Mexborough and Swinton Times February 6, 1909

Coal Mining Operations at Mexboro’.

This heading does not signify that a new pit is being sunk in Mexboro’, but has reference to proceedings which have been witnessed for some time at the west end of the town. The scene of operations is the ground contiguous to the disused brick pipe works.

At the time of writing there are quite fifty men, women, and children on the spot, and the number is double that if those who are coming and going are in-eluded. It appears that whilst playing about the lower part of the old workings some children came across pieces of coal. These they took to their homes in the neighbourhood of the Brickyard, with the result that their parents’ curiosity was aroused. A search resulted in the discovery of more coal. As a consequence of gossip, inhabitants from other parts of the town got to know of the “find,” and to-day there is quite a lively scene of men with picks and shovels, and women and children with buckets, barrows, and bags, with which to secure the “black diamond.” The coal varies in, quality, and there is probably none that the well-to-do householder would care to bother with.

The writer had some brought to his house, and his wife found there was no “life in it. But the mineral is by no means all of this poor quality, and women, whose husbands are out of work, are grateful for the opportunity of obtaining a supply of fuel like this for nothing but the trouble of carrying it away. No one apparently interferes with the workers, and the “event” is naturally regarded with extraordinary interest.

To find coal without first sinking a shaft is almost unheard of though we remember the mineral to have been found years ago in this way at West Melton and ‘Greasbro’. The depth of the old workings where these daily and nightly scenes occur in Mexboro’ is quite a hundred feet from the highway. The workings have been humorously denominated “Poor Home Colliery,” and the managers and officials are self-appointed.

In conversation yesterday with one of the workers, our representative was boldly told: “Oh, it’s fine coal; the Barnsley bed; two feet thick. It only wants a bit of top dirt scraping- off, .and you come across big lumps. It’s the same as chaps used to get in the ’93 strike.

Several of the Manvers pony-drivers who are out of work this week are on the job.” And with a merry laugh, the informant went down the embankment to join the active workers.