This conversation sprung up in the middle of another thread that had nothing to do with a miners' strike. This is the point where that conversation (that has been moved to this thread) began:
Subject: RE: Newark Notts UK From: Peter K (Fionn) - PM Date: 16 Dec 12 - 11:48 AM
Right on the nail Terry, old chum! Big Al is out of order. My immediate next-door neighbour, for instance, and most of his family in this Notts village stayed with the NUM (and consequently out) throughout the strike, when a vast majority in the village did not. That was a much bigger decision than for miners in Yorkshire and elsewhere. Likewise a tough call up the road in Ollerton, where the split was nearer 50/50, and one guy was killed.
I said "most," because an in-law of my neighbour became a general secretary of the breakaway union. It is no myth that the strike divided families, and in some cases it still does.
But yes, stand well back, Kendall!
Incidentally that same neighbour once sat on Peggy Seeger's knee, when his Geordie father's reminiscences were recorded for one of Ewan MacColl's radio ballads. (I think I have that ballad in MP3. If anyone wants a copy, send me your email by PM.)
Al - IF Scargill had had the basic commonsense to do a bit of P R and then BALLOT the NUM , he would probably have got a vote in favour of the strike . The Notts N U M would then have supported what was , to them , an Unofficial strike . As it was , they were sold down the river along with the rest of the union .
I still cant decide wether Thatcher or Scargill were the worst in that episode .