Mining in the Victorian Age

At one time miners were paid according to how much coal they hewed. As the tubs reached the surface, iron motties, like this one, showed which collier had hewed which load of coal. The collier filled the tub with coal and the motty was attached to the tub, by threading it through two holes in the side of the tub. A miner would lose his job if he replaced another miner's motty with his own.