Mexborough and Swinton Times, January 22, 1937

Compositors Retirement

The announcement of the retirement of Mr John Robert Pilling, who for the past 40 years has been employed by the “South Yorkshire Times” printing Co Ltd, has been accepted with much regret by the directors of the firm.

Mr Pilling will bid farewell this weekend to the firm he has served so faithfully over so long a period. He has always been most reliable and hard-working, and his 40 year service as Linotype operator he has set many millions of lines of type.

He his retiring on superannuation from the typographical Association and a small pension from the firm.

Mr Pilling, who hails from Burnley, is in turn worked in Colne, London and Manchester, and he came to Mexborough as a linotype operator in the days when the late Mr Walter Turner was managing director.

He married a daughter of the late Mr JB Butler, a well-known former Mexborough resident and tradesmen, who was for several years public librarian. He has two daughters, one married and living in Sheffield. Mr Pilling, who lives at 29, Wellington St, Mexborough, is not taken part in public affairs, his chief hobby being music. He has been a member of several Mexborough orchestral societies as a violin player, and was also a member of the Mexborough railwayman’s choir.

He has been for about 30 years vice president of the local section of Sheffield branch of the Typographical Association.

The best wishes of all his colleagues and friends go with him in his well earned retirement. In truth it can be said of him – “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.”