The workingman's advocate., 1874-12-05
New Offices Of the South Yorkshire
Miners Association.

Monday week was an important day in
the history Of the South lOrksh shire Mi
ners ASS ,ciation, the occasion being the
opening Of handsome pile Of buildings
on the outskirts Of Barnsley, to be used
for offices, meeting hall, aud residences for
the secretaries, Messrs. Normansell and
Casey. Dir Mundella, NJ r., and Mr..
Plms" NJ r., were expected to be pres
ent, but sent telegrsms that they could not
possibly attend. The building, which il
one Of the handsomest i'll BarnslCy, stand
ing at the junction Of two roads, and sur
rounded by villas, is Of modern Italian ar
chltectnre, and has been erected at cost
Of between E6, 900 and $1,000. A meet
ing was held in the assembly room of the
building, which was furnished with padded
seats and back, and easy chairs, whist on
the walls were some very handsome oil
paintings, including one of Sir II. Davy,
the inventor Of the safety lamp. Amongst
the gentlemen present were Mr.. w. H.
Peacock, town clerk Of Barnsley Mr..
Holmes, Methley MIR. W. Pickard, Wi
gan MIR. L. Halliday, president Of the
AmslgaInated Society of Miners Mr.. r.
Haywood, Guardian Of the Poor Mr..
Lloyd Jones, London Mr.. r. Pease
Barnsley Mr.. j. Lawrance, Councillor
LIngard, together with the architects, and
l02 delegates, representing upwards Of
%, 600 Of the miners Of South Yorkshire
and North Derbyshire. Mr.. d. Moulson,
president uf the Association, presided
and after a tew remarks, called upon Mr.
Normansell to address the meeting.
MIR. Nurmansell stated that he had great
pleasure IN welcoming the representatives
Of the miners tu their own hall. He de-
clared the building open for the purposes
ii the association, and believed 1t would
be- looked upon as something worthy uf
them by their children in after times
Mr.. r. Casey. one Of the secretaries If
the Association, also addressed the meet
ing, and said the building Was one in
which all their business could be comiOrt-
ably transacted. That businsan -xam ina
creasing, for they had been Investing their
money IN a cplnery in Derbyshire, which
would be for the benefit Of not only IT
the members. bur of others also, So that
ia the future they would be able to d.
without strikes and lock orts He alluded
t. thc strikes IN West Yorkshire and Ian
cashire, which he deeply regretted. as
he considered that sach things we're an
called Tor.
MIR. W. Pickard. If Wigan, alluded TO
the strike IN his own district. There we're
some lJu men engaged in a dcathly
struggle with capital, much against his
own desires. At the present time he stood
at a great discount with his men because
he wished them to accept great reduc-
tIOn but passion was sometimes acted
upon more than reason. The south York
shire miI ers' leaders had been the piun-
GERS of many advantages which the body
generally were now III possession of. They
had worked and fought for the weighing
clause and other things until they had be-
come the law Of the land On behalf Of
those he was connected with he had sacri-
feed $500 Of his own money, and had
gwen up situation after situation but the
men, guided by passion, had not followed
out such a course as those in South York
shire had done. They had not that com
mercial thought and consideration which
they ought to have. They were told to
accept reduction Of 10 per cent, and then
try and get it back again.
Mr.. 7. Halliday also addressed the
meeting, and expressed the pleasing sur
prise he had experienced in seeing the
building for the first time 1t was an ex-
ample that might well and advantageously
be copied by other mining associations in
the kingdom. The room they were in
was well calculated to have within it geo
logical specimens, and also for giving lee
lures for mining.
Mr.. Lloyd Jones spoke on the question
of capital and labor, which he said were
never intended to BE- placed in hostility,
nor was it intended that workmen should
he drilled and disciplined to oppose their
employers. The workmen could not flour
ish and prosper unless they had true
sense Of their own duties, the rights Of
capital, and their own rights also.
Mr.. Haywood. Poor law Guardian. said
the South Yorkshire Miners Association
had done good thing by making provis-
ion for the widows and orphans uf the
members Of the Association, and 50 max
Ing them independent of the Union.
Mr.. John Holmes, Methley, contrasted
the Barnsley Of old with tie present town
The South Yorkshire Association had made
itself a name He recOllected when To-
900 OF the miners walked in process sion to
Sheffield, and that the shopkeepers pre-
pared to close their shops, expecting a
riot but they were stunned the next day
in finding there was not a single case in
the police Office. He spoke in favor of ar
bitratIon, and alluded to West Yorkshire,
where the men were losing 81 900 per day
themselves, because they would not ac-
cept arbitration. They knew they must
accept it yet.
After some remarks by Messrs. Norman
sell and Casey, who proposed a vote Of
thanks to the visitors, the proceedings
terminated.
AT later hour large party ~ Wis
itors and delegates sat down TO dinner at
the Royal Hotel and the Coach and Horses
Hotel English Paper, Nor. IA