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Martin Walker Papers

Reference and contact details: GB 0394 MS84/MW
Title: Martin Walker Papers
Dates of creation: 1984-1986
Held at: Labour History Archive and Study Centre
Extent: 0.56 linear metres (2 boxes)
Name of Creator: Martin Walker (1947- )
Level of Description: fonds
Language of Material: eng

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Martin J Walker was born in 1947 and trained as a graphic designer. He has written books and articles while being an activist, political poster artist, investigator and a researcher.

During the Miners' Strike (1984-1985) He worked for the London Borough of Greenwich as the Advisor to the Police Committee, and head of the PoliceCommittee Support Unit. At this time the London Labour Boroughs, headed by the Greater London Council (GLC), were trying to get some local autonomous control over the Metropolitan police and the Police Committees were set up to try and further this aim. It was the job of the Advisor to think of ways in which the Borough Committee could get the police to act on behalf of the council on a community level.

When the strike began, Martin Walker and a colleague, Susan Miller, offered to advise NUM officials and miners in Yorkshire on the police strategies both nationally and locally. They were eventually invited by Owen Briscoe to work at the headquarters of the Yorkshire NUM. They were given an office and various pieces of equipment and access to the legal workers and the officers in the building. They began advising pickets and taking reports of police behaviour on the various pickets. Walker and Miller gradually built up a picture of the police strategy and were able to brief the pickets before they went. They also interviewed them when they returned. They went on to organise the collection of statements from those who had been arrested. Miners were also trained and given advice on how to help those appearing in court.

Not long into the strike, Walker and Miller published a short volume about the police and the pickets. The Yorkshire NUM paid for the cost of printing and publication and thousands of copies were given out to pickets. A short time later a second volume was also given out to pickets, miners and miners families. Finally, still during the strike Martin and Miller co-wrote a third volume with Jim Coulter, which was combined with the first two and published as State of Siege.

Martin Walker's work on behalf of the miners culminated with two events. Firstly he was invited to speak to all the miners in Yorkshire at local mass meetings about their rights and police tactics. Secondly after the Battle of Orgreave, together with Susan Miller and Jim Coulter, he organised what was one of the largest mass civilian statement takings. His experience with lawyers in London helped him advise the NUM on which lawyers to use in Yorkshire with respect to the various cases.

In January 1985, Walker helped set up the National Organisation for Miners in Prison and Supporters (NOMPAS). NOMPAS mounted a political campaign to release men and women who were imprisoned during the strike. The organisation had a policy-making committee composed of miners and their relatives, which met twice a week. NOMPAS organised some demonstrations and pickets and for a short time published a journal called the Liberator.

After the strike had finished Martin Walker stayed in the coalfields interviewing prisoners and writing A Turn of the Screw; the aftermath of the Miners' Strike.

The papers comprise press cuttings charting the progress of the strike, miners' support group bulletins and newspapers, information on jailed miners, witness statements from those on the pickets, statements from arrested miners, articles and information on policing the strike, information on the coal mining industry and a small amount of photographs and post cards.

System of Arrangement

The papers have been arranged into the following series:

• Press cuttings
• Newsletters and flyers
• Support Group Bulletins (Fitzwilliam Prisoners Aid Committee, NOMPAS, Jobs not Jail: Bulletin of the South Yorkshire Defence Campaign)
• Loose newspapers (The Miner, The Lancashire Miner, Rank and File Miner, The Nottinghamshire Miner, Liberator, The Durham Miner)
• Articles and information on policing the miners strike
• Articles on the coal industry
• Photocopy of 'The State of Repression: Law and Order in Capitalist Society
• Witness statements and eyewitness accounts of pickets including Orgreave and Newstead Colliery
• Statements from arrested miners, April 1984
• Information on jailed miners
• Briefings for striking miners
• Disciplinary procedures and court cases
• NUM/Haldane Society Conference July 1984
• Handwritten chronology of early events in strike
• Handwritten speech made by NOMPAS member
• Photographs, postcards and Christmas carols.

Custodial History

The papers were accumulated by Martin Walker during his work as an advisor to the Yorkshire NUM on policing strategies and later during his work for NOMPAS.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Martin Walker deposited these papers at the Labour History Archive and Study Centre (LHASC) on the 18th October 2001. The Labour History Archive and Study Centre is based at the head office of the People's History Museum (formerly the National Museum of Labour History) and managed by the John Rylands University Library of Manchester.

Appraisal, Destruction, Scheduling

No further appraisal, destruction or scheduling is expected to take place.

Accruals

Accruals are not expected.

Access Conditions

Access by appointment.

This finding aid contains personal or sensitive personal data about living individuals. Under Section 33 of the Data Protection Act 1998 (DPA), the John Rylands University Library of Manchester (JRULM) holds the right to process such personal data for research purposes. The Data Protection (Processing of Sensitive Personal Data) Order 2000 enables the JRULM to process sensitive personal data for research purposes. Section 33 of the DPA may also allow the JRULM to process sensitive personal data for the 'special purposes', which are defined as fulfilling journalistic, literary or artistic needs. In accordance with the DPA, the JRULM has made every attempt to ensure that all personal and sensitive personal data has been processed fairly, lawfully and accurately.

Individuals have the right to make a request to see data relating to them held by the JRULM which falls under the provisions of the DPA. Access requests must be made formally in accordance with the provisions set out in the DPA, and all enquiries should be directed to the University's Data Protection Officer.

Copyright/Reproduction

Photocopies and photographic copies of material in the archive can be supplied for private study purposes only, depending on the condition of the documents. Prior written permission must be obtained from the Archive for publication or reproduction of any material within the Archive. Please contact the Labour History Archive and Study Centre, 103 Princess Street, Manchester, M1 6DD Tel.: +44 (0)161 228 7212.

Finding Aids

An index to the collection will soon be available at the Labour History Archive and Study Centre.

Related Units of Description

The LHASC also holds the papers of Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners, 1984-1985 and a collection of newspapers relating to the Miners' strike. There are also references to the strike in the Michael Foot Papers, the Hilary Wainwright Papers and the Eric Heffer Papers. The Communist Party of Great Britain Archive also contains material on the 1984-1985 Miners' Strike including Party statements and support group correspondence and bulletins. The People's History Museum holds banners, posters and ephemera relating to the strike.

Material relevant to the 1984 Miners' Strike can also be found at the South Wales Coalfield collection at the University of Wales Swansea, Archives, Library and Information Services. There will also be relevant material in local and county record offices in areas affected by the dispute. Check the National Register of Archives for further information www.hmc.gov.uk/nra/nra2.htm

The Archive of the National Union of Mineworkers is held at the NUM office in Barnsley (Miners Office 2 Huddersfield Road, Barnsley,S70 2LS, England Tel 01226 215555)

Publication Note

Walker, Martin J, and Miller, Sue and Coulter, Jim. A State of Siege : politics and policing of the coalfields : the miners' strike. (London : Canary Press, 1984).

A Turn of the Screw: the aftermath of the 1984-85 miners' strike . (London : Canary Press, 1985)

With extreme prejudice: an investigation into police vigilantism in Manchester. (London : Canary Press, 1986)

Collection level description created by Janette Martin.