From coal to community: the remarkable rise of Thurcroft Colliery

THURCROFT Colliery — which hit coal in January 1913 — was so modern that it had no need for underground pit ponies.

Brand new machinery used compressed air, and all the required electricity and steam was generated on the premises.

And the growth of the pit — which already had 1,500 workers within a decade — gave birth to the village itself.

It was commonplace for coal to cause the swift development of communities. Populations would spring up in surprising places simply because of rich, underground seams.

But Thurcroft was among the most acute examples.

Prior to the sinking of the pit, there was no such village. There was Thurcroft Hall and two farmsteads, but they were included in the nearby ancient parish of Laughton-en-le-Morthen.

Thurcroft does not appear in the Domesday Book and John Guest’s Historic Notices of Rotherham in 1879 includes very little other than a reference to “Colonel Beckwith, of Thurcroft Hall, who took command of the troops during the dreadful Bristol riots, and restored order to the town after Colonel Brereton had failed to curb the rioters”.

There was little by the way of antiquity to Thurcroft — no venerable church, no milestones.

The current grade II*-listed hall — built in 1699 a mile north-west of Laughton’s church — became the colliery official’s residence. Its grounds of several hundred acres had been acquired for the pit.

It was the colliery — and that alone — which has made Thurcroft, the Advertiser proclaimed in a snapshot of the village in 1923.

Fourteen years earlier Rother Vale Collieries Ltd had purchased the land with a view to discovering the seam which was supposed to exist beneath.

About three years later, coal was reached, marking yet another big step forward for South Yorkshire’s rich coalfield.

Sinking operations started in September 1909 and it was anticipated that the Barnsley seam would be reached by early 1912.

No expense was spared — but a large fault was discovered which had meant the coal was not exactly where it was expected to be.

In the last week of January 1913, the efforts finally met with success 700 yards down.

The coal was found to be of good quality, so chimney stacks and pithead gear were soon erected and the peaceful retreat became a busy little place.

Work had barely got up to speed when the First World War occurred, but from 1918 Thurcroft Colliery was back to being worked six days a week.

Housing was designed by Rotherham architect James Knight, whose distinguished career saw him create plans for Clifton Park’s war memorial, Kimberworth School, East Dene Primary, St Peter’s Church in Thrybergh, St Mary’s Church in Catcliffe, the Tivoli cinema on Masbrough Street, plus Habershon House at Filey.

The Advertiser of 1923 praised Thurcroft residents for keeping their homes looking neat, with “tasteful window dressing” and frequent washing of doorsteps. The rural district council was praised for keeping the streets clean.

“The authority is helped in this direction by the inhabitants themselves who possess high ideals of cleanliness, a tribute which cannot be paid to every mining community,” the paper said.

“At weekends one does not witness the drunken brawls for which some colliery villages are notorious but this is perhaps explained by the fact that the drinking facilities are very limited.

“An institute and a beer off licence are the only sources of supply but an application is to be made at the Rotherham West Riding Brewster Sessions for a full-licence.

“Whether this will be successful is doubtful but with the influx of population which must inevitably come, the necessity for a good hotel for the sale of food as well as drink will arise.”

The alehouses may have been lacking but new shops were being opened. Houses continued to be built but overcrowding was an issue — and some pit workers were travelling in from places such as Anston, Rotherham and Worksop.

The temporary council school was incapable of accommodating all the youngsters comfortably, so plans were drawn up for a proper village school.

“The spiritual needs of the people have not been neglected,” the Advertiser said, “as both the Church of England and the Wesleyans have temporary buildings, but the need for permanent structures is being felt.

“Well-equipped though Thurcroft is in village amenities it has one great drawback, the lack of up-to-date travelling facilities.

“It is not yet such a self-contained place as to be absolutely independent and it has to go outside its bounds for many requirements.

“Motor buses run into the village from Rotherham but the question of railway passenger facilities is becoming a problem.

“The South Yorkshire Joint Line Committee have a station at Dinnington, but there are only two passenger trains a day, which are totally inadequate.”

The West Riding County Council — recognising the importance of the place — formally created the township of Thurcroft by amalgamating Laughton and Brampton on April 1, 1923.

Aside from the colliery, what else was going on?

WHAT else was happening in Thurcroft in early 1923?

The local welfare scheme had been approved and a public hall was set to cost £4,000 on a site given by the colliery company at the corner of Katherine Street and Green Arbour Lane. Architect James Knight was drawing up plans.

There was disappointment at the slow progress of providing schools — the £10,000 project was being held up by difficulties between Rotherham Rural District Council and the West Riding County Council over the creation of School Road.

Extensions and repairs were being made to the Thurcroft Colliery Institute, with the billiard room being expanded to accommodate an extra two tables. It was the second time the institute had been enlarged in just a few years.

The colliery company was renovating the building’s band room as membership was steadily rising. Sixteen extra uniforms arrived in January from Messrs Hobsons, London, as the number in the band rose to 46.

Also being extended and repaired was the bowling green which, it was hoped, would have the best lawns in the district by summer. A whist drive and dance had been held to fund new bowls.

Thurcroft Workingmen’s Sick and Dividing Club had 153 members — a 90 per cent increase on the previous year. It cost 1s to join and a contribution of 1s a week was required. Sick pay was 16s per week for the first ten weeks, dropping to 8s for the following five weeks. Death allowances were £6 for a member and £3 for wives.

Bus services between Thurcroft and Rotherham were the subject of criticism. The first departure from Thurcroft was 8.15am, while Wickersley, Bramley and Maltby were served by earlier services which allowed them to link with the 8am electric car from Stag to Rotherham.

Residents on the Sawn Moor estate were unhappy at the postal arrangements. They had only a morning delivery — while other parts of Thurcroft had two — so letters could end up stuck at the post office from noon on Saturday until Monday morning.

There was big demand for the Sawn Moor council housing. When two properties became vacant in January, there were 78 applications — giving the house agent a difficult task to select who would live there.

The Advertiser said at the time: “While these conditions prevail, he would, indeed, be a Solomon who could give satisfaction, and it is hoped the district council and others will now recognise the urgency of the need to provide houses in this rapidly developing locality.

“In addition to these, there are hundreds on the waiting lists for colliery houses, and the question of housing accommodation is certainly becoming very acute.”

The road out to Maltby was closed for extensive widening, a project which had brought more jobs to the area.

Thurcroft’s branch of the Yorkshire Miners’ Association had nominated county councillor J Jones for general treasurer, filling a vacancy created by John Potts’ election as MP for Barnsley.

Thurcroft Colliery’s football ground was all set for alterations in time for the cricket season. It was to be used by Thurcroft Village Cricket Club, which was competing in the Wales and District League, having won the title in 1922.

January 26 saw a lamb born on Mr C Sheppard’s Green Arbour Farm. It was believed to be the earliest in the district, which had happened there the previous year, too.

And all arrangements were made for six chemical fire extinguishers to be fitted in wooden cases on Green Arbour Road.