Address of the Coal Miners of the North Staffordshire District - A notice from the Enoch Wood Scrapbook
This notice invites us to explore the hardships suffered by North Staffordshire's coal miners in 1831 - when their early trade unions were still not widely recognised.
Employers often intimidated organised ...
An Address to the Coal Miners - Pamphlet from the Enoch Wood Scrapbook
An apparently neutral observer introduces himself in this pamphlet, claiming to weigh up the respective cases of the coal masters and miners' union during industrial unrest in 1831.
Claiming to wish ...
Arthur Scargill at a miner's strike demonstration, Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent 1984.
Arthur Scargill was President of the National Union of Mineworkers during the 1984 - 1985 miner's strike and became a household name. He attended rallys and demonstrations throughout the country including ...
Britannia's Address to her Fair Daughters - a radical call to women from the Enoch Wood scrapbook
Love of country is not sexual; in every age, in every country, it has warmed and animated the female breast...
In the early 19th century, women were among the most forward-thinking political activists ...
Burslem Liberal Club, Market Place, Burslem
The red brick and terracotta front of the Liberal Club building on Market Place in Burslem. There were stained glass windows on the first floor hall and there is a mosaic with the words "Liberal Club" ...
Children's day out, Kidsgrove.
During the 1984 - 1985 miner's strike there were ten womens action groups in north Staffordshire who supported the striking miners. They ran food centres, organised collections, manned picket lines and ...
Clough Hall Colliery Anti-Union Notice - from the Enoch Wood Scrapbook
Colliery owners did not take kindly to miners' early attempts to form trades unions.
Market forces
Most believed in an 'iron law of wages,' which dictated that wages would be related to market forces.
This ...
Dr. Parkes' surgery, Normacot Road, Longton
This property, possibly 84, Normacot Road, had been the local headquarters of the Blackshirts, a fascist organisation of the inter-war period. Their posters (reading "India Betrayal") were still visible ...
Florence Colliery miners going on a demonstration, 1984
During the miner's strike of 1984/1985 many miners and strike supporters travelled to demonstrations around the country. In later years it became illegal to picket any place of work other than your own.
One ...
Food collection at Weston Coyney, Stoke-on-Trent
The miner's strike of 1984 - 1985 saw many families suffer great hardship as striking workers lost all their pay and benefits. Food collection and distribution points like this one at Weston Coyney were ...
Fundraising at Walthamstow Market, London 1984.
During the miner's strike of 1984 - 1985 many women became involved in the struggle and attended protests, raised money, manned picket lines and collected food. It was common during the strike for people ...
General Meeting of the North Staffordshire Coal Masters - A notice from the Enoch Wood Scrapbook
In this notice, 32 North Staffordshire mine owners outline their unity with regard to two pressing issues.
Wages
At this time, miners were attempting to secure an increase in their wages by forming ...
Libel! - Handbill from the Enoch Wood Scrapbook
In 1831 the Potters' Union came out in support of North Staffordshire's striking miners.
Speculation
Reports speculated that the potters were intending to follow the miners in striking for improved ...
Making food parcels, Florence Colliery, Longton
During the miners’ strike of 1984-1985 striking workers received no pay or benefits and many families fell on hard times. People donated food to local collection points like this one at Florence colliery ...
Meeting at the Eagle Inn, Lane End - from the Enoch Wood Scrapbook
In 1831, a new Coal Miners' Union Society published a set of rules and orders.
Both the union and its rules caused an uncomfortable stir amongst local coal masters.
This notice was published by ...
Meeting to discuss the miner's strike. Victoria Hall, Stoke-on-Trent
On the 25th May 1984 Arthur Scargill made a speech to local miners at the Victoria Hall in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent. As you can see from the photograph the meeting was very well attended and helped to boost ...
Miner outside the Power Group Office, Florence Colliery, Longton
This photograph, taken during the 1984/1985 miners strike, is of the Power Group office at Florence Colliery in Longton, Stoke-on-Trent.
The Power Group was a branch of the National Union of Minerworkers ...
Miners returning to work, Hem Heath Colliery, Trentham
The miner's strike of the 1980's began to crumble in November 1984, eight months after it started. Many miners returned to work leaving a few hardcore strikers on the picket lines. Hem Heath Colliery ...