This is my grandfather, who was a coal miner. A fit man, he would at one point of his life walk to work every day over Mynydd Machen to Nine Mile Point Colliery in the Sirhowy Valley. I still have his cigarette case - he would smoke no more or no less than 10 Woodbine cigarettes and lived into his 90's, dying circa 1977. This photo was taken in the late 1960's near the Forge site in Machen.

Within the coal mine he was known as "Blaina", possibly because he once went on holiday there. He married Lily Davies and had 6 children (now all passed away):

Russell Harris - a head teacher who spent much of his career around Darwen, Lancs and retired to Caerphilly
Eileen Harris - a nurse reaching the rank of Major in WW2, serving in India in the Rawlpundi area. She retired as Matron of Caerphilly Miners' Hospital.
Malcolm Harris - had an interesting life, reaching the rank of Major in the Far East campaign of WW2. Then served in the Colonial Service in Uganda in a senior sport role and brought the Ugandan team to the Empire Games in Cardiff in 1958. He retired as a teacher at Whitchurch Grammar School.
Enid Harrington - lived and loved Machen and spent her life teaching at Machen School.
Don Harris - My father, always larger than life lived in Caerphilly and Bedwas and taught in the schools at Bedwas. Was a life memeber of Bedwas RFC and was closley associated with Machen Cricket Club
Glenys Snell - Married Ken Snell and overcame sight problems in later life to lead Mid-Glamorgan County Council and was a JP.