A Dictionary of Occupational Terms Based on the Classification of Occupations used in the Census of Population, 1921.

ORDER III.—MINING AND QUARRYING OCCUPATIONS

Sub-order 1.—In Coal and Shale Mines

043.—Persons Conveying Material to the Shaft

Note: The occupational terms marked with an asterisk * are also applied to workers doing similar work on the surface for other workers above ground. see (049).

assistant bottomer: see assistant on- setter.
assistant drawer: (i) see pusher-up;; (ii) assists on-setter in pulling empty tubs out of cage at bottom of shaft (S. Wales).
assistant onsetter ; assistant bottomer: assists onsetter (q.v.) in putting loaded trams on cage.
assistant trammer: see pusher-up.
balancer ; cuddy lad, cuddy runner: draws tubs down incline with aid of rope and balance box.
bandsman: see haulage hand.
bank head lad: is employed as balancer (q.v.) or in similar capacity at top of haulage incline, below ground; of . bank head lad (049).
*bank rider ; chainer, chain runner, dip rider, dook runner, dram rider, dukey rider, ganger, gang minder, gang rider, gearman, glan rider, incline rider, journeyman, journey rider, machine rider, plane rider, plane runner, race runner, rake runner, rider, rope rider, rope runner, run rider, sett lad, sett rider, tail runner, trainman, train ruler, train runner, tram rider: rides on trams or tubs on haulage planes, either underground or on surface; in Durham applies brake when necessary (/Â« other districts done by brakesman); attaches and detaches stt of tubs when necessary; gives signal if tub runs off rails.
bencher, brae head bencher: marshals full tubs into sets or rakes, at top of self-acting incline; or attaches and detaches tubs singly where incline worked by endless rope; cf. bencher (044).
block attendant, block knocker, block minder ; self-acting dickie boy: places blocks on rails to prevent sets running back; knocks away blocks when signal received to piss sets on and gives signal to engineman by knocking rod or by means of electric bell.
bogie man, bogie rider, boggie man: (i) pushes tip wagons or bogies, i.e., small trucks used for conveying coal or shale where height is not sufficient for ordinary tubs, to main haulage roads;; (ii) rides on bogie, which is fitted with strong clip to grip haulage rope, and is thus pulled along haulage road, dragging set of tubs behind; see hank rider.
bond man: see clearance man.
*bond minder, bondsman: see rolleyway man.
bottomer, bottom man: (i) runs full tubs (or hutches) forward close to cage seat in readiness for descending cage; runs empty tubs into sidings, after being pulled off cage, in readiness for their removal along haulage roads;; (ii) see onsetter; sometimes specifically designated, e.g. night bottomer.
*brakesman, braker ; drum lad, drum tenter, sheavemm, wheeler, wheel lad, wheel minder: (i) applies brake to drum or rope wheel to regulate speed of carriages, cages, or tubs upon self-acting incline planes, or drop-pits in coal or shale mine;; (ii) in Durham, cf. . winding engineman (950).
bummer: see conveyor man.
cager: see onsetter.
carting boy ; collier's hod boy, hod boy, hodder: draws wicker carts or hods of coal along a face in a coal mine where workings are very low; pushes empty hods back again; may also shovel coal at face into cart.
cartman, coal cartman: drives horse and cart along underground roads.
catch knocker, catch striker: as for block attendant, where a catch, fixed to the rails, is used instead of block.
chackler: see counler.
chainer (haulage): (i) chain tenter; minds chain of endless chain system, by which tubs are moved; sees that chain is functioning properly; oils rollers; sometimes also attaches and detaches tubs:; (ii) see bank rider.
chain runner: see bank rider.
chain tenter: see chainer.
clammer: see clipper.
clearance man ; bond man, eleeh man: supervises movement of tubs on underground roadways, so as to clear coal away from working face.
cleek man: see clearance man.
*clipper, clipper-on ; clammer, gripper, hitcher-on, snapper, snapper-on: attaches and detaches single tubs to or from ropes on haulage roads by means of clips or grips.
clipper-off ; unclipper: takes clip off haulage rope when tubs reach terminus or branch road.
*clutchman ; motion wheel minder: works clutches by which pulley on endless rope haulage system may be thrown in and out of gear and thus cause haulage engine to haul at will on any one of several branch roads.
conveyor drawer, conveyor face man: moves conveyor forward, as face or gateways advance, in thin seams, where height is insufficient for tubs or hods; places coal on conveyor belt.
conveyor hand, conveyor lad ; tub loader: attends to tubs or wagons at delivery end of conveyor, pushing empty tubs under discharging belt and pushing them on when loaded; pushes tubs along gate road between loading end of conveyor and haulage road.
conveyor man ; bummer: in charge of mechanical conveyors installed where practicable at working face; supervises conveyor lads; oils machinery; controls levers.
corf (corve) fastener ; fastener, tub fastener: couples corves or tubs together or attaches tubs to haulage rope.
*coupler, tub coupler ; chackler, coupler- on, link boy, linker, nipper, shackler, stutter: links up tubs or trams in journeys or trains at top or bottom of incline or at passbye, or at pit top or bottom; also uncouples tubs where required.
coupler-at-shaft ; slummer: pushes trams or tubs into passages at pit bottom called slums, and shackles or couples them together to form sets or "rakes" ready for haulage; sometimes similarly employed on surface.
*coupler-on: see coupler.
cousie runner ; hatchen runner: (i) a brakeman (q.v.) who applies brake to drum or rope wheel to regulate speed of carriages, cages, or tubs upon self-acting inclined planes, or drop-pits;; (ii) Scottish term, as for bank rider.
crane footer ; (look footer: attaches and detaches sets of tubs to and from haulage rope, attaches back stay to last tub or set, and signals away set when ready at bottom of haulage incline.
craneman: hoists corves of coal on to rolleys with crane; also apportions work or quantity of coals to be " put" by barrowmen; now obsolescent, owing to introduction of winding machinery.
*creeper lad: pushes tubs on to rails fitted with "creeper," i.e., endless chain travelling in centre of railway under tubs, provided at intervals with vertical projecting fangs which engage with tub axle and push tub along.
cuddy lad, cuddy runner: see balancer.
dillier, dillyman: a brakesman (q.v.) controlling speed of tubs on dillies, i.e., self-acting haulage systems on short inclines.
dip rider: see bank rider.
dogger-on: (i) pushes loaded hutches on to cage at bottom of shaft or on to carriage at bottom of carriage incline;; (ii) pushes loaded hutches on to cage at top of drop pit or on to carriage at top of self-acting carriage incline.
dook footer: see crane footer.
dook header: attaches and detaches sets of tubs to or from haulage rope at head of "dook," or haulage incline; detaches hack stay from full set and returns it in one of tubs of empty set; operates stop-blocks, or runaway switches; signals empty sets away and pushes them over brow; sees that haulage rope is properly on pulley or roller at brow.
dook runner: see bank rider.
drag boy: attaches drags to rear end of tubs ascending on haulage incline; cf. crane footer.
dragger-down: stands at bottom of haulage incline and drags down haulage rope.
dragger-up: controls and manipulates at pit bottom tubs after disconnection from haulage rope ready for bottomer, onsetter, or assistant bottomer (q.v.).
dram lad, drammer: see drawer.
dram rider: see bank rider.
dram tenter: see drawer.
drawer, coal drawer, miner's drawer ; dram lad, drammer, dram tenter, hand putter, putter, runner, trailer, tram boy, trammer, trollier, truck lad, trundler, tubber, wagoner, wheeler: pushes coal or shale in tubs or corves from working face to pass-byes on main haulage road, along which it is afterwards taken to shaft by mechanical means.
drawer-off: see hooker-off.
*driver ; galloway putter, gal driver (Lancashire), hauler, haulier, horse boy, horse driver, horseman, jockey, jochier, pit haulier, ponier, pony driver, pony putter: drives horse or pony used for hauling tubs in coal or shale mine or on surface.
drum lad, drum tenter: see brakesman.
dukey rider: see bank rider.
*endless chain haulage hand, endless rope boy, or lad: general term covering all workers on endless rope or chain haulage roads, including clipper, crane footer, jigger.
*endless rope man, endless rope minder ; motion wheel minder, pulley minder: attends to rope of endless rope haulage system work; cleans and oils pulleys, sheaves, rollers, etc., and does all minor repairs.
engine dip hooker: couples or detaches tubs at foot of pit bank; cf. coupler.
engine plane man: a rolleyway man (q.v.) who is responsible for condition of ropes, sheaves and rollers, and also for signal arrangements; splices and sockets ropes.
fastener: see corf fastener.
flat keeper, flat coupler-on ; flatman, flatter: couples full and uncouples empty tubs at "flat" or working face terminus of haulage system; places chocks at flat ends to prevent tubs running away.
flatman: Warwickshire term, see flat keeper.
flatter: see flat keeper.
flitter, conveyor flitter: see puller up.
foal ; tugger, tugger boy: a young boy employed to help a bigger boy to "put" or draw; pulls in front whilst the header (big boy) pushes behind.
gal driver (Lancashire), galloway putter: see driver; Galloway horses are much used in mines.
ganger, gang minder, gang rider: see bank rider.
gearman: see bank rider.
gigger, giggerer, gig minder: see jigger.
*ginneyer, ginney tenter (North-East Lancs. term): see incline brakesman.
glan rider: see bank rider.
gripper: see clipper.
guard, train guard: as for guard (702) (q.v.) on underground trains conveying workmen to and from working places.
gugman (Somerset term): see incline brakesman.
hand putter: see drawer.
hanger-on ; hooker-on: an assistant onsetter (q.v.) who couples empty tubs to rope at bottom of self-acting incline.
hatchen runner: see cousie runner.
haulage hand, haulage lad, haulage man ; bandsman, motion hand: general terms for any person working on haulage system either above or below ground, including clipper, lasher-on, roadman (044), chainer (haulage), etc.
*hauler, haulier, pit-haulier: see driver ; sometimes specifically designated, e.g. night haulier.
header, coal header: a putter (q.v.) working with assistance of a foal (q.v.).
helper-up: see pusher-up.
hillman: in Warwickshire, tightens clips on ropes on hill or incline before reaching steep place on underground haulage roads; cf. hillman (049).
hitcher: see onsetter ; sometimes specifically designated, e.g. night hitcher.
hitcher-on: see clipper.
hitcher-up: see pusher up.
*hod boy, collier's hod boy, hodder: see carting boy.
hooker, hooker-at-shaft: see onsetter.
hooker-off ; drawer-off, puller-off, puller- out: pulls full tubs off cage at surface, or empty tubs off cage at pit bottom.
*hooker-on: see hanger-on.
hooker-up: see incline boy.
*horse boy, horse man, horse driver: see driver.
hurrier: Warwickshire term ; a drawer, putter or trammer (q.v.) who conveys tubs from pass-bye to working place; often helps hewer to fill tubs; sometimes used in sense of corporal (041) (q.v.).
hutcher, hutch runner: runs "hutches" (tubs or trams loaded with coal or shale) from cage to tipplers on surface, or between haulage terminus and cage at pit bottom, where "creeper" (endless chain) is not in use.
incline attendant: may be either incline brakesman or incline boy (q.v.).
*incline boy, incline lad ; hooker-up: attaches and detaches tubs to haulage rope or chain at top or bottom of incline cf. endless rope boy.
incline brakesman, incline braker ; ginneyer, ginney tenter, gugman (Somerset), incline haulier, incline man, incline minder, incliner, jigger (N. Wales), jig minder, jig tenter, jinneyman, jinney tenter, planeman: a brakesman (q.v.) working self-acting inclined planes, either above or below ground, controlling movement of tubs or wagons by means of brakes.
incline haulier: see incline brakesman.
incline hitcher: a jigger boy (q.v.) who is mainly engaged in hitching on at top or bottom of incline.
*incline man, incline minder, incliner: see incline brakesman.
incline rider: see bank rider.
jigger, jigger boy, jiggerer, jigger lad, jigger man, jig hooker ; gigger, giggerer, gig minder: attaches or detaches tubs, singly or in pairs, to or from endless rope, by placing rope in fork of "jigger," or double crook, in socket at one side or at end of tubs.
jigger (N. Wales ), jig minder, jig tenter: see incline brakesman.
jinney lad: see self-acting incline boy.
*jinny man, jinney tenter: see incline brakesman.
jockey, jockier: see driver.
journeyman, journey rider: see bank rider.
junction boy: assists junction man (q.v.) by pushing tubs, moving switch levers, or signalling by means of electric bell or other method.
junction man ; off-take keeper, off-take lad: in charge at junction, where haulage tracks branch or cross; hooks or unhooks tubs from one rope to another to send them to proper destination; alters points of track by hand levers; gives haulage signals by electric bell or other method.
kincher: see lasher-on.
*landing minder, landing attendant, landing keeper, landing lad ; run lander, station lad, station minder, siding lad: attends to haulage tubs as they arrive on landings at junctions or at extremities of haulage system; pushes tubs off and on main track; detaches and attaches tubs to rope; couples tubs into sets or trains.
lasher-on ; kincher: fastens boxes or tubs on haulage rope by means of lashing chains; cf. clipper.
leader: a boy who assists driver (q.v.) by leading pony by bridle.
link boy: see coupler.
link carrier: carries couplings, or shackles, from place where they have been detached from loaded tubs at one end of haulage road to place where empties have to be coupled at other end.
*linker: see coupler.
lockerer-up, lockerman ; nibbler, scotcher, snibbler, scotcher-up, Scotchman, spragger, spragman, tram spragger, wheel wedger: inserts lockers, scotches, sprags, or snibbles, into wheels of trams to check speed or to prevent their moving when disconnected from haulage rope at landings, junctions or pit bottom; gives signals to junction man.
looser-off: see taker-off.
lowerer-in ; tub lowerer: uncouples tubs one at a time from set and lowers them down siding to onsetter (q.v.); cf. taker- off and assistant onsetter.
machine rider: see bank rider.
mechanical haulage hand: general term for any man or boy engaged in mechanical haulage, including haulage hand, etc. (q.v.).
messenger: see runafore-boy.
motion hand: see haulage hand.
motion wheel minder: (i) see endless rope man;; (ii) see clutchman; cf. brakesman.
nibbler: see lockerer-up.
nipper: see coupler.
off-take keeper, off-take lad: see junction man.
*onsetter ; bottomer, bottom man, eager, hitcher, hooker, hooker-at-shaft, pit bottom man, runner-on, setter-on: stands at bottom of shaft in coal or shale mine to push full tubs on to cage and remove empty ones; signals to winding engineman when to start or stop winding; sometimes specifically designated, e.g. night onsetter.
pit bottom man: see onsetter.
plane boy: oils or greases rope rollers, and does other light work about engine plane.
planeman: see inoline brakesman.
plane rider: see bank rider.
plane runner: see bank rider.
point minder: see pointsman.
pointsman ; point minder, switcher, switch keeper, switch minder, switch tenter, switch turner: moves points or switches controlling movement of tubs or wagons on colliery railway or on underground haulage roads.
ponier: see driver.
pony driver, pony putter: see driver.
*puller-off, puller-out: see hooker-off.
puller-up, conveyor puller-up ; conveyor flitter, flitter: moves forward coal conveyor as face or gateways advance.
*pulley man ; wheel man: fixes pulleys or rollers on haulage road, and refixes any displaced; examines and keeps in order pulleys and other wheels used for hauling or lifting; sometimes done by rolleyway man (q.v.).
pulley minder: see endless rope man.
pusher-on: (i) pushes tubs on to cages either above or below ground;; (ii) slang term for charge haulage hand who supervises work of haulage hands; cf. haulage foreman (041).
pusher-up ; assistant drawer, assistant trammer, helper-up, hitcher-up, putter (Scotland), shover-up: helps drawer in pushing tubs when gradient too steep for one.
putter: (i) see drawer;; (ii) in Scotland see pusher-up.
putter-off: see taker-off.
race runner, rake runner: see bank rider.
rapper boy, rapper lad ; signal boy: gives and receives signals on mechanical haulage system; raps on hollow tube or rings electric bell, etc.
rapperman ; shaft minder, shaft rapper: attends to shaft signals at insets where persons only are wound.
rider: see bank rider ; sometimes specifically designated, e.g. night rider.
road boy: assists rolleyway man (q.v.) on endless haulage system, oiling, watching bends, etc.
rolley driver: (i) drives "rolley," i.e., carriage used to carry corves along horse- roads underground; obsolescent ;; (ii) see rolleyway driver.
rolley lad: see rolleyway driver.
rolley man: see rolleyway man.
rolleyway driver, rolleyway lad, rolliway driver, rolliway lad ; ; rolley lad, rolley driver: a driver (q.v.) who drives horse or pony hauling setts of tubs to or from sidings or rolleyway track.
rolley way man, rolliway man ; bond minder, bondsman, rolley man, stage whipper (Cumberland), tramwayman, wagon man, wagon road man, wagonway man: keeps in repair and working order roads or planes along which wagons or trams are hauled by ponies or by ropes attached to stationary engine; sometimes also supervises haulage hands; cf. haulage foreman.
rope boy: transfers rope from one set of rails to other after sett of tubs has finished its journey on inclined plane.
rope changer ; rope minder: unclips tubs from one haulage rope and clips to another at junction, siding or landing; cf. junction man.
rope ender: attaches rope end to tub to be hauled on main and tail haulage system.
rope guider: guides incoming rope on to winding drums of main and tail haulage engine.
rope man: examines haulage ropes, splices and re-caps them.
rope minder: see rope changer.
rope rider, rope runner: see bank rider.
*rope splicer: splices ropes of hauling system; sometimes done by rope inspector (041) (q.v.), by ropeman or by rolleyman (q.v.).
runafore boy ; messenger: runs messages.
run lander: see landing minder.
runner: see drawer.
runner-on: see onsetter.
run rider: see bank rider.
scotcher, scotcher up, Scotchman: see lockerer-up.
sectional cleek hunter: a clearance man (q.v.) clearing tubs from a section only.
self-acting dickie boy: see block attendant.
self-acting incline boy ; jinney lad: an incline boy (q.v.) working on a self-acting haulage incline or jinney.
setter: a rolley way man (q.v.) who makes up setts of tubs for haulage.
setter-on: see onsetter.
sett lad, sett rider: see bank rider.
shackler: see coupler.
shaft lad: assists onsetter (q.v.) at shaft bottom pushing full and empty tubs in and out of sidings and cage; cf. assistant drawer, assistant onsetter.
shaft minder, shaft rapper: see rapper man.
sheaveman: see brakesman.
shover-up: see pusher-up.
siding lad: see landing minder.
signal bellman: see signaller.
signal boy: see rapper boy.
*signaller, signalman ; signal bellman: operates signals and switches for men driving trucks and trains on colliery railway; strikes bell or hollow tube with hammer, or rings electric bell.
slope rider: a bank rider (q.v.) employed on a slope road or incline.
slotter (slang): see coupler.
slummer: see coupler-at-shaft.
snapper, snapper-on: see clipper.
snecker: engages or disengages sneck or catch which holds tubs in pit cage.
snibbler: see lockerer-up.
*spragger, spragman: see lockerer-up.
spunney boy: an incline boy (q.v.) who attends to tubs on spunney or short self-acting incline.
stage whipper: Cumberland term, see rolley way man.
staple braker, staple brakesman: a brakesman (q.v.) who works at top of staple pit, a small pit sunk inside main pit.
staple lad: assists Staple braker (q.v.) by attaching and detaching tubs and pushing them from staple pit to main haulage road.
station lad, station minder: see landing minder.
stonehead lad: assists stone contractor (041) (q.v.) by pushing full and empty tubs from place, where stone is being ripped, to main haulage road.
stone putter: puts or draws stone in tubs from drift or canch to stowboard (below ground) or from bank and picking belts to stone heap (above ground).
switcher, switch keeper, switch minder, switch tenter, switch turner: see pointsman.
tail runner: see bank rider.
*taker-off ; looser-off, putter-off: a jigger (q.v.) who only detaches tubs from haulage rope at top or bottom of haulage incline or at end of haulage road.
topper-up: receives small trams of coal from low stalls and transfers coal to larger trams with shovel, where height of roadway permits.
tracer, tracing driver: drives pony in traces, to assist driver's pony attached to tubs, either above or below ground.
trailer: see drawer.
train man, train rider, train runner: see bank rider.
*tram boy, trammer: see drawer.
tram rider: see bank rider.
*tram spragger: see lockerer-up.
tramwayman: see rolleywayman.
transit lad: general term for boys employed as haulage hands underground; cf. haulage hand.
trollier, truck lad: see drawer.
trundler: see drawer.
tubber: see drawer.
tub fastener: see corf fastener.
tub loader: see conveyor hand.
tub lowerer: see lowerer-in.
tugger, tugger boy: see foal.
*turner-out: turns out, i.e., pushes full tubs from pass-bye levels or sidings at top of self-acting machine, at bottom of "dook" or dip, or at branch off mechanical haulage road, ready for bencher, chain runner, or bogie man (q.v.).
turn keeper haulier, turn minder, turnsman: sees that empty tubs are properly shared out among coal face men; duty usually performed by haulage foreman or corporal (011) (q.v.).
unclipper: see clipper-off.
underground banksman: as for banksman (049) (q.v.) placing empty tubs on and withdrawing full tubs from cage at top of staple pit underground.
unlasher: undoes lashing chains, by which tubs or trams are fastened to haulage rope, at landings.
*wagoner: see drawer.
*wagon man, wagon road man, wagonway man: see rolleyway man.
weigh end Jad: unshackles tubs from rope and from each other at weighing end of haulage system.
wheeler: (i) see drawer;; (ii) see brakesman.
wheel lad: see brakesman.
wheel man: see pulley man.
wheel minder: see brakesman.
wheel wedger: see lockerer-up.

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From: A Dictionary of Occupational Terms Based on the Classification of Occupations used in the Census of Population, 1921,
Ministry of Labour, 1927. Digitised by Peter Christian, August, 2016. This text is in the Public Domain.