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Oldest Inhabitant?

September 1937

Mexborough and Swinton Times September 24, 1937

Oldest Inhabitant?

Now that Mexborough’s oldest male resident has died, the distinction must pass to another. Can this be Mr. George Lidgett, of 15, Argyle Street, who was born at Elkesley, near Retford, on December 4th, 1847, and is 90?

Mr. Lidgett is one of the few who can remember seeing the American city of Chicago burnt to the ground in 1870. Of an adventurous nature, he had gone to America to sink a lead mine, but he found that at a depth of 47 feet his shaft was water-logged and he had to abandon the project. On his return to England, Mr. Lidgett worked for 30 years at Parkgate before coming to Mexborough 20 years ago to take up a small general business.

Although he lost the sight of his left eye in a pit accident nearly 70 years ago, Mr. Lidgett’s health is well-nigh perfect.

His favourite hobby is music, and he has been to over 65 performances of the “Messiah” at Rawmarsh. He confesses to a liking for wireless programmes, particularly band music, but he derives little enjoyment from listening to dance bands, which he considers “tin-canny.” Mr. Lidgett, whose wife died 17 years ago, has a son and a daughter living—the daughter is Mrs. L. Axon, with whom he lives.

The son is in Saskatchewan, Canada, farming, and in addition he keeps the local Post Office.

This son was nominated for the Canadian Parliament last year, and is very well known in his home-town, which is called “Lidgett” in his honour. The town is seven miles from the nearest railway line, and it is proposed to build a railway to the town, and to call this the “Lidgett” line. Mr. Lidgett, :jun., is a keen reader of, the “South Yorkshire Times,” and he has a copy of the paper sent out to him every week. Perhaps readers will advance other claims for the position of town patriarch to dispute that put forward for Mr. G. Lidgett.