The Worst Village in England – Mr William Parrott

November 1899

Sheffield Daily Telegraph – Monday 20 November 1899

The Worst Village in England – Mr William Parrott

A social gathering of the miners of the Strafford Main Colliery, with their wives and friends, was held on Saturday at the Co-operative Hall. Barnsley.

The affair began with a tea party, in which large number joined. A meeting followed. Mr. J. Kenworthy presiding, supported, among others, by Mr. William Parrott

Mr. Parrott referred to an article in one of the so called “Christian” newspapers, purporting to give an account of life and the mode of life in a mining village—Denaby.

The article represented the whole people as given to drinking and gambling, and the women especially.

He said it was the most shameful and disgraceful thing that such things should be written of miners and their wives and families without the other side of the picture being given.

He strongly resented the idea that the whole class should be condemned in sweeping terms for the ill-doing of a few.

He viewed such article as great insult, because their men as whole knew how to behave themselves, and would compare with any class in the country, even the aristocracy included, in the matter of behaving and conducting themselves properly.