Mexborough & Swinton Times – Saturday 01 January 1921
Leading Local Events in 1920
January
1 –Unveiling of Kilnhurst War Memorial
8 –Manvers Main War Belief Fund wound up.
9 — Public debate on Nationalisation, at Wombwell.
11—Possibilities of local industry for disabled discussed by the Mexborough Employment Committee.
20—Dearne Valley Light Railway Scheme, inquiry at Barnsley into promoter’s application for increased Borough Powers and restoration of previously rejected route. Promoters application successful.
31—Scheme for Public Park as war memorial adopted at Wombwell.
February.
2— Barnburgh miners vote heavily in favour of a scheme for installing public baths at the colliery.
8—War Memorial Tablet unveiled in St. Church, Swinton.
9—Wath-on-Dearne Operatic Society present “Amasis.”
Barnsley British Co-operative Society endow a bed at the Montagu Hospital, Mexborough in memory of the late President of the Society, Mr. John Elliott.
14–Fred Parkes, Wombwell miner, complimented by the Modelling magistrates for gallantry in rescuing a child from drowning.
23—Formation of Mexborough and District Lawn Tennis Association.
24—Presentation of fabric pounds to Mr F.L.Harrop, formerly of Swinton, Chairman of the British Waggon Company, Rotherham in recognition of forty years’ service to the Company.
Father Leteux appointed to succeed the Red T.B. Kavanagh, of Denaby Main, retired.
Official welcome to ex-Service men of Wombwell Main Colliery
March
10—West Riding General Purposes Committee report in favour of parts of Conisboro’, Denaby and Cadeby being constituted an urban district. Orders made.
18—”Hiawatha” performed by the Wombwell Choral Society.
22—William Booth, a Thurnscoe ex-policeman, sentenced at Leeds Assizes to eight months’ imprisonment for a violent assault on a railway signalman who was at work in his box near Thurnscoe station.
29—Earl Fitzwilliam presents a ground freehold to the Mechanics’ Institute, Wath on-Dearne.
26—Empire Theatre, Wath-on-Dearne, totally destroyed by fire.
Urban Council elections.
April.
8—Revival of the Mexboro’ Musical Festival.
13–Opening ceremony at Swinton Town Hall, formerly “Highfields,” the residents of Mr. F. L Harrop.
May.
17—Mexboro’ Employment Committee and local employers entertained to luncheon by Mr. W. Hague of Swinton.
18— Proposal by the Mexborough Employment Committee to establish a brush factory at Swinton for disabled ex-Service men.
June.
I3– Mexborough war memorial unveiled.
26—War Memorial unveiled at Phoenix Glass Bottle Works, Mexborough.
July.
3— National Wesleyan Reform conference et Wombwell.
6—Presentation to Mr. B. H. Flittering, manager of the Wath Main Colliery, on leaving for Mansfield.
13—Dr. J. C. Pickup was appointed medical officer for the urban district of Wombwell.
Dearne Valley town planning conference at Barnsley.
17—Slander action at Leeds Assizes by Denaby and Cadeby Collieries Limited, against Lady ‘Mabel Smith. Verdict for plaintiffs. Damages £5.
17—Denaby Main Hospital Sunday inaugurated.
23—The Wath estate of the late Major P. S. Cadman sold by auction.
29—Presentation to Mr F. Harvey, of Swinton, on leaving the district.
Children’s ward at the Montagu Hospital, Mexborough, used for the accommodation of soldiers and sailors during the war, re-opened for its original purpose.
August.
1—First statutory meeting of the Dearne Valley Water Board.
8—C.L.B. war memorial unveiled in Wombwell Parish Church.
27—Swinton Council workman fatally gassed in a sewer near the Kilnhurst Chemical Work.
28—Billingley war memorial unveiled by Earl Fitzwilliam.
Returned ex-Service men of Wath Main Colliery receive medals from their workmates.
Miners ballot in favour of a strike.
September.
18—Welcome home to returned Servicemen of Manvers Main Collieries.
Mr. A. J. Wroe, of Wombwell, appointed vice-president of the Barnsley British Co-operative Society.
23—Proposal by the Denaby and Cadeby Collieries. Ltd. to provide a public park and recreation ground at Denaby Main.
25— Returned ex-Service men of Hickleton Main Colliery, and the next-of-kin of the fallen, received gold medals provided by the Colliery Company and the workman.
The new Thurnscoe Park opened by the Rev. T. T. Taylor.
Thurnscoe War Memorial unveiled.
Presentation to Mr. T. Palfreyman, for 40 years secretary of the Kilnhurst Co-operative Society.
30—Wombwell Urban District Council adopt record general district rate of 8s. 6d. for the half-year. Thanksgiving Services for the restoration of the Wath Parish Church, partially destroyed by fire, and dedication of new organ.
Retirement of Mr. W. Allott, for forty years headmaster of the Jump Council Schools.
October.
2— Councillor T. Williams. Goldthorpe, adopted as Labour candidate for the Don Valley Parliamentary Division.
5— Mexborough Urban District Council adopt a general district rate of 7s. 6d. in the £.
Unveiling of a memorial window in the Wombwell Parish Church given by Col. T. W. H. Mitchell in memory of his eon and the men of Mitchell Main who fell in the war.
10—Presentation to the Rev. Eric Parker, curate-in -charge of St. James’s, Wath, on his appointment to St. Paul’s, Worthing.
11-12—Ballot of miners on coalowners’ offer of “datum line.” Ballot goes emphatically against acceptance.
11-14—Over 400 children take part in swimming tests at Wombwell.
12-16—Kilner Brothers’ Glass Bottle Works, Conisboro’, laid idle by a lightning strike of boys.
14—The Rev. James Cropper, M.A., Rector Wombwell, appointed Dean of Gibraltar.
16—National coal strike commences. Ends on November 4,
19-23—Wath, Bolton, Goldthorpe and Thurnscoe left temporarily without supply of gas, as a result of the coal strike. Supply restored by arrangement with Yorkshire Miners’ Association and Coke Oven Workers’ Union.
Mr. J. W. Halmsbaw appointed agent of the Mitchell Main Collieries, and Mr. William Dells appointed general mansager
20—Conisboro’ and Denaby ministers apply for an increase in burial fees. Application approved.
25—End of Summer Time.
The Rev. E. Hope, M.A.. Vicar of Mexborough, appointed Vicar of St. Mary’s, Beverley.
November
8—Unemployment Insurance Act, 1920, comes into force.
Cortonwood Colliery War Relief Fund, amounting to £29,794 19s. 2d wound up.
11— Armistice Day. Observances throughout the district’
New parish hall at Mexborough opened by Countess Fitzwilliam.
12 —The Rev. D. Briggs. D.D., Vicar of Saint Cuthbert, Middlesbrough, appointed Vicar of Mexborough.
Long-standing shortage of water supply in Mexborough becomes critical.
15— Wombwell Wesleyan War Memorial unveiled.
19—J. H. Hollingsworth, a Mexborough miner, charged with the attempted murder Elsie Shaw. a Swinton widow , and subsequently committed to Assizes.
23—Wath Ruri-Decanal Conference protests against inadequate standard of clergymen’s stipends.
West Riding Education Committee decides to abandon evening classes for the current session, owing to failure to compose a dispute as to rates of evening school teachers’ pay.
25—Barnburgh Ploughing Society. Annual competition revived.
30–Offices and general printing premiers of the “Mexboro’ and Swinton Times” Publishing Company destroyed by Fire. Cause of outbreak unknown. Damage £50,000.
December.
9—Opposition to the Conisborough Urban Towers Order. Ministry of Health Inquiry.
25—Presentations to the Rev. E. Hope, Vicar of Mexborough, and Mrs. Hope, on their departure for Beverley.