The Mayor of South Shields, Ald R Dodds and Ald Jones, both miners at Harton Colliery, march in front of Harton Colliery band on the way to Tyne Dock railway station to go to Durham miners' gala.placeholder image
The Mayor of South Shields, Ald R Dodds and Ald Jones, both miners at Harton Colliery, march in front of Harton Colliery band on the way to Tyne Dock railway station to go to Durham miners' gala. | sg

15 retro scenes from the Miners Gala as we count down to the 2025 spectacular

By Chris Cordner

Digital specialist in nostalgia

Published 3rd Jul 2025, 15:16 BST

The countdown is on for the arrival of the Durham Miners Gala - and lots more scenes like these.

These 15 archive photos show the lodges on the march including Wearmouth in Sunderland, Harton, Westoe, Vane Tempest, Seaham, and more.

It promises to be just as exciting this year with 200,000 people expected to converge on Durham, as reported in the Sunderland Echo.

Get into the spirit of the gala with this look back in time.

George Goodrum and his 13 year son, Stephen, dressed up in Sunderland AFC shirts they marched with the Wearmouth miners' lodge banner at Durham Miners' Gala in 1976.

5. Wearmouth in 1976

George Goodrum and his 13 year son, Stephen, dressed up in Sunderland AFC shirts they marched with the Wearmouth miners' lodge banner at Durham Miners' Gala in 1976. | se

Photo Sales
The Seaham Lodge banner at the 1976 Durham Miners Gala. Were you there?

6. Seaham goes to Durham

The Seaham Lodge banner at the 1976 Durham Miners Gala. Were you there? | se Photo: Sunderland Echo

Photo Sales
Musicians march Seaham’s Vane Tempest Lodge banner into Durham Miners’ Gala in July 1978.

7. Vane Tempest in 1978

Musicians march Seaham’s Vane Tempest Lodge banner into Durham Miners’ Gala in July 1978. | se

Photo Sales
Boldon Colliery miners with their band and banners marching through the village before setting off by bus for the Durham Miners Gala. Tell us if you remember this from 1980.

8. Marching through Boldon

Boldon Colliery miners with their band and banners marching through the village before setting off by bus for the Durham Miners Gala. Tell us if you remember this from 1980. | SG

Photo Sales
Previous
2 / 4
Next Page
Related topics:DurhamSeahamWestoePeopleSunderland
News you can trust since 1873
Follow us
©National World Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.Cookie SettingsTerms and ConditionsPrivacy notice