Tommyknockers
Dangerous professions often involve their own brand of folklore for safety and a little bit of hope. Mining is no exception, and that’s why there is lore that spans from the UK to the USA: Tommyknockers. With a constant risk of explosions gone wrong, cave-ins, and other physical accidents, it’s no wonder that miners are on the lookout for any strangeness…and perhaps that’s why the lore of the tommyknockers emerged. While modern-day miners may not be as aware now that they have state-of-the-art technology to stay safe, earlier generations had their own ways of dealing with the perils of their day jobs. Enter the Tommyknockers.
Depending on who (and where) you ask, you’re bound to hear a few different tales of the tommyknockers. In general, they are said to be small, mischievous creatures that inhabit mines. One of the most interesting aspects of Tommyknocker folklore is their association with sounds in the mine tunnels (hence the “knocker” part of their name). These beings are said to make knocking sounds that, if you don’t believe any of this at all, can be attributed to various causes, such as the movement of the earth along fault lines, distant dynamite explosions, and the echoing of machinery in the tunnels. However, some legends suggest that the knocking is actually caused by the knockers themselves, who are either warning miners of danger…or trying to cause a cave-in.
They are generally described as no more than two feet tall and tend to wear miniature, but traditional, mining clothes. Some reports also claim they often have facial hair, specifically white whiskers. While their physical description is fairly consistent, what is not as consistent is their intentions and purposes below the ground.
Some believe they are benevolent creatures and aim to warn human miners of potential dangers and pitfalls. There have been dozens of reports of miners feeling strange bumps or knocks on their knees and elbows while working, which many believe are signs of the tommyknockers to pay attention and proceed with caution, or, warning of a dire soon-to-be accident.
Some believe that Tommyknockers were tricksters and were often blamed when tools disappeared, items inexplicably fell down shafts, and lamps and candles were extinguished. Some lore even suggested that tommyknockers were likely to take a bite out of your map (or otherwise destroy it) and steal their food, leaving miners lost and confused.
Even worse, some claim the tommyknockers were malevolent and angry at the human intervention in their underground lairs. Some believe their knocking was what caused cave-ins, trapping and even killing miners.
All of these stories eventually made their way aboveground and anyone, even non-miners, was aware of tommyknocker lore and sometimes held festivals or left small offerings in hopes of winning their favor. The stories of the trickster flavor were also shared with children in hopes of keeping them away from dangerous mines.
The origins of the Tommyknocker legend remain a mystery, but it is believed to have originated in the British Isles and then spread to mining communities in other parts of the world, such as the United States. Some historians believe that the legend may have developed as a way for miners to explain the strange sounds and sights they encountered in the dark, cramped tunnels of the mines. Others suggest that the legend may have been influenced by ancient Celtic folklore, which featured similar creatures known as the knockers or the kobolds.
Whether they are seen as mischievous spirits or benevolent guides, these tiny creatures have become an important part of mining culture. The next time you hear strange knocking sounds in an underground tunnel, remember that it might just be the work of the Tommyknockers – the mysterious creatures that live in the mines.
The feature image depicts he Miners' Tunnel Walk is a walking track at Gillespies Beach, South Westland, New Zealand. It begins at the DOC campground, passes through scrub-covered old mining tailings to the remains of a gold dredge, then along the beach, across the Quinlan Creek lagoon, and up an old packtrack to a tunnel dug in the late 1800s to provide access past Gillespies Point. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license. It was taken by Mike Dickinson.
Thanks to Kimberly F. for this blogstonishing suggestion!