Mexborough and Swinton Times, August 5th, 1932
And Eighteen Others
Jump Family’s Challenge To Record
Three of the 21 children of Mr. and Mrs. Sykes, of Jump, “helping mother.”
Brisk competition is developing as to who holds the record for the number of children in one family. Recently we gave particulars of a Broomhill “clan” of nineteen , which included three pairs of twins and one set of triplets; but that record is successfully challenged by Jump parents with 21children.
The happy parents are Mr. and Mrs. Fred Sykes, 114, Church Street. They are natives of Hoyland Common, and were married at St. Peter’s Church, Hoyland Low, and lived for many years at Cudworth. Twenty-four years ago they returned to Jump and have occoupied the same house practically ever since. Their youngest child is now ten and the oldest 32. Five are married and there are numerous grand-children. Mrs. Sykes cannot boast plural births, but in two instances the family has been supplemented twice within eleven months.
All the children are healthy and those attending school compare well physically with any in the district.
Both Mr. and Mrs. Sykes came from big families. Mrs. Sykes’s parents had 16 children, and Mr. Sykes was one of “ten or a dozen.” The happiest relationships prevail in the Sykes’ household; as further evidence of the advantage of the big tamily.
“We have had our fair share of trouble and bereavement,” said Mrs. Sykes, “but we find a lot of happiness in each other. What ever happens, we have always the children with us. Life has been a big struggle us, but I pity those who have no children. We have our little ‘tiffs’ but they mean nothing.” Mrs. Sykes’ is a healthy little woman and has learned to look on life philosophically and to face domestic problems with a smile. Mr. Sykes has had a hard life as miner, but looks no worse for it.
Another Jump family which goes into double figures is that of Mr and Mrs William Hackleton, 10, Milton Road.
They have 15 children and of the 13 still living seven are married. Thre oldest is 35 and the youngest 12. Their 29 grandchildren include one set of twins.