Black Coal Miner's story

Discover a pivotal piece of British social history through the compelling oral account of Roy Wilks, a former Black Coal Miner from Nottingham. This resource serves as an invaluable exploration of the mining community in Nottingham during the 1960s, providing a nuanced understanding of specific places and working conditions.

Key Information:

Document Type: Social History Research
Age Range: 11-16 years
Subjects: History, Citizenship, Community, Identity, and Diversity
Format: 4 pages in both Word and PDF formats
Overview:
Roy Wilks opens a window into his life, articulating the decisions that led him to work as a coal miner in Britain. The resource not only captures the essence of his journey but also offers crucial insights into the broader context of Caribbean men working in the mining community during the 1960s.

Content Highlights:

Tailor to Miner: Wilks recounts his initial profession as a tailor in Jamaica and the promises he made to his mother, promising not to work in the British coal mines.
Employment Journey: From the Job Centre to his first job at Beeston Boiler, we gain a glimpse into Wilks’ experiences, including interactions with other foreign workers and overcoming language barriers.
Gedling Colliery: The narrative unfolds as Wilks applies for work at Gedling Colliery, his first formal training job. He shares the fears associated with working in the mines.
Details of Work: The document provides specifics such as hours worked, salary, clothing worn, type of coal mined, and workplace conflicts. These details enable students to create essays, stage plays, and form narratives for short videos.
Educational Value: An excellent resource for Black History Month teaching, offering a profound understanding of the contributions made by the Windrush generation.
Additional Resources:

For further engagement with this subject, do look at the Moving Out video on TES. The Coal Miner Roy Wilks gives his short account working down the mines.
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/moving-out-video-12293010

The Coal Miner’s story is an extract from the Moving Out book, by Lorna Holder