Interview with Samuel Dean

Audio recording and transcript of Samuel Dean's 1979 interview with Shirley Ramsay for the Coal Tyee History Project. Dean shares details from his long career as a coal miner in the Nanaimo area. He talks about how he got his first job in the Harewood Mine when he was just 16 years old, where he broke his leg running the winch. After recovering, he and his father both starting working in the Number 1 Esplanade Mine, and Dean describes the operation there, giving details about the stables, the surface buildings, and how coal was loaded onto nearby ships in the harbour. Dean shares a few memories from his childhood, including the Oscar explosion and some recollections about his school days. Throughout the interview, Dean gives information about the various mines he worked in including the: Harewood, Number 1 Esplanade, Protection Island, Morden, Reserve, Northfield, Number 8, and White Rapids Mines. He talks about the different mine accesses (slope or shaft), transportation to the mines, and the various bosses he worked under. Dean gives some information about early union meetings and activities, and he also talks about what it was like to live in the South End. Dean concludes the interview by sharing some information about his father's involvement with the Plymouth Brethren.