Durham Miners' Association

We're halfway there!
Today marks the midway point between the last Durham Miners' Gala and the next.
Join us on Saturday 13 July for the 135th Big Meeting ⬇️

Our thanks to Martha for their support for The Redhills Appeal. Join Martha and help us secure the future of our historic home as a centre for culture, heritage and education.
• Follow Redhills: Durham Miners Hall • Pledge your support here: redhillsdurham.org/thepledge/

The Big Meeting hits the big screen in 2019. Here's the first trailer for the upcoming Durham Miners' Gala Film.

It is with great sadness that we learned of the news of the death of Derek Foster, who served as MP for Bishop Auckland for over a quarter of a century.
Our thoughts go out to his family and friends.

All tickets for Ricky Tomlinson at Redhills have now been sold.
Our thanks to everyone who bought a ticket, and to those who also made a donation alongside their purchase.
All proceeds from this event go to renew Redhills: Durham Miners Hall as a centre for education, heritage and culture.
... Updates on any returned tickets will be posted in the event here ⬇️
See More

The Easington Colliery Women’s Support Group celebrate Christmas 1984, during the Miners' Strike.
This photograph, by Keith Pattison, was taken in the colliery club, where the group provided meals five days a week for the duration of the strike.
Heather Wood, whose mother Myrtle Macpherson is pictured, recalls: “My dad brought us a tin of Quality Street for a Christmas box for the lasses. That’s Myrtle holding the tin and Ellen Roberts or little Ellen as we called her, catchi...ng the sweets.”
Merry Christmas everyone.
See More

"When this Conservative Government ends, the national shame of homelessness will be on its political tombstone..."

Murton under occupation, Christmas 1984.
Photo by Keith Pattison.

Very pleased that the Eldon War Memorial has been designated as Grade II listed by Historic England.
The listing describes the memorial, in St Mark’s Churchyard, as “an eloquent witness to the tragic impacts of world events on this mining community, and the sacrifices it made in the conflicts of the 20th Century.”
Unveiled in 1921 at a ceremony attended by the Eldon Lodge of the DMA, it commemorates the 133 men of Eldon District killed during the First World War.
... It was rededicated in 1956 with the addition of the names of 37 Eldon men killed in the Second World War.
More than 40,000 members of the DMA served in the First World War. Read their story in a new pamphlet, 'Durham Miners at War', by Dave Temple, here: redhillsdurham.org/shop/ww1/
See More

Our thanks to everyone who has bought a ticket to see Ricky Tomlinson at Redhills.
More than 70 percent of tickets have now been sold, raising valuable funds for The Redhills Appeal.
If you intend to buy a ticket, we’d advise you do so soon, here: buytickets.at/redhillsdurham/221557
.. . Thank you
See More

A message from Ricky Tomlinson.
• Join Ricky and pledge your support for the The Redhills Appeal here: redhillsdurham.org/thepledge/
• Ricky will be in conversation with Kevin Maguire at Redhills: Durham Miners Hall to raise funds for the appeal. Get your tickets for Ricky Tomlinson at Redhills here: buytickets.at/redhillsdurham/221557

Our thanks to Ricky for his support for The Redhills Appeal.
Join Ricky Tomlinson at Redhills, in conversation with Kevin Maguire.
Tickets and more info here: buytickets.at/redhillsdurham/221557

Delighted that our Marra Ricky Tomlinson will be joining us for this fundraiser for The Redhills Appeal.
Ricky will be in conversation with Kevin Maguire, associate editor of The Daily Mirror at Redhills: Durham Miners Hall on Saturday, March 2.
Our thanks to Ricky and to Kevin for giving their time to the cause.
... Ricky will discuss his life, activism and career, and take questions from the audience.
Proceeds from the event will go to The Redhills Appeal, our campaign to renew the Miners Hall as a centre for education, heritage and culture.
Get your tickets here: buytickets.at/redhillsdurham/221557
See More

Our thanks to John McDonnell for his support.
The Redhills Appeal is our campaign to renew our historic home as a centre of education, heritage, and culture - to honour those who've gone before, and to serve generations to come.
• Join John and add your name to the campaign here: redhillsdurham.org/thepledge/
... • Like Redhills: Durham Miners Hall
See More

An explosion at Oaks Colliery, near Barnsley, killed 384 men and boys on this day in 1866 – the largest loss of life in a pit disaster in English history.
A strike two years earlier for safer conditions was broken by the use of scab labour and the eviction of miners and their families from their homes.
169 bodies were never recovered following the disaster and remain entombed at the former colliery site.

The Red Flag raised in George Square, Glasgow, following the end of the First World War.
"Durham miners returned from the battlefields, to a country in mourning for the tragic loss of so many loved ones, and a country with raised expectations. After all, had they not been promised 'a country fit for heroes to live in'? The toxic mix of raised expectations and broken promises exploded in a wave of industrial unrest."
– from 'Durham Miners at War', a new pamphlet by Dave Templ...e.
Get your copy here: redhillsdurham.org/shop/ww1/
Proceeds to The Redhills Appeal for the renewal of Redhills: Durham Miners Hall
See More

"The success of The Redhills Appeal will ensure that the story of the Durham miners continues to be written for generations to come."
The last shift on the Durham Coalfield was worked at Wearmouth Colliery 25 years ago today - on 10 December 1993.
The Redhills Appeal is our campaign to renew Redhills: Durham Miners Hall as a centre for education, heritage, and culture.
... To support The Redhills Appeal:
• Add your name to the campaign at: redhillsdurham.org/thepledge/
• Make a donation at: redhillsdurham.org/getinvolved/donate/
• Follow: Redhills: Durham Miners Hall.
See More

Seat 69 in The Pitman's Parliament represents Wearmouth Colliery, where the last shift on the Durham Coalfield was worked 25 years ago today.
Support The Redhills Appeal to ensure the story of the Durham miners continues to be written:
• Add your name to the campaign here: redhillsdurham.org/thepledge/
... • Follow Redhills: Durham Miners Hall
The Redhills Appeal is our campaign for the renewal of the Miners' Hall as a centre of heritage, education, and culture.
See More

The last shift on the Durham Coalfield was worked 25 years ago today.
Miners are pictured leaving Wearmouth Colliery for the final time, on 10 December 1993.
Wearmouth was the last remaining colliery on the Durham Coalfield. It is now the site of Sunderland AFC's Stadium of Light.
... Alan Cummings, Secretary of the Durham Miners’ Association, said:
“Today marks a quarter of a century since the end of coal mining in Durham’s collieries – but we don’t mourn, we organise.
“As well as ensuring that our wonderful Durham Miners’ Gala thrives as a celebration of the values and spirit of our people, we have recently launched The Redhills Appeal to ensure that the historic home of the Durham miners is renewed as a centre for our communities.
“The motto of the Durham Miners is: ‘the past we inherit, the future we build’. We will continue to honour that motto – to honour those who’ve gone before us, and to serve generations to come. The success of The Redhills Appeal will ensure that the story of the Durham miners continues to be written.”
The Redhills Appeal is the DMA campaign to raise £5 million to transform its historic home into a centre of culture and education. The DMA is seeking donations and preparing funding bids to secure the future of the Grade II-listed building. The success of the appeal will enable Redhills to operate sustainably, hosting concerts, conferences, film screenings, educational activities, and serving as a hub for the community.
To support The Redhills Appeal:
• Add your name to the campaign at: redhillsdurham.org/thepledge/
• Make a donation at: redhillsdurham.org/getinvolved/donate/
• Follow: Redhills: Durham Miners Hall
See More

The home of reasoned ideas ! 100 years of solidarity.

Looking out for our class.

It's fantastic to know Socialism is still alive and well in this country. Well done Durham, keep the Red flag flying.

Brilliant, family day out. would not miss it.

:)

great

Dave was a great Miners leader He will always be remembered as a great friend of the Scottish Miners RIP

Ne-Oblivicares

You have let a once great day slip and be taken over, While there with my family i witnessed "flag gate" and was appalled and even more so with the lies that followed. On the event itself me and my family had to defend ourselfs several times for the crime of refusing those stupid yellow stickers. I voted out and failed to see why people were allowed at a miners gala to push their agenda forcefully. This should not be about ANY politics on the day

You claim to be a tolerant event but have clearly become a vocal point for far left ideology. I find it sickening you allow insignia and commemorations of mass-murdering tyrants like Stalin whilst preaching about tolerance. I always understood the DMG to be a celebration of our industrial past but I feel your event has become hijacked by far-left ideologues with communist and terrorist organisation sympathies. You claim to be anti-fascist yet attract apologists for the fascist ideology of Pan-Islamism! I have no affiliation or time for any neo-nationalist groups but your hypocrisy is profound.

The anti trump banner. You should be reminded that the political hatred needs to stop not all of the members are remain or Labour it seems this group and the unions have become exclusively remain labour and hard left. Not very inclusive, not very tolerant.

Shame on you for labelling people who have a different view from you. The gala has sold out allowing anti trump protests

Shame on the police for stopping some people from flying the union flag! �

A vocal point for far left ideology rather than remembering the mining industry of Co. Durham.

The home of reasoned ideas ! 100 years of solidarity.

Looking out for our class.

It's fantastic to know Socialism is still alive and well in this country. Well done Durham, keep the Red flag flying.

Brilliant, family day out. would not miss it.

:)

great

Dave was a great Miners leader He will always be remembered as a great friend of the Scottish Miners RIP

Ne-Oblivicares

You have let a once great day slip and be taken over, While there with my family i witnessed "flag gate" and was appalled and even more so with the lies that followed. On the event itself me and my family had to defend ourselfs several times for the crime of refusing those stupid yellow stickers. I voted out and failed to see why people were allowed at a miners gala to push their agenda forcefully. This should not be about ANY politics on the day

You claim to be a tolerant event but have clearly become a vocal point for far left ideology. I find it sickening you allow insignia and commemorations of mass-murdering tyrants like Stalin whilst preaching about tolerance. I always understood the DMG to be a celebration of our industrial past but I feel your event has become hijacked by far-left ideologues with communist and terrorist organisation sympathies. You claim to be anti-fascist yet attract apologists for the fascist ideology of Pan-Islamism! I have no affiliation or time for any neo-nationalist groups but your hypocrisy is profound.

The anti trump banner. You should be reminded that the political hatred needs to stop not all of the members are remain or Labour it seems this group and the unions have become exclusively remain labour and hard left. Not very inclusive, not very tolerant.

Shame on you for labelling people who have a different view from you. The gala has sold out allowing anti trump protests

Shame on the police for stopping some people from flying the union flag! �

A vocal point for far left ideology rather than remembering the mining industry of Co. Durham.