Grimethorpe – BBC Everyman Documentary 1992

BBC Documentary series Everyman, focussing on the South Yorkshire mining village of Grimethorpe (near Barnsley) in 1992, and the effects of the miners strike and the impending closure of Grimethorpe Colliery. Copyright BBC (if this breaks copyright rules, this video will be removed).

Man now visits Grime Thorp cury in South Yorkshire to examine the impact of the pit closures on the mining Community A The timer says that the information that British call is giving us is wrong and is as as far as I am aware now in contact with British Co putting them right on that matter the information we give you yesterday still stands and that is the right information all right

Go we about 650 left that’s not accepted redundancy and uh the we we’ve been told that he will require about 150 to 200 of them men uh the rest of the workforce will be sent home on pay all the all it is is scare tac from cwood to get you to

Youry and Sh back door right as a woman what would it means to know that the men in your family might be fa facing the doll in a matter of days well it’s awful it’s you can’t just describe it thinking about you know the the other family their families as

Well it’s just too much can’t I can’t really talk and so much about it we’ve got it we’ve got all the piters terce houses a lot I mean ideal Canadian American television you’re welcome okay bye Canada Canadian regarding the pictorial view of what yeah I don’t know I don’t know if

She’s thinking about coming down and finding a few bu dis boxing A minor in in in Grime Thorp is no different to a minor in in Doncaster a minor in Kent or a minor in Durham the only difference between us all is that we’ve got different accents but we’re all miners I mean that is basically the

All thing we all of his own types of humor and the humor is is universal and and that and the pride of that actually getting the job done I mean you’re doing a masculine job in a masculine atmosphere uh in a dirty horible atmosphere but there’s some kind

Of Pride when you’ve done it I mean it’s it’s hard to describe but certainly I’ve never been ashamed of it and I will always carry it pride no matter where I go on from if the close Grime th I will always describe myself as Kenan minor

We’ve been born into this world uh a minor sort of thing it’s just um kind of race of its own you’re part of that got your [Applause] L you’re surrounded by um the spoil leap the cor lores the mine itself the structure the people it’s all about mining in ground thought nothing else just Mining and um when you’ve been brought into the world in that kind of environment you have a sense of

Pride you had a feeling you were proud to be a minor that Pride will probably always be there although it will not be the same effect once the color is gone oh 15 years I I was so I would I would I was so mat I mean it

Would unbelievable and I look back at at at some times I’ve had when we’ve all been there I mean you’re all 15y old kids trying to prove yourself in world and you’re all going to try and be a little bit better than Joe blogs next

Door and I would always I would always a big lad I would always buil built Big framed I mean and I I were going to prove to rest that I could work as hard if not harder than them I mean a m is not happy unless

He’s worked hard in the rest of his four mates that’s just that’s what’s built into you there’s no there’s no idle miners there some works less than others well there’s no Idol Miners and the threat to the pit is it’s a threat to the whole community and to

Each member of it and so it’s important for the church and for all the people who care about Grime folk to be involved in supporting the miners fight at the moment fine thanks very much okay can I just ask your name sir uh it’s Tony mcfur at first we we thought that probably

Only fill four or five coaches but the momentum’s grown and grown and we’ve got 21 from grf we I think we’ve had a good turnout to women and I think there will be lots of women’s groups there to to back us up as they have done it past

We’ve we’ve had lots of support off the women power to the feminist least you got the women with you though oh yeah yeah we come to manage we and we 8485 I mean there’s been a few years in between that I could have managed without him but I think

That’s where no I’m proud to match along with my wife and my children I mean that this will do ni some more good than sitting and watching it on television at least it will saying 20 30 years time when we’re all done with bits or whatever to get the way saying I was

There and I supported my dad and my mom brilliant and I love it first let me tell you to the thousands of you are there from this corner right the way the sweep right the way through over to this corner you are now over 300 y deep and I still have to

Tell you that there’re still Mar watchingg up Park line to get into this Plan a very special speaker because he comes to us from a mining Village Grim in Yorkers and I have great pleasure in introducing to you father Tony [Applause] MERS can I start off this afternoon by saying thank you thank you to so many people who have come together in this

Park and on this march today for the people of grime Thorp and the people of the other Villages that are affected by these terrible closures that have been announced these M deny something of the Dignity of the people of my parish and of the people of the other parishes affective we want a

[Applause] Future I will my heart we are The Well I’ve been to work this morning um finished work come home had some dinner then I decided to go job on in two days left to go now is the time to try and uh see what there is for me did you find anything where abouts

Did you go drop well I went to um sash which is a double glazing firming Grime thp it’s that long since I filled an application form and it just seemed a little strange um details which I never expected being on what I’ve got to fill in even brief details of pastimes obbies

And Sport carried out well my specialties I suppose is coin collecting record collection love watching football please tell us why you feel you would be more suited for the position you are applying for again if I can’t contribute to Grand color anymore sash must have the best

Alternative I’ve lived in Grand Thor all my life I’m willing to give my best H job if I can get one I put down it’s hard to be unemployed after 20 years work so it’s my only chance to cont continuation and supporting my family I’ve asked for serious

Consideration and help restore a little self resect so that just about sums the uh job application it is important our work you need some self-respect you need something to keep you sane you need something to keep you busy now we’re brought up to work I’m working class and I’m proud of it have

No bones about that I’m working class I’m not trying to shed no image and trying to say that I’m no I’m not one of these working class wers I’m working class and I’m proud of it I want work I’m prepared to work this government and

Nobody else will let me work it’s not me that don’t want to work they’re just taking my work away from me I mean at 40 year old it’s it’s a funny time to have to pick up and start a new career to find something new to do besides that I would

Always confident that Ken would be a m would would finish his days his working life would be done he would start his working days as a minor and he would finish that pit would still be there that’s a young [Laughter] Fergie a young Woody that’s Johnny oh me

Mustache I’m there I’m beeping through like a rat brush Ken is he can that’s a younger me even Johnny had a mustache after them were probably three best looking Lads at Grand they were a a photo to Mark Victory fruit stri and uh do you know what happened

Like that’s brilliant I I love that picture that one that’s how those to line up Shield that one seen that filmo when they all when they all line up they beat the shields well that’s what they used to do and we pick that’s [Laughter] right I think this one says

It’s now we taking soft touching the still EA asard the brookers broke his head his that’s what you get for f fighting for the job that’s what I miss more that’s what I is more than fet it’s mimat that I work with yeah this one I mean you take some stick you take

Some stick and that this Pho is a typical example this one is second match after the death of David G Jones which would have m a kill during It Strike and as you can see people turning out in snow to amk of respect for that lad and

And such as Joe Green as well and I think the thing that all almost out in my mind is them Lads that were sacked F disput they still sacked never got the jobs back all they were asking for work this this lad lost his life it such as

That photo I stick in my mind CU showing M respect for your mates things that that I think a lot his own [Applause] M and we still fighting anyway for it hoping it’s still we got to fight for it option we no there’s no other option there’s [Applause]

No and get I’m sorry you’re too old for job and that and they keep trying for jobs and what have you I mean they’ve already been thrown on scrap he to start off with after they’ve been told that they’re no good for a job so many times

They feel as though they’re no good for anything and that I think that is what actually gets them to rot bottom and makes them feel that l i mean if some tells you you know go for long enough Ken is totally shed he’s just come to to a point in his

Life where he were doing really well in his job he enjoys his work and then this happened well at present he’s he’s dead busy I don’t know how it’s going to affect him when it all stop I mean like me we hear some on tell I mean that

Tuesday when they announced that I mean we cried H Matthew could see I mean Charlotte didn’t know what would happening Charlotte just what up with him and then I’ll not mention his name but a mat ass came around I made him a cup of coffee and if we all didn’t sit

Down again and someone else will mention and this is a single lad single lad and we all and we were all at it again we were all saying oh shut up don’t start me off again because it I was been declared on yesterday I woke up with an headache

And had an headache continuous all day and all it was a worry you know because because women me to think you know what a change cuz I’ve seen it happen I am so scared to what is it is actually going to do to him not this Christmas and not this summer when it’s

All new to us we’ll have a nice H we as kids will’ll still be all right it’s when you know when press has gone and when it story blown over when everybody’s forgot about us and we’re still stuck here all together what is going toen what is toen

It’s it’s going to be it’s going to be difficult for a lot of lads I mean we’ve we’ we’ve all gone to the same schools we were I mean I’ve got mates at pit that I went to Junior School we started at Junior School we went through from

Junior to to middle school then up to high school did all the schooling together started at pit same day did all his basic training together worked together basically for 25 year I mean it’s you’re not not losing a work mate you’re losing a brother you’re losing a

Son you’re losing a father I mean it’s it’s a way of life be closed us it clothed us he fed us he took us on holid it’s warmed us kept kept kept us warm it’s done a lot for us but most thing that always stick in my mind is men

That’s work there the brilliant Lads there’s no way no two ways getting about it they’re just great Lads that you work with I know soldiers might get on about there man it’s like that’s in Northern Ireland and things like that but these Lads they didn’t fer it every day some have been

Down there 30 years at picker it but they’re they’re the be that best bet any army Man [Applause] you so just for the record it’s Brian Lewis it’s Brian Lewis Yorkshire art circus Castle Brian tell me how how did the project come about well on the Wednesday after the fit closure program was announced on the Tuesday Mel Dyke the head teacher the deputy head teacher of

This school phoned me in Castleford and said could we do a book by Christmas and I said no I think we should do a book very very quickly we should do a book actually in a day a lot of people outside Manning Community don’t realize that that pits don’t exist in cities

Pits exist in villages which were which were created for the exploitation of Co and grandfather worked at the Coler the father worked at the cery sadly were women F injuries and other illnesses and died to nearly 48 yeah never wanted me to work at the cery well I came to the cery

Um for a job for Life yeah we’ve got to Bear some responsibility uh for not supporting the M industry personally I’ve got seven open Fighters youve got seven yeah I despise Men Who come out with ter I’m only a minor you because I don’t

Feel that I’m only a m and I feel that I’m one of these that’s producing wealth of this country and keeping lights on and eating that keeps his warm could be a remarkable celebration of of a day which is not a day which you would normally celebrate this is this is real

History that we that’s right oh yeah even when you were a kid you were a minor yeah you part of the mining Community you you were quick you s to that man’s world weren’t you your father were a minor your uncles your cousins they were all miners women worked in um

In the Mills and clothing factories things like that there’s none of them jobs for them around here neither got a sense of Pride you even spoke with pride when when you say I’m a minor when I think about it it’s enough to put the ghost pimples all over you

That sense of Pride be great will you will you give a story to somebody yeah father Tony we want everybody to have their feelings recorded today it it shows at it at its harvest in where you get communities which have one purpose one purposing col the the the the mining

Of course a respectable proud tradition and you take it away from them and what is hateful as well is you don’t know understand I’m going to close your picture say I’m going to do it the day after tomorrow you don’t treat people like that I’ve not not been eating I don’t sleep I’m

Just oh you know I mean I don’t want to say I’m breaking down into tears at times my wife especially when I see reports and look at kids what there’s always that feeling inside in my own personal feeling I’m a bit more Resolute than that so to I

Ain’t going to let him grind me down you know I’m going to go down yeah they’re going to drag me from that Kicking and Screaming I ain’t walking away from that jump they’re going to CH me out simple as that right then so could you could you envisage getting on your bike

Then no I might as well rot in my Village for the rest of me life I think it’ take a 2 million pwi to rip me from ground so yeah other than that I’m quite prepared to spend the rest of my life here I definitely wouldn’t took Ro my family in

Search of a job down south or anywhere no it’s simple I’m born and Bre in Grand thought the color were there before I were born and I expected it to be there after my death I went to job at Grand color yeah but there people dename me that

Right Bry old do spy old do yeah what Spy old that’s we to play what you going Do the CH has made it three what a half it’s thr out to be for Barsley the thing about Grand thing that CES up what people think about is because it’s ours we live here this is our community I mean I don’t want to live in in s or6 because I’m not I won’t born down there I’m not I’m not from Su

I’m not from susex I’m from grth simple as that and okay it’s a dirty place it might be to some people who never live around it backside it World in fact the people certain people on barsley Council Grime Thor stops you know barsley stops at shafted we don’t exist down this

Necker woods but end of the day this Village has provided employment since for virtually 100 year for people who condemn the same same Village there’s no wrong with this Village and it’s not what village looks like basically is it I mean it’s people that surround you that’s the main thing it’s not how

Pretty a village looks it’s no good living in a pretty Village somewhere if nobody’s got time and a for you but around here everybody if everybody cares for one another something happens in Village everybody rallies around to help that that person if they’re in difficulty we love it kid don’t we yeah s

Vage me it’s been a marvelous turnout so that’s the the first thanks from Grime thop you all know the story the case for grime Thor and that’s what I’m going to highlight I’ve wrote all these bits out and I’m not even going to bother now this year currently an unprofitable pit

Is making 2.7 million pound profit in fact last week when we were calling and that were the week when Lads were ejected the Reds were down nobody were going to consider uh working too hard we made a quarter million pound profit in one week but I can rest you can rest

Assured the n and the grth miners and the O miners will not backtrack The Lads that’s still there we’re going to keep fighting for his jobs no matter how long it takes I would like to invite any of the select committee any of the to MPS

Including T to come to grth and have a look at what we’re doing and they mind about they know what’s best my Pit’s making profit we’re we’re in a profitable situation grindt should stop open and I thank you very much for your [Applause] support the anger will probably subside it’ll never

Disappear it’ll all be built up in there um I should find some outlet for it whether it politically or Trade union wise or whatever but I shall certainly find some I mean they they’re telling me out to part as a minor they’re not tearing me

Out of that as a man they’re not going to get that satisfaction I’m going to find a job I’m going to find education I’m going to find Summit whichever way I go I will Channel whatever I’ve got whatever anger I’ve got into that job that I’m going to do in

Future and it will certainly be channeled against his da government for the rest of my life for they doing to me and what they’re doing to my kids I’m going to try and fight for a for a system that’s compatible whether it be labor sdp Tor whatever the the name tag

Over the top of the door don’t matter cuz the only tag over top of my door is concerned and that’s as a labor party member it’s concerned concerned with what’s happening that we got BL kids out that can’t get work never had work never ever likely to have work we’ got blocks

Like me at 40 willing to work always worked and never probably never going to ever work again so I will find Sumer I’ll make sure of that we’ll not star will we no no we didn’t star in 84 85 we ain’t going to starve in 1992 no no way

I thank you for your support and it’s a pleasure to be with you we’ now like to give you a a trailer if you like a sample a taster of the book I was a pupil at willigar and I trained as a joiner before going down

The pit as a face worker 15 years ago I was actually on the face working when the new came across the tanoi grime Thor CER will cease production on the 30th of October all the men just stopped working and we went into the main gate and sat down talking about it we’ve been

Conditioned into knowing we were going to close down for months but it seemed so final we knew that Grime Thor wouldn’t survive we never ever thought the pit would close my dad used to say it was the best little village in England I don’t know what he’d say now if he came

Back my husband’s a deputy from being in charge as it were he doesn’t know what to do he’s no direction at all we talk about the future and end up rowing usually about money it’s not only the money it’s loss of status position in the family being dependent on somebody

Else I get young men coming into my surgery they have a good strong handshake but they want W in anti-depressants they’re in real states of depression brought about by stress what they need is work I’m proud of what we miners do I’m proud of producing the fuel that produces energy for the nation

You’ve got to have worked in a m to appreciate the comradeship and the team spirit that I’m talking about thank you can I just on behalf of the school thank everybody especially Yorkshire art circus we would never have got off the ground without them in the book you

We’ve read the bit out today that if certain people knew a little more or had experienced a little more then perhaps the industry wouldn’t be in the stage it’s in at the moment I thought of that I was trying to remember the actual expression when Brian told his story

This morning is it something like you have to work in a man’s socks before you can know him something like that isn’t it the other expression that stayed with me all this Fortnight has been for evil to Prevail all it takes is for good men to

Do nothing well we didn’t did we we did something that’s it i’ thank every one of you and can I close with if you didn’t sign the book on the way in will you please sign it today the very last person to sign the book on Saturday when we wrote it was

There were two entries one was Kenneth George Hancock nuum Branch representative and the last one said Gail Hancock m is wife I’m proud of it thank you [Applause] what we’ve got us SP and to me that’s the most important thing in World they’ll never ever take that away from

Us they’ll never take that away from me and I don’t want none of the Finer Things in life I w’t brought up with the Finer Things in life as long as my kids love me as long as my wife loves me as long as we love each other that is everything to us

But all other only other thing I want from that is work and ability to be able to fet your wage home into this house no 4,000 quid a week that’s pain the sky I ain’t never going to earn it I want me 16s £170 a week fet your own pay

And I’ll pay me bills I’ll keep my shoes and my clothes on my kids back we’ll keep Clos on our backs we’ll go away once a week for a niday once every year and that’s all we want how are you coping with it all you think at the moment the tearing is

Aart I mean the teing the taken away my livelihood and um I’m feithful for what for what’s going up to my kids basically as I’ve already said I don’t want no game they can shove the redundency payments and PR just call on government and they can make it how much

They want they can shove it wherever they want to shove it I wish to shove it back into industry so that I can have a job so I can keep my pride so I can keep my family that’s all I want them to do I’m not asking for

Note mean Christ I’m asking to go down a pit I’m asking to go and work in filthiest dirtiest most dangerous conditions that any man’s ever been asked to work in that’s all I’m doing that’s all I want I’m not asking for a Porsche I’m not asking for a seven bedroom country

Mansion you know I mean I’m asking for that I just want to be able to maintain my family and in return I’ll put back into this country in energy and in and in in work commitment everything every penny they put back into me I’ve done it for 25 years I

Can’t see why I can’t do it for another 20 that’s all we want and that’s all any mind wants to do he wants to maintain his family home and he wants to maintain his family interests and basically what we’ve got to do but no the t is aart just stand

Aart don’t know what what else to say about It my don’t make you smile thank you it’s not day for your reality no thanks a lot okay you’re welcome another hour and a half and that’s it take some grasp in but to think in a few months time it might be all flattened this it seems strange the closer it gets

To halfast one the worse it seems to get when you see all these people here going down F last time it’s Sly the the rumors regarding the 12 week Severance and the Dy has eventually got to some of men’s Arts but I mean if we look at it in real perspective there’s

About 180 men going out of the workforce of 900 uh we believe that b is co should continue watch [Applause] Watch don’t know up money for work probably send his on have you got families to look after as well yeah have a 16mon old baby him not for him now is a lot better Be nice to go down just have a look Around we’ve still got us Memories We can’t take them away from us memories will still be there no Problem there a lot of lads upset I’m upset me saying that it’s possible that a lot of them are not see any more a good Workforce uh it’s just terrible way they’re being treated and I think it’s disgusting uh if you if you’re in Army

You get a medal once you fought a war we’ve been fighting every day the conditions that we’re in down there we put best There lives into it I put 18 years in and uh we just find it disgusting where they’re treating like uh it’s a sad day that the the SE in

Production at gy he’s making this Village into a graveyard if there’s any other questions I answering it ask you know anybody wants to ask any oh well thanks a lot anyway when Grime th closes if Grime th closes I’m going to be left here with my wife

My daughter and my son and we’ll be left to fend for ourselves we’ll just be another door statistic it’s the poverty trap we’re in it and I can’t as a man I’m so ashamed I can’t know about it it’s it’s best upsetting like Tuesday the 13th a day of Despair the

Day the T government made clear they did not care 31 pits must closed we will not change our minds first 10 to go immediately not profitable they lied whole communities to suffer but this does not carry worth nor the plight of the strong proud minor the salt of

The earth no thought to the future of generations to come 3 million are employed now what future you my son you could have been the fourth generation to work ground gr Thor’s mind but a tail of vast incompetence will all unfold in time e