Fig 1: Silver Birch trees at the former Langton Colliery site, Nottinghamshire, December 2024. Chris Butcher, a blacksmith at Bevercotes Colliery and leading right to work campaigner, acquired the nickname, Silver Birch, due to the grey streaks in his hair. Photo Credit – MuBu Miner

Notts Working Miners Committee

The roots of the Notts Working Miners Committee was at the Right to Work rally held at the Nottingham Area NUM HQ at Berry Hill Park, Mansfield, on 1st May 1984. Pye Hill Colliery Branch Delegate, Colin Clarke, was instrumental in heading the legal action to get the 1984-85 miners strike in Nottinghamshire, proved illegal. In addition to Clarke, other characters instrumental in setting up the Notts Working Miners Committee were John Liptrott, Sherwood Colliery NUM Branch Secretary and Chris Butcher, a blacksmith at Bevercotes Colliery, who acquired the nickname, Silver Birch.

Fig 2: Notts Working Miners Committee correspondence stating its main aims. Source – MuBu Miner collection

Fig 3: Notts Working Miners Committee correspondence relative to reporting any incidents of intimidation or violence against working miners. Source – MuBu Miner collection.

Fig 4: Notts Working Miners Committee correspondence relative to NCB procedure for damage to vehicles on NCB promises. Source – MuBu Miner collection.

Fig 5: Notts Working Miners Committee corresponsence sent out to local Labour Party constituencies, May 1984. Source – MuBu Miner collection.

Fig 6: National Working Miners newsletter, August 1984. Source – MuBu Miner collection.

Fig 7: Nottinghamshire Working Miners Right to Work poster.

Fig 8: Bentinck NUM Branch appeal to Nottingham Area NUM Council meeting, 26th November 1984, to disassociate the Nottingham Area NUM from the Notts and National Working Miners Committees. Source: Nottingham Area NUM minutes 1984, p.373.

Fig 9: Voting on the Bentinck NUM Branch appeal for the Nottingham Area NUM to disassociate from the Notts and National Working Miners Committees. The appeal was carried by 23 branches to 8 at the Nottingham Area NUM Council meeting on 20th December 1984. Source: Nottingham Area NUM minutes 1984, p.408.

Fig 10: The Link Up of Friendship, published by Chris Butcher and Malcolm Seymore in 1991. Source – MuBu Miner collection.

Fig 11: The Link Up of Friendship, back cover. Source – MuBu Miner collection.

1983

Build up

1984

Strike

1985

Fallout