Still enjoying this history of Dinnington, an extract:
“By the time Barnsiey Seam was reached in 1904 the
seventeen dwelling houses seen by the visitor to Dinnington in
1902 had increased to one hundred, and all were occupied by the
sinkers and their families. Because of their corrugated iron
coverings this cluster of dwellings became known as “Tin Town”.
The houses were laid out in streets and squares, although since
they were obviously temporary structures there were no street
names. Three of the houses were used as lodgings for the
single men.
Many of the first families to live in “Tin Town” were Irish,
bringing with them the need for a place of Roman Catholic worship.
The first Roman Catholic Church was a building which had originally
been in “Tin Town”. Mr. Turner, born in 1890, remembers a
canteen and grocery store in “Tin Town”. One day on his way
home from the colliery he saw this building on fire. Somehow
the main structure was saved and later bought by his mother, who
had it removed to Monksbridge Road on the common, intending to
repair it and put it to use as a grocery store. This was not
a successful venture, and later the building was used as a chapel
by the Roman Catholic community before St. Joseph’s church was
built in 1916.”
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