In 1844 the miners were on strike again. It was common for propaganda songs to be written as broadsheets and here we have the first of two, this one designed as a warning to colliery owners. It takes the music of a twee folk song but completely changes it by giving it sinister words.
As the 19th century progressed the miners of Northumberland and Durham slowly became more organised in order to protect themselves from exploitation and in 1832 one of the most notorious events in Tyneside took place by Jarrow Slake. Two miners who were out on strike, Ralph Armstrong and Will Jobling, tried to stop William Fairless, a local magistrate who was riding by. He refused and Armstrong attacked him with a stick and stone. The song tells the rest of the story…
There have been many pit disasters on Tyneside and this was one of the worst - 41 men and 34 boys died. This spoken word piece, with a background tune provided by John Dowsett, is based on news reports written at the time.
This song was intended to intimidate strike breakers from Cornwall, Wales and Ireland, who were being brought into the coalfield by the pit owners.
A song by the great North East writer, Tommy Armstrong. He was given the title of ‘Pitman’s Poet’ for good reason. Whenever there was a disaster or strike Tommy would write a song in support of the cause. Here he is in lighthearted mood but making a serious point at the same time - the triumph of new technology over the old. Think of new brands of computers replacing the old ones in an office and you have the modern equivalent.
