Banners and Beyond

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Banners and Beyond: People, Parades and Protest in theNottinghamshire CoalfieldA study of coal mining union banners in Nottinghamshiresupported by the Nottinghamshire Community FoundationThe rights of Dr David Amos and Paul Fillingham identified as the authors of this workare asserted in accordance with the Copyright Design and Patents Act, 1988.All rights reserved. No parts of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrievalsystem or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying,recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the authors.Published by Thinkamigo EditionsJames Prior House2 Main StreetBlidworthMansfieldNotts NG21 0PZEmail design@thinkamigo.comwww.thinkamigo.comFirst edition published in 2020Copyright Dr David Amos and Paul FillinghamPhotography: All rights of the individual owners are acknowledged and recognisedDesign and Typesetting: Thinkamigo.comPrint: Solopress UKISBN: 978 1 8383546 0 2Cover image: Miners’ Gala procession, Portland Street, Mansfield in the 1950s.Courtesy: Pauline Marples ‘Our Mansfield and Area’ www.ourmansfieldandarea.org.uk.2
IntroductionTrade union banners played an important role in conveying a sense ofcommunity spirit and collective resistance in coal mining communities.Historian David Wray describes them as ‘iconic manifestations of an industrialidentity.’ Union banners combine symbolic imagery, typography, landscapeand portraiture to tell the story of a place in time, reflecting the culture andvalues of a particular union area or colliery (also known as a branch or lodge).Banners were not always made within those communities but outsourced tospecialist manufacturers. The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), Union ofDemocratic Mineworkers (UDM) and the colliery officials’ union the NationalAssociation of Colliery Overmen, Deputies and Shotfirers (NACODS) allcommissioned the production of union banners on behalf of their members.At the turn of the 19 th Century, banners became so prevalent that they weremanufactured on an industrial scale, painted by groups of artists accordingto standard patterns and techniques, using oil-paints on silk. Abstractconcepts were expressed through the use of generic images; ‘friendship’ forexample was represented with an image of a handshake, ‘enlightenment andlearning’ were conveyed with images of illuminated lamps or flaming torches.Signwriting skills were also employed by the artists; inscribing banners withpolitical slogans, names, locations and dates. And lettering decorated withhistrionic flourishes alluding to classical scrolls and ribbons. Miners with caplampsand tools were depicted working underground or standing to attentionin heroic poses. The overall effect has an almost religious tone, promotingthe virtues of manual labour and the principles of good work ethic. Bannerswere frequently populated with idolised portraits of leading trade unionistsand political figures. Background colours were also important; red symbolisingsocialism, blue representing loyalty, and green in some Nottinghamshirebanners alluding to Sherwood Forest. Mining banners have regionalcharacteristics; the political outlook of banners from South Wales for example,embrace the notion of international solidarity and peace. Older banners fromthe north east demonstrate allegiance to socialist and Marxist principles.Whilst Nottinghamshire banners, many produced in more recent times, reflectthe moderate customs and traditions of the region, blending Robin Hoodfolklore with realistic representations of modern miners and mining technology.In the post-industrial era, many working class traditions have since disappeared,presenting fewer opportunities for miners’ banners to be paraded in public. Oneexception is the annual Durham Miners’ Gala, also known as ‘The Big Meeting’which takes place on the second Saturday of July. More recently, a new event,called ‘With Banners Held High’ has emerged in the former Yorkshire coalfield,celebrating the British Labour and Trade Union movement.3
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Page 7 and 8: Banners and NationalisationThe form
Page 9 and 10: twirling batons, kazoos, glockenspi
Page 11 and 12: Victory parade following the 1972st
Page 13 and 14: Hailed by Festival Director Sir Ger
Page 15 and 16: Ollerton Colliery closed in 1994, a
Page 17 and 18: Flying pickets with hand-made placa
Page 19 and 20: Temporary lettering attached to the
Page 21 and 22: Former African Caribbean coalminers
Page 23 and 24: The Art of MiningIn 1973, John Gorm
Page 25 and 26: Banner ‘System change, not climat
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Banners and Beyond

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