In many areas Coal Companies provided houses for their workforce. It was necessary for the miners to be close to their work as no form of transport was available.

Living conditions varied considerably. The quality of the housing was often dependent on the size and prosperity of the Coal Company. Some employers, especially those with large landed estates took a strongly paternalistic attitude towards their colliers.

By the 1930’s, housing was increasingly being seen as the responsibility of local authorities and not of private companies. Today it is more common for miners to own their own houses or to rent from local councils in much the same way as any other group of workers.

Before collieries had baths, miners used to go back home dirty and bathe in a tin bath, as shown in the photographs below.