Remembering Coal

This year marks the University's 125th anniversary but also a decade since Britain’s last deep coal mine closed, bringing the curtain down on a once proud and important industry.

Join us on Monday 16th June for discussion panels featuring both historians and creatives, the screening of a short film as well as a locally made documentary, and the opportunity to listen to 'The Big Hewer' (the 1961 radio ballad). Alongside the talks and screenings, you will have a chance to experience our 'Coal on Campus' exhibition which depicts the history of the University's links with the industry. 

Programme

Morning session:

• 10.00 - 10.15 Welcome: opening of UoB's Mining Department exhibition.
• 10.15 - 10.45 Screening: In the Veins (2024): a short film tracing the changing fortunes of Britain's coal industry during the twentieth century.
• 11.00 - 13.00 Panel discussion 1: Memories, legacy and heritage.

Afternoon session:

• 14.00 - 14.30 The Big Hewer (1961): a chance to listen to the radio-ballad about Britain's coal miners by Ewan MacColl, Charles Parker and Peggy Seeger.
• 14.30 - 16.30 Panel discussion 2: Hidden voices, storytelling and engagement.
• 16.30 - 17.15 Networking: soft refreshments outside screening room.
• 17.15 - 18.30 Screening: Regeneration (2024), a documentary film that explores the end of the coal industry and its impact on the landscape and communities it left behind.