VIDEO: Father who's son was killed on picket line speaks to the Guardian
WHEN 23-year-old Yorkshire miner David Jones died on the picket line just a week into the strike, the news sent shockwaves across the country.
What began as an organised picket at Ollerton pit on 15th March 1984, descended into a scene of chaos and violence when the South Kirby miner was hit by a brick.
He was rushed to Mansfield Hospital, where he later died. And 25 years on, David's father Mark Jones, 75, is still haunted by the events of that day.
"The first thing we knew was at four-o-clock in the morning, when the local police came to our house to tell us what had happened. They told us David was dead," said Mark.
He added: "We found out later that he had gone to Ollerton picket line with some friends. The strike was only in its first week then, so there was no violence, just a little argy bargy."
"A brick hit him on the neck, and he stumbled and fell on the brick and he punctured his chest."
"He collapsed and his mates rushed to help him. An ambulance was going past, so it stopped and took him to hospital in Mansfield."
But David was soon pronounced dead, and the news spread like wildfire throughout the mining community. David's family were desperate for answers, and as the inquest into his death drew near were hoping they would find out the truth.
As it turned out, an open verdict was recorded – the brick thrower was never found.
"If I knew who threw the brick, I would not have wanted them to be locked up, because it was a time when things like this happened," said Mark.
"I would just have liked him to be aware that I knew he had done it. He would have had to live with that, and that would have been enough punishment."
David had been working at Ackton Hall Colliery in Wakefield for about three years, and had just begun a course to become a deputy at the pit when the strike broke out. He also had two young children.
"He had his entire life in front of him. We show his children photographs of their father and tell them stories about him," said Mark.
And following David's tragic death, Mark went on to write a book about his son entitled Killed On The Picket Line, 1984: The Story Of David Gareth Jones.
"I don't read it very much because it brings back a lot of memories," said Mark. "It mentions Margaret Thatcher quite often, and I don't like to really think about her too much."
To keep David's memory alive, his family and close friends hold an annual memorial at the site where he was killed in Ollerton, laying a wreath at the commemorative bench at the scene and holding a two-minute silence.
And Mark regularly gives a speech at the memorial lecture for David and Joe Green – another man who died during the strike – held in Barnsley every year.
"Throughout mining history, coal has cost a hell of a lot of lives – the price of coal is very, very high," said Mark.
"There is no way on this planet that I would say it was worth it, because I lost a son. And yet I agree with it 100 per cent – the miners went to war because the conservative party decided to smash trade unions, starting with the NUM – destroying an industry in the process."
"Now, we are buying coal from Russia, Germany, anywhere, and paying exorbitant prices for gas. All the while, we walk around with 1,000 years of coal under our feet – it's too stupid to laugh at," said Mark.
"I'm proud of every single miner out there. And not just miners, but their wives, mothers and sisters, as they could not have survived throughout the strike without them. They deserve medals as big as dustbin lids."
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Weather for Dinnington
Wednesday 08 February 2012
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