Description
Gerald Haynes wipes his brow as he comes to the end of another shift underground. The owner and miner of the Hayners Baily Mine which he worked alone for nearly thirty years, mining it for coal as a Freeminer in the Forest of Dean. It’s hard, dirty work. And lonely. Gerald Haynes spent six days a week on his own, with no phone signal, no radio to listen to, and in darkness. On his retirement he sold his mine so that it continues to be a working mine. Records show Freeminers were given their right to mine as a reward for the help given in the 13th century by the miners in assaults on castles and town walls. It was especially for their contribution provided at the siege of Berwick upon Tweed in 1296 that Edward 1st granted the Freeminers a Royal Charter. photograph by Andrew Fox/Independent/FSF
Who Is Andrew Fox
Andrew began his career as a trainee on the Birmingham Post & Mail newspaper, after completing the National Council for the Training of Journalist’s photojournalism course in Sheffield in 1988.
While still a trainee, Andrew won the Midlands Press Photographer of the Year award.
The broadsheet Birmingham Post always treated its black and white photography seriously and it’s style was close to that of The Independent. In the late ’90’s Andrew decided to turn freelance and took his portfolio to The Independent. The next day, Andrew received his first commission, and for the next 18 years was one of its regular photographers. As his work became known to other picture editors, Andrew started to work for The Guardian, The Observer, The Times, The Sunday Times and The Telegraph.
His work has been shown at Visa Pour L’Image international photojournalism festival in Perpignan, France, and at the House Of Commons. Awards include the Nikon UK Feature Photographer Of The Year and three special awards in the UK Picture Editors Awards.
