Produced by Puddle Production, a follow up to their 2000 film ‘Brass and Banners’ that continues to tell stories about the northeast coalfields framed around the 117th Durham Miners Gala which took place on a rainy Saturday 14th July 2001. Presented again by Hilary St John the film features a visit by The United Federation of Mine Workers Pipe Band from New South Wales in Australia, events marking the 50th anniversary of the Easington Pit disaster and the history of the first purpose-built...

Produced by Puddle Production, a follow up to their 2000 film ‘Brass and Banners’ that continues to tell stories about the northeast coalfields framed around the 117th Durham Miners Gala which took place on a rainy Saturday 14th July 2001. Presented again by Hilary St John the film features a visit by The United Federation of Mine Workers Pipe Band from New South Wales in Australia, events marking the 50th anniversary of the Easington Pit disaster and the history of the first purpose-built steam railway in the world at Hetton-le-Hole. Views of Durham City and the cathedral in the rain during the 117th Durham Miners Gala. Title: Brass and Banners 2001 In the distance the Rose Window at Durham Cathedral changing to the window from inside the cathedral. Title: Pt. 1 “An Oz Experience” Looking up from the Crossing the cathedral tower above, the camera pans down to the nave the sound of The United Federation of Mine Workers Pipe Band entering the cathedral to take part in the 92nd Miners Festival Service, part of this year’s Durham Miners Gala. The congregation stands as the pipe band in their traditional kilt’s marches along the nave towards the Crossing. Parliament House in Canberra changes to the offices of The United Federation of Mine Workers in the Hunter Valley near Newcastle in New South Wales, Australia. Inside a large conference room, on the table a sculpture of a pit pony pulling a coal wagon, on the shelves behind a display of safety lamps. Views of a now closed deep mine is followed by those of a working open-cast site in New South Wales. Inside the shop at Tyrrells Wines winery a man opens a bottle for visitors to try before buying. A United Federation of Mine Workers rescue helicopter takes off, aerials of it travelling along the coastline with surfers enjoying the waves and a tanker heading towards port. An aerials of Newcastle itself followed by an industrial quayside where a modern bulk-carrier is loaded with coal. Back in Durham The United Federation of Mine Workers Pipe Band marches across Framwellgate Bridge wearing waterproofs. The band comes to a stop along Silver Street, one of the band leaders complains to a local man about the rain. The band continues onto Sadler Street, across Elvet Bridge and outside the County Hotel they stop to perform a rendition of ‘Waltzing Matilda’ before marching on towards Durham Racecourse. Title: Pt. 2 “The Price of Coal’ A man looks over the names of those killed in mining accidents in the Hunter Valley region written on a Memorial Wall outside The United Federation of Mine Workers headquarters in Australia. In Bellbird Miners Memorial Park another individual looks over a memorial stone dedicated to those killed following an explosion at Bellbird Colliery in September 1923. Back inside Durham Cathedral a woman looks over the Miners Memorial followed by the Easington Lodge banner enters the cathedral draped in black crape to mark the 50th anniversary of the Easington pit disaster. Behind Easington, the banner for Eppleton lodge also draped in crape in memory of the nine killed in its disaster. The congregation listens as the brass band makes its way down the nave. The two banner stands either side of the north and south transept, members of the clergy standing on the steps of the quire. Tuesday May 29th 2001 and a sculpture of a pit cage marking the spot of the shaft at the now closed Easington Colliery. 600 yards away residents gather for the opening of a memorial garden and walkway leading to the sculpture with speeches being made by Councillor Alan Burnip from Easington Parish Council, Alan Cummings DMA/NUM Easington Lodge and The Right Reverend Michael Turnbull, Bishop of Durham. As each man speaks archive images are used to help illustrate some of the points being made. As the memorial garden gates are opened, the Easington Colliery Band perform “Towards a New Dawn”. The band and banner parade through Easington accompanied by the Bishop of Durham walking behind a large silver cross heading into Easington Parish Church. The bishop sits on a chair near the alter listening to the band perform, standing against a nearby wall the Easington lodge banner. At Easington Cemetery at the mass grave to those killed in the 1951 disaster, family members and friends remember the dead placing red roses on each of the graves while being watched over by the Bishop of Durham. Several wreaths are also laid, the bishop leads the congregation in a pray of remembrance. Back inside Durham Cathedral the festival service continues with the Easington Colliery Band performing for the congregation, nearby the Durham Miners Memorial and Book of Remembrance. A boy and girl from Easington and Eppleton carry the ‘Book of Remembrance’ to be placed on the altar as part of the service. The congregation watch on as the book is passed to members of the cathedral clergy. The history of Eppleton Colliery through a series of archival stills of the mine, its workings and the men who worked there. Playing alongside this sequence ‘The Lost Chord’ performed by the Easington Colliery Band. Its closure in 1985 and final demolition is also shown through animated still images. Hilary St John speaks with Bob Moody, a former miner at Eppleton Colliery, at Churchside Nurseries where he is a partner in the business with three other former miners. Hilary and John look down aisles of cultivate flowers, they talk about getting into the horticulturist business and life as a miner and working a Eppleton. Title: Pt. 3 “Millennium Banner” At the 2000 Durham Miners Gala the Elemore Colliery band perform beside their temporary banner, writing along the bottom reading ‘Banner Under Restoration’. Title: Replica Banner Inside Easington Lane Club in November 2000 a temporary replica banner produced by the women of the village is unveiled. At the 2001 gala it is marched with pride through Durham past the County Hotel and into Durham Cathedral. Following the Festival Service, the banner is carried back outside to the applause of the congregation. At a Remembrance Sunday Service inside the Independent Methodist Church at Easington Lane the replica banner set up near the front of the chapel. Following the service, it leads the procession to the local war memorial on the Easington Lane Clock where wreaths are lain. At an event inside Easington Lane Primary School the original restored banner is presented to the school with two of the pupils unveiling it behind a glass panel. Title: Original banner (restored) The two children along with the school’s head teacher step forward to look at it and a display of historic photographs on the wall beside it. The Houghton Brass band perform as part of the event shots of which are cut into the above sequences. A bugler plays ‘The Last Post’ beside the Easington Lane Clock as a single bell tolls. The congregation bow their heads in remembrance, the replica banner strands beside the memorial. The names of the fallen on each of the four plinths attached to the side of the clock. Back in the rain on gala day 2001 the procession of banners cross Framwellgate Bridge onto Silver Street, included amongst them the banner for the ‘Bevin Boys Association’. They stand in the rain waiting to move on, one of them is being pushed in a wheelchair. The procession continues and they march along Saddler Street and pass the County Hotel to the applause of those standing on the balcony. A sequence from the BBC Remembrance Day Service taking place at The Cenotaph in London with members of the Bevin Boys Association marching past in white mining helmets. Title: Pt. 4 “The First Steam Railway” A photograph of the Hetton Colliery Lyon steam train changes to the blue plaque for Hetton Lyons Colliery attached to the side of a building, the site of the first purpose-built steam railway in the world. Standing beside it Hilary St John who gives a history of the colliery that features a series of archive pictures and photographs. More stills of the Stephenson Rope Haulage Engine at Copt Hill intercut with views of the site today. More views of the site of the colliery at Hetton-le-Hole. In the far distance the ‘Houghton Cut’, a magnesium limestone cutting that is now the A690 road with traffic moving along it. In the distance again a sign for the Houghton-le-Spring and Washington, behind it a village and in the far distance a quarry or open-cast mining site. More images of Hetton Lyons Colliery and what remains of the site today. Hilary St John looks along a road towards the Stephenson’s Engine Sheds at Hetton Lyons in the distance. Images and maps are used to show the development of both a railway from Hetton Colliery to the coal staithes at Sunderland as well as the development of Elemore and Eppleton collieries. General views of Hetton-le-Hole where stone from the mine workings were used to built both the local chapel as well as houses. A row of miner’s cottages from the village now at Beamish Open Air Museum. Title: Pt. 5 “Yes Jesus Loves Me?” Views of Hetton-le-Hole Primitive Methodist Chapel followed by a series of archival images showing the importance of the chapel for union activity as well as village life showing Remembrance Sunday and Harvest Festivals. More images of people at work in the gardens growing vegetables changes to show Bob Dodsworth at work in his allotment growing prize winning leeks. Following his labour, he sits in a chair beside a shed looking out across his crop. More archival images provide details of the importance of the kitchen range and the development of pit head baths where men could wash themselves as well as their clothes rather than at home. The Old Pump on The College green behind Durham Cathedral. Hilary St John walks out of the cathedral cloisters and walks along The Collage passing through the gateway onto North Bailey. To camera Hilary St John explains how North and South Bailey became fashionable places to live during the 18th century. Current students at Durham University walk along North Bailey passing a row of Georgian houses. From Kingsgate Footbridge the lush green landscape around the River Wear and students rowing on the water below. A property on South Bailey owned by the Bowes family changes to that of The Bowes Museum near Barnard Castle where the family moved. Various views of the exterior of the French style museum and grounds. The sequence ends on a photograph of Elizabeth Bowes Lyon, The Queen Mother. Back inside Durham Cathedral the congregation begins to sing as a silver cross is walked down the nave. A conductor in vestments leads a brass band while members of the cathedral clergy, including the Bishop of Durham, make their way along the nave coming to stands beside the two banners seen previous standing either side of the quire. The Right Reverend James Jones, Bishop of Liverpool, climbs the steps of a pulpit and begins a sermon. From an elevated position H.M. Prison Durham in the distance alongside Durham Cathedral. Standing on the North Gate Hilary St John explains this is all that remains on the cities original jail. The Durham Cathedral stables in The College is shown where the overspill from the jail, including striking miners, were held. A pen and ink drawing of a 19th century clergyman with top hot. A similar top hat floats in the River Wear and is linked the legend of the ‘dunking of the bishop’. A passenger pleasure boat travels past in the background. Back inside Durham Cathedral the Right Reverend James Jones finishes his sermon stepping down from the pulpit. To the pipes of The United Federation of Mine Workers Pipe Band the clergy makes their way along the nave and out of the cathedral. Title: Pt. 6 “All’s Well That Ends Well” Following behind comes The United Federation of Mine Workers Pipe Band themselves marching in front of their banner followed by other colliery brass bands and banners leaving the cathedral. Title: Pt. 7 “Singing in the Rain” (The Speeches) In the rain on gala day a colliery band climbs aboard a coach along with their lodge banners. They travel into Durham and on the outskirts of the city they unfurl the banners and prepare to march. The brass bands lead the procession as it makes it way into the city joining other mining lodges to cross Framwellgate Bridge and travel along Old Elvet passing the County Hotel where crowds applaud. Inserted into this footage speakers making speeches from a stage at the Durham Racecourse. David Guy, President of the Durham Miners Association introduces the Right Worshipful Mayor of Durham City, Councillor George Cowper who give a civic welcome. He is followed by speeches by Michael Rix, General Secretary of The Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen (ASLEF), Dave Prentice General Secretary of UNISON, Lynne Jones MP for Birmingham Selly Oak and finally Dennis Skinner MP for Bolsover. Dave Hopper, General Secretary of the Durham Miners Association brings the gala to a close and the film ends on Durham Cathedral seen from the River Wear and a nearby puddle filling with still falling rain. Title: The producers wish to thank Easington Colliery Band, Houghton Brass, Broughtons Band, UMWA Pipe Band, Ferryhill Town Band, Bands of the North East Communities, Durham Cathedral Dean & Chapter, Bowes Museum, Durham Heritage Centre, J Wippell & Co. Ltd, The National Union of Minerworkers Durham Miners Association, The United Mineworkers Federation of Australia, Tupps Press, The Elemore Banner Committee, The Bevin Boys Association, The Royal British Legion, British Broadcasting Corporation, Easington Lane Primary School, Easington Lane CIU Club, Independent Methodist Church Easington Lane, Bob Moody and Harold Watson, Bob Dodsworth, George Robson Title: The Former Mining Communities of the North East in particular Easington, Easington Lane & Hetton, Co. Durham, the communities of the Hunter Valley and Newcastle N.S.W., The Westpak Rescue Helicopter Service (N.S.W.) Title: Production Credit: Multi-camera operators Ross Greenwell, Andy Phelan Location and Rostrum cameras Hilary St John, John (Maxie) Mason Lighting Hilary St John Sound John (Maxie) Mason Titles and animation maps George Whitfield Editor John (Maxie) Mason Produced, written and researched by Hilary St John and Maxie Mason Presented by Hilary St John Directed by John (Maxie) Mason End title: Copyright Puddle Productions MMI Following the main feature a Tyne Tees Television news report on the production of the video ‘Bands and Banners’ with interview with both John Mason and Hilary St John about the films production and promotional material for other Puddle Production commercial films.