A still image or picture film produced by Trade Films that explores the class disparity between the miner and miner owners of County Durham between 1869 and 1926. Using photographs held by Beamish Museum, the film illustrates the formation of the Durham Miners' Association, the Burns Pit Disaster (West Stanley Colliery) and the General Strike. Title: ‘Deep Divisions’ Title: Coal and Class in County Durham Over music of brass bands playing a series of related black and white archival...

A still image or picture film produced by Trade Films that explores the class disparity between the miner and miner owners of County Durham between 1869 and 1926. Using photographs held by Beamish Museum, the film illustrates the formation of the Durham Miners' Association, the Burns Pit Disaster (West Stanley Colliery) and the General Strike. Title: ‘Deep Divisions’ Title: Coal and Class in County Durham Over music of brass bands playing a series of related black and white archival photographs telling the story of the formation of the Durham Miners Association in 1869 as well as reasons why the union was needed. Additional still showing coal owners and their families living a very different lifestyle to their employees whose fortunes were made from coal. A poster relating to the West Stanley Pit Disaster from 1909 where 168 mine workers lost their lives. Black and white archival stills of the town as well as the colliery itself shortly after the disaster and subsequent mass funeral. In voice over several men read quotations from those who saw or were involved with the disaster and its aftermath with additional images of men working underground with a voiceover explaining the harsh conditions. More archival stills showing mine owners and their family whom, the narrator comments, survived the disaster, subsequent strikes as well as the depression of the 1930s while their workers continued to face hardships and periods of unemployment. Again, a voice over tells a story about the gap in experiences between the miner and the mine owners. More archival stills of men, boys and ponies working underground with a voice reading an account of the harsh conditions working underground during this period. Stills taken during the 1926 General Strike where, according to the narrator, the miners were starved back to work. More images highlight the depression of the 1930s with some showing men at work in local social services centres set up by the government for the unemployed. In voiceover and narration, the concerns of the unions that men working in these centres were taking away work from tradesmen. Another brass band performs over archive stills of the Durham Miners Gala featuring banners, parades and political speeches being made from a stage. In voiceover men talk of their experience attending the ‘Durham Big Meeting’ and the change in political awareness of those in attendance. The final still of the film features a father holding his young daughter with the narrator explaining that she will grow up to see nationalisation and 1927 as well other strikes than the 1926 General Strike. Title: Photographs from Beamish North of England Open Air Museum Credit: Voices Jane Barnet, Colin Maclachlan and Gev Pringle Title: Quotations from Dickie Beavis, Dave Ayre, Johnson Ellwood, Bob Barker, Ron Rooney, George Alsop, Ellen Wilkinson and Wal Hannington Credit: Directed by Sarah McCarthy Picture Research Horace Green Rostum Camera Begonia Tamarit Sound Recording Audio Track Title: Thanks also to Elaine Drainville and Amber Films End title: A Trade Films Production © Trade Films 1984