18 Nottingham Post Thursday December 8, 2011 Visit our website www.thisisnottingham.co.uk NEP-E01-S2 EP01 NEP-E01-S2 EP01 Visit our website www.thisisnottingham.co.uk Thursday December 8, 2011 Nottingham Post 19 Bygones Diary tells story of the miner who became a general NOTTS miner John Lowe was 52 years of age in March 1984. Riddled with health issues caused by almost 40 years un- derground, he was off sick from work when the National Coal Board’s pit closure pro- gramme was announced and the miners’ strike erupted. With the initial pickets by members of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) from outside the county having tailed off in his absence, he attended the April monthly branch meeting at Clipstone feeling that something needed to be done. “Twelve Derbyshire lads were outside lobbying,” he wrote on that day. “At one point I stood and asked just how much we were prepared to take, or if we were going to stand up and fight the closure programme. “My final words were, ‘If there are any men left here with red blood in their veins, they’ll follow me outside now and stand beside those Derby- shire lads’. The invitation was accepted by 50 men almost im- mediately.” The dispute was particularly vicious in Notts and parts of the Midlands. With the major- ity remaining at work, the strikers were treated as lepers, whereas other NUM areas, such as Yorkshire and Durham, were solid in their support for strike action. Notts’ reputation as a “scab county”, fashioned when George Spence formed a break- away mining union following the General Strike of 1926, had returned to haunt it – as John alluded to in his diary notes. “[Tonight saw] the most dis- graceful reaction that I have ever seen: when ‘Spencerism’ was mentioned as a danger, the result from the other side was one of cheers and shouts. “When the break-up of the union was brought up, this was openly encouraged again, to cheers. I felt physically sick.” John had been elected chair- man of a “rank and file” Clip- stone strike committee and was privy to the organisation of the strike in the Notts area as well as at pit level. Neither could be described as straight- forward. The events of 1984-85 politi- cised him. He was appalled by the treatment of his union and the portrayal of the miners in the media, while feeling it was his duty to fight for the jobs of “If I was to be asked whether people could turn into giants, politically and industrially, as a result of a battle with the management and the Govern- ment and the police, I would put him in the top ten of those people.” The aggressive policing of the picket line saw many strikers arrested at Clipstone, John among them. “I stood my ground because of my intention to check the line, a regular practice I have followed right through the dis- pute,” John Lowe wrote in his diary. “A local constable amongst them was saying, ‘Mr Lowe, go back please’. “I asked repeatedly what I was doing wrong and, if I was causing an obstruction, to tell me how and where. My ques- tions were ignored while the officers continued to jostle me. “I sat on the grass, telling them I was refusing to move; two grabbed me, one on each side, by the arms and pulled me to my feet. “I pulled back and one of them must have lost his footing because the one to the left of me fell, pulling me down with him which in turn pulled the one on the right down on top of me. “What followed then is something of a nightmare: I was conscious of at least three other officers on the floor hold- ing me down; one said ‘put the handcuffs on him’ and I re- ceived a clip to the right side of my jaw followed by a forearm brought viciously down across my throat.” Ultimately charged with ob- struction and assault, John’s faith in law and order was des- troyed forever. Despite the myriad diffi- culties, there were moments of hope. Support for the Clipstone strikers arrived from unexpec- ted sources around the country and beyond: money and goods were sent while children were hosted on holidays. Within the intense fires of hardship, friendships were forged. Such contacts meant that Christmas 1984 was an uplift- ing time for their families when it could so easily have broken their will. “Time for the kids’ party fi- nally came around and right from the start the place was bursting at the seams: not only the kids – around 90 – but mums, dads, grandparents and even the ones with no kids. “Not for one moment did the tempo and enthusiasm slacken and I, for one, was completely knackered by the end. Maggie, you should have been there to see just how beaten we are!” But in the spring, the fight went away from the NUM. There was a crushing drift Journalist Jonathan Symcox talks about his new book which remembers with deep pride his grandfather John Lowe and the stand he took during the 1984 Miners’ Strike Standing together: Clipstone NUM members with John Lowe, front left Bitter dispute: Pickets at Clipstone Colliery in 1984 rally support for their cause. On this day in 1985 THE Republic of Ireland was stepping up its bid to land Bri- an Clough as manager of the national side. President Des Casey was to send a letter to Forest chair- man Maurice Roworth, offi- cially asking permission to open negotiations. Casey’s only previous contact with the Forest chairman had been on an informal basis. Clough remained the Repub- lic’s top choice to replace Eoin Hand, who had resigned the previous month after Ireland failed to land a spot in the 1986 World Cup. The Forest boss had made encouraging comments about the opportunity to discuss the position with Casey, who was in London with Irish FA ex- ecutive member Dr Tony O’Neill. But the chances of Ireland actually landing Cloughie were seen as slim. ■ A Nottingham firm was beg- ging British Telecom to take away a new telephone system and bring back its old one. Dunkirk Metals had bought the new five-line Pentara 100 Merlin system for £3,000. Since its late-November installation, company bosses said, they had been isolated. “Not a day has gone by without the phones breaking down – we’ve had 15 different BT technicians in trying to fix it, without success,” said dir- ector Andrew Spalding. The scrap metal company had a Queen’s Award for In- dustry and an annual turnover of £12m – but a fat lot of good that did it if the phones didn’t work. The firm had hoped the new phones would improve effi- ciency. “But it’s costing us a for- tune,” Mr Spalding said. “It was a bit of a joke at first but enough is enough. We’ve asked them several times and we want it taken away and our old system brought back. “The problem is not the new technology. The problem is that they don’t seem to know how it works. “On some days there have been up to three engineers try- ing to put it right. “They put in new circuits and it works for a while – then cuts out.” Seating used by yobs is removed SEATING which has attracted antisocial behaviour on a Ripley walkway has been re- moved by the council. The seating formed part of a sculptured archway installed in 2004 on part of the Ripley Greenway. The project saw a landscaped walkway on a former railway line near to Park Street and Albion Street transformed into a trail for cyclists and walk- ers. Since it was installed, the sculpture – made from a fab- ricated concrete and recycled glass – has become the focus for complaints from residents who live nearby about noise, an- tisocial behaviour and vandal- ism. The council also said the area has also become a magnet for underage drinking and bon- fires – particularly in the last 12 months. As a result of the number of complaints, Amber Valley Bor- ough Council has decided to remove the seating part of the structure to deter people from congregating there. Councillor Liz Bowley, cab- inet member for green and thriving places to live, said: “The Greenway is a wonderful asset and is there for everyone to use with respect. If people can’t respect public property then that’s a shame but we have to take action to protect the neighbours’ quality of life.” Help to survey features of river ARCHAEOLOGISTS are to carry out an audit on part of the banks of the River Trent. People can join Nottingham- shire Community Archaeolo- gists on the survey of the river between Laneham, Dunham, Trent Port and Littleborough, on Thursday, December 15. The audit day includes a walk along the riverbank, not- ing down archaeological fea- tures and taking pictures and GPS locations. People should meet at Lane- ham Church, in Church Lane- ham, opposite the Ferry Boat Inn, at 10am. The afternoon session will start at Marton Church at 2pm. People should bring suitable footwear and clothing. To book a place call Emily Gillott on 0115 9772160 or 07917212554. Pupils planting for the future SCHOOLCHILDREN hope their hard work planting bulbs in their community will pay off come spring. Youngsters from Brinsley Primary School planted wild- flower bulbs and trees at Brins- ley Headstocks nature reserve on November 25 as part of Na- tional Tree Week. The Year 2 pupils planted native hazel trees and snow- drop and bluebell wildflower bulbs to make the park more attractive and attract wildlife to the area. The event was led by the Greenwood Community Forest Team on behalf of Broxtowe Borough Council. Gill Grievson, community li- aison officer, said: “It is im- portant to involve local chil- dren to plant trees and bulbs in their community. Hopefully they will come back to see wild- flowers next spring and in fu- ture years.” back to work which left John and his colleagues hanging on at the start of March. “This report is the hardest I’ve ever had to try and write. I feel so full of emotion – anger, frustration, shame, bewilder- ment. I’m finding great diffi- culty in putting my thoughts together. “Mid-afternoon the news came through that the [NUM delegates’] conference had de- cided narrowly, 98 to 91, that the strike was at an end. Al- though expected, it came as a body blow, well below the belt. My wife cried tears for me that I couldn’t cry for myself; they’ll probably come later. “I feel so proud of her for the support she’s given in spite of all the difficulties and heartaches she’s suffered. When the history of this dis- pute is written, the Elsie Lowes of this world will surely stand out above everything: Thatch- er pales into insignificance and will never bear mention in the same breath.” John Lowe died in 2005, and his funeral was marked by nu- merous NUM banners and ref- erences. As speeches re- membered him, his fellow strikers unashamedly inter- rupted with cries of “General John” – the moniker they gave to this unlikely hero. For that is how he is re- membered by his colleagues, despite the loss of their in- dustry. “John Lowe was a big man in Nottinghamshire,” Mansfield MP Alan Meale announced at the launch of John’s published diaries. “He came right from nowhere to become a leader of men. He was decent, honour- able, a trade unionist first and foremost and a community per- son. If we follow the principles this man had, there is hope for us all.” ■ If Spirit Alone Won Battles: The 1984-85 Miners’ Strike in Nottinghamshire is published by Pen and Sword (£12.99). ‘General John’: Clipstone miner John Lowe. CLIPSTONE’S COAL COAL was first mined at Clipstone Colliery in the early 1920s – after the Great War had delayed the sinking of its shafts – and the model village of New Clipstone sprung up around it on the old Army camp. Initially sunk to a depth of 640 yards to exploit the Barnsley tophard seam, in the 1950s the shafts were deepened to 920m to exploit other seams. This saw the old steam winders scrapped in favour of Koepe friction winders, which required the iconic 65m headstocks still standing today, the tallest metal headstocks in Europe. The National Coal Board, which took over management of the pit from the Bolsover Colliery Company in 1947, closed it in 1993 and it was reopened the following year by RJB Mining. The headstocks and winding house have been protected with Grade II-listed status since the colliery’s definitive closure in 2003. Several attempts have been made to demolish them. Under arrest: Officers hold down John Lowe as he is arrested. My wife cried tears for me that I couldn’t cry for myself; they’ll probably come later John Lowe future generations. Dennis Skinner MP, the famed “Beast of Bolsover”, provides the foreword to a new book of John’s experiences – If Spirit Alone Won Battles: The 1984-85 Miners’ Strike in Not- tinghamshire. He recalls knowing John as a young man in Clay Cross be- fore encountering him again as an activist during the strike. “Early in the dispute I did a big meeting at Worksop set up principally to galvanise the local NUM forces in Notting- hamshire,” writes Mr Skin- ner. “And there was John Lowe – and he wasn’t just a member of the crowd! He was asking ques- tions, making speeches… I had to say to someone, ‘is that the same fella?’ And the reply was yes! It was a revelation to me. Students hit heights as they prepare for world of work A COLLEGE principal has praised her students for their success in vocational qualific- ations. Vision West Notts achieved a 95 per cent achievement rate for vocational qualifications studied last academic year – up two per cent on the year be- fore. The college had 6,611 stu- dents who achieve a range of BTEC, NVQ and professional Chance to see award-winning girls’ choir TICKETS to see Mansfield girls’ choir Cantamus perform this Christmas are still avail- able. The choir is due to perform at the Palace Theatre, Mans- field, at 7.30pm on Sunday, December 18, and tickets are on sale for £15. The concert will be a special occasion for the choir because former members who left in the summer will be presented with silver goblets to thank them for their work. There are also seats available to see the choir perform on Friday, December 23, at Not- tingham’s Royal Concert Hall at 7.30pm, with prices ranging from £12 to £20. Saxophonist Alistair Parnell will perform with the choir on the night. The Cantamus concert on December 17 at Southwell Min- ster is already sold out. Tickets for the Nottingham and Mansfield concerts are available from Sheila Haslam on 01623 627764 or at sheila- [email protected]. Tickets for the Royal Centre event can also be bought by calling 0115 989 5555. The choir was set up in 1968 and has won many competi- tions, including the World Choir Games. qualifications in areas such as performing arts, childcare, hairdressing, health and social care, fashion and textiles, con- struction and sport science. Courses ranged from entry-level to university-level, with more than half of the 461 programmes run by the college gaining 100 per cent success rates. Principal and chief executive Asha Khemka said: “The col- lege has enjoyed great success in recent months, first with our best-ever achievement rates for A-levels and GCSEs and now our vocational students have demonstrated equally high standards. “Vocational learning equips people of all ages with the prac- tical skills for the world of work combined with essential the- ory that underpins their know- ledge of the subject.” Delight: Principal Asha Khemka has seen vocational students match successes in A-levels and GCSEs. Health walk at nature reserve PEOPLE are being invited to take part in a health walk at Attenborough Nature Reserve. The walk, on Monday, December 19 from 10am, will last for about an hour. Anyone who wants to take part in the free event should meet at the nature centre. For more information, con- tact the Attenborough Nature Centre on 0115 972 1777.