Mexborough & Swinton Times – Saturday 21 October 1939

Ninety Not Out

Party for Low Valley’s G.O.M.

“Play-Boy ” Who Aims at The Hundred

Mr. Joseph Brookes (90), and a few of the friends who attended his birthday party at Low Valley last Sunday. In the group are:
(front left to right) Mr. Fred Turnbull (76), Mrs. Marsden, Mr. Joseph Brookes (90), Mr. Tom Mulroy;
(back row), Mr. F. Ennis, Mrs. Ennis, Mrs. Hayes, Mr. S. Whistow, Mrs. S. A. Hoburn, and Mr. Joseph Brookes (junr.).

Mr. Joseph Brookes of 57, George Street. Low Valley, the oldest man in Darfield, has just realised how popular he is. Last Friday he had a party given to him by the neighbours in honour of his 90th birthday. For Joseph it was a day of hearty handshaking and patting on the back. A modest old man, he was quite embarrassed by the kindness and goodwill showered on him. Moreover, he was promised that there will be another jollification for him in ten years time when he has emulated Bradman by knocking up a century.

All sections of the Low Valley community—men, women and children— joined in the celebrations, the children bringing their little tokens, the women-folk clubbing together to make a birth day cake on which Joseph’s name and age were written in icing sugar. Ninety little silver cachous represented his ninety years “They were all very kind to me,’ Joseph told a “Times” reporter.

“We had a splendid time,” he said as his eyes brightened with the recollection, “and we are all looking forward to the next one.” He loves Low Valley and would not move out if they offered him a place rent free.

Native of Barnsley

Mr. Brookes was born at Old Town, when that old world place was a village outside Barnsley, and before he was nine he went to work at Honeywell Colliery as a trapper. After that he worked at Smithy Bridge Colliery and Willow Bank Colliery before coming to Low Valley as a young man. All the mines above mentioned have been worked out long ago and are nothing now but names. He never had a day off through accident until at the age of 78 he had an accident at Houghton Main Colliery which finished his working career. At the age of 90 he is still a compensation case. Mr. Brookes worked at Houghton Main at the time of the cage accident on New Year’s Eve, 1886, when ten men lost their lives. Altogether he was employed there about fifty years and has lived in the same yard at Low Valley for 60 years. He believes he is the oldest member of the Yorkshire Mine workers’ Association. His mother entered him as a half member when he was a boy and he has never been out of benefit. He now enjoys a small miner’s pension.

Played Truant

Although he never learned to read or write, Mr. Brookes has always got his along fairly well. “That was my folly,” he said. “They used to give me money to go to school but I used to spend it and play truant I realise now what a mistake it was.” Still, as he will tell you, he has a tongue in his head and can always ask for what he wants to know. The radio is a boon to him. His eyes are undimmed—he has never had to wear glasses—and his hearing and general health are perfect. He used to be a great pigeon fancier but been able to follow the hobby in recent years.

At the “sing-song” which followed the birthday banquet he was the play-boy of the party.

Mr. Brookes’ youngest son. Joseph was the ‘Carnival King” at Darfield’s Hospital Carnival earlier this year. Mr. Brookes has one daughter and three sons living. His wife died about seven years ago.