Durham Coal Miners BBC Documentary 

My grandfather was deputy at South Hetton and served in WW1. Hero to me.

Coming from generations of Durham miners, this was a very interesting take on the state of play. What was particularly telling was the difference between the quiet, considered and intelligent comments from the miners and their families and the cretinous Lady Walsh, mouthpiece of the Londonderry's, and her take on the great depression of the 1930's.

9:45 was my great great grandfather Alderman Ned Cowen, he was an author, fought for the rights of minors, has a street named after him near the Angel of the North (Cowen Gardens) and even a local hero’s plaque on the swing bridge. I’m very proud of all he achieved and as someone interested in genealogy it’s amazing that I can watch a video of an ancestor quite far back!

My mother's dad and 5 brother's were all all Durham miner's (Palmer family) in,i think,the West Auckland pit and lived in Gurney Valley. Does anyone know if it still exists? As a child they would tell me stories of life in the pit and my Grand da would speak in "Pitmatic". Tough people doing tough work in tough times. Respect to all those that worked underground.

My Dad lived in Stanley, worked down the coalmines when he was a young boy, along with his brothers and Granddad. It was a dreadfully harsh existence. All of them died from cancer, black lung, from working down there. Anyone watching know the name Spinks?

Wonderful Video - would be nice to know names of people in this video. There must be relatives of these people in the video watching it - myself included.

Wonder if any of my relatives were in this video. All I know was my grandad was a miner in Durham, and not much else about him.

I looked for my relatives but didn't see anyone. My ancestor's brother when he died in 1891 at the pit had a huge Roman Catholic funeral. The coffin was carried through the village shoulder high. The Framwellgate Moor Brass Band played with the Framwellgate Moor colliery banner going first in the procession. The Band played the dead march in Saul ( ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-4Ub6uFPpkgA.html ) from the village to the cemetery. About 400 people attended the funeral to pay their last respects, the road from Framwellgate Moor to the cemetery being lined with spectators. He was about 32 and left the 2 of his children who were still alive by then (and the 4th child who was on the way). RIP

Workers of all lands unite.

What a life for these lot

It must have been a hard life for Londonderry,poor buggers

great video, it would be great to find out what year this was filmed, any names? location?

oh wow - don't know what to say

Bearpark😉

Nothing but respect for all the men of heavy industry who helped build this country. Apologies for what we’ve allowed to happen to it! Somehow, with all the technology and advances in efficiency and speed, us working men are still living pay check to pay check. With the tools and methods I have I can produce 3x the amount of work my counterparts would of yet I can’t afford my own house and in the end my wife had to start working part time yet the parasite class are richer than they’ve ever been in history. I’m no socialist and I’ve nothing against a productive businessman becoming filthy rich off his own back but there’s something seriously wrong with today’s society

my family member j evans ,welsh man ,just been told this info

First broadcasted in 1972, and no color? Why is it in black and white?

the woke people will say there are full of white privilege but these people gave a land for these people to live here and the right to complain about white privilege. Mind numbingly mad. God Bless.