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ABANDONED COAL MINE U.K. -Staffordshire Coal-
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- čas přidán 19. 01. 2020
- Follow us exploring an abandoned Staffordshire Coal mine ,
Documenting the relics of the Dying Industry that is still alive in Many people’s Memories...
At its peak, the British coal industry employed over a million men and was one of the most important industries in the UK. Transport, power and related industries were all heavily reliant on coal. Even in the mid-1960s,
British Rail was still running on coal power (steam). In the 1970s. Coal was Britain’s lifeblood, and without it, the economy could come to a standstill.
The decline of the British coal industry started after the
First World War. But was accelerated after the Second World War, and in particular, after the miner’s strike of 1984...
I worked in the coal mines in England for many years and this mine should be sealed as it is too dangerous to enter. When enter a mine like this it needs to be ventilated to clear the gases out before you go in and must be cleared by the authorities for you to do it. The unseen gases that are most likely to be present don't give you a second chance.
Its kept open and maintained, or at least it was when I was last down stoke
I do still work in coal mine😢😢😢 life is risky
Get a gas monitor(s) before entering another coal mine . The various damp's are no fun.
Methane gas is very explosive; I should know; I worked at Golborne colliery Lancashire. I was working there on the 18/3/1979 and some of my workmates were killed in a methane explosion there. RIP, Be careful,
Hats off to you and all your colleagues my friend. I’m born and bred in Aspull which as you will no has a rich mining heritage my dad and both grandads worked down the pit and I find it so sad that coal is now a dirty word and it’s all gone and it was guys like you who did this dangerous and dirty job. God knows how you must feel.
jimmy foster my farts are dangerous too
Hi James, I'm doing a bit of research into coal mines around the north west. I'm quite interested in Parsonage at Leigh. Would you happen to know where the exact locations of the 2 shafts where? I have been told they are underneath Sainsburys car park. There is a vent pipe coming up just outside Sainsburys car park which I originally thought was one of the shafts but I'm told the vents from the 2 shafts were routed underground to here when the retail park was built and the shafts are now covered with the car park
Thank you for this nice tour of a relatively recently closed, relatively modern British Coal Mine. From the corrugated iron and iron hoops supporting the entrance tunnel to the wooden pit-props, all are cheap and temporary. The small seams supported by wooden pit-props were often deliberately collapsed when they became 'unproductive', resulting in subsidence of the homes and businesses above with no compensation for the loss.
From the days of the 'Industrial Revolution' and individual owners to the 'National Coal Board' (NCB) mining was the most dangerous occupation; even if a miner was not killed or maimed in an 'incident' his life would be severely shortened by lung disease such as silicosis.
In the 1980s I was a field computer support engineer visiting businesses in SE England. One place, specialising in cyanide based products had a sign above the entrance sometimes declaring one death in the previous month. Coal mines in South Wales and NE England were happy if their sign indicated less than ten deaths in the previous month.
Clearly, we cannot continue to rape our planet of fossil fuels that were deposited millions of years ago. When exploring the many miles of tunnels dug by the earliest miners take a moment to consider their plight. They had to buy candles from their employer. They were so poor that a whole shift would extinguish their candles, climbing endless ladders in the dark, following the single candle of the leader.
Imagine turning up at the pit for the day shift at 6am, descending 1,600' of ladders (~1 hour), walking two miles to your assigned 'face'. You then get paid for eight hours manual labour in stiflingly hot and dangerous, dusty conditions before walking miles and ascending ladders to return home exhausted and dirty at 6pm. Do it again, day after day.
Alternatively, you could work the night shift commencing at 6pm; at least you would get to see some daylight.
I was a Mining Engineer working in. North Staffordshire from 1975 to 1998. which was part of the Western Area. (WHAT ARE YOU ON) "Coal mines in South Wales and NE England were happy if their sign indicated less than ten deaths in the previous month" are you sure you don't mean 1880.
From about 1975 there were 12 areas covering the whole of the UK. So by extrapolation, you imply that the industry was happily killing over 200 men per year.
15:53 how right you are that the Derrick saves Life's !! Its Many Many Years in the 19 30's My Dad spoke of a Runaway Flat Bed Tram going down an incline. Men at the Bottom were Using Compressed air Drills where they could not hear the Tram coming down the Incline. On the Flat Bed Tram were Metal Rails which were to be Placed as an extension to the road way. I Believe that the Tram reached the end of the Track where there was a Block of wood to act as a Buffer ; One of the Rails Slid Forward as the Flat bed came to am Halt! Unluckily one of the Miners turned around Just as the Rail shot off pinning him to the Rip edge. the Rail penetrated his chest: With an Hacksaw they Cut through the Rail and on Leaving four or Maybe More inches still within him He was Carried out of the Pit: The Ambulance Doctor Looked upon him and Calmly told the Injured Man that as soon as the Metal Rail was to be Pulled out that he'd Die within an instant; a few tears were shed where He simply said tell his wife that He loved her
Black Damp!! My Dad attended an incident where 3 children died along with a fireman who tried to save them - folk called the fire brigade instead of the Mines Rescue - the fireman went in without his apparatus on but the children had already been overcome then so was the fireman - my Dad along with colleagues had to go in and fetch the bodies out - heartbreaking - Dad had kids himself similar age - me. So so sad. You cannot smell this gas it will take you in a flash - you must be careful.
Sharon Gilford very sad story ! 😢 thanks for sharing it ! 🙋🏻♂️🙏🏼
Tony from Houghton Main, If you are going to take videos of old mines then for goodness sake take someone with you that has worked in the pits, learn what the terminolgy is and what is what, (watched one recently where the folk taking the pictures pondered what the girder from the roof was, (warwick girder) spent 5 minutes trying to work out what it was for, the fact it was on an incline should have been a no brainer, and for goodness sakes stop walking into voids , ) and they used to say miners were thick, watched a few of these now and and the knowledge and safety aspects that should be apparent but not recognised are beyond belief.
My grandad was a miner respect to all who worked underground 👍
you really need some sort of gas detector. a miners davey lamp had a flame. if it rose there could be explosive gas like methane. if the flame went out. "black damp" lack of oxygen. be safe
15:18 well pointed Out !! it was a Dead mans Brake ! As the Tubs were being pulled up with the winch The Front tub would Push up the dead mans Brake and then the Proceeding Tubs would slide over the Tubs and then when the Last Tub went By the Dead mans Brake{Sometimes called a Derick} it would drop to the Floor for if the Cable Snapped: Coming down the Incline with supplies to the Face, Someone would have to be ten yards in Front so that he'd Be able to Lift the dead Man Brake up to allow the Tubs to go under. The Metal Rope what you saw would have had a Counterweight on the Other end of the Rope the Counterweight was Just short of the weight of the Dead man Brake; This would Make it easy for the Guy who was Controlling the Brake to Push down on the counterweight; If it was a Very Long and steep Incline Usually Every fifty Yards or so there would be Derick's along the Incline Some Derick's would be spaced apart about twenty feet apart where Both Derick's would Be connected to the Other; One Derick would Be in the Brake position where the other would be in the air ; If that was the case ! If the Tubs were Coming down the incline the Guy would position Himself where the Derick was up in the air. He'd Pull Down the Derick and as he Pulled it down the other Derick would automatically be Raised; and as soon as the Last Tub went By the First Derick some one would Lift up that Derick where then the Other Derick would Be Lowered: I Used to be a Supplies Hauler and therefore Knew how they worked
The miners jacket, is what was known as a 'Donkey Jacket" I remember being issued my first one.
I loved this video Tony, it actually brought tears to my eyes, just brings back memories of what we have lost in this country. Seeing the minecarts just rusting away & the drills left behind & the obligatory newspaper! The filming was fab so was the music it captured the mood perfectly. Thank you for documenting this beautiful mine, thank you to all the miners for all their service, the bravest of the brave. RIP, to those who went to work & never came home. 😢❤❤❤❤❤❤
Poor mine carts all alone down there
press f to pay respects. 😢
It's amazing you folks have this interest in our mining heritage in staffordshire. My granddads and theirs worked in these mines. I love seeing you explore them. If you didnt. Please take a co2 or methane detector next time you go down. I've heard this mine in particular I wont say its name but has huge amounts of gas pockets in her tunnels. The amount of tunnels and mine workings in that area just sitting there in darkness is amazing. Be safe guys. Ace content 👍
James swinnerton thanks for your comments ! The historical mining heritage in the U.K. it’s fascinating ! Also thanks for your concerns ! We have said we will definitely not enter another coal /iron mine unless we have a gas monitor with us !
@@undergroundexplorersc9c270 good to know guys love your content you, guys are the closest we will get to having them museums. Stay safe :)
Yes, I know where it is too, but I've always resisted the temptation to go in
You're the first I've seen explore a coal mine the American lads & Frank in Canada they never go near cause of gases so unstable. There not prunes love mines. So fair dews to yous but always bring monitors be careful. Nice to see all mines cause each are different in minerals resources rewards. Big cheers thanks many regards from Ireland. 👍🇮🇪☘Godbless/peace🙏✌
That flooded section was so cool. Crazy how clear the water was 😶
WOW this is fantastic and thank you for filming
if you had worked down the pit you would not of gone down without Methanometer and FLP equipment.Dangerous thing to do but you got away with it.We used to use the 5ft long tins to transport the coal down to the belts when we were working a 1 in 4 upbank gradient off the main roadway.The coal would slide down after firing.The 5ft drill was used after the 3ft had bored a hole. The winch was called a Pickrose. Brought back memories and stay safe.
This is amazing footage as there's not many videos about underground coal mines in Staffordshire, this is possabilty Littleton colliery as its one of the last closed, my late mom's granddad and cousins worked down the mines
Don't think its Littleton its a posh housing estate now
I was born and raised in South Staffs mate. Good place, good people x
20:32 is a Slusher Bucket: In Case you are wondering about the High Raised floor: Sometimes the Flooring is softer than the Roof where the Weight of the Roof is Pressing down on the rings; and instead of Bending the rings the Base of the Rings Push into the Floor and then the Floor appears to Rise; That Slusher Bucket is there to Pull the flooring to either a short Conveyor or to a Tub to carry it away: The Mine I worked down Had the same Problem; and although the rings were over Seven feet High; Over a space of Ten Days In order to get to the Face or to the Haulage Engine I'd Have to Crawl fifty feet to The Haulage engine
Great to see inside the mines my late dad worked in the mines around Staffordshire not sure if it was this one though. The ones I remember are Chatterley Whitfield. Victoria. Hem heath and silverdale collieries
Fantastic video. Thanks for sharing.
A nice video my friend.
Amazing that you can still enter this coal mine.
In Germany, old coal mines are closed forever. They are just too dangerous.
All the best to you. Greetings from Germany. Andi
Very impressive! Thanks for the upload!
It was Thatcher that destroyed the mining industry, all part of her plan to kick the working classes into place. I have a tattoo on my left arm stating that I am proud to be the enemy within - I am! Thanks for this video as it brings back memories mate. For info the "switch gear" at 3:24 is known as a Lockout and was activated by either turning the red switch or pulling the green cable.
GateKommand ahh thanks for your kind comments ! 🙋🏻♂️🙏🏼 and for you detailed information. !! 👍🏼
@563 yard art the molly maguires 👍
@@Baron-Ortega Opinions are like ar$eholes mate, we all have one. However there is no need for the insult....Comrade!
the switch gear at 3:32, is part of the bell pull system for the hualage team, to signal to the engine man to start the haulage rope so that the tubs could be moved. Where you got wooden props, I haven't seen that system of support & I had over 20yrs down the pits from 72 to 94.
Nice one bro. Them cinematics👌
As Kids we used to find the train tunnel entrance and wander down! Great vid! Stay Safe Chaps
the bar was called a drop warwick. it had a counter balance weight to make it easier to lift to let the cars through. once through the warwick was dropped as a safety feature. it was kept down at all times. inside the car around 14.00 was a conveyor chain. usually used on a shearer face or heading stage loader to drag the coal/ stone to the main conveyor belts
Crawley chain
Cool amazing mine please keep safe down in mines friend
It's My Guess that the lads were in the Tail gate End of the Mine or even the Emergency Egress; I assume this Because of the Miss shaped timbers that were supporting the roof Unless of course they were travelling down an old Disused workings that Predated the More Modern side of the mine where Metal Rings were used 4:07 Is a pickrose Haulage Engine of which the Wire Rope would have been looped twice around the Drum of the Pickrose Haulage Engine; The Rope in its self would Be a Single rope where the rope would be looped and spliced together where One Loop would be Connected to a return Pulley Wheel that was Behind the Pick Rose Pickrose (one word) and as far as a Mile the Other Loop would be Looped around another Pulley which would Have a tension Pulley to keep the Wire Rope Taught so that the rope would Never slip around the drum of the Pickrose ; the slush Bucket at the side of the Pickrose was not for Carrying Coal ! At the Back of the Slush Bucket is very soft Ground; I'll Try and explain !! Sometimes down a Mine; there is a Very Hard Rock Formation, but sometimes under the Hard Sandstone there is a very soft Sandstone; and of course when the Miners continue to advance Forward with the Tunnel and Put up the Metal Girders, the two Girders that support the Cross section that are resting on the Floor sometimes gives the Appearance that the Supports are sinking as if you are Pushing a Knife into a Block of Butter. The reason to why this Happens; is that the Billions of Tonnes of Rock that is above the tunnels is settling down; and if there is a void such as a Tunnel, the strata Keeps on Pushing Down onto the Girder and Because the Ground is so soft the Upright Girders sink right down; giving the Impression that someone Has shovelled Tonnes of Soft Sandstone into the tunnel. where in Fact the Girders have sank into the soft Sandstone; The Slush Bucket what you saw is simply For Miners to Take away the Soft Sandstone , otherwise the Floor would Raise so Much that it would be Impossible for to get to the Workings; The term given to floors Lifting is called a Blown Floor
And the term given to restoring the floor is called 'dinting'
Great vid I'm local to Telford and quite intrigued by the Granville colliery , The Granville country park has alot of spoil heaps I'd like to get more info on that but there's not much I can find 👍
Been talking today to my Grandad about his time working in coal mines in the North East. 'There was definitely a few times where I just thought, this is it'.
I am a Japanese explorer. Nice to meet you. It is a great abandoned mine! I am surprised at the difference from Japan. Do a good job. Hobbies, glory to world explorers
私は日本人の探検家です。はじめまして。それは素晴らしい廃坑です！日本との違いに驚いています。良い仕事をしてください。
日曜スペシャル!・藤本秀司探検隊 thanks for your Kind comments ! 🙋🏻♂️🙏🏼
The Steel girder is a Warwick which was a safety device to stop runaway drams hurtling down a drift or slope, after a Rope breakage on the haulage plain, in South Wales the nature of the coalfield meant there could be literally dozens of these in a mine.
Genuinely surprised that incline you climbed down hasn't collapsed, it was sketchy as fuck ten years ago. Good to see this place still accessible, though. 👍
Contact the Coal Authority you are on very dangerous ground!! My Dad worked in the Mines Rescue Service - he attended many incidents too many!! Be safe? Ok?
17:02 Yes they were bell signals: Different Mines Had Different Signals My Signals were 3 to go Inwards and Four to go Outwards ONE long Bell Stop:ONE LONG and Eight Bells {Do Not Set off the The Rope until I send an all Clear signal which was an eight Bell and a Three or Four Bell; These signals would be repeated Twice to Make sure the Engine Driver Knew exactly what was wanted of him: Now although it was not My Shift: Whilst Pulling Empties from the Pit Face ; The Leading Tub came from off the Track . the Guy Leading the Tubs Managed to stop the Winch Driver; where he then Put the signal Do Not set Off until I Signal you to do so!!! This Hauliers Rope was supplying two districts where two teams would be feeding Tubs onto the Main Route: The signalling Procedure was slightly Different where when the Engine Driver Herd the Bells wrap off he was confused and set off the Rope; The Only Problem with that was the Lad who was Trying to Lift the empty tub back onto the Track; There was too Much Slack within the Rope and when the Rope set off it Kind of Whip-lashed the Guy was strode over the Rope where it Whipped up so violently it ripped off his Testicles; It would be an hour before they Got him into the Ambulance Room, where He'd wait for and Ambulance to Take him to the Hospital: The Female Nurse Dabbing him down with Cotton wool: the Young Man in his twenties Looked up at Her and said he Had often seen her coming to work and had thought how Nice it would have Been for her to have Been holing his willy but Not like this !! He was due to get Married the Following day the Poor f**ker
I carried both meathane detected and my safety lamp, the detector flashed like mad a few times especially on the retreat faces when the top end broke through into the roadway ther was always the area which not much air went to. I was on the meathane rig at Hem Heath in stoke-on-trent
very sad so sad to see the pits like this and to think of all the men that had to work there breaking there backs to fill them tubs but please be safe out there
Fantastic.
Really is beutiful,even though it is scary to a lot of people, if you think about it. They were really some beutiful places. A colliery (I think a colliery probably) near my area got abandoned a long time ago and my friend told me that it was due to and explosions down when peeps were mining. Plus it is a Giant place so.. yea and great video
Fantastic video and future historical record for sure. Dont end up on the missing persons database though. 3 guys ended up dead 5 years ago where i work going in a hole without gas monitors,
Where the guys were looking was one of the airshafts for the tunnel, now filled in by the quarry, the other is open but hidden in the Woodson the other side of the hill
I have explored and photographed the Railway tunnel many times over the years, even before it became a coal mine, but very dangerous and I think it has been sealed off now.
Are these photos available on the Internet pre draft mine? Thanks
We used to call the steel Girder with the Mine Car against it a Manchester Gate. The machinary at the very end was call
ed a slusher
Very brave boys going down there without a flame lamp .....if there had been any black damp.....you would have been dead within minutes.....methane gas....very explosive too
Good job :)
The part where the rails are supporting the roof was part of the repairs undertaken in 1918 after the heavy coal traffic from New Hayden, during WW1
knappster wow thanks for the information 🙋🏻♂️🙏🏼
@@undergroundexplorersc9c270 The repairs to the tunnel mentioned above were actually carried out whilst trains were still using the tunnel. The men worked on staging over the railway and the wagons were shunted underneath by a steam locomotive at each end of the staging. The tunnel closed as a railway tunnel in the 1930s when a deviation railway line was built to avoid it as the tunnel suffered from constant problems being poorly designed for the ground it was built through.
15.10 was a saftey device to stop runaway tubs, the girder was lifted to allow the tubs to travel, then the girder was let to drop again.
How did you find that entrance I've looked all over that's the emergency exit need to get the old maps out again now good video m8 looks wicked and untouched by vandals a proper gem
Its marked as a shaft on the old maps in the exact location 😉
I know both entrances mate more than happy to drop you a few pointers on dm
George Camber I’d like to know where they were/are
@@georgecamber9277 please mate 😊
@@swollen_lizard fb me mate
the switch is a lockout box. you pull the wire and the knob rotates and cuts the power to the hauler (winch)
1:52 “Is that a Miners coat”?
Amazing how it’s remained in such condition after all these years😂 It still looks as good as new😂
at 3.35 thats a lock out switch, used to stop machinery so you could safely pass, or work on the machine.
We used to go in there as kids👍🙂
Great stuff again!
Great video . Takes me back to when I worked in headings driving Discos and RH22 at Rawdon mine. I agree with all the comments below . Just hate what we did is consigned to the history books and vids like this makes me feel old. But great memories of working with my dad.Be safe guys.
I think you mean Dosco not Disco...
Must have been one of the last working drift mines .
Beautiful vid. Looking forward to more
14:41 emergency brake is called a Warwick. Nearly killed me but that's another story.
A Derrick or Acker we called them
Would love to have a walk in that Mine but my life is worth much more than reminiscing about my time working down a Mine, so many hidden dangers and who would come to help if you got gased or there was an explosion ......No one!!
brilliant film thank you
Highest quality work here.
Enjoyed it and that was not a tub of coal more like dirt or just stuff to put a stopping on with to seal it off , Please do not treat what you do as a no danger thing it can be very dangerous and cost you your lives if there is gas about , you won’t know about it you will just drop , Take a gas tester
This place is awesome, I visited it on Saturday 😁
Surprised the oxygen level is maintained,
Magic
Great stuff lads, what a crying shame Maggie destroyed the coal mines and manufacturing industries. Best regards
did you get permission I am actually a mining guide without proper equipment especially checking for methane and blackdamp can be very dangerous
Methane gas is silent but deadly I had been working on the top of the the ring doing a job and was exposed to it and the next thing I was on the floor never new a thing
😁 I understand your interest in our old Coal mines and its history but after working in numerous mines and being shuffled from one to another because of Pit closures I can honestly tell you that if I wasn't putting my check in before entering the mine and getting paid for the shift I wouldn't be going down😁 . Be careful lads these old mines you are going down are probably full of methane and Black damp. Definaltley don't be smoking down there and don't be sitting down , Black damp gas is at low level around your feet and knees and if you sit in that you won't be coming out.
My Dad worked in the Trentham coal mines in Stoke-On-Trent for over a decade until it closed in '93. It was an extremely dangerous job and he dreaded going to work because of the worry that he would get killed. Luckily he was alright minus one occasion where his thumb got crushed between 2 mine cart buffers and his thumb nail got torn off lol.
I couldn't imagine my generation working down there, we wouldn't survive!
NO!. it was not an extremely dangerous job. I work at Trentham from 1982 to 1990.
@@navigator100group2
Come on, it was. There were a lot of injuries and even deaths. I know one old chap who effectively retired in his late 30s due to a severe crush injury which wrecked his knee and severely damaged his pelvis. He worked at Hem Heath.
So stupid to go in these places without gas testing meters or any knowledge of what you are seeing when below ground
Beautiful video mister👍🏻 dont let these clowns bother you with their unsuccessful jokes
8:16 the Tub with what you said Had Newspapers and coal within the Tub it was not Coal but Colliery waste; I don't want to put you Off your dinner: But there were no Toilets Down the Mines where they had to do whatever a Man has to do where he would bend over the Flat of a Shovel and then put the contents of the shovel into the Tub and cover it over ?? The Newspaper was used as Toilet Paper; The Newspaper that was being shown on top of the tub was for to let the Fellow Mate on top Know that to be Careful as the Tub was being Emptied so that he would not Get any of it on His fingers ????
Roland Mitchell haha that’s crazy ! A tub to carry 💩🤮😂😂 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👍🏼
Fascinating video, however i must agree with some of the other comments on here. Get some proper gas detection equipment, so many gases can build up and if its carbon monoxide for example you wont even notice, you will just pass out and asphyxiate.
what mines have you been down in staffordshire i use to work at lea hall colliery and littleton colliery
Littleton and West cannock 5's
That Was ACE...
Which mine was it ?
Its what you call a drop warric girder....designed for runaway tubs
Where is this?
Fucking hell you lads got away with your lives on this one! Very very lucky.
What mine is this??
Wow wow wow, i know this place, been a little bit into this but didnt have the equipment at the time, definitely might have to pack a bag and get a team, any advice on this explore?
Dean Explores don’t do it mate I think it has been blocked off now
@@Knappist i "wont" mate dont worry
Dean Explores stay safe my friend 🤟
Yes. Simply DON'T DO IT.
@@DeanExplores it hasn't....
I'm from Hednesford, wim proud as fuck, ack.
Wonder how many hard working men lost their lives down in those old cool mines
oh 4got 2 ask when was this pit opend and shut do you know , again thank you
stu gill closed in 1991
you could have been dead explorers ?
coal = methane + spark = bang !
RIP Hem Heath Colliery :(
Yes agree great pit and men of character. I only worked there in its last 18 months before they closed it under midlands mining. Mick morton manager at the time. Bet it was a fantastic place to work in its hey day. Our industry is no more.
This isn't a deep shaft mine, it's a draft mine that starts in an old train tunnel so I'm not sure it's as dangerous air wise as the normal kinds of mines
Hundreds of people were killed in mining disasters due to gas,this appalls me these want to play in a coal mine with no safety .roof falls were also a hazard
Miles of roadways and workings underwater now .
Anyone interested in mines I've been watching cerro gordo ( ghost town living) is the CZcams account that's fascinating aswell much earlier than all of this and obviously in the us 👍
16:08 a donkey jacket???
AngliscSaxon ahh is that what they called them ? Donkey Jacket?!
@@undergroundexplorersc9c270 yes I used to have one when I worked at Somers forge
Loved my donkey jacket 👍
??
Dam are you for real, going down a coal mine no davy lamp, no methane detector going in open stoppings, asking to be DEAD.
We have a gas detector
Turn the music off
A whole industry killed by its own unions…
Seriously Lads, if any of you had an accident down there who the fuck would get you out. Stick to Factories etc. It’s a highly dangerous place to go.
Have respect for the Men, and I say Men , who went down day after day to earn a living.
Is this another example of White privilege they keep talking about.