YORKSHIRE MAIN COLLIERY

AND OTHER LOCAL MINES

Yorkshire main union/ strike 84

The folowing page deals with anything union related from yorkshire main and ends with items from the strike of 84/85

The picture below is of the union office at the colliery taken in the early 80s, pictured are from right to left, Frank Arrowsmith, the last union delegate at the colliery who left at the close of the mine after serving 21 years, Don Addie a well known local taxi boss and Frank Cave the then area union agent for Doncaster who later became Arthurs number two as national sec of the NUM

Edlington on parade in 1932 

Arther Scargill at the miners welfare in Edlington in 1983 with John Weaver the then y.m union delegate to his left

Union ballot paper from 76-77

From 76-78

Below, Frank Arrowsmith with the Yorkshire Main banner. The colliery had about four in its history which was brought out at special occasions. The last time the banner was used was at the funnerel of long time and last branch sec at Yorkshire main Ian Ferguson in 2004

 

Comrade Ian Ferguson former Chairman of the Doncaster NUM Panel and NUM Branch Secretary at Yorkshire Main Colliery (Edlington ) has died 30 May.

Ian was a dear friend and comrade of Hatfield Main Branch and was known to all of our members. We have no details of his death or the funeral but extend our deepest sympathies to his family and friends. Ian was a most likeable of men, a Scot and a leftist who took great joy in Class War especially its 84 strike editions. He also dearly loved Hatfield’s Hot Gossip which he subscribed to. It inspired him to start up the LINK a more glossy version of the piss taking , politicising militant Hatfield version. It will be best remembered for its cartoons, which were classic pit humour in pen drawings.

Yorkshire Main was the first Doncaster victim of the new regime following the end of the strike in March 85. The men refused to accept new contracts and relations went into steep decline resulting in the spiteful closure of the Colliery, for no other reason than punishment. Volumes of coal still lie below Edlington, which is now a ghost town hit by bad areas of deprivation, unemployment and anti social crime .The Doncaster Option Scheme was imposed on most of the Doncaster coalfield on the strength of the premature closure of Yorkshire Main and the threat to do likewise at any other pit in Doncaster which wouldn't accept the scheme.

Ian went on to join the TGWU after the closure of the pit where we believe he Rapidly became an official.

We will miss him and his contribution to working class struggle.

Thanks to the miners advice site for the use of the above.

Miners gala programme from 1996 at Barnsly.

Demonstration day 1884 programme

THE STRIKE

The following song has been recorded by Rick Chappell a member of a local Doncaster group by the name of Strange Triangle, the song is about the strike, please have a look at their site and support the band by signing there guest book. www.strangetriangle.com  They also have another very funny song about yorkshire main x30s district on the miscellaneous 9 page.

Pictured below is yorkshire mains very own George Brealey (deceased)  X08s face man on picket duty.

Time for a cuppa on the yorkshire main picket line.

Police on duty at yorkshire main

Yorkshire main pickets on the move, including, Frank Hewitt, Lennie Cross, and G Illingsworth.  

Letter from the working miners of Doncaster, funded by the N.C.B

Court order for yorkshire main miners who had been picketing in nottinghamshire to stay at there own colliery out side the pit gates.

The video below shows a typical morning outside yorkshire main during the strike. ( press the play button and wait approx 2 mins)

Thanks to Keith butcher for sending in the following pictures from the strike of 84, taken outside the pit gates.

 

 

Photo's and analysis of the great miner strike 1984-85. There are over 80 pictures showing Yorkshire Main, Orgreave, Cortonwood, Hatfield Main, Rossington, Wooley, Denby Grange, Frickley, Dodworth, Allerton Bywater and other areas of Notts, N. Derbys, South Wales and Scotland. We photographers, Peter Arkell and Ray Rising, know that many people are unknowing of those times and wish to reinvoke true reflection of the fighting times of the mining communities and their supporters.

 

The book can be purchased by pasting the link below.

aworldtowin.net/about/Unfinished Business.html