Education 4 Action

Our next FREE workshop in the run up to the Durham Miners' Gala will be in our pop up shop at 30 High Street, Prince Bishops Durham on Wednesday 10th July between 10am & 1pm and is a quilting workshop with Mary Turner. There's no need to book so just drop in on the day to join in.

URGENT APPEAL: SUPPORT GROUPS BANNERS

An appeal has been launched to trace Durham’s miners’ support group banners from the 1984-85 strike.

Founded and led by women, support groups ran in communities across the coalfield and were critical in sustaining the strike, feeding and clothing people and maintaining morale. Banners were created for many of the groups.

An event is planned to celebrate the groups and the role of women to mark the 40th anniversary of the strike next March. Ahead of then, the Women Against Pit Closures (WAPC) 40th anniversary group is organising for banners to be gathered together and photographed at the Glebe Centre in Murton on 6 November.

The group is particularly keen to trace banners from the west of the county, including Leadgate and Burnhope.

Anyone who has a banner, or knows where one is, is asked to contact Mary Stratford via email to [email protected] or by phone on 0191 3882530.

Arrangements can be made to collect and return the banners.

Pictured above is the Durham Miners Support Groups banner at the 1985 Durham Miners' Gala.

We're delighted to announce that young brass players including those involved in the Redhills Youth Brass Band will play Gresford alongside Fishburn Band at the opening of the Miners Gala speeches.

This long-standing tradition commemorates those lost who cannot be with us on Gala Day.

Please give this exceptional group a roaring cheer on the day. Such an honour for them to play, especially as they only started with us less than one year ago!

This week is the Free School Meals For All National Week of Action, a campaign to raise awareness for the rising levels of food poverty up and down the country and the importance of having a balanced healthy diet.

It is not difficult, no child should be going to school on an empty stomach and it should be the priority of any responsible government to put an end to the desperate levels of food poverty that still exist in many of our communities.

We're back , not in Redhills but E4A were determined to celebrate our Big Meeting again.
We would love to see you at the Rugby Club on the evening of 6th July
Please share.

Songs and Politics of the Durham Coalfield

Join Education4Action in celebrating the songs and politics of the Durham Coalfield with the Folk Music singer/songwriters The Elliot’s of Birtley, and Benny Graham, Pitmen Poet and giant of the North East Folk Scene. Mary Foy MP will also be speaking at the event and there will be a talk from Robert Gildea on his new book ‘Backbone of the Nation – the story of the support groups in 1984/5’ which E4A contributed to.

Bill Elliott (Elliott's of Birtley) and Kevin Youldon have played Folk Music together for over 30 years and are well-known on the North East Folk scene. Ken Tonge is a fine Folk musician originally from Lancashire who is well-known on the local folk scene and has performed in Folk Clubs, Festivals etc. for over 50 years. They all regularly perform in Beamish Museum and other venues.

Benny Graham served his musical apprenticeship from 1967 in the folksong clubs of North East England such as in Birtley, run by the Elliott family, and Newcastle Folksong and Ballad (which featured among its regulars the High Level Ranters and Lou Killen) were at the forefront of the British folk revival.

Location: Durham City Rugby Club
Time: 7pm- 11pm
Date: Thursday July 6 2023
Real ale & bar food
Tickets: £5 on the door
Register in advance by emailing [email protected]

Songs and Politics of the Durham Coalfield

Join Education4Action in celebrating the songs and politics of the Durham Coalfield with the Folk Music singer/songwriters The Elliot’s of Birtley, and Benny Graham, Pitmen Poet and giant of the North East Folk Scene. Mary Foy MP will also be speaking at the event and there will be a talk from Robert Gildea on his new book ‘Backbone of the Nation – the story of the support groups in 1984/5’ which E4A contributed to.

Bill Elliott (Elliott's of Birtley) and Kevin Youldon have played Folk Music together for over 30 years and are well-known on the North East Folk scene. Ken Tonge is a fine Folk musician originally from Lancashire who is well-known on the local folk scene and has performed in Folk Clubs, Festivals etc. for over 50 years. They all regularly perform in Beamish Museum and other venues.

Benny Graham served his musical apprenticeship from 1967 in the folksong clubs of North East England such as in Birtley, run by the Elliott family, and Newcastle Folksong and Ballad (which featured among its regulars the High Level Ranters and Lou Killen) were at the forefront of the British folk revival.

Location: Durham City Rugby Club
Time: 7pm- 11pm
Date: Thursday July 6 2023
Real ale & bar food
Tickets: £5 on the door
Register in advance by emailing [email protected]

❤️✊

The great Tony Benn was born on this day in 1925.

He spoke at the Durham Miners' Gala more times than anyone in its 152-year history.

First elected to speak in 1962, he returned to Durham on the second Saturday in July for the rest of his life.

In his diary, Tony wrote of the Gala: “I watched from the balcony the whole of human life go by; from tiny babies to old miners in wheelchairs. And the banners - they’re about peace and hope. It’s a tremendously moral event and there were times I had tears in my eyes.”

Are you a former coal miner? Or was your partner a coal miner? You could apply for a £200 energy grant from CISWO. We are giving grants to help people cope with the rise in fuel costs in 2022. Our Personal Welfare team are on hand to help you apply today. https://www.ciswo.org.uk/post/fuel-grant-worth-200-avaliable-

Doreen Henderson, my "Auntie Dot", has sadly but peacefully passed away aged 94.

Anyone who ever met her, spent time with her or became friends with her, I'm sure will never forget her. A remarkable person, whose beliefs and values were never a mystery, but always evident and authentic. Her "Words" were always matched with "Deeds".

There is a wonderful Mining song, which she loved from the Kentucky Coalfields, called "Which side are you on?". This is not a question needed to be asked of my Auntie Dot. She also had a great sense of humour and an infectious laugh. Her indomitable spirit and drive are encapsulated by her proudly marching with her "Walker" for 4 hours with the Cotia Banner at the Big Meeting in 2018 aged 90 years.

She was a very proud Durham Miner's daughter, who was passionate about the preservation and promotion of our Mining Heritage.

Bill Elliott, Education 4 Action Committee Member

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOyaz9kKOBY

Photo credit Graeme Rigby

DEI Seminar Series: The Future of Redhills This seminar will take place in room E102, Department of Engineering and also online via Zoom.

We are hugely grateful for a donation of £1000 to The Redhills Appeal in memory of the late Anne Suddick.

Anne, who was central to the efforts to support miners and their families during and after the 1984-85 strike, passed away last year.

Her friends raised funds to cover funeral expenses and for a memorial bench in the grounds at Redhills.

Anne’s friends have now donated the remaining funds to help secure the future of the Miners Hall. They and we give thanks to everyone who made a donation for their generosity, solidarity and support.

Like people across County Durham and beyond we remain grateful to Anne for her years of sacrifice, her kindness and her example.

The Durham Miners' Association was founded at a meeting in the Market-Tavern Durham on this day in 1869.

Pictured is the first generation of the union’s leaders. Among them are William Patterson and Thomas Ramsey who spent the following two years walking the length and breadth of the county - and sleeping beneath the stars - to build the union.

Within three years of its founding, the DMA had secured the abolition of the detested system of bonded labour, tying a miner and his family to the colliery owner, that had operated across the coalfield for generations.

By the time Redhills opened in 1915 as the great seat of miners' democracy, the small band of trades unionists had grown in number to more than 150,000. Countless lives had been improved, the union was a powerful force of progress across the nation, and the Durham Miners' Gala was already an institution.

From Redhills, the mission begun at the Market Tavern continued. Education was provided for the young, and pensions for the old. Homes were built for aged mineworkers faced with eviction on retirement. There were unemployment benefits for those who lost their jobs; doctors, hospital care, and sick pay for those who fell ill. The union built sports fields, libraries and reading rooms throughout Durham’s pit villages.

With this platform, the people formed bands, choirs, and drama groups in welfare halls, and great writers, poets and artists emerged from mining villages. Communities were bonded together, a unique culture flourished and the talents and potential of working people began to be realised.

A later General Secretary of the DMA, John Wilson, wrote the following about the founders:

“There were giants in those days - brave, hopeful men, who were not to be turned from their purpose by any hindrance. They felt that united effort was the breath of life and they kept their eyes on that goal. A united Durham was their battle-cry and inspiration.”

152 years on from that founding meeting, the story continues at Redhills.

With the support of the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Redhills will be renewed as a centre for culture, education and heritage - a legacy for all those who’ve gone before, and as a platform and inspiration for generations to come.

Sign up for updates from Redhills here: redhillsdurham.org/signup/

Pictured are:

Back row - N Wilkinson, WH Patterson, M Thompson, T Ramsey, G Jackson, J Forman

Front row – W Askew, W Crawford, J Handy, T Mitcheson.

The remarkable Robert Saint, Durham miner, composer and bandsman, and animal welfare campaigner, was born on this day in 1905.

He is best known for his work ‘Gresford’, which he composed following the deaths of 266 miners at the North Wales colliery in 1934.

He dedicated Gresford to “the memory of all miners who have perished in the mines,’’ and donated all royalties to assist mine workers. It was performed for the first time by Brancepeth Band at the 1938 Durham Miners' Gala. To this day, 'the Miners' Hymn' is performed before the speeches at each Gala, dedicated to those lost over the previous year.

Saint was born in Hebburn and joined his father at the local pit at the age of 14. There, he campaigned for shorter working hours and improved treatment of pit ponies. The colliery closed in 1932, leaving Saint unemployed. He earned a living giving music lessons, performing in a dance orchestra, and as a shipyard labourer.

In 1940, he became an inspector of The National Equine Defence League. He went on to run an animal refuge in his back yard and became know locally as ‘the poor people’s vet’. He toured schools to encourage children to treat animals with kindness.

In 1948, the League bought a farm with stables for Saint to run.

He died from respiratory disease aged just 45 in December 1950.

Only two weeks to go! Don't forget to register for your free tickets.

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-past-we-inherit-the-future-we-build-family-day-for-our-future-builders-tickets-160020221791?ref=eios

As there is no Big Meeting this year, we will be proudly marching our silk banner 'Myrtle' on her first outing at the Little Big Meeting in Shildon on 7 August.

There are over a dozen community events happening this summer in lieu of the Big Meetimg, one of which is our very own family day in the gardens of Redhills on 21 August.

You can find out more about the events here http://bit.ly/3ABzLX4

We absolutely loved welcoming St Godric's Primary school to visit the Durham Miners' Hall and Pitman's Parliament today for a Year 6 class visit. Our first school visit in almost 18 months.

Their teacher Mrs Young, actually lived in the agents houses as a child with her father, Tom Callan, was the General Secretary of the DMA until 1985.

This promises to be a great day ✊

We are so excited to announce our upcoming event on 21 August 2021 at 1pm in the gardens of Redhills 🤩😍

THE PAST WE INHERIT THE FUTURE WE BUILD

FAMILY DAY FOR OUR FUTURE BUILDERS

As the Big Meeting (aka Durham Miners' Gala) is not taking place in Durham this year, the Marras have very kindly provided funding for the community banner groups to hold gala events in their local communities.

The Women's Banner Group, as many know, is the first and only all female banner group affiliated to the Durham Miners' Association, set up to recognise women of the Durham Coalfield area.

Our Community event will therefore take place in the beautiful gardens of Redhills, the home of the Durham Miners' Association Miners' Hall and our gala theme is 'Education'.

Our event is a family day with plenty of things going on for both adults and kids - just bring a picnic blanket! You will be able to purchase food and drinks from two local vendors, Re-f-use & Barnard Castle Brewing Co (brewers of the famous Redhills Ale!!).

For the grown ups we have music from the amazing bangshees and Joe Solo as well as a comedy set by British poet, author and comedian Kate Fox.

For the kids we have educational activities brought to you by Vonni & Stacey from ATOMS Education CIC and Talking Tables creator Fleur Griffiths.

Rough timings are:

1.00pm - Bangshees

1.45pm - speeches from:

Laura Lee Daly, Women's Banner Group
Alan Mardghum, Durham Miners' Association and
Phil Kemp, NASWUT National President

3.30pm - Kate Fox

4.00 pm- Joe Solo

Location: Redhills: Durham Miners Hall
Saturday 21st August

Please register in advance of this event so we can keep an eye on numbers, thank you 🙏

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-past-we-inherit-the-future-we-build-family-day-for-our-future-builders-tickets-160020221791

The E4A committee are meeting for the first time in person today for 18 months! Lots of exciting stuff coming up over the next few months, we can't wait to get back to business as usual!!

Ever wondered what a hewer did down the pit? Have a read of this job description from 1892 taken from the Durham Mining Museum website...

The hewer is the actual coal-digger. Whether the seam be so thin that he can hardly creep into it on hands and knees, or whether it be thick enough for him to stand upright, he is the responsible workman who loosens the coal from the bed.

The hewers are divided into "fore-shift" and "back-shift" men. The former usually work from four in the morning till ten, and the latter from ten till four. Each man works one week in the fore-shift and one week in the back-shift, alternately. Every man in the fore-shift marks "3" on his door. This is the sign for the "caller" to wake him at that hour.

When roused by that important functionary he gets up and dresses in his pit clothes, which consist of a loose jacket, vest, and knee breeches, all made of thick white flannel; long stockings, strong shoes, and a close fitting, thick leather cap.

He then takes a piece of bread and water, or a cup of coffee, but never a full meal. Many prefer to go to work fasting. With a tin bottle full of cold water or tea, a piece of bread, which is called his bait, his Davy lamp, and "baccy-box," he says good-bye to his wife and speeds off to work.

Placing himself in the cage, he is lowered to the bottom of the shaft, where he lights his lamp and proceeds "in by," to a place appointed to meet the deputy. This official examines each man's lamp, and, if found safe, returns it locked to the owner. Each man then finding from the deputy that his place is right, proceeds onwards to his cavel†, his picks in one hand, and his lamp in the other.

He travels thus a distance varying from 100 to 600 yards. Sometimes the roof under which he has to pass is not more than three feet high. To progress in this space the feet are kept wide apart, the body is bent at right angles with the hips, the head is held well down, and the face is turned forward.

Arrived at his place he undresses and begins by hewing out about fifteen inches of the lower part of the coal. He thus undermines it, and the process is called kirving. The same is done up the sides. This is called nicking. The coal thus hewn is called small coal, and that remaining between the kirve and the nicks is the jud or top, which is either displaced by driving in wedges, or is blasted down with gunpowder. It then becomes the roundy.

The hewer fills his tubs, and continues thus alternately hewing and filling.

http://www.dmm.org.uk/