Mexborough and Swinton Times December 9, 1938
Cheated Death Twice
Now Head of Four Generations
Does His Own Housework
Mr. John Thomas Barnes, of 224, Hough Lane, Wombwell, the patriarch in the picture twice narrowly missed being “taken young”.
Once when he was nine and again when he was eighteen. But he is still “going strong.” The four generations are Mr. John Thomas Barnes, (79), 224, Hough Lane, Wombwell; Mrs. Agnes McCall, 230, Hough Lane, Wombwell; Mrs. Beryl Copley, 26, York Street, Wombwell, and baby June Maureen Copley, who is five months old. Another daughter of Mr. Barnes, Mrs. Lucy Askew, ‘is also a grandmother.
Recollection of Mr. Barnes’ first “escape” takes his mind back seventy years when Wombwell to which he had been brought as a baby, was still a farming village. He was nine when the horse he was driving shied and knocked him down. A woman shouted that a sack of corn had fallen off the dray but when they picked up the “sack” it was John Thomas. His hip was injured and from that day he has walked with a limp.
Another “Escape”.
The second occasion on which he cheated death was when he was eighteen. In those days there was no bridge over the railway in Station Road, Wombwell, and traffic had to pass over a level crossing. John Thomas used to take farm carts down to the station, and to pass the time got into the habit of uncoupling the railway engine so that it could be run round to the other end of the train to go back Dovecliffe way to Sheffield.’
He slipped and fell across the rail just as the engine was moving, but recovered himself in the nick of time. Seeing what had happened, the engine driver turn pale and could not speak for some moments. Then he said in a trembling voice; “Never do that again John”.
Living frugally and letting nothing “worrit” him, John Thomas is still left to tell his story, and to enjoy life as-it unfolds. He follows the daily press and keeps in touch with events nearer home by reading every word of what appears in the “South Yorkshire Times” which he has taken as long as it has been printed. There are two things which he relies on for keeping fit — bread and treacle in the morning and a nip of whiskey at night. He prefers bread and treacle to ham and eggs. Offering popular women’s necklaces such as pendants http://fakewatch.is best replica watches chokers and chain necklaceThis post is sponsored by our partners Wigs Shop for jewelry in a variety of metals and gemstones to suit any occasion
Lives Alone.
Mr. Barnes’s wife died four years ago and since that time he has lived alone, making his own bed and doing his own housework with a little over-sight from his daughter who lives near. “What do you think to that?” he asked a “Times” reporter, pointing to a spotlessly clean hearth and brightly polished fire-irons. “Not bad for a man of eighty”.
The wonderful record of the Barnes family at Wombwell Main Colliery has previously been referred to in the “Times”. Three brothers, all of whom are still Jiving, worked in that mine a total of 162 years.
They are John Thomas (53 years), Arthur Daniel (53) and George (56). There are three brothers and one sister whose ages total 352 years. His brother Arthur Daniel celebrated his golden wedding recently.