Mexborough & Swinton Times – Friday 09 January 1891

Local Trade in 1890

In the neighbourhood of Mexborough – notorious for colliery disputes – the year has been one of remarkable tranquillity, and never in the history of the local pits has status quo between capital and labour, been more satisfactory. Grievances of a minor nature arose a few months ago, but the calm and reasonable discussion of the points in dispute soon ended in a proper understanding being arrived at without resort to anything like extreme measures.

The whole of the men and the great majority of the lads employed at the Manvers Main, Denaby Main and Wath Main collieries are now said to belong to the Yorkshire Miners Association.

The output of the pits is all that could be desired, especially at Denaby Main, where the tonnage a few weeks ago was greater than at any time since the colliery was started.

So far as the new pit Cadeby is concerned, it proceeds but slowly, owing to the tapping of springs every now and again in the shaft. Rapid progress has been made in the erection of the offices, and in the fixing up of the massive machinery, and a large siding has been constructed. The electric light has been introduced at the colliery.

The Mexborough Ironworks have been more active than for many years, and for the first time for a long while a dividend has been given to the shareholders. The works have been enlarged, and improved machinery introduced.

The Glass trade show but little fluctuation, and work has been regular and wages good. This applies to Mexborough, Conisbrough, Swinton and Kilnhurst.

At the pottery, workers been by no means of the “full-time” character, but the agitation which existed in the summer has died completely out.

The boat building trade is not been quite so active, but comparatively few barges having been launched.

At the Swinton foundry, belonging to Mrs Hattersley Brothers, extensive additions have been made, and the “Queen’s Foundry” was never in a more healthy state.

A few weeks ago an attempt was made to establish a “bottling company,” but this was withdrawn.

Another scheme, however, which was started early, looks like being successful, and that is the conducting of the local weekly journal (the Mexborough and Swinton Times) by a company. The newspaper and printing and stationery business et cetera is offered for £8,500.