Mexborough & Swinton Times – Saturday 14 June 1941

“Labour of Love.”

Visitors to Mexboro’ Parish Church and even regular attenders must have noticed of late the tidy and – well-kept appearance of the churchyard. Unlike many churchyards in the district where the graves are almost buried in long grass and weeds, its grass is kept short, its paths tidy and bordered by flower beds.

The churchyard is the special pride of Mr. W. Clark, of 3, West Gate, Mexborough, and its care has been what he calls his “labour of love ” for the last five years. Mr. Clark worked in the stores at Denaby Main Colliery for 32 years and retired in 1935.

“After hanging around the town for several months and having nothing to occupy my mind,” he said, ” one morning when passing the churchyard I noticed how untidy and overgrown it looked, and after obtaining permission, set to work on it.” After pulling out the weeds and long grass he dug it over and set new grass seed and plants.

Mr. Clark is a sidesman at the church and has been a member of the Church Council for eight years. He celebrated his 74th birthday nearly a month ago. The ground at the bottom of the churchyard is still badly in need of cutting, and Mr. Clark would welcome volunteers to help him to finish the work on which he has already spent so much time to such good purpose.