Large numbers of women were employed on the surface as 'pit-brow' lassies. Their job was to remove dirt, trim the coal and break it into manageable pieces as it emerged from below ground. They worked on conveyors and screens in sometimes appalling conditions, the shawl was a hallmark of their occupation.br/strongPHOTO/strong: In this remarkable photograph the photographer has managed to capture an informal pose of a women carrying a huge piece of rock or coal. Her expression as she looks out from the screens into the daylight says everything about her situation. She is carrying the rock without thought, moving as though on automatic pilot.