from other parts of the UK, including NUM lodges of the Yorkshire branch and South Wales. They are made of silk, are rectangular and hang from a cross member, from which guide ropes are held by those carrying it. Traditionally banners were draped in black cloth when there had been a death in the pit during the previous year. More recently following the closure of pits across the county they are draped with black cloth on significant anniversaries of disasters at the colliery they represent. Many banners contain explicit socialist or communist references, having renderings of Marx, Lenin, and other prominent figures such as miners' leaders, or politicians. Chopwell, often referred to as "Little Moscow", has the only banner (the 1955 version) that contains images of both Marx and Lenin (as well as the hammer and sickle). The 1935 Chopwell banner toured the Soviet Union and is thought to reside somewhere in Moscow today. Socialist expressions also take the form of captions—for example, "Socialism through evolution" and "Need before greed" (on Blackhall Lodge's banner). Christian themes having a socialist resonance also figure on some banners. Three successive banners of Lumley Lodge (1929, 1960, 2005) have depicted the "Lion and Lamb" and "Turning Swords into Ploughshares" images from the book of Isaiah on either side, uniquely the only all biblical banners in the Durham coalfield. More recently, residents in former pit villages have taken it upon themselves to restore, or even create, banners. This has involved the reintegration of collieries that had left the gala. Some banners, such as Spennymoor's, represent a group of former local collieries rather than individual ones. These have received funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund. References Further reading External links Friends of the Durham Miners' Gala Durham Mining Museum Photographs of 1970s, (and now 2012, 2013 & 2014), Durham Miners' Banners by Peter Loud Videos Spennymoor banner in 2006 Bowburn banner in 2007 A slideshow tribute to the collieries of County Durham, including Dawdon, Murton, Seaham and Sunderland pits: Durham Miners' Gala 2009 NASUWT banner in 2010 Durham Miners' Gala July 2011 Murton Band in 2004 British trade unions history Miners' labor movement Mining in County Durham National Union of Mineworkers (Great Britain) Labour festivals Durham, England 1871 establishments in England Recurring events established in 1871 Political events in the United Kingdom Festivals established in 1871 Socialism in England