One man's struggle to feed his young family
SOUTH Yorkshire Police Sgt Bill Bell worked as a miner at Silverwood pit when the strike broke out 25 years ago.
Just 22-years-old at the time, he had been working at the colliery for four years when miners all over the country formed a picket to safeguard their livelihoods.
Living hand to mouth, Sgt Bell, 47, was forced to survive on hand-outs and the proceeds of odd jobs to support his wife and two year-old daughter.
"My daughter had only just turned two at the time. We were living off 35 a week, and a friend and I made extra money by going out cleaning windows around the estates," said Sgt Bell.
And in a time where cash was hard to come by, Sgt Bell admits that sometimes, abiding by the law was not always an option.
"We really struggled. We could not afford to tax the car or pay for a television licence. So really, we were committing offences during the strike – we were not criminals, but some things had to go by the wayside, we had to get food for our children and for our families."
Throughout a year that saw thousands of miners united at picket lines all over the country, Sgt Bell revealed that he only attended one protest.
"I only ever went to the picket line once at Sliverwood, when a miner went back to work," he said.
"I did not expect there to be much trouble or violence, and one guy who was stood next to me told me to be careful of the police. And before I knew it, the same guy threw a brick at a police car, so I quickly decided that I did not want to get involved."
Sgt Bell remained on strike until the very end. It was six years later that he opted for a career change and joined South Yorkshire Police.
"I decided that being a police officer was something I wanted to do, and I thought that going through the strike had put me in good stead for understanding the predicaments people go through. And I think that it's made me a good cop."
And 25 years on from the strike that divided a nation, Sgt Bell said that although he remained loyal to the strike effort, he still faces prejudice for deciding to join the force.
"I am still very proud of the fact that I stayed out for the full 12 months, and even though I did that, when I left the job I still got miners telling me that they would not urinate on me if I was on fire," he said.
"You still get that sort of vindictiveness, but on the other hand, I work the football matches at Rotherham and I see old mining colleagues and we still stop to have a natter, and tell me to keep up the good work."
The full article contains 494 words and appears in Dinnington Guardian newspaper.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Dinnington
Wednesday 08 February 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: -4 C to 1 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: South
Tomorrow
Light sleet showers
Temperature: 1 C to 3 C
Wind Speed: 7 mph
Wind direction: South
