Songs and Stories. Some of the works of Tommy Armstrong are Trimdon Grange Explosion, Oakey s Strike and Th Row Between th Cages.

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1 Songs and Stories by Marian Lewis Songs and stories were used to illustrate what life was like at the time and to commemorate disasters in the pit and to show the miners discontent with their working conditions and the dislike that was felt for some of the pit owners and their agents. Some of the storytellers were known as pitmen poets. I have included examples of some of the works of these great characters without whose work much of our local history would have been lost. Some of the most famous are as follows: Thomas Armstrong, who was born in Wood Street, Shotley Bridge and lived from 15th August 1848 until 30th August He suffered from rickets. He lived with his family for most of his life in Tanfield, County Durham. Information re. his birth etc. is given in the introduction, by Huw Beynon, to Polisses and Candymen. I have cross referenced this with the 1951 census, which showed details of his family living in Tanfield. Some of the works of Tommy Armstrong are Trimdon Grange Explosion, Oakey s Strike and Th Row Between th Cages. The Trimdon Grange Explosion tells of the explosion at the colliery on 16th February 1882 when 93 men and boys lost their lives. A similar explosion happened in Stanley at Burn s pit on 16th February 1909 when 168 men and boys lost their lives.

2 Oakey s Strike tells of striking miners and their families being evicted from their homes. I believe during the 1885 strike. Candymen (strike breakers) were used to throw the miners furniture etc. into the street. One of Tommy Armstrong s most famous songs tells of the South Medomsley strike and he uses fictitious names in the song, but the local people must have been well aware of who he was referring to. The names he decided to use were not flattering to say the least. Fisick (laxative and the results of taking it) and Postick (which I will leave the interpretation to yourselves). George Ridley was famous for the Geordie national anthem Blaydon Races and the song Cushie Butterfield. He died on Tyneside in 1864 following a severe industrial accident. A more modern poet cum storyteller is Jock Purdon (a Bevin Boy), who was born in Nitshill, near Glasgow, on 16th November He worked with Harry Lauder and later moved to County Durham. Some of his works were The Easington Explosion, The Echo of Pit Boots and The Pony Putter. The Echo of Pit Boots tells of the closing of the pits around Chester le Street. Like many of the pits in the area it left no work for the men and many women became the wage earners. Even today we have men who are happy to record and write songs of the coalfield. Such as Benny Graham who has recorded songs of the above poets and entertains at local venues, recently at the exhibition commemorating the Burn s pit disaster. I have a compact disc by Benny Graham, How are you off for Coals? which includes some of the songs mentioned above. One song included is When it s Ours, by Alex Glasgow, telling of the New Year s Eve just hours before the nationalising of the pits by Labour s Minister of Power, Manny Shinwell MP for Seaham Harbour. It celebrates the good life they are going to have

3 now they the miners own the pits. Little did they know how short a life the pits were to have. Johnny Handle is another talented artist. One of his CDs, which I have, is The Collier Lad and contains a beautiful ballad called Going Down The Mine. This is from a poem written in 1954 about life in the mining village of Dudley and of a miner passing rows of brightly lit windows and smoking chimneys imagining the warmth inside as he walks through the cold dark streets to start his shift down the pit. I really admire these two artists. Another modern writer is Mervyn Craig. Originally from Leadgate, many of his poems are about life in a small mining village. Mervyn Craig also wrote a series of poems about Geordie and friends and I find them particularly moving. One, set in the village pub, tells how a gang of youths were tormenting one of the regulars who was a bit slow. One of the old retired pitmen stood up to them and this is part of the poem. Surely this applies to many pitmen and pit villages. Sep held up his hand, Thanks Teacher to him I just want to say a few words Then he turned to the youths See the men in this bar Stead of dirt you should treat them like Lords Two other writers of books (not poetry) which I have enjoyed reading are: John McCutcheon s Troubled Seams, a story of Seaham in the 19th century. Whilst describing pit explosions and their effect on the mining community he also shows the courage and strength of the mining communities and their families.

4 Frederick Grice has written a book The Bonny Pit Laddie which tells of the life of a boy who was forced to go down the pit to help the family when his father was black listed as a trouble maker after a strike. It tells of evictions by candymen and the boy being trapped in the pit with other workmen after an explosion. They do find an escape route and the book ends with him finding employment outside the mines. I found this a very moving and believable story. Not all storytellers were men. Mary Wade who wrote To a Miner Born tells the women s side of the tale, of the harsh times and hard work the miners wives and daughters had to suffer and reminds us of many of the games played and the superstitions and folk lore that were part of the mining community. Recent open education schemes at centres like Bridge House, South Stanley have short courses such as Creative Writing which encourage the local community to put their thoughts on to paper. Neil Johnson from South Stanley decided, as part of his class work, to write a poem about the Burn s Pit Disaster one of the largest disasters in the area and where nearly every family lost someone. The story continues. The pits may have closed, people have a better education, but the stories and tales still go on by word of mouth and the written word. In this day and age TV and sound recordings help to maintain the memories of a time now gone. Even courses like this, the Durham Miner Project, help the life, and the words and history to continue. Let us hope that there is never a time when mining life with its tragedies and its humour is forgotten in County Durham. Digitised by George Muncaster

5 Note: The views that are expressed on the website are the contributors own and not necessarily those of Durham County Council. This is a community website so no guarantee can be given of the historical accuracy of individual contributions