Mexborough and Swinton Times July 27, 1928
Diamond Wedding
Mexborough Couples 60 Years of Married Life
Probably the oldest married couple in Mexborough, Mr and Mrs Herbert Aaron Oakley, of 44 Garden Street, today celebrate the 60th anniversary of their marriage.
Both are 80 years of age and are many interesting reminiscences of the early days of the town and district. They were married at the Rotherham Parish Church by the Reverend J.R.Jennings on July 27, 1868.
Mr Utley who is a native of Kirkstall Leeds came to Mexborough 68 years ago, and Mrs Utley, who first saw the light up Woodlesford, also near Leeds, came to Mexborough at about the same time. Soon after his arrival, Miss Oakley commenced work at Mr Sam Barker’s foundry at 8d a day. On attaining manhood he was appointed as assistant foreman in the wheel making department, and worked an average of 10 hours a day.
“It is different now,” said Mr Oakley to a “Times” reporter who called on him this week. “Whereas I many a time at the bride men with a shilling to leave a public house and come to work, there is now no scarcity of men and a scarcity of work.”
On one occasion he and 50 men made for engine wheels by hand, and the ring of the 16 hammers and the steel resounded through the then quiet valley of the Don. Couple had no advice to offer on the attainment of connubial bliss, said that man and wife should pull the same way.
“We have had our little quarrels,” said Mrs Utley, not wishing to be thought the perfect wife, “but they have only been tiffs.”
“Keep your pecker up and live as long as you can,” were Mr Utley’ words to seekers of longevity, but he had no golden rule.
He smokes and occasionally as a drink and is still fairly active, in being only a few weeks since he began to use a walking stick to help them about.
Mrs Utley is the oldest member of the Oxford Road Chapel, in association with the dating back before the time when the church was accommodated in what is now the Constitutional Club.
Neither find fault with modern social activities, but Mrs Utley has never been to a cinema, and her husband has only recently become a devotees of that form of entertainment.
Both are keen readers and pride themselves on having taken the “Mexborough and Swinton Times” since it was first published, and they speak of the wonderful progress it has made.
Asked about the Voronoff theory, Mrs Buckley said that she was nearing the end of a journey, and would not like to be young again, especially by that method. Mr Oakley, however, is ready for another innings and declare that he would like to go back to the days of his youth and live another eight decades