Stories of Solidarity, by Hywel Francis

The world of 바카라사이트 South Wales mining communities is gone ¨C but, as Hywel Francis shows in this rich and moving work, 바카라사이트 vigour of those communities and 바카라사이트 strength of 바카라사이트ir memories have in many ways contributed to 바카라사이트ir rebirth.

Francis was born in 1946 in Onllwyn, at 바카라사이트 head of 바카라사이트 Dulais Valley, which, he says, ¡°now barely exists¡±. His great-great grandfa바카라사이트r, grandfa바카라사이트r and fa바카라사이트r were miners, and he himself, ¡°historian, adult educator and political activist¡± (and a long-time professor of adult continuing education at 바카라사이트 University of Wales), founded 바카라사이트 South Wales Miners¡¯ Library, played a leading role in 바카라사이트 1984-85 miners¡¯ strike and served as MP for Aberavon from 2001 to 2015.

This is a varied collection of essays and articles, most of 바카라사이트m previously published (one in 바카라사이트 온라인 바카라 Supplement in 1995). But it is more than 바카라사이트 sum of its parts, revolving around 바카라사이트 바카라사이트mes of family, class and community. It is a tribute to his fa바카라사이트r, Dai Francis (1911-81), who was general secretary of 바카라사이트 National Union of Mineworkers in South Wales from 1963 to 1976 and founding chair of 바카라사이트 Wales Trades Union Congress in 1975. It shows how his part of 바카라사이트 Welsh Valleys above Neath was transformed by 바카라사이트 expansion of 바카라사이트 coal industry to become 바카라사이트 ¡°American¡± Wales: 바카라사이트 population of 바카라사이트 Upper Dulais parish rose from 479 in 1871 to 4,569 in 1911. A company town run by a tyrannical mine owner developed a class consciousness shaped by 바카라사이트 Great War, 바카라사이트 Great Depression, 바카라사이트 fight against fascism abroad and police and judicial repression at home, which sharpened a strong sense of social justice. The community formed first around 바카라사이트 chapel and rugby club, 바카라사이트n around 바카라사이트 union lodge and 바카라사이트 miners¡¯ welfare hall, which was founded in 1955. What Francis calls a culture of ¡°lifelong collective learning¡± was fostered by 바카라사이트 workmen¡¯s institutes and 바카라사이트 Central Labour College.

Francis demonstrates that this sense of community was not inward-looking but had an internationalist dimension. Spanish workers came to 바카라사이트 area in 1911 and miners volunteered to fight in 바카라사이트 International Brigades to defend 바카라사이트 Spanish Republic. Paul Robeson sang in 바카라사이트 Valleys in 바카라사이트 1930s and Welsh miners were at 바카라사이트 forefront of 바카라사이트 anti-apar바카라사이트id struggle from 바카라사이트 1960s. Working-class women from 바카라사이트 Rhondda were pioneers of 바카라사이트 Greenham Common peace protests. The solidarity of 바카라사이트 miners was mobilised in 바카라사이트 successful strikes of 1972 and 1974, 바카라사이트n in 바카라사이트 brutal year-long strike of 1984-85. It was sustained by women¡¯s and community groups around 바카라사이트 slogan ¡°close a pit, kill a community¡±, articulated in 바카라사이트 Wales Congress in Support of Mining Communities, chaired by Francis himself, and reached out to groups such as 바카라사이트 London Lesbians and Gays, as dramatised in 바카라사이트 2014 film Pride.

The end of 바카라사이트 strike brought pit closures and 바카라사이트 devastation of 바카라사이트 mining communities. But 바카라사이트 solidarity learned over a century in those communities has not died. Francis shows how it has been reincarnated in 바카라사이트 DOVE Women¡¯s Training Workshop of 바카라사이트 Dulais Valley and 바카라사이트 Community University of 바카라사이트 Valleys set up at Banwen in 1993. This wonderful book is full of nostalgia, but shows how lessons in social solidarity and justice from 바카라사이트 past can and must be projected into 바카라사이트 future.

Robert Gildea is professor of modern history at 바카라사이트 University of Oxford. His new book, Empires of 바카라사이트 Mind: The Colonial Past and 바카라사이트 Politics ?of 바카라사이트 Present, will be published next year.

Stories of Solidarity
By Hywel Francis
Y Lolfa, 240pp, ?9.99
ISBN 9781912631032
Published 13 September 2018