The industries of Normanton are few, and the seal of the Urban District Council which contains the head-gear of a coal-mine, a locomotive engine and a shock of corn practically represents them all, namely - Railways, Mining and Agriculture.
The whole of the inhabitants of the town depend chiefly on these industries for a livelihood, a large majority of the workers are employed in mining at the various collieries, in the district.
But in the early seventies of the nineteenth century there was another industry in the town, which provided work for some hundreds of men, namely a large and prosperous Iron Works known as the Normanton Forge, and although a few details concerning these works may not be in strict chronological order in these records, yet, they may reasonably be inserted under the above heading.
The Normanton Forge was established about the year 1865, it occupied a site immediately on the eastern side of the railway, at the north end of the station, and its boundaries extended from the railway to the margin of what is now the Market Place, in one direction, and, in a crosswise direction from Altofts Road almost to the Talbot Hotel. For some years the chief production of the Forge was railway lines.
It is an interesting piece of local history, to be able to state that the late Mr. Job Butler, who for many years was the proprietor of the Talbot Hotel, rolled the first rail that was produced from the rolling mills of the forge, and I am informed on good authority that when the works closed down in June, 1879, the late Mr. William Butler, son of the above, rolled the last rail. It would appear that Messrs. Thomson, of Normanton Iron Works were famous as the sole manufacturers of steel-top rails. These rails were made partly of steel and partly of iron, the upper part which was steel being dovetailed into the lower part of the rail which was iron. By this method of manufacture the cost of production was appreciably reduced, as steel in those days was an expensive commodity. Those rails were of such extraordinary strength and flexibility that they could, even when cold be twisted into the shape of a corkscrew, and the firm that produced them became famous, not only in England, but also in other countries, as the following details will amply show. In 1871 Don Pedro II, Emperor of Brazil, was in England and paid a visit to this part of Yorkshire. He was invited to open the Don Pedro Pit of Messrs. Henry Briggs and Sons of Loscoe. He also paid a visit to the Normanton Iron Works where he was shown a sample of the steel-top rails twisted as above described. His Majesty was so interested in what he saw that he ordered the rail to be sent to Brazil, which order, we may rest assured was willingly complied with. The rail, however, before being dispatched was photographed, and the picture, which I have recently had the privilege of examining, is certainly an interesting local relic. It is large, measuring about 24 inches by 15 and is in a good state of preservation. At the foot of the photograph is printed the following inscription:-
"Normanton Iron Works, Yorkshire, England. Puddled steel rail dovetailed on fibrous iron, twisted cold and forwarded to Brazil by express command of His Imperial Majesty Don Pedro II, on the occasion of his visit to these works, 7th August, 1871. Six thousand tons of this class of rail have already been supplied to the Great Northern Railway Company by Messrs. Thomson, the sole manufacturers under the patent of Mr. G. Griffiths, Works Manager."
The photograph is in the possession of Mr. Job Butler, Normanton, whose kindness I am glad to acknowledge.
Industrial Organisation
During the last forty-five years there has always been a strong element of Trades Unionism among the workers of Normanton, which grew as the number of workers increased in the town. For many years each trade union branch worked on its own, independent of the others. But in the year 1893 a Trades and Labour Council was formed for the purpose of mutual assistance and to enable them to pursue one policy on any industrial matter that effected their general interests. A preliminary meeting was held at the Talbot Hotel on 3rd June,1893, for the purpose of drawing up rules and electing officers.
Mr. Sam Jack of Altofts was the first president of the council and Mr. James Warrender the first secretary. The birth of the council took place in the midst of that historic struggle of the Yorkshire Miners known as the "93 strike: and during the first months of its existence all its energies were focused on the organization of relief for the miners and their families. Members of the council were sent out to various parts of the country to collect funds, and large sums of money were collected outside Yorkshire. Notable among other towns which rendered assistance to the miners, may be mentioned the City of Lincoln, whose Bishop evinced much interest in the struggle and gave the miners his sympathy and active support.
It was during this strike, on Sept.17th, that a riot broke out at Lord Masham's colliery Featherstone, and the military was brought from Pontefract to quell the disturbance. It was only a small detachment of the South Staffordshire Regiment consisting of 26 non commissioned officers and men. The rioters received them with showers of stones and other missiles, and some time elapsed before a magistrate could be procured to read the riot act. A magistrate eventually arrived on the scene, the riot act was read and the soldiers were ordered to clear the pityard with fixed bayonets, this however, proved ineffectual and the order was given to fire on the rioters. It is said the soldiers first fired blank cartridge, but finding this to be of no effect they were ordered to use ball cartridge and two men were killed and several wounded. The names of the two men killed were Duggan and Gibbs, who, as usually happens, were taking no part in the riot, but were simply looking on from a distance.
From this it is clear that the soldiers (and it should be said to their credit) fired over the heads of the crowd, for, had they fired into it the casualties would have been much greater.
To discuss the merits or demerits of the strike does not come within my province in writing these notes, but we may say the struggle which lasted sixteen weeks, was more bitter and tragic than any struggle known in the annals of modern industry and it will always be remembered by many of the older inhabitants, that after the Featherstone riot a regiment of cavalry was quartered in Normanton during the whole of the dispute. At the present time (1928) there are eight trade union branches in Normanton proper, but the area covered by the Normanton Trades and Labour Council includes Altofts, Whitwood and Sharlston, which brings in a large number of workers, and by this arrangement the Council is able to function for the whole of the workers of the town and surrounding districts.
