sherrardk, at the pits I worked each miner had three checks, one marked with the colliery name, his "check" and some times the colliery number and a designator number of the coalfield or with old checks the area of the N.C.B. For instance the first pit I worked at was in the old Number three area of the N.B.C. latter North Notts the miner retained this and only used it as proof of identity when claiming his pay. The other two usually a white plastic one and a brass one marked with his check number where kept in the time office and issued to the man immediately before going underground. The white tally was handed in to the Banks-man, the guy in charge of loading the cage, and booked in to prove the man was underground. The brass tally was retained by the miner on a dog tag clipped to his lamp and handed in to the Banks-man when he left the mine. A morbid use of the brass tally was that in the event of an explosion bodies could be identified by the check number