Mexborough and Swinton Times Friday, June 2, 1939
Rising 90
Greetings for Veteran Churchwarden
Mr. A. H. Tabor of Wombwell
Mr. Arthur Henry Tabor, of Littlefield Lane, Wombwell’s veteran churchwarden, attained his 89th birthday and entered upon his 90th year on Whit Sunday—”a lovely day”—commented the Rector ot Wombwell, on which to have a birthday.” ”
Canon Blakeney was offering congratulations to Mr. Tabor on behalf of the congregation, at the morning service. In his imperturbable way Mr. Tabor stood apparently unmoved while the Rector spoke words of thanks and warm commendation. Prayers of gratitude were offered by the congregation.
Mr. Tabor has been a warden of Wombwell Parish Church for over fifty years and has served under five rectors. He seldom misses a service and is a model of loyalty and punctuality. His great ambition has been to serve to the end of the episcopate of the Dr. L. H. Burrows of whom he is a great admirer. This he has virtually achieved but the members of the church who love and admire him hope that he will continue in office.
Vicar’s Father.
Mr. Tabor has been devoted to church life from his infancy, and Wombwell Parish Church has benefited in a degree it is impossible to estimate from his conscientious and self-sacrificing service. Perhaps the proudest day of his life was when he received the news that one of his sons, the Rev. C. W. Tabor, a Lt. Col, in the Sheffield Battalion of the Church Lads’ Brigade, had been appointed Vicar of a Sheffield parish.
Mr. Tabor was born at Stourton, Wiltshire. He started work on the land but afterwards went into private service as a groom-gardener, first In Wiltshire and then at Stretford, Manchester. In that capacity he came to Wombwell to work for the late Mr. Edward Rycroft of “The Sycamores,” Hemingfield, who was then “master” at Lundhill Colliery. After holding this position for fifteen years Mr. Tabor went to Mitchell Main as a storekeeper, but shortly afterwards again took up gardening, this time in the service of Mrs. Garland, who was then in occupation of Netherwood Hall.
In 1897 Mr. Tabor returned to the pits and served as timekeeper at Darfield Main until his retirement in 1928. In this capacity it was part of his duty to look after the boys, and many pitlads now grown up will count themselves better men for his stern but kindly discipliniarism. He was more concerned about the behaviour of his boys than any schoolmaster and, having been brought up to manage horses, would never tolerate ill-usage of pit ponies.
He Taught Kindness
He insisted always that pony drivers at Darfield Main should be provided with whips submitted to him for regular inspection, not because he advocated corporal punishment for ponies but because he disliked the stave or the locker. It was largely through his influence that kindness became the watchword of the stables at Darfield Main, and the lads gained a high reputation for their considerate treatment of the ponies.
Mr. Tabor devoted a good deal of his life to public work, chiefly as an educationist. He once made a bid for a seat on the Wombwell U.D.C. but was defeated by Mr. J. Nunn, largely (he recalls with a smile) through the influence of his old friend, the late Mr. William Washington. For many years he was chairman of the Wombwell Education Committee.
Mr. Tabor has always had a strong bias toward politics and has never wavered in his loyalty to the Conservative Party. A man with a strong mind and sublime contempt for superficialities, he has carried sincerity to the point of losing support. Mr. Tabor laid the foundations of Toryism in Wombwell and for many years was President of the Conservative Club in Park Street. It was largely – through his influence that the land was acquired from Captain Wentworth and the building erected at the relatively small cost of £1,100.
A great patriot, Mr. Tabor has plumped for the red, white and blue in all crises. He lost one son (John Tom) in the Boer War and another (George) in the Great War. Another son (Percy) who emerged from the Great War shattered in health, died in 1934.
“Tower Of Strength”
Mr. Tabor was greatly admired by Wombwell’s former rector, Canon S. T. G. Smith, now Vicar of Attercliffe, who, when he attained the age of 80, sent him a birthday gift with the following message, “Your friends will rejoice as I do that you have been spared to see this auspicious day and are happily restored to health. You have been a real tower of strength to the church at Wombwell and all who have been associated with you in its work and worship must regard you with sincere action. I know that is how I feel toward you myself after all the kindness and forbearance you showed to me throughout my ministry as rector of the Parish. That in the good Providence of God there may still remain for you some years of useful life and service is, I am sure, the prayer of us all.”
In the current issue of the parish Magazine the present Rector writes, “Hearty congratulations and many happy returns of the day to our respected and revered churchwarden, Mr. A. H. Tabor. May he have every blessing happiness and good health in the eventide of his life.”
Mr. Tabor is still devoted to gardening and evidence of his early training is plainly visible in his neatly kept plot.