I know Russ well mate. Used to drink with him in Wombwell station rd club. Re his stammer. When it was mentioned about going to court. We told him to tell the Judge he was fine afore the attack. Lol. Was Wayne the Ginger haired lads name who got bashed and arrested ( another regular tv clip at the time). I knew him well at the time. If so I didn't know he'd passed. We used to congregate at Darfield wmc both Darfield main and Houghton main lads (cant remember if that was every day re the Houghton lads or occasionally) Afore given instructions as to where to go. I'm guessing our paths crossed mate. When the winder at Houghton went back. A lad at the back of me was minding his own business and not getting involved so to speak. Was arrested. What for, was a mystery. As they just did a snatch job.
Yeah Wayne was the ginger haired lad , both he and Russ were on the Union at .Houghton . Someone a few years ago told me that Wayne had died but I forget the details now memory not so good . Used to See Russ regular walking down Oakwell Lane top bloke and true red . I’ll bet I knew you in another life lol if you went with Houghton/ Darfield lads from Darfield WMC , can’t believe is a supermarket now . Top blokes and sadly not many of us left nowadays but proud to have been among them Both working and leisure and picketing lol,
I’ve just seen the first two episodes. Slow going but powerful stuff nevertheless. I have nothing to say about all the above comments on events at the time but I just wanted to contribute regarding the actual programme. It’s not something to be enjoyed but it’s worth sticking with. The incident at the end with Joanne Frogatt being hit with the spade was shocking and unexpected and I’m sure there’ll be a few more like it as the story develops. Notts Forest? The locals won’t like that!
Isn't it David Morrissey who stars in it, who was of course the Governor in The Walking dead ?. Ohh and remember he played the corrupt closet gay ref in The referee's a w*anker episode, of Inside Number 9.
Ohh yeah I vaguely remember that, I think. Din't he also play a scumbag copper who beat a black prisoner to death, in a Bbc Screen one film ?.
Hi hooky Just some research ie Darfield Club Darfield WMC was the HQ for Houghton Main Colliery NUM switching from Middlecliffe Club from late seventies early eighties. There were plenty of Darfield lads worked at Houghton probably since the closure of Wombwell Main and subsidised buses from Wombwell for the transferred miners running through Darfield . Darfield Main NUM HQ was the Mitchell and Darfield Club in Wombwell , not sure if it’s still running .
My brother's father-in-law's dad was a member of Goldthorpe WMC and went in for a drink in 1984. Unfortunately a member f the committee saw him and turfed him out. There was a huge wooden panel on the wall with the names of scabs from the General Strike and his name was up there. Over the years it had been forgotten but when the 1984 strike started the committee checked the membership list for any of the names....
My dad worked at wombwell mate but in the 60s early 70's afore moving to platts common then Dearne Valley finishing up at Houghton. Not too sure if M&D is still operating.
I remember going on the old Mitchell & Darfield Miners Welfare when in was at Netherworld Hall. I remember the "new" club being built at Roy Kilner Road. I played football for the U13 side which was run by Ernie Simpson. The Club is no more. the site is now housing, although the playing fields survive but the pavilion on that site is long gone, a victim of vandalism and arsonists. My Dad worked at Darfield Main for 43 years. He took early retirement before the strike. My younger brother and brother on law worked there before and after the strike.
He wouldn’t have far to travel from Dearne Valley Pit to Houghton Main lol , fifty yards between them .
One thing on reflection after watching this series. The divisions in Notts were no different to other regions where strikers gave in. We should have had the backing of the trade union Congress. And the workers. I still beleive with a national ballot this would have been acheived. Difficult too for Kinock to back the strike too without a national ballot. I will get my tin hat on.
Do you seriously believe that if there'd been a national ballot Thatcher would have said OK then lads, carry on with the strike, you've got the mandate !?
No but we would have got the support from the wider trade union movement. Including the Labour Party. And the TUC. And the ordinary public.
I know that it was a drift mine mate. Just wondering was there 2 escape routes. (2 drifts maybe.? ) At Elsecar. We had 2 shafts, a drift and an escape route via cortonwood if necessary.
Not sure about that tbh , it may have descended from the Drift and gone overland via conveyor belt at side of railway to the washers at Houghton but as far as I’m aware we weren’t connected underground , I know we were historically connected underground to Grimethorpe and eventually Darfield Main .
