Women and the Miners’ Strike

WE ARE WOMEN WE ARE STRONG

Women have always been at the forefront of political struggle. Women established groups early on in the year-long 1984/5 miners’ strike, in mining communities and in towns and cities throughout Britain and in other countries. The Women fundraised, fed miners, families and communities, went on picket lines, marched, organised events, meetings and rallies and spoke in support of the strike, including being invited to speak to trade unionists in France, Germany and Russia etc and fundraised in other countries. This was unprecedented and life changing for a lot of the women, however, many of the women were also already active in politics and local communities.

Women Against Pit Closures (WAPC) was set up as a political movement in the early days of the strike to campaign against pit closures along with miners, their families and communities as well as fundraising, feeding people, organising and attending demonstrations and standing on picket lines. One of the main reasons the Miners’ Strike was able to continue for as long as it did was because of the women’s networks. The National Women Against Pit Closures (NWAPC) set up in late 1984 became the national infrastructure that many (but not all) of the local groups joined. On the 40th anniversary of the strike a number of commemorative and celebratory events were held in the Stoke area throughout 2024/5 organised by the North Staffs Miners Wives Action Group. A group of women activists and many key figures active in the strike also held a celebratory event in Durham in March 2024 about the role of National WAPC and women in the strike.

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The WAPC movement enabled many women to put their ideas into practice in an industrial dispute and empowered women to take a public and leading role in a male dominated community. As the strike got longer and hardship bit deeper the women’s resolve became stronger, highlighting the importance of the role of women in industrial struggle. Many Women, who had previously been non-political and even quite hesitant, emerged as gifted and creative individuals. This experience encouraged many women to develop in their future lives with many becoming leaders, politicians and economically independent.

Women play a leading role in the Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign. We organise, speak, negotiate and ensure that equality is a key issue in the campaign.

https://otjc.org.uk/women-and-the-miners-strike/orgreave_28731_proof2/

Iron Ladies

This 2025 documentary by Shut Out The Light Films, directed by Daniel Draper is a celebration of the iron willed women who maintained the 1984/85 Miners’ Strike as they fought for the future of their communities.

Trailer and more information here:
https://www.shutoutthelight.co.uk/iron-ladies

https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/oct/09/iron-ladies-review-inspiring-account-of-the-women-on-the-miners-strike-picket-lines

You Can’t Kill the Spirit

In January 1993, 7 pit camps were established to fight against pit closures announced in 1992 by Michael Heseltine, the Tory President of the Board and Trade. The Houghton Main pit camp was set up by local women and the local NUM Branch with the support of women collectively known as the Sheffield Women Against Pit Closures (SWAPC). Day and night for six months, the pit camp was staffed by wives, partners and supporters of miners. The stories of these women and the people they worked with to defend jobs and coal-mining communities, and to campaign for long term energy policy are in this book: ‘You Can’t Kill the Spirit’
You can order a copy via this email SWAPCPitCamp1993@gmail.com
More information here: https://otjc.org.uk/you-cant-kill-the-spirit/

United By The Struggle

‘United By The Struggle’ is the memoir of Anne Scargill and Betty Cook who devoted their lives to the fight for our mining communities.

More information here: https://otjc.org.uk/united-by-the-struggle/
If you would like to order a copy of this book written by Anne, Betty and Ian Clayton please order online here:

https://www.route-online.com/all-books/anne-betty-united-by-the-struggle

Martin Jenkinson Image Library – Women Against Pit Closures

Throughout the Miners’ Strike Martin Jenkinson took many photographs of women active in the strike and Women Against Pit Closures. Please see images here:

https://mjimages.pressphotos.co.uk/gallery/1984-85-Miners-Strike/G0000LxDOnQkWUCQ/

Use this link to find out how to buy and obtain a license for publication:
https://mjimages.pressphotos.co.uk/contact