Born in South Wales, Briscoe's family moved to Yorkshire early in the 1930s to find work.
He left school at the age of fourteen to work at Markham Main Colliery, then during World War II served with the Coldstream Guards, participating in the Battle for Caen, at which he was nearly killed.
From there, he was promoted to become Secretary of the NUM's Doncaster Area Panel, in which he developed a reputation as a supporter of militant action, including an unofficial strike in 1969.
[1] Briscoe was elected to the NUM's national executive in 1972 then, the following year, as general secretary of the Yorkshire Area.
[1] He had stood as a member of the "Yorkshire Left" platform, and defeated Bill O'Brien in the election.