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Restored miners' banner to hang in primary school

Jason Arunn Murugesu
BBC News, North East and Cumbria
BBC Red ornate mining banner dominated by two ovals containing the images of two men. One, Peter Lee, has a white goatee beard, bald head with white hair at the sides and a brown suit. The other, AJ Cook, is clean shaven with receding short brown hair and has a blue suit and red tie. BBC
The South Pelaw mining banner was first unveiled in 1949

A 76-year-old mining banner has been repaired and will be put on display at a primary school in the village where it originated.

The South Pelaw banner had, until early 2024, been hanging in a neighbouring village, said Durham County councillor Tracie Smith.

Made in part from silk and featuring trade unionists Peter Lee and AJ Cook, it has since been stored at Redhills Durham Miners' Hall.

Ms Smith said she had spent £5,740 of her councillor budget to restore the banner and make it ready to be hung in Chester-le-Street Primary School later this year.

"I thought it was important to use some of my budget for the heritage of the area," she said.

"To remind people of what the village used to be like."

She said the banner should "hopefully" be in the school hall by September.

"It'll be great for the children to see the banner there. The memory of their mining heritage will always be with them."

Red ornate mining banner showing an image of large and grand building in green grounds in the middle. A scroll beneath the image reveals it to be: The Hermitage Chester-le-Street Rehabilitation Centre for Durham Mineworkers. Curved above the image, in gold capital letters on a dark blue background, are the words: National Union of Mineworkers. Beneath that, in smaller capital letters, it reads: Durham Area South Pelaw Lodge.
The banner used to be on display in a neighbouring village

Stephen Guy, from Redhills, previously told the BBC that the banner was unveiled in July 1949 by Jack Lawson, a former coal miner.

"Banners shouldn't be rolled up and stored away," he said.

"They're too important for that."

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