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Just a Pit Lass
My book is a true story. Its my story but its also a story that is representative of the strong mining families of the British coalfields.
My hope is that those reading it will get a sense of the community spirit and the friendships that made mining villages special.
Born and raised in Easington, the daughter of a miner and from a family of strong working class women, Heather Wood has been involved in virtually every aspect of her community, not least her work with Save Easington Area Mines ( SEAM), a group that provided crucial support for striking miners in 1984/85.
More recently,shes had roles in two Ken Loach films, ' Sorry We Missed You' and 'The Old Oak'.
Now shes wreitten her autobiography, Just A Pit Lass.
As she says, "Its always been a goal of mine to write my story, which in so many ways is the story of many many working class folk. Our history is not often written by those who lived it so in my mind its not been in depth,it has certainly. on many occasions not been in our favour.
I have no doubt it will never win any great place in the literary world but its there, its down and its all true.
My hope is that those reading it will get a sense of the community spirit and the friendships that made mining villages special.
Born and raised in Easington, the daughter of a miner and from a family of strong working class women, Heather Wood has been involved in virtually every aspect of her community, not least her work with Save Easington Area Mines ( SEAM), a group that provided crucial support for striking miners in 1984/85.
More recently,shes had roles in two Ken Loach films, ' Sorry We Missed You' and 'The Old Oak'.
Now shes wreitten her autobiography, Just A Pit Lass.
As she says, "Its always been a goal of mine to write my story, which in so many ways is the story of many many working class folk. Our history is not often written by those who lived it so in my mind its not been in depth,it has certainly. on many occasions not been in our favour.
I have no doubt it will never win any great place in the literary world but its there, its down and its all true.
294 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 7, 2024
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December 19, 2025
Sometimes you read a book that brings back memories of your life and the people who shaped it. Heather Wood’s memoir, Just a Pit Lass, is such a book. Unashamedly and proudly working class, Wood’s recollections of her and her family’s upbringing in a north east pit village are simply told and brilliantly described. One of the reasons her book brought back memories for me is that her portrayal of a working class community is so real, precisely because she has lived it. Refusing to play second fiddle to anyone and a life long campaigner against sexism and injustice, Wood is an inspiration to many in the north east. What’s not included in this book is her activities as a campaigning activist during the miners’ strike. Wood says that’s for another book. If it’s even half as good as this one then we’re in for a treat.
Displaying 1 of 1 review