no idea which mine, but the family story was that he had an accident and 'broke his back'. Not certain when but they referred to somewhere between 1914 and 1927. I have seen a photo of him in a wheel chair, but I don't know if the description of his condition was accurate. Anyhow, the accident happened on a Tuesday and therefore he was only paid until Tuesday. Anne At 23:08 22/09/2013, Sally wrote: >At a guess, "civil status" probably refers to whether the person is >single, married, widowed, divorced or, in some cases, deceased. > >Employment records: in searching/reading 19th century Welsh >newspapers on-line, I've found some wonderful and interesting >information on several coal-miner families in South Wales, including >a detailed account of the inquest on a large-scale loss of life in a >mine explosion, in which three youngsters in one family, 11, 13 and 15, died. > > > Also, apparently, at least some coal miners/colliers/etc. worked > on contract to the company. The latter came out in reports on a > civil court case which saw a family member fined because he went > home without putting in his full day at the mine because there was > no work to do -- he was on contract to be there, work or no, and > thus was fined by the court. That "contract" bit may go toward > explaining why coal miners moved frequently around South Wales and > adjacent mining areas across the Severn, as well as hopes for > betterment or avoidance of a "black list," making it interesting > chasing them today. Good hunting!