South Yorkshire Times, December 11th 1943
Cadeby Canteen
Opened After Long Delay
A hot meal canteen, opened at Cadeby Colliery last week-end, was the 57th to be instituted in South Yorkshire. Converted from an old pay-shed, the canteen has stools to seat 160 miners, and will provide meals day and night. A substantial dinner costs only 1s. 1d. The official opening last Thursday night was attended by men’s representatives from both Cadeby and the sister pit at Denaby.
Mr. D. Cowburn, agent at Cadeby, who presided expressed regret that Mr. Tom Biggin who had worked hard for the canteen, was too ill to attend the opening. He said they had been lucky in getting a good cook-supervisor and staff for the canteen, which had taken two years to be completed. Every manner of thing had prevented the canteen’s completion, The length of time taken was an example of Government planning, and if they had been left to do the job themselves, they could have completed it in three months at the outside. Everybody was talking about planning and Government control and this delay was an example of what happened. The Government started by not being able to decide on the building, and then there was the question of equipment. Other difficulties arose and when they thought they could open three months ago the Ministry said they could not start yet.
Saying he hoped the men would let their colleagues known about the excellence of the meals in the canteen, Mr. Cowburn mentioned the help he had received from Mr. Hulley, agent at Denaby. Mr. Hardy, chief engineer and his staff, Miss Mackie and Miss Carter (Ministry of Food).
The canteen was declared open by Mr. B. H. Pickering, general manager of Amalgamated Denaby Collieries Ltd., who said a special feature of the canteen was its high roof. Other canteens with low roofs made it difficult to get a nice atmosphere. He realised the tremendous amount of work that had been put in to get the canteen completed. Canteens were very valuable for the smooth running of the mining industry. It was the last canteen to be equipped in their group of collieries and he hoped it would be used to the same extent as the others had been.
South Yorkshire’s 57th Canteen
Mr. W. A. Bates, district organiser for the Miners’ Welfare Commission, referring to the delay in completing the building, said the Welfare Commission was entirely in the hands of the Government with regard to release of materials. They had, however, some fairly good examples of quick completion of canteens in South Yorkshire. There was great difficulty in getting equipment in war-time, through demands of the Forces having to take preference. That building was probably the best they had in South Yorkshire for a canteen having a ridge roof running right through, and adequate ventilation. The standard design of the Commission was restricted by the Government, and canteens with low roofs were not what the Commission thought should be provided. If the percentage of miners using the canteen equalled that at Denaby, they would very pleased.
Pointing out that it was the 57th canteen to be opened in South Yorkshire, Mr. Bates said it was easily the greatest number provided in any coalfield. Fifteen months ago, the percentage using canteens was about 28, and he was pleased to report that this was now 40 per cent., which was gradually increasing. This showed that miners were beginning to appreciate the benefits derived from canteen., The Ministry of Food had always provided adequate food for canteens. A common complaint was that the men did not eat enough meat in canteens, and he agreed that the amount provided was not what the average miner liked, although it was more than allocated to other industrial canteens. Some men would rather have meals at home, but they were really helping people at home by eating in the canteen. There was only a limited amount of food available above the ordinary rations, and it was the desire of Lord Woolton, who he had personally interviewed, that workpeople should have the extra food at canteens.
Speaking as representative of Cadeby Y.M.A., Mr. T. Hill said miners’ wives were proud to satisfy their husbands with meals at home, but in wartime there was difficulty in getting sufficient food in the home. Canteens were a good means of helping out the food shortage.
Mr. R. H. Shepherd speaking for the visitors from Denaby said canteens were a boon to the mining community. They had read where canteens were to continue after the war, and they had to realise that every country the Forces occupied would have to be fed and clothed. He hoped the canteen would be as successful as that at Denaby.
Mr. I. Houghton also spoke.
Mrs. Cooper is manageress and the canteen committee is: Chairman, Mr. Cowburn; Mr. Hardy, Mr. W. Mitchell (manager of the pit), Mr. J. Hall, (under manager), Mr. L. Harvey; men’s representatives, Messrs. I. Houghton, J. Clark, T. Guest, J. Prendergast, and M. Taylor.