Memories of Barnsley Issue 19

EDITOR

Rebecca Lawther

The Drill Hall,Eastgate

Barnsley S70 2EU

Telephone:01226 734302

Email:editor@whmagazines.co.uk

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Paul Wilkinson

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Autumn time is upon us once again, and with it comes the early football season – an exciting time for football fans, regardless of whether your team is a Premiership club or our local Barnsley FC, whether you participate in a Sunday league or perhaps have a younger relative who plays schoolboy (or girl!) football. My 7-year-old nephew, Ashley, is a regular for a local team, and weekends from now on will be spent cheering them on from the sidelines.

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All rights reserved.This material must not be reproduced without the publishers’ consent. While we strive to ensure accuracy and impartiality of information,final responsibility for this rests with our contributors.

While every effort has been made to trace the copyright holders of featured illustrations,this has not always proved possible because of the antiquity of the images Where we have failed to acknowledge copyright please contact us and we will be happy to correct any oversight.

I wonder if Ashley will be attending team reunions in twenty-five and fifty years' time, as Brian Elliott did earlier this year when he, along with several famous faces, attended a fifty-year reunion of the double cup-winning Barnsley Boys squad of 1960-1961 season. When reading through Brian's article, one name stood out from the 1957 Barnsley Boys’ squad photograph: Colin Brookes. Mr Brookes had contacted me previously via his daughter, Karen, and after some correspondence was kind enough to send his memories of his footballing career during the 1950s. Colin played for Barnsley FC and was a member, briefly, of the famous Manchester United 'Busby Babes' squad. You can read his story on page 44.

Another phenomenon associated with this time of year are reality shows such as Strictly Come Dancing, which stretch on until December. On page 30, Don Booker writes about Monk Bretton-born dancer and television star Kathryn Jones who started dancing as a child at a local dance school, and went on to perform on television on Saturday night shows such as The Black and White Minstrel Show, as well as joining the famous chorus line on stage at the London Palladium as a ‘Tiller Girl’.

Do you remember filling up at Moxon’s Garage on Wakefield Road, across the road from what is now the Polar Ford dealership? Turn to page 6 to see a sequence of photographs showing the area in the late 1950s and early 1960s, commissioned by Moxon’s to show the stages of construction of the new garage. Paul Wilkinson identifies some forgotten features of the photographs. If you have any more information or stories about the area, please get in touch.

The town centre seems to be constantly undergoing some sort of building work, and I spent several months earlier this year walking by a construction site on Shambles Street which excited my curiosity. Some enquiries revealed that the stone structure which emerged was a representation of an old feature of Barnsley which previously stood on the site – the Barnsley Pinfold. The adjacent Pinfold Steps, which link Shambles Street and Westgate, retain the name. Gerald Alliott looks at the history of the Pinfold and the Steps on page 10.

Don’t forget to turn to page 43 for the winner of the Summer issue competition, and have a go at identifying the new location on pages 24 and 25. Good luck!

Rebecca Lawther Editor editor@whmagazines.co.uk

Old Barnsley A view of the past

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6 A snapshot of Wakefield Road

Paul Wilkinson describes a sequence of photographs showing the construction of Moxon’s garage on Wakefield Road in the 1950s.

10 The Barnsley Pinfold

Gerald Alliott looks into the history of the Pinfold Steps and an old Barnsley landmark.

14 Letters from the Front Line – 1915

The last letters home from Barnsley men fighting overseas during the Great War.

16 The Boys are back in town

Brian Elliott describes attending the fifty-year reunion of the Barnsley Boys football team of 1960/1961.

22 A Victorian Conservatory

A look at the history and the future of the Victorian winter garden on the Wentworth estate.

24 Photograph competition

26 The history of Market Inn

The Market Inn stood in May Day Green until 1969. Phil Norman researches the history of the building and its tenants.

29 Tips from 1920

Tips for good health and housekeeping from Lodge’s Almanack.

30 Dancing to the top

Don Booker charts the glamorous dancing career of Monk Bretton born ‘Tiller Girl’, Kathryn Jones.

34 Changing face of Birdwell

A pictorial look at Birdwell, past and present.

38 Readers’ page Comments and memories from our readers.

44 A Busby Babe

The story of Colin Brookes and his football career, including signing for both Barnsley FC and Manchester United.

A snapshot of Wakefield Rd

We came across this series of photographs recently, courtesy of Chris Sharp from ‘Old Barnsley’ market stall. They provide some interesting views of Wakefield Road taken in the late 1950s early 1960s. They were commissioned by Moxon’s Garage to record the building of their new garage, and they show the various stages of construction. The photographs show the

part of Wakefield Road where the Ford Polar Garage now stands, and the area where Moxon’s Garage was is now occupied by a Kentucky Fried Chicken outlet and Topps Tiles.

We have highlighted some features of the photographs in the accompanying captions. If you are able to tell us of any other interesting facts or stories relating to the area, drop us a line and we will include them in our Readers’ section.

OLD BARNSLEY

This mound is the slag heap at North Gawber pit, at Mapplewell.

This building still stands and is owned by Globe Coaches. See area circled in modern photograph below.

Same view today.

It is interesting to see the row of houses on Smithies Lane on this photograph. A scrap yard now stands where these houses were; the original entrance into Smithies Lane is blocked off. The large house in front of the row has also been demolished, though only more recently. In the distance you can see Standhill Crescent, New Lodge.

The lane in the background leads up to the house on the hill, which was known as the Quarry House.

Looking up Wakefield Road.

Filling up at the garage. No self service in those days!

Moxon’s garage nears its completion.

Old Road. Carlton Road. Quarry Street.

The area as it looks today.

The Barnsley Pinfold

The Pinfold Steps off Shambles Street are a town centre landmark. Gerald Alliott looks back on the area’s regeneration and the history of the Barnsley Pinfold.

Pinfold Steps was the name usually given to the area where the old Barnsley Pinfold was situated. I first remember seeing the Pinfold during the early 1940s; it was a stonewalled enclosure for stray animals, in which there was a stone feeding trough.

The Pinfold was supervised by a person known as a Pinder. The office of Pinder was an official

one under the Lord of the Manor. He would have a uniform with a belt and staff and would collect the fees people paid to retrieve their lost animals.

The Pinder often had an extra job such as Town Crier. In the Council Minutes of 14 December 1877, then Pinder William Cliffe, having got into trouble, refused to give up his Crier’s Bell and Pinfold Staff so, consequently, he was summoned before the Magistrates.

Pinfold Steps rose from Shambles Street at the bottom to Sackville Street at the top. To the right at the top was a small road which went down to further up Shambles Street. This was

OLD BARNSLEY

PINFOLD STEPS leading to Sackville Street. The enclosure in the foreground was the old Pinfold; in the corner was a small pig trough. The two houses were 18 and 20 Sackville Street. In the background is the Boys’ Club, now the Lamproom Theatre.

PINFOLD STEPS in the nineteenth century. Note the little ‘waif’ seated half-way up and the milkman’s can at the bottom left.

Pinfold Hill Road but locally known as Coal Pit Hill because at the top on the left side was a pit owned by James Porter. His Coal Agent was Joseph Locke’s father, William Locke.

There were approximately sixty cottages on the hill, one of which was occupied by members of the

family of James Hudson Taylor the famous missionary who, at great risk and danger, set up the first Inland Christian Mission in China, which is still there today.

Another character on the hill was Francis Colley who was named in an 1837 directory as a cordwainer (a person who

worked in leather and made high class shoes). The whole area was full of similar old Barnsley characters.

An old well-known local historian, Dan Linton, who, along with a number of others, did lots of work and research in the local archives, recollected seeing cattle and sheep being brought into Barnsley Market.

Another well-known Barnsley businessman, Hector Woffinden, whose business was on Dodworth Road for many years, remembered that in the 1930s the Pinfold was still being used by the police for detaining stray animals. He recalled that the cattle market was near the bus

PINFOLD STEPS as it looks today. The Lamproom theatre building stands at the top of the steps. The Pinfold enclosure was approximately where the circular wall is, to the right of the steps.

Trust.

Pinfolds:Past and Present

As well as our Pinfold in the centre of Barnsley I will say a little about Pinfolds in early days. Pinfolds were known in medieval times, the name being of Saxon origin: a place to put stray animals if their owners failed to properly supervise them or if they strayed on to common land without permission. An alternative name was poundfield, both names meaning an enclosure and similar to our English word ‘impound’. They were particularly useful on market days when drovers took the sheep and beasts into the town for sale.

The stray ones were caught and placed in the Pinfold which was supervised by a person known as the Pinder whose position was an officer of the Lord of the Manor. He would have a uniform with a belt and staff. Some would perhaps have another job such as Town Crier. The animal owners would have to pay a fine to retrieve their animals.

By the sixteenth century most villages and towns had their own pinfold. They were constructed from various materials such as stone or brick, with a wooden gate. Often a trough or food provision was put in for the animal occupants.

station. He also remembered seeing a donkey in the Pinfold on his way home from St Mary’s School on Churchfield.

At the top of the hill was the old Wesleyan Chapel built in the

1880s, with its burial ground in the front looking into the Pinfold across the road.

In 1777 at the time of the Barnsley Enclosure Act which was passed in 1779 there were no steps down to the Pinfold at all.

Before going any further I will tell you about conditions in Barnsley before we came under the General Board of Health in 1852.

The Board in London sent Wm Ranger to assess the sanitary conditions in Barnsley. On one side of the Pinfold Steps was a row of six terrace houses with thirty tenants residing in them. At the front was one dirty loo for all of them and it was said that

WHEN THIS PHOTOGRAPH was taken in the 1960s the Mason’s Arms had lost its license and was being used as offices by the owners of the property, Barnsley Brewery. This is now National Tyres.

PINFOLD STEPS IN the twenty-first century have been given a ‘turn’ but retain a single relic from the past in form of the original solitary post at the bottom. An explanatory plaque relates the purpose of the Pinfold.

HOW SHAMBLES STREET looked in the 1970s. The Pinfold Steps can be seen running up the side of the advertising boards.

ANOTHER, LARGER, example of a pinfold in Worsbrough.

the children went to ground. It appeared that there was only one loo per approximately twenty people of the town. The Ranger Report is eighty-six pages long and a copy can be seen in the Barnsley Archives. You would not believe it could be possible when you read the contents of the report, and you certainly would not want to grumble about anything since!

On a building plan of 1876 there were to be no steps. On another building plan of 1889 in connection with the enlargement of a building opposite the pinfold it now showed the first steps at the top of the hill, then later an Ordnance Survey map of 1888 showed that all steps were

now in place making it harder for most of the animals to get to the Pinfold. However, it stayed in use, regardless.

Originally the bottom of the steps onto Shambles Street came out facing the Mason’s Arms (now National Tyre Company), which was rebuilt in around 1904. Later the bottom of the steps was rebuilt to come out a few yards to the right. These are still in use today. In the minutes of the Streets and Buildings Committee in August 1881 the Committee recommended that a handrail be fitted to the steps on Pinfold Hill, together with other improvements. When the steps were turned to the right the old handrail was taken down and two of the iron posts were saved. These were placed on the footpath at the bottom of the steps. When one of these later vanished, I wrote an article entitled ‘The Last Post’ describing the event, hoping that it would remain for many years.

In this last chapter of the history of our Pinfold I am pleased to say that the whole of the area has been cleaned up and a representation of a Pinfold has been well built in stone, although I am pleased to say that the original steps and road sets have been kept and well restored.

The Last Post

Ihave known the Pinfold Steps in Shambles Street since I was a boy in the 1930s and have climbed them many times over the years, clinging onto the old central handrail when the steps were icy in the winter and, at the same time, reading the advertisements on the hoardings at the side.

Some years ago, the lower part of the steps was modernised with new railings, but, I was pleased to see that two of the old iron handrail posts had been placed on the footpath at the bottom of the steps. Later I was not surprised to find that one of them was missing so I thought that ‘The Last Post’, as I called it, had better be recorded amongst the relics before that, too, went missing.

I found it interesting to compare the old with the new:–

The Pinfold was situated on the right hand side of the steps on a level piece of ground near the top. I can’t remember the Pinfold when it was in use but two friends, a few years older than myself, can and fascinated me with their personal recollections of it.

Hector Woffinden, who was in business in Dodworth Road for many years, told me of the times when it was used by the local police for stray animals on Mondays when the cattle market was held by the bus station. He also told me of the time when one day he and some friends were returning home from St Mary’s School and were surprised to find a donkey in the Pinfold, they all had a good laugh – happy days.

Dan Linton, another good friend, told me of the many times he had watched the drovers bringing their cattle and sheep into Barnsley on market days. How useful the Pinfold must have been in those days before motor transport was available for the animals.

PINFOLD STEPS in the 1960s showing the original handrail supported by iron posts. The Pinfold was situated at the top, on the right-hand side. See picture on page 12.

The last original post.

A NEWLY-BUILT stone representation of the old Pinfold marks its original location.

Letters from the Front Line – 1915

PRIVATE ROYCE LINTON 11 Smithies Terrace, Barnsley 1/5 York and Lancs Regiment

‘He was always willing, a hard worker and a good soldier; please accept my deepest sympathy.’ These words were written by Captain Johnson of the 1/5 Y and L Regiment to the father of Private Royce Linton who, along with other Barnsley Territorials, fell in action 10 July 1915. He was struck by a shell and it was said that his death was instantaneous.

The dead soldier had a brother, Private Charles Linton. Charles was serving in the same regiment and had the sad experience of witnessing Royce’s death. To his father, sisters and brother, Charles wrote the following: ‘It is with deepest regret that I write you this letter to let you know that our regiment has got cut up and we have lost a lot of brave boys. I am very sorry to say that our Royce has met his death. He died a soldier’s death – facing the enemy. I was buried three times, and I can tell you that a braver lot than our regiment has never faced an enemy. We got orders to hold the trench at all cost, and the enemy shelled the trench to atoms. Our Royce, the sergeant and two more were in the dug-out when it was blown up. I should not have been living only for our reinforcements coming just in the nick of time. They consisted of the C. Co. – all Barnsley boys, and they came up just as if they were on parade. A finer sight could not have been seen and it was they who saved our lives; no braver lads living. I will bring my letter to a close by telling you that there are many more gone where Royce is. Let his friends know how he died. Your loving son, Charlie. PS God be with us till we meet again! He met his death on the 10th July whilst doing his duty. God be with him while we meet in Heaven.’

PRIVATE W WOOD

62 Cope Street, Barnsley

1/5 York and Lancs Regiment

Mrs Wood received the news of the death of her husband in a hospital in France. The deceased soldier was 32 years old and had enlisted in the Terriers on 1 September. He had previous military experience being at one time a member of the old volunteers. He retired a year before they were abolished and the Territorial Army formed. Private Wood, as an old volunteer, felt it his duty to respond when the great call for recruits came last summer, and he has now laid his life down for his country. Prior to enlisting he was employed at Messrs Woods’ glass-house, Hoyle Mill, and was held in high regard by his workmates, who have very keenly felt the death of their old comrade. Private Wood was a thorough Barnsley man, for he was born in the town and spent all his life here. He leaves a family of three young children.

Before Mrs Wood received official confirmation of her brave husband’s death, letters were printed in the Barnsley Chronicle which give the sad details. The sister-in-charge, No. 10 Casualty Clearing Station, wrote under date 12 July: ‘I am writing to tell you that your husband, Private W Wood is in this clearing station, seriously wounded. His wound is in the abdomen and his condition is very grave. I will write in a few days to let you know how he is and you may be sure we shall do our best for him’. Last Thursday Mrs Wood received a second letter from the sister-in-charge informing her that Private Wood had died the previous Thursday. The following is the letter which conveyed the sad tidings: ‘I am very sorry to send you the sad news of your husband's death. His wound was a very serious one and there was very little hope of saving his life from the first. He left no message – he was unconscious for some time before the end. All was done for him that could possibly be done, but he passed peacefully away last Thursday. All his small possessions are in the hands of the authorities and will be sent to you eventually.’

Lance Corporal S Sergeant and Private W Tyman, two of the deceased’s comrades sent Mrs Wood a letter of sympathy: ‘It is with regret and sorrow that we have to send you the sad news of your husband’s death. We feel his death very much as we were always together. We do hope you will try and bear up for the sake of his children, whom we believe he loved better than anything else on earth.’

A letter he wrote home to his son on 26 June seems to show a presentiment of death: ‘My dear son Jim, I was very pleased to get your letter which did me a deal of good. Glad

you are getting on all right at school. I hope you will keep doing so as you will find it very useful later on. I hope that when you grow up there won’t be a big war on like this, but if there is I know you will be like me and offer your services to your King and country. It’s a terrible job out here Jim, and it brings the best out of every man. We have done things we didn’t think we had got the pluck for, and then we haven’t gone through it half as bad as some. Of course it isn’t too late yet. And as I can’t see you to talk to I want you to do as your mother tells you and grow up to be a true man, better than even your dad has been. And whatever you do, leave cards and all manner of gambling alone. As your mother knows, I don’t play cards, it is one evil I’ve escaped. I will close now and wishing you every success in life. I remain your loving Dad.’

From the second letter received from the hospital by Mrs Wood it is clear that her husband died on 15 July, and it would appear he was wounded on 10 July.

Private Wood was an exceptionally clever fretworker, and his home was filled with many really beautiful specimens of his work.

CORPORAL J GARNER

Nelson Street, Barnsley

First King’s Royal Rifles ‘B’ Company

Corporal J Garner, son of Mrs Garner of Nelson Street, was killed in action on 18 July. The bereaved mother has received a letter from Lance Corporal Bailey: ‘I regret to have to inform you of the death of your son, who was killed in action on 18 July. The men of the section wish me to convey to you their deepest sympathy in your sad loss, as he was well respected by his comrades. May God give you strength to bear your grief.’

Corporal Garner was 29 years old and was educated at Holyrood school. On leaving school he was apprenticed with Mr Caffrey, motor engineer, of Doncaster Road, who at that time was in business in Peel Square. The deceased, however, joined the army and was three years in Egypt with his regiment the King’s Royal Rifles. Immediately on the outbreak of war he volunteered and was soon in the fighting line, where he did much good work. On one occasion, at night, an officer had his leg shattered when he was within 15 yards of the German trenches. Corporal Garner heard the officer’s moans and crawled to where the suffering man lay. ‘Who are you?’ asked the officer and on being told who his rescuer was, the officer said; ‘For God’s sake get me out of this as I have my leg shattered’. Corporal Garner managed to get the wounded man on his back, and had taken him to within 5

yards of the British trenches when the German searchlight was thrown on the pair, and the officer was shot on his plucky rescuer’s back. Corporal Garner received great praise for his pluck and was told by Captain Lawrence that he would be recommended for the DCM. Next day while taking observations the Captain himself fell victim to a German bullet. On 27 January, Corporal Garner was badly crushed, and sustained such injuries that he had to be treated in hospital. He was some time in hospital at the base – he insisted on walking the last few miles as he said there were worse cases than his for the ambulance. He was then sent to Halifax on extended leave. Shortly after he was in the firing line again, and now he has died a hero’s death.

PRIVATE J FARMER

35 Thomas Street, Worsbro Bridge

Barnsley Territorials

News of the sad event of Private Farmer’s death was conveyed to his mother by Captain Hugh P Smith, he wrote: ‘It is my unhappy lot to write you of the death in action of your son, who was killed by a bomb thrown by the enemy into our trenches on Saturday, 17 July. Your son was instantly killed and three other brave lads were wounded. You will, Iam sure, accept the sympathy of myself and all his comrades in your loss which we also feel very deeply. He was laid reverently to rest near by the place he fell and the grave has been carefully marked. Lance Corporal J R Dickinson, Private H Poxon and Private G McKelvey also wrote Mrs Farmer as follows: ‘We all in the 12 Platoon to which Jack belonged feel very sorry for you in your time of trouble, because he was liked by everyone who knew him. Before we put him aside we secured all his belongings which will be sent to you in due course. We put a cross upon his grave before we came out of the trenches for a rest. It was all we could do for him. We were his best pals from him first enlisting and going to Sandbeck Park.’

The Boys are back in town

The double cup-winning Barnsley Boys squad of 1960–61 got together recently to celebrate five decades of football. Brian Elliott was among the attendees.

Not long after most of us had arrived, a bit of Thin Lizzy’s The Boys Are Back in Town was played through loudspeakers into the bar at the Wilthorpe Hotel. Originally a hit by the Irish rock band in 1976, but recently re-issued as a single from their live Still Dangerous album, it was a nice gesture; but, busy chatting, and despite the volume, I guess not all of us heard or recognized the tune!

In some respects the event was ‘my fault’. At the close of my ‘Barnsley Boys’ article, published in Issue 15 (Autumn 2010) of

Memories of Barnsley, I had dared to suggest that it would be great if a 50-year reunion of the double cup-winning squad of 1960–61 was held the following year. In May 1986 we had had a grand reunion to celebrate the 25th anniversary of winning the Yorkshire Shield and becoming ‘champions of England’ after defeating Liverpool Boys in the English Schools’ Football Association Trophy Final. Yet for us to meet in May 2011, after half a century, really did seem a tall order.

Massive credit is due to the detective work of Pete Farnsworth who managed to

contact and arrange for the attendance of so many of the former players. Sadly, ex-Barnsley Grammar School pupil Ron Glover passed away several years

SPORT

Barnsley Boys team of 1961/62

THE GREAT BARNSLEY Boys team of 1961/62: Back row (L-R): Elliott, Rushforth, Farnsworth, Marriott, Ogley, Gardner, Walker, Duffield, Mulligan; Front row: Hutchinson, Woodward, Greenhoff, Storrs, Glover, Kirk, Hobson, Marshall.

50 Years Reunion May 2011

ago and, due to health, sheer distance or other reasons, a few others could not attend. My old

friend Alan Woodward, for example, who was such a great player for Sheffield United, now

lives in the United States; and Howard Walker resides in Canada. But, as the photographs

25 Years Reunion May 1986

THE MAY 1986 reunion of the 1961/62 Barnsley Boys team: Back row (L-R): Elliott, Rushforth, Farnsworth, Marriott, Ogley (still wearing his England cap!), Gardner, Walker, Duffield, Mulligan; Front row: Hutchinson, Storrs, Glover, Kirk, Hobson, Marshall.

THE ‘BARNSLEY BOYS’ 50-year reunion: (left to right) Jimmy Greenhoff, Norman Rimmington, Keith Marriott, Dennis Green, Pete Farnsworth, Maurice Firth, Geoffrey Rushforth, Alan Ogley, Gordon Storr, Glen Duffield and Brian Elliott.

show, a good number of us (a little less hair and a tad thicker around the waist than in 1986) managed to respond to Pete’s invitation. Among them was our much appreciated coach, the former teacher and headmaster, Maurice Firth, probably the last surviving member of the schools’ committee. To get on the committee in those days took some doing – such was the status of Barnsley schoolboy football. And, of course, outstanding players were produced over the years. Now in his eightieth year, Maurice looked far smarter – and younger – than all of us, no doubt helped by leading a very active and interesting life. His service to schoolboy football, extending back to the 1950s, is amazing; and over the years has had a long association with

Barnsley Football Club, right through to recent seasons.

Speaking of The Reds, it was also marvellous to see, as guest of honour on the night, one the legendary characters of Oakwell, Norman Rimmington. Born in 1923, goalkeeper Norman made over 130 appearances for the club between 1947 and 1951. What an amazing range of roles he has had: from player and coach to assistant manager, groundsman, physiotherapist and kit man; and of course he’s a lifelong supporter. His big smile at the reunion was only matched by the twinkle in his eyes and infectious Barnsley sense of humour. No one else can have given so much time to a single professional football club anywhere.

The Wilthorpe Hotel is now hosted by Pete’s son, Michael, and a great deal of effort was made by the Farnsworth family in providing superb facilities for the evening. A special cake was the centrepiece of the buffet and we were able to toast the occasion with customary champagne. Items of Barnsley schoolboy football memorabilia were also on display, several of us brought along other mementoes and a small group of autograph collectors appeared with their albums of photographs and press cuttings.

Reunions can be awkward if

not embarrassing occasions but not this one. It was incredible after so many years that conversation flowed so naturally. At times ‘yesterday’ really did feel like the day before rather than five decades ago.

It was good to renew acquaintance with Jimmy Greenhoff, who could not make the 1986 reunion due to coaching commitments in Tenerife. Jimmy has had an illustrious footballing career, most famously credited with scoring the winning goal in Manchester United’s victory over Liverpool in the 1977 FA Cup Final. The Mersysiders would otherwise have got the Treble. Jimmy told me that after the match his Number 7 shirt was stolen from the dressing room at Wembley. Many years later he came across a chap who openly admitted to the theft but, because of his honesty, Jim told him he could keep it – a decision that, with hindsight, he now regrets.

Another incredible story relating to Jimmy was the occasion when Stoke City unexpectedly sold him, their best player, for £120,000, to an appreciative Manchester United. The deal took place so that the Potters’ precarious main stand could be replaced. From 1963 to 1984 Greenhoff made almost 600 appearances in league football (scoring 152 goals),

LEFT TO RIGHT: Pete Farnsworth, Norman Rimmington and Dennis Green.

STOCKPORT'S GOALKEEPER Alan Ogley.

with Leeds United (making his debut while still only sixteen years old), Birmingham City, Stoke City, Manchester United (often playing alongside his younger brother Brian), Crewe Alexandra, Port Vale and Rochdale. I’ve watched Jimmy play on many occasions and it is surprising that he did not gain a full England cap (though he made five under 23 appearances). He was an extraordinary one-touch player, intelligent both on and off the ball, and a scorer of some wonderful goals. He achieved honours with all three of his major clubs. I asked Jimmy who was the most talented footballer he had ever played alongside. Straight away, he said it was a former Stoke team mate, Alan Hudson, who is also regarded as one of Chelsea’s best ever twentieth-century players.

A key player in the 1960-61 Barnsley Boys side was goalkeeper Alan Ogley, whose ability rightly resulted in schoolboy international honours.

Alan must rank as one of our best ever young goalkeepers, certainly the most talented I have ever seen. His agility and shotstopping was really outstanding and he was mature for his age. Until 2008, when fifteen-yearsold (and 45 days) Reuben Noble-

Lazarus made his debut for Barnsley, it was Ogley in 1963, who had held the youngest ever player record, at sixteen years and 226 days. Alan played a few more games and was then sold to Manchester City; but it was during his eight years (1967-75)

JIMMY GREENHOFF as a Stoke City player.

THE 1957 BARNSLEY BOYS’ squad and officials, champions of England. They are, back row, left to right: Maurice Firth (coach/trainer), Mick Allen, John Wardle, Trevor White, Max Bristowe, Roy Maples, Clem Wood, Bob Holderness, Barry Fleetwood, Dave Drury and Harold Rushworth (Assistant Secretary). Middle row: Tony Hurd, Barry Taylor (captain), Mr H Sykes (Barnsley and District Schools FA Chairman), Jeff Sacre, Colin Brookes. Front: Don Speed, Peter Mulligan and Alan Harvey.

THE 1949-50 BARNSLEY and District Boys, winners of the Yorkshire (Wylie Shield). They are, back row, left to right: Wyatt, Clemit, Brown, Farrar, Archer and Connolly. Front: Riches, Spence, Stringer, Lee, Sidebottom and Fensom.

at another Lancashire club, Stockport County, that he gained most fame. The Hatters held him to such great affection that the Simon and Garfunkel song Mrs Robinson was adapted for a popular chant, which went:

‘Here’s to you Alan Ogley, the Cheadle End loves you more than you will know.’ It wasn’t unusual for Alan to stand way out of his

area and conduct the singing and chanting personally. Alan was recently inaugurated into Stockport County’s Hall of Fame and, despite his modesty, his apparent wonder stop from Clyde Best in a 1972 FA Cup game against West Ham was voted ‘save of the century’ by the fans. Alan finished his league career at Darlington and, like Maurice

Firth, has a long association with soccer coaching.

Famous ex-professionals apart, the main purpose of the reunion was a get together of the 1960-61 squad of players, and, to his great credit, that is what Peter Farnsworth achieved. But, do you know, I wouldn’t be surprised if Maurice Firth turned up for a sixtieth reunion, in 2021.

The occasion got me thinking about earlier teams. It would take a very long article to mention them all. In season 1948–49 Barnsley Boys were Yorkshire and English schools’ champions, for the first time, captained by Ron Archer who played several times for England Schoolboys.

Frank Levitt was another schoolboy international from this excellent era. Although they did not win any trophies, perhaps the most outstanding player of the previous season was Arthur Kaye, who also played for England schoolboys and went on to play professionally, most notably for Barnsley and Middlesbrough (see Issue 8 [winter 2008] of Memories of Barnsley). The double was achieved again, in 1956-57, though shared with Southampton. I can just remember being part of a crowd of about 20,000 at Oakwell watching the second leg, my Carlton neighbour Peter Mulligan scoring Barnsley's first goal. Barnsley Grammar School lad Max Bristowe then scored from a penalty but a goal from Southampton meant the 2-1 home victory was not enough to win the tie, Southampton having won the first leg by an only goal. Fast forward to 1991 when, I think, Barnsley Boys achieved the double for the fourth time, but perhaps someone could confirm this.

I’ve concluded this article with illustrations of several Barnsley Boys’ teams. If you have similar photographs, memories or mementoes do contact the editor.

IN 1953-54 BARNSLEY and District Boys were joint winners of the Yorkshire (Wylie} Shield. They are, left to right: Wright, Jones, Bessant, Lunn, Matthews, Williams, Schofield. Seated: Nickerson, Mosley, Wigley, Houghton and Holliday. Not unusually, several of these went on to play professional football.

THE 1936-37 BOYS’ team and teachers, winners of the Yorkshire (Wylie) Shield. They are, left to right: Mr H Sykes, Mr Parkinson (Raley), Mr Kilner (Racecommon Road), Les Coe (Royston), Jack Wright (Racecommon Road), Joe Moore (Barnsley Grammar), Moxon (Barnsley Grammar), Mr C Hirst (Grove Street), Mr Swift (?) and Mr Davies (Doncaster Road). Middle, seated: Dennis Sharpe (Barnsley Grammar), Joe Downing (Royston), William Gill (Littleworth), Les Harris (Royston), Alf England (Raley) and Norman Noble (captain, with broken arm). On ground: Arthur Lycett (Raley) and Jack Woodcock (Dodworth).

A Victorian Conservatory

In May 2011, Wentworth Castle Gardens announced that the Heritage Lottery Fund have awarded them a grant of £2.4 million towards the cost of their most urgent restoration project:the Victorian Conservatory.

The beautiful iron glasshouse on the Wentworth estate has become the main focus of restoration plans due to its fragility as a consequence of long-term neglect:– only a skeleton of support scaffolding currently prevents the conservatory from complete collapse.

The restoration of the Grade II listed Victorian Conservatory –one of the last surviving ‘winter gardens’ in the country – will be a further stage along the route to restoring the estate to its former glory. The only Grade I historical garden and parkland in South Yorkshire, it features no less than twenty-six listed buildings and monuments which are to be carefully restored.

REBCrompton

COLONEL R E B CROMPTON was born in North Yorkshire in 1845. After serving in the Army and Navy, he moved to Chelmsford in about 1877 and, as Director of Stanton Ironworks, set up a new iron foundry. He eventually met up with Frank Fawkes who was a hot water engineer. He was also a prolific author with his first book, Horticultural Buildings, Their Fitting etc, published in 1881. The firm seems to have been mostly popular for its ordinary wooden ranges of conservatories, though they did build a second iron one in Godalming, Surrey.

The conservatory was constructed in 1885 by Crompton and Fawkes of Chelmsford and was described in their catalogue as an ‘iron winter garden’. In recent years the rare surviving Victorian glasshouse has become noticeably fragile and is in urgent need of restoration. It attracted national interest in 2002 when it was featured on the BBC television series Restoration, and earlier this year was featured on the BBC’s Countryfile

The glasshouse would have been used for displaying some of the estate’s many exotic plants,

including orchids, palms and ferns. Some old varieties of Camellia Japonica are still growing inside. Through the broken glass you can see the tiled floor, wrought iron grilles and cast iron heating pipes, with stone benches around the edge which would have displayed pot plants, containing spring bulbs and summer flowering shrubs and annuals.

The conservatory’s distinctive and delicate iron work, exotic planting and extraordinarily early use of electricity has ensured its

The glasshouse would have been used for displaying some of the estate’s many exotic plants

important place among architects and historians. A project known as the ‘World at Wentworth’ has been set up to restore the conservatory –described by the Chairman of Wentworth Castle Gardens as ‘an architectural gem’ – and return it to its original splendour. The refurbished potting shed will become an interpretation gallery.

A Conservatory Appeal was launched initially, aiming to raise the £3.74 million to help fund rescue work to save the building and open it to the public. The site has an active Friends and volunteer group and, so far, over 200 people have responded to the appeal by sponsoring panes of glass, raising funds to help with restoration costs.

TWELVE CONSERVATION VOLUNTEERS and staff have recently been trained by three partner organizations: Wentworth Castle Heritage Trust, Steel Valley Project and Yorkshire Dry Stone Walling Academy Ltd (YDSWA) all with help from East Peak Innovation Partnership; with the aim of appropriately restoring the East Ha-Ha – part of the Grade I listed historical landscape at Wentworth Castle.

The East Ha-Ha was an integral part of the landscape of Menagerie House, the Umbrello Monument and the ornamental lakes that lie within its bounds. It was created in the mid-eighteenth century to allow uninterrupted views out from this ornamental landscape, but to prevent grazing animals getting in from the adjacent parkland.

In the last thirty years this feature has gradually declined to the point where over 40 metres of the structure need significant repair. The Wentworth Gardens Heritage Trust is now able to start the restoration of this fascinating part of the site, with help from their dedicated volunteers.

WENTWORTH CASTLE Conservatory in scaffolding.

Ha-Ha restoration underway

VOLUNTEERS AND TRAINERS restoring the East Ha-Ha.

ARTISTIC IMPRESSION of the restored Conservatory.

Photograph Chris and Pearl Sharp

The history of MARKET INN

The Summer 2011 competition photograph showed the Market Inn which stood in May Day Green until 1969. Phil Norman delves into its rich history.

The photograph in your Issue 18 competition was taken from Peel Square looking along Queen Street into May Day Green towards the Market Inn. In the photograph H. (Henry) Pitt’s name appears on the Market Inn sign. He was the licensee from 1898 until 1916, so this gives an approximate date for the photo.

I notice that the inn sign extends to the left and over the adjacent premises. It must, therefore, have been taken after 1903 when the Farrier’s Arms (the house next door) lost its licence

and was incorporated into the Market Inn. The building occupied by Goodson’s shop has been renovated and is now a branch of the banking group Santander.

The Market Inn or the building that became the Market Inn has been in existence since at least, and possibly before, 1833 when Charles Harrison was the occupier. It forms part of a small island of buildings at the southern end of May Day Green. The inn was not included on an earlier Enclosure Award Map of 1777. To learn more about the Market Inn we must start by looking at the adjacent Farrier’s

Arms and that house’s more ancient contemporary the Old Farrier’s Arms

OLD FARRIER’S ARMS

The ‘Old Farrier’s Arms’ stood on the east side of May Day Green near the entrance to Barraclough’s ‘Union’ foundry yard and, in 1830, was the first beer house to be opened in Barnsley.

Prior to 1830 the building had been a well-known eating-house dating back to at least the beginning of the nineteenth century when it was kept by a man named Whyke. It was opened as a beer house by William Liversidge, a shoesmith. He was the grandfather of William Liversidge Rooke a cab proprietor in the town and a former landlord of the ‘Fitzwilliam Arms ’ in Sackville Street.

FARRIER’S ARMS

The building that became the Farrier’s Arms which was adjacent to the Market Inn had been in

OLD BARNSLEY

AN EARLY TWENTIETH century view showing the Wire Trellis Hotel, the Farrier's Arms still in existence, and the Market Inn. The latter shows S. Pitt as licensee but as the trams did not arrive until 1902, Henry Pitt must be in charge.

existence from at least 1835 when Thomas Mirfin occupied the premises working as an upholsterer and later as a cabinetmaker. He was there until 1857 but I doubt the building was used as licensed premises. A large yard behind the Wire Trellis, where Thomas Mirfin did hold a license, was known as Mirfin’s Yard.

There were a number of tenants in the property in the years following Thomas Mirfin’s time there, none of whom are believed to have used it as a beer house. A Mrs Frances Bottom arrived in 1866 and I believe this is when the house took the name Farrier’s Arms.

In 1882 the house received a face lift courtesy of G. and A. Senior, who were probably the owners, G. Senior being Guy –one of the founders of the Oakwell Brewery. Twenty years later in 1903 the house lost its licence and was absorbed by the Market Inn

MARKET INN

As we have already said the Market Inn appears not to have existed in 1777. Mr Tasker in his ‘Barnsley Streets’ lists buildings on the site since 1833 when Charles Harrison (1833-1835)

was the occupier. However Pigot’s 1834 Trade Directory lists Harrison as a draper and nothing else. Charles Bailey (1837-1841) came next. A Bailey family did live next door to the Harrisons in 1841 and there was a Charles in

AN EARLY VIEW of the Market Inn, possibly before 1898, with Samuel Pitt as licensee.

the family but he was only nine years old. His mother is named as Judith and is listed as of independent means suggesting, since his father is not listed, that

she is a widow. His father could well have been another Charles. John Taylor arrived in 1842 and disappeared in 1843 when William Brocklebank (18431849), a tailor, took over. It is only after Brocklebank leaves that we find mention that the premises are used as a beer house. Mr Tasker lists William White as being the next occupant (18501852) and he is indeed listed on the 1851 census as a beer seller in May Day Green but the house is unnamed. Similarly he is listed as a beer seller in the 1852 trade

directory ‘Sheffield and Twenty Miles Round’ unfortunately the house is again unnamed. However, I think we can accept that it was at this time that the premises became a licensed house under Mr White’s stewardship.

Thomas Batty (1854-1863); Elizabeth Batty, his wife, (1864); Edward Jolly, farmer, of Keresforth Hall, (1865-1866) and Thomas Vickerman (1867-1870) all followed in quick succession but it is not until a family named Pitt arrived in 1870 that we find a dynasty lasting almost five decades. One member of the family, Henry Pitt, was 9 years old when the family arrived in 1870 and stayed there until his death, aged 55, in 1916, having taken over the reins from his father. Samuel Pitt, in 1897. Henry’s death brought to an end the Pitt dynasty at the Market Inn It had lasted forty-six years.

We can say that the members of the Pitt family were associated with the licensing trade in one place or another from before 1851 until 1941; over ninety years.

During my research into the Market Inn, much to my surprise, I discovered that on the 1901 census return my grandmother Florence Elizabeth Norton, aged 20, is listed as a visitor at the Windmill Inn then under the management of William and Agnes Pitt. Perhaps she was a friend of theirs.

The following were the tenants of the Market Inn after Henry

THE MARKET INN in the 1960s.

Photographs reproduced by permission of the Tasker Trust.

Tips from 1920

A page from the Barnsley and District Lodge's Almanack for 1920, which contained news and events from that year. Much like lifestyle magazines of today, it suggested hints and tips for health and housekeeping which are reproduced here.

toDancing the top

Don Booker MBE meets a television topper.

PERSONALITIES

Sunday Night at the London Palladium’ featured the world’s top entertainers, and one of the first dancers to be seen at the start of the show was a Barnsley lass.

Kathryn Jones, of Monk Bretton, Barnsley, stepped her way from a local dancing school to the most famous stage in the world and for years was a glamourous ‘Tiller Girl’.

The traditional Sunday lunch of roast beef and Yorkshire pudding was followed at 8 o’clock by this pulsating

television spectacular that first came on our screens in 1955. The average viewing figure was 14 million and it had a top ten placing every week.

Kathryn went through the Stage Door with Jim Dale, her first compere, Tom Jones, Cliff Richard, Paul Anka, Larry Grayson, Val Doonican, Shirley Bassey, Ella Fitzgerald, Petula Clark, Danny Kaye, Rudolph Nureyev, Engelbert Humperdinck, and not forgetting Judy Garland.

She has not stopped dancing since she was seven-years-old and

KATHRYN JONES aged 10.

‘RED RIDING HOOD’ in 1970 with Dai Bradley, famous for the film Kes

joined the Mavis Burrows School of Dancing in Barnsley, doing all aspects of footwork from tap, ballet and modern, passing examinations on the way.

Always intending to be a professional, at 13 she went to the Yorkshire Television Studios in Leeds to be auditioned by ‘Stars on Sunday’ chief Jess Yates. The audition was for a job on ‘Junior Showtime’ – and she was accepted.

We tend to hear of only local sporting celebrities at YTV in Leeds, but Kathryn’s talents were quickly spotted and she became the ‘Japanese’ assistant to Robert Harbin in his popular ‘Origami’ show.

Her feet continued to be her fortune and, at 16, she became principal girl in ‘Red Riding Hood’ at Barnsley Civic Theatre panto with comedian Ken Goodwin.

Then in 1971 she was invited to the Palace Theatre,

Manchester, for an audition for the top show of the period, ‘The Black and White Minstrel Show’. She was accepted and so she also added the title of ‘Television

Topper’ because she appeared every Saturday night on our screens in the show.

She told me: ‘It was an exciting and colourful show.

LORD MOUNTBATTEN, centre, with Kathryn fourth on his right.

IN THE ARMS of Cannon and Ball, all appearing at Blackpool Opera House in 1978.

There was lots of polish, poise, glamour and humour from firstclass performers. We had a twoyear tour of the country and were regulars at the Futurist in Scarborough and Blackpool Opera House where the shows were visited by many Barnsley folk. For ten weeks we were at the Leeds Grand Theatre with comedian Norman Collier, a friend of our own Charlie Williams’.

It was her contact with the show that took her into the world of commercial television, being part of the Cadbury chocolate finger biscuit advert which also featured the Minstrels.

She told me that the ‘Toppers’ had the largest dressing room at each theatre, each girl having her

own make-up mirror across which, in grease paint, was written her name.

‘Hung around us were our colourful long gowns, wigs, hairpieces, gloves, exotic fans and our more glamorous outfits. Some of our fans were worth £150 each.

‘The show was the tops and we were invited to numerous charity events. I came back to Barnsley with Don Maclean to present a cheque for £150 to the Barnsley Blind Welfare Committee’, she said.

Throughout her stage career she had moral support from her dad, Herbert, a manager at Redfearns Glass Works, and her late mother Barbara. ‘They were wonderful and travelled all over Britain with friends to see my

shows’, she said.

The show then spent two years at the New Victoria Theatre, London, now the Appollo. Then came the greatest test of all – an audition at the London Palladium. She was invited to join the ‘Tiller Girls’, the most famous chorus line in the world and to appear on the Sunday night televised show.

The Palladium is the world’s number one variety theatre and this year celebrates its centenary. While she was supporting the world’s top acts, Kathryn never forgot her roots, and was featured in the Barnsley Chronicle ‘Girl Friday’ spot.

Her rehearsals were 10am ‘til 4pm five days a week, plus Sunday’s show. Seventeen girls rehearse, but viewers only saw

THE YEAR, 1973, in the Palladium dressing room.

sixteen perform, the seventeenth was an extra in case of emergency.

Kathryn had her dangerous moments in the show when hot wax dripped from a tilting chandelier as she carried out her routine. She has many fond memories, including glancing into a long mirror before going out and treading the Palladium boards – the mirror used by the world’s top entertainers.

She joined the fabulous Danny La Rue show and spent six weeks of ‘this best tradition of English musical theatre’ in Canada. Back home, she went into cabaret at the Grosvenor and Dorchester hotels in London.

‘Sunday Night at the London Palladium’ was my favourite viewing, but I always wondered what it would be like on that

revolving stage in the show’s finale. The title Palladium was spread around the circle and stars and dancers waved and touched a letter. ‘All the girls tried to miss the letter ‘I’ because there was not much to grasp, and Petula Clark was really afraid because the whole thing would wobble.’ said Kathryn. The curtain will never come down on Kathryn’s love of show business – and that revolving stage will remain in her memory.

Barnsley should be proud of one who started so young and reached the top in one of the toughest professions in the world.

WITH RUSS ABBOT on Blackpool’s North Pier in 1975.

These two views both show Birdwell Primary School which has stood on Sheffield Road for almost 120 years, having celebrated its centenary in 1993. The top photograph appears to have been taken much earlier than the one below, judging from the clothing of the subjects. The later photograph, below, shows a far more built-up Birdwell, with relatively modern-looking street lighting and motorcars.

One noticeable difference to the school building from this early photograph is the pointed tower which is missing today.

The buildings on this residential street appear much the same today as they did when this first photograph was taken, dated by the horse-drawn transport. This photograph seems to have been taken on rather a busy day, capturing many of the village’s residents in the frame.

The obelisk at the southern end of Birdwell was constructed in 1775 to mark the three-mile distance to Wentworth Castle at Stainborough. The obelisk was struck by lightning on 6 June 1906 but remains in place today, between two properties, as seen on the two photographs.

Residents line both sides of the main street through the village to watch a procession, participants of which are taking part both on foot with banners and by horse-drawn cart. The houses have changed very little as you can see by comparing the two photographs. The obelisk is visible in the background.

Chris and Pearl Sharp

This photograph of the village police station was taken before the creation of South Yorkshire on 1 April 1974, as a result of the Local Government Act of 1972. The building is now used as a healing and spiritual development centre.

When this view – looking down Sheffield Road towards Worsbrough – was taken, the street was known as Colt Lane, according to the label on the photograph. The houses on either side of the road remain today, but the scene in the distance appears to be rather dramatically different, showing how the village has grown over the years.

This attractive building is named Birdwell Lodge, and is now in use as a nursery. The Lodge – set back from the road and surrounded by trees –sits near to the Cock Inn, which was built (near the well which gives the village its name) by a man named Longley as a coaching inn between the estates of Wentworth Castle at Stainborough and Wentworth Woodhouse. Until 1967, only one family – theEastwoods – had held the license for the premises.

Readers’ page Readers’ page

Guernsey tomatoes

Don Booker

The story of Barnsley's love of Guernsey tomatoes goes on, and in June news of the town's sale of 100,000 trays a year was broadcast across the air waves of the Channel Islands and South West England.

In the Winter 2010 issue of Memories of Barnsley, I revealed how I was invited to Guernsey by the Tomato Marketing Board in 1973 after writing an article for the Barnsley Chronicle which intimated that eating plenty of tomatoes made one sexy. An invitation to the island of ‘love apples’ followed, and last summer I met Molly Le Garff who, with her late husband Jim, welcomed me on that first visit nearly forty years earlier.

When I made my forty-first visit to Guernsey in June, who should I meet but George Morris, the company's accountant, who made regular visits to Barnsley where local wholesaler, Ernest Dennis, sold his products.

It brought about an invitation to join the BBC Guernsey Jenny Kendall-Tobias Show with George and Molly, which also revealed the news reporter's work of the early post-war years. George said he loved coming to Barnsley, but was always nervous when Ernest offered him a lift in his car to his next port of call. 'He always had a top car but always drove at a top speed which made me nervous after leaving an island where the limit was 35mph,' said George.

'Barnsley was one of our biggest markets and during the season we would send 1,500 trays a week by boat and road. The Dennis family, including son John, were wonderful people to meet,' he added.

The programme proved so popular that telephone calls were received from listeners whilst it was 'on air', and later

to the Les Cotils Centre were I was reunited with Molly and George. The BBC said they had to repeat the show later in the day and also through Devon and Cornwall by BBC South West. Listeners were interested in South Yorkshire's recovery after pit closures and also its traditions, including the flat cap.

My links with Guernsey get stronger, with Jenny inviting me back on her show next year, and also to be guest at the twenty-fifth anniversary of an island festival.

Fond memories

Mrs P Leigh

Your issue 18 took me back to my childhood and teen years. I lived near Locke Park Tower and the park was our playground. We spent hours there during the school holidays, then later on can anyone remember dancing around the Band Stand to records and live music?

Dancing at the Baths in Race Street was fantastic; proper dancing to live bands. And then there was the Star Picture Place in Union Street, warmly known as the Bugs Hut. I wonder how it got that nickname? Many happy hours were spent there, this is all when we could go out and enjoy our childhood without being scared of anyone taking advantage of us. We were very lucky to have such freedom as children and teenagers, it is so sad that the kids of today don't have what we had.

Don, Molly Le Garff and George Morris at Les Cotils Christian Centre.

Don with copy of Memories of Barnsley and Jenny Kendall-Tobias with his book A Barnsley Lad in the BBC Guernsey studio.

If you have photographs or memories you would like to share with us, please write to:Rebecca Lawther,Editor,The Drill Hall,Eastgate,Barnsley S70 2EU or email:editor@whmagazines.co.uk.

too sure of the third name, John

Free entry to the Odeon

Charles Hemingway

Just found this old photograph out that the late Stan Bulmer took; it was when the film Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines came out, we made our trolley into an aeroplane and this picture was put in the

newspaper and we got free entry to the Odeon cinema. It would have been June, 1965 when the film was on at the Odeon. I think the picture was published in the Yorkshire Post at that time, I hope that this is helpful to you and that you can use it. I think a photogragh was published in the Barnsley Chronicle of us at the Odeon being presented with model aeroplanes by the then Manager, but I dont have a copy of that one.

Stan Bulmer Junior, Charles Hemingway, not

Sagar and Chris Wike, with our ‘flying machine’.

Early childhood memories in Wombwell

Margaret Storey (née Sanderson)

Reading Memories of Barnsley recently has been the inspiration for these thoughts and a desire to share some of my earliest memories of life lived in Wombwell during the Second World War.

When I was three years old my father was called up to serve in the forces, and for the following seven years we often had no news coming from India and Burma, and not knowing whether Dad was dead or alive. Mum and I lived behind the corner shop at 151 Blythe Street, where my mother worked from 8am to 6pm serving local customers with the rationed food available, in exchange for the weekly coupons which were supplied by the Ministry of Food. Her regular customers included children on their way to John Street School, calling in for ‘penneth’s of kali’ – a luxury for us children in those days.

From my earliest days I was sent to Sunday School at Barnsley Road Methodist Church – Sunday School was no small group then – between 50-100 children gathered on Sunday afternoons. Sunday mornings also found lots of us in the Church Service and then morning Sunday School during the sermon which we all seemed to thoroughly enjoy. What a good grounding for life this has proved to be, in teaching us the Bible and the ways of God. Faithful

Sunday School teachers – Mr and Mrs Kilner, Mr Joe Latham, Miss Wardell are people of those days whose love and interest in us as children, has lived on in my heart. Most nights of the week we spent at Chapel, where we met our friends at the Christian Endeavour, Brownies and Girl Guides, and practiced for pantomimes and plays, which were produced and performed in the school hall. One such play was 'Hansel and Gretel'. My part was that of the wicked stepmother! I had to sing the following piece and even now, at the age of 75, I can still sing it through:

'What on earth are we to do with nothing in the larder, Times are hard so very hard they scarcely could be harder. Since our children can’t be clothed and bread we must refusethem,

151 Blythe Street, Wombwell, where Margaret lived with her mother.

Did you attend Wombwell Girls’ Secondary Modern school in the late 1940s or early 1950s? Do you recognise anyone from this class photograph taken during those years?

The only thing that we can do, is take them out and lose them!' I wonder if any of the cast could be reading this!Would be great to know if that is so!

How we looked forward to Sunday School anniversary time each year, when the massive platform stairs were erected in the Church, reaching from the floor to the top of the organ pipes (this wouldn’t be allowed today, with safety regulations as they are now)but we never had a problem and even though there were 70-100 children, no one ever fell from those platform stairs. Other exciting events were the Whitsuntide walk around Wombwell, with lorries decorated from each Sunday School in the area and the Sunday School queen being crowned in the then feast field, (alongside the Empire Cinema).

I have included some of the photographs that might stir memories of those good days of our youth, taken between 1946 and 1953.

Does anybody remember these wonderful school teachers at the Wombwell Girl’s Secondary Modern school?What super, well-respected staff they were. Miss Sykes, the Headmistress, was a truly great Head. Mrs Oxley (music), Miss Hague (scripture), Miss Ward (art), Mrs Petts (maths), Miss Smith (English) and Miss Johnson (science). Some names have left my memory, but in those days our teachers were such great examples to us, and we respected and looked up to them as such.

Life was difficult in those war years for so many of us, but I can honestly say that the hardships and privations put ‘iron into our souls’ and now in mature years especially, I feel true gratitude to God for His preservation and help during those days.

My father returned home from his years in India/Burma safely on New Year’s Day in 1946, having spent New Year’s Eve in a railway station waiting for a train to get him home. Mother and I were sitting up most of the night waiting for him, but he did not arrive until 8am.Mother was across the yard at the outside toilet, (remember those little rooms?) and our alsatian dog, Rex, who remembered Dad even better than I did, jumped up and with his paws on Dad’s shoulders, licked him profusely.Mum and I didn’t get a look in until Rex had finished!How exciting to be given presents from India out of Dad’s kit-bag, which had been made by Dad’s Indian soldiers: a hand-painted parasol in a tin case (I still have it) and a rosette made from Indian paper money.What a fortunate girl I was!

Teachers of Wombwell Girls’ Secondary Modern school.

Performing on stage in the Sunday School hall.

Locke Park souvenirs

Bob Wadsworth

Following your series of articles about Locke Park, I wondered if the enclosed photographs would be of interest.

Thesesouvenirs came into my possession through the antique trade and form part of a much larger collection of Barnsley souvenir items.

The Locke Park items were not made to commemorate any special event in the park's history, they were just part of the huge souvenir trade that was happening at that time.

The souvenir model of the tower (with coat of arms and inscription) is 5 inches tall and would have been sold in Barnsley from around 1913 to the 1920s.

The 2-inch miniature vase is most probably of the earlier Edwardian period.

Beech Grove House

Amy Wroe

Iwonder if any of your readers can help me find out more about the history of a property called Beech Grove House – the house at the end of Beech Grove, practically in the back of Locke Park. I just want to know what it used to be used for and if anyone has got any old pictures of it. Some people say it used to be a kind of like children's home for doctor's children? Others say that it use to be a B&B? I always used to see the house from a distance and wondered where it was, then one dayI was walking in Locke Park andsaw it and have been intrigued ever since! I keep asking people if they have any information about it but all they seem to say is that it was really scary!

Editor:

If anyone can help provide any information regarding Beech Grove House please contact us at the usual address.

Her only love

Adele Acton

Last week a neighbour gave me an old edition of Memories of Barnsley (issue 14 – Summer 2010). In it there were letters from the front line; one of the letters was from a Rifleman Horton, and his neighbour Ed Jobburns. Ed Jobburns is my great great grandfather and his sister, my great great Aunt Mary, was engaged to Rifleman Horton.

He obviously got killed in action my Aunt Mary was given his war medals. My aunt never remarried and died saying her only love was Ted – Rifleman Horton.

After reading the letter you printed we thought it would be fitting if his family got his war medals and wondered if you could help us to track them down?

Editor:

If anyone can help Adele to get in touch with the family of Rifleman E W Horton please contact us at the usual address.

Jogging the memory

Ihope you are keeping well and your weather is as warm as ours in Canada at present and you have had a great Summer. I have just finished reading the latest issue of Memories of Barnsley and enjoyed it very much. The story by Mr H Baddeley in particular brought back my memories of Tinkers Pond and the Thirty

Two steps along with the same walks along the canal bank.

I was also impressed by all the early school photos and was wondering if any of your readers have any school pics of Eldon Street Infants and Juniors circa 1946 through 1954. My Mum passed away when I was young and I don’t remember any school pics. If anyone has any I would love to see them. I can be reached at mikedixon@tcc.on.ca. Any pics of Mark Street Central 1954 through 1957 would be very welcome also.

Mike Dixon

Don Booker MBE recalls a gentleman surgeon who performed thousands of operations at Barnsley Beckett Hospital.

PERSONALITIES

played in a dance band entertaining hospital staff at Christmas, I was too nervous to enjoy the rare trifles and treats the nurses had prepared. Imagine, then, how I felt when Matrons and senior Sisters invited me to join them in a rendezvous at 7.30pm on 10 June 1975 in the operating

Competition Winner

In the Spring 2011 issue we offered a free 6 issue subscription to the new magazine Your Family History, produced by Wharncliffe Magazines and edited by Nick Barratt who worked on the first Who Do You Think You Are? television series.

Congratulations to: Mr D Brooks, who correctly identified the location as looking down Queen Street from Peel Square, over to the May Day Green Market which is now Cheapside. The Gas Nook was to the left of the Market Inn public house, which can be seen in the background of the old photograph. This property’s rich history is described in the article by Phil Norman in the article on page 26.

Hospital memories

Imust say how much I enjoy Memories of Barnsley. I used to live in Barnsley from 1936–1968. I am now 75 years old. I remember Mr Butters, who was featured in issue 18 – I have been a patient at Barnsley Beckett Hospital.

When I was 10 years old, in 1946, I was in the children's ward, called the Fountain Ward. I had my tonsils and adenoids removed by the ENT Consultant Mr W Rowe who lived on Huddersfield Road.

Sister Tabb was in charge of that Ward. I remember that there was no weekday visiting in the children's ward. In 1954 I saw Mr Rowe again as I had broken my nose when I was vaulting over the 'horse' in the gym at Barnsley Girls' High School!

In the side entrance to the hospital a bulletin was put up each day detailing the patients' progress or otherwise, with comments such as fair, satisfactory, progressing favourably, ill, critical was available for anyone to go and read.

I went dancing at the Three Cranes Hotel, a group of us met on a Saturday morning, for coffee, at the Queens Hotel for many years. Good old days!

Queen Street has been widened considerably, with the shops on the left hand side being rebuilt as the Three Cranes Hotel and the Woolworths building. Goodson’s shop, seen on the right hand side is now the home of Santander bank. The attractive Marks and Spencer building was built in 1937 and later extended to take in the adjacent shops.

Mrs Rita Cooper (née Bevis)

Under the Butters’ knife

A Busby Babe

Former Barnsley FC player Colin Brookes remembers playing for the club in the 1950s following a stint alongside Nobby Stiles at Manchester United.

Iwas born on 2 January 1942 at Pindar Oaks Hospital off Sheffield Road, Barnsley, the only son of Dennis and Doris Brookes (both deceased). We moved, as a family, to 7 Longcar Street, off Racecommon Road in 1943.

From a very early age I loved playing football – as well as cricket – for the successful Agnes Road Junior football team under the management of Mr Phil Townsend, winning the league and being the runners up in the Junior Cup in 1951/1952 season.

At Longcar Central School I made the school’s football team and in 1956/1957, aged 14, I won a place in the Barnsley Boys under 15s team. We won the Yorkshire Schools final and reached the English Schools final playing Southampton Boys in a two-legged final. At Oakwell in the second leg, a crowd of over 19,000 saw the match which ended in both teams sharing the cup.

During the 1956/1957 season I played for the Yorkshire Schools and then was selected for the England under 15s schoolboy

team. Nobby Stiles, who later played for Manchester United and was a member of the England Team that won the World Cup in 1966, was also in this side. I have stayed friends with Nobby for over fifty years. Other players in the side at the time were Bob Wilson, who went

SPORT

AGNES ROAD BOYS 1951/52 season. Stood at the back left to right: Mr Flood, Mr Bate, Mr Phil Townsend, Mr TH Watts. Back row seated: George Barrowclough, John Cole, Gerald Middleton, Bobby Smith, ?, Don Speed, Melvin Wesley, ?. Front row: Peter Priesley, ?, Granville White, Roland Robbins, ?, Colin Brookes, ? Bird.

on to play for Arsenal and Scotland, and Bobby Tamblin, who played for Chelsea and England.

Nobby Stiles and I both signed for Manchester United in May 1957 and joined the famous Busby Babes. I was unable to settle in Manchester and in

September 1957 signed on the ground staff at Barnsley FC. I became the youngest player to play in the reserves that season making my debut at Preston North End.

The following season I became a regular reserve player and, along with another Barnsley youngster, Dave Barber, was selected to tour Austria and Switzerland with the England Youth Team

first team in the third division.

The following season I played another twenty-six league games, plus FA Cup and League Cup games, making a total of fifty-five first team games. In the season 1960/1961 Barnsley had a great FA Cup run reaching the quarter finals before going out to Leicester City (First Division team) after a replay. After playing the first three rounds I was injured and missed the later

captained by Bobby Moore who went on to captain the 1966 World Cup side.I signed as a full-time professional for Barnsley in May 1959 at 17 years of age and that season I played twenty-one league games in the

rounds, being replaced by Jackie Lunn (another local lad who worked at the Carlton pit and played part-time at Barnsley).

At the end of the season I was transferred to the First Division team West Bromwich Albion. During my time playing for Barnsley, I also played cricket for Dodworth Miners Welfare Team in the Barnsley league. At West Bromwich Albion things didn’t work out and although I gained a regular place in the reserves I never made the first team and was transferred to Peterborough FC in 1962/1963.However, whilst at the club I met Jane Aldridge. We married the following year and have been married for almost forty-nine years and have two wonderful daughters, Karen and Rebecca, and three grandchildren, Ben, Danielle and Jacob.

After a season with Peterborough I moved to Southport (Fourth Division) and made twenty-two league appearances before moving to Yeovil Town. In 1965 I moved back to Barnsley with Jane and my younger daughter Karen and

BARNSLEY V BRENTFORD, 22 August 1959, my first team debut. Back row left to right: John Short, Frank Bartlett, Don Leeson, Ollie Hopkins, Dave Barber, Colin Swift. Front row left to right: Jackie Lunn, Frank Beaumont, Bert Tindall, Jimmy Bastor, Colin Brooke. Mascot: Hedley Steele, son of Ernest Steele, groundsman.

In the season 1960/1961 Barnsley had a great FA Cup run reaching the quarter finals...

MEMBERS OF THE

Barnsley FC squad who reached the FACup quarter final in the 1960/1961 season, losing in the replay against Leicester City. The BFC team won the ‘Giant Killers Cup’ (they were in the third division at the time). This photograph was taken at the presentation dinner, May 1961.

COLIN BROOKES

(aged 19) signing for West Bromwich Albion, with the two managers, John Steel and Gordon Clarke.

moved to a rented house in Shaw Street off Racecommon Road and I managed to get a job with Dudley Council driving the school dinners to schools in the Barnsley area. During this time I played part-time football for

Worksop Town and continued to play cricket with Dodworth.

In 1966 I applied to join the West Midlands Police force and was accepted in March 1967. My family and I moved to the Midlands after my police training

and have lived here for the past forty-four years. During my time with West Midlands Police I played football for the British Police and West Midlands Police football teams and then went on to successfully manage the West Midlands Police team who played in the Midlands Combination, winning the league and a number of cup competitions. I have been back to Barnsley on the odd occasion to a couple of football reunions and always follow the Barnsley Football Club results. I have great memories of my upbringing in Longcar Street and school days and often think of what happened to friends of years gone by.

My football memories will always remain special to me, particularly those of my time in Barnsley.Your magazine revives those memories and I wish you and all the people of Barnsley well for the future.

If there are any old school friends or people with whom I played football or cricket during this time I would love to hear from them.

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