A SEAT ON A5

Series

Series Name: Mining Review 7th Year

Issue

Issue No.

Date Released

Dec 1953

Stories in this Issue:

Story

Story No. within this Issue

1 / 4

Summary

BFI synopsis: retired miners at Dordon, Staffordshire - how they spend their day.
NCB Commentary - It’s a quiet autumn morning in the village of Dordon. Down on the corner, traffic on the busy A5 trunk road settles down to its regular hum. And on the corner here is a seat, put there by the local council and used as a clubhouse by a group of old gentlemen. They’re all retired miners, and they’ve all got stories to tell.
At home, William Ball, 67, feeds his pigeons before setting out. There’s Sam Gee, a sprightly 73, picking his customary buttonhole. George Reed, 74, checks on his tomatoes before going round to meet the boys.
It’s still early in the morning as the club moves into session. Soon the tea regulars are met, passing the time of day, talking over old times. Frank Sutton here’s 71. Arthur Orton, 83, the grand-daddy of them all, talks to 74 year old Harry Dennis. Ernest Jackson’s 77. His brother Steve is only 70 -- a newcomer to the club. Bert Johnson did 59 years as a collier. No wonder the conversation around the seat never flags. And if it did, the acknowledged storyteller of the bunch is Sam Kester, talking with George Reed.
Between them, these grand old men can count up a total of nearly 550 years’ service in the mines. Not that they just sit still, even now. No sir, a social gathering like this soon creates a sociable thirst, and not very far up the road is the Gate Inn, where the group foregather at midday. At least four of the club members are strong domino men -- when they’re not too busy fancying pigeons or cultivating their gardens. And Sam Gee’s just grown a bean at home he thinks everyone else should see.
After lunch, it’s back to the seat again. Ernie Jackson seems to want some help across the other side of the road, over where he lives. Four men feel like some exercise, and it’s back to the old days again, shifting coal, only this time it’s to do a good turn to a friend and not as a means of earning your living. Ernie must have been a gaffer.
That job done, there’ll probably soon be another. But meantime there’s the rest of a fine autumn afternoon to enjoy for this group of old stagers who’ve well earned the autumn of their retirement.

Researcher Comments

According to bfi records, this story was filmed between the 7th and 9th September 1953. Commentary recorded 9 November 1953.

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