By james art 1:00 AM, October 29, 2024
travel
Miners’ flags from across the region were displayed at Durham Cathedral to mark the 40th anniversary of the 1984-85 miners’ strike.
The colorful banners are on display around the cathedral as part of an exhibition called ‘Solidarity Forever: Flags of the Durham Mining Community’, a poignant and impactful exhibition celebrating the resilience and heritage of County Durham’s mining communities.
Durham Cathedral and the local mines have strong links dating back to the 1800s and the exhibition tells the story of their mining heritage.
The display, in collaboration with Durham Mining Communities Banner Groups Association (DMCBGA) and Redhills, Durham, features 40 huge miners’ banners, each telling their own unique story of struggle, solidarity and survival.
Each has been hand painted with love, each rich in history and symbolism.
Patricia Simmons of the DMCBGA said: “We encourage former mining communities and the younger generation to recognize the importance these vibrant and colorful banners have in Durham’s history through the stories they tell.
“The group’s aim is to restore many of the original banners or replace them with new ones to celebrate the lives of miners, both past and present, who, despite overcoming many hardships, formed the thriving communities we (still) have today .
“Across the country, the Durham Miners Gala is one of the best displays of these beautiful storytelling banners. Being able to stage this exhibition in the historic grandeur of Durham Cathedral demonstrates how committed we are to continuing to celebrate the past while still looking to the future.”
All the banners were paraded through the streets of Durham on the feast day, which takes place on the second Saturday in July each year, and each was blessed in the cathedral during a special service at the Miners’ Festival, which has been held every year since 1897 .
The Rt Revd Canon Michael Hampel, Deputy Dean and Warden of Durham Cathedral, said: “The cathedral has been part of the Durham landscape for over 900 years.
“It is strong and resilient in the same way that the mining communities in County Durham were also strong and resilient, which explains why they still come to the cathedral year after year, during the Gala, to thank God for the past and to they look with hope to the future.
“The mines are gone, but the people survived and so did their flags.”
Visitors have the opportunity to see the hand-painted silk banners up close, gaining insight into the region’s mining heritage and learning more about the communities that still stand together today.
The exhibition remains on display at the cathedral until Thursday 7 November. There is no entrance fee to enter the cathedral, but a £5 donation is encouraged.
For more information about the exhibition visit: www.durhamcathedral.co.uk