Mexborough & Swinton Times – Friday 29 May 1931

New Playground

Hickleton Colliery Company’s Generous Gift.

Appeal to Parents.

The Hickleton Main Colliery Company has presented a fully equipped playing field for the use of children in Thurnscoe East. The ground is seven acres in extent, and is situate in Chapel Lane. Included in the amenitiesare slides, swings, a cricket pavilion and cricket pitch, paddling pool, and sufficient land for hockey and football pitches.

The only condition attached to the gift is that parents should cooperate in preventing abuse, of the facilities provided. The playing field has been prepared at the Company’s expense and has nothing to do with the Miners’ Welfare Fund or the Playing Fields Association.

Over 3000 Thurnscoe residents congregated in the field on Tuesday afternoon, when Mr. J. Minnikin  on behalf of the Colliery Company, handed over the field to the residents., Mr, O. W. Firth, headmaster of the Hill Boys’ School, presided, and there were also present Mrs. Minnikin, Dr. and Mrs. McColm, Mr. S. Hardwick (chairman, Education Sub-Committee), Coun. J. A. Yardley, Mr. Brook, Mr. J. F. Jones, and Mr. Kerrin.

Mr. Firth said that was an important day in the history of Thurnscoe and the life of Mr. Minnikin. They should be delighted at having such a splendid field given them and should be exceedingly grateful to Mr. Minnikin, for it was mainly through his efforts that the Company had decided to make such a handsome gift. “I think Mr. Minnikin is more appreciated outside Thurnscoe than inside,” added Mr. Firth, who added that previous to his coming to Thurnscoe from Penistone twelve months ago, he had beard much of Mr. Minnikin and his work.

Mr. Minnikin said it was a red-letter day in his life. Nearly two years ago a deputation from the Miners’ Welfare Committee viewed the site and reported favourably to the Urban Committee,who asked the Thurnscoe Urban Council if they were prepared to take over the field after it had been laid out and equipped. The Council for various reasons, one being that the field was not central, turned down the offer. Incidentally, £1,000 allotted by the Miners’ Welfare Committee as the sum to be spent on the field was handed over to the Montagu Hospital. “They say that it is an ill wind that blows nobody any good; this blew some good to the hospital. Last Christmas he placed the scheme before his directors, and they immediately sanctioned it and gave him the money. “Now you have got your playing field,” added Mr. Minnikin, “but it will depend on the way the field is need whether more amenities will be provided. Mr. Warde-Aldam had kindly assisted the Company by having a number of trees and shrubs planted near the fencing, but children had wantonly destroyed many of them. “I appeal to parents to stop that sort of thing.”

Mr. Minnikin pointed out that the Hickleton Main Colliery Band gave concerts in the Thurnscoe Park. “We should have concerts in this field,” he added, not necessarily on Sundays, but sometimes during the week, when residents dance and enjoy themselves, “but do not dance on the cricket pitch.”

Mr. Minnikin added that the colliery company was endeavouring to secure a similar field for use of residents at the other end of the township. Negotiations had been in progress since last August, but he was sorry to say that little progress had been made. Mr. Minnikin then strongly appealed to residents not to litter the playing field. He also issued an appeal for about twelve male residents in the neighbourhood of the field to form a committee to see that the field and its amenities were used properly. “This is not a ‘welfare’ scheme. This is a gift from the colliery company. I have been frightened to death of seeing some of our children getting run over by ‘buses when they have been playing in the streets. Now they have somewhere decent to play, and I hope they will thoroughly enjoy themselves.”

Finally, Mr. Minnikin suggested that next year they should organise a May Festival.

A hearty vote of thanks to Mr. Minnikin was proposed by Mr. Hardwick, who said that Mr. Minnikin was always ready to help those who could not help themselves.

Mr. Yardley, seconding, said he would raise the matter of band concerts at the next Council meeting and endeavour to secure the hand’s services, “even though it will cost a halfpenny rate.” That afternoon made them realise that employers could be kind, and took them a step further in the creation of real friendship between labour and capital. It also showed them that they could meet as friends on a common platform. (Applause.) The vote of thanks was enthusiastically accorded.

Mr. Firth concluded the ceremony by assuring Mr. Minnikin that his staff would do everything possible to see that the field was used properly. “Our school is going to use this field quite a lot,” he added, “and my staff will be here quite a lot to see that I things go right. But it is not schoolchildren that do damage. Those between the ages of 14 and 18 cause the trouble.”