Melody by Alan Myers<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/memoriesofleadgate.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/kilburnminessong-1024x742.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nThe Miner – A Life Denied<\/p>\n\n\n\n
(Inspired by Tommy Armstrong The Pitmans Poet and my Dad Tommy Kilburn The Miner}<\/p>\n\n\n\n
My Daddy was a miner<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Black diamonds were his aim<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Digging for coal destroyed his soul<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But he never did complain<\/p>\n\n\n\n
My Daddy was a miner<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He earned his daily bread<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hewing coal in the dark and dust<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Just to keep his family fed<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He spend his whole life working<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So far beneath the soil<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Night and Day<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He hauled the coal<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In never ending toil<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Dust it finally killed him<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But long before he died<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He made me swear<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That I would live<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The life he’d been denied<\/p>\n\n\n\n
My Daddy was a Miner<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He worked hard all his life<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To get the bare essentials<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For his children and his wife<\/p>\n\n\n\n
My Daddy was a miner<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He couldn’t read or write<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But he made sure that I’d achieve<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The things he’d missed in life<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I’ll keep my promise to him<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And think of him with pride<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For Him I’ll live the life he yearned<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The life he was denied<\/p>\n\n\n\n
My father was a miner<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think of him each day<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think about the life he led<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The things he had to say<\/p>\n\n\n\n
My Father was a Miner<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He lived to see my son<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He lived to see the Life I lead<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The life he had begun<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He spend his whole life working<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So far beneath the soil<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Night and Day<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He hauled the coal<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In never ending toil<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Dust it finally killed him<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But long before he died<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He made me swear<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That I would live<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The life he’d been denied<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I’ve kept my promise to him<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He’s always been my guide<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I have lived the life he yearned<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The life he was denied<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Yes I have lived the life he yearned<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The life he was denied<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kel writes <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I thought you may be interested in hearing a song my friend and I recently wrote inspired by Tommy Armstrong (The Pitmans Poet) and based loosely on the life of my dad Tommy Kilburn a pitman in the Durham Coalfield from the age of fourteen (in1918) until he retired at sixty five. He worked in most of the local mines including The Victory Pit at Delves Lane most of which were owned by Consett Iron Company prior to nationalisation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n