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Coal Miner and T.U. Official Interview |
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In an unedited oral history audio interview, one man tells the story of his life working as a coal miner at Whitwick Colliery in the East Midlands during much of the twentieth century. Born in 1911, he recalls his childhood in a mining family, and how he began work at the colliery aged 14 despite the pit being regarded as a last resort. He talks about the strong Christian beliefs of the pitmen, and the role of religion for those working underground. He remembers a tight community in Whitwick and the surrounding area and gives a detailed description of the basic comforts of his home. He recalls the General Strike of 1926 only a few weeks after he had begun work, and the issues faced by his father, a strong socialist, resisting orders in the privately owned mine.He describes his political life, through attending his first union meeting aged 17, becoming secretary and treasurer and by 1936 being elected as a branch delegate. He recalls leaving the labour party to become a member of the Communists, only to leave in 1941 when Stalin formed a pact with Germany. He was associated with the ‘Moral Rearmament’ movement and in a particularly interesting section is asked how he reconciled his membership of the Communist Party with his religious beliefs. He recounts his experiences as a miner during the Second World War and talks about the ‘Bevin Boys’ – sent to the mines as an alternative to National Service in the armed forces. He names and remembers some of the colourful characters he met at the colliery and goes on to talk about miner’s leisure interests, in particular pigeon and greyhound racing and gambling. He recalls the Whitwick Male Voice Choir, whose lead tenor was killed down the mine. There is a detailed description of the nationalisation of the industry in 1947 and the subsequent introduction of machinery, wage structures and ‘industrial relations’. He discusses the incidence of accidents down the mines, pneumoconiosis and regional variations in mining practice. He talks about disapproving of NUM tactics during the 1970s, and how he came to leave the industry in 1976. There is some interference during this recording but the speech is audible throughout. The original recording is held by the East Midlands Oral History Archive (EMOHA ref: 47, MA200/048/048), more information can be found at http://www.le.ac.uk/emoha/. The recoding lasts for 1 hour 32 minutes and 31 seconds.
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| Creators: |
Interviewee - Smith, Frank
Interviewer - Carswell, J.
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Subject: |
Oral History
History
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| Contributors: |
East Midlands Oral History Archive - Other
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Date created:
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29 / 11 / 1988
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Language:
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English
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Country:
Region:
City:
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United Kingdom
East Midlands
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Rights:
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Community Media Association has non exclusive rights for the use of the work in The Showcase, but the overall copyright rests with East Midlands Oral History Archive. Copyright East Midlands Oral History Archive
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