Home Industry and Commerce Strikes Thrybergh Dispute – Important Conference – No settlement

Thrybergh Dispute – Important Conference – No settlement

April 1907

Sheffield Evening Telegraph April 9, 1907

Thrybergh Dispute
Important Conference
Ballot of the Men
No settlement

Our Mexborough representative visited Kilnhurst this morning, and found a general reticence with regard to the actual position of affairs at Thrybergh Hall colliery. The statement that a settlement had been arrived at whereby the colliery company promised to re-engage as far as possible the old hands who had stood out in the three year struggle, was neither confirmed nor denied.

A leading local official said this morning that there was no statement for the Press, and that the announcement of the settlement was premature.

But that there is “something in the air ” is apparent by the stir at Kilnhurst, the keenest interest being taken in the development of events.

Officials of the Barnsley Miner’s Association, Mrs H Smith (president), Mr J Hoskins (treasurer) and Mr J Dixon (financial secretary) visited the village earlier this morning and engaged in a private conference with local leaders, previously to holding a general meeting of the affected miners in the large Band Room, a meeting which was expected to have an important bearing on the decision to be arrived at.

The hope is generally expressed at the recent re approachment of the colliery proprietors and officials at Barnsley resulted in mutual arrangements likely to prove acceptable to the two or 300 old hands, who are for so long a period remained idle.

As is well known, work at the Thrybergh Hall and Warren Vale College was resumed early last year, a large number of new hands being imported from elsewhere. For the last few weeks, however, Warren Vale has been suspended owing to a breakdown of the fan, and for the present the Warren Vale hands are working in the Thrybergh Hall Colliery.

Last night, it appears, a lively scene took place at Kilnhurst, the wife of one of the new hands being the subject of hostile demonstration, in which children played the greater part.

In conversation with two or three of the old strikers, our representative gathered that there still existed a strong feeling in the village against going back on the terms offered by Messrs Charlesworth at the origin of the struggle, viz 11s 8d with with riddles out and 13s 4d with riddles in.

All were agreed hours that it would be a good thing if a definite and amicable settlement could be arrived at.