The miners’ strike was about more than just pit closures, it was about pride in community

The focus is often on the wider political ramifications of the strike. It was seen by some politicians as union power being brought into check.

But the reality is that for those who lived through the strike and were directly affected by it, the whole episode was much more than just about union power.

It was about families and friendship. In some instances, divisions that still haven’t healed. It was a matter of community pride. Communities that would end up reduced to a shell of their former selves.

It was also a matter of defiance. Defiance in the face of excessive force used by the police and of course the decision of politicians to take away their livelihoods.

This is best summed up by David Nixon, who worked at the Hatfield Main Colliery and took 10 years to pay off debts accrued from the strike, when he says, “Some things are inevitable. The strike was inevitable. Was the outcome inevitable? Probably so. But would I do it again? Yes, without a doubt.”

Some places never fully recovered from colliery closures yet there are places that have rallied.

One of the most powerful examples has to be the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre, which is on the site of the infamous battle of Orgreave in 1984. Where there was confrontation, there is now collaboration and importantly opportunities. It shows that it is possible to move on from the old industrial past and look forward.

But the individuals and families that were affected by the strike 40 years ago will remember the years of sacrifice. Mining wasn’t just a job for many folks, it was a way of life for them and their families.