Pit Prop

by Harry Graham

Luther Lewis, inflexible and autocratic, bestrides his pits like a colossus. He is feared and hated, and grudges go deep. With many pits closed or on short time, his Bryn Ebbw collieries are working full time supplying best-quality steam coal, but it needs only a spark to create industrial chaos.
Tom Morgan, union man, provides the spark, and Dai Crew’s hatred causes the fateful blow to be struck. The resultant calamity is quite unlike the popular conception of a mining disaster and many families become embroiled.
Above ground, non-one knows who, if anyone, has survived – and then it becomes known that Lewis himself was one of those below ground at the time of the cave-in.
Whilst the task of getting to survivors begins, the disaster provokes all – those safe on the surface and those trapped below – to start a process of soul searching. For some it is a wake-up call - others have no soul to search. Behind every face is a story – and behind many of these faces are ugly secrets that would do better to stay hid.

192 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 28, 2013

About the author

Jocelyn Henry Clive "Harry" Graham was an English writer known for his darkly humorous verse, journalism, and lyric writing for operettas and musical comedies. Initially serving as an officer in the Coldstream Guards, he later became a full-time writer. His Ruthless Rhymes, published under the pseudonym [link=Col. D. Streamer|24069698], remain his most famous work, showcasing his talent for grotesque humor and wordplay. He also wrote lyrics for successful stage productions, including The Maid of the Mountains and English adaptations of operettas like The Land of Smiles. His best-known lyrics include You Are My Heart’s Delight and Goodbye.