In Featherstone, West Yorkshire, where the coal came out the ground
A massacre was committed, by foot soldiers of the Crown
But the hardship and the hunger, was plain for all to see
Long before that evening, in 1893.
The lockout across the county meant no union man could earn
As they bosses slashed their wages, the pit wheels did not turn
But scabs loaded up coal wagons, bound for Bradford town
And word of this betrayal quickly made the rounds.
And on it seems they’d crush us down, as men of little worth,
As if we were not fit to live, and had no right on earth.
That summer afternoon, of September ‘93
The miners did assemble at Ackton colliery
They asked the man in charge, known as Holiday
How he could hire scab workers whilst in dispute of pay.
He called upon the army to clear these men away
28 foot soldiers arrived late in the day
Led by Captain Barker, the order was made plain
Fire upon these miners, we care not if we maim.
The bullets hit the crowd and two young men’s lives were lost
Because the bosses protect profits at any bloody cost
By the barrels of their rifles they took our brothers down
These murders were committed by foot soldiers of the crown.
The town banded together, to grieve the murdered men
And swore they would remember and always honour them
So to Duggan and to Gibbs, your death was not in vain
This spirit of this township forever changed that day.
And on it seems that they’d crush us down, as men of little worth,
But it’s them who are not fit to rule, and had no right on earth.
A massacre was committed, by foot soldiers of the Crown
But the hardship and the hunger, was plain for all to see
Long before that evening, in 1893.
The lockout across the county meant no union man could earn
As they bosses slashed their wages, the pit wheels did not turn
But scabs loaded up coal wagons, bound for Bradford town
And word of this betrayal quickly made the rounds.
And on it seems they’d crush us down, as men of little worth,
As if we were not fit to live, and had no right on earth.
That summer afternoon, of September ‘93
The miners did assemble at Ackton colliery
They asked the man in charge, known as Holiday
How he could hire scab workers whilst in dispute of pay.
He called upon the army to clear these men away
28 foot soldiers arrived late in the day
Led by Captain Barker, the order was made plain
Fire upon these miners, we care not if we maim.
The bullets hit the crowd and two young men’s lives were lost
Because the bosses protect profits at any bloody cost
By the barrels of their rifles they took our brothers down
These murders were committed by foot soldiers of the crown.
The town banded together, to grieve the murdered men
And swore they would remember and always honour them
So to Duggan and to Gibbs, your death was not in vain
This spirit of this township forever changed that day.
And on it seems that they’d crush us down, as men of little worth,
But it’s them who are not fit to rule, and had no right on earth.
Contributed by Dq82 - 2023/9/26 - 10:32
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Lewis Burner is influenced by everything from Bluegrass and Country through to Punk and Rock’n’Roll and here tells the story of a real incident and dark day in working class history whose anniversary is tomorrow and whose memory lives on in his words.
London Celtic Punks