Miners' Strike history, preserved forever
From the front line of the Miners’ Strikes to the shelves of our Special Collections, see how donor generosity has preserved a nationally significant archive and unlocked new potential for future research.
The recent history of British industry is defined by the Miners’ Strikes of the 1970s and 80s. At its heart was Arthur Scargill, the prominent, and often controversial, President of the National Union of Mineworkers. Now, thanks to donor funding, a vast archive documenting that pivotal era has been preserved for generations of researchers.
The Arthur Scargill Archive is a unique and nationally significant collection which details the life and career of the charismatic face of the Miners’ Strikes. But it’s more than just the story of one man; it’s a meticulously preserved time capsule of South Yorkshire, industrial Britain and working-class history.
Filled with thousands of primary sources, the archive offers firsthand insight into the political and societal tensions that shaped the UK during the 1970s and 80s. Its detailed correspondence, passionate handwritten speeches, records of women’s voices, previously unheard recordings, and evocative images vividly capture the highly charged atmosphere of the times.
Unlocking the archive's research potential
The Arthur Scargill Archive is now catalogued within the University Library’s vast collection of scholarly works, ensuring its global reach for researchers long into the future. This impact is being amplified by a legacy gift from late alumnus, Hossein Farmy (Class of 1938).
The endowment he left in his Will is set to establish a number of new PhD scholarships, enabling researchers across a range of disciplines to delve further into this extensive resource.
“The archive holds immense research potential,” explains Kathryn McKee, the University’s Head of Special Collections, Heritage and Archives. “It offers a fascinating insight for historians, political scientists and sociologists studying industrial relations, social conflict, and working-class history,” she adds.
To know that my archive is safe and will be available in years to come – is more than reassuring. It’s a comfort.
Arthur Scargill
President, National Union of Mineworkers 1982-2002
A national time capsule
The crucial foresight of Arthur Scargill in entrusting his collection to the University, partnered with the generosity of donors, has secured the fragile paper trail of the Miners’ Strikes forever.
This support ensures that the industrial struggles of the 20th century, centred right here in Sheffield, will not fade into memory. And it means that the archive will power new academic research, illuminating this tumultuous time in Britain’s history for generations to come.