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| "A Yorkshire boy with generations of coal mining in his blood, John Fieldsend answered the call of mining at age fifteen." As the coal mines of northern England petered out, John learned of new opportunities overseas, and followed the coal trail to Canada. John brought with him knowledge of the old ways and acceptance of the new, using these to teach our young miners to work safely and proudly in the depths of Vancouver Island. |
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| John’s Story
“I started mining in Yorkshire, England, in 1958. It was the only industry in the area apart from steel works. My dad, granddad and my great-great-granddad had been in mining so it was natural that I followed on. My mom was not happy with that since my dad had just had a bad accident, but it was either go into the mines and to get a bit more money or go for an apprenticeship. There was no money coming into the house, at that time, because compensation was zilch, so I considered mining. “I started training when I was fifteen and went underground when I was sixteen. You did your training at a different mine from where you were going to work. They had an area mine for training; you spent six months training, half at school and half at the training center. You spent the rest of the time until you were sixteen, on surface at the mine you were going to work in, and then when you were sixteen you went underground.
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