The Miner's Strike

Day by Day

Brian Elliot

• Editorial: Wharncliffe Books
• Año: 2010
• ISBN:
  9781783379026
• Categoría: History
• Categoría: World History

Facing probable redundancy in his mid-fifties, South Elmsall miner Arthur Wakefield, fought for jobs and communities throughout the great strike of 1984/85. He also kept a marvellous diary, recording his experiences, impressions and events in considerable detail. The diary is a unique personal day by day account of the most bitter industrial dispute of the 20th century. Armed with nothing more than determination and a camera, he by-passed countless blockades and in the early hours of the morning he would join his colleagues at picket lines at pits, ports, power stations and works in many parts of Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, Lancashire and the Midlands. He also attended many rallies and marches, and was a regular 'support the miners' collector in London. Arthur Wakefield was a key witness at the 'Battle of Orgreave', on 18 June 1984, which he describes as 'Monday, Bloody Monday', the 100th day of the strike. His descriptions of the 'Battle' contained here in this book have also helped produce an historical live re-enactment to be shown on Channel 4 in April.

VII

‘…some cheered and others were silent’

(at the end of the Great Strike)

Day 301 to Day 361 January-March 1985

Our Right to Picket our Pit: Children ride on the Frickley banner.

The Last Shift

•

Arise the sun behind yon peak and warm the miners as they sleep for when they rise to toil and strive walk up the lane to yon beehive but where’s it gone can you perceive all you know, and did believe. She took it all and did destroy no more men to deploy.

•

Charles Stuart

EDITOR’S SUMMARY

The depth of winter was, understandably, a bleak period for the striking miners and their families. Finances were very low and they did what they could to help each other despite suffering extreme hardship: collecting logs from the local woods, picking coal, digging for ash, obtaining food donations and vouchers from the union and supporters, and getting help from the Frickley Women’s Groups. All this helped to maintain morale during very difficult times. As they entered the tenth month of the strike, usually against the odds, Arthur and his friends continued to picket their local pits. On the morning of 7 January, with snow on the ground, confrontation was lively and good humoured, at least to begin with; but the friendly snowballs and ‘a rendition of the ‘Conga’ turned nasty when the pickets, in two groups, and outnumbered, were charged at by the ‘riot squad’. Typically, matters were inflamed when police dogs were deployed. At Frickley and South Kirkby, a pattern of events developed during the tense minutes before the escorted scabs arrived for work. There was usually a push by 100-150 miners and counter action by the police, whose early ranks were swollen by officers disembarked from parked transit vans. Despite the activity and freezing condition, Arthur continued to take photographs, despite police annoyance, as on the morning of 23 January, when a miner was dragged away from the main group amid violent scenes. On 1 February, Arthur describes a visit to Cortonwood Colliery, the pit that is generally regarded as ‘sparking off’ the strike. Before arrival, he describes a high level of riot police around Middlecliffe crossroads, near Great Houghton. The next day he was off on what would be his last stint of duty on the streets of London where support was particularly appreciated from SOGAT and Collet’s bookshop. On his return home, Arthur takes part in a Miners’ Solidarity March and returns to picket duty at Frickley/South Elmsall, Bentley and South Kirkby. On Saturday, 16 February, he takes matters in his own hands, in a thwarted attempt to ‘mark’ a scab and two days’ later describes the presence of ‘Met’ police reinforcements during a mass gathering at Frickley. Despite the Yorkshire NUM’s ‘No Surrender’ stance, Arthur and his friends receive – with mixed emotion – news of the end of the strike – without a settlement – during the annual Brass Band and Choir Festival, at Sheffield City Hall, on Sunday 3 March. The final day of picketing at Frickley took place on the Monday, followed with a local decision to return to work on the Tuesday; but Arthur and his colleagues refused to pass the official picket of the Kent Miners’ NUM. Finally, Arthur describes his first few, and understandably difficult days at work, in his last diary entries, amid inevitable thoughts of redundancy and retirement.

Day 301: Saturday, 5 January 1985

Go down to the Miners’ Institute where FLAG are giving out sacks of potatoes. There’s a good crowd, always the same when there’s something going free, but not all of them are keen to join the picket line. The committee are meeting and our Secretary wants to see me concerning Stephen changing solicitors. I collect my potatoes, six bags of them. Tony Short and two other lads give me a hand. I take a bag of coal and a bag of logs to Harold Jones’ house. His wife thanked me for them and told me that the NUM were going to get some for her. When I get home I clean the gas cooker and go round with the hoover and then, after dinner, go to the Alpha for an hour.

Day 302: Sunday, 6 January 1985

Margaret is back from London today. Arthur phones to tell me that they will be leaving at 10.30 am. He has to make a court appearance. I need to get dinner ready. We are playing the Mill Lane Club at the Alpha so I just manage to get everything ready before I go. We lose 3-4 in a close game of darts. Get home for 2.30 pm just when a van arrives at the front gate. I give Margaret and Arthur a hand with their luggage, then we have our dinner.

A police transit escorts scabs at South Kirkby, January 1985.

Day 303: Monday, 7 January 1985

Back in action. I arrive at the Strike Centre at 4.15 am. There’s six inch of snow on the ground. Vin Stones takes down names of pickets and car registration numbers but no money as yet since Dickie has overslept again. At 4.30 am we leave for the pit. Some lasses from FLAG are with us this morning, bless ’em. There are about twenty police in the pit yard and I am very pleased with the number of pickets that have turned up, some I had never seen before. At 5.00 am more police arrive and they start to move us back but there aren’t enough of them. We resisted and pushed them all over the road. They went into the pit yard and stayed there. Some of the lads started throwing snowballs at one another and having a bit of fun. At 5.15 am some police vans come down the lane. We then knew the scabs were on their way. The police have another go at us. We finished up in two groups. Some started singing the Conga as they were pushing. Each group held its own. It looked like victory for us as the scabs had not arrived by 5.50 am. More police vans come down the lane, some of them containing the riot squad. They charge straight up the road towards us. The lads have to move back. I tell two of the women to get away from the middle of the road. At 6.00 am the scabs arrive and their van goes in to a chorus of abuse. Two of the lads have been bitten by police dogs. Three police were injured and there were four arrests.

Day 304: Tuesday, 8 January 1985

It’s 3.45 am and I wake Alisa who wants to go picketing with me this morning. I put Alisa’s name down along with mine at the Strike Centre. We walk up to the pit and Alisa goes straight to the front line. I talk to Lee Shotter and then go to the front where I see Sam Horsfall and Peter Walton. The television cameramen are there again. The police outnumber us to start with but we have a good turn out of pickets by 5.00 am. We give a good push and Alisa gets among them but it’s all over in five minutes. I take a couple of photographs, there’s some shouting of abuse as we turn to go home. Not as much action as yesterday.

On the front line at Frickley, January 1985.

Day 305: Wednesday, 9 January 1985

Alisa gets up at 4.00 am and, with Alan Yates and myself we go to the Strike Centre. John Neesham asks to join us. It’s 4.40 am when we get to the picket line. There’s a good police presence. They are taking no chances after our victory on Monday. The police get into position and Alisa goes to the front as usual. I keep an eye on her the best I can. The lads give a push just as I’m taking photographs. The scab van goes in without any incident. There were no arrests or injuries. There were about 150 lads and 250 police.

On the front line at Frickley, January 1985.

Day 306: Thursday, 10 January 1985

Woke up this morning before the alarm went off. It was 3.30 am, too early for Alisa. At 3.45 am David arrives and says that he will go picketing with us (Alisa, Colin, Andy and myself). We get away at 4.15 am and report to the Strike Centre. There is a good attendance of lads and a few women, including one from France who is staying with relatives in South Kirkby. There’s only six police on the front line when we arrive at 4.35 am. I walk to the gate where the six pickets are allowed and tell them to give a loud shout when the scabs arrive. Back at the main picket line I stand with our David and John Neesham. I warn Alisa to stay away from the front line in the event of a push. More police arrive at 4.50 am, so the scabs won’t be long now. We receive the shout: ‘There here!’ and we make a big push. I hear our David shout to Alisa but it’s too late, she is lost in the action. The police inspector calls out ‘That’s it! There in’, meaning the scabs. There were no arrests.

Day 307: Friday, 11 January 1985

Up at 4.00 am. I’m with my sons Colin, Arthur and Graham. We pick up Alan and that’s the car full. Vin Stones gives the money out at the Miners’ and we head for the picket line. The lads are stood in groups and most of the police wait in their vans. At 4.50 am some of the lads get restless and shout at the police whereupon the other police in the vans get out and come to life. They make a wall about six yards away from the first wall. The scabs arrive at 4.55 am and there is a big push. I go into action with my camera and at the same time shout abuse at the scabs. There’s some dirty work by the police in the push and Vin Stones speaks to the police Superintendent about it. Alan Yates gets his hair pulled, some other lads get kicked but it’s over by 5.05 am. There’s just one arrest – a lad called Bob Stevens. We get home at 5.20 am. Alisa is going home, back to London. Margaret and Arthur are also going there over the weekend.

Day 308: Saturday, 12 January 1985

General meeting at the Miners’ Institute but if I had not gone down there for my £4 hardship money I would not have known about it. John Stones, our Delegate, was speaking when I arrived at 11.15 am. There was a good attendance of members. Rumours were going about concerning members being dismissed from the pit after twelve months absence. Our Secretary, Geoff Siddons took over and assured us that at this stage it was just rumour. We can’t even think about going back on the NCB terms, even after ten months of hardship. We would not only let ourselves down but also all the people who have supported us from day one. Our President, Keith Proverbs took the platform and appealed to the members to stay solid and with this he declared the meeting closed.

Day 309: Sunday, 13 January 1985

Margaret and Arthur return from London today. At the Alpha we play the Fitzwilliam Hotel and win 5-2. On my way home I call at my friends, Arthur and Ethel Ayres. Margaret arrives at 3.00 pm.

Day 310: Monday, 14 January 1985

I’m at the picket line for 4.40 am. The police reinforcements are in their vans. I walk about a bit and see Paul Symonds and ask him about the leaflets for the power stations. He tells me that he has got them in the van and he asks if we can distribute them at Ferrybridge later this morning. I go to the front line. The lads make a push when the scabs arrive and some throw a few snowballs. One policeman on the front line didn’t like it and breaks away from his rank to snatch one of the lads. There’s no arrests, though. I look for my passengers and tell them that I’ll be going to Ferrybridge after taking them home. Alan says he will go with me. The other lads travelling with me are Dave Bun and ‘Jona’. We arrive at 5.45 am and its freezing cold. We set ourselves up at the entrance gates. After about an hour two lads pull up in a car. They do picket duty on this gate, so direct us to gate number 3. From 7.00 am to 8.00 am we give out all the leaflets. Two chaps from the Socialist Workers’ Party are there with a camera. We leave at 8.00 am. At 10.00 am, report to the Strike Centre and then home. The weather is bad, snowstorms, but I set off to Lincoln prison but had a lot of trouble with a broken windscreen wiper in the snowstorm, glad to get home for 5.15 pm.

Day 311: Tuesday, 15 January 1985

Our Graham is going this morning, so I give him a ring and Alan Yates arrives at 4.10 am. We get to the picket line at 4.40 am. There are six policemen across the road, the rest in their vans in the pit yard. The lads stand in groups, talking. The rest of the police join the line at 4.50 am. There is one of the lads – Arthur Thorpe – who always stands close up to the police wall, with his back to them. The six pickets shout to warn us that the scabs are here and, as usual it’s all over in five minutes. As I go to the car Paul S...