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Jim Comerford (1913-2006) - General Secretary of the Miners Federation. Part 2/2.

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SummaryJAMES (JIM) COMERFORD
Recorded 10 August 1984
Part 2/2

Recollection of anecdote involving miner.

1:10
Jimmy Johnson – Manager of Richmond Main ("Bastards I have met") – Whirlwind Davey

2:30
Recollection of raffle run at Richmond Main 1/- ticket – prize was a meat cover and silver tray. Won by the Superintendent’s brother. The prize was different to the expected description!

4:30
Bill Johnson was humiliated. John Brown had 4 tickets in it!

5:28
Molly Wall – was running the pub, anecdote involving

5:38
Albert Burns – someone imitates his voice to place an "order for bottles of beer" - "the bunch of flowers from the dining room"

6:50
Recollection of "grudge fight" occurring at Kings Hall

7:00
Mick Maroney – the Store butcher was to be the referee

9:13
Harry Cotterill in hospital

9:58
Recollection of early picture shows – School of Arts and South Maitland Music Company – Miner’s Lodge power.

11:53
Billy McDonald – "what he thought today the town thought tomorrow"

12:04
Miners Lodge Rule Book – Chairman’s Guide – Worker’s Compensation – Sick and Death Fund – Funeral Fund – Eye Specialist –How to calculate your pay - Ready Reckoner – Seniority. Compiled by a man who had no more than 4 or 5 years schooling, no doubt with the help of the office staff.

13:44
Recalls "blowing up" of Rothbury bridge – Daily Telegraph was the only paper to report this incident and it happened 2 hours after they went to press.

14:28
Billy Orr – the miner’s general secretary and the first British soldier to set foot in France, a member of the Communist Party and many benefits came to miners from him.

15:34
Recollection of "bogus" letter to manipulate the public.

16:12
Recollection of Robert Menzies visit to area – trying to persuade them to return to work. There was to be no opposition speech and no questions. An imported group of Menzies’ supporters had been brought in. Bondy Hoare was out to beat Bob Menzies.

23:23
Recollection of Rothbury marches – scab mine at Ashtonfield – West Wallsend marching over Sugar Loaf – leading up to the Sunday Riot.

27:49
The big Lock Out meeting at the picture theatre was so packed with 4,000 men.

28:20
Recollection of miners lodge meeting

28:23
Hughie Sutherland had organised the engine drivers

28:24
Bondy Hoare – he and Hughie had daggers drawn.

28:57
Recollection of Bondy Hoare's 2 hour speech

31:34
"Geordie Land" (Weston) – the two Hebburn mines

32:10
Recalls anecdote involving Weston miner

32:40
Bob Harle manager at Hebburn

34:36
Anecdote involving Billy Orr – Ken Mitchell and Whirly

35:20
Bill Marheine from Pelaw Main.

34:40
Workers Compensation Act, 1926

35:00
Dr May Harris, compensation doctor – "she got a reputation she didn’t deserve – an old warhorse"- she was a sympathetic doctor interested in miners’ diseases.

35:53
Anecdote involving David "Whirlwind" Grant

Tape duration: 37:46 Last edited by: Dave Trimble

SubjectStrikes and lockouts -- Coal mining -- New South Wales -- Personal narratives.Coal mines and mining -- New South Wales.Australasian Coal and Shale Employees' Federation -- History.Miners Federation (Australia) -- History.Coal industries. Trade unions. Australia. Miners FederationMiners' Federation of Australia.Coal miners -- Labor unions -- Australia -- History.Comerford, Jim, 1913-2006 Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

PersonJack Delaney Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

Depicts or Relates ToJim Johnson Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

CreatorComerford, Jim, 1913-2006Delaney, Jack, 1919-2010CollectionVoices of the Hunter Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

Date Created10th August 1984Location^[1]Richmond Main Colliery, NSW Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

^[2]Rothbury Colliery, NSW
Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

Identifier330B Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

Job Identifier330B

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