Below are a collection of ironstone mining songs that have been made available on YouTube by Jim Barry from his album “Songs of the Stone” . The videos also feature many excellent images of local ironstone mining.
Trappy Lads – Trappy lads were young boys employed in the mines to open and close ventilation doors. They worked 8 hour shifts, entirely alone in the dark.The song is sung by Graeme Dewse, who was 8 years old when we recorded the song.
Oh, Galahad – The horses lived and worked in the ironstone mines in East Cleveland. I found it ironic that they chose to give the horses such noble and evocative names, considering the reality of their existence.
24 Tons – Another of my ironstone mining songs. This one describes what the miner had to undergo to earn a living wage.
My Miner Man – A song that expresses the thoughts of an ironstone miner’s wife as she prepares him for his daily shift. The fears and trepidations that haunted her each day.
The Eston Hill – A song written in 1990 by upper primary schoolchildren, under the guidance of Sandra Kerr, with support from myself. It became a firm favourite wherever it was sung.
What a wonderful journey into history, thank you so much.
My dad had a pal called Arthur Lynas who emigrated to Canada many years ago. I think his wife was Maureen.