Denaby SOS – Answered Just in Time

November 1946

South Yorkshire Times November 30, 1946

Denaby SOS
Answered Just in Time

Answering an SOS put out by the BBC to go to the bedside of his mother, dying at home, 28 Barnburgh Street, Denaby, Mr John Edward Billington, 38 years old ex-soldier who went to London in January in search of a job, arrived on Tuesday just in time; a few hours later his mother, Mrs Ethel Billingham (70) died.

Mrs Billingham had been ill for 10 months. Last Sunday she had a relapse and on Friday Dr McCarthy warned the family that she was not likely to recover. She had a desire to see all the children before she died. When her eldest son was brought only from Staffordshire on Thursday she had seen them all (six sons and four daughters) except John.

Mrs Edward Hanks, of Milton Hill, a daughter, told a “South Yorkshire Time” reported that John heard of the BBC’s call – put out as a result of a phone call made by the family to the Manchester studio – from a workmate late on Monday night. He caught a train north immediately reach Denaby at 3:15 a.m.