The view from England: Thinning seams of tradition

Many of you will have been waiting for the score from mining’s famous Bottle Match. This is the annual rugby game played between Exeter University’s Camborne School of Mines (CSM) and Imperial College’s Royal School of Mines (RSM). The Bottle Match is a good example of a European mining tradition, although most are much older.  

Normally held on the third Saturday of February, the location of the Bottle Match alternates between Cornwall and London, hosted by one of the mining schools. The match is the world’s second oldest inter-university rugby game (after Oxford-Cambridge) having first taken place in December 1902 (a game that finished in a draw).  

The tournament between the two institutions has since been extended to include football, hockey, tennis, badminton, netball and lacrosse. The winner of the Bottle trophy itself, however, hinges entirely on the outcome of the rugby match (the 0.9 metre trophy is a metal beer ‘bottle’ that was acquired in 1926 by a number of RSM students from the top of a Bass lorry).  

Europe is rich in such traditions, and the associated myths and legends. The richest seam of folklore belongs to our miners, who have long been prone to superstition about their dark and dangerous working environment.  

In the Middle Ages, European miners held firm beliefs about creatures and spirits as a way of accounting for unexplained mishaps underground. Many believed that mineral wealth belonged to the spirit world, which needed to be pacified if ore was to be safely extracted.  

In his De Re Metallica (published 1556), Georgius Agricola referred to the dwarfish Kobolds of German folklore. Although often invisible (and able to materialize in non-human form) the most common depictions show Kobolds as human-like figures the size of small children.  

Kobolds are linked to the naming of cobalt. During the 16th century, European miners sometimes encountered what looked to be rich veins of copper or silver but were, in fact, ore rich in cobalt. The first attempts at smelting this toxic material were unproductive (and harmful). Because miners had little understanding of this new element, they blamed the Kobolds for fooling them into extracting worthless ore.  

According to beliefs in Silesia (an historical region of central Europe, mostly within Poland), all underground treasure and precious metal belonged to the Guardian. This grey-bearded old man had two faces; one perceived as a protector of those working underground, and the other as a vindictive ruler of dead miners.  

The Shubin (the local nickname for miners) is a legend in Ukraine’s Donbas region. Although usually helpful to miners (he is often described as holding a flaming torch to burn methane gas), this spirit could also be wicked.  

Very common in the folklore of Great Britain, especially in Cornwall, was the Knocker. This subterranean, gnome-like creature (the Welsh counterpart was Coblynau) commits random mischief (such as stealing unattended tools and food).  

Cornish miners also believed that the diminutive Knockers helped them find veins of tin and copper, and knocked on mine walls to warn of impending collapse (they are known as Tommyknockers in North America). In that regard, Knockers are not unlike the Muki of the Central Andes. This goblin-like figure is generally regarded as helpful to miners. 

Another protector of miners is the Malachite Maid of Slavic and Russian mythology. This beautiful green-eyed young woman seems to have originated from the Gumyoshevsky copper mine in the Ural Mountains.  

To support them, miners also have their patron saint, Barbara, whose feast day on Dec. 4 (as highlighted in this column three months ago) remains cause for popular celebration in Europe. In Germany, another end of year tradition is Mettenschicht, which comprises songs and a communal meal after the last shift worked before Christmas. This celebration was first recorded in the first half of the 17th century.  

Neither Saint Barbara nor the Malachite Maid would be able to help if you whistled underground. This is regarded almost universally in mining folklore as likely to bring misfortune because it attracts the attention of the devil (as, in many cultures, did the presence of women).  

Many of these traditions are being lost. For example, in the 19th and 20th centuries nearly every coal mine in the U.K. had a brass band, which were a source of considerable pride amongst working-class communities (as depicted in the 1996 film ‘Brassed Off’). Not only have we lost most of our mines, but we are losing our mining culture. If you lose that, you lose your industrial heritage.  

Oh, and the Bottle Match result? A 17-17 draw in London, which means that, as holders, the mining school in Cornwall retains the trophy (they won 17-10 at home last year). This particular tradition, however, will require an annual cohort of CSM students, and this currently looks far from certain. 

Dr. Chris Hinde is a mining engineer and the director of Pick and Pen Ltd., a U.K.-based consulting firm. He previously worked for S&P Global Market Intelligence’s Metals and Mining division.