Durham Miner's Gala 2009

report by Angus Ellis

Around 100,000 people attended the 125th Durham Miners' Gala which took place in the heart of Durham on Saturday 11 July, 2009. The deep-mine pits are no longer worked in the North East, but the revived gala has become a giant street party and a celebration of a mining heritage.
 
 
A delegation from PTUC – Ron Graves, Liam (Ron’s son), Angus Ellis, Peter Heinrich and Peter Mitton took up PTUC & UNISON Health North West Anglia Banners the night before marched them through Durham and to the Racecourse Gala where refreshments (see above) were required on a hot afternoon.

A PTUC Free Bus, funded by UNISON NWA Health Branch also took up activists on the day.

PTUC was twice mentioned by speakers at the Gala and were noticed for their continuing support in recent years.

The Durham Miners' Gala (pronounced "gayla" and traditionally called The Big Meeting) is a large annual gathering held on the second Saturday in July in Durham city, England. It is associated with the coal mining heritage (and particularly that of miners' trade unionism) of the Durham Coalfield, which stretched throughout the traditional County of Durham.

Its highlight consists of banners, each typically accompanied by a brass band, which are marched to the old Racecourse, where political speeches are delivered. In the afternoon a Miners' service is held in Durham Cathedral which may include the blessing of any new banners.

The gala developed out of the miners' trade unionism, with the first Union being established in 1869.[1] The Durham Miners' Union organised the first Gala, which was held in 1871 in Wharton Park, Durham. It developed into the largest unofficial miners and trade union gathering in the United Kingdom. At its peak the Gala attracted over 250,000 people[2] - approximately 6 times the population of Durham city itself. Banners would traditionally be taken on foot from its particular colliery into Durham, and the event was marked by large groups of men marching on the roads leading into the city.

The socialist, and often communist, nature of the miners' unionism found expression in the Gala. In particular, the banners contain several images of notable socialist/communist figures, and captions capture similar sentiments.
The Gala was cancelled from 1915-18 (due to the First World War), 1921, 1922, and 1926 (all due to strikes), and again from 1940-45 due to the Second World War. The effect of the 1984-85 miners' strike, which saw miners across the Durham Coalfield strike, also led to the Gala being called off in 1984.

The closure of collieries in County Durham, particularly after the Second World War, reduced the numbers attending the Gala. Nonetheless, even if a colliery was closed, the banner was often still marched.