Chiefly agricultural

While Wath was chiefly an agricultural centre, mining had been in evidence at the Newhill and West Melton Pits, and here a brisk business was done, the seams generally worked being the Abdy and the Melton Fields seams. These pits found employment for a number of men about and in the pits, and Coal Carter’s were kept busy loading the coal to one or other of the Staithes at  “Parr” Yard or Wet Moor, where it was tipped into barges and conveyed to its destination on the waterway, the Sheffield and South Yorkshire Navigation Canal. This was the principal means of transit, and the waterways were generally crowded with boats. Household coal could then be had for 5s 6d (27½ p) a ton or 7s 6d delivered!

In the meantime several of the older industries which had been in existence for many years, ceased to function. These were hat and bonnet making, basket making, the fellmongers yards, rope walks, the cotton bobbing factory and tallow chandling. This latter industry was carried out the late Mr Thomas Clarke for many years, and was productive of tallow candles, which were used in the Newhill and West Melton Pits as the only illuminant by which to work the coal, these pits being not considered of a fiery nature. These were also using the homes of the rich and poor, according to the various grades.

In 1891 the population increased to 7048. The source of our water supply had hitherto been from a couple of reservoirs at Hoober, and various wells sunk on some of the older properties; the gas supply was in practically the same hands as water supply; with a growing population, and later, our local authority being endowed with much more powers than hitherto, both the water and gas undertakings were acquired by the Town.

Further school accommodation was needed, and although the Wath National School was erected to supersede the old schoolhouse mentioned above, and enlarged in 1874, the education authority still clamoured for more accommodation, and if it was not forthcoming a “School Board” was threatened. To avoid this a town’s meeting was called and a voluntary rate agreed to, with the result that the Victoria School was erected, and opened in the year 1887 – another Jubilee year. Then the Catholic schools were erected, later the Park Road schools and lastly the Wath Grammar School.

The first “heads” of the former were Mr and Mrs George Caseley; Mr and Mrs George Steer of Victoria schools. Mr I Walton is the present head of the Park Road Senior School, and Mr Thomas of the infants department.

The two hitherto flourishing flour mills – one near Gore Hill, Wath and the other in Mill Lane, Newhill – are now non-existent.

One asset to the town, however, was the construction of the L. & N.E. Railways Concentration Yard, or “The Hump,” as it was more generally known. After lengthy arbitration proceedings, the Company acquired the necessary land required, and work was commenced in November, 1905. Many years ago the Company endeavoured to obtain land for the purpose of erecting a Plant near the sidings at Wath. Then owners refused to sell, and the Plant was subsequently erected at Mexborough, while Wath got “The Hump.”