Rawmarsh

former library

In the past the coal and steel industries were major employers in the area. Coal had been mined in the Haugh area from the mid-15th century[4] and in the Parkgate area of the village since around 1700, mostly from small pits under the ownership of Earl Fitzwilliam. Deeper mining came in the mid-19th century, the town becoming ringed with collieries, Warren House and Warren Vale to the north, Stubbin, later followed by New Stubbin together with its railway, the Stubbin incline, linking it to the Greasbrough Canal taking up the western side and near the River Don in Parkgate, adjacent to each other and the two mainline railways serving the town Aldwarke Main and Roundwood. The last three collieries mentioned being the last of these to close, the last, New Stubbin closing in 1978.

To the south of Rawmarsh is Parkgate, a suburb which had streets of terraced houses for the local workforce and which was dominated by the Park Gate Iron and Steel Company's works. This complex of two large blast furnaces and Siemens open hearth furnaces and ancillaries was closed in the late 1970s the land remained derelict until it was redeveloped as several large retail complexes in the late 1980s. Steel making is now concentrated at Aldwarke (New Site) which, when built in the early 1960s had Kaldo converters to take advantage of a supply of 'blast furnace metal' but now has electric melting capacity, the furnaces being transferred from Templeborough Works, Rotherham to provide the steel. Roundwood, the 11" mill as it is known because of the maximum rolling size, also remains open, both plants with a reduced workforce.

In the 18th century pottery was also made in the town; there are several references in places and street names within the area: Claypit Lane is an example.

Rawmarsh, and neighbour Parkgate were formerly served by two railway stations, both some distance from the village centre. Parkgate and Aldwarke, on the former Great Central Railway line between Sheffield and Doncaster was the furthest away, being situated off Aldwarke Lane and was the first to close, in October 1951. The station on the Midland Railway line between Sheffield and Leeds was called Parkgate and Rawmarsh and closed in January 1968. The nearest rail station now is Swinton railway station.

Road transport services were provided, from 1907 when trams were introduced, by the Mexborough and Swinton Traction Company. In 1929 trolleybuses took over, the major routes being from Rotherham, through Rawmarsh to Mexborough (Route A to Adwick Road), Conisbrough (Route B to Brook Square) with three routes terminating in the township; Rawmarsh via Green Lane (Route S) which made an end-on connection and had a turning circle at the junction of Kilnhurst Road and Main Street with the route to Kilnhurst Road (Route K). There was also a short route used at busy periods to Parkgate (Route P). Motor buses were introduced with the building of the Monkwood estate in the late 1950s and to Kilnhurst via the N.C.B. estate at Sandhill. The last trolleybus ran in March 1961. Routes have been rationalised, the company fully integrated into the Yorkshire Traction and in 2005 into the Stagecoach Group. Rawmarsh is now served by Parkgate Tram-Train stop, offering regular routes into Sheffield.

The local area is serviced by a local shopping centre, five churches and nine schools – notably Rawmarsh Community School which was featured in national news after a very small number of parents rebelled against the school's Jamie Oliver-style lunches.

Young employee services (1969) British Steel, Parkgate, Rotherham

• Listed buildings in Rawmarsh

• Rawmarsh Urban District Council, Official Handbook 1961

• Media related to Rawmarsh at Wikimedia Commons
• St. Mary's Church - website of the church atop Rawmarsh Hill which serves Rawmarsh and Parkgate
• Rawmarsh in the Domesday Book