Jock Purdon facts for kids

George "Jock" Purdon (born 16 November 1925 – died 1998) was a British poet and songwriter. He was born in Nitshill, a village near Glasgow, Scotland. Nitshill was once a coal mining village, but its mine closed before Jock Purdon grew up. By a twist of fate, Purdon spent most of his life as a coal miner himself. He worked in a pit in Chester-le-Street, County Durham, England. His work as a miner greatly influenced his poems and songs. This led to him being known as "the miners' poet."

Becoming a Miner: The Bevin Boys

Jock Purdon was nearly 14 years old when World War II started. He saw his older brother, Robert, join the army. Robert served as a Commando in the Royal Scots regiment. Sadly, Robert was killed in France in 1944 after the Normandy Landings.

When it was Jock Purdon's turn to join the war effort, he was conscripted. This meant he was officially ordered to serve. His National Service number ended in 0. This number meant he would not join the army like his brother. Instead, he was sent to work in the coal mines.

• Why were people sent to mines?

In 1943, there was a big shortage of workers in the coal mining industry. To fix this, the government started a special plan. Each week, one man out of every ten was chosen by a lottery. This choice was based on the last digit of their service number. These men were sent to work in the mines. Jock Purdon was one of the first group chosen for the mines on 14 December 1943. These new miners were called "Bevin Boys." They were named after Ernest Bevin, who was the Minister of Labour during the war.

Life as a Coal Miner

After the war, Jock Purdon married and stayed in Chester-le-Street. He continued to work in the coal pits. He often dug coal in very narrow spaces, sometimes with water up to his knees. He saw and shared the difficult lives of the miners. Many of his songs show the strong sense of community that people develop when they face tough times together.

• Songs about mining life

Not all of Purdon's songs were sad. For example, The Easington Explosion is a sad song. It remembers the deaths of 81 miners in one terrible accident at Easington Colliery. But another song, Hally's Piebald Galloway, is about something different. It tells the story of the Lumley pit banner being eaten by a Galloway pony. Ponies were often used underground to pull coal carts.

Poetry, Politics, and Community

Mining and politics were closely linked during Purdon's time. His poems often showed his strong feelings against those who, in his opinion, cared more about money than people. He even created a new word: "Pitracide." This word meant "to murder a pit for economic reasons." It described closing a mine for financial reasons, which he saw as destroying a community.

• Supporting the miners

Jock Purdon was deeply committed to his beliefs and the mining community. He performed his songs to help striking miners during the 1984-85 miners' strike. He also appeared at the famous Royal Albert Hall in London in 1986. This was for a special event called the "Concert for Heroes." He once reportedly said, "For me there's three great generals - Geronimo, Alexander the Great and Arthur Scargill." This shows his admiration for strong leaders, including the leader of the miners' union.

Legacy and Recognition

Jock Purdon's work gained wider attention. He was featured on the Channel 4 Everyman TV series. Six of his songs are included in Come All Ye Bold Miners. This is a well-known collection of mining poems and songs put together by Bert Lloyd. Purdon also released his own album of poems and songs called Pitworks, Politics & Poetry.

• The Cotia banner

In 2004, the Cotia banner was remade. This banner was the subject of one of Purdon's songs. It was carried to the Durham Miners' Gala, a big annual event for miners. Pictures of Purdon and another miner and folk singer, Jack Elliot, were on the back of the banner. The banner was officially revealed by Tony Benn, a politician who admired Purdon's poetry and songs.