1984 strikes: Secrets of Yorkshire's mining past revealed in podcast

But from having full streets made up of miners going down the same pit, the numbers of those who remember the old days are dwindling by the year.

Now the hidden stories behind the pits are being explored in a podcast series inspired by those who worked underground in Wakefield and the Five Towns to conserve their tales for a new generation.

Alfie Norris, from Normanton, was inspired to create Culture of Coal after the death of his grandfather Graham, who was a miner and later deputy at Ferry Fryston and Stillingfleet pits.

Graham Norris was involved in the rescue efforts following the disaster at Lofthouse Colliery in 1973, where seven miners were killed after a mineshaft flooded - a fact his grandson only became aware of after he passed away.

Mr Norris, who currently lives in Valencia and works as an English teacher, has interviewed people connected with the pit community to keep the stories alive.

Reflecting on beginning the podcast he said: “I was at a working men’s club in Altofts and I heard someone say that there’s no culture in Wakefield.

“I thought ‘that’s wrong,’ I’m really passionate to show people the stories that are there. When my granddad passed away, I found out a lot about his own experiences in life.

“I want to look at not just mining history, but how it inspires us today.

“There are so many interesting stories connected to the strike. There are so many things in Wakefield connected, rugby league, artists and musicians.

“What I want to capture from it is younger generations should care about this heritage and carry it on. Mining wasn’t just an industry, it was a way of life. At the end of mining, people really lost their identity.

“If the podcast can do anything, I hope it brings some pride to the identity that people say has been lost.

“I think we should be proud of it. Working class culture is something that can be really looked down upon, but it’s so rich and diverse.”

The podcast has been supported by a grant from Wakefield Council as part of its Culture Grants funding, with seven episodes already recorded and available across mainstream podcasting platforms.

Mr Norris is set to speak this month to Ossett-born novelist David Peace, the author of the Damned United, for an upcoming episode of the podcast, as well as Betty Cook, the well-known founder of the Women Against Pit Closures group in Woolley, near Barnsley.

“What I’d really to do is capture more women’s stories,” he said. “Anyone with a story to tell inspired by their mining heritage.

“I wish I’d asked my granddad more questions. Now I have to go into archives to find things out - and it just underlines the importance of getting these stories out there.”

He is keen to speak to anyone with links to the strike who has a story to tell, and can be contacted on [email protected]