Job for singer of Miners songs

Subject: RE: Job for singer of Miners songs
From: Dave Bryant
Date: 24 Mar 04 - 05:43 AM

I was asked to "Support the Miners" many times during the big strike. My answer was usually to ask the person, what they used to heat their home. The usual answer was gas central heating - not a single one of them used solid fuel. Modern gas mains supply "Natural Gas" and a large proportion of electricity is produced by gas turbine, rubish recycling, wind farms, and nuclear power stations. it's difficult to see where there would be a market for coal these days.

When I was younger, most houses used coal fires as their main heating, Power Stations were nearly all coal-fired, and even the gas ("Town Gas") was produced from coal. My parents had a coal bunker which would be filled up in the autumn and then topped-up by regular coal deliveries - the shout of the deliverymen was quite a usual sound around the streets.

Perhaps it's a good thing that our remaining stocks of coal are being left untouched - we may need them when the oil and gas run out !

Subject: RE: Job for singer of Miners songs
From: GUEST,padgett
Date: 24 Mar 04 - 04:03 AM

just the job for Benny Graham (who is coming to Barnsley at Easter), Bob Fox, Johnny Handle, Bert Draycott, possibly Gez Lowe and I don't live in the North East!

Subject: RE: Job for singer of Miners songs
From: Strollin' Johnny
Date: 24 Mar 04 - 04:03 AM

Work it out.

Subject: RE: Job for singer of Miners songs
From: GUEST,Boab
Date: 24 Mar 04 - 03:58 AM

Just BTW--does Johnny [Handle] still live in Melkridge, Northumberland?

Subject: RE: Job for singer of Miners songs
From: Mr Happy
Date: 23 Mar 04 - 10:23 PM

& regardless of our career/profession, we're still bein' lied to!

Subject: RE: Job for singer of Miners songs
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 23 Mar 04 - 08:12 PM

Mining was a terrible hard life, but the destruction of the mining communities was done in a callous fragmenting way that wasted so much skill and energy and courage that could have been used to achieve so much.

And they were lied to, and we all were lied to.

I'd love to hear what Johnny Handle would have to say about this advert.

Subject: RE: Job for singer of Miners songs
From: Mr Happy
Date: 23 Mar 04 - 07:55 PM

Strollin' Johnny,

explanation?

Subject: RE: Job for singer of Miners songs
From: bridgee
Date: 23 Mar 04 - 05:39 PM

Thanx for the info John. We are booked and looking forward to helping keep dying traditions alive in song and music.

Subject: RE: Job for singer of Miners songs
From: Cats
Date: 23 Mar 04 - 02:40 PM

We mustn't forget the Welsh miners and the wonderful songs that came out of South Wales in The Strike. Jon Heslop's Old Soldiers was actually played by the colliery band as the local pit went back and the miners walked through the pit gates, heads held high, banners held proudly aloft - beats having a number one any day!. And don't forget the contribution that the Womens Support Groups made and the songs that came from them. (At last weeks TUC Womens Conference there was a standing ovation for them in their support of their men.)

Then there's the Tin mining songs from Cornwall and the songs about the closure of South Crofty - the last tin mine in Europe. The chorus to Roger Bryant's Cornish Lads was painted on the wall outside the gates of Crofty just after it closed...there's a story about that too...

Subject: RE: Job for singer of Miners songs
From: Sttaw Legend
Date: 23 Mar 04 - 08:51 AM

Subject: RE: Job for singer of Miners songs
From: Strollin' Johnny
Date: 23 Mar 04 - 08:42 AM

Well Mr. Happy, if you need to ask the question you probably wouldn't understand the answer.
Johnny :0)

Subject: RE: Job for singer of Miners songs
From: GUEST,Boab
Date: 23 Mar 04 - 01:32 AM

Good luck to those who seek the songs of the miners. I found the North East of England to have a rich tradition of mining songs. [I was in the mining industry in west Scotland---there was no song tradition thare in coal mining that I ever came across.] I lived among singers of the coal mining songs for many years in Northumberland .
"Close the Coalhouse Door, Boys"
"The Dirty Blackleg Miner"
The Miners o' Sooth Meadomsley"
Rap 'er tae Bank, Me Canny Lads"
"Me Hewin' days are Through"

   What a treasure house. I'll be mailing a couple of names to Rosie----

Subject: RE: Job for singer of Miners songs
From: Mr Happy
Date: 22 Mar 04 - 07:18 PM

other than it was the only means to work to survive- i always wondered why anyone wante to do coal[or any other sort of]mining.its a really horrible job + very hazardous too!

I was at Gresford Colliery Miners club last week with our group 'Senior Moments' for a sinaround & music sesh.

The mine closed years ago, & the area's all bin landscaped & made like a nice green & wooded park.

Wrexham & district's regenerated with other opportunities for earning a livelihood.

So why do folks still lament the passing of the colliers trade?

[bet this'll b controversial!]

Subject: RE: Job for singer of Miners songs
From: Dead Horse
Date: 22 Mar 04 - 07:08 PM

Sounds like the pits to me.

Subject: RE: Job for singer of Miners songs
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 22 Mar 04 - 02:31 PM

"celebrating the regeneration of ex-coal field grasslands"

Well, that's one way to put it.

Subject: UkJob for singer of Miners' songs
From: GUEST,JonBiel
Date: 22 Mar 04 - 02:03 PM

Found this on an Arts Job List thought someone here might be interested.

Opportunity for Folk Musicians/Story tellers

Environmental Arts opportunity for Folk Singer/Musician who has a repetoir of Traditional Miners songs (and similar) for Event celebrating the regeneration of ex-coal field grasslands in the North East.

Also opportunity for Story Tellers with experience of same theme.

Some workshop experience could be an advantage.

If interested please contact Rosi Lister with details of experience and idea of fee required.

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