South Yorkshire Times November 1, 1919
Manvers Main Heroes.
Another Gallant Soldier Honoured.
At the Don Hotel, Swinton, on Monday , night, ex-Sergeant Francis, Hoyle, of Main Street, Mexboro’, was presented with a gold watch by the directors and workmen of the Manvers Main Colliery in recognition of his having been awarded the Belgian Medaille Militaire.
Sergt Hoyle enlisted in the West Riding R.H.A., in June 1915 and went to France with the 21st division in May 1916.
Mr. A. A. Nicklin presided, supported by Coun. W. H. Hughes., J.P., and Mr. J. Vaughan, secretary of the Manvers Main No. 1 Branch Y.M.A., who made the presentation.
The Chairman said that throughout the war management and workmen at Manvers Main had done everything in their power to relieve war, distress of persons connected with the colliery. They had also taken it upon themselves to recognise everyone of their workmen who had gained distinction in the field. Up to that night they had presented forty watches for gallantry.
It was a splendid record, though what he would have liked would have been to recognise in some similar way all the lads who had returned; they were all heroes and all deserved to be treated as such, but they would realise that there were limits to the amount of money at the disposal of the committee.
Mr. J. Vaughan. apologised for the absence of Mr. A. T. Thomson, the colliery manager. They were proud to do honour to Sergt. Hoyle, who had brought honour to them. All their lads had done-well, and they who had stayed at home owed them a debt of gratitude they could never repay.
At the beginning of the war Manvers Main and Barnburgh Main undertook to establish a Fund with the object of augmenting Government allowances to the dependents of their men who were serving. In August, 1914 they had one or two stoppages from their wages, and payments were made to the dependents in various districts. In October, 1914, a joint committee of the management and the workmen was formed, and an arrangement made whereby the management should contribute to the fund. From the commencement the scheme worked well and smoothly, and for five years the administration of the fund was.-continued on those lines.
The total amount contributed by the workmen to the Fund -during the war was about £20,500, and the Company, had contributed about £18„000. Those figures, he thought, spoke volumes for the monetary sacrifices the Company and the workmen had made. During that time they had been also contributing to the Yorkshire Mine Workers’ Ambulance Convoy, to Dr. Barnado’s Homes, and had purchased an invalid tri-cycle, and a spinal carriage for two workmen who had been severely injured.
Referring to the presentation, he said it was quite probable that that was the last watch they would be called upon to present. He was not hoping it would be; he heard with deep ride of the bravery of any of their lads and he would like to think that there were still additions to be made to the list of those who had gained distinctions.
There had gone from the colliery into the Forces between 1400 and 1500 men. Of that splendid number no fewer than 250 had laid down their lives. Nearly 900 had returned to work, and had been found suitable employment. In connection with the return of these men a joint committee of the management and workmen had been formed with the object of finding suitable employment for every one of their men.
This committee did a splendid work as it assured a man suffering from disability, of being considerately treated instead of, as in many cases, being compelled to live on charity or apply to the Poor Law authorities. It was shameful that charity should ever be connected with these men, and, it was also not quite right that it should be necessary for their own workmen to support them. Not that the workmen had the slightest disinclination to do so, but it was the duty of the State.
He would like to assure every one of their soldier workmen that every one of them whose earning power, as a result of the war had been reduced, would receive their sympathy and support.
At the present time the Fund was dealing every week with about seventy dependants 25 o whom were widows The Form must be well look shortly, but he would like to use words that all the workmen were determined that no injustice will be done to anyone so far as it lay in their power to prevent it.