South Yorkshire Times May 21, 1955
After Three Weeks on Strike.
Denaby Miners Queue for Public Assistance
Several hundred miners from Denaby Main Colliery on Friday formed long queues at Wath Pavilion when they were paid National Assistance money for their wives and children.
The Pavilion was opened as a special centre to meet the influx of men – who have been on strike for three weeks. Extra Assistance Board staff were drafted in form Barnsley, Castleford and Pontefract.
It is understood that several hundred pounds was paid out to the men. For example, one man with five children received £3 and another with four children received £2 10s.
An official said he believed this was the first large scale pay-out to the striking miners in Yorkshire but added that other centres would have to be set up if the strike continued.
When the emergency centre was opened the queue stretched for several hundred yards into Moor Road, and there was a queue for most of the day.