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BETTESHANGER in Kent was the first deep coal mine that I ever went down. It was back in the 1960s and I was a guest of Communist Party members in the NUM branch there.
This modestly priced book is based partly on research and partly on personal interviews with miners, up to the age of 90.
It covers the whole history of the Betteshanger colliery, from its inception in the 1920s to closure in 1989.
Its consistent history of militancy is partly explained by the fact that its initial workforce was composed of blacklisted workers from other parts of Great Britain.
They brought with them different lessons of struggle, as well as varied accents and vocabulary. What united them was their shared experience as workers and as trade unionists.
Local struggles ranged from the fight for pithead baths to resistance to managerial bullying, with tactics including "stay-down" strikes.
The strength of their resolve was shown when they struck in 1942, despite wartime legislation forbidding it.
Their concerns stretched outside Kent, with branch resolutions against arms spending and support on the picket line for the Grunwick workers.
After the epic stoppage of 1984-85, the area delegates only voted to return to work by the narrow margin of 98 to 91.
Sacked and victimised miners were further punished by being refused work digging the Channel tunnel. When closure loomed in 1989, the workforce was denied the chance to buy the pit as a workers' co-operative.
I hope that there are those in other areas that will emulate Di Parkin in making sure that their histories are also recorded, before it is too late. We owe it to our forebears, as well as to our successors.
Go to www.60yearsofstruggle.org.uk to order copies.
TONY BRISCOE