In older coal mining operations, a craneman was typically a boy or young man tasked with running a hand-operated crane underground. Their primary job was to hoist heavy, loaded baskets of coal, known as corves, and swing them onto the wheeled carts or rolleys for transport to the surface. This physically demanding role was a common stepping stone for young miners before they moved on to hewing coal at the face.
Heard on the job
The craneman is struggling with the winch on this incline, so send an extra hand down to help load the rolleys.
Insider tip
Because the work required agility rather than brute strength, the position was almost exclusively filled by teenage boys learning the underground transport system.