South Yorkshire Times – Saturday 21 February 1942
Marconigrams
The Don Valley Divisional Labour Party’s Aid for Russia effort has so far realised£820.
Several people were affected, one fatally, by what was believed to be an escape of gas In Blythe Street, Wombwell, on Monday.
The death has occurred in his 78th year of Mr. F. C. Hunter, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Manvere Main Collieries, Ltd.
Mr. W. A. Lewis, veteran chairman of Mexborough Montagu Hospital Board, was taken ill recently and is confined to bed at his home, where he is making a steady recovery.
Gunner Ernest Rodgers (32), of 99, Furlong Road. Bolton-on- Dearne, was one of the the victims of the troop train accident near Sheffield last week.
Two South Yorkshire R.A.F. pilots, Pilot Officer H. E. Wathey, of Bolton-on-Dearne, and Sergeant Pilot E. W. Phillips, of Conisbrough, have been reported missing following the engagement in the Channel last Thursday with the three German battleships, Scharnhorst, Gneisenau and Prince Eugen.
The appeal 4 published In our last issue on behalf of the Matron of the Montagu Hospiital for those with nursing experience in the district to help in meeting the shortage of nurses which the Hospital, in common with other similar institutions, has recently experienced, met with an immediate and most satisfactory response. Offers of assistance were received in large numbers on Friday, within a few hours of publication of the appeal, with the result that for the time being the needs of the Hospital have been met.
Older residents In Conisbrough will remember still the late Mr. Godfrey Walker, whose widow recently died leaving an estate of £198,322. Among her bequests were 11,000 to the Godfrey Walker Home, £100 to the Blind Convalescent School in Doncaster, £2,000 to Waifs and Strays Home at York. Mrs Godfrey Walker married again Judge Sir Thomas Granger, who died some time ago. The Godfrey Walker Convalescent Home was removed from Conisbrough some years ago.
Members of the Ladles’ Committee of Mexborough Montagu Hospital enjoyed a trip to a pantomime at Sheffield on Wednesday.
The Rev. William Stephen Fletcher, Vicar of Stalntorth has been appointed Vicar of Kilnhurst In succession to the Rev. E. J. Cheverton.
Mexborough Urban District and Hemsworth Rural District Warship Weeks open this weekend. Mexborough’s target is £70,000 and Hemsworth are out for at least £136,000.
Sergt. Donald Diggles (21), son of Mr. and Mrs Archie Diggles, of Smith Street, Wombwell, is to be invested with the Distinguished Flying Medal at Buckingham Palace shortly.
Chief speaker at the opening of Wath’s Warship Week on March 7th will be Major J. Milner, MC., T.D., LLB., M.P., Deputy Lieutenant of the West Riding of Yorkshire and Chairman of the Services Committee of the Labour Party in the House of Commons.
Mr. A. Wild, Chairman of the Allotments Committee of Wath Urban Council, is to be chairman at a Rotherham and District “Dig for Victory ” Week (March 7th to 14th) meeting to be held on Tuesday, March Bth, at the Town Hall Assembly Rooms, Rotherham, when the speaker will be Mr. G. W. Giles, organising secretary of the National Allotments Society. Mr. J. W. Chambers, chairman of Rawmarsh Urban Council Allotments Committee, will preside at a meeting on Friday, March 13th, when the speaker will be Mr.Roy Hay