The Rise and Fall of King Coal
Thu, Jun 23rd 2016 at 12:30 pm - 2:00 pm
A talk by our member Mel French ...
As expected, this was an excellent presentation by Mel - it was just a pity that we were unable to give him more time.
After a brief introduction in which he outlined the history of coal mining and its culture, Mel took us through the decline of the industry in the UK from its peak in 1913 to the present day, where the old proverb about taking coals to Newcastle is only too true as imports (much of it through the Tyne) now exceed nationally produced coal.Mel focussed his attention on the last 30-40 years, placing the decline of the industry in the context of the wider social, political and economic scene, highlighting a number of the people involved and ending with Arthur Scargill and Margaret Thatcher.
One of the images in his presentation raised quite a laugh - it is shown below, with a translation!
An early morning conversation between a miner and his wife:
Are you up yet?
I'm up.
(A little while later ...)
Are you up yet?
I'm up now.
It's much funnier if you just read the words on the slide - with a local accent!
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This committee conducts all the Club’s administrative activities and provides the framework that enables the Club to function effectively whilst promoting fellowship.
moreThe main aim of this committee is to plan and carry out educational, humanitarian, vocational and youth projects that address the needs of the local community. [now includes fundraising]
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