Full Answer
What is tommyknocker slang for?
: the ghost of a man killed in a mine.
Where does the term Tommyknockers come from?
If a hammer was missing, it was the Tommyknockers who had taken it, but if a miner escaped a collapse, the Tommyknockers were given credit. Later, the legend of the Tommyknockers evolved into the idea that the knockings were caused by dead miners who were kind enough to give warnings of danger to the living.
What do Tommyknockers look like?
Generally, these creatures are said to be about two feet tall (60cms) and wear traditional mining clothes. They have white whiskers. Most reports suggest that they are mischievous. They would hide tools, take a bite out of someone's snap and extinguish lights.
What are Cornish knockers?
In Cornish Folklore, Knockers were known to live deep in the dark of mines, away from human interaction, some believe they were the spirits of unfortunate minors who lost their lives, who, it was thought, would knock on mine walls to warn miners of impending cave-ins.
What are the Tommyknockers?from legendsofamerica.com
Tommyknockers of the Western Mines. Mining is an ancient profession and along with the back-breaking work and dangers of working in the dark underground, comes century-old superstitions, the most notable being that of the Tommyknockers. These impish, gnome-like men are the Cornish equivalent of Irish leprechauns and English brownies.
Where did the Tommyknockers come from?from legendsofamerica.com
The Tommyknockers were first heard of in the United States when Cornish miners worked in the western Pennsylvania coal mines in the 1820s. When the California Gold Rush began, these experienced Cornish miners were welcomed and often sought after by the mine owners.
Why did the Tommyknockers close the mines?from legendsofamerica.com
In some mines, where the Tommyknockers’ presence was known to be overwhelmingly malevolent, the mines were forced to close because of the mens’ fear of the spirits. When the mines played out, the legend continued, as many said the Tommyknockers found “work” in the homes surrounding the old mineshafts. Superstitions continued when many a family death or disaster was allegedly foretold by a knocking in the house.
What is the plot of Tommyknocker Man?from en.wikipedia.org
The writer and critic Kim Newman said of the novel that King had "more or less rewritten Quatermass and the Pit ", a television serial from the late 1950s in which an alien spacecraft excavated in London evokes latent psychic abilities in some of the people who come near it.
Why do miners make knocking noises?from legendsofamerica.com
Others saw their “knocking” as well-meaning, warning the miners that a life-threatening collapse was imminent. Yet, others believed that the knocking sounds would lead them to a rich ore body and or signs of good luck.
What were the good things about grizzled little gnomes?from legendsofamerica.com
When these grizzled little gnomes were good, they were thought to bring miners favors and wealth. But when they were bad, they were said to bring about misery, injury, and death to those who doubted their power or did not believe in them.
Is Tommyknockers a science fiction book?from en.wikipedia.org
While maintaining a horror style, the novel is an excursion into the realm of science fiction for King, as the residents of the Maine town of Haven gradually fall under the influence of a mysterious object buried in the woods. King has since soured on The Tommyknockers describing it as "an awful book.".
What is the name of the creature that is a tommyknocker?
Tommyknocker. Country. Britain. Region. Cornwall and Devon. The Knocker, Knacker, Bwca ( Welsh ), Bucca ( Cornish) or Tommyknocker (US) is a mythical human -like creature in Welsh, Cornish and Devon folklore. It is closely related to the Irish leprechaun or clurichaun, Kentish kloker and the English and Scottish brownie.
Where is Tommyknocker Brewery?
The owners complied. Belief among Nevadan miners persisted amongst its miners as late as the 1930s. Tommyknocker Brewery in Idaho Springs, Color ado owes its namesake to the mythical creature, and began serving in 1859 to meet the needs of the large number of prospectors, as part of the Colorado Silver Boom.
Why do miners knock on the walls?
To some miners, knockers were malevolent spirits and the knocking was the sound of them hammering at walls and supports to cause the cave-in. To others, who saw them as essentially well-meaning practical jokers, the knocking was their way of warning the miners that a life-threatening collapse was imminent.
When did the knockers close?
Belief in the knockers in America remained well into the 20th century. When one large mine closed in 1956 and the owners sealed the entrance, fourth, fifth, and sixth generation Cousin Jacks circulated a petition calling on the mineowners to set the knockers free so that they could move on to other mines. The owners complied. Belief among Nevadan miners persisted amongst its miners as late as the 1930s.
What is a tommyknocker?
(plural tommyknockers) (folklore) A mythical creature, like a brownie or leprechaun, believed to live in underground tunnels; later associated with dead miners. It is believed that the ghosts of these miners go on knocking in the mine shafts long after the victims have died. This definition was the basis for Stephen King's bestselling book The Tommyknockers, only in his story it was aliens that had been trapped underground instead of miners.
Why did the owners of the Tommyknockers detest the practice of leaving food for the rats?
Mine owners and health and safety people detested the practice of leaving food for tommyknockers because it was actually the rats they were feeding. The mine owners agreed the small popping or creaking sounds were a reason to move from an area because the sounds were created as the earth was trying to move.
Why did mine owners detest the practice of leaving food for tommyknockers?
Mine owners and health and safety people detested the practice of leaving food for tommyknockers because it was actually the rats they were feeding. The min
What is a knacker?
The Knocker, Knacker, Bwca ( Welsh ), Bucca ( Cornish) or Tommyknocker (US) is a mythical creature in Welsh, Cornish and Devon folklore. It is closely related to the Irish leprechaun or clurichaun, Kentish kloker and the English and Scottish brownie. The Cornish described the creature as a little person two feet tall, with a big head, long arms, wrinkled face, and white whiskers. It wears a tiny version of standard miner's garb and commits random mischief, such as stealing miners' unattended tools and food.
What are the Tommyknockers?from legendsofamerica.com
Tommyknockers of the Western Mines. Mining is an ancient profession and along with the back-breaking work and dangers of working in the dark underground, comes century-old superstitions, the most notable being that of the Tommyknockers. These impish, gnome-like men are the Cornish equivalent of Irish leprechauns and English brownies.
Why are Tommyknockers important?from folklore.usc.edu
These little creatures are of particular importance because of their interesting relationship with the miners of the town . Mining is a very laborious and dangerous job often held by less educated working-class citizens. With these two aspects compounded, it makes sense that the belief in and acceptance of these sprites is so widespread, because Tommyknockers can either lead a miner to a wealth of gold, or to their death, but the miner has no way of knowing one way or another. In this way, Tommyknockers mirror the way the miners live every day down in the mines: they might leave the mines a rich man, or not leave them at all.
Why did the Tommyknockers close the mines?from legendsofamerica.com
In some mines, where the Tommyknockers’ presence was known to be overwhelmingly malevolent, the mines were forced to close because of the mens’ fear of the spirits. When the mines played out, the legend continued, as many said the Tommyknockers found “work” in the homes surrounding the old mineshafts. Superstitions continued when many a family death or disaster was allegedly foretold by a knocking in the house.
What was the nickname for the cornish miners?from legendsofamerica.com
The Cornish miners would reply something like this: “Well, me cousin Jack over in Cornwall wouldst come could ye pay ’is boat ride.”. Soon, these many immigrant miners took on the nickname Cousin Jacks, who formed the core of America’s early western mining workforce. As such, their superstition of the Tommyknocker thrived and spread throughout ...
What were the good things about grizzled little gnomes?from legendsofamerica.com
When these grizzled little gnomes were good, they were thought to bring miners favors and wealth. But when they were bad, they were said to bring about misery, injury, and death to those who doubted their power or did not believe in them.
Where did the Tommyknockers come from?from legendsofamerica.com
The Tommyknockers were first heard of in the United States when Cornish miners worked in the western Pennsylvania coal mines in the 1820s. When the California Gold Rush began, these experienced Cornish miners were welcomed and often sought after by the mine owners.
Who tells the story of the Tommyknockers?from folklore.usc.edu
The informant tells the story of the Tommyknockers in his town
What is the plot of Tommyknocker Man?
The writer and critic Kim Newman said of the novel that King had "more or less rewritten Quatermass and the Pit ", a television serial from the late 1950s in which an alien spacecraft excavated in London evokes latent psychic abilities in some of the people who come near it.
Who is the producer of Tommyknockers?
THR reported on March 29, 2018 that The Conjuring filmmaker James Wan and the 2017 It producer Roy Lee will join up with producer Larry Sanitsky to create a feature film version of The Tommyknockers.
What is the name of the boy who disappeared from Altair 4?
The spacecraft also prevents those affected by it from leaving town, provokes psychotic violence in some people, and causes the disappearance of a young boy, David Brown, whose older brother Hilly teleports him to the planet referred to as Altair 4 by the Havenites.
What is the ISBN number for Tommyknockers?
ISBN. 978-0-399-13314-5. The Tommyknockers is a 1987 science fiction novel by Stephen King. While maintaining a horror style, the novel is an excursion into the realm of science fiction for King, as the residents of the Maine town of Haven gradually fall under the influence of a mysterious object buried in the woods.
Is Tommyknockers a book?
In a 2014 interview with Rolling Stone, King acknowledged that the quality of his writing suffered during his period of drug use, saying " The Tommyknockers is an awful book.
What are the Tommyknockers?
Tommyknockers of the Western Mines. Mining is an ancient profession and along with the back-breaking work and dangers of working in the dark underground, comes century-old superstitions, the most notable being that of the Tommyknockers. These impish, gnome-like men are the Cornish equivalent of Irish leprechauns and English brownies.
Where did the Tommyknockers come from?
The Tommyknockers were first heard of in the United States when Cornish miners worked in the western Pennsylvania coal mines in the 1820s. When the California Gold Rush began, these experienced Cornish miners were welcomed and often sought after by the mine owners.
Why did the Tommyknockers close the mines?
In some mines, where the Tommyknockers’ presence was known to be overwhelmingly malevolent, the mines were forced to close because of the mens’ fear of the spirits. When the mines played out, the legend continued, as many said the Tommyknockers found “work” in the homes surrounding the old mineshafts. Superstitions continued when many a family death or disaster was allegedly foretold by a knocking in the house.
What did the Germans call the little miners?
Germans called them Berggeister or Bergmännlein, meaning “mountain ghosts” or “little miners.”. The Cornish believed these wee little men were the souls of the Jews who crucified Christ and were sent by the Romans to work as slaves in the tin mines. This belief was so strong that the Tommyknockers were allegedly never heard on Saturdays, ...
What were the good things about grizzled little gnomes?
When these grizzled little gnomes were good, they were thought to bring miners favors and wealth. But when they were bad, they were said to bring about misery, injury, and death to those who doubted their power or did not believe in them.
Why do miners make knocking noises?
Others saw their “knocking” as well-meaning, warning the miners that a life-threatening collapse was imminent. Yet, others believed that the knocking sounds would lead them to a rich ore body and or signs of good luck.
What does "troll" mean?
2 : a person who intentionally antagonizes others online by posting inflammatory, irrelevant, or offensive comments or other disruptive content Internet trolls In the late 1980s, Internet users adopted the word "troll" to denote someone who intentionally disrupts online communities. — Mattathias Schwartz
Why was Caro trolled?
Caro said she got trolled by fans because of the rumor of a lack of music. — Herb Scribner The club has been trolled in a brutal (and somewhat brilliant) manner—by having a giant poster of Tevez scoring his last-day winner plastered outside their Bramall Lane ground. — Will Magee.
What does "treiller" mean in French?
This use has conventionally been linked with Middle French treler, traler, treiller " (of hunting dogs ) look for prey without a trail or the use of a scent hound," and 16th-century troller "to wander from place to place (originally of a dog).".
Overview
The Knocker, Knacker, or Tommyknocker (US) is a mythical, subterranean, gnome-like creature in Cornish and Devon folklore. Its Welsh counterpart is the coblynau. It is closely related to the Irish leprechaun, Kentish kloker and the English and Scottish brownie. The Cornish described the creature as a little person 2 ft 0 in (0.61 m) tall, with a disproportionately large head, long arms, wrinkled skin, and white whiskers. It wears a tiny version of standard miner's garb and commits random …
Cornish folklore
Cornish miners believed that the diminutive Knockers beckoned them toward finding rich veins of tin. As miners changed from independent, family-owned operators to hired laborers for large industrialized companies, there was an increased concern for safety, reflected in the knockers new role. They knocked on the mine walls to warn of impending collapse.
Generally considered benevolent, they were also tricksters who would hide tools and extinguish …
In the United States
In the 1820s, immigrant Welsh and Cornish miners brought tales of the Tommyknockers and their theft of unwatched items and warning knocks to western Pennsylvania. Cornish miners, much sought after in the years following the gold and silver rushes, brought them to Colorado, Nevada, and California. The underground elves became part of the folklore of miners throughout the American West, not just those of Cornish background.
In literature
• Knockers are a motif found in the science fiction/horror book The Tommyknockers by Stephen King.
• Tommyknockers are also mentioned in the Hardy Boys book, Hunting for Hidden Gold. "Tommy-clockers" is the title of chapter eight.
• A benevolent knocker appears in The Ironwood Tree, the fourth book in The Spiderwick Chronicles, in which it helps the protagonists escape from a dwarf kingdom.
External links
• BBC page on Devon myths and legends
• James, Ronald M. "Knockers, Knackers, and Ghosts: Immigrant Folklore in the Western Mines", Western Folklore, vol. 51, no. 2, 1992, pp. 153–177. JSTOR