Memories of the 84/85 Miners’ Strike

We need your help.

84/85 – The Longest Year is the Museum’s project on the Miners’ Strike. With a yearlong exhibition and programme of events, launching on 6 March 2024, we will be looking at the strike through memories and stories of those who lived through it.

This is where you come in. We are looking for:

• Miners and their families who wish to be interviewed.
  We are looking to gather the stories of people who experienced the strike at the time, whether this is as a mineworker, relative of a miner or someone who lived within the mining communities during 1984/85. We would particularly encourage those to come forward whose stories tend to go unheard, especially those who went back to work early and those who chose not to strike, as well as the relatives of miners. These experiences will form part of the Museum’s audio collection and will feed into the content of the project. Please be assured that we will be dealing with interviewees in the strictest confidence and recordings can be anonymised. Please email exhibition@ncm.org.uk to express your interest.
• Objects related to the strike.
  We want to look at the strike in its broadest context and that includes the stories of those who went back to work early and those who chose not to strike, but we do not have the objects to support this. If you have objects that relate to the strike, that you wish to donate to the Museum, we would be delighted to consider them. Please be assured that we will deal with anyone who comes forward in the strictest confidence. Please email exhibition@ncm.org.uk.
• Your memories.
  We want the exhibition (and accompanying events) to share the experiences of Miners and their families across the country during 1984/85. This is your chance to add your memory to the Museum’s collection and share your experience. Memories can be submitted using the form below, and can be done so anonymously if preferred. Photos, audio and video can also be uploaded via the form, or you can email exhibition@ncm.org.uk.

We don’t want to miss the chance to collect these stories whilst they are still in living memory.
We thank you for your support and contributions.