Mexborough and Swinton Times, April 22nd, 1932
“Hooam An’ Away”
The oldest official of the Wombwell Urban District Council has resigned. At the age of 88 Mr. John Hanson, who held “ye ancients office of towns cryer and custodian of the pin,” has relinquished the duties and has been succussed by his nephew, Mr. Henry Golding (picture) who is nearly forty years his junior. Actually Mr. Golding has been doing the work for about six years.
Mr. Golding has lived in Wombwell for about twenty years. He was born at Rawmarsh but came to Wombwell to seek employment in the mines. For some time, he was at Cortonwood and Manvers Main and is now employed at Darfield Main.
A man of powerful physique Mr. Golding is just the right type for this job, for he has no difficulty in making himself heard. Mr. Golding is available for all manner of commissions but his work is now largely confined to crying auction sales and meetings. Obviously, he is no party-man for at the last general election but one he “cried” for three candidates. Officially he is tied to Wombwell but when “crying” on his own account he gets further afield. Only once has he been challenged. When he was “crying” in an adjoining township a rival advised him to “get off his pitch”. Mr. Golding is slow to anger and merely remarked “Come on lad we’ll booath about and see who wins hooam and away.” His rival didn’t take it on.
Mr. Golding’s office carries some measure of responsibility. He cannot pick his jobs but has to take them as they come. He states that if any husband wanted his wife publicity “cried down” and requested him to do it he would have no option in the matter, but he has never yet been subjected to that test. A good deal of the town cryer’s time in olden days was taken up by proclaiming lost children, but on only one occasion in six years has Mr. Golding had that job.
Mr. Golding’s grandfather, Solomon Outram, was at one time surveyor to the Rawmarsh Local Board, and also collected turnpike tolls. He was keeper of the toll bar in stock Lane, Rawmarsh and his mother had charge of a toll bar at Kilnhurst Road. An uncle of Mr. Golding’s lost a position as a church organist because with a church full of people he played “Pop Goes the Weasel” for a bet. Wombwell has lost its pinfold but Mr. Golding finds all the accommodation for animals at large in a pigsty.