Most of Kirkby miners had their first wages.
Notes
Local and National Issues
While most of grandad’s diary entries were of a personal or family nature, there were sometimes entries which referenced larger local or national issues and this was one such case.
Tensions Rise After Mines Returned to Private Ownership
There had been tensions between miners and mine owners since at least March 1921 when the mines were returned to private ownership. The owners wanted to increase working hours and reduce pay. Miners who refused risked losing their jobs, see Chapter 25.
Miners’ Strike 1921
The miners went on strike from 15 April 1921. They called on other unions to join them, particularly the railwaymen and transport workers. However, those unions declined, as they felt the miners had not negotiated enough. This day became known as Black Friday.
Although the miners continued their strike, they were finally forced to accept a pay cut and return to work. Grandad noted in his diary that there had been a national coal strike from the beginning of April 1921 until it was “settled” by the end of June. He also noted that, on 24 June 1921, they had their gas cut off because of the strike. Although the strike was over by the end of June, grandad noted that local miners at the Summit colliery only returned to work on 4 July.
Tensions Continued
Tensions continued and, in June 1925, mine owners demanded further reductions in pay and increases in working hours. This time, other unions were supportive and this led to the Conservative government subsidising mine owners for nine months to avoid wage cuts for miners. During this time, preparations were made to mobilise volunteers if there was to be a general strike.
The Samuel Commission and the General Strike
The Samuel Commission was established and this recommended a reduction in miners’ pay. The union rejected this and this led to a General Strike from 4 May 1926. Edith Searson noted this in her book(let) “I Remember” (p33). She particularly noted the suffering and hardship endured by miners and their families.
Grandad noted that a general strike had been called and that it was “called off” on the 12th. He also noted that, on the 13th, local strikers had not returned to work and that many Kirkby miners only got their first wages after the strike in October. This seems to have been because, even after the end of the general strike, the miners’ strike continued. However, it ended in “total defeat” in November 1926 with the miners forced to accept longer hours and lower pay. I have a postcard sent from Harry in East Kirkby to Horace near Nuneaton on 8 June 1926. This notes, “Am having a quiet time here inside the strike area. About 80% of the population are on strike still, being miners“.
Leave a Reply