In order to house its workers the colliery company built a large estate known as Maltby Model Village to the east of the town centre.

His new job arrived in time for him to head the local miners against the colliery companies in what would become the General Strike.

He was also a colliery owner and had interests in several colliery companies in County Durham.

But by this point the colliery company was deep in debt.

Controversy began when the line's ownership was granted to the government without compensation to the colliery company under the Government Railways Act of 1887.

Under a similar agreement, the colliery company could also work their own trains over the line, for internal traffic only.

It started life as a technical school, which it was given by subscription, mainly the colliery company, for scientific education.

Around the time the miners were reaching the Barnsley bed the colliery company began building housing to accommodate its workers and their families.

Keen to educate himself, he rose to become secretary to a colliery company and in 1913 entered the Labour College in London as a student.

It should have contracted with the colliery company instead for these services, as was standard practice in coalfields elsewhere, instead of collecting a subsidy.