Mexborough & Swinton Times – Saturday 08 February 1941

War Weapons Week

Local Efforts

Wath Forge Ahead

Council Giving Full Support

Local Targets to Be Fixed

Wath, West Melton Brampton and Newhill have made great progress during the last two weeks in their preparations to ensure that the War Weapons Week in which they are participating will achieve success. This was evident at a meeting of Wath Executive Committee on Wednesday, when Mr. W. Jewsbury presided.

The secretary. Mr. W. L. C. Pratt, reported that Mr. A. T. Thomson had been approached regarding the formation of a Personal Contacts Committee, and was asked to co-opt the necessary members. Mr. Thomson had replied saying that he was willing to assist on such a committee but would not take the responsibility of completely organising it. Messrs. H. Strutt, H. Swanwick and J. Cooper volunteered to form part of a Personal Contacts Committee to cover the Brampton area. The co-optation of other members was left until the next meeting.

Wath Urban Council, who had been left to organise the inaugural parade, opening ceremony and speakers, suggested that the opening ceremony should be held in the Council Chamber in the Town Hall and that the exhibition of postern and slogans submitted by school children should be held in the large room on the ground floor of the Town Hall, formerly used as a free library.

A report on Saturday’s meeting of the Joint Committee was given by Mr. Pratt, the secretary.

Mr. Jewsbury said that when special centres for the sale of National Savings Certificates and Stamps had been set up in other towns, buyers had still purchased them from the post offices and savings banks. If, however, shopkeepers wished to sell stamps and certificates during the War Weapons Week, application should be made to a National Savings Commissioner.

Dance Arranged.

Mr. F. Lodge and Mr. B. Haigh had been appointed joint secretaries of the Publicity Committee and Mr. Haigh presented a report of the Committee’s last meeting and the work that had been done recently. Bank House was to be used for displaying posters and selling Savings Certificates. Church House was to be used throughout the whole of the War Weapons Week for the display of war pictures. A letter had been sent to the “Yorkshire Post” asking for the loan of pictures for the week.

A dance was to be held at Brampton Welfare, for which the charge would be 2s. All patrons of this would receive 1s. 6d. worth of Savings Stamps in return and the 6d. would be kept to defray expenses. Proceeds from other dances would be invested in War Bonds for Mexborough Montagu Hospital. Posters relating to the War Weapons Week were distributed on Thursday.

A circular has been sent to all people organising activities during the War Weapons Week asking them to give prizes in the form of Savings Stamps or Certificates, and also asking them to form street groups. Four shops have been requisitioned in Wath and West Melton and these will be used for the exhibition of war trophies and war weapons.

During the War Weapons Week any customer of Edward Smith and Sons, of West Melton, will be able to purchase a Savings Certificate for 14s. 6d. Mr. Haigh expressed the hope that those who did so would also purchase 99 more at the ordinary price of 15s.

Mr. Jewsbury expressed the appreciation of the Executive Committee for the good work done by the Publicity Committee.

Mrs. Broadbent was congratulated on the formation of 43 street groups in Wath.

Coun. D. O. Shaw said Wath Urban Council had decided to put their backs into making the effort a success. If any suggestions were sent to them, they would be considered at a special meeting to be held to-day (Friday). The Council had pledged their wholehearted support.

At the next meeting a definite target will be fixed for each group and submitted to the Joint Committee. Already several sums of money had been promised by companies in the district.

It was reported at the last Joint Committee meeting that Sir Charles Mander, Vice-President of the National Savings Movement, had accepted the invitation extended to him to address a pre-campaign conference. Relating to this. Mr. J. Ritchie said that representatives of public bodies in each area should be well represented. The next meeting of the Wath Executive Committee will be held at the Grammar School on Wednesday at 7-30 p.m.

War Welfare Fund’s Support

Kilnhurst War Welfare Fund have been asked to take over arrangements in Kilnhurst for the Don and Dearne War Weapons Week, and at a meeting on Wednesday, following an address by Mr. G. Peat. Chairman of Swinton Publicity Committee, the Fund unanimously decided to give the event whole-hearted support. Mr. J. Broadbent, Chairman of the Fund, presided.

Mr. Peat said a military parade was being arranged at Swinton to include Kilnhurst, but had read that the parade would be between Swinton and Mexborough, and wondered it the same procession would go to Kilnhurst or whether it was the intention to have a separate parade at Kilnhurst, which would include the Home Guard and A.R.P. Services. The procession would start at the bottom end of Mexborough and the top end of Swinton, and would meet at a central point at the Empire Theatre, Mexborough, a formal opening ceremony would be performed.

A statement was made, however, at last week’s meeting of the Swinton Publicity Committee that Kilnhurst would like to arrange their own procession. Communication had been made with the military at Leeds for the use of tanks, with an aerodrome to see if training flights could be extended to the district and with military headquarters at York to see if a military band could be sent into the district for the week, but so far no reply had been received front any of these sources.

If a band was sent into the district it would go to Mexborough, Swinton, Kilnhurst, and possibly Wath. Conisborough had a band of their own.

Regarding the sale of stamps and certificates. Mr. Peat said the best plan was to get an empty shop or house from which they could be sold. A mobile cinema was coming into the district. Two shows could be given each day but permission would have to be obtained from the police where the cinema should be situated. Each show would last approximately half-an-hour. That could be used for one day and another day could be “Children’s Day.” Other days had been set apart as Railwaymen’s, Mineworkers’ and Tradesmen’s days.

Posters would be sent direct to Kilnhurst and competitions were to be organised among the schoolchildren, and Mr. W. P. Turner had promised to give prizes. In Mexborough and Swinton bunting would decorate the streets.

Coun. E. Vickers, secretary of the Welfare Fund, said a “Tradesmen’s Day” would be of much more use in places like Mexborough and Swinton than in Kilnhurst.

Mr Peat said working men’s clubs, the R.A.0.B., and all other associations were being circularised in, Swinton with a view to their contributing to the scheme. Mr. Peat pointed out that if a tank could be obtained there was no reason why it should not come to Kilnhurst.

Coun. Vickers said he did not think that Kilnhurst was a village with a liking for formal ceremonies. Regarding the setting apart of the different days for different organisations, Coun. Vickers said it would be difficult, because most of the members in the organisations would be working. Sunday was the only day when the Home Guard would be available.

Mr. Peat said he had the impression Kilnhurst would like to arrange a scheme itself and Coun. Vickers said undoubtedly the village would like a separate total from Swinton s. They would get a better support from the people if the totals were kept separate.

A vote of thanks to Mr. Peat was moved by Coun. Vickers, seconded by Mr. E.S. Blacker.

Optimism at Denaby

Encouraging Reports

There was an atmosphere of optimism at a meeting on Tuesday at Denaby of the local honorary group officers of the War Savings Campaign.

Mr. D. Sheldon presided over the gathering, the main purpose of which was to discuss arrangements for the War Weapons W eek. Mr. Sheldon said when they first met in the room just over twelve months ago at the beginning of the war savings campaign they had three savings groups. He was pleased to say that now through the energetic work of officials, they had 46 savings groups all doing their share. The 46 groups had a membership of 4,060 and the average amounts of savings in the last twelve months was £62,869, making an average of £4 per head saved in the urban area. Their thanks were due to the honorary officers of the groups, who were doing excellent work.

Now they were going to ask for an even greater effort to be made in the War Weapons Week. February 22nd to March 1st. There were still many people who could save who had not joined the schemes and they were to be asked not only to try and interest these people but to try and get the present members to increase their subscriptions when possible and especially during that particular period. They had joined the Don and Dearne War Weapons Week and they had set out to raise £60,000 in Conisborough and Denaby during that period in savings and investments. If the spirit which had been imparted by the officers and officials up to the present could be maintained, their object would be realised.

Mr. Sheldon concluded. “We sincerely hope that everyone in the district will make a special effort that week by subscribing all they can, however small the amount”

Mr. G. Rowbottom, Regional Commissioner for the area, spoke of the results of war weapons weeks in various centres and the results achieved by the efforts of the people of every grade of life. Rich and poor alike had all assisted. Some streets had decided to raise enough money to buy a few bullets: some had raised money for the purchase of a trench mortar or bombs. In such ways the interest had been aroused, and once that was done in any district the effort was sure of success.

Mr. Rawding gave an outline of the work of the Publicity Committee, and Mr. Sheldon, speaking of the work of the Personal Contacts Committee, said they had made a good start and were optimistic about the results.

The Schools’ Committee report was given by Mr. Proctor, of Conisborough, who said he felt sure they would meet with success because the children were next very keen and were talking quite a lot about the occasion. He asked for the support and co-operation of parents with the staffs, and said in that case the schools’ effort would be successful.

Mr. E. Dabbs, general secretary to the local War Savings Committee, said he had applied for a list of the cost of aircraft parts, which might be an incentive to some people to have an objective. Perhaps a street or a district would make themselves responsible for some particular part of the bomber. He hoped shortly to have the list for exhibition with the posters. The evening closed with a vote of thanks to all speakers and to Mr. Brocklesby, of Conisborough who at the close gave a film display.