The story of a ‘boss man’, his community and the 1984 miners’ strike

The aim of this particular ‘on the frontline’ account is to allow the voice of a pit overman, Jack Ditchburn, to tell his own story of being a miner, a trade unionist, and a ‘boss man’ – a man who saw himself as miner first and foremost and as manager second (Beynon et al., 1991). Jack worked as a miner in the Blackhall and Horden pits, part of the Durham coalfields, which were some of the most deeply affected by the 84-85 strike. Jack’s narrative adds rich biographical detail to current understandings of the work of a miner, the ’84 strike, the characters involved, and the relationships made and broken by it.