Coal Riots of around 1893

[Guest Old Canny Street Kid]

I would be interested to learn something about the coal riots of around 1893, especially those that were connected with the Newton Chambers Collieries in the Chapeltown/High Green area. I especially wonder if the events led to a lot of miners leaving the district and having to move to other pits.

[dunsbyowl1867]

I would be interested to learn something about the coal riots of around 1893, especially those that were connected with the Newton Chambers Collieries in the Chapeltown/High Green area. I especially wonder if the events led to a lot of miners leaving the district and having to move to other pits.

Hi OCSK - I recently read a biography of and posted some notes on here about Samuel Pimsoll of Plimsoll Line fame - there was a fair bit in there about N&C (as he married into the family) though these troubles seemto be earlier.

http://www.sheffieldhistory.co.uk/forums/i...amp;hl=plimsoll

There is also some interesting information on miners strikes in the book 'Black Diamonds' about the Fitzwilliams (well worth a read) which isn't that far away.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Black-Diamonds-Gre...y/dp/0670915424

[HughW]

From the Sheffield Local Register:

[the owners were proposing to reduce wages by 25%]

28 Aug 1893

Rioting at Holbrook Colliery, Killamarsh. belonging to

Messrs. Wells, Limited : Police and workmen stoned.

29 Aug 1893

The coal riots: Further disturbances at Killamarsh;

serious attacks on the police and damage to property.

30 Aug 1893

The coal riots : Disturbances at Bolsover Collieries ; non-

unionists threatened.

31 Aug 1893

The coal riots: Disturbances at Messrs. Wells' Hornthorpe

Colliery, near Eckington; loaded wagons set loose on a

siding; narrow escape of an excursion train in consequence of

their running on to the main line ; more disturbances at the

Bolsover Collieries; the "red flag" hoisted.

4 Sep 1893

The coal riots: Disturbances at Manvers Main, Wath ;

property damaged and officials injured. The colliery of the

Butterley Company, Nottinghamshire, wrecked. A public

house at Barnsley sacked. Bands of marauders roam the colliery

districts.

5 Sep 1893

The coal riots : The Rockingham Colliery, belonging to

Messrs. Newton, Chambers, and Co., wrecked. At the Hoyland

Silkstone Colliery property is damaged and workers are

injured. Riotous scenes at collieries in the Erewash Valley;

military brought from Sheffield and York. Men employed by

the Nunnery Colliery Company stop the delivery of coal from

Durham.

6 Sep 1893

The coal riots : Wath Main Colliery wrecked and offices

fired. Attack on Earl Fitzwilliam's Elsecar Colliery' premises

fired. Exciting scenes at the coal depots in Sheffield. Disturbances

in the Erewash Valley, dragoons patrol the district.

7 Sep 1893

The coal riots : Tumultuous scenes at Broughton Lane ;

police routed ; military called out. The Ackton Hall Collieries,

near Pontefract, belonging to Lord Masham, wrecked; Riot

Act read ; soldiers fire on the mob ; three men killed and many

injured. At the inquest on the 13th a verdict is returned

that the deceased were shot by the military. (See Oct. 2.)

20 Sep 1893

Riots at Wath Main Colliery. Several men committed for

trial. At Leeds Assizes, December 12, fourteen men are

acquitted, and seven are sentenced to terms of imprisonment

varying from one month to 15 months.

Hugh

[RichardB]

Hey, Hugh, any news about influenza in April-July 1893 ?

Cheers

Titch

Due in Sheffield Nov 18th-19th.

[HughW]

Not a word, unlike the 1891 outbreak when, as you know, the papers, and the Local Register (and Hansard) were full of it.

Hugh

(Aaaaaaatishoo)

[Guest Nimrod]

Riots occurred at the Newton Chambers [Thorncliffe] Pits because the owners had brought in Scottish miners and sacked/locked out the striking miners. One riot occured at Westwood Rows where the Scots were housed. This was known as The Westwood riots. Soldiers were deployed for weeks afterwards and they were billeted in what became the 'old Lane End Working Mens Club'.

[RichardB]

Additional ...

1893

July 27th, Sep 6th, 10th, 29th, 30th (3 pages), Oct 15th, Dec 15th

1894

Jan 1894

[SteveHB]

From the Sheffield Local Register:

31 Aug 1893

The coal riots: Disturbances at Messrs. Wells' Hornthorpe

Colliery, near Eckington; loaded wagons set loose on a

siding; narrow escape of an excursion train in consequence of

their running on to the main line ; more disturbances at the

Bolsover Collieries; the "red flag" hoisted.

Hornthorpe Colliery.

Was around here .. Flash Earth

[vox]

From Oldminer.co.uk Includes some photos of the site as it is now.

Hornesthorpe's Colliery

Shaft 633 feet deep into the Silkstone seam. Worked Silkstone or Blackshale seam at a thickness of 4 feet 10 inches, may also have worked the Blackshale Ironstone. Produced coal for the domestic market and for gas production.

Colliery owned and operated by J. &.G. Wells throughout its life.

Colliery operating in 1880, 1896, 1908, 1918. Closed in the period between wars, exact date unknown.

Employed some 440 men below ground and 96 men above ground.

December 28th 1889

Pay Advance

It was announced last Thursday to screenmen, labourers and others employed on the surface at the Holbrook, Hornthorpe and Renishaw Park collieries that an advance in wages of 3 pence per day would be given all round to the men and 2 pence per day to the boys under 16 years of age. There has been no agitation or meetings held by the top men in connection with these collieries and the above was received by general satisfaction. A similar advence was given on the 1st July last year.

February 4th 1888

Stealing coal at Eckington.

Joseph Marples and William Bowers two Eckington boys were summoned for stealing about three stones of coal belonging to Messrs: J. & G. Wells colliery owners. P.C. Holmes of Eckington said he saw the defendants at Hornsthorpe Colliery on 18th inst. and they had the coal in their possession. The defendants were fined 7/6 or in default 7 days imprisonment.

[madannie77]

From Oldminer.co.uk Includes some photos of the site as it is now.

Hornesthorpe's Colliery

Shaft 633 feet deep into the Silkstone seam. Worked Silkstone or Blackshale seam at a thickness of 4 feet 10 inches, may also have worked the Blackshale Ironstone. Produced coal for the domestic market and for gas production.

Colliery owned and operated by J. &.G. Wells throughout its life.

Colliery operating in 1880, 1896, 1908, 1918. Closed in the period between wars, exact date unknown.

Employed some 440 men below ground and 96 men above ground.

Closed in April 1921 according to North Derbyshire Collieries by A N Bridgwater - Hornthorpe/Hornesthorpe is on pages 87 & 88. This reference has all the info posted above plus a bit extra about the closure, so it states closure date unknown and then gives a year of closure a few lines further on.