A "blackleg" is a worker who is not a member of a union, and who is employed by the bosses to break strikes organized by the union. That is to say, the blackleg defies the orders of the union for everyone to stop work until management meets their demands.
Because blacklegs or 'scabs' reduced the impact of the strike by allowing the mine to keep working, they were very much hated by the striking miners. In this song, the blackleg miner goes to work in secret at night ("in the evening after dark"), for fear of the retribution that he will face if he is caught.
This is a union song, probably intended to discourage strike-breakers and encourage union membership. It probably dates from the miner's lockout of 1844, a nationwide miner's strike, but makes particular reference to two coal mines in Northumberland. The lockout was eventually unsuccessful, largely due to the use of blackleg labor by the mine owners.
"moleskin pants and dirty shirt" -- the working clothes of a coal miner
"grabs his duds" -- 'grabs his clothing'
"to hew the coal" -- 'to dig the coal'
"there's not a woman in this town row would look at the blackleg miner" -- blacklegs were not just at risk of violence, anyone willing -- or desperate enough -- to break a strike would risk being socially ostracized by people in the community.
"Delaval" -- Seaton Delaval coal mine in Northumberland, England.
"the Seghill mine" -- another coal mine, located near the village of Seghill not far from Seaton Delaval.
![Cover art for Blackleg Miner [*] lyrics by Steeleye Span](https://images.songmeanings.com/ef1adf7b-ef6b-4d97-831d-c4186660dd03.webp)
A "blackleg" is a worker who is not a member of a union, and who is employed by the bosses to break strikes organized by the union. That is to say, the blackleg defies the orders of the union for everyone to stop work until management meets their demands.
Because blacklegs or 'scabs' reduced the impact of the strike by allowing the mine to keep working, they were very much hated by the striking miners. In this song, the blackleg miner goes to work in secret at night ("in the evening after dark"), for fear of the retribution that he will face if he is caught.
This is a union song, probably intended to discourage strike-breakers and encourage union membership. It probably dates from the miner's lockout of 1844, a nationwide miner's strike, but makes particular reference to two coal mines in Northumberland. The lockout was eventually unsuccessful, largely due to the use of blackleg labor by the mine owners.
"moleskin pants and dirty shirt" -- the working clothes of a coal miner
"grabs his duds" -- 'grabs his clothing'
"to hew the coal" -- 'to dig the coal'
"there's not a woman in this town row would look at the blackleg miner" -- blacklegs were not just at risk of violence, anyone willing -- or desperate enough -- to break a strike would risk being socially ostracized by people in the community.
"Delaval" -- Seaton Delaval coal mine in Northumberland, England.
"the Seghill mine" -- another coal mine, located near the village of Seghill not far from Seaton Delaval.