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Mining Review: 2nd Year (1948-49)
 

The second year of the coal industry's own newsreel

Main image of Mining Review: 2nd Year (1948-49)

By the start of Mining Review's second year, its regular team was in place. The newsreels were produced by Donald Alexander for Data Film Productions, the commentary was delivered by John Slater, the directors were Mary Beales, Terrick Fitzhugh, Raylton Fleming, Francis Gysin, Michael Orrom, Peter Pickering, Leslie Shepard, Patricia Spielman, George Sturt and Tony Thompson, and the cameramen were Ron Bicker, Reg Connor, Lionel Griffiths, Stanley Head, John Reid, James Ritchie, Charles Smith and Wolfgang Suschitzky, who would become one of British cinema's most distinguished cinematographers.

Year two continued where year one left off, literally in the case of the ongoing 'A Pit Is Reborn' series, which offered a further five instalments. There was a definite seasonal approach to the programming of newsreel content: the final edition, screened in the holiday month of August 1949, was entirely devoted to leisure activities, while the National Coal Board's annual report, previously the subject of an entire ten-minute reel, was glossed over in a short item explaining its implications for the price of coal. However, Mining Review still devoted an entire newsreel to a single item, in this case the tenth edition's report on how an entire coalfield is planned, including the social implications of relocating local populations.

The biggest name to appear was undoubtedly that of the great American singer-actor-activist Paul Robeson, who performed for miners in 'A Star Drops In'. Otherwise, celebrities were generally local, though Mining Review made a point of highlighting personal achievements by miners or people with a mining connection - the two championship snooker players in 'Cue for Ladies' being miners' daughters.

This is a complete list of items screened during Mining Review's second year:

September 1948 - No. 1

French Leave
British miners in Paris, with a visit to a French colliery.

Miners' Congress
National Union of Mineworkers conference.

Pithead Bath
An outline of the history of the pool at Dawdon Colliery - one of Britain's finest open-air swimming pools - is followed by scenes at a swimming gala competition.

October 1948 - No. 2

Miners on the Land
Disabled miners (some disabled by silicosis) visit hostels in the countryside to learn agricultural work.

Learning the Right Way
Young men are given practical instruction underground at Mossbeath Colliery near Cowdenbeath. Accompanied by cartoon safety film with the character Davey Lump based on Raff and Reddy cartoons.

Jewel Coronation
Children's gala in Scottish mining village, Jewel Cottages, near Edinburgh.

A Pit Is Reborn (2): Manton Colliery
Sinking a new shaft through water-bearing strata.

November 1948 - No. 3

Central Workshops
The work of Cowdenbeath Central Workshops in Scotland which employs 750 men and provides overhaul, repair and engineering facilities for forty collieries.

A Pit Is Reborn (3): Machrihanish
A new drift mine on the Argyll coast of Scotland.

Miners' Health Centre
How miners at Banwen, Rhondda, helped to make a Welsh health centre with the help of their doctor, Dafydd Thomas.

Shipyard for Colliers
Shipbuilding at Sunderland, Yard No 397. The building of a collier for the coal trade around the coast of Britain.

Cue for Ladies
A friendly match between two women champions from mining villages. World champion Joe Davis performs some trick shots.

December 1948 - No. 4

Getting Together
The history and development of the Cumberland mining village-community of Flimby, and the work it has done through the Risehow Social Welfare Organisation in upgrading its facilities.

A Pit Is Reborn (4): Bradford Colliery
An old mine is being improved to help provide coal to the Stuart Street Power Station a quarter of a mile away.

First Class
NCB scholarship winners attend university.

Rescue Team
A prize-winning rescue team in action at Haunchwood Rescue Centre near Bedworth.

January 1949 - No. 5

Push Button Pay
Mechanised accounting in the cashier's office in Area 6, East Midlands.

A Dim View
The worst fog for eight years impedes delivery of coal.

Talent Scout
Rotherham United football scout Joe McGuire attends a colliery match against York City.

A Pit Is Reborn (5): Gedling
Surface reconstruction in Nottinghamshire now two thirds complete.

February 1949 - No. 6

Current Progress
The new power station at Croydon and its coal requirements.

Night Shift
Night shift underground at Mainsforth Colliery, Durham, coupled with a night-time railway journey from Kings Cross to Newcastle.

A Pit Is Reborn (6): Mosley Common
A large reconstruction, at the colliery near Manchester, with surface buildings and underground mine cars

Forthcoming Attractions
The Groesfordd Group Theatre from Hirwaun, South Wales performs 'Juno and the Paycock'.

March 1949 - No. 7

New Props For Old
The Dowty hydraulic pit props at Williamthorpe Colliery, Derbyshire.

Saturday Night Sing-Song
At 'The Red Cow', Treorchy, South Wales.

Coals to Cornwall
The journey of the collier 'Seabrook' from Barry Docks to Hayle power station in Cornwall.

Sparring For Wembley
Kent entries for the NCB boxing championships at Doncaster.

April 1949 - No. 8

Come Clean
Pithead baths at Williamthorpe Colliery, Derbyshire, Sherwood Lodge, Babbington and Cinderhill Collieries, Nottinghamshire.

Scoop
The Bucyrus Erie excavator is used for opencast mining at Ewart Hill near Bedlington.

Horse Doctor
The Tondu House hospital for pit horses in Wales.

The Silksworth Story
A consultative committee's success story.

May 1949 - No. 9

What's The Drill?
Boring into land at Hamstead, near Birmingham, to discover the geology and the possible location of coal.

Our Mr. Therm
The nationalisation of gas industry.

Training Centre
Student Gordon Harper attends the Sheffield mines mechanisation centre, where he learns how to handle tools machines and flameproof equipment.

Hare and Hounds
Greyhound racing at Wombwell, Yorkshire.

June 1949 - No. 10

Planning a Coalfield
The Scottish transfer of population scheme, from Lanark to Fife.

July 1949 - No. 11

Safety First
Reducing accidents in mines.

Paying For It
A popular explanation of the NCB's second annual report, which concentrates on the cost of coal.

A Star Drops In
Paul Robeson visits Woolmet Colliery canteen and sings 'Joe Hill'.

August 1949 - No. 12

Holiday Camp
Durham miner Tom McDonough and his family visit Butlin's holiday camp in Filey.

Up River
Miners from Baddesley Colliery take family and friends on a motor cruise holiday between Oxford and Teddington.

Beside the Sea
Miner Bill Purdie takes his family to Blackpool for Wakes Week.

Pitmen's Derby
The Northumberland Plate horserace run at Gosforth Park.

Michael Brooke, with data from the BFI SIFT database

Related Films and TV programmes

Thumbnail image of Mining Review 2/11: A Star Drops In (1949)Mining Review 2/11: A Star Drops In (1949)

Paul Robeson visits Edinburgh miners

Thumbnail image of Mining Review 2/11: Paying For It (1949)Mining Review 2/11: Paying For It (1949)

A breakdown of the price of coal, and where the money goes

Thumbnail image of Mining Review 2/11: Safety First (1949)Mining Review 2/11: Safety First (1949)

A report on increasing safety standards in mines

Thumbnail image of Mining Review 2/12: Beside the Sea (1949)Mining Review 2/12: Beside the Sea (1949)

A miner and his family take a trip to Blackpool

Thumbnail image of Mining Review 2/12: Holiday Camp (1949)Mining Review 2/12: Holiday Camp (1949)

A miner and his family visit Butlin's in Filey

Thumbnail image of Mining Review 2/3: A Pit Is Reborn - Machrihanish (1948)Mining Review 2/3: A Pit Is Reborn - Machrihanish (1948)

The creation of a new drift mine on the Argyll coast of Scotland

Thumbnail image of Mining Review 2/3: Central Workshop (1948)Mining Review 2/3: Central Workshop (1948)

The work of Cowdenbeath Central Workshops in Scotland

Thumbnail image of Mining Review 2/3: Cue for Ladies (1948)Mining Review 2/3: Cue for Ladies (1948)

A look at miners' daughters turned champion snooker players

Thumbnail image of Mining Review 2/3: Miners' Health Centre (1948)Mining Review 2/3: Miners' Health Centre (1948)

A new specialist health centre for miners in the Rhondda valley

Thumbnail image of Mining Review 2/3: Shipyard for Colliers (1948)Mining Review 2/3: Shipyard for Colliers (1948)

The construction of ocean-going colliers at Sunderland shipyards

Thumbnail image of Mining Review 2/5: A Dim View (1949)Mining Review 2/5: A Dim View (1949)

News item about industrial and domestic pollution

Thumbnail image of Mining Review 2/5: A Pit Is Reborn - Gedling (1949)Mining Review 2/5: A Pit Is Reborn - Gedling (1949)

The modernisation of Nottingham's Gedling Colliery

Thumbnail image of Mining Review 2/5: Push Button Pay (1949)Mining Review 2/5: Push Button Pay (1949)

Hi-tech payroll processing, late 1940s style

Thumbnail image of Mining Review 2/5: Talent Scout (1949)Mining Review 2/5: Talent Scout (1949)

A profile of Rotherham football scout Joe McGuire

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