It is, however, just a collection of numbers, and while it gives us a good impression of the state of the coalfield it does not tell us why this is so. All it tells us is that the coal industry was crumbling, and gives us a rough idea of the speed at which it was doing so. This means that it’s probably less information heavy then the majority of sources, but it is still very necessary to support them.
Section B
Industrial Unrest and its Results
The fall of the coal industry not only inflicted great hardship on the people of Wales, but also generated a persistent atmosphere of bitterness and contempt. Perhaps the primary reason for this was the great social division that developed nation wide.
As the coal industry declined, so did the wages it offered. For a long time the miners accepted these cuts (as there was no alternative employment) but it soon became clear that things would only get worse, and the first strikes began. The strength of the miner’s union in South Wales ensured that the strikes were solid, and on May 4th 1926 a general strike was initiated as all trade union members joined the miners.
This reduced much of the Welsh population to poverty, and would, if not for the soup kitchens, have reduced them to starvation. The kitchens were charity run and provided free food for the out of work miners. When first established they offered hot meals consisting of three substantial courses, but as the strikes drew on and funds dried up the food became more modest. By late august bread and ‘bully’ beef was the most common dish. Such a dull, monotonous diet did nothing to keep spirits up.
Lack of funds forced many miners to develop new skills. It was not uncommon for an out of work miner to become and amateur cobbler, performing makeshift repairs on his family’s shoes. Things like this not only saved money, but also spared the miners total boredom.
The miners’ fight was with their employers, but the strikes also divided the working class. Even when the coal industry was healthy there was considerable unemployment, so there were always those willing to fill the positions. To the striking miners these men were traitors, and they were most commonly referred to by the slang terms ‘black legs’ or ‘scabs’. Union members would shun them, and violence between the two groups was common. Entire communities were torn apart - neighbours would vandalise one another’s property and once close friends would cease to socialise.
In 1935, strikers at Nine Mile Point colliery (in Cwmfelinfach) initiated the first ‘stay-down’ strike in an effort to prevent any work continuing in the mine. This shows just how strong the miners’ desire to fight was. They would put themselves through misery and risk their health to attack the mine owners and, possibly even to a greater extent, the strike breakers. This example was quickly followed elsewhere, and while it served its purpose, it caused permanent damage to many miners’ eyesight.
Section C
The Effects of the Depression Years on
Coalminers and their Families
For the average welsh citizen, the depression meant severe poverty. Since most were on the dole, a family’s income was quite consistent throughout the country, and it was barely enough to feed them. Many families could not afford to clothe everyone at once, and those who were dressed rarely had enough to keep warm.
For the men, life was monotonous and unfulfilling. They would follow the same degrading routine each day, and spend most of their time at home, bored and depressed. This, along with the reduced funds, added greatly to the woman’s workload as she desperately tried to keep the family functioning with so little.
The situation became so desperate that unemployed men would work long, often dangerous shifts to be paid only in coal. An eight hour shift would be rewarded with four bags, saving (for the average family) only around six pence a week. There were those that couldn’t get even this form of employment, and some simply searched tips and outcrop levels alone. Fatalities soared, but most continued regardless, showing great determination.
During this period, Wales became, by some distance, the least healthy area in Britain.
Diseases such as diphtheria, scarlet fever and, in particular, TB were infecting thousands. This was largely due to malnutrition and a lack of sufficient clothing.
Source C1
The Prince of Wales’ Christmas Day Broadcast
On Christmas day 1928 the Prince of Wales educated the rest of Britain on conditions in the coalfield, supposedly showing his compassion and sympathy for them. The reliability of the broadcast must be questioned, however, as the prince may have had any number of motives for the speech aside from simply giving information. There is no obvious bias in what he says, and it doesn’t contradict any of the other sources, but it seems to have been slightly dramatised. While it gives a good impression of the general atmosphere, it is not actually very information heavy. It is full of dramatic adjectives (“The narrow winding street”, “ the ever-grim overhanging hills”) but all it really tells us is that things weren’t very nice. This is probably because its main purpose would have been to improve the prince’s public image - referring to the miners as “Keen, intelligent men” no doubt gained him support.
Also, we cannot be sure how in touch he actually is with the common population. He would have only a limited understanding of the situation, so his speech cannot be as valuable as the statements of an unemployed miner. This is, however, (unlike most of the sources) primary evidence, and that is in its favour. Despite this, I made little use of this source in answering the question.
Section D
Were the Depression Years Bad for Everyone
in the South Wales Coalfield?
The depression years weren’t all bad - In fact, in some areas there was huge improvement. Welsh citizens may have had much less money, but the ways in which they could spend it were increasing rapidly. New consumer goods were being developed rapidly, and for those who could afford them new household appliances made life much easier.
The media was also booming, and people could find pleasant escapism in radio or cinema. The Film industry was making huge profits, and new cinemas were opened all over the country to cope with demand. This can be partly attributed to the development of the ‘talkies’ (films with sound). Trips to the cinema would be regular, many families going twice or three times a week despite financial hardship.
Football was also bringing in huge profits and entertaining millions. People would eagerly listen to the score each Saturday, and the pools gave hope to most working men.
The inter war period also saw rapid, continuous development in the school system, leading to a generally higher standard of education. Thirty seven new secondary schools were opened between 1919 and 1938, primary school funds were greatly increase and University income almost doubled.
Life was, then, bearable for the working class, and for the wealthy minority it may even be considered a golden age.
Source D4
Mid Glamorgan CC – Family on the Dole
This information was compiled fairly recently by a small group of teachers, and a lack of primary sources mean its reliability must be questioned.
It is limited in scope (covering just cinema) but it does give clues about other aspects of life during this period. It tells us of the film industry’s great success, and the primary reason for going to the cinema has always been escapism. Perhaps, then, this boom in the film industry (with families going two or three times a week) is not the mark of a happy community, but one that is deeply depressed. The fact that comedy was the most popular genre at the time supports this theory.
Looking solely at the aspect of cinema, this is without doubt the most important source. Some information was unnecessary, (such as the names of Porth’s cinemas) but the majority is material to the question.
While the source is far from answering the question, it does give some useful information, and I did make use of it.
Conclusion
Life during the inter-war period was, on the whole, unpleasant for Welsh mining families. This can be mainly attributed to the poverty they endured, the bitterness and loathing they felt towards mine owners and strike breakers and a general feeling of emptiness as male life lost much of its purpose (due to unemployment). The national obsession with film and radio only emphasise this, as it is used as escapism in almost the same way as drugs are.
Of course, this only really applies to those who had known a better life. As William Thomas says, “If you were brought up in a mining community you just accepted life as it was.” For him, life had its ups and downs, as it did for anyone. The hardship he was born into simply meant that “a holiday in a tent at Porthcawl once a year” was cause for excitement, and that working in a pit for 50p a week was just life.