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Unemployed miners, Cilfynydd, Pontypridd
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Unemployed miners, Cilfynydd, Pontypridd
Unemployed miners at Cilfynydd near Pontypridd in South Wales. They watch the buckets tipping slag in case any lumps of coal can be found. Date: circa 1936
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Media ID 7188111
© Mary Evans Picture Library 2015 - https://copyrighthub.org/s0/hub1/creation/maryevans/MaryEvansPictureID/10513011
Buckets Case Coal Found Lumps Miners Pauper Pontypridd Slag Tipping Unemployed Watch Workhouse
EDITORS COMMENTS
In this poignant photograph, a group of unemployed miners from Cilfynydd, near Pontypridd in South Wales, are seen intently watching as buckets filled with slag are being tipped nearby. The men, dressed in worn and threadbare clothing, hold empty cans and buckets, hopeful that any stray lumps of coal might be found amongst the waste. The harsh realities of unemployment during the Great Depression are palpable in this image. The coal industry was a significant contributor to the economy of South Wales, but during the 1930s, the industry went through a period of decline due to a combination of factors including competition from other coal-producing regions and the Great Depression. Thousands of miners found themselves out of work, and the situation was particularly dire in areas like Cilfynydd. The men in the photograph appear to be paupers, relying on the meager offerings of the workhouse or charity to survive. The sight of unemployed miners scavenging for coal in the slag heaps is a stark reminder of the desperate measures taken by those who had once worked in the mines but now found themselves destitute. The photograph captures a moment of hope and determination in the face of overwhelming adversity. The men's expressions suggest that they are not giving up, but rather holding on to the belief that they might still be able to find a way to provide for themselves and their families. Despite the odds being stacked against them, they continue to search for any means of survival, even if it means sifting through the waste produced by the very industry that had once employed them. This photograph is a powerful reminder of the resilience and determination of the human spirit, even in the most challenging of circumstances. It is a poignant reminder of a time when the future seemed uncertain for so many, and the struggle for survival was a daily reality for many in the coal mining communities of South Wales.
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