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The Shotton Lodge banner, one of the first banners of the day to be carried along Old Elvet towards the old racecourse. |
My photographs of this event were lost following a computer breakdown. I am most grateful to Doreen and Roy Lambeth for kindly allowing me to use all the following photographs which were taken by Doreen. They have permitted the photographs use for non-commercial purposes only. Please respect their copyright. In some cases I have cropped the photographs and/or made minor adjustments with an image editor, just as I do with my own photographs, to adapt them for use on this web site. Roy and Doreen are involved with the excellent Durham Mining Museum website and you can see photographs from earlier galas dating as far back as 1928 on the Durham Miners' Gala gallery page. |
I've shown Shotton's banner first (I'm biased - I was born there). It was good to see some faces I recognised. Above is Eunice Huntington and her son carrying the banner. Also there helping with the banner were husband Tom and their great grandchild. I'd seen them all about 8.45am as the first banners were carried up Silver street to the Market Place. |
Brass bands lead the banners. At one time each village had it's own brass band, followed by their own banner. The banners are proudly carried by villagers of the mining communties they belong to. Other villagers march or in some cases dance behind them. |
There used to be over 100 deep mines in the Durham coalfield and the Gala was an important day in the calendar of the mineworkers and their union. Here the miners would hear speeches from the senior Labour politicians and union leaders of the day telling them how they intended improving conditions for them. The mineworkers worked in harsh and hard conditions to provide coal, which was the major fuel of the day, for the whole country. The day was also a rare chance to travel to Durham City and enjoy a social occasion. Today there is not a deep mine in over a hundred miles of Durham, but the Gala lives on. This was my first visit in many years, the weather was perfect and I was pleased to see that it was a fun day for the whole family. |
Being a member of the brass band was an enjoyable pastime for the miners in their spare time. Deductions from all the miners' wages used to pay for the band instruments. Miners also had deductions for the upkeep of recreational amenities in their village, which were in the 'Miner's Welfare Park' and included such things as football fields and bowling greens for adults and a play area with swings for the children. When the mines closed a lot of the bands went out of existance. However with the hard work of volunteers who loved the music and with some new sponsors and money raised by the efforts of the band members some bands have been reborn. A lot of the them keep going by mostly being made up of teenagers. Indeed my own son Kevin was for a time a member of Pittington Brass for whom he played the euphonium. A lot of the visitors to the gala go along just to hear the bands who play a variety of musical styles. One of the most moving pieces to be heard is a piece called 'Gresford', also called 'The Miners' Hymn'. It was composed by Robert Saint who was a miner and brass band musician from Hebburn Colliery. It commemorates the 266 men and boys who were killed in an explosion at Gresford Colliery, North Wales, in 1934. Listen to an excerpt from 'Gresford' and some other pieces of music (GO TO MEDIA THEN SOUNDS) courtesy of Lanchester brass band. Follow this link to a very good article by the B.B.C. giving the details of the accident. Including claims of negligence made against the mine owners. Also you can listen to the original radio broadcast made following the accident, by an announcer with a clipped English accent. Finally another good link by Roy Lambeth - photos and words to the hymn, a poem and a folk song about the accident. |
Supporters attend from other parts of the country.... |
...as well as other parts of Europe. |
The area of Durham City that the photos have shown is called Old Elvet and the red coloured building above is Old Shire Hall. It is very near to the infamous Durham Prison. Outside the prison is an open area where crowds would gather to see public hangings of convicted murderers. Opposite a least one of the houses has a first floor balcony so that the owner could get a better view. They sometimes even used to rent it out for such occasions. I suppose that's what would be called enterprise! Follow this link to find out more about this old area of Durham including the the old racecourse where the bands and banners are heading. |
The banners, which are made of silk, often show images of people who were important to the socialist movement, including Labour politicians, trade union leaders and the like. Also popular are biblical scenes which were used to show some socialist principle. Lots of the banners also include some text of a similar socialist nature. Different images and text are shown on either side of the banner. Below are a number of banners which I find interesting...... |
It is interesting to note that the miners, to my knowledge anyway, never went on strike for increased pay but only to protect their jobs and maintain the level of pay they already had. |
This refers to the bitter strike of 1984. |
A banner in a more modern style. The writing on the scythe says, 'FREE MARKET GREED'. |
A biblical scene and then the Houghton banner showing a scene from an earlier gala. Note the people dancing. Judging by the style of clothes I would guess it depicts a scene from the 1950's. |
As well as brass bands there are usually a number of pipe bands which add colour and excitement to the day. |
I haven't traced any video clips of a pipe band at the gala (although listen carefully at the beginning of the video clip in the following link and you can make out the distinctive sounds of a pipe band in the background), Follow this link to get a feeling of the atmosphere created by the bands and the crowds. The clip is from the 2006 gala and they weren't as lucky with the weather. The clip has been taken from the balcony of the County Hotel as the bands are marching back along Old Elvet and making their way to the service at the Cathedral. Outside the hotel this band stops and plays, 'A Taste of Honey'. Get those feet tapping :-) . |
Brass instruments laid in front of the banner on the Old Racecourse as the musicians and banner carriers relax nearby with refreshments and enjoy the entertainment. Hopefully they won't be ending up in 'DORHAM JAIL' :-) |
During the 1920s old industries like coal mining were declining. So in 1921 employers cut wages. In 1926 they proposed to cut wages and increase working hours. The miners leader A.J. Cooke said 'Not a penny off the pay, not a minute on the day'. The miners went on strike and appealed to the other unions to help them. The result was a general strike from midnight on 3 May 1926. This text is taken from an article by Tim Lambert entitled, 'England in the 20th Century'. Some information on the life of Peter Lee who had a new town in County Durham named after him. It's another place where I have lived. Finally details of Kier Hardie who was one of the first Labour M.P.'s elected to parliament. |
Some of the veterans of the 'Bevan Boy scheme' who as young men during the Second World War were conscripted to work in the mines. Chosen at random from all areas of the country, some had never even seen a coal mine before. Often scorned for not having been part of the armed forces they were never honoured for their endeavours, without which the war effort would surely have collapsed. I recently read though that a commemorative lapel badge has now been issued by the government, some 60 years after the war ended. Those who are eligible and would like one need to apply for one. |
Supporters from different generations accompany the Trimdon Grange Banner. |
Trimdon Grange is a name which has gone down in history because of a terrible mining tragedy in 1882 when 74 men and boys were killed in an explosion. The average age of the dead was 26 years and the youngest victim was just 12 years old. At these sad times it was common for a poem or song to be produced on a sheet which was then sold for one penny each. The proceeds went to support the dependants of the victims. It is to be remembered that not only did they lose a husband or son, they lost their income and often their homes which were owned by the mineowners. This link by the Durham Mining Museum site gives details of the victims, note the name Burnett, 3 brothers died in the tragedy. Then you can listen to the folk song, 'Trimdon Grange explosion' in which the 3 brothers are mentioned. The song was written by Tommy Armstrong, who was known as the Pitman Poet. Tommy was certainly a character and he had a fondness for several glasses of ale. It was whilst drunk that an incident occured that was to end up with Tommy spending some time in Durham prison. Whilst he was there he wrote,'NEE GUD LUCK IN DORHAM JAIL’ (There's no good luck in Durham Jail). The same link was used to give the history of Old Elvet. |
The benefits of education for our children being promoted on the banner of Easington Colliery long before it became trendy as a slogan for New Labour politicians as 'Education, education, education'. |
After the speeches by the guest speakers the bands march back along Old Elvet on their way to durham Cathedral. |
This Seaham man stands proudly behind his banner. Shown on the banner are the old pit buildings, now demolished. |
In the photo on the right the white building is the County Hotel. You can see the balcony from which invited guests wave to the bands and the people with the banners as they pass by. In the distance the crowds of people passing over Elvet bridge. I can also make out in the foreground what looks like sandwiches and wine being given out to the crowds. Now where was I when that was going on? |
As the crowds make their way back along Old Elvet I think we've time for another video clip from the 2006 gala. I hope you're marching up and down your room in time to the band. I am!! |
This year's Gala is on Saturday 14th July 2007. There is no entrance fee. Here is an article from a local newspaper........................ |
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That's it for this page. Thanks again to Doreen and Roy and also to all the people whose videos and web pages I've linked to. |