Sheffield Independent – Wednesday 06 February 1929
No Slums or Squalor.
Ideal Colliery District.
Bolton – On – Dearne’s Progress.
It has been said that the Bolton-on-Dearne Urban Council is one of the most up-to-date and progressive local authorities in South Yorkshire.
At a time when the district has to consider the extension of its boundaries by amalgamation, it is interesting, briefly, to review its chief characteristics.
Probably, to the stranger, the chief feature of Goldthorpe, the main shopping centre of the district, is its entire absence of the usual colliery village squalor.
Bolton-on-Dearne is essentially a colliery district, and those who live there work at several collieries in the district, including Hickleton Main, Manvers and Barmborough Main, Goldthorpe Colliery and Highgate Colliery. Yet there la almost an entire absence of slums, a fact that reflects the greatest credit on the health departments of the local authority, of which committee Mr. A. Bouchard is chairman.
1,000 New Houses.
The town is clean, well laid out, bright and has buildings of architectural beauty, notably the Parish Church, built after the Italian style, in concrete by Viscount Halifax, of Hickleton Hall.
The principal, street a cheery shopping centre, frequented not only residents, but by people from the neighbouring villages These features, and especially the remarkable attractiveness of the residential quarters, are due the vigilance of the local Council, who have gone carefully into the question of town planning and have laid out 1,000 new houses in the most progressive and attractive style.
This principle has had an influence upon the residents, who are, for the most part, “houseproud.” and trim curtains and well-kept front gardens are introductions to some well-kept houses.
Important Shopping Centre.
The residents are neatly dressed, and the children have provided with a central playing held in the Welfare Hall grounds, where well-equipped playground is laid out.
In recent years, Goldthorpe has become a more important shopping centre, and plans have been carried out, recently, for a central post office and Market Hall.
The Council has promoted number of local interests, and the cricket club, which plays in the Yorkshire Council matches, is a municipal organisation.
Consideration has recently been given to forming municipal football club.
Here are some figures relating to the district, given at a recent public inquiry:
Area. 2.325 acres; population, 15,700; ratable value. £59.052 13s. 9d.; borrowing powers available under the Public Health Act, .£60,937 17s. 7d,; debts of the Council for all purposes, £750,329.
The proceeds of Id. rate amount to £246.