Episodes
| Title | First Broadcast | Repeated | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| Edinburgh | 20240213 | 20240508 (R4) | Still seen as one of the most bitter and divisive industrial disputes in the UK, the year long miners' strike, that began in March 1984, dominated the news for 12 months. It's been described as “a site of contested memories, ? and it continues to evoke strong feelings in those who lived through the strike and had direct experience of it. Chris Jackson, in his very first job as a young radio reporter in South Wales, found himself covering the dispute that scarred a generation and more. Now, 40 years after the start of the strike, he's meeting people from different sides of the difficult and controversial industrial dispute, and together they return to a place that holds some very personal memories. In this episode, Chris is in Edinburgh to meet Malcolm Dickson, now retired, who was a young sergeant tasked with policing the picket lines during the strike. Together they visit the site where so many confrontations took place and consider whether, looking back, things should have been done differently. Many years after the strike, Malcolm Dickson gave evidence to the Scottish government's independent review into how it was policed. This led to the pardoning, in 2022, of more than 500 people who had been given strike-related convictions by Scottish courts. Producer: Jo Dwyer Presenter: Chris Jackson Executive Producer: Rosamund Jones A Loftus Media production for BBC Radio 4 On the picket lines - the police officer. Personal memories from one of the most bitter and divisive industrial disputes in the UK Malcolm Dickson was a young sergeant policing the picket lines during the controversial dispute. Still seen as one of the most bitter and divisive industrial disputes in the UK, the year long miners' strike, that began in March 1984, dominated the news for 12 months. It's been described as “a site of contested memories, ? and it continues to evoke strong feelings in those who lived through the strike and had direct experience of it. Chris Jackson, in his very first job as a young radio reporter in South Wales, found himself covering the dispute that scarred a generation and more. Now, 40 years after the start of the strike, he's meeting people from different sides of the difficult and controversial industrial dispute, and together they return to a place that holds some very personal memories. In this episode, Chris is in Edinburgh to meet Malcolm Dickson, now retired, who was a young sergeant tasked with policing the picket lines during the strike. Together they visit the site where so many confrontations took place and consider whether, looking back, things should have been done differently. Many years after the strike, Malcolm Dickson gave evidence to the Scottish government's independent review into how it was policed. This led to the pardoning, in 2022, of more than 500 people who had been given strike-related convictions by Scottish courts. Producer: Jo Dwyer Presenter: Chris Jackson Executive Producer: Rosamund Jones A Loftus Media production for BBC Radio 4 On the picket lines - the police officer. Personal memories from one of the most bitter and divisive industrial disputes in the UK Malcolm Dickson was a young sergeant policing the picket lines during the controversial dispute. |
| Grimethorpe | 20240227 | 20240510 (R4) | Still seen as one of the most bitter and divisive industrial disputes in the UK, the year long miners' strike, that began in March 1984, dominated the news for 12 months. It's been described as “a site of contested memories, ? and it continues to evoke strong feelings in those who lived through the strike and had direct experience of it. Chris Jackson, in his very first job as a young radio reporter in South Wales, found himself covering the dispute that scarred a generation and more. Now, 40 years after the start of the strike, he's meeting people from different sides of the difficult and controversial industrial dispute, and together they return to a place that holds some very personal memories. In this episode, Chris is in Grimethorpe, at the spot the miners gathered to return to work in March 1985, marching back to the pit behind their colliery band. He meets two people from different sides of the industrial dispute to talk about that day. Peter Haigh was a National Coal Board manager at Grimethorpe during the strike and Danny Gillespie was a striking Grimethorpe miner. Presenter: Chris Jackson Producer: Jo Dwyer Executive Producer: Rosamund Jones A Loftus Media production for BBC Radio 4 Back to work - the miner and the Coal Board manager. Personal memories from one of the most bitter and divisive industrial disputes in the UK Personal memories from one of the most bitter and divisive industrial disputes in the UK 40 years on. The miner and the Coal Board manager. Still seen as one of the most bitter and divisive industrial disputes in the UK, the year long miners' strike, that began in March 1984, dominated the news for 12 months. It's been described as “a site of contested memories, ? and it continues to evoke strong feelings in those who lived through the strike and had direct experience of it. Chris Jackson, in his very first job as a young radio reporter in South Wales, found himself covering the dispute that scarred a generation and more. Now, 40 years after the start of the strike, he's meeting people from different sides of the difficult and controversial industrial dispute, and together they return to a place that holds some very personal memories. In this episode, Chris is in Grimethorpe, at the spot the miners gathered to return to work in March 1985, marching back to the pit behind their colliery band. He meets two people from different sides of the industrial dispute to talk about that day. Peter Haigh was a National Coal Board manager at Grimethorpe during the strike and Danny Gillespie was a striking Grimethorpe miner. Presenter: Chris Jackson Producer: Jo Dwyer Executive Producer: Rosamund Jones A Loftus Media production for BBC Radio 4 Back to work - the miner and the Coal Board manager. Personal memories from one of the most bitter and divisive industrial disputes in the UK Personal memories from one of the most bitter and divisive industrial disputes in the UK 40 years on. The miner and the Coal Board manager. |
| Nottinghamshire | 20240206 | 20240507 (R4) | Still seen as one of the most bitter and divisive industrial disputes in the UK, the year long miners' strike, beginning in March 1984, dominated the news for 12 months. It's been described as “a site of contested memories, ? and it still evokes strong feelings in those who lived through the strike and had direct experience of it. Chris Jackson, in his very first job as a young radio reporter in South Wales, found himself covering the dispute that scarred a generation and more. Now, 40 years after the start of the strike, he's meeting people from different sides of the difficult and controversial industrial dispute, and together they return to a place that holds some very personal memories. In this episode, Chris meets Peter Short, who was a miner and union official at Bilsthorpe colliery in Nottinghamshire. Following a ballot in Nottinghamshire, union members there decided not to join the strike. As a result, and despite voting for strike action himself, Peter Short worked throughout the year-long dispute. Now he retraces his daily walk to the pit, talks through his decision and remembers how it felt to cross the picket line over and over again. Producer: Jo Dwyer Presenter: Chris Jackson Executive Producer: Rosamund Jones A Loftus Media production for BBC Radio 4 The decision - the union official who didn't strike. Personal memories from one of the most bitter and divisive industrial disputes in the UK Peter Short was a miner and union official in Nottinghamshire who crossed the picket line throughout the strike. Still seen as one of the most bitter and divisive industrial disputes in the UK, the year long miners' strike, beginning in March 1984, dominated the news for 12 months. It's been described as “a site of contested memories, ? and it still evokes strong feelings in those who lived through the strike and had direct experience of it. Chris Jackson, in his very first job as a young radio reporter in South Wales, found himself covering the dispute that scarred a generation and more. Now, 40 years after the start of the strike, he's meeting people from different sides of the difficult and controversial industrial dispute, and together they return to a place that holds some very personal memories. In this episode, Chris meets Peter Short, who was a miner and union official at Bilsthorpe colliery in Nottinghamshire. Following a ballot in Nottinghamshire, union members there decided not to join the strike. As a result, and despite voting for strike action himself, Peter Short worked throughout the year-long dispute. Now he retraces his daily walk to the pit, talks through his decision and remembers how it felt to cross the picket line over and over again. Producer: Jo Dwyer Presenter: Chris Jackson Executive Producer: Rosamund Jones A Loftus Media production for BBC Radio 4 The decision - the union official who didn't strike. Personal memories from one of the most bitter and divisive industrial disputes in the UK Peter Short was a miner and union official in Nottinghamshire who crossed the picket line throughout the strike. |
| South Wales | 20240220 | 20240509 (R4) | Still seen as one of the most bitter and divisive industrial disputes in the UK, the year long miners' strike, that began in March 1984, dominated the news for 12 months. It's been described as “a site of contested memories, ? and it continues to evoke strong feelings in those who lived through the strike and had direct experience of it. Chris Jackson, in his very first job as a young radio reporter in South Wales, found himself covering the dispute that scarred a generation and more. Now, 40 years after the start of the strike, he's meeting people from different sides of the difficult and controversial industrial dispute, and together they return to a place that holds some very personal memories. In this episode, Chris returns to South Wales to meet Ann Jones, whose husband John worked at Tower Colliery in the Welsh Valleys and was on strike for the full year. Ann's life took a turn during the strike, taking her all over the country, speaking at large rallies and public meetings to raise money for the families of the striking miners and raise awareness of the issues they were facing. She became an organiser, supporter, protestor and was a regular on the picket lines, along with many other women. Presenter: Chris Jackson Producer: Jo Dwyer Executive Producer: Rosamund Jones A Loftus Media production for BBC Radio 4 Life changing - the miner's wife. Personal memories from one of the most bitter and divisive industrial disputes in the UK Personal memories from one of the most bitter and divisive industrial disputes in the UK 40 years on. The miner's wife. Still seen as one of the most bitter and divisive industrial disputes in the UK, the year long miners' strike, that began in March 1984, dominated the news for 12 months. It's been described as “a site of contested memories, ? and it continues to evoke strong feelings in those who lived through the strike and had direct experience of it. Chris Jackson, in his very first job as a young radio reporter in South Wales, found himself covering the dispute that scarred a generation and more. Now, 40 years after the start of the strike, he's meeting people from different sides of the difficult and controversial industrial dispute, and together they return to a place that holds some very personal memories. In this episode, Chris returns to South Wales to meet Ann Jones, whose husband John worked at Tower Colliery in the Welsh Valleys and was on strike for the full year. Ann's life took a turn during the strike, taking her all over the country, speaking at large rallies and public meetings to raise money for the families of the striking miners and raise awareness of the issues they were facing. She became an organiser, supporter, protestor and was a regular on the picket lines, along with many other women. Presenter: Chris Jackson Producer: Jo Dwyer Executive Producer: Rosamund Jones A Loftus Media production for BBC Radio 4 Life changing - the miner's wife. Personal memories from one of the most bitter and divisive industrial disputes in the UK Personal memories from one of the most bitter and divisive industrial disputes in the UK 40 years on. The miner's wife. |
| Sunderland | 20240130 | 20240506 (R4) | The year long miners' strike, that started in March 1984, dominated the news for 12 months. It's been described as “a site of contested memories ? and it still evokes strong feelings in those who lived through the strike and had direct experience of it. Chris Jackson, in his very first job as a young radio reporter in South Wales, found himself covering the dispute that scarred a generation and more. Now, 40 years after the start of the strike, he's meeting people from different sides, and together they return to a place that holds some very personal memories. In this episode, Chris is in Sunderland to meet Neil Foster, a fourth generation miner who went on strike for the full year. They meet outside the Stadium of Light, the home ground of Sunderland Football Club, which is built on the former site of the Monkwearmouth Colliery. It's where Neil worked and its where he got arrested on a picket line during the strike. Presenter: Chris Jackson Producer: Jo Dwyer Executive Producer: Rosamund Jones A Loftus Media production for BBC Radio 4 The arrest: the striking miner. Personal memories from one of the most bitter and divisive industrial disputes in the UK Personal memories from one of the most bitter and divisive industrial disputes in the UK 40 years on. The year long miners' strike, that started in March 1984, dominated the news for 12 months. It's been described as “a site of contested memories ? and it still evokes strong feelings in those who lived through the strike and had direct experience of it. Chris Jackson, in his very first job as a young radio reporter in South Wales, found himself covering the dispute that scarred a generation and more. Now, 40 years after the start of the strike, he's meeting people from different sides, and together they return to a place that holds some very personal memories. In this episode, Chris is in Sunderland to meet Neil Foster, a fourth generation miner who went on strike for the full year. They meet outside the Stadium of Light, the home ground of Sunderland Football Club, which is built on the former site of the Monkwearmouth Colliery. It's where Neil worked and its where he got arrested on a picket line during the strike. Presenter: Chris Jackson Producer: Jo Dwyer Executive Producer: Rosamund Jones A Loftus Media production for BBC Radio 4 The arrest: the striking miner. Personal memories from one of the most bitter and divisive industrial disputes in the UK Personal memories from one of the most bitter and divisive industrial disputes in the UK 40 years on. |