Casgliadau Arlein

Wooden back rest. Later used as a foot rest by the winding engine man at Big Pit. The initials carved on the board are likely to be winding engine drivers as other mineworkers were never encouraged to enter the winding house in case they distracted the ‘winder’ (as the driver was known). Unfortunately we do not have a list of winding engine drivers at Big Pit to check this theory. The thick black paint was probably painted on after the ‘back rest’ became a ‘foot rest’.

It appears to have been regarded as an important historical object as there is an image in the John Cornwell collection entitled ‘Back rest from Big Pit Winder’ (2009.3/1117) which appears to have been taken either during the last working years at Big Pit or when the colliery first became a museum. However, we have yet to find any mention by the N.C.B. concerning it.