Uk miners strike of 1926 united kingdom nationwide 1926 1926 united kingdom general strike. Uk miners strike of 1972 united kingdom nationwide 1972 uk miners strike of 1974 united kingdom nationwide 1974 uk miners strike of 198485 united kingdom nationwide 198485 waihi miners strike new zealand waihi. More than half the countrys 187,000 mineworkers are now on strike. Catch up on the miners strike and me and watch online. Cavalry charge by police on horseback scatters the pickets. The 1984 miners strike was a last attempt by the mining unions to stop mining closures and the loss of jobs. James mccarthy remembers the 1984 miners strike that devastated south wales, crushed the num and left. The 1984 strike followed on from the disputes in 1972 and 1974. The yearlong strike involved hardship and violence as pit communities from south wales to scotland fought to retain their local collieries. The miners strike 198485 police, protests and public. Media in category uk miners strike 1984 the following 6 files are in this category, out of 6 total. British miners strike 198485 film collection submitted by working class s.
The miners strike 198485 thompsons trade union solicitors. They achieved this by strikes and mass picketing of power stations, preventing deliveries of coal by physically intimidating the delivery. The 19801982 acts in particular penalised the use of pickets while the 1984 act made it virtually impossible for union leaders to legally arrange strike action without widespread ballots. The miners strike of 1984 85 will always be remembered in british working class history as the most significant turning point in the power relationship between the working class organisations of the trade unions, and the state representing the interests of the privileged minority in the late twentieth century. Powered by create your own unique website with customizable templates. This study of the miners strike of 19845 in scotland marks a significant development in the historiography of the postwar british coal industry. Haunting images of the 198485 british miners strike. The miners strike of 1984 and the british coal industry e. Initially the strike had widespread popular support its easily forgotten that wham. In march 1984 more than 187,000 miners came out on. A dedication to the men and women who fought not only for the right to work but in the pursuit of a. Shirley dent on how literature reflects the 1984 miners strike. This ferocious confrontation between the organised working class led by the national union of mineworkers and margaret thatchers conservative government was a momentous chapter in the history of the class struggle in britain. The strike by the national union of mineworkers began on 6th march 1984, in response to pit closures, wage restraints and heavy reductions in government subsidies.
This article was written to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the commencement of the 19845 miners strike in the united kingdom. Arthur scargill called on miners to strike as they had done successfully in 1972 and 1974. In 1984 south wales miners joined a nationwide strike. Michael stewart the miners strike lrb 6 september 1984. But his refusal to hold a ballot lost him the support of other unions. I went back at christmas 1984 but had stayed out for nine months and i. Cultural reflections and the consequences of the 19845 miners strike as part of my phd and am looking at songs written by people in the folk scene to comment on support the miners strike. Mar 05, 2015 at the start of the miners strike in 1984, bruce wilson was 29 years old, married with a mortgage and two young kids. The yearlong strike involved hardship and violence as pit communities from south wales to scotland fought to retain their local collieries for many the only source of employment. Timeline of uk miners strike of 198485 upi archives. A crossparty agreement the plan for coal appeared to secure the future of mining in britain, two years after the february 1972 miners strike, which had crippled the countrys power. Thousands of miners and police clashed at the orgreave coking site in south yorkshire. Video of the miners strike in 1984 to mark the 25th anniversary, this is some footage of the picket lines and the riots that ensued. Gascoyne, a forceful 59yearold exfaceworker who swears a lot, was the branch secretary of the national union of mineworkers throughout the strike of 198485 and until the pit closed.
Thatchers pop legacy protest songs or the charity single. Mar 05, 2014 in 1984 south wales miners joined a nationwide strike. Thatcher and police brutality in 1984 posted by north pennine on december 31, 20 images on tv screens of vast armies of police invading villages assaulting anyone who came close enough to be beaten by a truncheon was a shock and went against everything id been brought up to believe and respect. A picket throws himself at a police van in an attempt to stop the bus carrying working miners, from getting into ellington colliery november 1985 17 of 24.
Miners in yorkshire and kent were the first to down tools this morning by tonight they had been joined by. In the 1970s, the national union of miners had extracted pay deals and benefits from the government way in excess of the value of the coal they were producing. He had worked underground as a miner at silverwood colliery, rotherham. Historical photographs of the miners strike 1984 merthyr tydfil, south wales. Miners strike at orgreave, 1984 film 37350 youtube. Remembering the 30th anniversary of the miners great strike for jobs in the year of 8485. Angry clashes between striking miners and police led the daily news and arthur scargill and ian macgregor became household names. Documents on 1984 miners strike expected to be released by.
Feb 02, 2004 the 1984 miners strike was a last attempt by the mining unions to stop mining closures and the loss of jobs. Documents on 1984 miners strike expected to be released. At the start of the miners strike in 1984, bruce wilson was 29 years old, married with a mortgage and two young kids. Having lived through the strike as the son of a miner and the nephew of 7 other miners, all from the same pit new herrington in the durham coal field the strike brings back a lot of bad memories, and a lot of funny ones. Tens of thousands of britains miners have stopped work in what looks like becoming a long battle against job losses. Documentary marking the 30th anniversary of the 1984 miners strike, one of the bitterest industrial disputes in british history, with stories from both sides of the conflict. Normanstrikes blog a retrospective diary of the 19845. James mccarthy remembers the 1984 miners strike that devastated south wales, crushed the. A quarter of a century ago britain was split by its most bitter industrial dispute ever.
But ten years earlier the uks coal industry appeared to be on the way up. Miners strike, 19845 the national miners strike 19845 involved 142,000 mineworkers and has been described as the most bitter industrial dispute in british history. A strikebreaker who wanted to remain anonymous said a lot of men had been unfairly labelled scabs. The catalyst for the strike was the announcement by the. Thirty years ago today, miners at cortonwood colliery in yorkshire walked out in protest at plans to close their pit. Opposition to the strike was led by the conservative government of prime minister margaret thatcher, who wanted to. The present miners strike compels an appalled fascination of a kind quite different from that exercised by other industrial disputes. Remembering the 1984 miners strike that devastated south. The 1984 miners strike was the most bitter industrial dispute in british history. Legacy of fear still haunts strikebreakers daily record. British miners strike 1984 85 film collection submitted by working class s. Thirty years on, this is the raw firsthand experience of those who lived through britains longest strike.
Andy davies meets strike veterans taking part in an anniversary exhibition who, despite the outcome, have fond memories of the event. Jun 12, 2006 information regarding the policing of the miners strike 198485 in northumberland, tyne and wear and durham. After 12 months, during which many striking miners lived without wages, six people died and 11,000 were arrested, the num called off the strike. Miners strike 30 years since the pit crisis of 1984. How the miners strike of 198485 changed britain for ever. Arthur scargill born 11 january 1938 is a british trade unionist. After successful strikes in 1972 and 1974 which prevented pit closures, calls were made for strikes in the early 1980s, eventually leading to the strike of 1984 1985. It has sometimes been suggested that the government of margaret thatcher responded to the miners strike of 19845 with plans that. In march 1984 more than 187,000 miners came out on strike when the national coal board.
It was led by arthur scargill of the national union of mineworkers num against the national coal board ncb, a government agency. Policing of the miners strike 198485 in northumberland. Fighting between police and striking miners at orgreave in 1984. Apr 01, 2014 remembering the 30th anniversary of the miners great strike for jobs in the year of 8485. I am proud to say that i spent the whole year as a proud picket, and to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the strike starting i thought people might be interested in the diary i kept for recording my memories of what i went through and how it changed my. Tony richards sent us of these excellent photographs of the 1984 miners strike. My dad was a sly old git when it came to the unions and strikes, he. Mirrorpix by this time, prime minister margaret thatcher had branded the striking miners the enemy within and scare stories tried to dissuade people. Home secretary amber rudd said 30 files from 1984 will be released to the national archiv. The miners dispute began on 6 march 1984 when the head of the national coal board, ian mcgregor, announced plans to cut production, the equivalent of 20 pits or 20,000 jobs. Files about the battle of orgreave may be released next year among papers on the 1984 miners strike.
In 1972 the miners came out on strike for higher pay, with a successful result. A montage of footage which relives some of the darker days of the miners strike 1984 85, emphasising what a divided nation the uk was back. In 19845 the miners went on strike again because the national coal board, which was in charge of all british mines at the time, planned to close several mines, with the loss of. Thatcher and police brutality in 1984 miners strike 1984. Follow the highs and lows of that lifechanging year. This page is for all those who believe that the miners strike of 1984 1985 should never be forgotten. Miners strike over threatened pit closures tens of thousands of britains miners have stopped work in what looks like becoming a long battle against job losses. These interpretive literature on the 19845 british miners strike is described and evaluated under the following headings. Original miners poems from the strike 1984 1985 i have a musty old box of poems collected by my dad. The son of a communist miner, he has kept its memory alive at the shirebrook miners welfare social club, founded in 1920. How students are looking after their mental health in lockdown. Information regarding the policing of the miners strike 198485 in northumberland, tyne and wear and durham. Apr 11, 20 initially the strike had widespread popular support its easily forgotten that wham. The clashes at orgreave were among the most violent of the 1984 5 miners strike chris kitchen, general secretary of the national union of mineworkers num, said the union wanted justice.
How does literature reflect the 1984 miners strike. Jun 18, 2018 this article was written to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the commencement of the 19845 miners strike in the united kingdom. The miners strike of 19841985 was one of the most bitter industrial disputes britain has ever seen. Miners strike 30 years since the pit crisis of 1984 youtube. Dec 12, 2016 files about the battle of orgreave may be released next year among papers on the 1984 miners strike. Policing of the miners strike 198485 in northumberland, tyne. Mar 08, 2009 a quarter of a century ago britain was split by its most bitter industrial dispute ever. The conservatives lost the election, and the new labour government gave the miners a big pay increase, ending the strike. The miners strike was a public and political battle whose symbolic importance was well understood at the time. The catalyst for the strike was the announcement by the national coal board ncb on 6 march 1984 that. We have been collecting your stories and memories of the strikes. Still the enemy within is a unique insight into one of historys most dramatic events.
Haunting images of the 1984 85 british miners strike. The miners strike of 198485 was a major industrial action to shut down the british coal industry in an attempt to prevent colliery closures. With her rhetoric of the enemy within, thatchers position was hardly hidden. David hencke discusses the dramatic events of the 1984 miners strike and consider their lasting legacy on working britain. Bbc south yorkshire history your miners strike stories. Releases of government papers are unlikely to alter radically our views of the strike. In addition, miners had begun to be paid relatively, according to their pits productivity. The literary mise en scene of tony harrisons v may be grays elegy but the political background is the miners strike. A quiz to help you understand the miners strike of 1984. Can someone explain the 1984 uk miners strikes to me.
Cultural reflections and the consequences of the 1984 5 miners strike as part of my phd and am looking at songs written by people in the folk scene to comment on support the miners strike. I have a musty old box of poems collected by my dad. The miners strike started in south yorkshire in march 1984 and continued for a year. Miners across yorkshire began strike action and on 12 march, a national strike was declared by the num, but no official vote was held. We want it to come to light what happened so that people can move on and can look to the future. Sep 22, 2011 haunting images of the 1984 85 british miners strike. A decade later, he led the union through the 198485 miners strike, a major event in the history of the british. This was the most bitterly contested dispute, in modern history battle of orgreave. So these real human stories cant be forgotten by history, here they are for everyone in exactly the way they were presented. The miners strike of 1984 1985 was one of the most bitter industrial disputes britain has ever seen. Pickets from south wales trying to stop workers at. The miners strike of 198485 will always be remembered in british working class history as the most significant turning point in the power relationship between the working class organisations of the trade unions, and the state representing the interests of the privileged minority in the late twentieth century. Browse the worlds largest ebookstore and start reading today on the web, tablet, phone, or ereader. Mar 12, 2009 the literary mise en scene of tony harrisons v may be grays elegy but the political background is the miners strike.
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