Hull Daily Mail – Monday 27 November 1899
According one of our modern Special Commissioners, the worst village in England has been discovered.
It is in Yorkshire and at Denaby Main.
It seems to bean objectionable place, given over to betting, drinking, and other excesses in the intervals of mining; but to say that it the worst village in England implies a knowledge of other villages on the part of the writer so ” extensive and peculiar that Jupiter” has doubts.
The writer would have believe that Denaby Main is a sort of Johannesburg of depravity formed of immigrants from everywhere. The pawnshop, the bookmakers (ex pit men), and publican (in this case the Colliery Company) flourish exceedingly, and women and children fare badly-in the struggle for the pitman’s money.
One good curious custom, however, prevails. At five o’clock Saturday afternoon the great public house owned by by the Colliery Company closes for hour, to enable the husbands to pay a visit home, and leave a portion of their week’s earnings with their wives.
This would scarcely be possible if the public-house was under private management, and should strike Mr Charles Wilson as a good idea.
“Jupiter” has never been to Denaby Main, but would hazard a guess pretty confidently that the ” boozey ” which closes at five for hour’s rest is, if not the only, the main place of recreation in the village.
Such orgies are described by the correspondent give point to a remark made not long ago by Wilson Barrett to ” Jupiter ” when he said, “If you keep 2,000 people watching a good play for three -hours, they are at least not getting into mischief.” Verbum gap !