South Yorkshire Times, February 29.
Appeal Ballot?
A ballot at Denaby and Cadeby collieries could decide the fate of Denaby United following the club’s appeal last week for a stoppage of three pence a week from the wages of each of the colliery workers.
This may be the only way of deciding how the miners feel about the request. 40 or 50 of the men attended a special meeting of the Denaby NUM branch. This at Denaby Minus Welfare on Sunday, and by a show of hands agreed to ask the club to call a special joint meeting with the men of both collieries.
Denaby NUM secretary, Mr Tom Ryan said on Monday, “At the meeting opinions seem to be divided on the issue, and so we feel it would be best to ask the club to call a joint meeting to make the decision.”
A good attendance is expected at the proposed meeting from the 3000 or more men at the two pits, when a show of hands could decide whether or not the request is granted. But Mr Ryan thought there was a possibility of holding a ballot at the pit. His view was shared by Mr Tom Wright, Cadeby NUM branch secretary.
One man commented on Monday that a similar joint meeting was called sometime after the last war to grab the present seven so weak sports allocation, part of which goes to Denaby United. Before that, he said, the men paid only a penny a week.