THE HISTORY OF BLACK MINEWORKERS IN SOUTH AFRICA 2 VOLS

VOL 1 THE TECHNIQUES OF RESISTANCE 1871-1948
VOL 2 DISSENT AND REPRESSION IN THE MINE COMPOUNDS 1948-1982

V.L. Allen was originally commissioned by the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) to write the official history of the union. Allen was considered the right author for the commission as he was the official historian of the British National Union of Mineworkers and had also been an adviser to a number of other trade unions for over 40 years. At the time he had been an adviser and confidant to such union leaders as Arthur Scargill, Ken Gill and Mick McGahey. From the 1960s onwards he had been very prominent in aiding mineworkers, trade unionists and campaigners in the Anti-Apartheid movement. Allan was also the Emeritus Professor at Leeds University with a special emphasis on the practice and history of mining in various parts of the world. This experience coupled with the fact that he was a historian and an economist were factors in him being chosen to write the official history.

Allan spent 15 years of his life writing the history which eventually expanded into a 3-volume series of approximately 1600 pages. He spent a lot of time at the union headquarters in Johannesburg and as a result, the third volume which is a history of the union, relies heavily on Allan’s personal experiences dealing with members, officials and leaders of the union.

The first 2 volumes especially volume 1 rely very much on secondary sources when discussing the history of mining. Volume 2 is a hodgepodge of topics including geology, union and management histories, reports from the various commissions on mining and academic works on migration and the South African state during the period. There are also detailed accounts of the mining accidents that occurred at Coalbrook, Hlobane and Kinross among others. In discussing these disasters Allan also looks at the collusion between the state and the mining companies in covering up unsafe working practices.

This history is expansive and at approximately 1600 pages also massive. There are flaws that with academic criticism and far tighter editing would have made the work far more scholarly. However, even with those caveats this is still the benchmark against which other works covering the same topic will be measured against.

• Soft cover: Very Good to Fine Condition. Card covers with minimal bumping or creasing to corners, spine and
edges on both volumes. Both volumes have an identification stamp on the inside of the front cover and on
the last page at the back
Volume 1 has a crease on the front right cover and two small bumps on the right edge of the back cover.
Volume 2 has a crease running 2/3 the length of the front cover.
• Very slight wear along edges of boards. Minimal bumping to corners, top and heel of the spine.
• Text block is tight and intact. The contents are clean and bright.
• Published by Moor Press Volume 1 – 2nd printing 2001 and Volume 2003
• No Dust Jacket as published
• Binding Condition: Tight.
• Overall Condition: Very Good to Fine.
• Size: Approximately 213mm x 135mm x 25mm (each volume)
• Volume 1 491 pages Volume 2 489 pages