Hello
I am working on a social history of coalmining in parts of Pembrokeshire
in the 18th century. One of the sources I have been using is the coroners'
reports held at the National Library of Wales.
I have come across the expression "headstone" used in 11 reports for pits
in parishes around Saundersfoot from the 1790s until around 1820 (when the
reports dry up as a source). Either a miner died because the headstone fell
on him or the headstone gave way causing the miner who was standing on it
to fall to the bottom of the shaft.
What was a headstone? Is it just a local expression or more widely used?
Thanks
Jon
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