Claim for £100,000

Fortunes Lost in the Denaby Miners’ Dispute

In the King’s Bench to-day, before Justice Lawrence, the Denaby and Cadeby Main Collieries, Ltd., brought an action against the Yorkshire Miners’ Association and others, claiming £100,000 damages for conspiracy and unlawful combination, and also for unlawfully inducing plaintiffs’ workmen not to enter into contracts, and also for inducing them to break their contracts.

The association and other defendants, including Mr. Benjamin Pickard, M.P., and who were all officials of the Yorkshire Miners’ Association, denied committing any unlawful acts and denied liability.

Two defendants, Nolan and Humphries, delegates of the union in the Denaby and Cadeby Collieries respectively, did not put in any defence.

Mr. Eldon Bankes, in opening the case, said the action arose out of an illegal strike which occurred at plaintiffs’ collieries on the 29th June, 1902, and which lasted until the following March. The general consequences which resulted were that the Union paid out £230,000 in strike pay to the men, who lost over £200,000 wages, while the loss to plaintiffs was nearly £150,000. In addition to that there was an indirect loss to hundreds of small traders, and the pain and suffering caused to the families of strikers. He mentioned these things so that everyone should realise the importance of the case and of fixing the responsibility for damage.