South YorkshireTimes, July 6th
She’s been Conisbrough’s Longest Serving Licencee
Mrs L Shikell, retiring after 21 years as licensee of the Red Lion, Conisbrough,
at her farewlll party on Saturday, when her customers presented a travelling case.
Retiring at the end of July after 21 years as landlady of the Red Lion hotel, Conisborugh, is Mrs. L. Shikell, president of Mexborough and Swinton Licensed Victuallers’ Ladies Auxiliary.
Together with her husband, Mr. Arthur W. Shikell who died nine years ago, Mrs. Shikell came to the Red Lion in 1942, from Doncaster where her husband had a joint interest with his father in one of Doncaster largest haulage firm, Messrs W. J. Shikell and son, of Oxford place. It will be a sad day for Mrs. Shikell when she bids farewell to her customers, many of whom have been “regular” through the time she has been in Conisborough.
” I shall hate leaving Conisborough for many reasons.” Mrs. Shikell explained, “but most of all I shall miss the faces in the tap room on a Saturday night. That’s when everybody come along.” she added, “we’ve made a lot of friends over the years, and got a grand lot of tap room lads and I´d like to express my appreciation of the support they have given me since my husband died.”
A LINK WITH RED LION
Mrs. Shikell is now going to live with her daughter, Mrs. Florence Parr, of Hatfield woodhouse and she plans to take a piece of Conisborough with her of a shape of a cutting of a copper beech hedge from the hotel garden. Someday she hopes this will flourish in the garden of her new home, and with this in mind, Mrs. Parr has named her Hatfield Woodhouse home ” The copper”
Mrs. Shikell has held her post with the licensed victuallers since February this year and plans to continue with her work for the auxiliary as long as possible. “I just think its a real honour to be chosen for the position of president. The other licensees must have faith in you to do it.” she said.
In her retirement Mrs. Shikell hope to visit friends and also to lend a helping hand to her son Walter, who is a licence in Doncaster