Ann Lilburn
Ann Lilburn | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1939 |
| Died | 2007 |
| Organization(s) | Women Against Pit Closures (WAPC), Campaign For Coal |
Ann Lilburn (nee Musgrave, 1939–2007) was a British activist who became a leader in the Women Against Pit Closures movement during the 1984–85 coal miners' strike. She was national chair of the organisation.
The wife of Gordon Lilburn, and the mother of Billy and Alan Lilburn, all 3 striking miners, from Whittle Colliery in Northumberland.[1][2][3] Her family had £6.45 to live on a week during the strike.[4][5]
Ann became active in her local branch of Women Against Pit Closures (WAPC)[1] and was elected chair of both the local branch[5] and the national group.[6][7] Before her involvement in WAPC, she had not spoken publicly.[1][8]
A WAPC rally was held at Saltergate Football Stadium in Chesterfield for International Women's Day 1985, where Lilburn spoke alongside fellow activists Betty Heathfiled and Ann Scargill.[9][3]
After the end of the strike, Lilburn joined the Campaign For Coal.[5] She also continued to speak for working-class women, such as at the Women of the World conference in Athens, Greece.[1] Greek newspapers called her "The housewife, Thatcher's nightmare".[5]
Ann Lilburn died in 2007.[1]
References
- ^ a b c d e "Object in Focus: HAWAY THE LASSES - Museums Northumberland". Museums Northumberland. Archived from the original on 15 July 2024. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
- ^ "Miners' strike at 40: 'They were equal' - The North East women at the coalface of action". ITVX. 5 March 2024.
- ^ a b Gildea, Robert (19 September 2023). Backbone of the Nation: Mining Communities and the Great Strike of 1984-85. Yale University Press. p. 286. ISBN 978-0-300-27456-1.
- ^ Stead, Jean (1987). Never the Same Again: Women and the Miners' Strike, 1984-85. Women's Press. p. 164. ISBN 978-0-7043-3983-5.
- ^ a b c d Addy, Beverley (11 March 2004). "'I made our voice heard'". The Journal (Newcastle). Retrieved 25 June 2025.
- ^ "Miners' strike: 'Women felt empowered all of a sudden'". BBC. 12 March 2024. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
- ^ "'They called us Scargill's slags'". The Northern Echo. 22 March 2004. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
- ^ Women of the Whole World. Women's International Democratic Federation. 1985. p. 42.
- ^ Sutcliffe-Braithwaite, Florence; Thomlinson, Natalie (5 September 2023). Women and the Miners' Strike, 1984-1985. Oxford University Press. p. 195. ISBN 978-0-19-265482-3.