Miners Welfare – 1 The New Institute (picture)

September 1924

Welfare 1

The Denaby and Cadeby Miners’ Welfare Institute, opened by Mr. Herbert Smith, the President of the Miners’ Federation of Great Britain, last Saturday, is the ideal recreational centre, par excellence.

It is designed so as to offer every form of indoor amusement, and, at the same time, commands a view over the cricket and football fields; also across the valley of the Don and, at the rear, over the pleasant meadows and crags of the Conisborough Cliffs.

The building is splendidly constructed: ‘the finest materials have been used and mane ingenious ideas – designed so as to make the miners’ leisure both attractive and complete – have been embodied in the finished building. The Architect is Mr. L. Smethurst, who is thoroughly aware of the needs and tastes of the miners, and has catered most generously for their welfare. His scheme has been carefully and expertly executed to by the Contractor, Mr William G. Robson, of Sheffield.

The characteristics of the building are ‘roominess,’ cosiness, and completeness. Nothing that could add to the equipment of a recreational institute has been forgotten. The sportsmen of Denaby and Cadeby have been most lavishly served. On the left of the main entrance is the ladies’ room, tastefully furnished in dark oak and gray plush, and on the right is the committee room and library. Beyond this is the ‘Skittle Alley,’ which, however, at the request of the members, has been equipped as a card room.

The bar has been placed so as to serve all the main rooms of the institute: the card room and summer canteen on the ground floor, and – by means of a lift – the billiard room and concert-lecture hall on the upper floor. The card room 24ft. by 43ft., and is charmingly decorated in light and pleasing shades. As annex to this is a smoke room, 20ft. in length, with an alcove from which a good view is obtained of the football field. Adjoining the card room is the bathroom, containing 4 slipper baths. The lavatory accommodation is extremely good.

The manager’s quarters, comprising office, kitchen, sitting room and bedrooms, is constructed on modern lines, the woodwork being substantial, and the domestic arrangements admirable. The woodwork, indeed, throughout is excellent, oak being the principal wood used. The cellars, which include beer storage and heating chamber, are 60ft. by 24ft. The concert hall, which can serve the purpose of lecture and dancing room, is 78ft. by 30ft., and occupies the whole of the frontage on the first floor.

Connected to this are gentlemen’s and ladies’ sitting rooms, which also serve the purpose of dressing rooms for the cricketers. These dressing rooms are part of the handsome cricket pavilion, in which is a tea room commanding the cricket pitch. Above the tea room is a flat roof, for which camp chairs have been provided, and it can truly be said that no cricket club in the country possesses a more luxurious or more adequate pavilion. Three beautiful billiard tables are installed in the billiard room, the floor of which is constructed with a special cement preparation, giving the effect of linoleum.