Jock Purdon
Encyclopedia
Jock Purdon a poet and songwriter, was born George Purdon in the village of Nitshill
near Glasgow
. Although Nitshill had been a coal mining
village, the mine had closed before Purdon grew up and it was a strange twist of fate that saw him spend most of his life as a coal miner in a pit in Chester-le-Street
, County Durham
in the North East of England. It was that occupation that shaped his poems and songs and made him the "miners' poet".
Purdon was 14 years old when World War II
began and he saw his older brother, Robert, enlist in the Royal Scots regiment and serve as a Commando
for several years. Robert was eventually killed in France after the Normandy Landings in 1944. When it was his turn to be drafted, Purdon's conscription number ended in 0, which meant that he would not be joining his brother in the army. He was bound for the pits (coal mines). Because of the labour shortage in 1943, 1 man in 10 was conscripted to make up the manpower needs of the coal mining industry and Purdon was one of the very first contingent designated for the mines on 14 December 1943, becoming a so-called "Bevin Boy
". Ernest Bevin
was the Minister for Labour and National Service in the war time cabinet.
Purdon married, stayed in Chester-le-Street
after the war and worked in the pits digging coal in three foot seams with water up to his knees at times. He saw and shared the hardship of the miners; many of his songs reflect the sense of community that an embattled people develop. But it was not all doom and gloom. While the "Easington Explosion" laments the deaths of eighty one miners in one accident, "Hally's Piebald Gallowa" laments the loss of the Lumley pit banner, eaten by a Galloway
pony. These ponies were used to haul coal carts underground.
Mining and politics are inseparable and Purdon's verses captured his contempt for those who put profit before people. He coined the word "Pitracide", meaning "to murder a pit for economic reasons". His commitment to his ideals and the mining community saw him performing his songs for the benefit of striking miners in the 1984-85 miners' strike and appearing at the Royal Albert Hall
in the "Concert for Heroes" in 1985. He is reported to have said "For me there's three great generals - Geronimo
, Alexander the Great and Arthur Scargill
". Scargill was secretary general of the National Union of Mineworkers and led the miners' strike.
Purdon was featured on the Channel 4
Everyman TV series; six of his songs appear in Bert Lloyd's definitive collection of pit poems and songs, Come All Ye Bold Miners and he published a radical album of poems and songs entitled Pitworks, Politics & Poetry.
In 2004, the Cotia banner (subject of one of Purdon's songs) was remade and carried to the Durham Miners' Gala
with pictures of Purdon and fellow miner and folksinger Jack Elliot of Birtley
on the back. The banner was unfurled by Tony Benn
, who is an admirer of Purdon's poetry and songs.
Nitshill
Nitshill is a district on the south side of Glasgow. It is north of South Nitshill, south of Crookston, and southwest of Silverburn and Pollok. Nitshill was originally a coal mining village...
near Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
. Although Nitshill had been a coal mining
Coal mining
The goal of coal mining is to obtain coal from the ground. Coal is valued for its energy content, and since the 1880s has been widely used to generate electricity. Steel and cement industries use coal as a fuel for extraction of iron from iron ore and for cement production. In the United States,...
village, the mine had closed before Purdon grew up and it was a strange twist of fate that saw him spend most of his life as a coal miner in a pit in Chester-le-Street
Chester-le-Street
Chester-le-Street is a town in County Durham, England. It has a history going back to Roman times when it was called Concangis. The town is located south of Newcastle upon Tyne and west of Sunderland on the River Wear...
, County Durham
County Durham
County Durham is a ceremonial county and unitary district in north east England. The county town is Durham. The largest settlement in the ceremonial county is the town of Darlington...
in the North East of England. It was that occupation that shaped his poems and songs and made him the "miners' poet".
Purdon was 14 years old when World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
began and he saw his older brother, Robert, enlist in the Royal Scots regiment and serve as a Commando
Commando
In English, the term commando means a specific kind of individual soldier or military unit. In contemporary usage, commando usually means elite light infantry and/or special operations forces units, specializing in amphibious landings, parachuting, rappelling and similar techniques, to conduct and...
for several years. Robert was eventually killed in France after the Normandy Landings in 1944. When it was his turn to be drafted, Purdon's conscription number ended in 0, which meant that he would not be joining his brother in the army. He was bound for the pits (coal mines). Because of the labour shortage in 1943, 1 man in 10 was conscripted to make up the manpower needs of the coal mining industry and Purdon was one of the very first contingent designated for the mines on 14 December 1943, becoming a so-called "Bevin Boy
Bevin Boys
Bevin Boys were young British men conscripted to work in the coal mines of the United Kingdom, from December 1943 until 1948. Chosen at random from conscripts but also including volunteers, nearly 48,000 Bevin Boys performed vital but largely unrecognised service in the mines, many of them...
". Ernest Bevin
Ernest Bevin
Ernest Bevin was a British trade union leader and Labour politician. He served as general secretary of the powerful Transport and General Workers' Union from 1922 to 1945, as Minister of Labour in the war-time coalition government, and as Foreign Secretary in the post-war Labour Government.-Early...
was the Minister for Labour and National Service in the war time cabinet.
Purdon married, stayed in Chester-le-Street
Chester-le-Street
Chester-le-Street is a town in County Durham, England. It has a history going back to Roman times when it was called Concangis. The town is located south of Newcastle upon Tyne and west of Sunderland on the River Wear...
after the war and worked in the pits digging coal in three foot seams with water up to his knees at times. He saw and shared the hardship of the miners; many of his songs reflect the sense of community that an embattled people develop. But it was not all doom and gloom. While the "Easington Explosion" laments the deaths of eighty one miners in one accident, "Hally's Piebald Gallowa" laments the loss of the Lumley pit banner, eaten by a Galloway
Galloway
Galloway is an area in southwestern Scotland. It usually refers to the former counties of Wigtownshire and Kirkcudbrightshire...
pony. These ponies were used to haul coal carts underground.
Mining and politics are inseparable and Purdon's verses captured his contempt for those who put profit before people. He coined the word "Pitracide", meaning "to murder a pit for economic reasons". His commitment to his ideals and the mining community saw him performing his songs for the benefit of striking miners in the 1984-85 miners' strike and appearing at the Royal Albert Hall
Royal Albert Hall
The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall situated on the northern edge of the South Kensington area, in the City of Westminster, London, England, best known for holding the annual summer Proms concerts since 1941....
in the "Concert for Heroes" in 1985. He is reported to have said "For me there's three great generals - Geronimo
Geronimo
Geronimo was a prominent Native American leader of the Chiricahua Apache who fought against Mexico and the United States for their expansion into Apache tribal lands for several decades during the Apache Wars. Allegedly, "Geronimo" was the name given to him during a Mexican incident...
, Alexander the Great and Arthur Scargill
Arthur Scargill
Arthur Scargill is a British politician who was President of the National Union of Mineworkers from 1982 to 2002, leading the union through the 1984–85 miners' strike, a key event in British labour and political history...
". Scargill was secretary general of the National Union of Mineworkers and led the miners' strike.
Purdon was featured on the Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
Everyman TV series; six of his songs appear in Bert Lloyd's definitive collection of pit poems and songs, Come All Ye Bold Miners and he published a radical album of poems and songs entitled Pitworks, Politics & Poetry.
In 2004, the Cotia banner (subject of one of Purdon's songs) was remade and carried to the Durham Miners' Gala
Durham Miners' Gala
The Durham Miners' Gala is a large annual gathering held on the second Saturday in July in the city of Durham, England. It is associated with the coal mining heritage of the Durham Coalfield, which stretched throughout the traditional County of Durham. It is also locally called "The Big Meeting"...
with pictures of Purdon and fellow miner and folksinger Jack Elliot of Birtley
Birtley, Tyne and Wear
Birtley is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead, in Tyne and Wear, England. It is situated to the south of Gateshead town and is physically linked to Chester-le-Street across the County boundary in County Durham. Until 1974, Birtley and the adjoining areas of Barley Mow, Vigo and...
on the back. The banner was unfurled by Tony Benn
Tony Benn
Anthony Neil Wedgwood "Tony" Benn, PC is a British Labour Party politician and a former MP and Cabinet Minister.His successful campaign to renounce his hereditary peerage was instrumental in the creation of the Peerage Act 1963...
, who is an admirer of Purdon's poetry and songs.