Miners Strike 25 years on

 

 

We have been back to my home County of Derbyshire this past weekend to celebrate my sisters Golden Wedding and meet members of the family I haven't seen for a long time.The weather was cold but sunny and for once no holdups on the motorways. 

 

One topic of conversation was the miners strike which started 25 years ago.That caused a lot of hardship and some families never recovered.. Arthur Scargill the then president of the National Union of Mineworkers  versus Margaret Thatcher the then Prime Minister. 20 pits were closed and only six mines remain open today. It is still a belief of many that if only some of the uneconomical pits closed we could still have a thriving mining industry and not  buying the bulk of our coal from Russia, Australia, and South Africa. Even Norman Tebbit sounds remorseful and he was a strong supporter of the government. There  were very few winners in that battle 

 

Derby is also the home of the Loco works, thousands lost their jobs with British Rail  when the government sold off the franchise. 

There is also concern regarding the Japanese firms getting the orders to build the new trains. The hope is that some of the work will be done in Derby

 

Back in Dawlish  we seem to have gone back to Winter. Lots of snow in some areas and none in others. The spring flowers are appearing, crocus and snowdrops have been lovely this year. Daffodils are appearing everywhere with their lovely nodding yellow heads a welcome sign of Spring. The mornings are lighter and the birds are bursting into song.

 

 

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