THE DURHAM MINERS’ ASSOCIATION, RANDOLPH LODGE BANNER (The Old Banner)

Saturday 12 June 1909: The banner was unfurled on Evenwood Village Green outside the Randolph Institute.  It was made by Messrs. H. Slingsby and Sons of Nuneaton and cost £44 10 shillings.  Speeches were made by Arthur Henderson, MP for Barnard Castle, Alderman William House, President of the DMA, Thomas Summerbell, MP for Sunderland and James Robson, County Councillor.

Below: The Auckland Chronicle account of proceedings.

The Randolph Lodge DMA officials were Chairman: Jacob Beadle, Secretary: J.S. Robinson, Treasurer O. Anderson, Delegate: J. Brownbridge, Committee T.W. Bowman, R.W. Atkinson, L. Corner, J.T. Rutter & J. Ellerker.  There were 820 members and no non-union workmen.

Below: A repaired photo showing the official unfurling party in front of the banner and the Institute

December 1912: The original damaged photo was in the possession of John Deighton (a teacher at Staindrop Comprehensive School for many years). John’s grandfather was William Gray, a DMA official, who was elected to be the men’s checkweighman after defeating John Walton in the final ballot.  William Gray was a respected member of the local community being a Parish Councillor.  In 1914, he was Secretary of the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Fund at the start of the First World War.  He enlisted in 1915.  Gunner William Gray, serving with the Royal Artillery, died of wounds, 3 July 1918.  He is buried in France.

Below: The old banner showing an image of Randolph Colliery on one side and the depiction of the good Samaritan on the other.

Below: Randolph Banner at Swan Street, Evenwood

Durham Big Meeting otherwise known as the Miners’ Gala was held each year in July.  The above photo shows the Randolph Banner accompanied by the union officials, Evenwood Band and the families of Randolph pitmen and coke men making their way down to Evenwood Station at Ramshaw to take the train to Durham.

Below: 4 photos of the Randolph banner at Durham Big Meeting

Above: about 1947, Jack Bell (DMA & NUM Official) with Hugh Dalton MP for Bishop Auckland

Below:

March 1953: Randolph Lodge Officials: Back seated left to right: J. Hudson; J. Armstrong; T.K. Maughan; T. Clarkson; E. Banks; J. Bell; T. Mason. Front left to right: A. Watkins; J. Wren; F. Hutchinson; A. Priestley; F. Lowson; B. Kay; W. Bayles. At the back left N. Robson and right J. Carrick

Below: The “NEW BANNER” The National Union of Mineworkers Durham Area Randolph Lodge: May 1954: Unfurling of the new Randolph Lodge banner. Seen here after the unfurling ceremony are from left to right: Lodge Secretary and Checkweighman, E. Banks; Bishop Auckland’s MP Hugh Dalton, (depicted on the banner with Clement Atlee); retired Checkweighman J. Bell and Lodge Chairman T. Clarkson.

Below: Images of the new banner. It has similar scenes to the old banner.

Below: Eva Maughan and Betty Blackett

Below: The Bunnett family posing in the front of the banner

Below: A scene from the Racecourse, Durham on Gala Day where the political speeches and entertainment for children (the shows) took place. This photo was taken by George Blackett, a Randolph pitman.

Below: And another photo of the old Randolph banner at the Big Meeting (courtesy of Graham Wren, a descendant of an Evenwood family who moved to the South Yorkshire coalfield.)