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The Battle Of Orgreave


Guest tommyking

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Guest tommyking

Hi everyone,

My name is Tom. I'm from Sheffield and I am currently doing some reserach on The battle of Orgreave - as some of my family were involved in the miners strike.

I really want to know more about peoples personal experiences at Orgreave and what occurred there in the summer of 1984. In particular I would like to know what memories people have about the battle? Where you were when it happened...etc?

Cheers,

Tom

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Hello Tom.

Wasnt there my self (was still at school in Durham..watching the miners from the coastal pits getting beaten) but have been down there my self a time or two and find the place very interesting.

It is a crying shame that there is no memorial there to tell the kids what the government did there.

There was a little plaque for a time but that was pulled down....then the bridge was bypassed all together......as its still there I suppose that is the memorial!

I hope you find plenty of tales....my favorite...I read this in one book, was the story of the miners and the snowman which I'm sure happened near the bridge.

I would love to meet someone who was there that day and ask if it really happened.

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I remember I had to go to my work placement and there was a bus strike so most of the miners had been brought in coaches and minibuses from all over the country. I lived on Finchwell rd then and the miners filled the road as they walked over to Handsworth recreation ground to Orgreave coke and chemicals with a police escort.

They met our milkman John just about at our gate and most of them paid for a bottle of milk. I remember he left a crate out for the empties, of which there was loads.

As we walked to Darnall to get the packed train we couldn't imagine what would happen when they reached Orgreave.

The rest is history. I remember watching it on the main news, I couldn't believe it could happen so close to where we lived.

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Guest tommyking

Thanks to you both.

It's interesting that there is no memorial there now - hjdary. And, I suppose maintaining the bridge is a symbolic gesture of some sort. I see that UK Coal are now redeveloping the site. Jeremy Deller did a re-enactment of the battle a few years ago.

Knightstempler - I have found photos of miners running across the Sheffield-Lincoln railway line on the day of the battle. Something that shocked me when I saw the pictures and I wasn't even born when it happened.

Once again cheers,

Tom

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I still think of that day as I drive past Highfields on the way to work. The smell of the coke and chemical works as you passed it.

Do you remember the chants Maggie out , Maggie out, Maggie, Maggie, Maggie, out, out, out.

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Guest tommyking

I still think of that day as I drive past Highfields on the way to work. The smell of the coke and chemical works as you passed it.

Do you remember the chants Maggie out , Maggie out, Maggie, Maggie, Maggie, out, out, out.

I'm only a young un' (well 23). So I was in my mothers womb at the time! 'Here We Go' was another chant at the time... I've also read one about 'Milk Snatcher' that goes to the tune of 'Robin Hood'!

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I'm only a young un' (well 23). So I was in my mothers womb at the time! 'Here We Go' was another chant at the time... I've also read one about 'Milk Snatcher' that goes to the tune of 'Robin Hood'!

Thatcher's boys in blue off for an early morning run and we complain about the way the Chinese infringe human rights!

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Guest tommyking

Thatcher's boys in blue off for an early morning run and we complain about the way the Chinese infringe human rights!

Quite right.

I watched a news report on the BBC about China a few months ago - saying how its wrong that the Chinese media reports don't show any news about what is happening in Tibet. The same 'broadcaster' who 'inadvertantly' showed 'rioting' pickets 'attacking' police at Orgreave when the opposite was true!

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