Miners’ Strike anniversary project under way
Jul 10 2009 by Tony Henderson, The Journal
On the eve of the Durham Miners’ Gala, Tony Henderson reports on a push to preserve memories of the strike which is still a ‘live’ issue 25 years on
MEMORIES and mementos are being gathered in a major project to mark the 25th anniversary of the Miners’ Strike.
The trawl by Beamish Museum, Tyne and Wear Museums and the North of England Institute of Mining and Mechanical engineers in Newcastle will result in an exhibition at three venues in the North East from next month.
The project is being progressed as the 25th anniversary coincides with the 125th Durham Miners’ Gala this weekend.
Former miners and their wives, police, journalists and others have all recorded their experiences and perceptions of the strike.
Beamish Museum has been working with the former mining community in Easington in County Durham which inspired the film Billy Elliot, talking to people who were involved in the strike and copying photographs taken at the time.
Members of the Northumbria Police History Society have also been contributing their experiences.
Tyne Wear Museums has been collecting the memories of Eppleton Miners Wives Support group which operated in the Hetton area of Sunderland during the strike.
Other projects have involved bringing together youngsters and older people from Chopwell and Blackhall Mill in Gateshead who lived through the strike, while a similar venture is under way in Northumberland.
Items collected include a photograph of a cheque from rock star Bruce Springsteen and a letter and Deutschmark sent by a German girl in support of the miners.
Share
