South Yorkshire Times, September 3, 1960
Denaby Miners Present a Petition against Manager
Strike Caused By ‘Colour’
Reference to a Workman
Three-Hundred Denaby miners travelled by train to Doncaster yesterday, armed with a petition, and a resolution passed at a mass meeting the previous night, demanding the removal of the manager at the pit, Mr. Donald McTighe.
The colliery, which employs more than 1,000, came to a standstill on Wednesday.
The men came out on strike because, they allege, the manager insulted one of their workmates by calling him coloured. Yesterday a meeting was sought with Mr. W. H. Sales, chairman of the North Eastern Division of the N.C.B.
The men threaten that they will not return to work until Mr. McTighe is replaced.
Denaby Born
The man concerned is Mr. John Crossland (47), of Ellershaw Lane, Conisbrough, who was born in Denaby and has lived in the district most of life. He told the “South Yorkshire Times”: “I have a dark complexion, but both my parents, who died when I was young, and were white.” Mr. Crossland said that Mr. McTighe made the alleged remark, &tiring ‘ a discussion over working I’ conditions on a face in the Park- gate seam, when 16 other men, including a union official were present.” The manager he alleged pointed his finger and said, “You’re coloured.” Mr. Crossland continued: I asked him twice to take the remark back and it was not until I told him where I had been born, where I lived to-day, and of the children I had, that he said he was sorry.
Visited Home
Mr. McTighe. Mr. Crossland alleged came to his home on Monday and apologised. “I invited him in. and gave him a cup of tea, but I refused to discuss the case. He should have apologised straight away, not after six days. It was too belated.” One miner said “Feeling is very high over this. We intend to stay out until the manager is shifted. He has defied the union ever since he came here.” After a mass meeting, at which 700 were present, Mr. William Gibson, N.U.M. branch secretary, told our reporter: “We are shocked that a thing like this could happen.”
The delegation delivered the following resolution, passed at the mass meeting:
“We earnestly request the N.C.B. North Easter Division to show their respect an regard for their workmen, of any race or colour, by removing front his post the manager of Denaby Main Colliery for deliberately in. suiting a workman.”
Mr. Gibson said that on Wednesday day a letter had been received from Mr. McTighe, in which he stated he had no discrimination against any race or creed. He said that at the time of the alleged remark he was interrupted before he could finish what he wanted ‘We say.
Mr. McTighe has been at the colliery about 12 months, and lived in Station Road, Conisbrough. An N.C.B, official said that by Wednesday night the strike had meant an output loss of more than 2,000 tons.