Mexborough and Swinton Times July 30, 1937
Wombwell Anniversary Nearly Overlooked
Mr and Mrs William Small of the Ash Inn, Wombwell, celebrated last Friday the 50th anniversary of their wedding day.
In the ordinary way the event would have passed unnoticed but the romantic significance of the date was recalled to their minds by a chance remark on the part of one of their daughters in law. The day had then almost gone, so they put off the family festivities until Sunday when they could all be together. The whole of their married life has been spent in Wombwell.
Mr Small was born at Addenham, in Buckinghamshire. By instincts and mannerism he is a thoroughgoing Yorkshire man, but he has never been able to get rid of the lingering accents of the South country dialect. Both he and Mrs Small are happy in the possession of a white circle of friends.
Born into a family of farmworkers, Mr Small was the 18th of 19 children. Before he was nine years of age he was working on the land, though in the daytime he also got in a bit of schooling.
As he grew up it came to the conclusion that the family were getting too many to the square yard for their tiny home, so with the blessing of a devoted mother and father he struck out into the world and came north, the first time he had ever been in a railway train! He was then 18.
Recalling that adventure he said it was as much to him is going to America or Australia. Yorkshire seem very remote from “leafy Bucks,” and his brothers and sisters thought they would never see him again. He told his mother that she had better put a card on his back.
Sometime prior to that an uncle who (grandfather of Councillor Frank Collingridge) had settled in Wombwell, and it was with the idea of living with his aunt in “Fatticake Row” (Kent Row) and getting work in the pits that Mrs Moore came to Wombwell.
His first job in this district was at the pottery plant near Darfield Main Colliery and following the ‘85 strike he got work at Cortonwood Colliery, and remained in and about the mines of Wombwell for the remainder of his working days.
In 1924 he left Darfield Main to take over the license of the Ash Inn, and has now been landlord of that house for 13 years.
Mrs Small, whose maiden name was Elizabeth Parkin, was born in Wombwell, her father been Jonathan Parkin, who was employed in the highways department of Wombwell UDC for many years. Jonathan had migrated from Lincolnshire in 1857 to work at Lundhill Colliery when it was being “cleaned up” after the disastrous explosion.
The couple were married at Barnsley in July 23, 1887. Of their 10 children, six survive, and they are all married.
Before their marriage Mrs Small was employed at the Royal Oak house, Wombwell, and on the day of their wedding Tom Pashley, son of the landlord was celebrating his 21st birthday.
The bridesmaid, Mr Scargill (nee Sarah Parkin) is still living in Wombwell. Mr Small is 72 and his wife 68. Both enjoy excellent health and they are in “peace, love and harmony” with everything and everyone around them.