THE history of our town is indeed fascinating - and personal information always adds that special touch when sent in by readers with a connection to the picture or article.
This has happened many times over the years and covers a multitude of subjects whether it be people, places or buildings.
Public houses are a particular favourite - possibly because they are places that generations of all ages know and love.
What makes pubs so interesting and varied is the fact that so many from up to a hundred years ago are actually still with us, albeit in a slightly different form.
Many have changed their identity but a number have retained their names.
Did you know The Cumberland on Thorne Road was once The Green House Hotel? Or for a drastic change, look at the Indian restaurant at Warmsworth - how many remember that it was The Cecil public house, a thankfully shortened version of original name, The Cecil and Battie Wrightson Arms!
I recently received this photograph of the Old Foresters Arms at Adwick le Street, sent to me by a reader who also included another image of the pub from a much later date.
Janet Kitson is the lady’s name and she tells me that it was first known as The Plough when it opened in 1822.
Her great great grandfather Thomas Wild became the victualler (landlord) when he was in his 50s, from 20/3/1882, having moved from Pottery Lane in Rawmarsh with his wife Mary Ann neé Badger.
Mary died in late 1886 and their son-in-law William Richardson then took over as victualler in December 1890 after Thomas had died in October of that year. One year later, in 1891, the pub became known as The Foresters Arms.
According to Janet, great grandpa Richardson enjoyed his time serving customers, becoming a keen domino player at the same time.
However, he decided to leave the pub in 1895 as the size of his family increased and he needed to give them more of his time and subsequently moved to Cantley then onto Wheatley with his wife Alice and family. He later became an engineer at Nuttall’s Mintoes factory in Doncaster.
This led to another memory as Janet was told there was always a bowl of ‘broken bits’ of Mintoes on the dining room table after that!
The photo was taken in April 1905, just before a new pub was built bearing the same name on Village Street at Adwick-le-Street. It was altered four years later and again much more recently in November 2001.
The very first victualler of The Plough was also called Thomas Wilde - The ‘e’ on the end is debatable according to Janet.
His daughter Jane and son-in-law, George Bisby were landlords too in the early days.
It seems that dances were held at The Foresters Arms during the Second World War and ration books were collected there with it being the centre of the village, as most pubs were and indeed still are.
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