Summary: An Army Bureau of Current Affairs film outlining the history of the coal industry and its post-war future in Britain.
Description: Dictionary definition of coal. Cross-section diagram of structure of coalmine. Miners working on the pit face, loading coal and sending it off, bad living conditions of miners. L/S of miners. Importance of coal in fuelling the industrial economy by producing gas and electrical power. Hospital scenes and London underground trains illustrate the by-products of coal. Realist shot of a miner ie. from a low angle against a dramatic sky. L/S of Hyde Park during 1926 General Strike. War did not help as much as expected - 13th January, 1944 newspaper by-line. Nationalisation of mines brought mechanisation eg. belt conveyors and a scientific revolution below the surface. Conditions improved - miners in showers and youthful-looking miners in the canteen. Impact of Hydro Electric Power. Emphasis on importance of coalminers having a great part to play in Britain's future.
