Mine Shaft Collection

Miners and owner, Hook Colliery, Pembrokeshire, South Wales
A group of men at Hook Colliery, near Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, South Wales. They are the current shift of miners plus the owner, standing near a wooden headframe connected to a mineshaft

Miners coming off shift at the end of a hard day at the coal face. Circa 1960s

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USA, California, Gold Country, Grass Valley: Empire Mine State Historic Park/Gold Mine Gold Mine, Main Mine Shaft

Interior of a coal mine, 1862. Underground scene in a mine, showing a miner winning coal, while a wagon full of coal is being hauled along rails to the bottom of the pit shaft by a pony

Hoisting ore & lowering miners, Lead Homestake Mine, between 1900 and 1910. Creator: William H. Jackson
Hoisting ore & lowering miners, Lead Homestake Mine, between 1900 and 1910

Falun Copper Mine, c18th century. Creator: Per Hillestrom
Falun Copper Mine, c18th century

'Le puits le plus important des gites diamantiferes de Kimberley; Afrique Australe, 1914. Creator: Unknown
'Le puits le plus important des gites diamantiferes de Kimberley; Afrique Australe, 1914. From "Grande Geographie Bong Illustree", 1914

Theres a look of keen anticipation on the faces of these Bevin Boys about to make their first descent of the Moirrison Pit. 19th January 1944

Sweden, Vastmanland, Sala, Sala Silvergruva silver mine, Queen Christina mine shaft building

Coal Mine
Vintage engraving showing a cross section of a coal mine, 1864

The Transvaal Gold Fields and how to reach them--Ladies visit to the Jumpers Gold Mining... 1890. Creator: Unknown
The Transvaal Gold Fields and how to reach them--Ladies visit to the Jumpers Gold Mining Company--Going down in the cage, 1890

Elle agonisait dans l air d asphyxie, illustration from Germinal by Emile Zola (1840-1902)
CHT286993 Elle agonisait dans l air d asphyxie, illustration from Germinal by Emile Zola (1840-1902) engraved by Desire Dumont (19th century), 1886 edition (engraving) (b/w photo) by Ferat

faded glory
Gilbert Claes

Harnessing this pony at Ashington Colliery are some of the boys who are being trained under a newly instituted scheme. 17th June 1941

An instructor at the Government pit school showing Bevin Boys how to follow a seam of coal in Morrison Old Pit, Annefield Plain. 30th December 1943

Coal Queen Arlene puts a stop to swear-words at the coal face. The 1, 800 pitmen at a Yorkshire colliery were on their best behaviour yesterday-for they were hosts to a coal queen

Miner George Purcell and wife Brenda, pcitured with baby daughter Caroline at Bilston Glen Colliery in Loanhead. Midlothian, Scotland, January 1972

Placard Erected by Mr. Rhodes, 1900. Creator: Hancox
Placard Erected by Mr. Rhodes, 1900. Cecil John Rhodes was a British businessman, mining magnate and politician in southern Africa who served as Prime Minister of Cape Colony from 1890 to 1896

Charters Towers Goldfield, 1901. Creator: Unknown
Charters Towers Goldfield, 1901. Mine shafts built from 1883 to 1916 during a period of intense gold mining. From " Federated Australia". [The Werner Company, London, 1901]

At Work in a Victorian Gold-Mine, 1923. Creator: Unknown
At Work in a Victorian Gold-Mine, 1923. From " Australia, New Zealand and Oceania in Pictures", by H. Clive Barnard, M.A. Blitt. [A. & C. Black, Limited, London, 1923]

Hoyland Silkstone Collieries, Yorkshire, c1896. Artist: Warner Gothard
Hoyland Silkstone Collieries, Yorkshire, c1896. From Pictorial England and Wales. [Cassell and Company, Limited, London, Paris & Melbourne, c1896]

The scene of the Coal Strike: A typical South Wales coat mine, 1915. On 15 July 1915 about 200, 000 coalminers in south Wales went on strike

Coal and iron production, 1926. Artist: Edgar & Winifred Ward
Coal and iron production, 1926. From An Outline of Christianity, The Story of Our Civilisation, volume 5: Christianity Today and Tomorrow, edited by RG Parsons and AS Peake

A mining centre, 1926. Artist: Edgar & Winifred Ward
A mining centre, 1926. From An Outline of Christianity, The Story of Our Civilisation, volume 5: Christianity Today and Tomorrow, edited by RG Parsons and AS Peake

Soviet Poster, 1930

Labour in Paris, 1899. Artist: F Meaulle
Labour in Paris, 1899. Building works fro the Exposition Universelle, Paris, 1900. An illustration from Le Petit Journal, 15th May 1899

Mineralogy, cross section of a mine, 1751-1777. A print from the Encyclopedie, ou Dictionnaire Raisonne des Sciences, des Arts et des Metiers by Diderot & d Alembert, 1751-1777

The Bottom of the Shaft, 1862. Wagons of coal are being wheeled to the pit shaft, placed in a cage and hauled to the surface. From The Popular Encyclopaedia. (Glasgow and London, 1862)

Mining for rock salt, c1890. Miners being lowered down a shaft on rope slings to begin their shift in the salt mine at Wieliczka, Galicia, Poland

Coal mining: sending baskets (corves) of coal to the surface of a mine, 1852. From The Wonders of Home by Grandfather Grey. (London, 1852)

Rock Salt: Miners at work in salt mine near Cracow, Poland, c1820. Not all the salt is excavated, some pillars being left to support the roof of the mine

Dream Lead Mine, near Wirksworth, Derbyshire, 1881. Sectional view showing the workings and the position in which a skeleton of a rhinoceros was discovered

Thomas Saverys steam pump or the miners friend, 1702 (1726). Saverys steam powered pump was used for draining water out of mines. From Lexicon Technicum, by John Harris, 1726

Section of a Coal Mine, 1860. Artist: Thomas Dick
Section of a Coal Mine, 1860. A general pit head scene showing an engine house for a steam engine, the pit head winding gear and the underground areas of the mine in cross section

Bottom of a pit shaft in a coal mine with a train of loaded wagons, 1860
Bottom of a pit shaft in a coal mine with a train of loaded wagons waiting to be hoisted to the surface, 1860. The coal wagons have flanged wheels

Sectional view of a German mine, 1556
Sectional view of a German mine showing the method of sinking shafts and driving horizontal galleries, 1556. A windlass is used to raise and lower men, materials and spoil

Felix Faure, President of the Republic, in the Mines at Lens, 1898. Artist: F Meaulle
Felix Faure, President of the Republic, in the Mines at Lens, 1898. An illustration from Le Petit Journal, 11th December 1898

Sectional view of a mine showing shafts and galleries, 1556. At the surface of each shaft is a winch or windlass for raising and lowering loads

Illustration of cross-section through a coal mine

Road sign warning of mine shafts, Coober Pedy, South Australia, Australia

Cross section illustration of pit mine showing elevators moving up and down in mine shaft, and train of coal below

Mine shaft behind the Great Laxey Wheel, Isle of Man, crown dependency of the United Kingdom, Europe

Coal mine showing two shafts, coal miners lift, and lift to transport coal to surface, diagram

Illustration of miner holding safety lamp in 19th century mine shaft

Tunnel with abandoned railtracks at historic sulfur mine, Milos, Greece
Tunnel with abandoned railtracks at historic Paliorema (alt. spelling Paleorema) sulfur mine, Milos, Greece

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"Exploring the Depths: A Journey into the World of Mine Shafts" Step back in time to 1862, as we venture into the interior of a coal mine. The Hook Colliery in Pembrokeshire, South Wales, witnessed countless miners and their dedicated owner working tirelessly to extract precious resources from deep within the earth. In this captivating image, Bevin Boys stand on the cusp of an exhilarating adventure. Their faces radiate with keen anticipation as they prepare to descend into the depths of darkness, ready to face whatever challenges lie ahead. Fast forward to the 1960s, where weary miners emerge from underground after a grueling day at the coal face. Covered in soot and sweat, their tired expressions tell tales of hard work and sacrifice for their families' livelihoods. Across borders and oceans lies Sala Silvergruva silver mine in Vastmanland, Sweden. Its grandeur captivates visitors who marvel at its rich history and impressive architecture—a testament to human ingenuity intertwined with nature's treasures. Traveling further back in time takes us to 1890 when ladies embarked on an unforgettable journey through Transvaal Gold Fields. This rare glimpse showcases their curiosity about gold mining—an industry that shaped nations and economies during those times. The words "Elle agonisait dans l'air d'asphyxie" (She was dying in suffocating air) echo through Germinal by Emile Zola—depicting both hardship and resilience experienced by miners worldwide. Such poignant illustrations remind us of sacrifices made beneath our feet for progress above ground. Engravings from De re metallica shed light on ancient knowledge passed down through generations—wisdom about metals that fueled innovation throughout history. These intricate engravings serve as a reminder that even centuries ago, humans were driven by curiosity towards understanding our planet's hidden treasures.