With reference to the recent discussion on the list about drawing-stowes, and Roger's Bradford's description of his area of exploration in South Australia (it sounds wonderful, how I envy you - we once took our land rover and family and treked half way down the Sahara desert in Algeria in the early 1970's so I have an idea of desert terrain) set me thinking about a series of t.v. programmes that Billy Connolley did on Australia a few years ago; one of them was about the opal fields of South Australia and he went underground and came into the bottom of a shaft. It was square in shape, and both my son and myself immediately said "that's a Derbyshire man's shaft". The reason for me thinking that, was that the caving club that I was a member of in my youth only explored lead mines in Derbyshire and no caves, and because of this Nellie Kirkham befriended us and we became very friendly with her. We often had days out in Derbyshire with her, which were most enjoyable and informative. It was on these days that she told us that you could tell where the miner originated from by the shape of the shaft. Derbyshire men drove square and rectangular shafts and Cornishmen drove oval shafts. In addition there are the round shafts and I can't remember who she said drove those. Has anyone else on the list come across this line of thought before, or has anyone any comments? It would be interesting to find out.
Margaret Howard.
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