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why are they called tommyknockers

by Alysa Crist Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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The term tommyknocker
tommyknocker
The Knocker, Knacker, or Tommyknocker (US) is a mythical, subterranean, gnome-like creature in Cornish and Devon folklore. Its Welsh counterpart is the coblynau.
https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Knocker_(folklore)
originated in Cornwall, UK, where superstitious miners believed goblins lived inside the mines. These supernatural creatures were believed to knock on the walls to alert the miners that something was about to happen.

Full Answer

What is the meaning of the tommyknockers?

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. Not a bad book. Miners who have been trapped in cave-ins and pound on the rocks for rescue.

Who were The Tommyknockers of the western mines?

Tommyknockers of the Western Mines. The Tommyknockers were first heard of in the United States when Cornish miners worked in the western Pennsylvania coal mines in the 1820’s. When the California Gold Rush began, these experienced Cornish miners were welcomed and often sought after by the mine owners.

Why did Stephen King not like Tommyknockers?

King has stated that he "didn’t like it", commenting that "it felt kind of cheap and thrown together". NBC announced in July 2013 that they would be producing a new miniseries based on The Tommyknockers.

Where does the informant tell the story of the tommyknockers?

The informant tells the story of the Tommyknockers in his town My informant, who comes from a small mining town in Colorado, says that everybody in his town knows about the Tommyknockers and the mining tunnels.

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What were Tommyknockers called?

In Wales, it might be called the coblynau; in Ireland, the leprechaun; in Kent the kloker and in England and Scotland another name is the brownie. Stories of the Tommyknocker were taken to the United States by migrant miners and it is perhaps there that their supposed fondness for gold comes from.

What is a tommyknocker man?

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.

What was Tommyknockers about?

The Tommyknockers is about an alien spacecraft uncovered in the woods of Haven, Maine that begins to infect the residents' dreams and knock out their teeth. It also makes some dangerously, inhumanly smart. Don't worry there's a cure for that too.

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 happened to Gard in Tommyknockers?

Using a gun, Bobbi forces Gard to swallow a lethal dose of Valium. As they talk, he shields his mind, pulls his own gun out, and shoots Bobbi. As Bobbi dies, she telepathically screams and alerts the townspeople, who then swarm to her home, intent on killing Gard for fear that he intends to harm the ship.

Is Tommyknockers a movie?

The movie is based on the 1987 Stephen King novel of the same name. The movie is based on the 1987 Stephen King novel of the same name.

What is Stephen King's alter ego?

Richard BachmanRichard Bachman is a pen name (as well as fictional character) of American horror fiction author Stephen King.

Where does the Tommyknockers take place?

The Tommyknockers is the 26th book published by Stephen King; it was his 23rd novel, and the 18th written under his own name. The book was released by Putnam on 10 November 1987. The story is set in the small town of Haven, Maine.

Who wrote The Tommyknockers?

Stephen KingThe Tommyknockers / AuthorStephen Edwin King is an American author of horror, supernatural fiction, suspense, crime, science-fiction, and fantasy novels. Wikipedia

What are a woman's knockers?

knockers pl (plural only) (slang) A woman's breasts.

What is crib Cornish?

Crib – a mid-morning break for a snack (see below also) Croust (or Crowst) – a mid-morning break for a snack (usually west Cornwall) (from Cornish language croust)

What is Bommy knocker?

The seed pod of the liquidambar tree. (Originally a word from a large print children's book describing a giant's spiked club. The children likened the seed pods of the liquidambar trees in the playground to the giant's club, and the name passed on to each new generation of children.)

Why did Stephen write Dreamcatcher?

The book, written in cursive, helped the author recuperate from a 1999 car accident, and was completed in half a year. According to the author in his afterword, the working title was Cancer.

What is Stephen King's most famous work?

A modern horror classic It should hardly be a surprise that Stephen King's most popular book is also his first-ever bestseller: "The Shining," a classic 1977 horror novel, spurred a cult-favorite movie and a sequel.

What is Stephen King's backstory?

Born in 1947, King grew up poor in Durham, Maine, the younger son of a single working mother whose husband, a merchant mariner, abandoned his family when King was still a toddler. A lifelong fan of speculative fiction, King began writing seriously while attending the University of Maine Orono.

What did the name "Knocker's Tommies" mean?

by way of Cornish immigrant miners, American miners most likely called the "Knocker's Tommies" meaning that they were British.

What is a Knocker?

The Knocker, Knacker, Bwca (Welsh), Bucca (Cornish) or Tommyknocker (US) is a mythical creature in Welsh, Cornish and Devon folklore.

What is Tommy Atkins?

From the entry: [...] a familiar name for the typical private soldier in the British Army; arising out of the casual use of this name in the specimen forms given in the official regulations from 1815 onward. [...] Now more popularly Tommy Atkins or Tommy [...].

Where did Tommy come from?

Grew up in the coal mining region of W. PA. It was thought the Tommy part came simply from ascribing a generic name to who was doing the knocking. What's that knocking? Oh, just Tommy. Made it easier to lessen fear. The knocks themselves some miners thought were from seams shifting differently if a desired vein could be found there. / Gene Stewart

Who quoted Hooson in British Mining?

Hooson, quoted by R. Hunt in British Mining.

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.

Why did the miners leave food and other items?

In praise of these kind gestures, the miners would leave food and other items to secure their good graces and protection.

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 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.

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 1820’s. When the California Gold Rush began, these experienced Cornish miners were welcomed and often sought after by the mine owners.

What is the legend of the Tommyknockers?

The Legend Of 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 did the miners leave food offerings?

In praise of these kind gestures, the miners would leave offerings of food and other items in order to secure their good graces and protection.

How tall are the Tommyknockers?

This belief was so strong that the Tommyknockers were allegedly never heard on Saturdays, nor at times of Jewish festivals. About two feet tall, and often described as greenish in color, they look like men and are most often spied wearing a traditional miner’s outfit.

Why do mines make hammering sounds?

Actually caused by the creaking of earth and timbers , some thought these sounds of “hammering” were malevolent, indicating certain death or injury, while others saw their “knocking” as well-meaning, warning the miners that a life-threatening collapse was imminent.

Who was the cousin Jack?

Soon, these many immigrant miners took on the nickname Cousin Jacks, who formed the core of America’s early western mining workforce.

Who saved the lives of the miners?

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.

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 does "knocka tommy" mean?

A term in which is used to name a homosexual. Being that tommy is a fairly generic name, you knocka tommy.

When did Tommyknocker start his career?

Tommyknocker starts his career in 1994 when he begins performing in some ‘illegal’ parties which are organized in Rome. From ‘95 to ‘97 he collaborates with the “Virus staff” of Freddy K, and he is Resident Dj of a few discotheques like “06” and after “Oxygen” (the first hardcore club of Rome).

What is the ghost of the miner?

It is believed that the ghosts of these miners go on knocking inthe mine shafts long after the victims have died. This definition was the basis for Stephen King'sbestselling book The Tommyknockers, only in his story it was aliens that had been trapped underground instead of miners. Not a bad book.

What is a tommyknocker?

According to Merriam-Webster, a tommy-knocker is “the ghost of a man killed in a mine.”. Other references indicate that the folktale is more complicated than a mere haunting. Wikipedia expands on the subject: “The Knocker, Knacker, Bwca (Welsh), Bucca (Cornish) or Tommyknocker (US) is a mythical creature in Welsh, Cornish and Devon folklore.

What did miners believe about cornish knockers?

Some miners believed Cornish Tommyknockers haunted underground passages. Miners crafted crude clay statues of knockers with match stick eyes and placed them in the mines as guardians.

What is the meaning of the word "knocking" in mining?

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.”.

What happened in the Pocahontas minefield?

The spirit of a man killed in a mine explosion came to a mine foreman to tell him they had buried the wrong body under his name.

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1.Tommyknockers | USC Digital Folklore Archives

Url:http://folklore.usc.edu/tommyknockers/

31 hours ago Tommyknockers are similar to the leprechauns and other earth spirits in Celtic and English lore in appearance as well as in their defining characteristics. Just like traditional Celtic earth spirits, …

2."Tommyknockers": why the "tommy" prefix in AmE?

Url:https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/224859/tommyknockers-why-the-tommy-prefix-in-ame

14 hours ago  · German soldiers would call out to "Tommy" across no man's land if they wished to speak to a British soldier. French and Commonwealth troops would also call British soldiers …

3.Tommyknockers - National Coal Mining Museum

Url:https://www.ncm.org.uk/news/tommyknockers/

35 hours ago This is possibly the origin of the old American rhyme quoted by Stephen King in his novel ‘The Tommyknocker’: “Late last night and the night before, Tommyknockers, Tommyknockers, …

4.The Legend Of Tommyknockers Of The Western Mines

Url:https://anomalien.com/the-legend-of-tommyknockers-of-the-western-mines/

16 hours ago  · 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. …

5.The Tommyknockers - Wikipedia

Url:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Tommyknockers

21 hours ago  · tommyknocker. Miners who have been trapped in cave-ins and pound on the rocks for rescue. It is believed that the ghosts of these miners go on knocking in the mine shafts long …

6.Urban Dictionary: tommyknocker

Url:https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=tommyknocker

36 hours ago  · ‘Tommyknockers’ meaning. The ‘Tommyknockers’ are mythical, subterranean, gnome-like creatures. When the RHOC stars went on a mining trip, they learned about the …

7.Tommy Knockers & Mine Ghosts - Appalachian History

Url:https://www.appalachianhistory.net/2020/10/tommy-knockers-mine-ghosts.html

13 hours ago First, every book is someone's favorite and someone else's worst. That said, it's more sci-fi than horror and King never really did sci-fi very well (think also Dream Catcher ). I read it when it …

8.Why is The Tommyknockers so widely considered King’s …

Url:https://www.reddit.com/r/horrorlit/comments/dxcgj9/why_is_the_tommyknockers_so_widely_considered/

6 hours ago

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