Mexborough and Swinton Times October 15 1937

Thirty Years’Caretaking
Retiring’ Gifts For Wombwell Veteran

As a token of appreciation at the culmination of thirty years service as caretakers of Park Street Council Schools, Wombwell, Mr. and Mrs. Heathcote have received a present from the children of the school with the wish that they would find comfort ana enjoyment in their well earned retirement.

Mr. Heathcote, who was greatly moved by a gesture, which came as a complete surprise, responded.

Mr. Heathcote was born in Lincolnshire but has lived in Wombwell since he was three, his father being Elisha Heathcote. At eleven years of age he started work at the old Lundhill Colliery and had been at Wombwell Main Colliery about twenty years when he left the mines to take the caretaking job. Having served under three headmasters and two “supplies” (the first being Mr. J. C. Milner) he can look back upon some pleasant experiences.  He told a ‘Times” reporter that he had always been happy in the work. The staff had always treated them with the greatest consideration.   He was specially grateful to Mr. Smith.

Mr. Heathcote will be remembered by the older generation of Wombwellians in connection with his canine interests. One of his whippets was a champion of England and with a greyhound named Togo he won 41 prizes. His father was also a greyhound fancier and had as many as a dozen dogs at a time. He also used to “walk” greyhounds for Detective Inspector N. Nicholls, who afterwards became landlord of the Railway Inn and Prince of Wales Hotel, Wombwell, and a member of the Wombwell U.D.C. He is passionately fond of gardening and will contrive to keep fit in that way in his retirement.

Mr. Heathcote is 75 and his wife 73. They have passed their golden wedding.

Mrs. Heathcote’s grandparents were blacksmiths and organ builders. They presented an organ to the Institute at Thorpe Hesley soon after the Sheffield flood.