Mexborough and Swinton Times, November 28 1902
The Denaby and Cadeby Strike
The Advice of Mr W Parrott
Mr J Walsh and the Local Officials
The meeting at Conisborough on Monday morning was well attended. In the first instance it had been arranged that the proceedings should take place in the large club room attached to the Station Hotel, but long before the time for the commencement he was seen that the room would not hold all the men and boys who desire to be present. It had been made known that Mr W Parrott, the agent for the Yorkshire Miners Association and Mr J Walsh of South Kirkby, were coming to speak on the subject of the dispute.
The impending appearance of Mr Parrott on the scene give rise to the rumour that a settlement had been already arranged, but this proved to be unfounded.
The meeting was held in the croft adjoining the station Hotel, the speaking been done from a dray.
Mr Fred Croft, the Chairman of the Denaby Branch presided, and the other official present in addition to the Messrs Parrott and Welsh were Mr J Nolan (Denaby branch delegate), Mr G Smith (Denaby secretary), Mr Phil Humphreys (the Cadeby branch chairman), Mr H Humphreys (the Cadeby delegate), and Mr G H Hirst (Cadeby secretary.
Mr J Kelly of Manvers Main, also occupied a seat on the platform, and Mr John Baker, the president of the Mexborough and district trades and Labour Council was expected, but he did not arrive while the meeting was progress.
A Desire for an Interview.
The Chairman asked the men to keep patient and attentive hearing to the various speakers. He thought he had said sufficient in the past relative to their grievances. They were not tired of the struggle, but if Mr Chambers (managing director) would only meet a deputation to consider the question they were willing to reason matters with him, but if not they would stay out. (Hear, hear.) They had no desire to be obstinate, for the winter was fast approaching, but still if they were compelled they were prepared to meet the hardships. (Applause.) They had gone so far, and would not now turn back. He thought Mr Chambers ought to say he would meet them. They would never do any good as long as they were apart. Their grievances was not merely the bag dirt question, but there was this stoppage of fines from men’s wages, but in many cases have been unduly inflicted. They wanted to get back to work in one sense, but not at the end of the working week to have as much as 17 shillings and 18 shillings out of their earnings. (Hear, hear.) Should the deputation be successful in affecting an interview with the management, he would ensure them that nothing would be done towards finally settling the dispute into the rest result of the interview had been reported fully to the men.
Blame on Both Sides
Mr W Parrott began his speech with an explanation. I am Mr Walsh, he said, are here, in reply to a letter sent by your joint secretaries to the Executive asking for some officials come down to have a few words with you. I have no doubt we shall have a very peaceful meeting. (Applause) I only wish I could believe in my own mind that this meeting will result in a settlement of your dispute. Last Tuesday I had to go to London to attend a meeting of the conciliation Board, in order to try and convince the owners that we are entitled to a 10% advance through the Federation. (Applause.) I had already arranged to attempt a meeting of the Kilnhurst town Warren Vale men. The dispute was in connection with the lads wages question. Well now, last Tuesday morning we were fixed something similar to what we are fix this morning. The big soon they could get in the village was not large enough to hold all the people wanted to hear what myself and Mr Wadsworth, and vice-chairman had to say. Now I tell you candidly and truthfully and from that morning and not been really warm. We were stowed in the open air on a dray, as we are here, but we succeeded in getting the men and lads to pass a unanimous resolution to resume work on the conditions that have been previously suggested and arranged. While that paid me for all the trouble and the till but I got. I only wish I the same feeling this morning in reference to your dispute there I had last Tuesday morning, when I went to Kilnhurst.
Your company, Mr Buckingham Pope and Mr Chambers, have taken certain stand, in defiance, of course to understand the workmen have taken. I want to be fair all round. While they condemn the stand your owners and managers have taken I cannot let the workmen go off very well without a word of job advice understand that you took 21 weeks ago.
I have written to Mr Chambers and Mr Carrier written to advise that we have got you have seen in the newspapers – that you must resume work before a meeting take place. Now I think that is a very stupid position for intelligent men like them to take on. (Hear, hear) You take one of the greatest men in the country, has been lauded sky high, and the certain given point, did not take the stand that your owners are taking. Lord Kitchener is looked upon as a great man, and in his way of business no doubt he is a very excellent man. When the Boers during the last war wanted to reason the question out you know that a certain number of them met Lord Kitchener.
Now I say that if a man allots Kitchener’s position will condescend? – I ought not to call it condescending – will agree to meet falls that he has been in conflict with so long, in order to bring a row a proper understanding and settlement, deny seeing your owners and managers, in my opinion are taking a very manly stand, understand that were not all good with intelligent people of this country. (Applause.) They are not only doing that, but they are doing I think if anything worse things. They’re giving you notice, those of you who live in their houses, to quit. They know that winter weather is already setting in, and that we have no doubt some very severe weather is to contend with between now and spring. I consider that a very unmanly step to take. Your wives and families have nothing against Mr Buckingham Pope, so far as I know, but because you have refused to work on certain conditions they are revenge on themselves on innocent people connected with your families. (Applause)
Well, I say that he a more shameful thing to do, but they have done it, at least partly done it, and according to what I read this morning they’re going to get ejectment summonses in order to chuck you out if you won’t go without been thrown out. Now, there is not much sympathy there, and before we break up this meeting we shall submit a resolution to you, and I hope you will fairly consider that resolution. Returning out of the houses, if they were required for other tenants, would be a different thing, and then it would not be anything like what is expected in this Christian aid; but to turn people out of the houses for the owls to remain empty is the most devilish thing, in my opinion. (Applause.)
The Coal Owners Association and the Coal Owners generally are supporting your owners in the stoppage. You have not only to fight Mr Buckingham Pope and the management, but you have the Coal Owners Association to fight as well; whether or not they have agreed to Mr Buckingham Pope turning you out of your houses I do not know. I would not go so far as to say that the Coal Owners Association have done it, but it is done, and as the notices have come in the name of Mr Buckingham Pope, he is the person, I suppose, that we can lay the blame upon for taking the dirty action at the time of the year like the present.
Dropping and Ripping
Dealing with the cause of the stoppage, Mr Parrott said at the beginning it was a question what is known on the price list as “dropping bag dirt.” That is what I call a misnomer. The dropping of the bag dirt where men after court and wage, and no doubt use blasting substances, if you were safe to do so bring the roof down. That cannot, in the English language be called dropping, and it is not understood as such. I call it ripping; at almost all collieries were ripping is done by the miners it is contracted so much, according to the thickness and width that is ripped. Now suppose the first full is worth two shillings. Well, if they said to you or any contractor, “I want to fear getting down,” we would say at once,, “Then I want twice the price of prime double my thickness of ripping.” If it was a yard you would say “I want three times.” That would be a fair way to reason the thing out, and therefore I say to call it “dropping” bag dirt is of Miss Norma, it is a wrong name, and it ought not to be called dropping when men after slave as hard as I am informed you have to get it down. I’m personally opposed to ripping been included in the tonnage rate; whatever that is done there is mischief created.
Here Mr Parrott explained some of the difficulties that arise in the system, and said that whenever ripping are to be found there ought to be a separate price for it.
Continuing he said: We are have tried our best as officials of the Association, along with local officials, to get a better understanding about this dropping bag dirt, which I call ripping. If it got without any labour then it would drop. But where labour comes in, and physical labour must be performed to get it down, and I say, instead of calling it dropping bag dirt it ought to be call ripping, and we ought to have a fair price for it. (Applause.)