SIR,

Perhaps some of your readers who may have mining connections may be good enough to help me.

I was a miner in the Yorkshire pits for 33 years and have now retired. For several years, by way of a hobby, I have been an avid collector of colliery checks, tallies or tokens.

These were brass discs and were embossed with the individual colliery or company name and stamped with the miner's number. They were used as a safety measure to record an accurate account of men underground at any one time.

Unfortunately I have very few from the old Forest of Dean and surrounding areas.

I am especially seeking tokens from Trafalgar, Norchard, Lightmoor and Cannop collieries or indeed any others I don't know of.

I know your area, like my own, was littered with mines and although they are long gone these tokens still turn up, often stuck in the bottom of a drawer or sewing box.

Are there any fellow ex-miners or indeed anyone out there who could please help me obtain any checks or tokens from the now long closed collieries of your area?

I would of course refund any postage paid for cheques received. My number is 01709 896200. Any help would be most appreciated.

W Bennett,

(Otherham)