Material Type

Recording

Date Range

1993

Physical Condition

Excellent

Acquisition Source

Sir Alexander Galt Museum

Scope and Content

1 VHS t-60 tape for each. .11 39 minutes. .12 34 minutes.louis siray talks about coal mining.see attached for summary of the tapes. He started at the Shaughnessy Mine in 1939 at the age of 17. His first job was a slate picker. Describes other jobs he's had in the mine. - Talks about an accident he had at the mine that resulted in him losing 3 ringers on his right hand. He was off work for one year before returning to a mechanical position. - Talks about the miner's lantern. - Talks about mining conditions and how he felt Shaughnessy was the best because the ceilings were high enough that the miners could stand, and the floors didn't heave. - Talks about mining equipment. - Talks about the duties of each shift - afternoon shift undercut the coal, day shift loaded the coal, and evening shift operated the shearing machine. - Talks about wages and the union. - Talks about why he went to work in the mine. - Talks about the hockey and ball teams. - He lived at home until he married at age 29. Talks about his family. He left the mine in 1956 and went to work at Noble Cultivators. - Talks about the Shaughnessy Mine being gas free, and because of this they were able to have electricity. Talks about the power supply. P/^l /o6=7 o II-Louis Siray Tape 2. 34 minutes He started at the Shaughnessy Mine in 1939 at the age of 17, and remained there his entire mining career. His first job was a slate picker. Other jobs he had were tipple worker, grease monkey, mechanics helper. - Talks about an accident he had working in the tipple that resulted in him losing 3 fingers and being off work for one year. When he returned to work he got a mechanical position working underground on the coal cutters, and later did mechanical work for the entire mine. - Talks about underground conditions - muscle shell roof, heaving floor, equipment. - Because he was a mechanic, he was on call 24 hours a day. He talks about other shifts in the mine and the duties of each shift. - He was at the Shaughnessy Mine for 18 years, leaving in 1956. - Talks about the ethnic mix - most of the miners were Hungarian, Polish, Ukrainian, Italian, and most of the upper management were English and Scots. - Talks about how hard underground miners work and his respect for them. - He started in the mine because his father was a miner. His father worked in the Coalhurst and Shaughnessy mines. - Talks about the Shaughnessy Cadillacs hockey team, and how the players built the rink they played on. Also mentions the miner's ball team. - He lived at home until he married at age 29. His wife was a teacher. They have 2 children, a boy who is a Doctor, and a girl who is a lab technician. - Talks about the Shaughnessy Mine power supply.

Access Restrictions

Public Access

Accession No.

19971067011

Collection

Archive

Less detail