Photograph courtesy of National Museum of Wales

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Two colliers working in their stall, one of them holding a shovel while the man on the left is using his coal bar to break down the coal. Both miners in this picture are smoking clay pipes which were common in those days. It was considered to be safe to smoke in a level, for the gases would have filtered out of the mine through the roof, which was comparatively close to the surface. Deep mines were a different proposition entirely for the deeper one went, the more the overburden became impervious to the escape of gas. What little mining remains in Britain comes under very stringent safety standards, so that smoking is not allowed at all in any sort of coal mine, with men being searched before being allowed to enter the mine or to descend the shaft. In fact, it is a criminal offence should anyone be caught carrying any sort of lighter or matches, called 'Contraband on his person.