Ive got a half decent book entitled across frontiers. Their fight remains a source of inspiration for the labour movement, and for those who want a democratic socialist world free of exploitation and oppression. In 19845, mining communities all over britain fought a yearlong battle against thatchers tory government. The story of the miners strike, 19845 1st by ian macgregor, rodney tyler isbn. Miners in yorkshire and kent were the first to down tools this morning by tonight they had been joined by. Collieries, communities and the miners strike in scotland. Uk miners strike 1984 85 the uk miners strike of 198485 was a major industrial action affecting the british coal industry. But the most considered analysis of the strikes meaning was an essay by historian raphael samuel in a ruskin college compilation the enemy within number three, subtitled pit villages and the miners strike of 19845. He stayed, on and off, until the strike ended in march 1985. His book of pictures, no redemption, is launched on 3 july 2010. Miners strike 1984 jim coulter, susan miller, martin walker canary press, 1984 fiction 241 pages. How does literature reflect the 1984 miners strike.
Policing and class consciousness in the miners9 strike, milton keynes. The miners strike of 19841985 was one of the most bitter industrial disputes britain has ever seen. The son of a communist miner, he has kept its memory alive at the shirebrook miners welfare social club, founded in 1920. Scargill marches with dinnington miners in 1984 rally. Keith pattison was asked to spend august 1984 in the mining village of easington, county durham to photograph the miners strike. The conventional story of the miners strike, which began 30 years ago. 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. The miners strike of 198485 was a major industrial action to shut down the british coal industry in an attempt to prevent colliery closures. The book investigates the circumstances surrounding the uk miners strike 198485.
You can buy a copy from wellred books online bookshop. The diary of john lowe by jonathan symcox available from rakuten kobo. 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. A decade later, he led the union through the 198485 miners strike, a major event in the history of the british labour movement. A history of wales during the period of the 198485 miners strike. During the strike the miners and their families displayed. The uk miners strike of 198485 was a major industrial action affecting the british coal industry. It was a defining moment in british industrial relations, and its defeat significantly weakened the british trade union movement.
The children, aged 11 to 15, were heading for trade union holiday centres and the homes of french mining families. 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. This article was written to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the commencement of the 19845 miners strike in the united kingdom. A page dedicated to the memory of the kent mining communities and the 198485 miners strike. The 198485 miners strike in nottinghamshire ebook by. Booklist miners and miners strikes news from nowhere radical. A former labour party member, he is now the party leader of the socialist labour party slp, which he founded in 1996. In contrast, david peaces gb84 is relentless in its blowbyblow account of the strike from the miners point of view. My first year of work was in 1984 and therefore i recall much of the drama of the miners strike, which was really a turning point in uk history. The national miners strike 19845 involved 142,000 mineworkers and has been described as the most bitter industrial dispute in british history. This books authors obviously werent going to have access to all this material, and therefore some of its points have been superceded by more modern arguments. The lessons of the miners strike and its defeat are of great significance to. The bbc has referred to the strike as the most bitter industrial dispute in british history. Margaret thatcher branded the leaders of the 198485 miners strike the enemy within.
It turned into a fierce confrontation with the conservative government of margaret thatcher in which the miners union was defeated. Against all the odds is a collection of poems published by the num in september 1984, written mostly by miners or members of their families. They did so in the midst of the 1984 miners strike the most bitter and. Project muse the 19845 miners strike and the spirit of.
Kit habianics novel is one of betrayal in a welsh village during the miners strike of 1984. Twenty years after the miners strike of 198485 new class battles are today being. In 1984, with the uk miners strike at its peak, the young german photography student michael kerstgens decided to travel to britain and document the dispute. In the book settling scores, nicholas jones, then the bbcs outstanding labour.
International support for the miners strike 1984 85. Across frontiers brings to life the fascinating story of the men and women who travelled overseas to speak to workers and raise support for the miners strike. Updated editions were released in 1995, 2004, and 2014. Loss without limit martin adeney, john lloyd snippet view 1986. Timeline of uk miners strike of 198485 upi archives. After the strike began in march 1984, spreading unevenly from yorkshire and scotland into all the british coalfields, an extensive support movement was established. 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. So these real human stories cant be forgotten by history, here they are for everyone in exactly the way they were presented. The strike by the national union of mineworkers num was led by arthur scargill, although some num members considered it to be unconstitutional and did not observe it. Powered by create your own unique website with customizable templates. The miners strike was a momentous incident in the political and industrial history of the western world. Even veteran mirror journalist geoffrey goodman, whose book the miners strike is dedicated to british miners, argued that the refusal of the leadership to hold a strike ballot eventually finished.
The secret war against the miners is a book by british journalist and writer seumas milne, first published in 1994. Throughout the strike, picket line violence between police and strikers became an important symbol of the continuing struggle. The legacy of the 19845 uk miners strike by dr katy shaw the uk miners strike of 19845 was a defining moment in. This is probably not a book for everyone as the diary style was a bit repetitive and if you dont remember the 80s this unfortunately might not mean much to you. Loss without limit new edition by martin adeney, john lloyd isbn. The unlikely story of the true heroes of the miners strike. Samuels argument was that, far from being a movement to overthrow the existing order. The strike was led by the national union of mineworkers, led by arthur scargill, although some num members considered. How the miners strike of 198485 changed britain for ever.
The 198485 miners strike and its aftermath penny green, the enemy without. Tens of thousands of britains miners have stopped work in what looks like becoming a long battle against job losses. Untold story of international help in 198485 miners. With the publication of this book, the full irony of that accusation became. One miners incredible true story of deceit, betrayal and back stabbing during the miners strike of 1984 by ken ambler, simon ambler, et al. The labour movement and the miners support campaign. Cover image of book reform, revolution and direct action amongst british miners. 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. A new chapter in this reissued book shows why the welsh miners were in a unique position to forge an alliance with lesbian and gays support the miners group. Read the 198485 miners strike in nottinghamshire if spirit alone won battles. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. For phillips, the miners strike of 19845 was arguably the defining episode of the final quarter of the twentieth century in britain and on reading the book it is hard to disagree with his conclusion that the conflict was a carefully executed assault on the collective culture and material position of the working class p.
Lesbians and gays support the miners lgsm was an alliance of lesbians and gay men who supported national union of mineworkers during the yearlong strike of 19841985. They did so in the midst of the 1984 miners strikethe most bitter and divisive dispute for. Loss without limit is a great read for anyone with a serious interest in the topic. James clarkes sprawling debut novel, a family saga set during the miners strike of 19845, can be clumsy and cliched, but it is an ardent, energetic piece of work, with shades of barry hines. London following is a chronology of events in britains miners strike, the longest major labor dispute in the nations history. Ascap, exploration group music publishing, pedl, sony atv publishing, warner chappell, latinautor, and 5 music rights societies. And the subtitle, the story of the miners strike, 19845, refers to his specific task of revitalizing major sections of british industry.
In 19845, mining communities all over britain fought a yearlon. The lessons of the 198485 miners strike in defence of marxism. Miners strike of 1984 inspired kit habianics book until our blood is. Calais two hundred children of miners on strike set sail for calais for a threeweek holiday provided by miners in the french communistled trade union cgt. It was also seen as a major political victory for margaret thatcher and the conservative party. Pride and millions of other books are available for amazon kindle. More than half the countrys 187,000 mineworkers are now on strike. International support for the miners strike 198485.
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. The film pride has reignited interest in the struggles of the miners in the south wales valleys in the strike of 19845. Miners argued that the police used unnecessary force, while police listed instances of threats, violence and 198485 minersstrike ian macgregor, ncb chairman arthur scargill and mick mcgahey, n. Synopsis in addition to being the most bitter industrial dispute the coalminers strike of 19845 was the longest national strike in british history.
Ralph darlington, school of management, university of salford, salford m5 4wt. It was led by arthur scargill of the national union of mineworkers num against the national coal board ncb, a government agency. I have a musty old box of poems collected by my dad. The catalyst for the strike was the announcement by the. John lowe, chairman of clipstone collierys strike committee, was at the forefront of the fight for jobs of the twelve months 1984 85 miners strike at a time when most nottinghamshire miners preferred to work. It is at times an intensely personal account and at others a considered and retrospective view. Its 30 years today since the end of the 198485 dispute family history book history books easington colliery socialism communism riot police coal mining swansea urban life police in riot gear at easington colliery, august 24, 1984.