A Living Tradition
  • Home
  • Blog and Articles
    • Site plan
    • Site Index
    • Articles
  • Who we are
    • Policies
    • Business offers
    • Contact us
    • Business offers
    • Background
    • What is the heritage we look at?
    • What can A Living Tradition offer schools?
    • What can A Living Tradition do in the community?
    • Policies
  • Schools
    • Resources for schools
    • Bridgewater School
    • Excelsior Academy
    • St Bede's School
    • Charles Thorp School
  • Community
    • Awards for All - Bridging the Gap
    • Millin Centre
    • Star and Shadow Cinema
    • Partnerships
    • Universities
    • Roma
    • Gateshead Carers
    • Stories from Asylum Seekers
    • Events
    • Press and Media
  • Heritage Walks
    • Quizzes and Puzzles
  • Links
  • Music/Writing/Art
    • Human Rights Art
  • Campaigns
    • Amnesty International
    • Iran
    • Burma
  • Mandela Award
  • Blog
  • Human Rights Art
  • Music/Writing/Art
  • Policies
  • Policies
  • Holocaust Memorial Day Films 2021
  • New Page
  • Holocaust Memorial Day Films 2021
  • Holocaust Memorial Day Films 2021
  • Media
  • New Page

Celebration of the Pitmen's Great Stand 1765

7/8/2015

0 Comments

 
Last Friday, the Tyneside Irish Centre was packed out as about 120 people attended the celebration event commemorating the 250th anniversary of the Pitmen's Great Stand.   This pivotal moment in the development  of a Northeast English regional consciousness based on values of solidarity, fairness and social justice, was remembered through speeches and song.


Peter Sagar told the story of how the Northeast coalfield developed over the centuries and how the mine owners had developed into a cartel, who used the infamous bond system to tie miners down to one pit for a whole year as a way of ensuring that wages could be kept down. Peter then explained how it was this system that the miners were striking against and how, although they couldn't get rid of it in 1765, the strike did start the process whereby the bond system was removed in the 19th century. Peter also outlined the way that a radical identity developed in Northeast England over the 150 years after the Pitmen's Great Stand.      


Peter then performed the song We Are Strong, specially written for the occasion, which can be found at the page of music and writing on this website. 


David Hopper, secretary of the Durham Miners' Association then spoke forcefully of the challenges facing ordinary working people, especially young people today.  In a well-received speech David spoke of his fears and remembered miner's struggles of the last 35 years. 


The final speaker was Shane Enright, Trade Union Campaign Manager from Amnesty International UK. Shane skilfully linked the struggle of the miners in Northeast England 250 years ago with struggles of trade unionists across the world today, including a moving section about the teachers' union in Bahrain. 


The speeches were followed by food and a great performance by the Smokin' Spitfires, which got many people up and dancing. Their performance began with a short, poignant snatch of Gresford, the miners' hymn, written in the 1930's by Jarrow pitman Robert Saint.


Everybody seemed to have a great time and it was a great start to the weekend!
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    ​

    Peter Sagar

    Peter is a teacher and human rights activist. He is also an historian, specialising in the history of North-east England over the last 250 years.

    Peter has been a teacher of young people and adults in North-east England since 1987.

    Peter has been the Regional Rep for Amnesty International in the North-east and Yorkshire Region since 2000 and has also served as Trade Union Co-ordinator for Burma Campaign UK and in various other positions in human rights related organisations.

    Peter holds an M.Phil in the regional identity of North-east England, from the University of Northumbria in 2005.  His subsequent writing on human rights and about North-east England has been published in numerous publications.

    Archives

    November 2018
    September 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    January 2018
    November 2017
    September 2017
    March 2016
    February 2016
    July 2015
    June 2015
    March 2015
    December 2014
    January 2014
    July 2013
    March 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    October 2012

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly