National Coal Strike – Conisborough

Were it not for the number of men one sees with time hanging heavy on their hands, one would hardly realise that Conisborough is one of the places which is suffering severely as a result if the stoppage of the coal industry. Everywhere efforts are being made to ensure that the time passes without leaden wings and sport of all descriptions is being provided by and for those who are unfortunately numbered among the idlers. All day and every day diversions are provided at Denaby.

The various clubs and in fact any organisation which can scrape up an eleven is ready to play at cricket. In addition there has been much side splitting at the novel walking football matches which have been played on Denaby United field. A player running at all is ‘ordered off,’ and some very depleted teams have been ‘playing’ when depleted teams have been ‘playing’ when the final whistle has gone. These matches have properly tickled the fancy. Then there have been bowls tournaments and the swimming baths have done their share in staging water polo.

That there is distress is obvious. Those who are worst hit are the men out of financial benefit with their unions, but a local committee has attended to their requirements. A strike without pilfering would be unheard of but happily there has not been much of this kind of thing. The strike has not been without its humorous.

A Conisbrough resident tells me that coming from Lincoln to Doncaster on Saturday he observed, that when the train stopped at Haxey, the driver and fireman descended from the footplate and crossed the line. Seeing the guard doing the same thing he enquired the reason and was told that they were going for a drink. He, along with several other passengers accepted the invitation to join the party of workers wearing gloves, much to the amusement of the rest of the passengers.