Are there any records showing who were employed in the mines.

I expect the records would have been at the Gavellers Office, Bank House, Bank St, Coleford but I suspect they were all moved, probably to the Glos Records Office.

Gloucestershire Archives (Record Office!) and the Gaveller have just allowed the Forest of Dean Local History Society to put the names of 600 or so Freeminers (@1838 - 1960) on a CD we've just produced; but, if I remember correctly from other discussions, the survival of records re other miners is very much a hit or miss affair.