Coal House
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| Coal House | |
|---|---|
| Format | Reality |
| Country of origin | Wales |
| No. of episodes | 6 |
| Production | |
| Running time | 30mins |
| Broadcast | |
| Original channel | BBC1 Wales |
| Original run | October 2007 – December 2007 |
Coal House is a British television series made by Indus Films for BBC Wales, and broadcast by the BBC in October and November 2007. Series 1 was set in the depressed economic coalfields of 1927, while Series 2 will be set in 1944 as World War Two draws to a close.
Contents |
[edit] Plot
The series follows three or more families, who are placed in an as authentic as possible location which replicates the life style of Welsh people of that period of time. The chosen families leave all 21st century luxuries behind, swapping a modern high-tech life for a miner's cottage in the Welsh hills of Blaenavon.
[edit] Production
[edit] Series 1
Filmed from early October 2007 and shown from late October 2007, three families (the Cartwright family from Penarth, the Griffiths family from Ceredigion; and the Phillips family from the Vale of Glamorgan), cope with daily life as the Welsh mining community lived it 80 years ago - a year after the last general strike and before the pits were nationalised.
For the men and boys over 14 there was the harsh reality of long walks to work over mountains in all weather, to face a long day as coal miners at Blaentillery No.2 Mine - the last working mine of its kind in the UK. Meanwhile, the women had to run the home under 1927 conditions, keeping the children fed, watered and clean. Even making a cup of tea involved the hard work of collecting water from a pump and lighting a fire.
A special hour-length final episode was recorded which included footage from a Hunger March Concert held at Park Street Chapel, Blaenafon. Blaenavon Male Voice Choir took part in the concert, along with members of the Coal House families who sang and recited verse.[1]
[edit] Series 2
Series 2 will be set in the same Blaenafon location, but set in 1944.
[edit] Setting
The series is filmed mostly on location in period cottages at Stack Square, Blaenafon. The Stack Square cottages were built between 1789-92 to house part of the Blaenafon Ironworks workforce.[2]
[edit] Gallery
 Park Street Chapel, Blaenafon |
 War Memorial and Workingmen's Institute, Blaenafon |
