South Yorkshire Times May 21, 1955
Old Conisbrough
Revealed in Pictures Found in Rotherham Cellar
Rummaging in the cellar of his home in Rotherham, Mr. Fred Allen, a former Maltby resident brought to light some old photographs plates of old scenes and events of Conisbrough and district.
Mr. Allen passed them on to Mr. Fred Smith, of 48, Salisbury Road, Maltby, a keen amateur photographer and asked him to make some prints from them.
Mr. Smith who is a surface worker at Maltby Main Colliery printed several of the photographs and found them extremely interesting, not only to him, but to former Conisbrough residents. He has made several inquiries about the photographs were taken round about the year 1910.
‘Considering the time that has elapsed since they were taken they are in very good condition.’ Mr. Smith told a ‘Times’ reporter. ‘Whoever the photographer was, he was a good one,’ he added. On several of the photographs the name ‘R. J. Rosser’ appears and on others the initials ‘R.J.R.’
One in particular, a photograph taken at a bonfire to celebrate a Coronation, Mr. Smith thinks is of great interest. From the clothes the people are wearing, he judges that the Coronation was that of King George V.
Other plates show: Conisbrough Lock House, Denaby Main Colliery, Cadeby Colliery, Cadeby Colliery’s electric switchboard, and the taking down of the derrick at Conisbrough Viaduct (reproduced herewith).
Old Conisbrough residents will probably remember the old bells of Conisbrough Parish Church being taken down. One plate shows the bells outside the shop of Bryant and Jackson, and another a sail driven barge near Rainbow Bridge Conisbrough, with a train passing over the bridge.
Conisbrough Model Aeroplane Society’s gilder is depicted on another plate.