Post by goare on Mar 8, 2015 1:30:56 GMT 1
I hope I am addressing this question to the correct group. My great grandfather worked at the Dowlais ironworks or mine in the late 1860s through the 1880s, starting as young as 12 years of age. He described his early job as "picking bony" off of the refuse pile which from what we gathered was looking for stray pieces of coal. I did not see these words written down, so this is what is sounded like he was saying. I cannot find a reference to this term and have been wondering if it might be a mixture of English and Welsh (picking "bonws" or "bonus") that referred to finding extra pieces of coal that had been overlooked. Can you tell me if if either the first description or the latter interpretation is the term that was used for this job?
Best wishes.
Best wishes.