Mexborough and Swinton Times October 5, 1928
Mr and Mrs John Pocklington, of Coronation Cottages, Mexborough Road, Bolton on Dearne, this week celebrated their golden wedding anniversary.
They were married at Selby in October 3, 1878. Mr Pocklington, who is 74 years of age, is a native of the village of Osgodby, 2 miles north of Selby. His wife is a daughter of the late Mr T.W.Swift, a painter and decorator, of Selby, and is three years younger than her husband. They have had five sons and five daughters of whom four sons and four daughters are living, and they have now 31 grandchildren.
The daughter who has died was a schoolmistress at Bolton and Sherburn in Helmand, and later married and lived at Conisbrough, where she died in 1907. The son, Wilfred, was killed in action near Albert (France) at the end of 1917. One of Mr Mrs Pocklington’s daughters married Mr George Askew, of Bolton on Dearne, and they are now settled in the United States.
Mr Pocklington began work at the age of seven, and was employed to look after the beasts of the farm labourers in the country lanes around Osgodby, being paid a penny a day for each animal. He got his schooling during the winter, and for that paid a penny a week. At the age of 10 he entered the service of the squire at Osgodby Hall, and was paid a shilling a day, rising to 9 shillings a week at harvest time. At 12 he entered regularly into farm service, and also acted as jobbing gardener.
47 years ago he came over to Bolton on Dearne to visited his brother-in-law, who was a police constable there at that time, and by his advice he gave up farm labour and began to work at the Manvers Main Colliery, and remained there until August 1921, when he retired.
Both he and his wife are in excellent health, having all the hardiness and stamina of real old country stock. They both belong to long-lived families.
Mr Pocklington has been a staunch of the Primitive Methodist connection throughout his stay in this district. His association with this body dates from the Moody revival of 1874, and he has been a local preacher for over fifty years, having held every office in the Primitive Methodist Church at Bolton, where he is still a trustee and was until lately steward. It is interesting to note that of the two ministers who officiated at his marriage, one, the Rev. T. Campey, is still living and is resident in Sheffield, being over ninety years old. Indeed nearly all who were present at the wedding are still alive, only the best man, Mr Pocklington’s brother George, having died. Mr. Pocklington has a splendid memory, is full of interesting reminiscences, and can tell you many a good story of old Yorkshire characters particularly of the celebrated Jimmy Hirst, who invented a clockwork car, and rode to hounds on the back of a bull.
The occasion was celebrated by a gathering in the Primitive Methodist Church,, Bolton, which was attended by nearly hundred friends and relations.