South Yorkshire Times April 1, 1950
Cadeby’s Head Weighman
Retiring After 31 Years Service
Mr. John Ernest Akerill, who started work at Cadeby Colliery main offices when he was 13, is to retire at the end of the month after 31 years as head weighman at the pit. He is 65.
For the first 35 years of his life Mr. Akerill lived in Kilner’s Yard, Conisbrough. Until the introduction of motor cars his father, John Akerill, was coachman for Mr. Kilner of Kilner’s Glassworks.
Until the end of the 1914-18 war Mr. Akerill moved from Cadeby to Denaby pit and back again in various capacities, until In 1919 he was made head weighman at Cadeby and has remained In that position ever since. In 1920, the year of his marriage, he went to live in Doncaster, but continued to cycle to work in good weather and travel by road or rail in bad.
In his younger days Mr. Akerill was a noted sportsman and athlete.
He played outside right for Conisbrough St. Peter’s and for Conisbrough United, and made quite a name for himself as a runner. He took an active part in the social life of Conisbrough and Denaby.
Ongoing to Doncaster he joined Doncaster Rovers Supporters Club and two years later was made a committee member. For several years he has been chairman of the Club. He is keen on bowls and was a pioneer of the Elmfield Park Bowling Club.