South Yorkshire Times, July 3, 1943

Goldthorpe’s “Darby And Joan”

Celebrate Diamond Wedding

Goldthorpe’s Darby and Joan, Mr. and Mrs. William Shepherd, who live in the old folks bungalows in Market Street, celebrated their Diamond Wedding anniversary with a party at Goldthorpe Co-operative Hall last Saturday. Theirs is believed to be the first Diamond Wedding celebration to be held in Goldthorpe, and the happy couple received over 60 greetings messages from all parts of the country and abroad, including those from a nephew with the Forces in India, from a grandson in the Middle East, and a relative in the Shetlands.

About 130 relatives and friends attended the party, including five sons and four daughters, 25 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren. It was a gay day with the grand old couple the central figures. Mr. Levi Bailey (Hoyland), nephew of Mr. Shepherd was pianist and tea was served.

Mr. Shepherd was born at Hoyland and is 80. Mrs. Shepherd is 78 and they were married at Outwood near Wakefield on June 25th 1883.

The couple are still active and Mrs. Shepherd’s chief worry last weekend was how to overcome the rationing problem to provide tea. They came to Goldthorpe in 1896 when the village was a quiet country place with a few cottages. Mr. Shepherd retired from mining at Hickleton Main ten years ago. He started work at Hoyland when he was 10, lived at Hoyland 14 years after his marriage, and has since worked at Stanley Colliery, Wakefield, Rockingham Colliery and Hickleton Main. He started work at Hickleton Main when coal was first found.