Alex Mills

Alex Mills is one of the last great trade union men to represent the miners their families and communities. For over 60 years he has worked tirelessly for the rights of others as an NUM delegate and as secretary of the retired branch of the retired and redundant miners. More

Knockshinnoch Disaster

On Thursday 7th September 1950, an inrush of 60,000 tons of peat and moss engulfed the workings of Knockshinnoch Castle Colliery, New Cumnock trapping 129 miners on the backshift. As word of the disaster spread round the mining communities, hundreds of men, women and children gathered at the pithead. Over the next 36 hours, a huge rescue operation was mounted involving hundreds of miners and Mines Rescue Brigades from all over Scotland.More

The 84-85 Miners Strike.

I am about to embark on what I consider one of the most difficult and challenging tasks I have ever faced. The catastrophic miners strike of 1984-1985 was one of the most significant events of the 20th century and marked the beginning of the end of the mining industry. There are many different views.

25 years later, a 1/4 of a century on maybe its time to reflect on the strike from all sides and try to understand what went wrong with something that was soo right. As a 21 year old miner at the time of the strike, I spent 11 long skint months out, eventually going back a couple of days before it officially ended. I had lost all respect for the NUM and the strikers. The majority of miners had returned to work, the men had voted with their feet and I joined them. Why did so many men turn their backs on the NUM? What happened in our mining communities that turned miner against miner ?

I've been quietly working away at this project for a number of years and been in contact with miners in Ayrshire who stayed out for the duration and miners who went back. By publishing their experiences on the internet, I hope that it leads to a better understanding of the strike and the effect that it had on individuals, families and communities. If you would like to support this project please go here

Kames Colliery Disaster Kames 1

On 19th November 1957 at 7.30pm a coaldust explosion rocked the 6ft section of the West Mine Kames Colliery Muirkirk, killing 17 men. It was one of the last major explosions in the coal mining industry.More

The 1824 Kilmarnock Address

"An address to the colliers of Ayrshire at the formation of the colliers association on 29th October 1824 at the formation of the colliers association".

When this pamphlet was originally published in 1824; Coal miners were emerging from over 200 years of slavery and bondage. In 1799, an act of Scottish parliament freed the miners but the introduction of the Combination Acts in 1799 and 1800 prevented them from combining to form unions. However this did not prevent the miners in Ayrshire from organising unions and they had a well organized and disciplined network of delegates throughout Ayrshire and Lanarkshire in the early parts of the 18th century.More