Mexborough and Swinton Times December 6, 1929
Mr. William Hague.
Oldest Manvers Main Official
50 Years Service
The other day the directors hold the Manvers Main Collieries Ltd presented today commercial manager, Mr William Hague, of Swinton House Swinton, a handsome gold cigarette case inscribed with signatures of all the directors, to mark the completion of 50 years’ service with the company.
The subscribing directors were; Messrs G.C.H. Davey, V. H. Philipson, H. R. Murray-Philipson, Fred Hunter, K. S. Hunter, and Arthur T. Thomson.
Mr. Hague was born in Swinton at Racecourse House, son of the late Mr. John Hague. He entered the service of the Manvers Main Colliery Company as a junior clerk and from the first exhibited a talent and industry which marked him out for rapid and sure promotion. In 1893 he was appointed assistant sales manager, and five years later became commercial manager, a position which he still holds.
For 30 years his name has been a household word in the commerce of coal-mining in the north of England, and he has won respect and esteem in important industrial circles for his business acumen and high standard of commercial integrity. During his long association with the Manvers Main Colliery he has seen great developments. He is the oldest servant of the Company. When he began to sell Manvers Main coal the output was less than a million tons a year. The output to-day is considerably more than two million tons a year. There is no doubt that he has made an important individual contribution to the prosperity of this famous colliery.
Outside the colliery Mr. Hague has a good many interests. Some 20 years ago he was absorbed in the public life of the district. For 12 years he sat as a member of the Swinton Urban District Council, and was twice chairman of that authority as well as chairman of various committees. In 1908 he was a leader on the Swinton side of the movement which culminated in the acquisition by the Mexborough and Swinton Councils of the undertaking of the Swinton and Gas Company.
He is a great friend of Mr. G. H. Roerts, on of the Labour Party members of the Coalition Government, who was Minister of Labour shortly after the war. He was nominated by the Ministry of Labour as the first chairman of the Mexborough Employment Committee when it was set up, and for some years took a deep interest in that work.
Throughout his life he has been greatly interested in every branch of sports, particularly cricket, and for many years he was president of the Swinton Cricket Club. He has also served on many committees of a social and philanthropic kind.
He held office in Swinton Parish Church for many years, and has always boon a generous supporter of the work of the church in the parish. The beautiful processional cross in the Parish Church is his gift.
Mr Hague has always been deeply interested in fine art, particularly porcelain and earthenware, and he has as fine a collection of Rockingham ware as is to be found. This collection includes pieces which came from Buckingham Palace during the reign of Edward VII and he has the only piece in existence which depicts the Rockingham Pottery in operation. Other curiosities of special value in his collection included a table used by Napoleon, and an ink stand which has been used only by George V. He has collected China and earthenware in every country in Europe.
Naturally generous and genial, Mr Hague has also collected a great many friends and all join in congratulating him on attaining some notable anniversary into outstanding a career.