THE BIG MEETING

Series

Series Name: Mining Review 6th Year

Issue

Issue No.

Date Released

Oct 1952

Stories in this Issue:

Story

Story No. within this Issue

1 / 3

Summary

BFI synopsis: the Durham miners’ gala.
NCB Commentary - Grey towers of Durham,
Yet well I love thy mixed and massive piles,
Half church of God, half castle ‘gainst the Scot,
And long to roam these venerable aisles
With records stored of years long since forgot.
The last Saturday in July is by tradition the Durham miners’ big day. From early in the morning miners, their wives and children, marching to colliery bands with banners flying, stream into the city from every quarter of the county and down to the racecourses.
Soon nearly half a million Durham folk are waiting the start of the speeches. Listen to what two of them had to say about the big meeting.
Now the bands and drums are silent for this year’s main speaker - Aneurin Bevan. He spoke for an hour so in all - and this is the kind of quip that delighted his audience.
As the sun gets high in the sky and the day warms up, so do the spirits of the crowd. Every now and then the procession stops, halted by the watching people - or taking time off for a private party. The marching columns move on in fits and starts through the crowded streets. And the marchers dance, linking arms and whirling round under the banners.
Then into the great Cathedral, rising high above the town, for the annual miners’ festival service. Slowly the massed bands march in with their proud banners through the packed nave, to accompany the singing.
Now the congregation of miners, their bands, the choir and organ join together in measured song.
And late into the night the festivities go on. Down on the fairground is the proper place to bring this day of days to an end.
And over all the town and all this great mining county, the Cathedral remains awake in the gathering darkness.

Researcher Comments