Great video but sad. I worked here from 1987 to 1989, driving the loading shovel that loaded fines to 'sweeten' the coal. Used to get my snap & a drink in 2 point!
Great video and very appropriate soundtrack. I would love to use tiny portions of this video to put on mine. I would like to use where the loco is entering the unit, and the waggon being filled with coal. Hope to hear from you...David Cooper
I have spent my working life in construction,and my late father before me,he worked in the pits in the old days,when a yardage per shift was demanded from blokes laid on their sides,undercutting a seam of coal though,like so many more men in the old days.High wages were not the norm everywhere,nor were working conditions the same.All working people who sweat for their bread deserve some respect,and a fair days pay for it.your views mark you for the person you are.
What was/is life like working as a miner? Is an enjoyable job? I'm interested in industrial history, and would be interested in hearing people's stories. Richard
Is this the pit that is now a park, was between Thurnscoe and Goldthorpe? If so I have relatives (now dead) who worked there in the 1920's - 1950's. So I'm quite interested in the history, any photos there might be etc from that time.
this pit isnt a park its now a housing estate & these days you wouldnt even know it were there as the only thing thats reallly left of goldthorpe pit is the weighbridge & loading hopper wall
Hello there, this is an important video. I'm a researcher currently working on two documentaries. I wonder if you have a contact email address I can speak more about possibly using some clips from the video? thanks. Alex.
Wages earnt from area to area varied,as did conditions worked in,some worked in 3ft seams,still do in Wales,some pits you could stand up in and then some.and due to local area variations and agreements,wages varied too.Accidents and fatalities like the 3ft seams were prevalent up to the present day.Some miners in various areas were greedy,workers in all industries are like that,there is plenty of "grabbing" in the building trade,I have seen plenty over the years,my late father did too.
I have worked with ex miners,like all people,some will pull their weight,some will not,again I have met people in every job I have ever done who are like that to be honest.They occur everywhere,most miners I have come across have been affable,hard working,a little opinionated maybe,but usually pretty quick to adapt when shown the ropes.Everyone learns from one another in our game,you should know that.For a few the wage perhaps was a huge comedown,depending on the area you are in.
Government is empowered with responsibility to maintain and grow the economy,keep inflation down,workers in work,keep the wheels oiled and in motion,and in true "Mr Micawber" fashion,to ensure expenditure does not outweigh income.Now all we have one set of morons who just blame each and everyone else for everything,whilst lining their pockets.No one has any faith in the engine of politics any more,for change positive or otherwise.
We led the world in green coal technology,the ways of using it cleanly in industry,Maggie scuppered this too.No need for any emissions anywhere,reserves one day would have run out,but we had enough beneath us,and still do to have been used for our benefit.Rememeber the failed AGR reactor programme? Supposed to replace coal? Never did.these were not the reasons,never were,that the industry was sent to the knackers yard.We need Nuclear for the volume of power we need in the UK now.
I think the Saltley battle was fairly easy win for AS at the time,since then the picketing laws had been altered,coffers built up,along with the coal stocks,specially trained,clandestine groups of the police force,mobile,hard hitters-not bobbies on bikes types men,to put down,crack heads.this was war in the villages,I saw it around me.Maggie stated on achieving office that the subject of the miners was going to be "addressed" then came the Ridley report.
I am no fan of Arthur Scargill,even today he clings to the ghost of things long past,but someone believed in him as a leader,and his predictions for the industry like or loathe him,were true-no pit which went into the review procedure came out with a rosy future,some never even went into the procedure at all.It cost more money to defeat the miners than to win back the Falklands from the Argies were you aware of that?.George Galloway? Prat.
we enjoy many freedoms yes,freedoms hard fought for in many areas,and we do as you say,vote for those who reflect our hopes and interests.Or at best,the slightly less corrupt or bad of a bad lot.But when we do speak up,we are turned a deaf ear to,like errant children to be shooed away whilst the adults are talking.Then when election time comes around,it can be too late.We are kidded on it is democratic when it clearly is not,and we are being cocked a deaf un to.It is not fair.
Only the government should rule? Look at today,people vote for parties which half the time,if we are lucky,actually do a third of what we want them to.It is WE who rule,those in London are elected as our representative at court,to put our case,so to speak.It is we the people who count,and our word which should be acted upon,the government should act upon the will of the people,not behave like robber barons,stealing their own treasury,and ridig roughshod over those who vote them into power.
Ask any party whether those who do not vote count or not,of course they bloody count,it was their absence last time which gave us this shower of bastards.These potential electorate,the disaffected are highly important,as much as I wish they would make an effort,do I blame them for not doing so? No,because I can see why they are disaffected.
regarding the statement you made above which prompted my response,you would have the balls to actually say to someone that when your old workplace closed,you ought to have been buried with it?? Those words.I do not believe you as far as I could throw you.yes the job held danger,plenty of it,look back into the history books,or look at the memorials in any pit village or church,and it was a long time before the high salaries you speak of came in and not everywhere earnt them either.
And since WW1 pits have closed,pits have closed for years,old pits with bad geology,no means of getting productive or good coal,exhaustion.Pits where the money had been spent on high technology,men trained,clean coal snaking it's way to power stations to make cheap,home produced power and plenty of it.Industrial vandalism on a grand scale.
What was the old saying about government? Ruling by consent,the will of the people?? the Tories now carry on where Maggie left off,selling off all they can to their friends and allies in the money realm.I think it is too late,but I hope to god next time people get off their arses and vote,for all our sakes.People do not strike idly.Strikes like war,only happen when talks are going nowhere.withdrawal of labour is all the worker has sadly.
Lets face it,in our line of work we have no real majority in anything,or any real clout or power,so even we were to get shirty-who'd listen to us? No one that's who.A much as I agree with the good unions have done down the years,in all jobs,I tend to think Arthur was fighting a battle other than the obvious one,a more political agenda which was never going to work.I think he saw a social battle,a political battle,and more,Saltley No2 maybe? A bridge too far perhaps for all concerned.
The Tories got in by a small percentage of an even smaller percentage of those who could be arsed to vote-fact. The whole thing was only made quasi viable by the ConDem pact,ConDem us they have too! I have shit better democracy to be honest mate. Maybe if people were convinced there was something or someone worth placing their faith in,who would listen and take on their cause,they would vote,in droves. Politics has been brought into total disrepute now.
Not everyone has the intelligence,acumen,connections,or nerve to get into or succeed in politics,or are marginal in their area of politics,like Nigel Farage and co,the BNP,EDL not parties you could ever elect to govern because they have no policies per se.Nothing credible anyhow.People too are inclined to use their vote as a protest too,without thinking.A lot has to happen before people are seduced by politics, if ever again.
Maggy the scab is dead. well done goldthorpe for sending off in the fashion she deserves
Was a kid when that got took down in school. First time in 30 years I came back to see Bella woods and it's gone 😢
Great video but sad. I worked here from 1987 to 1989, driving the loading shovel that loaded fines to 'sweeten' the coal. Used to get my snap & a drink in 2 point!
Great video and very appropriate soundtrack. I would love to use tiny portions of this video to put on mine. I would like to use where the loco is entering the unit, and the waggon being filled with coal. Hope to hear from you...David Cooper
Bit ironic after watching ur video with the big copyright warning at the end 😆
Izz that Frank Wink Wilkinson giving the finger at 0.28 ??
I have spent my working life in construction,and my late father before me,he worked in the pits in the old days,when a yardage per shift was demanded from blokes laid on their sides,undercutting a seam of coal though,like so many more men in the old days.High wages were not the norm everywhere,nor were working conditions the same.All working people who sweat for their bread deserve some respect,and a fair days pay for it.your views mark you for the person you are.
What was/is life like working as a miner? Is an enjoyable job? I'm interested in industrial history, and would be interested in hearing people's stories.
Richard
i remember this happening i think i was in year 8 at dearne high i went down there a couple of times wiv burt and my dog was buried there b
Is this the pit that is now a park, was between Thurnscoe and Goldthorpe? If so I have relatives (now dead) who worked there in the 1920's - 1950's. So I'm quite interested in the history, any photos there might be etc from that time.
this pit isnt a park its now a housing estate & these days you wouldnt even know it were there as the only thing thats reallly left of goldthorpe pit is the weighbridge & loading hopper wall
The end of an era, sad really.
Hello there, this is an important video. I'm a researcher currently working on two documentaries. I wonder if you have a contact email address I can speak more about possibly using some clips from the video? thanks. Alex.
Wages earnt from area to area varied,as did conditions worked in,some worked in 3ft seams,still do in Wales,some pits you could stand up in and then some.and due to local area variations and agreements,wages varied too.Accidents and fatalities like the 3ft seams were prevalent up to the present day.Some miners in various areas were greedy,workers in all industries are like that,there is plenty of "grabbing" in the building trade,I have seen plenty over the years,my late father did too.
I have worked with ex miners,like all people,some will pull their weight,some will not,again I have met people in every job I have ever done who are like that to be honest.They occur everywhere,most miners I have come across have been affable,hard working,a little opinionated maybe,but usually pretty quick to adapt when shown the ropes.Everyone learns from one another in our game,you should know that.For a few the wage perhaps was a huge comedown,depending on the area you are in.
Government is empowered with responsibility to maintain and grow the economy,keep inflation down,workers in work,keep the wheels oiled and in motion,and in true "Mr Micawber" fashion,to ensure expenditure does not outweigh income.Now all we have one set of morons who just blame each and everyone else for everything,whilst lining their pockets.No one has any faith in the engine of politics any more,for change positive or otherwise.
We led the world in green coal technology,the ways of using it cleanly in industry,Maggie scuppered this too.No need for any emissions anywhere,reserves one day would have run out,but we had enough beneath us,and still do to have been used for our benefit.Rememeber the failed AGR reactor programme? Supposed to replace coal? Never did.these were not the reasons,never were,that the industry was sent to the knackers yard.We need Nuclear for the volume of power we need in the UK now.
I think the Saltley battle was fairly easy win for AS at the time,since then the picketing laws had been altered,coffers built up,along with the coal stocks,specially trained,clandestine groups of the police force,mobile,hard hitters-not bobbies on bikes types men,to put down,crack heads.this was war in the villages,I saw it around me.Maggie stated on achieving office that the subject of the miners was going to be "addressed" then came the Ridley report.
And of course you would have the balls to go and say exactly that to one or two ex or still serving miners?
I am no fan of Arthur Scargill,even today he clings to the ghost of things long past,but someone believed in him as a leader,and his predictions for the industry like or loathe him,were true-no pit which went into the review procedure came out with a rosy future,some never even went into the procedure at all.It cost more money to defeat the miners than to win back the Falklands from the Argies were you aware of that?.George Galloway? Prat.
we enjoy many freedoms yes,freedoms hard fought for in many areas,and we do as you say,vote for those who reflect our hopes and interests.Or at best,the slightly less corrupt or bad of a bad lot.But when we do speak up,we are turned a deaf ear to,like errant children to be shooed away whilst the adults are talking.Then when election time comes around,it can be too late.We are kidded on it is democratic when it clearly is not,and we are being cocked a deaf un to.It is not fair.
Won't be long now until Thatchers death....
Only the government should rule? Look at today,people vote for parties which half the time,if we are lucky,actually do a third of what we want them to.It is WE who rule,those in London are elected as our representative at court,to put our case,so to speak.It is we the people who count,and our word which should be acted upon,the government should act upon the will of the people,not behave like robber barons,stealing their own treasury,and ridig roughshod over those who vote them into power.
Ask any party whether those who do not vote count or not,of course they bloody count,it was their absence last time which gave us this shower of bastards.These potential electorate,the disaffected are highly important,as much as I wish they would make an effort,do I blame them for not doing so? No,because I can see why they are disaffected.
regarding the statement you made above which prompted my response,you would have the balls to actually say to someone that when your old workplace closed,you ought to have been buried with it?? Those words.I do not believe you as far as I could throw you.yes the job held danger,plenty of it,look back into the history books,or look at the memorials in any pit village or church,and it was a long time before the high salaries you speak of came in and not everywhere earnt them either.
And since WW1 pits have closed,pits have closed for years,old pits with bad geology,no means of getting productive or good coal,exhaustion.Pits where the money had been spent on high technology,men trained,clean coal snaking it's way to power stations to make cheap,home produced power and plenty of it.Industrial vandalism on a grand scale.
What was the old saying about government? Ruling by consent,the will of the people?? the Tories now carry on where Maggie left off,selling off all they can to their friends and allies in the money realm.I think it is too late,but I hope to god next time people get off their arses and vote,for all our sakes.People do not strike idly.Strikes like war,only happen when talks are going nowhere.withdrawal of labour is all the worker has sadly.
Lets face it,in our line of work we have no real majority in anything,or any real clout or power,so even we were to get shirty-who'd listen to us? No one that's who.A much as I agree with the good unions have done down the years,in all jobs,I tend to think Arthur was fighting a battle other than the obvious one,a more political agenda which was never going to work.I think he saw a social battle,a political battle,and more,Saltley No2 maybe? A bridge too far perhaps for all concerned.
The Tories got in by a small percentage of an even smaller percentage of those who could be arsed to vote-fact.
The whole thing was only made quasi viable by the ConDem pact,ConDem us they have too!
I have shit better democracy to be honest mate.
Maybe if people were convinced there was something or someone worth placing their faith in,who would listen and take on their cause,they would vote,in droves.
Politics has been brought into total disrepute now.
Not everyone has the intelligence,acumen,connections,or nerve to get into or succeed in politics,or are marginal in their area of politics,like Nigel Farage and co,the BNP,EDL not parties you could ever elect to govern because they have no policies per se.Nothing credible anyhow.People too are inclined to use their vote as a protest too,without thinking.A lot has to happen before people are seduced by politics, if ever again.