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A moving record of struggles and those who inspired them

Trade union banners are a key part of the Gala – and also play a vital role in preserving the culture of Durham’s former mining communities.

When the coal industry was decimated by the Tories in 1994, disheartened miners returned their pit banners to their area union headquarters across the UK.

In some areas banners were lost, or even thrown away, such was the despondency in some mining communities.

Yet for more than 150 years the banners had been an integral part of the solidarity of mining communities. So important were they that many pit union branches had a “banner man” – an official union position. It was the banner man’s job to look after the branch banner, keep it safe and in good repair, make sure it was ready for use when needed.

Uniquely, in Durham area there was a drive to preserve and continue the culture of the mining communities through the banners, even though the pits had gone.

Where original banners existed they were restored. Where they were too fragile to use they were replaced. Where they were lost, replicas were created from photographs.

In individual communities “banner support groups” were established. In Durham area more than 60 pit banners have been saved and repaired or replicated, and will be taking part proudly in today’s Gala.

Every year newly restored or replicated banners appear at the Gala.

They are given special treatment at the Gala. After being marched to the Big Meeting, they are marched back along the route and up the steep hill out of the city centre to Durham Cathedral for a banner blessing ceremony conducted by the Bishop of Durham.

The event is attended every year by 1,000 people, packing the ancient cathedral.

Each banner is led in by a brass band, whose music resounds around the cathedral.

This year three new union banners will take part in the ceremony.

Kibblesworth Lodge banner is the result of a six-year community campaign involving fundraising which has stretched from the former mining community to ex-pats in New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, America, Sweden and Italy.

Morrison Lodge banner, created by a group which won support from local funding sources, represents two lodges, Morrison and Morrison Busty, and is based on the 1956 and 1966 banners of the two lodges.

A new women’s banner will also be part of the ceremony. The Women’s Banner Group is the first such group to be recognised by the Durham Miners’ Association. The group was formed in 2017.

The banner is a remarkable quilted patchwork creation.

It was raised for the first time three weeks ago at the resurrected Durham Women’s Gala.

The Women’s Gala was launched in 1923 as part of the continuing campaign for votes for women. The women’s gala was discontinued after 1977, during the industrial and political turmoil of the late 1970s. Now after a gap of 41 years it’s back, hopefully as an annual event. And its banner represents the continuing women’s struggle.

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