Mining Banners.
The first time I can recall seeing a vast array of Mining Banners was at the Miners' Picnic in Bedlington, Northumberland. It was 1959 or 1960.
Hundreds of people lined the streets and watched as the colliers, and some of their family, marched behind their own colliery banners. Leading the procession was a colliery brass band, with other colliery bands spread out at intervals along the procession.
The use of banners by colliers can be traced all the way back to 1831 when banners were carried at a meeting in Jarrow.
The banner pictures below are by courtesy of Roy Lambeth.
Many thanks to Roy for suppling the pictures and the following information.
Yellow banner. This banner with Aneurin Bevan on the front was new to Handen Hold Lodge who used it till 1968. It was transferred to Murton in 1971.
Red/Blue banner. This 1955 Banner was unfurled by Lord Lawson of Beamish on July 15th 1955. It shows a miner holding a book inscribed 'Knowledge is Power' , standing over the Houses of Parliament with the slogan "The future is in your hands" underneath, The reverse shows Conishead Priory the Durham Miners convalescent home near Ulverston in the Lakes. The banner is red silk with a blue border and measures 6ft7ins X 7ft8ins
The New Banner:- This banner was in use by 1992 and is known as The Murton NUM North East Area Banner. It carries a painting of the pit with the message "Production for use/not for profit" and is flanked by smaller cameos of the local cenotaph,Colliery Inn,Murton Welfare Hall,Aged Miner's Homes. The reverse side bears a large portrait of Thomas Hepburn Pioneer of Mining Trade Unions flanked by a miner behind bars 'Victimised', a baton-weilding police cavalryman bearing down on a protester 'State Violence', miners carrying their previous banner 'Forward', and a Canteen scene 'Support Groups'. This banner was produced by Chippenham Design.
These details come from "Banners of the Durham Coalfield" by Norman Emery.
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