- Messages
- 332
- Location
- South Wales
Count of Undolpho said:My Grandad once told me they had a trough of dubbin in the changing room at the pit he worked at, so the lads could stand and stick their boots into it one at a time then just scrape off the "excess". Not sure if it's apocryphal but there you go.
I don't think Grandad was telling tall tales. I worked underground for 14years and there was indeed a large tub of a grease like product (I don't think it was dubbin) at the pinhead baths (dirty side). The idea being that one often worked in wet conditions underground, at the end of the shift you would keep your boots in a dry locker where they'd set like concrete overnight. The grease would provide a modicum of lubricity to the leather.