Collier Lads & Steel Men

A song written by Year 4 childrenat St. Mary’s and St. Catherine’s

with help from Ray Hearne.

Collier lads and steel men in their mills and underground,

With their wives, sons and daughters make the world go round and round.

My Grandad was a miner, He worked at Maltby PitAnd digging out the coalNever bothered him a bit.

They started every morningwith faces nice and clean.Lowered down into the dark,With all the other team

Collier lads and steel men in their mills and underground,

With their wives, sons and daughters make the world go round and round.

Beating out the coal face to feed the industry.Taking home a hard day’s payAnd going off for tea.

My grandad drove a paddy trainFull of heavy coal.He went to towns and citiesAnd the coal went from our hole.

Collier lads and steel men in their mills and underground,

With their wives, sons and daughters make the world go round and round.

My uncle thumped the rocks clearAunty cooked the mealsBoth of them togetherKept the country on its wheels.

The loco driver took the black goldTo keep the houses warm.While Grandad drove the dinter,Thrashing up a coal dust storm.

Collier lads and steel men in their mills and underground,

With their wives, sons and daughters make the world go round and round.

When they got off the pit bus,It stopped outside the pub.They had a beer to quench the thirstAnd wash away the dust.

My grandad didn’t get too much So off they went to strike.He couldn’t ever go to workBut finally got his rights.

Collier lads and steel men in their mills and underground,

With their wives, sons and daughters make the world go round and round.

Steel it made the aeroplanes, Cars and weapons too.Knives and forks for fish and chipsYes all of this is true.

My nana buffed the cutlery,My grandad in the mill.They only managed to get by,But there wasn’t much for silk.

Collier lads and steel men in their mills and underground,

With their wives, sons and daughters make the world go round and round.

The women did not go to workThey stayed at home to clean.Washing, cooking, a tin of brassoMade the silver clean.

Coal miners and steel workersPleased their families.Although the job it was so hardThey always tried their best.

Collier lads and steel men in their mills and underground,

With their wives, sons and daughters make the world go round and round.

Rotherham and Sheffieldwere crumbled in the blitz.Cities, towns and villagesAll bombed to tiny bits.

The army trained so very hardTo protect our country.They sacrificed themselvesSo that others could be free.

Collier lads and steel men in their mills and underground,

With their wives, sons and daughters make the world go round and round.

Now the song is ending,The mills and mines are gone.We must always rememberAnd our stories will live on.

From different schools we gatherWith different tales to tell.But united in our hearts and minds The future will be well.

Collier lads and steel men in their mills and underground,

With their wives, sons and daughters make the world go round and round.