PITMAN-PAINTER

Series

Series Name

Mining Review 16th Year

Issue

Issue No.

5

Date Released

Jan 1963

Length of issue (in feet)

784

Stories in this Issue:

1. 1NEW HOMES FOR OLD
2. 2THE HAPPY WANDERER
3. 3SUPPORTING PROGRAMME
4. 4PITMAN-PAINTER

Story

Story No. within this Issue

4 / 4

Summary

BFI synopsis: Norman Cornish, a stoneman at Mainsforth Colliery, Co Durham, is also a painter.
NCB Commentary - Norman Cornish is a stoneman at County Durham’s Mainsforth Colliery.
Miners have many interests - they grow prize leeks; sail boats; serve as crew-members in more than one of Britain’s lifeboats - the list is as long as a pit shaft is deep.
A small upstairs room of his home in Bishop’s Close Street, Spennymoor, serves as Norman Cornish’s studio.
John takes after his father.
Mrs. Cornish and the children are regular models for the head of the family.
Norman is a customer at The Lord Raglan down the street. Mrs Holmes knows what is on when Norman appears with his sketch-book and the service is quick and to the point.
Over in the far corner the domino-players have the virtue of sitting reasonable still. Harry Homes, the landlord, is also a favourite subject of Norman’s.
Norman has been commissioned to paint a mural depicting the Durham Miners’ gala for County Durham’s new Shire Hall. His paintings and drawings find a ready sale up and down the country.
Acquaintances, who follow closely his second career as an artist; urge him to become a full-time professional painter, but Norman says his loyalty is to the pit, and from his follow miners and their surroundings he draws the mainstream of his inspiration. People ask him if he isn’t worried about his hands getting damaged. Norman tells them "I paint with my mind, not with my hands, and that’s right," "I’d paint with my toes if I had to."

Keywords

Domestic life; Arts and crafts; Mining

Written sources

British Film Institute Databases   Used for synopsis
The British National Film Catalogue   Vol.1 1963, p.55
Film User   Vol.17 No.199 May 1963, p249.
The National Archives COAL 32   /13 Scripts for Mining Review, 1960-1963

Credits:

Camera

John Reid

Commentator

John Slater

Sponsor

National Coal Board

Production Co.

National Coal Board Film Unit

Cutter

Rhonda Small