Black Gold By Jeremy Paxman

Episode

First
Broadcast

Comments

20220530

Writer and broadcaster Jeremy Paxman's vivid and compelling social history of how coal 'made' Britain read by Adrian Scarborough.

Episode One: A Rock that Burns

It was Britain's good fortune to be blessed with rich seams of anthracite and the ambition and hard labour of her inhabitants to turn it into the nation's powerhouse. From Roman times to the late 20th century, Paxman explores the stories of the engineers and inventors, landowners, entrepreneurs and industrialists who saw the potential for innovation and wealth. For centuries it was the driving force behind our economy and trade and the preoccupation of politicians. It fuelled the industrial revolution producing everything from carriage wheels to needles, it warmed and lit the nation's homes and powered our steam trains and ships.

Underpinning all of this and central to Paxman's book is the history of the miners themselves who toiled in appalling conditions to hack the coal from the underground seams and the mining communities that formed around the pitheads. He also explores the terrible human cost of coal with the filthy, polluting air it produced as it burned and the inevitable and multiple accidents that happened to those working underground.

Abridged by Richard Hamilton and produced by Julian Wilkinson.

Jeremy Paxman's social history of how coal made Britain read by Adrian Scarborough.

Jeremy Paxman's social history of coal mining in Britain.

20220531

Writer and broadcaster Jeremy Paxman's vivid and compelling social history of how coal 'made' Britain read by Adrian Scarborough.

Episode Two: Life Underground

Underpinning all of this and central to Paxman's book is the history of the miners themselves who toiled in appalling conditions to hack the coal from the underground seams and the mining communities that formed around the pitheads. He also explores the terrible human cost of coal with the filthy, polluting air it produced as it burned and the horrific accidents that happened to those working underground.

In today's episode we hear first hand testimonies of what life was actually like for miners and how in the 19th Century many of them were underage. They worked the seams bent over for hours in filthy and dangerous conditions and, with little regard for safety, young miners at the Huskar Pit in South Yorkshire paid a terrible price.

Abridged by Richard Hamilton and produced by Julian Wilkinson.

Jeremy Paxman's social history of how coal 'made' Britain read by Adrian Scarborough.

Jeremy Paxman's social history of coal mining in Britain.

20220601

Writer and broadcaster Jeremy Paxman's vivid and compelling social history of how coal 'made' Britain read by Adrian Scarborough.

Episode Three: The Power of Steam

In today's episode coal is now the powerhouse that drives the nation. Steam made speed paramount' and engineers were the new heroes of the age'. The first mainline railway opened in Britain and revolutionised transport. Even Queen Victoria made the train commute from Slough to London in record time. Steam also radically changed the navy as engines replaced sail. It was unparalleled as a fast and formidable force. But feeding the engines with their appetite for coal required a vast network of coaling stations around the world.

In Black Gold Paxman explores the stories of the engineers and inventors, landowners, entrepreneurs and industrialists who saw the potential for innovation and wealth. For centuries it was the driving force behind our economy and trade and the preoccupation of politicians. It fuelled the industrial revolution producing everything from carriage wheels to needles, it warmed and lit the nation's homes and powered our steam trains and ships.

Abridged by Richard Hamilton and produced by Julian Wilkinson.

Jeremy Paxman's social history of how coal 'made' Britain vividly told.

Jeremy Paxman's social history of coal mining in Britain.

20220602

Writer and broadcaster Jeremy Paxman's vivid and compelling social history of how coal 'made' Britain read by Adrian Scarborough.

Episode Four: The Human Cost

Today's episode explores how the wealth and power generated by coal came at a terrible price. The huge power stations and factories that were now a part of every urban landscape were dirty and polluting and hated for the filthy air and smogs that choked city dwellers. This was epitomised by the infamous 1950s pea-soupers that plunged London into a toxic fog. And even worse was the terrible oversight in the 1960s regarding the positioning of the giant slagheaps above Aberfan in Wales.

In Black Gold Jeremy Paxman explores the stories of the engineers and inventors, landowners, entrepreneurs and industrialists who saw the potential for innovation and wealth. For centuries it was the driving force behind our economy and trade and the preoccupation of politicians. It fuelled the industrial revolution producing everything from carriage wheels to needles, it warmed and lit the nation's homes and powered our steam trains and ships.

Abridged by Richard Hamilton and produced by Julian Wilkinson.

Writer and broadcaster Jeremy Paxman's social history of how coal 'made' Britain.

Jeremy Paxman's social history of coal mining in Britain.

20220603

Writer and broadcaster Jeremy Paxman's vivid and compelling social history of how coal 'made' Britain read by Adrian Scarborough.

Episode Five: The Last Days

Today when the inevitable decline of coal came, it was bitterly contested by the mining communities, by the trade unions and by strikers on the picket lines as governments turned their back on the miners to pursue cleaner energy. Margaret Thatcher's legacy as Prime Minister is dominated by the violent clashes the police had with the striking miners and for the infamous Battle of Orgreave.

Jeremy Paxman goes to the heart of how coal shaped a nation and its painful end. As he himself writes, one day we may forget it was ever there'.

Abridged by Richard Hamilton and produced by Julian Wilkinson.

Jeremy Paxman's social history of how coal made Britain vividly told.

Jeremy Paxman's social history of coal mining in Britain.

Episodes

Episode	First Broadcast	Comments
01	20220530	Writer and broadcaster Jeremy Paxman's vivid and compelling social history of how coal 'made' Britain read by Adrian Scarborough. Episode One: A Rock that Burns It was Britain's good fortune to be blessed with rich seams of anthracite and the ambition and hard labour of her inhabitants to turn it into the nation's powerhouse. From Roman times to the late 20th century, Paxman explores the stories of the engineers and inventors, landowners, entrepreneurs and industrialists who saw the potential for innovation and wealth. For centuries it was the driving force behind our economy and trade and the preoccupation of politicians. It fuelled the industrial revolution producing everything from carriage wheels to needles, it warmed and lit the nation's homes and powered our steam trains and ships. Underpinning all of this and central to Paxman's book is the history of the miners themselves who toiled in appalling conditions to hack the coal from the underground seams and the mining communities that formed around the pitheads. He also explores the terrible human cost of coal with the filthy, polluting air it produced as it burned and the inevitable and multiple accidents that happened to those working underground. Abridged by Richard Hamilton and produced by Julian Wilkinson. Jeremy Paxman's social history of how coal made Britain read by Adrian Scarborough. Jeremy Paxman's social history of coal mining in Britain.
02	20220531	Writer and broadcaster Jeremy Paxman's vivid and compelling social history of how coal 'made' Britain read by Adrian Scarborough. Episode Two: Life Underground It was Britain's good fortune to be blessed with rich seams of anthracite and the ambition and hard labour of her inhabitants to turn it into the nation's powerhouse. From Roman times to the late 20th century, Paxman explores the stories of the engineers and inventors, landowners, entrepreneurs and industrialists who saw the potential for innovation and wealth. For centuries it was the driving force behind our economy and trade and the preoccupation of politicians. It fuelled the industrial revolution producing everything from carriage wheels to needles, it warmed and lit the nation's homes and powered our steam trains and ships. Underpinning all of this and central to Paxman's book is the history of the miners themselves who toiled in appalling conditions to hack the coal from the underground seams and the mining communities that formed around the pitheads. He also explores the terrible human cost of coal with the filthy, polluting air it produced as it burned and the horrific accidents that happened to those working underground. In today's episode we hear first hand testimonies of what life was actually like for miners and how in the 19th Century many of them were underage. They worked the seams bent over for hours in filthy and dangerous conditions and, with little regard for safety, young miners at the Huskar Pit in South Yorkshire paid a terrible price. Abridged by Richard Hamilton and produced by Julian Wilkinson. Jeremy Paxman's social history of how coal 'made' Britain read by Adrian Scarborough. Jeremy Paxman's social history of coal mining in Britain.
03	20220601	Writer and broadcaster Jeremy Paxman's vivid and compelling social history of how coal 'made' Britain read by Adrian Scarborough. Episode Three: The Power of Steam In today's episode coal is now the powerhouse that drives the nation. Steam made speed paramount' and engineers were the new heroes of the age'. The first mainline railway opened in Britain and revolutionised transport. Even Queen Victoria made the train commute from Slough to London in record time. Steam also radically changed the navy as engines replaced sail. It was unparalleled as a fast and formidable force. But feeding the engines with their appetite for coal required a vast network of coaling stations around the world. In Black Gold Paxman explores the stories of the engineers and inventors, landowners, entrepreneurs and industrialists who saw the potential for innovation and wealth. For centuries it was the driving force behind our economy and trade and the preoccupation of politicians. It fuelled the industrial revolution producing everything from carriage wheels to needles, it warmed and lit the nation's homes and powered our steam trains and ships. Underpinning all of this and central to Paxman's book is the history of the miners themselves who toiled in appalling conditions to hack the coal from the underground seams and the mining communities that formed around the pitheads. He also explores the terrible human cost of coal with the filthy, polluting air it produced as it burned and the inevitable and multiple accidents that happened to those working underground. Abridged by Richard Hamilton and produced by Julian Wilkinson. Jeremy Paxman's social history of how coal 'made' Britain vividly told. Jeremy Paxman's social history of coal mining in Britain.
04	20220602	Writer and broadcaster Jeremy Paxman's vivid and compelling social history of how coal 'made' Britain read by Adrian Scarborough. Episode Four: The Human Cost Today's episode explores how the wealth and power generated by coal came at a terrible price. The huge power stations and factories that were now a part of every urban landscape were dirty and polluting and hated for the filthy air and smogs that choked city dwellers. This was epitomised by the infamous 1950s pea-soupers that plunged London into a toxic fog. And even worse was the terrible oversight in the 1960s regarding the positioning of the giant slagheaps above Aberfan in Wales. In Black Gold Jeremy Paxman explores the stories of the engineers and inventors, landowners, entrepreneurs and industrialists who saw the potential for innovation and wealth. For centuries it was the driving force behind our economy and trade and the preoccupation of politicians. It fuelled the industrial revolution producing everything from carriage wheels to needles, it warmed and lit the nation's homes and powered our steam trains and ships. Underpinning all of this and central to Paxman's book is the history of the miners themselves who toiled in appalling conditions to hack the coal from the underground seams and the mining communities that formed around the pitheads. He also explores the terrible human cost of coal with the filthy, polluting air it produced as it burned and the inevitable and multiple accidents that happened to those working underground. Abridged by Richard Hamilton and produced by Julian Wilkinson. Writer and broadcaster Jeremy Paxman's social history of how coal 'made' Britain. Jeremy Paxman's social history of coal mining in Britain.
05	20220603	Writer and broadcaster Jeremy Paxman's vivid and compelling social history of how coal 'made' Britain read by Adrian Scarborough. Episode Five: The Last Days Today when the inevitable decline of coal came, it was bitterly contested by the mining communities, by the trade unions and by strikers on the picket lines as governments turned their back on the miners to pursue cleaner energy. Margaret Thatcher's legacy as Prime Minister is dominated by the violent clashes the police had with the striking miners and for the infamous Battle of Orgreave. Jeremy Paxman goes to the heart of how coal shaped a nation and its painful end. As he himself writes, one day we may forget it was ever there'. In Black Gold Paxman explores the stories of the engineers and inventors, landowners, entrepreneurs and industrialists who saw the potential for innovation and wealth. For centuries it was the driving force behind our economy and trade and the preoccupation of politicians. It fuelled the industrial revolution producing everything from carriage wheels to needles, it warmed and lit the nation's homes and powered our steam trains and ships. Underpinning all of this and central to Paxman's book is the history of the miners themselves who toiled in appalling conditions to hack the coal from the underground seams and the mining communities that formed around the pitheads. He also explores the terrible human cost of coal with the filthy, polluting air it produced as it burned and the inevitable and multiple accidents that happened to those working underground. Abridged by Richard Hamilton and produced by Julian Wilkinson. Jeremy Paxman's social history of how coal made Britain vividly told. Jeremy Paxman's social history of coal mining in Britain.