Posted 3 years ago
michaeln544
(351 items)
First photo, Saltley gate in 1949, I passed this area on my way into the city centre when I lived in ward end and castle Bromwich in the 1950s , 1960s up until 1973. Saltley gate became famous in 1972 for the miners strike in 1972 when pickets closed the depot supplying coal to the power stations, they battled with police it became known as the BATTLE OF SATLEY , power cuts followed blacking out whole areas on a 4 hour rota basis from 6am till 10pm daily. See you tube, battle of Saltley gate.
Second photo the national exhibition centre in 1975, opened by the queen in 1976.
These are just fantastic old pictures…I love the history you provide. Here in the US, I’ve never heard of that strike and the ensuing police battle and power blackouts. The strikers probably had good reason to strike ….it’s usually about working condition and money here.
Thanks all for your interest, the power cuts lasted about 2 weeks. Some of the lads in the local factories where I worked went down to support the miners about a mile from my office.