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Jean Hay's avatar

My father worked as a boiler maker in the copper, lead, zinc, silver mine in my hometown. I imagine the conditions were very different though. I do remember driving in the car with Mum around the huge open cut mine pit to pick Dad up at the end of his shift.

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Deborah Carl's avatar

Thank you for the social history. My great grandfather was a miner, first in England, then Nova Scotia, and finally Pennsylvania where he died of injuries sustained in a mine collapse.

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Lesley Lawson's avatar

Thanks. Was he part of the great Cornish emigration?

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Deborah Carl's avatar

I had never heard of the Cornish emigration. I learned something new today. Nope, he was from County Durham which is closer to Scotland. The DNA has me 31% Scottish, only 5% from my mother’s side, and 5% Welsh which is all from my mother’s side and we knew about it. What surprises me is I get 0% England and Northwestern Europe from my mother when my maternal grandmother was born in Durham, England, her parents were born in Durham, England, two of her grandparents were born in Durham, England (the other ones were from Lincolnshire, England and Wales). Six of her great grandparent were from Durham, England and two were from Wales. I guess I got all the Welsh DNA and none of the English.

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Leanne Hunt's avatar

Fascinating as always.

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