Mexborough & Swinton Times – Friday 05 September 1902
The “Bag Dirt” Strike – Miner’s Meeting
At the meeting held on Wednesday morning, which was called specially to consider the new price inst. behind the Station Hotel, Conisbrough, there a fair attendance of miners, and included a few women.
Mr. P. Humphrey presided, and in opening the meeting said if anyone present had anything to grumble about he had better grumble at that meeting, and not go about the district grumbling. He had beard that there had been a lot at grumbling about the distribution of the bread, and be had an important announcement to make in reference to that matter.
The committee had decided that instead of distributing bread they would give money, something like 1/6 or something according to the families. (Hear, hear, and applause.) They had also their revised price list to submit to them, end he hoped it was a price list that would be more satisfactory, and one thin they could all work under. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. George Smith intimated that their chairman could not be with them that afternoon owing to illness. He hoped he would have a speedy recovery. The new price submitted to them that afternoon would be sent to the officials at Barnsley, and then to Mr. Chamber’s. In regard to the contractors, etc., they had asked them to prepare a list for themselves, and after that been done they were going to join it to theirs, and make one big list, which be hoped would be satisfactory. Perhaps they would have to give way a little, but he sincerely hoped that a satisfactory settlement would be arrived at. They had before them about thirty or forty price lists from different collieries, in order to pick out the best, and they had brought theirs just between them as far as they could.
He then read a letter from Mr. F Croft, their chairman, which was as follows:
“Mr. Chairman and fellow workmen. I am sorry l am unable to attend this important meeting, but I have not been able to leave my bed since last Friday. But I hope you will accept the price list which will be put before you, then let the list take its proper course, and when it gets to Mr. Chambers we hope he will agree to take it, so that we get back to work, and then we know what we are working to.
Yours faithfully.
F. Croft.”
Mr. H. Humphreys said meeting had been called specially to submit the new price hit that been drawn up, to them. There was one thing be should like to dwell upon, and that was the discontent that prevailed amongst some of them. He hoped that everything would go on satisfactorily.
In reference to the fresh summonses that had been issued against 400 men, by which the colliery company claimed £6 damages, that number included many datallers. (A voice: “Let’s have the taken seperate.”) He wanted to tell them that the datallers signed a contract book just the same as a miner did sometimes, and he would like that to be tested on Saturday, and see if the company could claim , damages against a dataller. (A voice: I should think not.) They had at Doncaster heard it stated that the miners were responsible for the idling of other men. Then were the datallers going to have to pay owing to the miners having thrown them out of work. He wanted to ask them a question, were they going to have Mr. Rowlands again to defend them on Saturday.(Voices: Yes, yes!) He thought the datallers ought to be defended as well as the miners.
lt was decided that Mr. Rowlands should be engaged to defend the whole of those summoned on Saturday —A voice: I think it is useless.—Mr. G. H. Hirst. the secretary, in submitting the price list for approval compared the new list with the old.
The following is a rough draft of the proposed price list:
Mr. John Nolan said that since the meeting he was pleased that the ladies had done their duty. He could not say that of all the men, for there a few probably there that morning who had not done their duty, and instead of telling the committee, had been trying to stop the foods in. He had also heard of men going about the district complaining. Those men had admitted that they went with the purpose of stopping the funds coming in. They were trying, when they drew up that price list to do away with the rotten system at present in form at the Denaby and Cadeby collieries.
They had called the meeting together specially to submit the price list to them. He did not say it was perfect, as he knew there was plenty of room for improvement. In regard to men working in hard places, the management were always ready to call a man idle if he did not do what they considered a fair daywork. At the same time in West Yorkshire there were 152 sets at one colliery, and they made up 8s. each a day
He thought it Lord Masham’s could do that Denaby awl ought to do so equally as well. In explaining other various improvements that had been made, he said they were going to do away with “market men”- (Hear,hear)—and were dropping the packing and daymen system. After explaining other points, the speaker went on to refer to the boys’ price list, sad said the committee had drawn up one at near like the Manvers Main list as possible. He hoped it would be satisfactory.—The price list was formally adopted.
It was also decided to have demonstration by forming a procession at Denaby on Saturday morning and walk to Doncaster, with the 400 men who were summoned, and to take the banner, and if possible, the band. It was also stated that four men from each colliery had been appointed to attend to the question of ripping and packing.
Various other speeches were made, after which the meeting broke up.