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Post by dazbt on Oct 3, 2008 8:01:55 GMT -5
I noticed a topic on this subject raised on another 'board'. I don't think that in England much attention has been paid to any Patron of coalminers, but in many countries around the world miners celebrate and revere Patron Saints. Historically and geographically I believe that there are several named Patrons of miners. Has anyone else heard of a Mining Patron Saint or had any involvement in any celebration, religious service, blessings etc.?
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Post by John on Oct 3, 2008 9:07:52 GMT -5
I'd seen this somewhere before it was brought up on the Mine History Groups list Daz. But I doubt anyone in the UK coal industry bothered with saints!!
Closest religious person I ever came in contact with in a UK pit was a ripper who was a Jehovas Witness!! He was one of two people I'd worked with in all my years underground that never used expletives, drank or smoked!
The other was a Deputy at Angus Place Colliery in NSW. He was a 7th day adventist, took up religion after being rescued from a buried continuous miner. He was pinned tight under hundreds of tons of rock and was presumed dead by his mates who feverishly dug him out several hours later.
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Post by shropshirebloke on Oct 3, 2008 9:11:06 GMT -5
There's only one - Saint Arthur of Barnsley! I had the privilege of meeting him a few years ago and he's a great bloke.
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Post by John on Oct 3, 2008 9:28:21 GMT -5
I worked with a Yorkshire electrician at Boulby years back who didn't have a good word for Mr Scargill. He'd worked at one of the Barnsley pits when he'd met Arthur and wasn't impressed with him. That was several years before the "big one" though, around 75/76.
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Post by dazbt on Oct 3, 2008 10:37:48 GMT -5
There's only one - Saint Arthur of Barnsley! I had the privilege of meeting him a few years ago and he's a great bloke. King Arthur, ................................... his Sainthood is still pending. |
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Post by dazbt on Oct 3, 2008 10:49:08 GMT -5
I used to be a '7day week Adventurist' ...................... never missed a weekend.  |
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Post by dazbt on Oct 3, 2008 13:56:38 GMT -5
The most widely recognised Patron Saint of miners is likely St Barbara, but other Saint's names are also considered to be protectors of miners, St Perin, St David, St Ann(e), St Rupert and even St Nicholas.
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Post by rhonddalad on Oct 7, 2008 11:06:44 GMT -5
I was once privileged to attend a talk given by Arthur Scargill to an audience of National Coal Board Managers and Staff in Lancashire. I tell you what - if you did 'not believe' when you went in you certainly did when you came out. The man was a wonderful orator and could hold an audience in his palm. Absolutely spellbinding. About being a Saint. I do not know!!
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Post by marillion2 on Feb 5, 2009 9:04:11 GMT -5
I was once privileged to attend a talk given by Arthur Scargill to an audience of National Coal Board Managers and Staff in Lancashire. I tell you what - if you did 'not believe' when you went in you certainly did when you came out. The man was a wonderful orator and could hold an audience in his palm. Absolutely spellbinding. About being a Saint. I do not know!! The same was thought about Adolf Hitler in the 1930's |
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Post by John on Feb 5, 2009 9:51:18 GMT -5
I was once privileged to attend a talk given by Arthur Scargill to an audience of National Coal Board Managers and Staff in Lancashire. I tell you what - if you did 'not believe' when you went in you certainly did when you came out. The man was a wonderful orator and could hold an audience in his palm. Absolutely spellbinding. About being a Saint. I do not know!! The same was thought about Adolf Hitler in the 1930's Not wanting any rows on the site nor inflammatory remarks, how can you liken Mr Scargill to Adolph?? I agree Arthur was an out and out Marxist from a Marxist family of miners. But if you go back in our mining history, one can certailny see how Maxisim flourished within our industry! I was taught how and why the industry was nationalised, history of trade unionism during my first year at Tech with the NCB. Having just read a book, "Radford, The Bread and Herring Pit", I can see more clearly why our industry was so militant. Having been "slammed against the wall" so often by the landed gentry and other mine owners, it's no wonder we were bred to be militant. My own late Father, although in a none mine related industry, was a very militant unionist during his younger years. I too was militant as an electrician in the mining industry. I wasn't for walking out the gates without good reason though, but no boss crapped on me and got away with it, I expected to be treated with the same dignity as I treated everyone else and carried out my job to the best of my ability and training, which gave me respect from my employers and workmates. Arthur was in many aspects a good trade unionist, he got where he was by looking after the interests of those that voted for him. Sure he made mistakes, some whoppers during the big strike, BUT, he was 100% right, whether you agreed with him or not, he foretold what was in store for mineworkers, the dole! Now whether things would have been different today had NACODS, and the Midlands pits had backed the rest of the NUM up is mute, we will never know for sure, but personally, I doubt it. The strike would have been over in weeks had NACODS and the TUC had supported the NUM 100% and Thatcher knew that! Scargill didn't let the working man down, the working man let Scargill down, and now Britain is suffering, Arthur can sit back now and say "I told yer so"! In one year, the working man of Britain turned the clock back on what they had gained over the last 100 years by not supporting the mineworkers by the assault the Tories led on their pay and conditions and jobs. |
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Post by shropshirebloke on Feb 5, 2009 14:41:12 GMT -5
From one working man to another - thanks for that mate!!
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Post by John on Feb 6, 2009 9:16:29 GMT -5
It also happened in 1926 when the TUC withdrew it's support for the miners, and that was when the owners cut pay and increased working hours.
If you read back, you'll find miners under private ownership, pre NCB that is, only worked part time during summer when coal wasn't needed as much, usually three to four days a week.
Most pre NCB miners lived in abject poverty.
No wonder there was such hope after nationalisation and guaranteed hours and pay!
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Post by topsparky on Mar 12, 2009 15:04:46 GMT -5
I thought the criteria for a sainthood was the ability to perform a miracle !!!!!!!!! Lol.
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Post by Sam from Kent on Dec 19, 2010 13:42:05 GMT -5
Although not a saint, our assistant training officer was a lay preacher and a comedian.
You soon learnt not to believe a word he said.
Came in one day and he said "Had a terrible day yesterday, conducted a funeral service and as the hearse drove up Mill Hill the hearse opened and the coffin fell out and slid all the way down the hill, bursting through the door of a chemists. Then the lid fell off and the corpse sat up and said "Have you got anything to stop this coffin?""
Another day he was telling us the tale of when he got married. He said that they used to coal on Saturday mornings and onhis wedding day he got up at 5 to go to work. At the end of the shift he bathed and went home, got changed for the wedding, got married and drove 200 miles for his honeymoon. Got into bed and his wife said Eric, I'm cold. So he got up and put some extra blankets on the bed. He was just dropping off to sleep and she says, Eric, I'm still cold, so he got up, unpacked the suitcase and put all the clothes on the bed. Just dropping off again and she says, Eric, I'm still cold, and when I was a little girl and I was cold, my mummy used to cuddle me. To which Eric replied. If you think I'm driving 200 miles to get your mummy.......................
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