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Miners' Strike of 1984

Miners' Strike of 1984

Barrie Ormsby drew inspiration from a photograph of striking miners facing riot police at Hatfield Main Colliery in Yorkshire, but situated them within his own local landscape in West Durham.

The original photograph shows striking miners seated in front of police on 21 August 1984, during the Miners' Strike of 1984-85. It became known as the 'Battle of Hatfield Main'. The pickets were trying to prevent three miners entering the colliery.

Gemini Collection / Zurbarán Trust

ArtistBarrie Ormsby

Year1980s

MediumWatercolour on paper

Miners' Strike of 1984 : Memories

  • I was at secondary school during the strike, and some pupils were from colliery villages like Bearpark and Tursdale. My friend's Dad was a borer, and went to work during the strike, and was called a 'scab' at school, which is what they called miners who didn't strike. People were often in Durham market place on a Saturday with collecting tins, 'collecting for the miners'.

    Julie