Dudley Banner on the Move - January 28th 2011
More than 3 decades have passed since the last shift at Dudley Colliery in South East Northumberland. One of the proud symbols of the former pit – the miners’ banner - has remained at the heart of the community but now the Dudley NUM Branch banner is on the move to a new home at the Woodhorn museum and archive.
The banner was given to the local Fordley Community Primary School following the pit closure in 1977 and there it stayed until it was used as part of a dedication ceremony at the Shasun Pharma Solutions Limited site last autumn. Now managers of the pharmaceutical plant and school are pleased that arrangements are being made to transfer it to the care of the museum.
John Wiper, Site Operations Director from Shasun said, “It was wonderful to be able to include this very special piece of the community history in our winding wheel dedication event last November. We were very proud to be able to display the banner in all its glory in our restaurant alongside some delightful mining paintings that had been created by the local children. Although we no longer have any of the former miners working for us at the Dudley plant, we do still have their children and relatives so the banner was a most appropriate and fitting addition to the event.
“Now we feel it is time to move the banner to somewhere it can be properly cared for and where others may have the opportunity to see it.”
Woodhorn already has a fine collection of miners’ banners from the area, and staff there are looking forward to adding another.
Sue Wood, Head of Collections said,” We have more than 20 banners in our care, five of which are on display at any one time in the museum, but we are thrilled to be able to accept the Dudley banner. We have photographs of it in the archives, so it will be wonderful to be able to match it up on site.
“We have a special conservator ready to look at the banner and take care of any problems. She’s an expert in caring for and protecting textiles and banners in particular. Hopefully in time we’ll be able to put the Dudley banner on display for members of the general public to see during their visit to Woodhorn.”
Woodhorn’s Director Keith Merrin is pleased that the museum and archive is able to provide a new home to the banner. “The miners’ banners are a very striking, visual element of the local industrial history. It is important that we protect them as best we can and share them with the community. They are such a proud symbol of an industry that made this part of the north east what it is today.”
Pictured: Keith Merrin, John Wiper and Councillor Muriel Green with the Dudley Banner.