Greenside Local History Group

31/08/2026

Greenside Local History Group is back after the summer break. Our next meeting is on September 8th at 7pm in Greenside Community Centre.

03/08/2026

02/08/2026

Redhills - Durham Miners Hall has free entry every Sunday through the summer.

14/07/2026

Hi There, This is a call out for help from Greenside Local History Group and Banner Tales.

When Greenside Banner Tales was formed in 2003 with the aim of restoring or replacing the fragile Greenside Miners’ Lodge Banner and taking it to The Big Meeting in Durham, the accepted wisdom at the time was that the banner had been acquired in 1950, was damaged and replaced a few years later and had been taken to the Durham Miners’ Gala until 1966 when the pit closed.

New information has come to light, suggesting that there was a Greenside Banner as early as 1926, there are newspaper references to Greenside Banner carriers in the 1930s and a letter to the Evening Chronicle in 1946 where the writer talks about following the Greenside and Clara Vale banners into Durham that year.

Neither the Local History Group nor Banner Tales have been able to come up with any further information although the search goes on.

If you, or anyone you know, might be able to help us with any information at all about the Banner before 1950 we’d be very grateful. Any photos tucked away in old albums, references in forgotten letters, memories from relatives anything that might help would be useful.

Please email [email protected] with any information you might have.

Feel free to share to as many people as possible who might have a Greenside connection. Thank you.

06/07/2026

We have a different venue for our meeting on Tuesday, July 7th. Please remember to go to Greenside Social Club. We’ll be back at our usual meeting place in September.

27/06/2026

If you are interested in going to Durham Miners' Gala on July 11th, you can book a place on the coach from Greenside. Details below.

The village parade with Greenside Pit Banner is on Saturday 11th July and we will be accompanied by Yorkshire Imperial Band.
The parade will start at 9am from Rockwood Hill down to The Folly, so please feel free to join us!
The bus to Durham Miners' Gala is £5 and departs 09:45 from The Folly returning to Greenside approx 17:00.
The bus booking sheet is now up in Greenside Social Club for booking. The Durham Miner's Gala is a great day out and includes parade of over 50 banners and brass bands, picnic, speeches by Durham Miners' invited guests, funfair and a service at Durham Cathedral, depending on your interests.

27/06/2026

Greenside Local History Group is joining forces with Banner Tales for a special meeting on July 7th to commemorate the centenary of the General Strike. Please note that this event is at Greenside Social Club. Everyone is welcome to come along. £2 entry for non-members. Please share this post.

25/06/2026

Members of the group on a tour of Redhills: Durham Miners Hall. Dorothy found a plaque dedicated to her grandfather on the Greenside Seat in the hall known as the Pitmans’ Parliament. There was a special performance by Jim as Keir Hardie, the Miners leader who was the founder of the Labour Party. Thanks to our guide, Ross, for an informative and enjoyable day.

06/05/2026

Not a Greenside Local History Group event but several members asked for information about these events commemorating the Stargate Pit Disaster.

On Tuesday 19 May, 6.30pm-8.30pm in Stargate Hall, Local historian Val Scully (below) is giving a talk describing the background to the pit and the people and communities who lived and worked in and around it.

On Saturday 30 May at 3pm, in the Holy Cross Church in Ryton village, where the victims of the disaster are buried, Hexham Brass and a community choir will join us for a 200th Anniversary commemoration of the tragedy.

Both events are free of charge.

Do come along.

05/05/2026

There is a meeting today, May 5th, at 7pm in Greenside Community Centre with guest speaker, Gordon Scorer. You can still pay your Annual Membership fee at the meeting if you were unable do it at AGM in April. Cash only at the meeting.