South Yorkshire Times February 11, 1967

Death of Popular Mexborough Licensee

The death occurred on Saturday at his home, the Ferryboat Inn, Mexborough of Douglas Walton, aged 54.

Mr Walton, who had been licensee of the Ferryboat In for 15 years, stood for the Citizens Association 1956 and served on Mexborough Urban Council for three years, and he was a past president of the Mexborough, Swinton and District Licensed Victuallers Association.

Barnett Avenue Road was, he was one of 12 children of the late Mr Walton, Liberal member of Parliament. From the age of 13 ½, Mr Walton worked at Wath Main Colliery and became a mining contractor. He decided to leave the mining industry shortly after nationalisation, and moved to the Ferryboat Inn. For his last six years at Wath Make up colliery he was captain of the mines rescue team.

He was married in 1929, and his wife’s, Violetta Elizabeth, comes from Catcliffe, near Rotherham. After marriage they lived at Bolton, Wath and Swinton, before moving to Mexborough.

Broadcast

Mr Walton became well-known locally as a collector of unusual objects of interest from all over the country and abroad, and about five years ago he spoke on the radio about his collection.

He was included as a speaker in the programme “Down Your Way” when it visited Mexborough, and he also appeared on the BBC television Northern news programme.

Mr Walton had been ill for some years, but it was not until he was taken to hospital last March that the seriousness of his illness was known and he was given only six months to live. For the last three months of his life he had been confined to bed for most of the time, and he was visited daily by the Vicar, the Rev J Metcalfe.

Mr Walton also leaves two married daughters, Wendy and Maureen.