VICTORIA GARESFIELD LODGE BANNER
CONTEXT - This photo of the Victoria Garesfield Lodge banner was taken as part of a project by Sam Watson, DMA Secretary, to create a permanent photographic record of all lodge banners. It was commissioned in 1952, when all Lodges were requested to have a photo taken with their banner; one to be sent to the Durham Miners’ Association and one to be retained by the Lodge, costs being met from central funds.
LOCATION AND PROTAGONISTS - The photo was taken in front of the Victoria Garesfield Miners’ Welfare Hall on William Morris Avenue in Low Spen. The men who feature in the photo are Lodge officials and members:
Back left: John Thompson – Back right: Harry Hunter.
Front left to right: Matt Joyce, Gilbert Featherstone, John Armstrong, George Jamieson, George Kell, Bob Dobson, George Beverly, and Tom Charlton.
Front left to right: Matt Joyce, Gilbert Featherstone, John Armstrong, George Jamieson, George Kell, Bob Dobson, George Beverly, and Tom Charlton.
DESIGN - Each lodge commissioned and financed its own banner. The colour and design were determined by the Lodge officials in consultation with its members.
COLOUR - The above, black and white image is the only photograph of the banner known to date. It has, however, been possible to establish the colour of the Victoria Garesfield banner based on a 1926 newspaper article reporting the trial of Will Lawther for breaching the Emergency Powers Act during the strike:
The outer border may have been red; red/green being a not infrequent combination.
Senior members of the Durham Mining Museum believe the banner is 1930s vintage. At that time most banners strayed from the Tutill banner makers’ pattern book as lodges looked to impose their own mark.
COMPOSITION – In keeping with banners of the Sunshine of Liberty type, the leading side of the Victoria Garesfield banner depicted in the photo features the dark/light theme contrasting the conditions of the day with improved conditions miners were striving to obtain.
The front central panel shows an angelic-like female figure leading or encouraging a group of united, organised mineworkers to aspire to better living conditions, greater leisure time and opportunities for recreational activities; obtainable by gaining a share of the co-operative commonwealth.
“PRODUCERS OF THE NATION’S WEALTH UNITE! AND HAVE YOUR SHARE OF THE WORLD”
DESIGN - A great deal of thought seems to have gone into the design of the Victoria Garesfield banner as it includes a number of original features.
The banner also features five ribbons in contrast to the standard four. The words chosen carry more direct, militant overtones: the usual ‘progress’, ‘education’, ‘science’ and ‘art’ have been replaced by ‘light’, ‘education’, ‘industrial organisation’, ‘political action’ and ‘real international’.
VICTORIA GARESFIELD LODGE - KEIR HARDIE (PRESS ARTICLES)
1897 - In June 1897, representatives from Victoria Garesfield colliery attended a demonstration in Rowlands Gill during which Keir Hardie delivered a long speech. The meeting was organised by the Derwent Valley Federation of the Durham Miners’ Association.
1902 - In 1902, miners from Victoria Garesfield subscribed to a gift presented to Keir Hardie at a ceremony at the Socialist Institute in Newcastle. The gift, a pair of sliver candlesticks and a silver pen tray, was presented as an expression of the workers' goodwill and respect; the inscription on the gift read:
‘'To comrade J. Keir Hardie, M.P., from a few friends in Durham, August 1902.’
‘'To comrade J. Keir Hardie, M.P., from a few friends in Durham, August 1902.’
1909 - In August 1909, Keir Hardie was a speaker at a demonstration organised by the North East Federation of Independent Labour Party branches. The meeting, attended by two to three thousand men, took place at High Spen and the Victoria Garesfield Lodge was one of four local lodges that participated in organising the event on their own initiative. The meeting was presided by John Gowland of Victoria Garesfield, a veteran in the movement for winning Durham for socialism.
Special thanks to Wesley Gargett and Billy Middleton, volunteers at the Durham Mining Museum, for their invaluable input and help in researching this topic.