Miners' strike: The coal industry in Nottinghamshire
- According to Robin Middleton, Editor of Architectural Design in October 1966, Cedric Price's proposal was:—
- "...that advanced education—and in particular advanced technical education—should become the new prime industry."
- (Potteries Thinkbelt, Architectural Design, October 1966)
[edit] INTRODUCTION
In March 2024, during my slot as Designing Buildings' Guest Editor, I created two related articles:—
- Miners' strike
- Miners' strike: The coal industry in Nottinghamshire — i.e. this article.
The first article was headed with a quotation from Cedric Price, namely:—:
- "...the building of a new Colonial Office becomes a non-problem, while the days of pit-head baths are numbered."
- (Cedric Price, 'Life-conditioning', Architectural Design, October 1966)
Thus Cedric Price anticipated the slow death of the coal industry. Furthermore, he proposed in its place:
- "A plan for an advanced educational industry in North Staffordshire'
- ('Potteries Thinkbelt', ib.)
The first article also shared Cedric Price's conclusion:—
- "The possibility should not be ignored of Great Britain's becoming an increasingly imbalanced community primarily involved in servicing other countries and providing facilities for hardy historiophile holidaymakers."
- (Cedric Price, 'Life-conditioning', ib.)
The purpose of this follow-up article is therefore:—
- to investigate further an architectural response to such a possibility, namely:—
- "Possible Thinkbelt development in old industrial net between Nottingham and Sheffield 30-40 miles"
- (Cedric Price, Non-plan, Architectural Design, May 1969)
[edit] Why have I chosen particular articles and projects?
First of all, I have chosen two article from the web:—
- Robert James Waller (2003) 'The Dukeries transformed : the social and political development of a twentieth-century coalfield';
- Professor John Beckett and Dr Denise Amos (2009) 'The coal industry in Nottinghamshire'.
Secondly, I have chosen the following two projects:—
- Chris Matthews with Clare Hartwell (created 2022) 'Model Villages of the Nottinghamshire Coalfield;
- Norman Fellows (created 2023-11-13) 'Dukeries Thinkbelt', Designing Buildings.
[edit] • Robert James Waller (2003) 'The Dukeries transformed : the social and political development of a twentieth-century coalfield'This book draws my attention because of its title. However, the anticipated development in new industrial net was made impossible in 1984-1985 by a major event in British history, namely:—
[edit] • Professor John Beckett and Dr Denise Amos (2009) 'The coal industry in Nottinghamshire'This 'overview' draws my attention on The Nottinghamshire Heritage Gateway because of its title, namely:—
|
• Table 1: Two articles from the web.
[edit] • Chris Matthews with Clare Hartwell (created 2022) 'Model Villages of the Nottinghamshire Coalfield', Miner2Major Heritage Buildings ProjectThis project draws my attention because it focusses on the plans and layouts of some of the former colliery villages.
• Cover and selected pages from the mining book [PDF]. See Guides below. [edit] MODEL VILLAGES[edit] • Annesley Model Village
[edit] • Bestwood Model Village
[edit] • Bilsthorpe Model Village
[edit] • Clipstone Model Village
[edit] • Edwinstowe Model Village
[edit] • Newstead Model Village
[edit] • Ollerton Model Village
[edit] • Rainworth Model Village
[edit] • Warsop Model Village
[edit] • Norman Fellows (created 2023-11-13) 'Dukeries Thinkbelt', Designing BuildingsIn March 1984, Norman Fellows created a project called 'Dukeries Thinkbelt' which was eventually self-published in 2016. It was an architectural response to the possibility identified by Cedric Price "...of Great Britain's becoming an increasingly imbalanced community primarily involved in servicing other countries and providing facilities for hardy historiophile holidaymakers", namely:—
Thus this project draws my attention because although the development it proposed was overtaken by the miners' strike an iteration is not impossible. |
• Table 2: Two related projects
[edit] FORMER COLLIERIES IN WEST NOTTINGHAMSHIRE
[edit] • Annesley CollieryNational Grid Reference: SK 517 533 |
![]() |
![]() |
[edit] • Bentinck CollieryNational Grid Reference: SK 487 550 |
![]() |
![]() |
[edit] • Clipstone CollieryNational Grid Reference: SK 597 633 |
![]() |
![]() |
[edit] • Hucknall CollieryNational Grid Reference: SK 526 480 |
![]() |
![]() |
[edit] • Linby CollieryNational Grid Reference: SK 535 503 |
![]() |
![]() |
[edit] • Mansfield CollieryNational Grid Reference: SK 570 615 |
![]() |
[edit] • Newstead CollieryNational Grid Reference: SK 522 529 |
![]() |
![]() |
[edit] • Sherwood CollieryNational Grid Reference: SK 537 624 |
![]() |
![]() |
[edit] • Silverhill CollieryNational Grid Reference: SK 471 616 |
![]() |
![]() |
[edit] • Sutton CollieryNational Grid Reference: SK 483 601 |
![]() |
![]() |
[edit] • Teversal CollieryNational Grid Reference: SK 476 621 |
![]() |
![]() |
• Table 3: A survey of former colliery sites in the 'old' net
[edit] CONCLUSION
This article concludes:—
... that the coal industry in Nottinghamshire was part of the Commons;
... that the part of the Commons represented by the coal industry in Nottinghamshire was depleted and has not been replaced by anything of a comparable scale;
... that there were 31 working collieries in Nottinghamshire before the 1984-1985 Miners' strike and by 2015 there were none;
... that the Dukeries coalfield has two parts - the 'new net' in the north of the county and the 'old net' in the west;
... that there is a growing heritage industry in Nottinghamshire;
... that Thinkbelt development in old industrial net between Nottingham and Sheffiled may still be a realistic proposition;
... that the 'Georeferenced Map overlay on Satellite Image' feature is particularly useful.—Opacity: 50% enables one to compare the latest Satellite Image with an OS 1:25,000 map from 1937-61 thus providing an approximate indication of the colliery site as it was before the Miners' strike.
It also concludes:—
... that the article itself constitutes part of a preliminary study — i.e. it should be read in conjunction with another article on the Designing Buildings site, namely:—
[edit] Notes
[1] Robert James Waller (2003) 'The Dukeries transformed : the social and political development of a twentieth-century coalfield'.
[2] Professor John Beckett and Dr Denise Amos (2009) 'The coal industry in Nottinghamshire' - includes maps by Andrew Nicholson.
--Archiblog 17:00, 09 Apr 2024 (BST)
[edit] References
Beckett, J. and Amos, D. (2009) 'The coal industry in Nottinghamshire', The Nottinghamshire Heritage Gateway.
Cedric Price, (1966) 'Life-conditioning', Architectural Design, October.
Cedric Price, (1966) 'Potteries Thinkbelt', Architectural Design, October.
Cedric Price (1969) 'Non-plan', Architectural Design, May.
Matthews, C. with Hartwell C. (2022) 'Model Villages of the Nottinghamshire Coalfield', Miner2Major Heritage Buildings Project, also available as a flipbook.
Matthews, C. (2022) 'Guide 1: Annesley', christophermatthews.co.uk
Matthews, C. (2022) 'Guide 2: Bestwood', christophermatthews.co.uk
Matthews, C. (2022) 'Guide 3: Newstead', christophermatthews.co.uk
Matthews, C. (2022) 'Guide 4: Warsop', christophermatthews.co.uk
Matthews, C. (2022) 'Guide 5: 'Rainworth', christophermatthews.co.uk
Matthews, C. (2022) 'Guide 6: 'Bilsthorpe', christophermatthews.co.uk
Matthews, C. (2022) 'Guide 7: 'Clipstone', christophermatthews.co.uk
Matthews, C. (2022) 'Guide 8: 'Edwinstowe', christophermatthews.co.uk
Matthews, C. (2022) 'Guide 9: 'Ollerton', christophermatthews.co.uk
National Union of Mineworkers (undated) 'Banner', num.org.uk
Robin Middleton, Editor (1966) 'Introduction to Potteries Thinkbelt', Architectural Design, October.
Waller, R. J. (2003) 'The Dukeries transformed : the social and political development of a twentieth-century coalfield', Oxford University Press, available on the Internet Archive.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
Beeching cuts: The railway network in Nottinghamshire
[edit] External links
https://www.historyextra.com/period/20th-century/miners-strike-history-facts/
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-68244762
https://www.newstatesman.com/long-reads/2014/06/how-miners-strike-1984-85-changed-britain-ever
https://archiveshub.jisc.ac.uk/features/mar04.shtml
https://www.economist.com/britain/2024/03/14/british-museums-remember-the-1984-miners-strike
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2012/nov/22/miners-strike-orgreave-bloodiest-battle
https://www.upi.com/Archives/1985/03/03/Timeline-of-UK-miners-strike-of-1984-85/1685478674000/
https://academic.oup.com/book/51718/chapter-abstract/419812516?redirectedFrom=fulltext&login=false
https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/economy/2024/03/economic-consequences-miners-strike-1984-1985
https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/660bf54b-4b9b-4153-b47a-9ee8841454d1
https://www.econlib.org/the-miners-strike/
https://www.history.com/news/margaret-thatcher-miners-strike-iron-lady
https://libcom.org/tags/miners-strike
https://socialistworker.co.uk/tag/great-miners-strike/
https://weeklyworker.co.uk/worker/1478/continuing-the-false-narrative/
https://www.rebelnews.ie/2019/03/19/miners-strike-35-years-on/
https://www.historytoday.com/archive/review/backbone-nation-robert-gildea-review
https://archive.org/details/19841985minersst0000lowe
https://www.nottinghampost.com/news/local-news/miners-strike-40-years-perspective-9208409
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-leicestershire-65125326
https://www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/business-community/east-midlands-freeport
https://www.emfreeport.com/your-opportunity
https://www.emfreeport.com/what-are-freeports
https://www.emfreeport.com/#sites
https://emfreeport.com/sites/emf/files/2023-05/EMF-location-and-tax-sites.pdf
https://plan.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/media/wxvn35ce/thenottinghamshireplan2021.pdf
https://www.ashfield.gov.uk/media/o3klaev5/background-paper-no-5-infrastructure-delivery.pdf
https://www.nottinghampost.com/news/hundreds-homes-built-near-nottinghamshire-8367500
https://www.ashfield.gov.uk/future-leaders/the-area/
https://www.nottinghampost.com/news/local-news/bellway-begin-work-300-new-9138182
https://www.nottinghampost.com/news/local-news/ashfield-cannot-sustain-over-8000-7939224
https://www.nottinghampost.com/news/local-news/fears-nottinghamshire-village-wont-cope-8869147
Featured articles and news
BSRIA European air conditioning market update 2024
Highs, lows and discrepancy rates in the annual demand.
50 years celebrating the ECA Apprenticeship Awards
As SMEs say the 10 years of the Apprenticeship Levy has failed them.
Nominations sought for CIOB awards
Celebrating construction excellence in Ireland and Northern Ireland.
EPC consultation in context: NCM, SAP, SBEM and HEM
One week to respond to the consultation on reforms to the Energy Performance of Buildings framework.
CIAT Celebrates 60 years of Architectural Technology
Find out more #CIAT60 social media takeover.
The BPF urges Chancellor for additional BSR resources
To remove barriers and bottlenecks which delay projects.
Flexibility over requirements to boost apprentice numbers
English, maths and minimumun duration requirements reduced for a 10,000 gain.
A long term view on European heating markets
BSRIA HVAC 2032 Study.
Humidity resilience strategies for home design
Frequency of extreme humidity events is increasing.
National Apprenticeship Week 2025
Skills for life : 10-16 February
Update on the future of Grenfell Tower
Deputy Prime Minister decides for it be carefully taken down to the ground.
Ending decades of frustration, misinformation and distrust.
Essential tools in managing historically significant landscapes.
Classroom electrician courses a 'waste of money'
Say experts from the Electrical Contractors’ Association.
Wellbeing in Buildings TG 10/2025
BSRIA topic guide updates.