Gallows, Germs, or God: Why is it Bad Luck to Put Shoes on the Table?
According to some, leaving shoes on the table is a harbinger of death. This originates from the practice of honouring fatalities in the mining industry.
Ghosts, Angels & Death Omens: The Seven Whistlers in Mining Folklore
On 21st September, 1874, after hearing the cries of the ‘Seven Whistlers’, miners employed in North Warwickshire refused to descend into the coal pits.