North East Derbyshire - Coal Mining

Coal Mining

The district, along with the district of Bolsover and much of the surrounding area of South Yorkshire, was a major producer of coal when a large seam was discovered during the building of the Clay Cross railway tunnel. Coal mining became the main industry of the region. During the 1980s the Conservative government closed down many of the mines after a dispute between the government and the National Union of Mineworkers, which is known as the miners' strike.

The strike began when the government reneged on previous declarations and announced the closure of the majority of pits due to unprofitability and inefficiency. The strike lasted for a year between 1984 and 1985. The strike was observed by approximately 70% of miners in North East Derbyshire. It caused massive social upheaval as traditionally close-knit communities became divided between those who worked and those who didn't. Striking miners went unpaid and were not entitled to state welfare benefits, meaning that thousands of families relied on handouts and poverty became rife.

The strike was resolved by the spring of 1985, when the government effectively defeated the NUM and continued its policy of mine closures. The closure of the pits resulted in the closure of many associated industries, which decimated the local communities. Many former pit villages have struggled to recover. There are now no deep pit mines left in North East Derbyshire.