Author Topic: Durham Miners' Gala (Read 10985 times)

Deano · « **on:** 17 July, 2008, 04:08:45 pm »

Had a lovely day out on Saturday. Politics, beer, and brass bands. Perfect.

The bands trailing back over the bridge

Lots of banners. Apparently there were 37 bands in Durham:

The main field:

I assume the band had hit the beer tent:

An American band over for the day:

It takes some skill to continue playing while yomping up this hill:

More Scots:

A last shot of Durham. The weather was perfect all day

clarion · « **Reply #1 on:** 17 July, 2008, 04:29:52 pm »

Great stuff. Always a stirring event

mike · « **Reply #2 on:** 17 July, 2008, 05:01:05 pm »

great photos - brings back memories of sculling down the racecourse in Durham on a sunday afternoon with a brass band playing in the bandstand.

Aidan · « **Reply #3 on:** 17 July, 2008, 05:31:23 pm »

Quote from: Deano on 17 July, 2008, 04:08:45 pm

Had a lovely day out on Saturday. Politics, beer, and brass bands. Perfect.

My Grandad used to play in the band for this lot and my uncles used go on the parade as well. I've a black and white photo somewhere, and he was a local bowls champion too.

vince · « **Reply #4 on:** 17 July, 2008, 10:15:22 pm »

Nice pictures.

I've mixed feelings about this. Strong communities and proud traditions, but a hard, dangerous occupation that was responsible for so many early deaths and retirements ruined by ill health.

(I am from a mining family, brought up in a UDM town and now live and work in a NUM area)

MSeries · « **Reply #5 on:** 18 July, 2008, 10:14:11 am »

I should go to see this some year. It's part of my heritage too, my grandfather was a miner at Horden.

onb · « **Reply #6 on:** 18 July, 2008, 11:54:39 am »

We had a few days in Durham recently which was very nice ,Mrs onbs' mum came from Seaham which we paid a visit to ,it was a very desloate place.

clarion · « **Reply #7 on:** 18 July, 2008, 12:04:01 pm »

Rubbish! When you get to Seaham, you should visit...

er...

and then there's...

um...

Yes. Desolate. Isn't that where Get Carter was filmed?

onb · « **Reply #8 on:** 23 July, 2008, 11:41:01 am »

Quote from: clarion on 18 July, 2008, 12:04:01 pm

Rubbish! When you get to Seaham, you should visit...

er...

and then there's...

um...

Yes. Desolate. Isn't that where Get Carter was filmed?

I'mnot sure but I didnt see Eric bobbing about in the sea.

Deano · « **Reply #9 on:** 23 July, 2008, 03:57:41 pm »

I've lived in the North East for most of my life, and I've never heard anyone mention Seaham as a destination for a day out.

clarion · « **Reply #10 on:** 23 July, 2008, 04:03:52 pm »

I used to go to Seaham regularly. Great place to take photos, for example. Not exactly a kickin' scene, but I did live in New Herrington... $:-\$

Deano · « **Reply #11 on:** 23 July, 2008, 04:20:26 pm »

I'd prefer Roker. Or Blackhall. Or the Headland at Hartlepool. Seal Sands has a certain charm to it as well - I'll take my camera round there at some point.

Edit: ISTR that Get Carter was filmed at Blackhall.

Basil · « **Reply #12 on:** 23 July, 2008, 08:12:33 pm »

Blackhall is where Mrs. Brush is from and my FIL still lives there. I know the beach and beach banks well.

I think "Get Carter" was filmed a little further up the coast.

Deano · « **Reply #13 on:** 09 July, 2011, 09:21:30 pm »

2011 version. I expect the saturnalia's in full flow by now - it's a gorgeous evening out there.

Left Book Club editions at one of the stalls:

And a new banner:

A great day out, as ever. tea and homemade cakes in the Labour tent, rabble-rousing speeches, and an appearance by one of the Chilean miners. Plus brass bands, pipe bands, and plenty of beer. Plenty of rain, too, inbetween the sunshine.

eck · « **Reply #14 on:** 09 July, 2011, 09:29:10 pm »

Great photos Deano, thanks for posting. My dad was a miner in Fife, and your photos brought back memories of the Scottish Miners' gala held in Holyood Park.
By co-incidence, otherdave and I had a lunch stop in Pitlochry on the Moulin Moors audax today. The walls of the café were adorned with painted plates depicting lots of different Scottish collieries, including the one my dad worked at.

Deano · « **Reply #15 on:** 09 July, 2011, 10:03:33 pm »

I didn't see any Scottish banners this year, though we did get caught up in the middle of Song Wars - the pipe band behind us cranked up "Scotland the Brave" as they moved off, and the (English) brass band ahead of us responded with "Vindaloo"

LindaG · « **Reply #16 on:** 09 July, 2011, 10:36:24 pm »

Thanks for posting those Deano. Would've liked to have made it this year.

clarion · « **Reply #17 on:** 09 July, 2011, 11:08:16 pm »

Thanks Deano. Lovely pictures. And good to know, in difficult times, that there are people who carry hope for a better world.

Tourist Tony · « **Reply #18 on:** 10 July, 2011, 01:12:47 am »

Get Carter: that scene was filmed at Blackhall Rocks. I remember th rtipping buckets.

In response to the comments about the effects of mining, I sing a song at mu folk club by Ed Pickford, "Ee, Aye, Aa Cud Hew!"

Look it up. Understand their pain.

Peter · « **Reply #19 on:** 13 July, 2011, 12:49:46 am »

Dean, I've only just found this thread. What great pictures. I've got mining in my background, too, though more recently it's been iron and steel. My wife's family having a strong mining background, too. I once sang a concert for an NUM benefit in Nottingham during the last, fatal strike. They gave me a limited edition plate as a memento. It's just about my proudest posession.

Tourist Tony, I don't suppose Ed ever expected the last line of the chorus to be so predictive:

"Now me hewin' days are through, through, Now vme hewin' days are through.

Did you ever hear a song about a miner called Joe Peel?

Deano · « **Reply #20 on:** 04 August, 2013, 10:20:42 pm »

2013 version:

marchers crossing Old Elvet Bridge by dean.clementson, on Flickr

The Eastern end of Old Elvet Bridge.

IMG_8546 by dean.clementson, on Flickr

Retired miner mugging for the camera.

PCS balloon

National Clarion CC.

The rear of the Clarion banner.

Returning along Old Elvet.

clarion · « **Reply #21 on:** 04 August, 2013, 11:03:11 pm »

Thanks.

Nice to see the Clarion banner. I can't quite see, but I'm guessing that's Charles and Ruth carrying it.

Deano · « **Reply #22 on:** 05 August, 2013, 11:19:19 pm »

I can't remember. We had a brief chat, and they said they'd travelled a bit, but that's probably relative to the gangs from West Cornforth and so on.

Ruth · « **Reply #23 on:** 20 July, 2014, 09:27:53 am »

This year's gala (mcshroom, SlowCoach and me had a day out there) was great fun. You can't beat a bit of brass 'n'politics. Many respects were payed to Tony Benn

and Bob Crow. Sadly, none of us took a camera - Deano's always done such a good job in the past!

clarion · « **Reply #24 on:** 20 July, 2014, 10:47:37 am »

No photos!

Author Topic: Durham Miners' Gala (Read 10985 times)

vince

LindaG

Ruth