January
In January 1920 we hear how 425 war widows and orphans received their Christmas treats, the Wesleyan Chapel hold a tea and social event and the Salvation Army a whist drive and dance
The Denaby cricket, tennis and bowls club have their famous annual ball and over 80 couples are married in the district, despite overcrowding conditions
Cadeby Colliery closes again with over 800 men idle, the fourth stop in recent months
The Parish Council are negotiating for a fourth Park in the parish and reignite their urban ambitions, while parents are in court for children’s absence from school
Tommy Stokes beats local rival Herbert Crossley, in a boxing money match at Doncaster and the Conisborough hockey team are unbeaten with good reviews
February
In February 1920 Conisborough’s Globe Palace & Denaby Empire Palace advertise their showings, with Tarzan and Eddie Polo featured at the Globe
Conisborough are to receive a six-inch howitzer for display and Mexborough are offering the council electricity
A Conisborough man is arrested on a bigamy charge after his second “wife’s” funeral and there’s Gaol for a Denaby man who deserts his four children
Club secretaries are fined after failing to reregister their clubs and there is a great rally of 150 Boy Scouts in Conisborough, with a football match and Tea in the Church Sunday School, followed by a sing-song
March
In March 1920 Lady Mabel Smith denounces the conditions in Denaby Main and there is an indignant response from a local resident
The district was saddened by the death of Caleb Kilner, the popular head of the glass bottle firm Kilner brothers
The six-inch German gun was installed in Coronation Park and Urban Powers are at last to be granted for Conisborough
In the courts there are two bigamy charges against a Miner and a clergyman is discharged from his bankruptcy
A miner is fine for stealing a horse brush and four men for gaming at Hooton Craggs
There’s a billiards match between the Denaby Institute and the Imperial club and there’s a detailed review of sport at Denaby Main
April
At the end of April 1920, the third wave of a flu epidemic was responsible for 85 deaths and a local fête is held in aid of the War Memorial
Lime Grove is offered for sale at £2,800, and the Labour Party condemns the action of Doncaster Council over wages
Conisborough vestry meeting reveals the poor state of the Clergy and the children of the Denaby Parish Church present “Cinderella.”
A remarkable story of a struggle for a loaded rifle is revealed in court and a woman’s body is found near the viaduct at Conisborough
Denaby follow, Wath, Wombwell and Frickley in applying for affiliation to the Midland League
May
In May 1920 there’s a £50,000 scheme for facilitating output
with employment for 1,000 men at Denaby Main
An accident caused a shutdown at the colliery
And we feature an advertisement for Denaby Coal
The struggle for Urban Powers raises its head again
And a number of miners faced Guardian’s claims for strike relief
Good progress was made for the War Memorial at Denaby,
there is a serious assault resulting in a Specials” broken nose
and United apply to rejoin the Midland league
June
In June 1920 there’s a gallant rescue by a Denaby miner’s leader
and a Roadside Collision with serious injuries to a colliery foreman
with Miners protesting against temporary winding arrangements
The West Riding County Council confirm Conisborough urban powers
And the council are trying to get a tram terminus link with Warmsworth
The Parish Church Choir at their annual outing to Cleethorpes
And the Denaby War Relief Fund is wound up with a presentation to the officials
Denaby & Cadeby go on a Whitsuntide tour to the Midlands
and United are elected to the Midland League
July
In July 1920 The Denaby Colliery Company sued Lady Mabel Smith over remarks made at a lecture to the Workers Educational Assocation.
The Mexborough Times narrated the case in over 10,500 words.
It provides us with a fascinating insight of the reported conditions in Denaby at that time.
We have reproduced the transcript in chronological order.
Lawrence Calvert received his Victoria Cross at Buckingham Palace
we have a list of the Denaby heroes from the Great War and Denaby Catholics pay tribute to Father Kavanagh
There’s a report from Denaby United Annual Meeting and Denaby and Cadeby hold their cricket week
August
A Denaby man drowned at Matlock in August 1920 and a heroic miner, for the second time, says a boy from drowning
Conisbrough Scouts win the Nuttall challenge Shield and rain spoils the Conisbrough Fete
Ivanhoe expound the virtues of Standard of life and tar macadam improves Station Road
the court hears cases of contractor’s wagons and sent to Gaol assault cases & domestic servant theft
Derbyshire send a team to play Denaby and District and we hear United’s prospects for the season
September
In September 1920 a fall of stone kills another miner at Denaby Main
and an eight-year-old boy is knocked down by a vehicle from Doncaster races
In Denaby, belated peace celebrations are held with 1,420 sitting down to tea
A Conisbrough Worthy passes away, aged 60
WH Chambers is in another conflict with the local council, over the provision of a Park and Playground at Denaby
The Triple Alliance of Miners, Railwayman and Transport unions were debating strike action
A cricket match between the two collieries sees an easy victory for Denaby Main
In the English Cup, Denaby go through at Rawmarsh but Conisborough suffer a 14 goal defeat by Wath Athletic
and United return to the Midland League
October
A strike by 100 boys almost closes the Kilner Brothers Works in October 1920
The Coal Owners “Datum” proposal to resolve the Coal Miners unrest
is rejected by ballots, with heavy defeats locally
There’s a Drumhead service at the Castle grounds and an unprovoked Assault outside the Red Lion
A Denaby woman is fined for the 54th time and Conisbrough miners receive one month’s hard labour for shop breaking
The annual meeting of Denaby Main Cricket club is held in the Large Hall
and United have a humiliating 1 – 6 defeat by Chesterfield Municipal
and a former Sheffield United player becomes captain of United
November
In November 1920 Conisborough’s fourth application for Urban Powers is once again to be heard by appeal
The National Coal strike ended with a return to work and the Great Silence is observed on Armistice Day
The unknown warrior was laid to rest at Westminster Abbey and Laurence Calvert is one of the VCs in the guard of honour
A list of names is being prepared for the War Memorial and two miners were committed for three months for benefit fraud
United confirmed they will carry on, despite rumours, as they suffer in their first season back in the Midland League
December
Two Irishmen are knocked down by a motor lorry at Thrybergh in December 1920 and there’s an affray in Conisbrough with an alleged shooting attack on Irishmen
There is a review of the glass Trade, with Kilner Bros installing an automatic machine and Dencade, a Brixham Tug, belonging to Denaby and Cadeby are awarded salvage
We feature full coverage of the Urban Powers Appeal with conditions in Denaby “a disgrace to civilisation”
and WH Chambers plan for a greater Borough, including Mexborough and Swinton as visionary as the “Milky Way”
Denaby and Cadeby have been admitted to the Yorkshire Council
and United suffer heavy defeats but participate in a 4-4 draw against Sheffield United reserves