Davis Day
Encyclopedia
Davis Day, also known as Miners Memorial Day (and since November 25, 2008, officially William Davis Miners' Memorial Day), is an annual day of remembrance observed on June 11 in coal mining communities in Nova Scotia
, Canada
whereby citizens recognize all miners who were killed on the job in the province.
Davis Day originated in memory of William Davis
, a coal miner who was killed during a protest near the town of New Waterford
by striking miners. The protest was in response to a decision by the mining company, British Empire Steel and Coal Company (BESCO), to shut down the drinking water supply and electricity to the town as a result of the strike, while miners were attempting to shut down electricity to the mine's surface workings and pumps for removing seawater.
Davis was shot and killed at approximately 11:00 AM on June 11, 1925 and many other miners were injured, when striking miners were charged by the company police force, whose officers fired over 300 shots. In the weeks and months following Davis' shooting, company facilities were looted and/or vandalized, despite the deployment of the provincial police force and 2,000 soldiers in what remains Canada's second-largest military deployment for an internal conflict (after the Northwest Rebellion).
In commemoration of Davis' sacrifice, the United Mine Workers of America designated the day in his honour, with miners in Nova Scotia vowing to never work on "Davis Day" ever again. Davis Day was renamed District Memorial Day in 1938 (after District 26, U.M.W.A.) and in 1970, the date was changed to the second Monday in June. In 1974 this was reverted, with the original name (Davis Day) and the date (June 11) being restored. For the remainder of the 20th century, the pledge of never working on June 11 was maintained and Davis Day was observed as a quasi-civic holiday in most mining communities. The closure of Nova Scotia's last coal mine in November 2001 by DEVCO
has somewhat muted the importance of Davis Day, however it has evolved to become a remembrance day for all workers killed in mines in the province.
Davis Day is observed in some or all of the following communities where the UMWA organizes services:
In 1994, 1996 and 1999, private member's bills to officially designate June 11 as Davis (Miners Memorial) Day were introduced in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly. They did not proceed past first reading. In 2008 a private member's bill to officially designate June 11 as William Davis Miners' Memorial Day was introduced and passed.
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
whereby citizens recognize all miners who were killed on the job in the province.
Davis Day originated in memory of William Davis
William Davis (miner)
William Davis, , was a coal miner from Cape Breton Island. He was born in Gloucestershire, England and died in New Waterford, Nova Scotia....
, a coal miner who was killed during a protest near the town of New Waterford
New Waterford, Nova Scotia
New Waterford is a Canadian urban community in Nova Scotia's Cape Breton Regional Municipality.-Geography:New Waterford is located north of Sydney and northwest of Glace Bay. It is named after the city of Waterford, in Ireland. It is located near the ocean and is bordered on one side by cliffs...
by striking miners. The protest was in response to a decision by the mining company, British Empire Steel and Coal Company (BESCO), to shut down the drinking water supply and electricity to the town as a result of the strike, while miners were attempting to shut down electricity to the mine's surface workings and pumps for removing seawater.
Davis was shot and killed at approximately 11:00 AM on June 11, 1925 and many other miners were injured, when striking miners were charged by the company police force, whose officers fired over 300 shots. In the weeks and months following Davis' shooting, company facilities were looted and/or vandalized, despite the deployment of the provincial police force and 2,000 soldiers in what remains Canada's second-largest military deployment for an internal conflict (after the Northwest Rebellion).
In commemoration of Davis' sacrifice, the United Mine Workers of America designated the day in his honour, with miners in Nova Scotia vowing to never work on "Davis Day" ever again. Davis Day was renamed District Memorial Day in 1938 (after District 26, U.M.W.A.) and in 1970, the date was changed to the second Monday in June. In 1974 this was reverted, with the original name (Davis Day) and the date (June 11) being restored. For the remainder of the 20th century, the pledge of never working on June 11 was maintained and Davis Day was observed as a quasi-civic holiday in most mining communities. The closure of Nova Scotia's last coal mine in November 2001 by DEVCO
Cape Breton Development Corporation
The Cape Breton Development Corporation, or DEVCO, was a Canadian federal government Crown corporation. It ceased operation on December 31, 2009, after being amalgamated with Enterprise Cape Breton Corporation ....
has somewhat muted the importance of Davis Day, however it has evolved to become a remembrance day for all workers killed in mines in the province.
Davis Day is observed in some or all of the following communities where the UMWA organizes services:
- Alder PointAlder Point, Nova ScotiaAlder Point is a community in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, located in the Cape Breton Regional Municipality.-References:*...
- FlorenceFlorence, Nova ScotiaFlorence is a community in the Cape Breton Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia, Canada. The community is located north of Highway 105 and west of Sydney Mines.-History:...
- Sydney MinesSydney Mines, Nova ScotiaSydney Mines is a former town in Nova Scotia's Cape Breton Regional Municipality.Founded in 1784 and incorporated as a town in 1889, Sydney Mines has a rich history in coal production, although mining activity has now ceased.Prior to a permanent settlement being established, there was significant...
- New VictoriaNew Victoria, Nova ScotiaNew Victoria is a community in Nova Scotia's Cape Breton Regional Municipality.New Victoria is located west of New Waterford and east of Victoria Mines. It is approximately 10 kilometres north of Sydney....
- New WaterfordNew Waterford, Nova ScotiaNew Waterford is a Canadian urban community in Nova Scotia's Cape Breton Regional Municipality.-Geography:New Waterford is located north of Sydney and northwest of Glace Bay. It is named after the city of Waterford, in Ireland. It is located near the ocean and is bordered on one side by cliffs...
- DominionDominion, Nova ScotiaDominion is a community in the Cape Breton Regional Municipality.It is located immediately west of the larger centre of Glace Bay....
- Glace BayGlace Bay, Nova ScotiaGlace Bay is a community in the eastern part of the Cape Breton Regional Municipality in Nova Scotia, Canada. It forms part of the general area referred to as Industrial Cape Breton....
- StellartonStellarton, Nova Scotia-External links:*...
- Westville
- SpringhillSpringhill, Nova Scotia-Coal mining:The first industrial coal mining in the area took place in the 1870s after a rail connection was built by the Springhill and Parrsboro Coal and Railway Company to the newly completed Intercolonial Railway at neighbouring Springhill Junction....
- River HebertRiver Hebert, Nova ScotiaRiver Hebert is a village on the River Hebert in Cumberland County, Nova Scotia, Canada.It is approximately 25 kilometres southwest of Amherst...
In 1994, 1996 and 1999, private member's bills to officially designate June 11 as Davis (Miners Memorial) Day were introduced in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly. They did not proceed past first reading. In 2008 a private member's bill to officially designate June 11 as William Davis Miners' Memorial Day was introduced and passed.