Mexborough & Swinton Times – Friday 16 March 1934
Full Circle
Denaby Brothers Start And Finish Together Fifty-Seven Years’ Pit Work
Two brothers. Jack Winfield, 29. Rossington Street, Denaby Main, and Philip Winfield. 9. Annerley Street, Denaby Main: started work at Denaby Main Colliery on the same day 57 years ago, and this week retired on pension.
They were born at Ilkeston. Jack 69 years ago and Philip 68 years since, and when they were 12 and 11 their parents brought them to Denaby Main and they immediately got work at the colliery. Previously they had worked several months at Stanley. Philip, when 12 years of age, suffered an accident in which both his legs were broken.
Jack took an interest in football and played centre-forward for Denaby Juniors. He also won the 100 yards open at the first sports promoted by the Denaby and Cadeby Colliery Company in the Jubilee Year. He had further successes at Kiveton Park and other places. After he retired from the active list Jack became a keen supporter of Mexboro’ F.C.
“They were a grand team in those days,” Jack says. Jack was for some time connected with the local Foresters. He is going to spend his retirement “walking about” He was married in 1894 and has four daughters and a son and six grandchildren. It is his humorous boast that he has spent nothing in hairdressing and shaving for 22 years “and yet I’m as smooth as a billiards ball.”
Philip, a quiet, unassuming chap, has had little interest in life outside his work and his gardening. The latter has been his hobby for many years. He was married in 1888 but lost his wife 20 years ago. He has four sons and four daughters. and eleven grandchildren.
A “Times” reporter afforded Philip the first opportunity of riding in a motor-car—and Philip enjoyed it. It was better than riding in “Paddy’s mail.” Jack and Philip have little interest in cinemas. They’d rather have a glass of beer. To mark their retirement on Thursday. Mr. Pickering. chairman of the Pension Fund, gave them “a bit o’ brass” to drink the health of the old firm. Did they relish that? They did. The pension fund, started in 1925. was the first of its kind in the world, and has been a boon to many aged miners. The men contribute 4d. per week and boys 2d., to which the company add £2,000 per annum. On retiring each man receives 10s. a week. The Denaby scheme has been copied all over the British Isles.
In the photograph Philip is receiving his first pension pay from Mr. George Worthington secretary of the fund, while his brother Jack looks on.