| Description | Interview by Charles Parker of Edward James Smith (ES) talking about his childhood, family background and working in the mines.
Track 1: Duration (min/sec): 0.07 Description of track: [silent start to tape]
Track 2: Duration (min/sec): 2.47 Description of track: ES talks about sing songs they had, recalls traditional songs; worked for HS Pit and Company for 30-40 years (thick coal and clay mining) in next village to Kingswinford; talk about the pit work
Track 3: Duration (min/sec): 5.20 Description of track: talks about the No18 pit he worked which was with approx 8 or 9 other pits in Fosters field; approx 200-400 people in all of those pits as only small; approx 40 men working on No18 pit; got his firemens certificate in 1913 in Dudley and tested for gas for 20 years
Track 4: Duration (min/sec): 3.17 Description of track: ES talks about his family background; born in Water Street, Fosters field, youngest of eleven, his father was a 'puddler' in the iron works in Fosters field; talks about hard times
Track 5: Duration (min/sec): 1.59 Description of track: talks about attending school until 14 years of age and hard times as a child
Track 6: Duration (min/sec): 1.35 Description of track: talks about children's games eg 'Kiss the Ring'
Track 7: Duration (min/sec): 2.53 Description of track: talks about family background his grandfather from Shropshire; mother from Bradley; describes family singing and dancing
Total duration: (min/sec): 17.58 |