Interviews of David Baird Mrs Baird and son by an unknown female

In this interview (EL2/1/1/1 track 1 of 2), the interviewees, Mr and Mrs Baird and their son discuss mining and living in Tranent. David Baird became a miner (like his father before him) after he left school and he talks about going to work in the Fleets mine. He was there for 9 months before being transferred to Monktonhall. Mr Baird worked in several mines over his working life and he talks about each and notes that some were better places to work in, either because of the location of the coal, the level of mechanisaton or available resources eg. the provision of bathing facilities. The work was very hard but Mr Baird notes that it was what you were brought up to. He thought that innovations made the work less physically arduous now, but it could still be a tough working environment.

Mr Baird's son talks about his own job at Monktonhall pit. Although a less physical job, he says the working environment is hostile and dangerous and you have to be constantly alert. The men also speak about the impact of working underground, with long walk-ins before you can begin working, and the challenges of shift work. Mrs Baird also talks about the impact of shift work on the wives of miners. One very welcome innovation, noted by both men, was the introduction of overalls for staff at Monktonhall. Each miner got three sets of overalls which could be left at the pit and laundered over the weekend. This was quite different to pits where there were not even washing facilities and the miners had to go home in their sodden, filthy working clothes.

There is also some discussion here about the social life in Tranent, how many people are still working in the mines around Tranent and the increasing number of people moving into the area.