Denbighshire - LOCAL TALENT

Series

Series Name

Mining Review 20th Year

Issue

Issue No.

5

Date Released

Jan 1967

Stories in this Issue:

1. 1London - ENGINEERS’ DAY
2. 2Denbighshire - LOCAL TALENT
3. 3London - JOIN UP
4. 4County Durham - GEOLOGIST

Story

Story No. within this Issue

2 / 4

Summary

BFI synopsis: The new Social Centre at Haford Colliery built by miners in South Wales.
NCB Commentary - Not far from Wrexham in North Wales, lies Hafod Colliery.
Don Hutchinson, the manager’s clerk, is a busy man, very active in the village affairs of RHOSLLANERCHRUGOG - let’s just call it Rhos.
The 1,000 men of Hafod, get thirsty after a day’s shift. But at weekends there’s nowhere much for them to go. For this part of Wales is still in the grip of 19th century revivalism.
The Miner’s Welfare Centre is dry - as are the pubs on a Sunday. The men wanted a change.
Two and a half years ago the Colliery’s own Welfare Committee decided to build a centre of it’s own. As secretary, Don Hutchinson was in charge - he bought the site of an old cinema in Rhos and drew up specifications. There was some opposition from the village elders but finally the plans were passed.
The hall cost £25,000 to build - its members pay just 2/6d a year - as well as the 6d weekly they pay to their Welfare fund.
And for the money they’ve bought themselves, but for their families as well. It’s not all drinking at the club - dances and bingo fill up many evenings.
Sunday night is Concert night - but no night is more popular than "local talent night".
Local initiative, has brought relaxation and entertainment to the men of Hafod and their families.

Keywords

Buildings and structures; Mining

Locations

Wales

Written sources

British Film Institute Databases   Used for synopsis
The National Archives COAL 32   /13 Scripts for Mining Review, 1960-1963

Credits:

Sponsor

National Coal Board

Production Co.

National Coal Board Film Unit