Mexborough & Swinton Times – Saturday 15 February 1941

Wath Main Colliery Staff’s Annual Dinner

Mr. M. C. Martyn, General Manager of Wath Main Colliery, presided at the colliery staff’s annual dinner at the Danum Hotel, Doncaster, on Saturday. Others present included Mr. T. C. Nicholson and Mr. G. R. Shaw, directors, Mr. H. G. Cauwood. General Manager of the Mid-Yorkshire Coal Sales Association, and Mr. Alwyne Fairhurst, Manager of the colliery.

In his address to the staff, Mr. Martyn asked to be allowed to digress for a few moments to say a few words on a very vital question, that of scrap. ” We all know,” said Mr. Martyn. ” that metal is going to win this war, and I ask you all here that wherever and whatever you can do to get scrap together do it, and by so doing you will be rendering your country a great service.”

A break was made during the entertainment to make a presentation to Mr. G. R. Shaw of a framed photograph of the Wath Main Colliery in 1893. This was the year of the great strike and the picture shows damage done by the rioters to the colliery premises. Among the officials on the photograph is Mr. Shaw’s father, who, at the time was the general manager.

Another interesting item was the presentation by Mr. Martyn on behalf of the underground staff of a cheque to Mr. Charles Pearson, who recently retired, having held an official position at the colliery for 25 years.

The programme was contributed to by members of the staff. Soloists were Mr. J. Haley. Mr. A. Barnes, Mr. H. Hoyle and Mr. J. Redgate. Mr. F. Green and Mr. Harold Cheetham gave a duet and Messrs. F. Green. H. Cheetham, L. Hindley and J. Hough a quartet, accompanied by Mr. N. R. Stonehouse.

A vote of thanks was moved to the organisers by Mr. W. W. Hartshorne, seconded by Mr. T. W. Wood.