Mexborough and Swinton Times August 30, 1919

The Town Crier’s Complaint

Mr John Guest, who carries out the duties of “Year Olde Town Crier,” at Wombwell, is an interesting character. He has had a busy time during the past few weeks, and is one of the very few people who have prospered by the strike.

Inheriting the job from Mr. Stevenson, who died six or seven years ago, he has had precious little “crying” to do, and has he is paid on “peace” work basis, and has no retaining fee, the office has not been very lucrative this one. He tells us however that during the strike he had been out on no fewer than fifteen occasions on the business of the various miners’ lodges.

Unfortunately he says, “several so called trades unionists have trespassed on his preserves” during the strikes, and, as he himself is not “organised” he had lost much business.

Mr Guest is an enthusiastic member of the Old People’s Treat Committee.