South Yorkshire Times, July 2nd, 1960
Award for Denaby Man
48 Years’ Service with St John Ambulance Brigade
AN award to mark 45 of his 48 years service with the St. John Ambulance Brigade, was presented to Mr. J. W. Cooke, of 10, Wheatley Street, Denaby, at the annual presentation of awards of the Denaby and Cadeby Divisions at the Denaby Headquarters, on Saturday.
Mr. and Mrs. Cooke have the proud record of an aggregate of 96 years service with the Brigade. Mrs. Cooke was at the 1912 Cadeby disaster and has completed 48 years service with the Brigade.
The warm congratulations of Assistant Commissioner E. Soar, were given to the couple.
Mr. Soar presented some of the labels, medallions and certificates to more than 100 adults and cadet members, Others were presented by Mr. D. J. C. Macaskill, Corps President and Group Manager of Denaby and Cadeby Colliery, and Mr and Mrs. J. Hall.
Former Group Manager of the Denaby and Cadeby collieries, Mt. John Halford, who went to Barnsley two years ago, has resigned after working with the Corps since e 1937. To mark his retirement from this particular division, an inscribed gift of a radio was presented to him and his wife by Corps Supt. L C. J. Pickett, M.B.E., M.C.
Mr Pickett, who presided, appealed to members to take the annual examination, the success of which earned them an allowance of 103. from the N.C.B., he said. Mr. Macaskill said the Brigade was obviously a very democratic association since there were colliery managers, deputies and overmen and a few workmen. “We are all in this together,” he added.
Strongest
Mr. Soar said that Denaby had one of the strongest memberships “It is very difficult to get cadets, and unless you look after them, when you have your Brigade meetings they will gradually fade away. We need these cadets. Even though the retiring age has been increased to 70, there are a great number near that age and over 70,” he added.
Mr Soar said they were preparing for the York Rally on July 9th when Princess Margaret was to take the Inspection and for the Exhibition at Doncaster racecourse on August 14th.