The price of coal

The 25th anniversary of the miners' strike

On March 12, 1984 tens of thousands of Britain's miners stopped work in protest at the Conservative government's decision to close 20 pits.

Industrial action had begun a week earlier at Cortonwood colliery in Yorkshire, the first pit scheduled for closure. Following the recommendation of the National Mineworkers Union (the NUM) it became a nationwide dispute - or rather, a strike that affected much of the nation.

It was never universal, with miners in Nottinghamshire and parts of Wales remaining at work for the whole of the dispute. It was also unofficial, because the NUM leader Arthur Scargill refused to hold a national ballot to approve the action.

The strike divided the nation: not just political parties, but families, friends and generations. Scargill saw the dispute as a form of class war; Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher saw it as an attempt to replace the rule of law with revolutionary violence. Despite their tenacity and, some would say, bravery, the miners were completely defeated. The strike was called off on March 3, 1985.

Personal

My wife and I are the children of coal miners. We grew up in a south yorkshire mining community and that is where our mortal remains will be buried.

Religion and Education have led us out of that environment which formed us.

I found the miners strike episode difficult. Of course, I had deep feeling and sympathy for miners and families in danger of losing their jobs and their communities becoming impoverished. However I couldn't be sad at my own generation and the next being saved from the dangers and disease of mining conditions. I rejoiced to see so many able to strike out in new directions as a result of freedom and finance coming from redundancy and compensation payments.

The coal mining industry may yet have a future but I hope that those who work in it will be spared some of its former indignities and be more fairly rewarded.

Nothing can take away so much given to me in a self sacrificing family and a close warm community.