South Yorkshire Times, December 22nd 1933
Wombwell Worthies
An Old Cricketer’s Fifty
Golden Wedding
Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Schofield
A Wombwell main couple, readers of the South Yorkshire Times, are looking forward to Christmas with a special interest. On Christmas eve they will be celebrating their golden wedding. They are Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Schofield of 75, Wombwell Main. The event will also recall happy memories of a Christmas eve, 43 years ago, when their father and mother, then living at Wombwell Main, celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary.
Mr. Schofield is best known at Wombwell Main as a sportsman of the old school. From boyhood he took the keenest interest in cricket and football and has a record of which he is proud. His association with the Wombwell Main club extends over nearly half a century. For 20 years he was a playing member of the cricket club and for ten years a member of the football club. For over 16 years he carried out his duties as secretary of both sections. As a footballer he played for Wombwell Town and Wombwell Tradesmen.
Mr. Schofield was with Wombwell Main when in what are still called “their good old days.” He is the holder of a medal won in 1897 when the club were champions of the Barnsley and District Football League and his name is also inscribed on a cup won as long ago as 1883 and now exhibited in the Sir George’s Arms hotel, Wombwell Main. The cup was won in a knock-out at Hoyland Mill Feast.
Many years ago, a Sunday journal offered volumes on cricket autographed by the famous Dr. W. G. Grace for “best performances.” Mr. Schofield won one by taking nine wickets for two runs against Kexborough. (Barnsley) in a cricket cup tie in 1892.
Mr. Schofield played for Wombwell Main at the time when they had a big reputation in local cricket and when the matches against Mitchell Main when matches were big local attractions.
A team which represented Wombwell Main against Mitchell Main on June 22nd 1895, on behalf of the Old People’s Treat Fund was F. Turner, G. W. Hinchcliffe, Herbert Sykes, Chas. Hinchcliffe, David Thomas, Fred Schofield, J. C. Tate, W. H. Whittlestone, W. Schofield and Sam Schofield. His cricket career can be said to have closed in 1913, when he played for Mitchell Main against the local police. On that occasion he scored 47 runs and took six wickets.
Mr. Schofield left school at the age of 11 to work at Wombwell Main Colliery and remained there for 30 years. After that he went to work at Wombwell Main Foundry and retired in 1927.
The old couple, both of whom enjoy good health, have three sons and three daughters. All the sons are actively engaged in sport. Jack has played cricket for 20 years with Langwith Colliery in the Bassetlaw League and Harold, formerly a member of the Wombwell Main cricket team, is now living in Dunstable and is to act as linesman in the West Bromwich v. Chelsea Cup Tie on Jan. 13th.
Mr. Schofield is 72 and his wife 69.
They were married at Wombwell Parish Church by the Rev. A. E. Flaxman on December 24th 1883. They have six grandchildren.
Mr. and Mrs. Schofield remember Wombwell when it was still rural. Mrs. Schofield has been a member of the Hough Lane Methodist Church for many years.
The event is to be celebrated with a quiet party. For a long time Mr. Schofield was groundsman at Wombwell Main and his diversions now mainly consist of his pipe, his garden, Wombwell Main Working Men’s Club and his cricket.