Mexborough & Swinton Times, January 2nd 1885
The employees at Denaby Main struck work Wednesday at noon.
The tradespeople at Mexboro’ will be injuriously effected by the colliery standing idle, and hopes are freely expressed that the strike will not be of long duration.
From an early hour on Wednesday relays of men were observed leaving the pit with their tools over the shoulders, looking anything but pleased at the unpleasant New Year’s prospect which has now fortunately opened before them. A number of the hands had taken the opportunity afforded, by the fortnight’s notice to make arrangements at other collieries in the district where there is just now a stress of work. At the South Kirkby colliery it is stated some hundreds will find employment should the strike continue. The coal stack, about which so much has been said of late contains, we understand, about 80,000 tons, and this is estimated to last under a month and a large number of men base their calculations as to the duration of the strike on the length of time occupied in getting rid of the coal in stock. Another section of the men are very sanguine as to the future, and express their convictions that in a few weeks at the most the pit will be working full time as hitherto, and that the men will be allowed to work under the old arrangement.
Many of the miners believe that Mr. Pope will express a favourable opinion respecting the appeal to arbitration by the men. The least hopeful section aestimate that the strike will be very prolonged and severe, but they are of opinion that the men will pull through without much difficulty, as the funds of the Miners’ Association are good, and they confidently rely on the Miners’ Association to the strike hours is 8s., to each man, and 1s. per head for each child, but it is thought by many that this allowance will be supplemented by donations from Staffordshire and other places, where the benevolence of the Denaby miners has been gratefully acknowledged.
In Mexborough the future is looked on with apprehensive feelings, for on no class, except that most immediately connected does the distress full more heavily in troubles periods like the present than the Mexboro’ shopkeepers. There is abundant opportunity and need for the exercise of charity just at present, and it would be well to form committees for the provision of cheap dinners for the children and wives of the miners on strike. No consequences fall more heavily in troublous periods like the present than the Mexboro’ shopkeepers. There is abundant opportunity and need for the exercise of charity just at present, and it would be well to form committees for the provision of cheap dinners for the children and wives of the miners on strike.
The company have not yet given the men notice to leave their houses, and if this measure is restored to the distress will be greatly heightened.