South Yorkshire Times – Saturday 19 December 1942

Golden Wedding

Mr. and Mrs. W. Roberts, of Barnburgh

This week-end will be one of celebration for the family of Mr. and Mrs. William Roberts, “Harwill, Hollowgate Lane, Barnburgh.

Yesterday (Thursday) was Mr. and Mrs. Roberts’ Golden Wedding anniversary: to-morrow (Saturday), their grandson. Mr. Laurence Morton, will be married to Miss Eva Brooke, Mater of Eric Brooke, the famous footballer and cricketer, and on Sunday their eldest daughter and her husband, Mr. and Mrs. Laurence Morton, of 2. Argyle Street. Mexborough, will celebrate their Silver Wedding anniversary.

Thursday was also the occasion for a family re-union to celebrate Mr. and Mrs. Roberts’ fifty years of married life. They were married on December 17th. 1122. at Oxford Place Wesleyan Chapel, Doncaster, by the Rev. Daniel Pearson.

Mrs. Roberts (formerly Miss Harriet Farrand), is a native of Doncaster, and Mr. Roberts Is a native of Tempsford, Bedfordshire.

As a young man he came to this district and worked for a while at the Barrow and Oaks Collieries, near Barnsley, and at Wath Main before coming to Manvers Main 45 years ago where he has remained. For thirty years he was deputy and charge deputy at the colliery.

He retired four years ago and left Mexborough after lying there all his married life, and went to Barnburgh. He is now back in harness at the age of 70 doing his bit as watchman at the colliery.

Mr. Roberts is well-known in public life, being for 23 years a Member of the Board of Governors of Mexborough Montagu Hospital. A few years ago he was made a life member. For many years Mr. and Mrs. Roberts were actively associated with Roman Terrace Wesleyan Church.

Mr. Roberts is the youngest of a family of sixteen children, and is the third member of the family to celebrate a Golden Wedding, one brother celebrating his ten years ago, and another, at the age of 83, in October this year. Mrs. Roberts is 75.