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Bevan boys

A

Alberta

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I read that the government is bringing out a lapel pin to be worn by the 'Bevan boys' in recognition of the work they did in WW11.

My Dad was a member of a mining family but he had chosen ,when he left school ,to do another job.
When Ernest Bevan enlisted young men to go down the pits to replace the miners who had gone to war my Dad volunteered,born in 1924 he was too young to join the forces.

Some of them were treated by some people as if they were consciencious objectors.Wrongly because they were doing a very valuable job.

These young miners could not leave the job and had to wait to be 'demobbed'.My father stayed on until 1947 working with his Dad and uncles.

What a pity that it has taken so long for them to get any recognition as most of them are no longer here to accept it.
 
Hi All

I came across this BBC Wales series quite by accident :) Three families are taken back in time to to experience life as it was in 1944 living in group of original miners cottages in South Wales - Stack Square. We see the arrival of the Bevin Boys and war time evacuees and how they impact on life in the square.

So far there are 9 episodes to download or play and the next episode is being shown on BBC Wales today and should be on iPlayer soon afterwards.

It's so worth watching, I managed to download all of the 30 minute episodes and watch them all in one hit :):) I think it should have been shown on national tv for everyone to enjoy.

Enjoy :beam:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/coalhouse2/

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00f7z77/Coal_House_at_War_Episode_8/
 
Yes its a good series we have watched it when we are at the caravan in Wales. Thanks for the link Gillian
 
hi wendy.i have got a sat,so i can watch english bbc,itv.you can get bbc wales on sat,anywere.buy a welsh free view card then it will come as default:D
 
There was a thread on this earlier, in Film, TV, Theatre. In that thread I could have SWORN that someone said it was eventually going to be broadcast nationally, as it deserves to be. But now I can't see that particular comment and so either it has disappeared or I dreamt it! (Sorry - senior moment - the comment was in the thread linked to below).

A Glamorgan re-enactment group was involved in helping with the Home Guard sequences and obviously had a bit of fun: https://www.wwiireenacting.co.uk/fo...&t=47014&sid=ca5a52f3c1056bc008e7be34c772fa39

Chris
 
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Came across this thread about the Bevin Boys. My husband was a bevin Boy. He was a toolmakers apprentice and so was deferred from the army etc. When Bevin decided he wanted more boys down the pits he put numbers into his bowler hat and his secretary chose a number at random. If a persons ID no ended in that no. he was allowcated to the pits. {I read all this in a library book]. He spent 2/3 years down and then had a 'Demob No.] just as the forces did. His perks were 'a lorry full of coal tipped into the street' - which neighbours helped themselves to! His Pits wre Hamstead and Kingsbury. Last year I wrote to the House of Parliament and , after a time, I was sent a 'Demob Badge for the Bevin Boy - it is very nive Badge. I understand that the Bevin Boys can now March at the Cenotaph in November. Hope this is of interest.:beam: Miriam.
 
One way to honour the young men compulsorily taken for mining in WW2 and later would be to mention them by the correct version of the unofficial title they were accorded. The Minister of Labour and National Service in 1940-45 was Ernest Bevin, and the miners taken under his scheme were obviously known as 'Bevin Boys', not 'Bevan Boys'.

It would clearly be helpful, and avoid the perpetuation of confusion, if this thread were appropriately renamed. Any search of the web under an inappropriate name would not bring up relevant results.
 
My Brother was a "Bevin Boy" at Cannock the only "perk" he received was being invalided out after 2+years, was being downgraded from A1 Health category to C4 catergory and over 6 months of ill health before he could take up light work, if he had been a member of the Armed forces he would given a pension, he got nothing. Len.
 
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Al, were they really chosen from a hat? If so, the method showed a remarkable bias towards 'public-school boys' who were represented way beyond their actual numbers; in comparison, that is. Perhaps 'age' was a factor; as many non public-school boys might have already been working in 'essential' industries perhaps?

Len, your poor brother was yet another of the unsung casualties of war ... it seems so unfair, and arbitrary, the way that many are excluded from proper acknowledgement.

I had not realised that the 'Bevin Boys' had previously been excluded from marching to the Cenotaph; it seems so unfair.
 
It was good to hear from other Bevin Boys - Al is very proud of his medal. He remembers washing at the 'pit' before he went home at night using 'carbolic soap'. Lencops - I was sorry to hear of your brothers ill health; as you say no pension etc. just this medal [which I had to write up for] and Al was 84 when he received it., two years ago. Miriam.
 
Every 10th N/S call up was to work in the coal mines if you did not turn up for work after a few days you would arrested by police and taken to court and fined. Len.
 
My Dad's youngest brother was a Bevin boy. He died, age 38 of chronic lung disease............

Going back to the TV series, there was a previous one, set in Stack Square in the 20s. Both were excellent viewing - they seemed to choose the participants very well - no tantrums or walking out (not that was televised anyway).
I believe the same company has just finished a similar series set on a remote sheep farm up here in Snowdonia, I'm looking forward to that being broadcast.
 
The company that produced the Coal House at War has a new programme running on BBC Wales at the moment. It's called Snowdonia 1890, and I'm finding it fascinating because the folk who lived in my place at the time would have lived a similar life.
I'm sure anyone who loves social history would enjoy it. The families are enduring a hard life during the snowy Spring this year, living a hand to mouth existence on a tiny smallholding, with the fathers trudging to the slate quarry. They're wondering whether the landlord's going to demand the full quarter's rent, which they can't afford, so face eviction. They've also been in trouble with the landlord for buying poached rabbit and selling home made cakes to the shop without giving the landlord his 'cut'. Not to mention the preacher who caught them drinking alcohol and the schoolteacher who pun ished the children for speaking Welsh in schooll!! (it's the other way round nowadays)
This would all have been happening while our folk were living in the 'back to backs', working in the brass foundries etc. so it's nice to have a comparison. Knowing how hard life is 900ft up a snowy mountain I'm not sure which I'd prefer.
Take a look, there are about 6 episodes already on iplayer - I'm sure you'll enjoy it.
 
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