Mexborough & Swinton Times, November 16
Talent Money for Spitfires
Novel Offer to Conisboro´ Gift Fund
Generous Gift of £100
The Conisborough and Denaby Spitfire Fund has made a splendid start, as the list of subscriptions given below shows, and a very useful sum should be handed to Lord Beaverbrook when the effort closes at the end of the year. A novel offer has been made to the Fund by Mrs Smethurst of The Bungalow, Conisborough, which will arouse interest and should be the means of adding a useful sum to the total already subscribed.
Mrs. Smethurst has promised to give to the Fund for every Italian plane brought down by our Spitfires on a date to be named £1 1s. and for every German plane brought down by Spitfires on the same date £1. The option of nominating the date was left to the secretary of the Fund, Mr. A. R. Holmes, who has selected next Friday November 22nd. So now it is up to the Spitfires.
At this weeek´s meeting of the committee it was reported that Mr. J. Drabble, the Conisboro´ confectioner, had generously promised £100 to the Fund and the hope was expressed that the munificence of Mr. Drabble would lead others to follow his noteworthy example.
It had been originally decided that the Fund should remain open during the month of November, but a resolution moved by Mr. J. H. Rawding that the Fund remain open to the end of the year was carried unanimously.
The secretary, Mr. A. R. Holmes, stated that efforts were being made to secure a Messerschmitt fighter for show in the area and the commander of the Conisborough Home Guard, Capt. J. Middleton Walker, said that he would arrange for the machine to be guarded by members of his company should the effort materialise.
Ward committees were appointed to organise events in each area with the following secretaries: South Ward, Mr. E. Murphy: East Ward, Mr. J. H. Rawding: North Ward, Coun. I Houghton: West Ward, Mr. G. Williamson: Denaby Ward, Mr. G. Constantinue.
It was reported that a concert was to be held at the Northcliff Club next Friday in aid of the Fund.