Coal House
Encyclopedia
Coal House is a Welsh television
series made by Indus Films for BBC Wales
, and broadcast on BBC One Wales
, with a subsequent UK wide repeat of both series on BBC Four
. Series 1 was set in the depressed economic coalfields of 1927, while Series 2 was set in 1944 as World War II
draws to a close. Series 2 was broadcast on BBC across the UK from October 2009
in the Welsh hills of Blaenavon
, with Mines, owned by Mr Blanford, 4 miles up the hills for men or boys over 14 to work
, the Griffiths family from Ceredigion
; and the Phillips family from the Vale of Glamorgan
), cope with daily life as the Welsh mining community lived it 80 years ago - a year after the last general strike and before the pits were nationalised.
For the men and boys over 14 there was the harsh reality of long walks to work over mountains in all weather, to face a long day as coal miners at Blaentillery No.2 Mine - the last working mine of its kind in the UK. Meanwhile, the women had to run the home under 1927 conditions, keeping the children fed, watered and clean. Even making a cup of tea involved the hard work of collecting water from a pump and lighting a fire.
A special hour-length final episode was recorded which included footage from a Hunger March Concert held at Park Street Chapel, Blaenafon. Blaenavon Male Voice Choir took part in the concert, along with members of the Coal House families who sang and recited verse.
location, but set in 1944.
Three families - The Griffiths family from Ammanford, the Paisey family from Cardiff and the Tranter Davies family from Merthyr Tydfil - lived life as it was in a mining community during the Second World War. In an attempt to gain an insight into how people lived during the War, they swapped a hectic 21st century life for a more simplified way of living.
As with the first series, the men and boys over 14 had to work a long day as coal miners at Blaentillery No.2 Mine. Once again, they have to cope with the demands of the mine owner, Mr Blandford.
The men of the family were also expected to do their duty in the Home Guard,after a long day underground. Mines were considered a target, so inclusion in the home guard was vital.
The women had to run the home under 1944 conditions, which included war work and feeding their families with limited rations. The families were joined by evacuees and Bevin Boys
who were conscripted to fight and then sent to dig for coal.
. The Stack Square cottages were built between 1789-92 to house part of the Blaenavon Ironworks
workforce.
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
series made by Indus Films for BBC Wales
BBC Wales
BBC Cymru Wales is a division of the British Broadcasting Corporation for Wales. Based at Broadcasting House in the Llandaff area of Cardiff, it directly employs over 1200 people, and produces a broad range of television, radio and online services in both the Welsh and English languages.Outside...
, and broadcast on BBC One Wales
BBC Wales
BBC Cymru Wales is a division of the British Broadcasting Corporation for Wales. Based at Broadcasting House in the Llandaff area of Cardiff, it directly employs over 1200 people, and produces a broad range of television, radio and online services in both the Welsh and English languages.Outside...
, with a subsequent UK wide repeat of both series on BBC Four
BBC Four
BBC Four is a British television network operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation and available to digital television viewers on Freeview, IPTV, satellite and cable....
. Series 1 was set in the depressed economic coalfields of 1927, while Series 2 was set in 1944 as World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
draws to a close. Series 2 was broadcast on BBC across the UK from October 2009
Plot
The series follows three or more families, who are placed in an as authentic as possible location which replicates the life style of Welsh people of that period of time. The chosen families leave all 21st century luxuries behind, swapping a modern high-tech life for a miner's cottage in Stack SquareStack Square
thumb|right|Stack Square cottagesStack Square is a small group of cottages in the coal mining town of Blaenavon in South Wales, originally used as miners' cottages....
in the Welsh hills of Blaenavon
Blaenavon
Blaenavon is a town and World Heritage Site in south eastern Wales, lying at the source of the Afon Lwyd north of Pontypool, within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire. The town lies high on a hillside and has a population of 6,349 people...
, with Mines, owned by Mr Blanford, 4 miles up the hills for men or boys over 14 to work
Series 1
Filmed from early October 2007 and shown from late October 2007, three families (the Cartwright family from PenarthPenarth
Penarth is a town and seaside resort in the Vale of Glamorgan , Wales, 5.2 miles south west from the city centre of the Welsh capital city of Cardiff and lying on the north shore of the Severn Estuary at the southern end of Cardiff Bay...
, the Griffiths family from Ceredigion
Ceredigion
Ceredigion is a county and former kingdom in mid-west Wales. As Cardiganshire , it was created in 1282, and was reconstituted as a county under that name in 1996, reverting to Ceredigion a day later...
; and the Phillips family from the Vale of Glamorgan
Vale of Glamorgan
The Vale of Glamorgan is a county borough in Wales; an exceptionally rich agricultural area, it lies in the southern part of Glamorgan, South Wales...
), cope with daily life as the Welsh mining community lived it 80 years ago - a year after the last general strike and before the pits were nationalised.
For the men and boys over 14 there was the harsh reality of long walks to work over mountains in all weather, to face a long day as coal miners at Blaentillery No.2 Mine - the last working mine of its kind in the UK. Meanwhile, the women had to run the home under 1927 conditions, keeping the children fed, watered and clean. Even making a cup of tea involved the hard work of collecting water from a pump and lighting a fire.
A special hour-length final episode was recorded which included footage from a Hunger March Concert held at Park Street Chapel, Blaenafon. Blaenavon Male Voice Choir took part in the concert, along with members of the Coal House families who sang and recited verse.
Series 2
Series 2, titled Coal House at War, was filmed in October 2008 in the same BlaenavonBlaenavon
Blaenavon is a town and World Heritage Site in south eastern Wales, lying at the source of the Afon Lwyd north of Pontypool, within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire. The town lies high on a hillside and has a population of 6,349 people...
location, but set in 1944.
Three families - The Griffiths family from Ammanford, the Paisey family from Cardiff and the Tranter Davies family from Merthyr Tydfil - lived life as it was in a mining community during the Second World War. In an attempt to gain an insight into how people lived during the War, they swapped a hectic 21st century life for a more simplified way of living.
As with the first series, the men and boys over 14 had to work a long day as coal miners at Blaentillery No.2 Mine. Once again, they have to cope with the demands of the mine owner, Mr Blandford.
The men of the family were also expected to do their duty in the Home Guard,after a long day underground. Mines were considered a target, so inclusion in the home guard was vital.
The women had to run the home under 1944 conditions, which included war work and feeding their families with limited rations. The families were joined by evacuees and Bevin Boys
Bevin Boys
Bevin Boys were young British men conscripted to work in the coal mines of the United Kingdom, from December 1943 until 1948. Chosen at random from conscripts but also including volunteers, nearly 48,000 Bevin Boys performed vital but largely unrecognised service in the mines, many of them...
who were conscripted to fight and then sent to dig for coal.
Setting
The series is filmed mostly on location in period cottages at Stack Square, BlaenavonBlaenavon
Blaenavon is a town and World Heritage Site in south eastern Wales, lying at the source of the Afon Lwyd north of Pontypool, within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire. The town lies high on a hillside and has a population of 6,349 people...
. The Stack Square cottages were built between 1789-92 to house part of the Blaenavon Ironworks
Blaenavon Ironworks
Blaenavon Ironworks is an industrial museum in Blaenavon in Wales. The ironworks was of crucial importance in the development of the ability to use cheap, low quality, high sulphur iron ores worldwide...
workforce.