Sunday 14 March 3pm Socialist Challenge meeting in Mansfield. Mansfield is the centre of the Nottinghamshire coalfield.
The audience, mainly the mining nity, are interested in the labour movement, health and satety ana, or course, women working down the DILS The debate is lively and sharp. mulicts arzuc that it would be a backward step for women to go into such dirty, dangerous Mary comes back by saying that necessary for men and women to fight for safer conditions.
Monday March 7.30am Meet the branch president at Warsop Main in North Derbyshire.
8.20am Arrive at Welbeck pit in North Notts.
Mark, Socialist Challenge supporter WIRO works at the pit, has arranged underground visit. The gate is about 12 foot high and across.
The air is filled with the sound of the huge cutting machine which dominates the gate. When the cut rinisnes go into the face. We edge under the huge hydraulic roof sup. ports. Thick rubber pipes carrying cables curl everywhere.
This is quite a good face you almost stand up and it's not too hot. hot ome are The Shot 98°F. machine driver begins anotici cul.
The huge revolving cutting heads are pullec alain Mark this sal along thick steel the chain had snapped the three and a half years, has been on tour in Britain. Last week she spent three days in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire visiting the pits and mining community. JACK LAVIN reports. week before. Two miners were knocked out they could have been killed Danger is ever present. As we wait tor the paddy train to take us back, a deputy tells us to hang on as there's an injured miner coming up trom the other side of the pit.
On top again, Mary is presented with a badge to commemorate the centenary of Notts NUM. One of the officials promises put a 'Women miners can dig it too' sticker in his car.
2pm. Arrive at Ollerton Dit to meet the branch president. 2.30pm Meet with a group of miners' wives who have established woman's the town. women are curious and ask manv questions about what it's like to work in the concerned that women miners are treated as equals. 4.30pm The last visit of the day. meet Joe Whelan, general secretary of Notts NUM and member of the national executive.
Tuesday 16 March. We visit the headquarters of Derbyshire NUM. General Secretary, Peter Heathfield presents Mary with a special plate commemorating the Derbyshire miners, as a gesture OI solidarity the American miners and the struggle women for equality. It is something of an HonOur.
Mary's next stop
Sheffield. The time she's spent in Nottinghamshire and Derbvshire hasi сетpeople she met.
...and Mary Zins, first woman miner down the pits in Britain for 140 years for men.' That was Mary Zins' response to a miners official in Sheffield who did not want women to go down the pits.
Mary's tour in She went down Maltby colliery, the first woman miner down the pit for 140 years.
In answer to the claim that most women would not want to work down the pit, Mary replied, "They should nave the right decide that themselves. should not be against the I TEE ABORTIN law.