James Edgar Ford, one of the last of the Shropshire and Staffordshire coalminers who was buried underground at the coalface several times as a teenager, has died. He was aged 82.
Jim, centre, at the coal face of Lea Hall Colliery, Staffs
"In 1964, after he married, they came to live in the new coalminers' houses built on Hills Lane, Madeley, where they stayed all their lives, buying the house when he retired."Born next to RAF Cosford on September 19, 1940, at the height of the Battle of Britain, he remembered as a toddler standing in the fields when the camp was attacked.
At that time, making a career out of the beautiful game was all but impossible so a career down the mines beckoned."My father was a moderate but believed in fighting for his community and their livelihoods. This was set against the decline of mining in the East Shropshire coalfield and in Madeley in particular, as it was soon swallowed up and huge parts of it demolished as it became part of Dawley New Town, later Telford.
"My mother and father spoke at events to support the miners with famous politicians such as Tony Benn, Dennis Skinner and Arthur Scargill. Local trade unions and the Labour Party supported the action and raised funds and collected food, toys at Christmas, but it was very hard. "My dad lived a very full life to the very end and in retirement he travelled with my mum to the United States, around Europe and to his beloved Wales and the West Country. He continued to enjoy his football, following Manchester United and seeing the success his grandson and great grandson are enjoying with local Shropshire sides.
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