Rather than a thin volume I should say there is an awful lot of meat
encapsulated within the last 30 year of coal mining.
Technology has come on leaps and bounds within that period to the extent than
except for within headings most of the heavy manual labour within the pit was
eliminated, attitudes changed drastically. Miners were more integrated within
society rather than living within the 'pit village' which brought
irreversible changes towards their outlook.
There was also the sub culture of the licensed mines that few have explored
where men endeavoured to keep the industry alive and strike out in the old
clondike fashion. These new coal owners were not landed gentry but normal men
who's homes now lay in the hands of the bank if the pit didn't make it they
were gone! I think we could make a few volumes on their struggles from 5am
till 11pm 6 or 7 days a week.
Likewise the attutude to pit closures, those who took the money and ran and
those who wanted to keep their jobs. That is a very emotive subject not
wanted to be tackled by many. Then we could have a few volumes on the pro's
and cons of the NCB and was it a success or failure.
The struggles of today are just as hard as those of 1926 and 1884 just they
are not publicised. The biggest owner, UK Coal, wants as much money for share
holders then shut whilst the ones that want to keep going come up against
obstacle after obstacle. Maybe it's a thin volume because of all the people
on the list only a few have taken an interest in one of the smallest and one
which operates the oldest working methods in the country. Apart from one on
the list nobody has asked for a look down. And one prominent contributor was
asked but hasn't even given the decency of a reply.
The Coal Authority is trying to do a good job of preserving our heritage and
has built new facilities for this purpose. I can't think of any other mining
organisation in the country trying to match this.
I Didn't think it needed government authority to 'meddle' in mettle mining it
is a logical second step. Mining is mining. People who work within mining,
whether it be coal, metal or snow have more affinity with mining with those
who don't as their living and aspirations are tied up within the industry.
Lets help them as historians and not be 'knockers' now there's a pun
Clive
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