Mexborough & Swinton Times – Friday 22 September 1893
Distress in the District
Relief Works.
CONISBOROUGH.
On Wednesday relief in the shape of soup and bread was distributed at four o’clock to about 200 families. A large copper has been set up close to the Church School, in which the soup is boiled. The ladies are daily hard at work cutting up the vegetables required. Mr. Gillott, the parish warden, has had the superintendence, ably assisted by several members of the choir. Soup will be distributed daily. The Vicar has received several subscriptions from outside friends.
The Relief Committee of the Cadeby Main Miners, Conisborough, which was organised on September 5th, makes an appeal for funds to establish a bread fund, desires to tender its sincere thanks to all those who have so nobly responded to the call for help. Success has crowned the committee’s efforts and they have been enabled to distribute over 72 stones of bread and other provisions to the miners and families. They appeal to all concerned for additional help to continue the relief work.
DARFIELD.
Tuesday was a scene of much excitement in Darfield, a famine of coal manifesting itself. For some weeks now no coal has been allowed to be carted from the collieries into the township, consequently the small household stocks are completely used up. From early sunset the men congregated in large numbers in several parts of the parish, and were busily engaged in undermining small trees and dead wood which had been allowed to be felled by the permission of the landowners in the township. When this work was accomplished the timber was cut up and distributed to householders, who in many instances have been without fires for several days.
KILNHURST.
The continuation of the crisis in the coal trade is daily adding to the distress in the district, and the assistance rendered by the co-operative society is very much appreciated. The Vicar, the Rev. P. Houghton, who has just returned from his holidays, has addressed the parishioners by circular, relative to the situation. He remarks that the people in distress are much in need of practical sympathy, and says he shall be glad to assist them as far as he is able. He expresses the hope that the crisis may soon end, and in the meantime he hopes the good behaviour on the part of the local miners will continue, deploring at the same time what has been done by the rowdy element.
The Mexborough District.
There continues to be quietude in this district, but what is giving rise to serious concern is the distress, which is daily increasing. Relief committees are energetically at work, but owing to the trade depression being so general funds do not come in so freely as would otherwise be the case. At a meeting of the relief committee at Mexborough on Friday night, Mr. C. Scorah presiding, it was remarked that instances were known in which people were “pining to death,” and that tales which reached the ears of those who had the relief arrangements were “most heart-rending,” especially in the neighbourhood of Denaby Main.
The collectors reported the result of their house to house visitation, which was satisfactory under the circumstances. Mr. A. Lee (overseer) has had a number of applications for employment, and has fortunately been able to comply with the demand in many instances. The School Board of Mexborough has given Messrs. A. Lee and H. Tyas permission to employ men for the purpose of levelling the playground attached to the Garden Street Board School.
Considerable inconvenience is being experienced by reason of inability to obtain coal, and even the supply of timber is inadequate for the requirements of the cottagers. On Wednesday a crowd of women and children were busy—as, indeed, they have been for several days—near the Manvers Main Colliery, where a quantity of coal of somewhat inferior quality has been placed at their disposal by the manager, and similar scenes were witnessed yesterday in the quarry near the Mexborough Brick and Pipe Works, a thin seam of coal having been found there amongst the clay.
The relief committees find their work increasing daily, and the only regret is that poverty cannot be relieved to the fullest extent. It is expected that Mr. C. J. Fleming, Q.C., M.P., will contribute to the relief fund, and the Right Hon. A. H. D. Acland has been communicated with on behalf of the Swinton parish. At the latter place a representative committee has been formed, Mr. E. T. Harrop being president, Messrs. Emery and Jones secretaries, and Mr. H. Glasby treasurer. Soup has already been given to 1,820 children and 800 loaves have been distributed. Subscriptions to the extent of £30 have been received from Messrs. Harrop, Bower, J. D. Ellis, Mrs. Waring, and others.