Search the Collection

Arthur Scargill

(1938-), Trade unionist

Sitter in 5 portraits
Born in Leeds, Scargill was a lifelong member of the Yorkshire mining community, becoming President of the National Union of Mineworkers in 1982, and a member of the General Council of the Trades Union Congress. He is remembered for his strong defence of British coal mines in an era of decline and closure. This brought him into conflict with Margaret Thatcher's government, and led to the Miners' Strike of 1984-85. Further conflict ensued when British Coal announced the closure of deep-mine collieries in 1992. He appeared ten times on the cover of Private Eye between 1982-1990. Scargill resigned from the Labour Party in 1996 to found the Socialist Labour Party, and retired from public life in 2002.

Watch a film clip on the sitter from the BBC Archive in the Media section below

Tell us More

List Thumbnail

Arthur Scargill

by William Bowyer
oil on board, 1984
NPG 5990

Arthur Scargill

by Sefton Samuels
bromide print, 1971
NPG x11857

Arthur Scargill

by Nicholas A. Read
bromide fibre print, 1980s
NPG x35144

Arthur Scargill

by Martin Jenkinson
bromide print, 30 May 1984
NPG x88684

Arthur Scargill

by Nicholas Posner
bromide print, July 1985
NPG x27667

Place

Yorkshire

Media

Tell us more back to top

Can you tell us more about this person? Spotted an error, information that is missing (a sitter’s life dates, occupation or family relationships, or a date of portrait for example) or do you know anything that we don't know? If you have information to share please complete the form below.

If you require information from us, please use our Archive enquiry service. You can buy a print of most illustrated portraits. Select the portrait of interest to you, then look out for a Buy a Print button. Prices start at £6 for unframed prints, £25 for framed prints. If you wish to license an image, please use our Rights and Images service.

Please note that we cannot provide valuations.

We digitise over 8,000 portraits a year and we cannot guarantee being able to digitise images that are not already scheduled.

* What can you tell us? (Help)

There are occasions when we are unsure of the identity of a sitter or artist, their life dates, occupation or have not recorded their family relationships. Sometimes we have not recorded the date of a portrait. Do you have specialist knowledge or a particular interest about any aspect of the portrait or sitter or artist that you can share with us? We would welcome any information that adds to and enhances our information and understanding about a particular portrait, sitter or artist.

Citation (Help)

How do you know this? Please could you let us know your source of information.

* Permission to publish (Privacy information)

The National Portrait Gallery will NOT use your information to contact you or store for any other purpose than to investigate or display your contribution. By ticking permission to publish you are indicating your agreement for your contribution to be shown on this collection item page. Please note your email address will not be displayed on the page nor will it be used for any marketing material or promotion of any kind.

Please ensure your comments are relevant and appropriate. Your contributions must be polite and with no intention of causing trouble. All contributions are moderated.

Denied Granted

* Your name (Why?)

* Email (Why?)

Contributions are moderated. We'll need your email address so that we can follow up on the information provided and contact you to let you know when your contribution has been published.

Tell us more

Can you tell us more about this person?

Arthur Scargill

Thanks for Liking