That Durham had a huge coal field is probably known to anyone who has studied the social and economic history of Britain at any level. However, the mines are all but finished and what is left us is a legacy which underpins life with a surprising strength and tenacity.

Three stories this month serve as illustration:

The Durham Mining Heritage Centre held a display during January of artefacts from this major industry; appropriately the display was held in one of the other institutions that coal mining spawned hereabouts: The Social Club - this one in Nevilles Cross. There was a display of traditional mat and rug making given by members of the group who have dedicated their time to preserving the mining heritage of the region. Proggie mats were made out of strips of old cloth, prodded into a piece of material as a backing. Those of us old enough can remember them well - everyone had them, it seems.

Pit ponies were also in the news this month with claims and counterclaims appearing about the whereabouts (or whetherabouts) of the last surviving pit pony. It had been thought that Pip, the famous white pit pony at Beamish museum was the last of his kind. There are lovely pictures of this celebrity of the equine world at work in Sacriston Colliery in the early Eighties, pulling coal tubs to the surface on his traditional leather yolk (half a ton a tub, up to three tubs at a time). That he was 35 years old when he died at the museum is well documented, as are the 23 years of relative ease he enjoyed while he was there. He was very popular with all, adults and children alike, who visited him. No sooner had be died however, and an apple tree planted at the museum as a memorial, when another even older pit pony appeared in the mix - retired for over 30 years now, living in a field nearby. My husband tells me that when he was a mining apprentice back in the late 60s he would visit the pit ponies during the bait break (mid shift) and remembers how even tempered they were, living out their lives underground.

The mining heritage stories culminated in a full pull-out supplement covering the centenary of one of the county's worst mining disasters at Stanley. The explosion which took place at West Stanley Colliery on February 16th 1909 at 3.45pm killed 168 men and boys. The council and the churches both held remembrance gatherings. Along with the overriding sense of tragedy because of the lives lost, were remembered great acts of heroism by miners who were rescued and brought to the surface, only to return with the rescue teams to help bring out other miners. Among the heroes of the day was the grandfather of Kevin Keegan, himself a Tyneside legend, and it was heartening to see the turn out of people of all ages to remember those killed and those who were saved. Whilst researching my husband's family we discovered eight of his family who were killed in the pits, over three generations, two of them at Stanley, the others at Dean & Chapter in Ferryhill. We were able to trace information relating to these deaths at The Durham Mining Museum internet site and have also been able to see their names in the Book of Remembrance for Miners in Durham Cathedral. It was remarked by Council leader Councillor Alex Watson that, "The people of Stanley do not want to forget their past. They want to remember it." I am sure that they want the rest of us not to forget either a little bit of what was the true price of coal.