Such was the Durham County Advertiser article on the eve of the 1960 Big Meeting. The sub heading was''City Licensees expect a good profit - and big expenses bills'' It went on:
Durham Miners' Gala, once described by a leading American newspaper as the greatest show on earth, has become a Teddy Boys' Picnic, claimed a number of local licensees. They say that the recent galas have turned the city into a wild West boom town.
If the weather is fine tomorrow the city will be invaded by nearly 200,000 miners. Takings from beer alone are expected to exceed 25,000 pounds. Last year, for instance, a small public house in Saddler Street took 600 pounds. Another public-house in North Road topped the 1,000 mark.
About 10,000 pounds will be spent on the racecourse fair. More thousands will be spend on food and toys for the children. Then there is the cost of hiring bands and banner carriers, another 10,000 pounds.
For the city's publicans and caterers Miners' Gala is a military operation requiring careful planning. As ten o'clock draws near tomorrow morning , emergency staffs in nearly 50 public houses will be waiting behind the huge battlements of beer crates. Within an hour the battle will be in full swing.
''Like Sitting On A Volcano''
Many local landlords feel that the gala is in danger of being spoilt, not by the miners, but by the small teenage element to whom the real spirit of the gala means nothing.
To give you the flavour of the rest of the article it mentioned that some licensed victuallers had pressed for a reduction in pub hours for the day but a narrow majority decided to apply for the usual extension from 10 am to 10 pm. Breakages were a concern and some felt that the publicans have had enough by 9 pm. One commented that the landlords expected a good profit but expenses were tremendous.
On the other hand it was reported that some landlords had noted a decline in gala day drinking on the grounds that mining folks have more to do with their money - cars, holidays abroad, television - and therefore can't afford to go mad on miners' gala day.
WB
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A good series of articles wilf keep up the good work I would have thought that you were the man for the football history info
ReplyDeleteWilf,
ReplyDeleteA great piece of writing. The Big Meeting of 1960 was the first one I missed as I was conscripted into the Army in March 1960 for National Service. There was some beer drunk on Big Meeting day but I cannot remember a lot of trouible caused by a teenage fringe around that time as most of us wore the "Teddy Boy uniform" It was the style and certainly the vast majority of lads never went looking for trouble. After watching the banners arrive on the morning we would listen to speeches by leading lights in the Labour Party. A visit to the "shows" or fairground, a few pints then home.
Looking back it was truly a wonderful,colourful spectacale. The colour of the banners, the music from scores of bands and the people following and dancing behind their own banner was truly unique. When you are young you think that nothing will ever change but that era has almost vanished completely. Hundreds of thouands of people crammed the City that day with very little trouble.
I can remember as a young lad standing on the other side of the road from the Dun Cow Inn opposite the Prison and watching the Easington Colliery banner being carried towards the Racecourse. There had been an horrific loss of life at the Colliery since the last Big Meeting with over eighty men and boys being killed. The banner was draped in black and the band was playing very solemn music. The people of Easington followed their banner very proudly. The atmosphere was so, so sad and solemn. Men and women in the watching crowds openly wept as the banner passed. This incident in my life has always affected me very greatly to see the open grief of people who never knew the deceased miners. Even to this day typing this text it brings tears to my eyes.
Brian Mc