mining - the origin of the term "Nicked"

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May 29, 2014
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Manly, NSW
I was in the UK last week and visited old disused Lead/Silver Mines around Derbyshire....in one of the museums was an interesting story on the term "Nicked" or stolen.

The story goes that in the heyday of Lead Mining when demand was high for the Lead, the Guild of Miners directed that every productive Mine must be worked and not left dormant.

If a Mine was not worked for 3 days and you fancied taking over the mine yourself you could place a "Nick" in the wooden headgear along with your mark/Name.
If you managed to get 3 Nicks you were then entitled to take your claim to the Guild and maybe get the mine for yourself.

In this case the Mine would be Nicked.

True? Who knows?

Cheers

Davo
 
So how did that end up as "GET NICKED" I wonder ? 8) :lol:
 
Maybe it was from the perspective of the mine owner and the feelings he would have felt of being shafted (pardon the pun) when he realised that somebody had nicked his mine. ]:D
That would certainly cover for the vehemence offered in the current use of the term get nicked ! :eek: ]:D
 

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