Richard Whiteley interviews the miner and socialist Jim Bullock OBE. Title: YORKSHIRE TELEVISION – Colour Production Colourful graphics based on various views of stylised male and female heads in profile introduce the programme. Title: CALENDAR PEOPLE Richard Whiteley introduces the programme and the guest Jim Bullock who sits in the chair opposite Richard smoking a pipe. A still photograph of a coal dump between Swillington and Fryston on the outskirts of Leeds follows. This was the site...

Richard Whiteley interviews the miner and socialist Jim Bullock OBE. Title: YORKSHIRE TELEVISION – Colour Production Colourful graphics based on various views of stylised male and female heads in profile introduce the programme. Title: CALENDAR PEOPLE Richard Whiteley introduces the programme and the guest Jim Bullock who sits in the chair opposite Richard smoking a pipe. A still photograph of a coal dump between Swillington and Fryston on the outskirts of Leeds follows. This was the site of a terraced street, Bowers Row where Jim Bullock was born. At 13 he started work in the local pit, despite having a scholarship to a grammar school. He later went to Fryston pit, driving pit ponies. He became manager of Fryston pit a virtually unheard of achievement for someone who started as a boy driving pit ponies. A photograph shows the detached managers house he eventually occupied. When he retired he bought Swillington House the stable block of Swillington Hall, former home of the Lowther family who owned the local pit. Jim is now a full time farmer breeding calves and pigs. Richard finishes the brief biography then the audience applaud. Richard then lists the personal material achievements Jim has achieved and is now a wealthy man. Richard asks Jim, a lifelong socialist, if he is still as committed to the Labour as he used to be. Jim says he is quite disappointed with the Labour party. Title: Jim Bullock Jim says he became a socialist when he was quite young. Now he says anyone with left wing leanings can join the Labour party, so they can carry on with their agenda rather than the Labour Party’s. Jim asserts his brand of socialism even now that he is wealthy. He still believes in nationalisation except for farms! Richard asks, if he is a socialist why does his son go to public school. Jim replies it was his wife who sent him to public school. He then goes on to say that although he was against freemasonry and public schools when he was younger as he got older and was able to meet some of these people who now worked for the coal industry, he found them to be ‘quite decent’. A brief view of Jim’s wife in the audience as Jim says that she’s a believer in private education and she paid for their son to go to a private school. Richard asks if Jim would send his son down the pit. He replies at one time he would not. He then talks about the difference about the workman at the pit and the farmer that he is now. He says that managing a farm is much harder than pit work, as you as a farmer are accountable for everything including debt. Richard then goes on to the topic of miner’s safety a subject behind many disputes in the industry. He asks Jim where the miner stands in the league table of the British workforce. Jim replies that he should stand at the top, as he always had a high regard for miners. He also says he would not have been a good colliery manager if it wasn’t for the men working the mine. Richard interrupts Jim to inform the viewers that the audience is composed of members of Jim’s family, colleagues and former colleagues from Fryston colliery. Richard also comes back to the point as to whether Jim would send his son, despite his public school education, to go and work in the mine. Jim answers with a detailed description of the modern miner as a highly skilled workman and engineer. He also talks of other senior posts in the mining industry which require experienced and qualified people. He then recalls the closing of 400 pits by the labour government. He also asserts that Trade Union leaders ought to have the same training in management relationships as a pit manager has to have in labour relationships. Trade Union leaders also need technical training in the work the members are paid to do. Jim also disapproves of trade union leaders fomenting disputes over old issues which were largely solved after nationalisation of coal mining. Richard asks Jim about what he thinks of the achievements of Arthur Scargill, Jim replies that he doesn’t think anything, as circumstances have played into his hands. Jim calls him an opportunist. Richard asks Jim how Arthur Scargill compares to earlier trade union leaders such as Joe Hall and George Machin. Jim talks about 1926 the year of the general strike, he is doubtful that Arthur Scargill could have been effective then. He then talks about the difficulties miners had to face during the general strike, and the strategies of Arthur Scargill in more recent disputes. Richard comments on the time Jim was at Fryston colliery when it was known as the ‘no trouble’ pit. He then asks Jim is there anything he might want to suggest to the current administration, given his long association with the colliery. Jim says he believes that loyalty is key to good management. You must demonstrate your own loyalty to the workforce in order that they can be loyal to the manager. He also says that he never made a promise that he couldn’t keep. Richard Whiteley takes this opportunity to ask colleagues in the studio if this is correct. Lister Addy, awarded the George medal in 1952 for a heroic rescue, says immediately that Jim Bullock was the best colliery manager Fryston ever had. Dick Wastell the current colliery manager is also in the audience and Richard asks him what sort of legacy Jim has left at the colliery. Dick replies he left a good foundation to ensure a good future for the colliery. Dick also agrees with all that Jim has said on good management, which he says still governs the running of the colliery. Richard asks Jim about his time as a colliery manager and his ambition to be a labour member of parliament. As far as ambitions were concerned Jim insists, they started when the coal owners pulled up outside a local chapel in a coach and horses and covered him in dust. Richard asks Jim about this hatred of the coal owners which Jim insists was something he was taught. Ultimately Jim wanted all the attributes and lifestyle coal owners had but he was prepared to work for it. Jim talks at length about the calibre of the men at Fryston and in particular, the bravery of Lister Addy and his extraordinary rescue. Richard asks Lister when, during the time of the rescue when he was frightened, did he pray? Lister replies yes, a lot! He prayed despite the fact he was not religious. Jim has a strong memory for quotes from the scriptures, Richard asks him if is he as religious as his father had been. His reply is that he is Christian but he’s not religious. Jim talks about some of the gatherings by miners in the late 19th and early 20th century who gave testimonies in church on Sundays, which were similar to spiritualist rallies in parts of America, where a miner in Jim’s words ‘poured his heart out to God’ and the congregation. Richard Whiteley asks Jim about his biggest achievement. Jim responds, by being a father to four marvellous children, after that the work he did for paraplegic miners. The final question from Richard is if given the opportunity to have his life over again would have done the same things. Jim responds by saying ten years ago the answer was no, but after a recent return visit to Fryston colliery he changed his mind as the familiarity and camaraderie came back to him immediately and working in colliery currently is made much easier with the use of machines. Jim also praises the stewardship of the colliery by the current manager Dick Wastell. Richard thanks Jim Bullock for his contribution to the programme and brings the programme to an end. Title: CALENDAR People Tonight Featured Credits Jim Bullock Talking to Richard Whiteley Designer – David McDermott Director – Nick Gray Editor – John Wilford End Title - Yorkshire Television Colour Production