In our continuing series on places in labour history, Joe Stanley draws on his family’s history to recall the pit pony races that raised money and the morale of Rotherham miners during the 1926 general strike. In 1997, my great uncle Denis Stanley (1920-2011) published a history of his childhood in Brinsworth, Rotherham, in the Ivanhoe Review, a journal of local history in his home … Continue reading Canklow meadows: a place in labour history
In the first of a series of articles on places of significance in labour history, Duncan Hamilton tells the story of the Durham Miners’ Gala’s long association with the County Hotel. On the corner of Old Elvet and New Elvet in the city of Durham sits the Royal County Hotel. The Grade II listed building is an amalgam of upper-class housing from the late eighteenth … Continue reading County Hotel, Durham: a place in labour history
Gavin McCann is researching a book on trade unions and education. Here he writes about his visit to the South Wales Miners’ Library in search of a lost culture of socialist education. ‘I was in a second-hand bookshop in Cambridge — it would have been 73-74 — and came across two volumes of the history of the mining industry. I thought, bloody hell, where has … Continue reading Gavin McCann on the libraries of the South Wales miners
The organisers of a one-day conference on coal communities, health and welfare in Britain and abroad are calling for contributions from new and established researchers working inside and outside higher education. The event takes place at the University of Warwick, Coventry, on Thursday 18 June 2026, and has a submission deadline of 25 January 2026. Find out more. Conference summaryThis free one-day conference aims to … Continue reading CfP: Blood is the price of coal: coal communities, health and welfare in Britain and beyond
The government has announced an independent statutory inquiry into the 1984 ‘Battle of Orgreave’, a key event in the year-long miners’ strike during which thousands of police and miners clashed, leaving 120 people injured. In all, 95 pickets at the South Yorkshire coking plant were arrested and charged with riot and violent disorder. But all charges were dropped after evidence was discredited. There has since been … Continue reading Home Secretary sets up statutory inquiry into 1984 ‘Battle of Orgreave’
Work at the Modern Records Centre to catalogue the archive of the Yorkshire Miners Association is now complete with a catalogue live online at the University of Warwick website. The catalogue also includes the records of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) Yorkshire Area and represents a major and significant addition to the collection of NUM and coal mining material held by MRC and now … Continue reading Yorkshire Miners Association archives now indexed and catalogued online
Keith Gildart reports on a conference/symposium on the History and Legacy of the 1984/5 Miners’ Strike, held at the National Coal Mining Museum for England This year marked the fortieth anniversary of the end of the miners’ strike of 1984/5. This seismic event is now widely regarded as one of the key-turning points in post-war British history. In recent years a number of books, articles, … Continue reading Report: the history and legacy of the 1984/5 miners’ strike
People’s History Museum (PHM), Manchester, is offering an opportunity to join its archive team in delving into the museum’s miners’ strike collections. The event takes place on the 40th anniversary of the final day of the 1984-1985 miners’ strike and tells the stories of a defining event in Britain’s history. Visitors can also explore the galleries where they will see objects such as a poster featuring the … Continue reading PHM offers end-of-the-miners’-strike archive exploration
A one-day symposium on the history and legacy of the miners’ strike of 1984/5 takes place at National Mining Museum England in Wakefield on 22 February 2025. The event is organised by National Mining Museum England and supported by the Society for the Study of Labour History. Attendance is free, but please register at the link below if you wish to attend. Programme 10am – … Continue reading Symposium: the history and legacy of the miners’ strike of 1984/5
In the final part of our series on meetings with figures from labour history, Quentin Outram tells the story of miners’ leader Thomas Hepburn’s encounter with mine owner Lord Londonderry, and the two men’s very different lives. Thomas Hepburn (1796-1864) and Charles William Vane, formerly Stewart, 3rd Marquess of Londonderry, KG, GCB, GCH, PC (1778-1854) ‘Where is this great man of yours, your leader Hepburn?’ … Continue reading Class Encounters: Thomas Hepburn, pitmen’s union leader
Society for the Study of Labour History 