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Welcome to 'Children of Toil'.
This is the second book I ever wrote and was originally called 'Let Your Feet Take You'. A title I'm sure you'll understand if you continue to read. I felt the new title suited the story more. I thank you for taking a look and hope you fall in love with the main characters, Lucan and Meggy. ♥
Below is a glossary of some words used in the story that you'll need to understand. Most are the language of Scottish coal miners in the late 1800's
Road/roadway- tunnels, they extended for miles and frequently went up and down steep gradients.
Cog- the large empty area left by the removal of the coal during the previous shift.
Cogger- a man who worked filling the 'cogs' with old bits of timber and rock to stop the 'cog' from caving in. He also pulled out the facemen's mainsets so they could be reused by the facemen.
Slobs- rough-edge planks that lined the roadways from top to bottom.
Tree- a roof support.
Bar- flat horizontal piece of timber that was supported by a 'tree' on either side of a 'roadway' to support the roof.
Mainset- the combination of the 'trees' and 'bar'.
Cage/pitcage- what the miners travelled in to reach the bottom of the pit.
Shallow- the place where the 'road' became lower. Most injuries occurred in the 'shallow'.
Bank- outside surface of mine.
Face- where the coal-seam/face was found, the most dangerous place in the mine.
Facemen- the men who worked the face with shovel and pick to extract the coal from the pit. The most dangerous job in the mine.
Stent- the coal face/seam was divided into 'stents' of equal length. Each faceman was responsible for removing the coal in his particular 'stent'.
Paddy- late 18th century for Irishman.
Gypper- late 19th century for gypsy.
Snatch- late 17th century for sexual intercourse, especially with a prostitute. Also late 19th century for the vagina.
Go - late 19th century for a contest, a fight, especially a boxing match or a street fight.
Slip into - late 19th century of a man, to have sexual intercourse.
Cock alley - 18th to 20th century for the female genitals, vagina.
Merkara - steam ship, 297H of the British India Steam Nav. Co. Arrived in Cairns on the 20th of April 1893.
Duke of Devonshire - Arrived in Cairns on the 18th of April 1894.
Gulf of Bothnia - Arrived in Brisbane on the 25th May 1894.
Cutty/cuttie - Irish for small child. The great Babylonian madam is now, indeed, but a very little cutty. (2) Used affectionately of a young child, or applied to a mischievous or disobedient girl (Sc. 1818 Sawers Dict.
Pus – face.
Geat – child.
Spaewife – fortune teller (Scottish)
Ken – know, inform (Scottish)
Chiel – child, fellow (Scottish)
Aye – yes.
Quine – girl.
Loun – boy.
Braw – handsome.
Peg – policeman (Scottish)
Bairn- Scottish/North English term for child.
Cunt-itch- 18th – 19th century for sexual enthusiasm in a woman.
Spunk- late 19th century for semen.
Copyright © 2021 by Donna Fieldhouse. All rights reserved.
Thisbook or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any mannerwhatsoever
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Cover photo taken from Willow and Thatch.
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Children of Toil ✔
Historical FictionDuring the Scottish autumn of 1891, Irishman, Lucan Hayes, a coal miner, loses his wife to childbirth. In his darkest hour, he meets prostitute Meg-Anne Dunn. This brief encounter would alter their lives forevermore. Lucan must find a way to rais...
