As part of the sculpture 'A Rich Seam' in Doncaster, the large blocks of stone have recesses with bronze sculptures of the heads of around 40 miners. Three are shown in this shot.
The head on the left looks very much like that of Arthur Scargill, who for around 20 years was the president of the National Union of Mineworkers. He became a coal miner after leaving school, and soon became active in arguing for improved conditions for miners. He eventually became union leader in 1982. His political views were left wing, and they influenced his work as union leader. With the election of a Conservative government in 1979 with a right wing leader in Margaret Thatcher, confrontation between the union and government was almost inevitable.
A major coal miners strike began in 1984 at Cortonwood Colliery (Where some years earlier my grandfather had worked as a miner), and it soon became a national strike which would last for about a year. It was a very bitter and violent strike, and eventually the mine workers were defeated. Arthur Scargill had promoted a strike because he claimed the government had a secret list of 50 coal mines that they wanted to close. One result of the strike was that many more than that would close quite quickly, and almost the entire coal industry in the UK has now vanished.
I know nothing of any of the other miners whose faces appear on this sculpture. It would be interesting to know their stories to give a deeper insight into being a miner. What I do know is that it was a hard, dirty and dangerous job, and one that I would not have been happy to do.
A touching tribute to the miners. As you say, a horrible and dangerous job. I hope I live to see the day when coal mining is stopped altogether in the world!
In 1974 the last coalmine in our country was closed. Now we are closing the coal fired electric power plants. An end of a time of the technic`s build on it.
Great shot of the hard workers
Thank you all for your lovely comments and favs, they are very much appreciated.
I think I need another look at this sculpture, preferably on a sunny day rather than in the rain. To me it is a good tribute to the end of coal mining in this area. Now the electric power plants that the coal mines fed and that are situated between Doncaster and York are being closed, or converted to biomass.
fav
great to see this tribute
Great shot of the hard workers
Thank you all for your lovely comments and favs, they are very much appreciated.
I think I need another look at this sculpture, preferably on a sunny day rather than in the rain. To me it is a good tribute to the end of coal mining in this area. Now the electric power plants that the coal mines fed and that are situated between Doncaster and York are being closed, or converted to biomass.
Ian
Thank you Denise, I think the whole sculpture is impressive. I would love more photos on a brighter (and drier!) day.
Ian