During the fierce and unforgettable miners’ strikes of the 1980s, I stood alongside the brave families and communities who bore the weight of struggle and sacrifice. I poured my heart into raising funds to support those who refused to be broken, those whose courage echoed through every pit and every home. My solidarity was with the proud men and women of Dawdon Colliery — a place steeped in history and resilience.

Dawdon was no ordinary pit. Born from the vision of the Marquess of Londonderry in the late 19th century, it grew to become a powerhouse of coal production, a lifeblood for generations of families, and a shining jewel in the crown of both the Londonderry legacy and later the National Coal Board. Yet, despite its glory and the sweat of countless pit men, Dawdon was ruthlessly closed in July 1991, crushed under Margaret Thatcher’s relentless campaign to dismantle mining communities.

Today, I remember the pit men and boys who gave everything — some paid with their very lives — at Dawdon Colliery. Their names, their ages, their sacrifices are etched in my heart. To them, and to the communities that still carry their spirit, my thoughts burn with respect, sorrow, and unwavering solidarity. You are not forgotten.

Attwood, George: 34

Bacon, Edward: 51

Barden, James: 34

Baron, Joseph: 32

Black, JA: 27

Boad, G: 60

Bolton, J: 49

Briggs, Robert: 30

Brown, F: 63

Bryan, John: 20

Buckley, J: 16

Carr, S: 62

Casey, Randolph: 44

Close, Francis: 42

Clyde, George: 44

Coates, Thomas: 14

Crake, R: 24

Davis, W: 55

Davison, William: 24

Dodds, Charles: 31

Douglas, Thomas: 26

Duck, Frederick: 15

Dunn, Henry: 27

Edminson, M: 60

Emery, William: 26

Evans, George: 63

Field, John: 51

Fleury, James: 17

Foster, Ralph: 14

Freeman, Thomas: 37

Geddes, W: 57

Glithro, Thomas: 25

Greenwood, George: 44

Grieves, Ralph: 26

Hamilton, Charles: 19

Hasson, Frederick: 20

Hastings, Samuel: 19

Hepworth, Robert: 14

Hockings, W: 15

Hughes, Richard: 14

Hull, James: 26

Jones, S: 34

Judd, T: 43

Kennedy, Robert: 18

Langley, Norman: 47

Lawrence, John: 26

Little, J: 21

Maratty, J: 45

Maratty, Patrick: 18

Marsh, Ed John: 14

McDonald, Alexander: 46

McDonough, Bernard: 14

Mead, William: 36

Muir, JH: 15

Murphy, John: 29

Musgrove, Frank Currie: 17

Nixon, T: 51

Nugent, H: 15

Olley, Edward: 39

Owen, Ralph: 41

Phelan, John: 19

Pigg, F: 17

Potts, George: 22

Preston, John: 17

Robinson, Daniel: 17

Robson, Emmerson: 38

Rodgers, William W: 14

Rogan, Vincent: 48

Rogerson, Frederick: 11

Rudkin, J: 59

Schneider, George: 36

Shepherd, Walter: 14

Simpson, Joseph: 49

Smith, George: 23

Snaith, Alfred: 31

Spence, Randolph: 37

Tempest, W: 51

Thirlwell, William: 44

Turns, David Dick Brown: 50

Walker, W: 38

Walters, Edward: 45

Waugh, Charles: 38

Wheatman, Ralph: 24

Williams, John: 40

Williams, Silas: 53