From memory, would strongly recommend researching the Archives of the History Workshop Journal - Alun Howkins name rings a very loud bell.
Lovely story about The Bevin Boys recorded from miners during the making of 'The Big Hewer' Radio Ballad.
It was the practice of the period that, whenever there was a fatality in the mine, all the men would be given a day off in respect.
Two Bevin boys, sent into the mine following a pit-fall discovered the bodies of two miners.
One suggested to the other, "Let's take one up now and save the other one for next week".
There are is a load of incredible actuality such as this in The Charles Parker Archive at Birmingham Central Library.
There may be more lodged with the Ewan MacColl material at Ruskin.
Jim Carroll