Sheffield Independent – Friday 19 May 1893

Mining Operations in the Don Valley
Easterly Extensions

The development of the South Yorkshire coalfield in an easterly direction has been most marked during recent years, and the proposed new railways through the district will speedily result in the further opening out of the coalfield in various directions around Mexbro’. It will give some idea as to the rapid strides which have been made when it is stated that whereas, half a century ago, the population of Mexbro’ was only 1300, in 1870 it had advanced to 5000, six years afterwards it was 6000, in 1891 the total was 7077, and to-day it is about 8000. But the surrounding population at Denaby, Conisbro’, Swinton, Kilnhurst, and Wath is so dense that, within a radius of three miles, the miners, ironworkers, glassblowers, potters, etc., number fully 30,000.

It is hardly creditable that less than 40 years ago Mexbro’ was known only as “a village, noted for its potteries and quarries.” Houses were then situated wide apart, and agriculture was chiefly carried on. A locality in the township styled the Common, now almost crowded with cottages, was at that time a famous rendezvous for Primitive Methodist camp meetings; people came in thousands from many miles around to listen to Hugh Bourne, one of the founders of the Connexion, and other religious enthusiasts, and this scene seems why the section of Mexbro’ is so conspicuous at the present day.

Mexbro’ is also a spot of some note in the early history of the county. At Wath is what is called the Ings, said to have witnessed a sanguinary encounter between Aurelius Ambrosius and the Saxon Hengist. Hengist was compelled (so says tradition) to flee to his stronghold at Conisbro’ (Caer Conis), two years after (489) he was slain and buried near Brodsworth. But these matters belong to the dim and distant past. What the inhabitants are mostly interested in is the prosperity of the various commercial undertakings in the locality.

Mexbro’ received a great impetus when sinking of a colliery shaft at Levett, about 20 years ago, and the district is now being additionally prosperous by the opening of the Hickleton Colliery and the Cudworth Colliery, and by the new South Yorkshire Junction Railway, which runs from Denaby and Cadeby, via Sprotbro’ and Brodsworth, to Wombwell, on the Hull and Barnsley line. The colliery operations at Hickleton Main (described in these columns some months ago) are also resulting in a rapid development of the population at Bolton-on-Dearne, Thurnscoe, and contiguous villages.

At present the work of sinking a shaft is much retarded by reason of the number of springs that are tapped, but although the depth of the shaft yet only about 600 yards, powerful mechanical appliances have been introduced, and the water will be fully able to be coped with until the requisite depth is reached.

As a natural result of the commercial activity in the Mexbro’ portion of the Don Valley, there is very considerable railway traffic, and Mexbro’ is looked upon as one of the most important junctions on the South Yorkshire line. The railway station was near the ferry formerly, and at that time only three passenger trains stopped on the single line. It was removed in 1857 to the junction of Mexbro’ and Swinton, when there were eight “up” and six “down” trains daily. About this time the public were first being attracted to the neighbourhood, and it was found necessary, in 1871, to open a new station in the centre of the town.

Now, as near as 50 passenger trains to and from Sheffield, Rotherham, Barnsley, Doncaster, and beyond stop daily, without taking into account the enormous coal traffic from the Barnsley and Sheffield districts to Grimsby for shipment. Purpose, it will be readily conceived that the Mexbro’ district has become a veritable hive of industry, and that in the near future mining and manufacturing is likely to become much more in vogue.

When works are going at full employment money is plentiful and freely spent; but at present, while so much gloom for the coal trade, the depression is keenly felt in this district. The works are now working three or four days per week, and this was the case weeks ago.

At present the greatest prosperity is undoubtedly at the east of Mexbro’ in connection with the Denaby Main and Cadeby collieries. It is said that there are few pits in Yorkshire where better feeling prevails between masters and men than at Denaby Main—the scene of so many strikes, and which culminated in wholesale evictions under the eyes of Captain Linsell and a posse of police—and the fact that the known and respected officials of the Yorkshire Miners’ Association are most actively and indefatigably engaged in the endeavour to promote a variety of colliery disputes in the county.

Conisbro’ greatly benefits by the colliery extension and the opening out of a new railway, and notwithstanding the hundreds of new houses erected of late, it is found most needful to carry on building operations for the convenience of the working classes (from an economic point of view in the best part of the town).

But Conisbro’ labouring under the disadvantage of not possessing a local governing body, being under the direction of the Rural Sanitary Authority, and it is strongly felt that this kind of regulation cannot last much longer. What has long been urged by the local authority at Mexbro’ is that there should be an amalgamation scheme, which would be for the mutual benefit of each of the contiguous populations, and, in all probability, this may shortly be consummated.