South Yorkshire Times and Mexborough & Swinton Times – Friday 06 February 1903
The Denaby and Cadeby Strike
32nd Week of the Struggle
Yesterday our representatives again called upon the Reverend Jesse Wilson, of the Manse, Mexborough and found the reverend gentleman busily engaged in making arrangements to alleviate, as far as his resources would allow, cases of existing suffering.
As usual, miners, women and children were constantly coming and going, and it was evident that the general need for help is daily increasing. Something approaching 200 notes have been distributed by Mr Wilson, to enable ongoing families adopting provisions, and there can be no doubt that the efforts of the Reverend Wilson, ably assisted by his ministerial colleague, the Reverend Mathieson, have been responsible for a good and beneficial work.
Of course such a work could not have been carried on but for the generous eight sent by other people, and since our last issue Mr Wilson has received £6 15 6d, collected at a colliery, by Mr John Wilde, £7 12s 9d, collected at Manchester last Saturday at the City v Burnley match and various other donations. Collections will be taken tomorrow on the Grimsby and Manchester United football grounds.
The Denaby Corps of the Salvation Army fed 100 children on Friday, and again on Wednesday.
Quiet Denaby
The quietness of Denaby is most marked, and affords a striking contrast to former and happier days when the houses were filled with families. The hundreds of empty houses seem to illustrate the evil effects of a strike in a way only equalled by the knots of idle men standing about in the streets of the surrounding places. A few mounted police passed through the place yesterday, and gave cause for wonder “what was up,” but it transpired they were only out for exercise from Melton, where they are stationed.
It was also stated that yesterday morning 100 of the strikers were seen marching towards Denaby, what then object was could not be ascertained. Perhaps they were going to “sign on,” and perhaps not.
Information as the number of men that have “signed on” cannot be gathered, but there can be no doubt they are daily increasing, and the coal raised the surface is reaching larger proportion as a consequence.