February 23, 2009 @ 11:22 pm
Oldest Surviving Pit Pony Dies
The story of this old pit pony called Pip aged 35 was a strong reminder of home. Pit ponies were an integral part of the coal-mining industry and I lived in one of the main coal-mining areas of the UK for much of my life. He had lived to a very good age, particularly considering his early hard work in the mines.
It is difficult to imagine that up to 70,000 ponies worked in coal mines in the early 20th century. This number reduced over the years until there were only about 50 in the mid-80s, when large numbers of the remaining UK coalmines closed. He worked in the Sacriston Colliery until it closed in 1986 when he retired and moved to Beamish Museum. He was one of the last ponies to work the Durham coalfields.
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