Graham's Granddad and His Place in History

Miners' strike in Nottingham 1926 - Surface coal - Wollaton

Some years ago a friend allowed me to copy this document, which was written by his grandfather in the 1970's. I think it well worth keeping in mind when considering the miners' strike of 1984 that there were at that time people still alive in mining communities who had endured experiences like this. And there were many more who were the children of such people. I have no other comment to make - let Bill Smith speak for himself.


'This story is true in every detail It is the terrible story of the 26 weeks miners coal strike when thousands of miners were on the verge of starvation me included with a wife and 6 small children.

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'It was on a good Sunday morning that me and 4 other men decided to get money getting opencast coal, so on this good Sunday morning, we all set off, carrying picks, shovels hammers steel pit wedges and iron bars sacks and a thick rope and my old safety lamp. Just as the good people of Bulwell was  going to 8 o'clock Holy Communion at St Johns church against the Quarry Road School, we were desperate and did not care, we were all in our pit clothes and boots. We went along Cinderhill Rd up Bells Lane as is now, of course it was trees and fields in them days. We all trudged along till eventually we arrived at the Balloon Houses all tired so we rested a while till [sic] I said, come on chaps, this will not by [sic] bread for our wives and children. Mr C Burton, my dads pall [sic],  said where shall we start I said leave it to me, I found a likely spout [?] on the strata [?] to be a likely place.There was people everywhere about 4 to 5 hundred all digging for coal I said this is the spot boys, put your tools down while I measure 12 yards square, I did so and said we will start here we will dig all the earth and rock [...] til we find coal, in my opinion its about 8 feet down. It was now Sunday dinner time 12 o'clock. We got 2 bottles of water from a cottage nearby. We worked on as if our lives depended on it. It was getting late in the afternoon when poor old Bill Lambly said, do you think we shall ever find it Bill. 15 minutes later I shouted Boys, it's here, I have struck coal good black gassy coal we all worked on like demons till it was all clear. 12 square yards of bright gleaming coal. Well boys we will have a little rest, then cut it through to the bottom. Which I did and found to our delight was 3ft [...] Boys we have struck a gold mine here, then all at once a womans voice shouted is Mr Smith down there. Mr Burton said do you want him.  and she said tell him to come there is a man buried across here, I said oh Christ I went with the woman and found 2 men with miners coal picks bashing away at the rubble, I told them what the bloody hellfire are you doing are you daft. they remarcked [sic] there is our mate under there, come out of the way. Throw them picks down, you should never use anything but your hands. Go and call 2 more men from the next hole, they came, so I said to them, now men all together and roll this big rock off him we got the stone away, but alas he was dead we got him out, I said notify someone, cover him up with them sacks. They won't bother today we are only coal miners. I went back to my mates and they done well

  so we finished cutting round our coal it looked great, we forgot we had not had anything to eat we were so excited. We all started cutting the coal seam through to the bottom, when it was cut I said to my mates, go on to the top, and as I wedge big lumps of coal out, you three can hawl [sic] them up to the top with the rope. I will manage with myself down here. we worked like Hell, till midnight on Sunday, when suddenly a voice rang out, is Bill Smith down there, so my mates said yes, whats up please tell him there is another buried across there, Mr Burton said Bill there is another under Oh Christ is there not anybody else you can fetch, oh alright, its a bloody nice thing, out of 3 to 4 hundred miners and Riff Raff here you should come for me, Mr Shaw and Mr W Lambly go on Bill, some poor Bogger* as [sic] had it. On arriving at the dugout, I could just see one of his clogs sticking out under the rock, I thought to myself, what Bloody fools we have got here, but everyone was mad after getting some coal. Well, me, and about 6 more men got him out, but he was dead, that's no. 2, I thought how many more, I told them, for Christ sake don't fetch me any more tonight. We are getting coal the right way so don't fetch me again goodnight. I got back to my pals, they said, how did you get on Bill. Get on I said. Bogger them, they not right working like that. it's suicide.

Well, about 12.30 midnight Sunday we decided to have a short rest. I climbed out of our workings to top, by Christ Boys its a Bogger but we have done extra well. I said we have got about 5 tons of large lumps of coal, but there is a lot more down there.What are you smoking I said to them, brown paper they all said. Well my Good God, what next. Give me a bit, and lets try it. I rolled a bit like a fag** and lit it. Bloody Hellfire I am near choking no more of that Bogger for me, thank you. Well we started again, and when one of our party had been to scrounge some water he said me and a few more pinched these potatoes out of a field up the road, and we have washed them in Wollaton Canal so there [sic] clean. We had got a good fire same as all the others so I told Bill Lambly, put the Boggers on the fire and cover them with ash, nobody will know anything, and when we have eaten them they can all arsehole. 2am Monday morning we eat [sic] the last of the potatoes, with no salt, of course. We started again, and by 9pm Monday night all our coal was on the surface all beautiful big lumps of black shining coal. Well now its 2 days since we left home, we all were wondering how they were getting on, but it was soon to be all over. Tuesday morning came none of us had had any sleep, when a big well dressed man with about half a dozen more came, he had been talking to Charlie Burton, when I heard him see Bill, he our main man, [sic] so he came up to me and said good morning mister, you look as if you had all been through it would you like a fag if you please I said. He then told me he was an agent sent out to buy coal for Hardys Brewery at Kimberly, I said yes sir, its all for sale and you won't find any coal in this jungle to come up to its standard. I know as I am a certified coal miner. I will buy it if you please its excellent coal how much per ton. We have done just over 7 tons out all big coal, I will sell you the best tons at £5 per ton, thank you I'll buy it gladly. You are a good chap.

The agent gave us all a packet of fags each, and said now mister here is £30 in gold, there was no paper money in those days***. Just then Mr Jack Kimberley of Hemshall Lane came on the seen [sic]. Well Bogger me if it isn't Bill Smith What the Bloody Hellfire are you doing and C Burton and Bill Lambly and old G  Shaw, well Christ. So I told Jack, and I asked him Jack would you do me a favour, you know very well I'll do anything for you Bill. I have just taken a load of lime to Stapleford and I am on my way back. Would you take me a load of this coal to our house . Yes, by Christ I fetch [sic] my horse and cart is only just on the lane outside. He brought his horse and cart and we all loaded a ton of big lumps of coal in it we all gave him a push on to the hard road I said here jack here's 5/- [five shillings] he said not bloody likely you people on strike but I made him have it,  and Mr Burton gave him 2/6 also [2 shillings and sixpence].Go through Blacks yard and tip it in the opening and tell my wife and children we are coming home soon. Some time this afternoon Tuesday. Jack. Right Bill it will be there when you arrive home. So I called my pals together I gave them 5 gold sovereigns each, and 2 tramps who was with us the same, they worked very well indeed to say they were tramps, only very young, not above 26. But both had a beard. The agent and his men came and shook hands with us as we were about to leave. His last words were to me, the coal miners, Goodbye my lads and thank you I shouted to my pals, come on, lets get out of this Bloody nightmare and walk back to Bulwell. Its a nightmare we shall never forget. So we collected our picks Hammers wedges steel bars, bags and rope but as long as any of us remember we shall not forget the 21/2 days at the Balloon Houses in search of something to buy food that the price of coal. (then) [sic]

Well it was about 2pm when we all set off to trudge back home it was a long way and we were all done up, Blacker than the Hell we had just left, we had all our tools to carry, but we had succeeded in our mission, we had got money, for food for our wives and children. When we arrived we all shook hands and smiled, good old Bill Mr Burton said, you just like your dad. You never give in. As I was coming up the road, I could see my wife and the children at the entry end. Then the children came to meet me all 6 of them there was Tommy Edwin Richard Ron Edith and Doris. 

But my wife Elsie was crying, but for joy not sorrow. She said you look awfull [sic]. Here you are Elsie look what I have earned for you and the children 5 golden sovs now tell me how you have managed. She said I had 3d [three pence] and I went and got 3 pennyworth of wheat and stewed it and we all had a basin full each. What have you had Bill. Nothing only some burnt stolen potatoes. Now i got my coal place full, I will have a wash, the first since Saturday, I am going to fill my barrow first, then I am going to that old mans shop in Gauntley St, at New Basford facing our Georges to take him this barrow of coal, the old man which gave us 2 loaves last week, one white and one Brown, and I shall call and tell my Brother George and May all about it, so get me some Hot water Elsie and I'll have a wash. But you havnt [sic] had  anything to eat Bill. I have something when I get back. It not take more than 11/2 Hours.**** And I shall get 2 more loaves and a Halfbrown. Away I went with my Barrow of coal to Basford. The old man was delighted and gave me 2/6 and 2 more loaves. I told my brother George all about it, and there [sic] comment was, My Good God, our Bill.

Well after a drink of tea, I started back home with my Barrow, and 2 loaves of bread and 2/6, it took me 2 Hours from leaving home to getting back. I gave my wife the bread and 2/6. Then I had the best meal of my life so it seemed, some ham and two shop eggs, the first meal since Saturday. That night I said Elsie take this 3d and fetch a pint of ale from Top pub and we'll [have] half each and bogger off to Bed I am done for. She said I should think so, after all that that you have gone through, and my God didn't I sleep, she let me stay till Thursday afternoon. I had earned more in that 2 and 3 days that [sic] I should have got at the pit for a month. That was the biggest wage I ever gave my wife since we were married. Well 2 weeks the Strike was settled , we went back to work for the same money as we got before we came out. Only everybody in debt. And spent up. Everybody had let the miners down. So we carried on as before so it shoes [sic] you that there is nothing got with strikes only poverty.



I will now close this True story, of how we have had to struggle in the Bad old days. All that I have wrote on these 6 sheets of paper are off [sic] the utmost truth.

P.S.

I have a lot more Hardships and adventures to Relate in my life as a Coal Miner.  

Wm Smith'

Notes:

*Bogger, Nottingham dialect, = bugger.

** fag, = cigarette.

***  'there was no paper money in those days...' Well there was, but possibly this statement reflects the mistrust of it at a time when the British currency was in a mess - mishandled, as we now can see, by the Chancellor of the Exchequer at the time, Winston Churchill, who tried to keep it pegged to the international gold standard. Gold sovereigns would have been more trusted. You can find a summary here:

http://www.economicshelp.org/blog/5948/economics/uk-economy-in-the-1920s/

**** ''it not ...': a very common construction in Nottingham dialect. Here the word, 'will' is dropped. Similarly, 'It  won't/will not be long' would be said as 'It not be long', and so on.

• The area described here, on the western edge of Nottingham city, has seams of coal close to the surface, and was opencast mined until quite recently. In 1953 my uncle bought and started renovating the house in which he still lives, and which had been the offices of one of these mines. Digging the garden one day, he struck coal sufficient to give him free heating for about four years.

Editing Note: the document is on the whole well written and makes its meaning clear even if at times the spelling and punctuation are not perfect. It would have been pointless and pedantic to have flagged up every deviation from the standard. I have done so only when I wanted to make it clear that the text is true and not a typo. I have also capitalised some sentence beginnings, out of force of habit.