I was a Bevin Boy in The Lady Victoria Colliery

I moved to Corby in '42 and worked on PLUTO , Pipeline Under The Ocean.Then I was called up for National Service in '44. To my shock I was to be a "Bevin Boy ".Aneurin Bevin needed 1 in 10 conscripts to work in the coal mines.My father and grandfather were even more concerned because they had been coalminers for a time in Corby!But if your number got drawn out ,that was it ,you had to go !
I was sent to train at Muircock Hall ,4 miles from Dunfermline.The other boys came from all over the country, Wales,Ireland,England.Some of them had never even seen a coalmine before !Then I was sent to Newtongrange to Newbattle Colliery.I worked as a "Bevin Boy "for nearly 4 years.I was very affected ,not only by working as a miner but by living in a mining community and the help I received from the people there.I've written a book about that time and I'm now very involved with The Scottish Mining Musuem at Newtongrange.
I want to say how much I admire the housewives on The Home Front.They were the ones who had to cope with bombing, rationing,bringing up the children ,without them there would have been nothing. When I was in Corby at the Tube Works ,it was dirty , smelly,hot, sticky and there were young girls there in their turbans and dungarees,faces covered in oil.Yet at the dancing at night they looked lovely!They'd made their own dresses.I'll always remember that.
When I worked in Newtongrange I met this young girl on VJ day, we got together and got engaged.We married in Newtongrange and moved to Corby and we've been there ever since.
I've written a book about my experiences ,called " I was a Bevin Boy in The Lady Victoria Colliery."

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