The story of a 'boss man', his Community and the 1984 miner's strike

The aim of this particular 'On the frontline' account is to allow the voice of a pit overman, Jack Ditchburn, to tell his own story of being a miner, a trade unionist and a 'boss man' - a man who saw himself as miner first and foremost and as manager second. Jack worked as a miner in the Blackhall and Horden pits, part of the Durham coalfields, which were some of the most deeply affected by the 1984-5 strike. Jack's narrative adds rich biographical detail to current understandings of the work of a miner, the 1984 strike, the characters involved and the relationships made and broken by it.