Easington Colliery

[cris6166]

My Grandfather Frederick Sillito died in this Pit Disaster, my father stands in the front of the photo of the families awaiting news of their loved ones.. of which none came out alive.. he was still a young boy!!

A fine and welcome tribute to them all..xx

[pogospace]

My Dad went through the 84/85 strike. I will never forget what they went through, the people who stood by them and the former 'friends and family' who turned their backs. I have a bottle of champagne put away for when Thatcher dies.

[Spratmac8]

@pogospace In years to come I think people will say: "You had all that coal and you threw it away to rely on oil and the resulting cost in blood..." Thanks for your comment and my respect to your Dad.

[dave2806]

there is a very special place waiting for thatcher in hell .

[Spratmac8]

@dave2806 Amen to that ;)

[mrmojorisin291278]

I am a Easington lass generations of my family worked down the pit im a yakka and proud! Marie Fishwick.

[Spratmac8]

@mrmojorisin291278 And so you should be Marie! :) Thanks for commenting, best wishes Paul

[LittleDevilVideos]

Hi - I am not at all sure if i know what i am doing - trying to attach video as requested - but i am not a regular fiddler on the tube!

Best wishes - Graeme

[dacyta123]

I found real friends here....

[Spratmac8]

@dacyta123 Thank you for your comment :)

[Spratmac8]

@dacyta123 A precious thing. Thanks for your comment :)

[Kaicha2010]

lovely video n very sentimenatl 2 me as i cum from mining family. pit folk r a breed of their own. cud any1 tell me if they know my aunty ethel davidson was married 2 bill davison n had a son paul. i lost touch with her a long time ago n wd love 2 c her again. my email geoffrudd65@yahoo.co.uk

[Spratmac8]

@Kaicha2010 Thank you and good luck with tracing your relatives

[mommafletch]

Now I'm homesick!!! I'm American, but my husband is from Easington, and he and his family worked for the pit. I lived there for about 4 years. How I love this little hardscrabble village. The people there accepted this strange Southern girl like one of their own. Good Lord willing, I'll make it back over from the States again, one day.

[Spratmac8]

@mommafletch Thank you for your comment, what a wondereful word 'hardscrabble' is! Not heard it before, but sums up Easington perfectly. The hearts of Easington folk are as warm as the burning coal they once mined :)

[LittleDevilVideos]

Hi - i liked the pictures - very evocative - I didn't know the song - but it's got great emotion. I grew up in Easington before my parents moved to Hartlepool. The song I wrote Black Diamond - was written because my Grandad survived the pit disaster and i remembered growing up with it so much part of the life of Easington - as much as Burdess's pies! I don't get back much - but one of these days I need to take my son there and show him my roots. Thanks for the video. Graeme

[Spratmac8]

@LittleDevilVideos Thank you for the kind words Graeme. Black Diamond is a great song and I would love it if you could post your video of it as a reply to mine so people can go and listen to it. Best wishes, Paul.

[gravesj11]

like this even though i am from horden by the sea x

[Spratmac8]

@gravesj11 LOL! That is high praise indeed ;) Thank you!

[Thinker341]

Great grandad was in the pit all his life, now my families moved down south, i used to go up to Easington as a id, absolutely loved it!

[paulb341]

worked at easington E F and G seams 1977--1989 id do it all over again , good mates i made to this day .....

[Spratmac8]

Thanks for your comment Paul. Glad the video brought back good memories. best wishes, Spratmac8

[michaelfrusciante]

im on this video im alan casson my dad is also on here and a few of his best freinds my dad is dead now but this reminds me of the good times when he was alive stan casson was his name also jarpy parkins and lukey stobbs are on here too good video and song well done to the singer

[Spratmac8]

Thanks for your kind words Michael. I am really pleased the video brings back good memories. Best wishes to you and your family, Spratmac8.

[Spratmac8]

My respect goes to anyone who worked down the pits. It was hard work that a soft-handed fella like me could never even begin to imagine. Thanks for your comments, Spratmackrel.

[davcat126]

i worked at easington from 1970-89 good years great mates.never forgotten the band practices on friday nites as I walked across the yard to 10pm shift.Nor the "strike" proud ex miner

[Holliday1patriot]

My dad worked there in the 70's

[bfmvrule93]

i live in easinton colliery and my uncle was in the pit

[Spratmac8]

He is part of a long and proud tradition. Thanks for your comment.

[Spagfan]

A Fine tribute to a once mighty colliery that employed 3000 men at it`s peak - a tragic and unjustified victim of myopic Tory politics !

Stirl

[Spratmac8]

Thank you. Completely agree with your sentiments.

Sprat

[delmonti]

Very moving..... well done there fella. and thanks for the credit at the end.

Delmonti.