´óÏó´«Ã½

In order to see this content you need to have both enabled and installed. Visit for full instructions

Still marching

Robert Bevan

Ex-miner Robert Bevan and residents of Tylorstown in the Rhondda remember 1984-1985, the legacy of the miners' strike and their hopes for a better future.

Robert tells us how "the strike was not just about the jobs at stake - entire communities, towns and villages were built around the coal industry ". When the strike ended a year later, more than 11,000 people had been arrested across Britain and, within just a few years, most of the pits had closed and tens of thousands of mining jobs were lost.

Robert is now a labour councillor for Tylorstown and believes that education and family support is the way forward for the young people in the community but he's bitter about what happened and concerned there's still no replacement industry in the area "I cannot help but feel bitterness towards those who have absolutely decimated my community and ruined the lives of many decent people on the altar of political ideology. Forget? Never! Forgive? Never!


Bookmark this page:

From the archive

Elizabeth Andrews

Elizabeth Andrews

A dressmaker from the valleys was a voice for the colliers' wives.

Historic figures

Banner of Owain Glyndwr

Owain Glyndwr

Welsh warrior who fought the English rule in Wales.

´óÏó´«Ã½ iD

´óÏó´«Ã½ navigation

´óÏó´«Ã½ © 2014 The ´óÏó´«Ã½ is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read more.

This page is best viewed in an up-to-date web browser with style sheets (CSS) enabled. While you will be able to view the content of this page in your current browser, you will not be able to get the full visual experience. Please consider upgrading your browser software or enabling style sheets (CSS) if you are able to do so.