Mexborough and Swinton Times September 13, 1947
Former Pitboys as Managers
Men Who Made the Grade
Barnburgh, Manvers and Wath Promotions
Three former pitboys, now colliery executhes are named this week in three new appointments at Barnburgh, Wath and Manvers Main Collieries. The appointments are subject to confirmation by the North-Eastern Divisional Coal Board.
Mr Alwyne Fairhurst, manager at Wath Main for the past nine years, succeeds Mr E E Grant, as manager at Barnburgh; Mr Albert A Mangham, undermanager of Manvers Main No. 3 Pit (Parkgate and Silkstone seams), is manager at Wath; and Mr Ronald Mansbrldge, assistant undermanager of Manvers Main No. 3 Pit (Parkgate and Silk-stone seams) takes Mr Mangham’s place at Manvers.
Mr Grant, as already reported in the “South Yorkshire Times,’ has taken an appointment abroad.
The appointment of a new manager at Cadeby Main Colliery, Conisbrough, in succession to Mr John R. Jenkins, killed last month while mountaineering in the Italian Alps, is pending. At present Mr J Hall is acting manager.
Mr. A. Fairhurst
Mr. Aiwyne Fairhurst (picture) has been at Wath Main 26 years. He worked his way up from a wagon shop hand to the position of manager.
He was educated at Wath and on leaving school went to Wath Main Colliery in the wagon shop. After 18 months of this work he went underground and was promoted deputy and then overman.
He was appointed manager in September, 1938. He was for some time a teacher on mining subjects at Park Road Evening Institute, Wath.
He was also associated with the Savile Trust Nursing Association.
Mr Fairhurst has taken an active part in the social and sporting life of Wath Main
Mr. A. A. Mangham
Mr. Albert Mangham, “Oakleigh-Fitzwiliiam Street, Wath, now 38. becomes manager of the colliery where, at 14, he began his colliery career as a pitboy. A native of Wath, Mr. Mangham remained at Wath Main 21 years and then moved to Manvers Main, where he has remained until this new appointment. At Manvers Main he has had a thorough practical experience in all spheres of colliery life—as collier, shot firer, deputy, overman, assistant undermanager and, for the past 2 ½ years, undermanager.
He was a day deputy in the Parkgate and Melton Field Seams, night overman in the Melton Field seam, day overman and assistant under-manager in the Haigh Moor seam and undermanager of the Park gate and Silkstone seams. He obtained his manager’s certificate in 1937, a year after he had been appointed a deputy.
Mr. Mangham, who was educated at Wath Park Road School and Mexborough Schofield Technical College, was for 10 years a member of Manvers Main Miners’ Rescue Team and had experience of mine fires at Houghton Main. Mitchell Main and Barnburgh Main Collieries.
Mr. Mangham is married and has two children.
Mr R Mansbridge
Mr Ronald Mansbridge,(picture) 55, Berman Road, Wath, new under manager at Manvers Main Colliery, a had been assistant under manager at member since January first-class, when the National Coal Board took over.
He started work at Manvers as a boy of 13, 30 years ago, has had experience of all grades of Pit work. In 1935 was made a deputy, and worked in that capacity until promoted assistant under manager at the beginning of this year.
Mr Mansbridge is a native of Wath, and was educated at Victoria School. While working at the pit as a boy, he went to, evening classes at Mexborough Schofield Technical college to study engineering and mining, and from 1940 to 1944 taught engineering and mining at evening School classes at Wath Victoria School.