The Last Women of the Durham Coalfield

'As this book shows, the women of the Durham coalfield played an equal role in shaping daily life and trajectories of history in the region, just as women today are building their own futures in communities around the world.' - Hillary Rodham Clinton The Second World War took its toll on every part of society. The appeal for women to work outside the home in the ammunition factories supporting the war effort was taken up by many women throughout the colliery villages. They worked for eight hours a day at the factory, taking up their caregiving and home-making roles when they returned home. Their days continued to be long and strenuous. After the war, the government introduced a series of initiatives intended to improve the lives of the nation. A reformed education system was implemented in 1944, nationalisation in 1947 and a national health service in 1948. At last things were looking up for coal-mining families. At the edge of this bright new horizon, little did Hannah's female descendants realise that they would come to represent the last generation of women of the Durham coalfield.

MARGARET HEDLEY has an MA in History and taught at secondary school. She is now a family history researcher in East Durham. Margaret is passionate about Durham's coal-mining history, and much of her research is related to this. She lives in Wheatley Hill.