John Willie Firth

Local Headmaster and outstanding sportsman both at soccer and cricket where he was to enjoy representative selection in both sports.     In 1929 he was runner up in the Methley CC batting averages, he also figured prominently in the overall league averages with an accumulated 465 runs at an average of  38.7 which included one century.   In 1930 he also took the Methley 1st XI batting award .   From Pit Lane, John Willie was an outstanding player in a good team in the late 1920's and early 30's after rattling up a number of fine performances with the bat.        Ambition drove him to move up to the Castleford Cricket Club where he succeeded in making the jump to the Yorkshire second XI having earlier played for the Yorkshire Colts.
In 1940 it is recorded that he turned out for Methley again, in a district side taking on a strong Leeds XI in a charity game where he top scored with  fifty runs.

His football career landed him at Yorkshire Amateurs and no doubt his experience playing at full back with Methley also, enabled him to skipper the army team in inter service competitions.   He went on to represent his country from within the amateur ranks.      I also learn that our man was an accomplished skater – don't know if he represented any side other than Methley Ings!!

Wartime,  and Lieutenant John Willie Firth  now commissioned into the army was wounded in 1944 on active service with the parachute regiment during the D-Day operations. 

His sporting career now over in post war England, he was to seek new challenges and took on a major educational role in the continent of Africa (Kenya) until his return to UK in the early 1950's.    His record in education of schools locally included posts at Castleford Boys Modern, Glass Houghton and Airedale Secondary Modern School where he was appointed headmaster.    John Willie was later to take up a post in Cornwall prior to retirement.

Alma Wright

Alma came to prominence in this village when he became opening bowler for the cricket team in 1929.   In his first season he took 56 wickets at 9.5 runs conceded per wicket which elevated him to fourth in the League averages.

In 1931 Methley reached the final of the Hepworth cup against the powerful Holbeck side, a game which they lost by 49 runs on a dead wicket affected by heavy rain.  This was despite our opening bowler enjoying outstanding success with the scalps of their top three wickets down for only 13 runs.   It has been claimed that the outcome would have been different had a catch been held off the bowling of our man against a fourth batsman, who went on to score 84, effectively winning the match.
Alma was prominent again in 1932 as the main strike bowler with a return of 48 wickets from 228 overs at an average of 14.2 runs/wicket.   Outstanding was his feat of 7 for 20 against Rothwell that season.

Again the following season he took the first team bowlng averages with 61 wickets at an average of 13.7 runs /wicket in front of increasing numbers of spectators keen to view his exploits.

In 1935 he captured the bowling prize once more which included a seasons best of 7 for 22  including a hat-trick against the powerful Leeds team.  This was to be his swansong for a distinguished career with Methley Cricket Club when he moved out of the area to take up new employment.

Alma had married local girl Rosena Horne whose family had kept in turn the Mexborough Arms and the United Kingdom public houses.  No doubt adding their customers to his long list of admirers.

Granville Tinker

Drawn to Methley to play for the developing United team by the mercurial football manager Haydn Duggan.   Little could he have thought that one day his present home would be built on the pitch (adjacent to the Queen) that he practised and played his first matches on.

Granville at centre half played a style of game that bears little resemblance to that of the diluted contact game of today.  No quarter given in those games especially local matches v Swillington or Altofts.
He prospered in this environment playing with talented half backs like John Bird and attacking talents such as Dyson, Duggan and the compleat Bernard Ward.  Disposessing the ball from the opposition was his strength, in addition to protecting his own line and goalkeeper – mistakes here meant both the ball and the keeper could end up in the net.  In addition he revelled in taking penalties for the side.

He reminds me of a match versus Swillington which developed from a number of minor skirmishes into full blown warfare, at which point manager Haydn Duggan ran to a local shop to seek assistance.  When asked to be patient by the local peace keeper Haydn replied if they didn't do something quick all the players would be patients. They must have survived. 

Granville may have forgotten the occasion when Methley avoided that unforgivable sin of not fulfilling a fixture, in this case against D P and E (Otley) when our resourceful manager commandeered the services of a grocer's van in order to get the team to the ground.  Methley secured a draw on this occasion despite the four o clock kick off.  But how could he forget it – he was captain on the day and had, according to the Pontefract and Castleford Express, 'an outstanding game'.

Although still a supporter of the game he now prefers to watch  Castleford Tigers rugby league team (possibly a reminder of the football of the fifties).   He continues to play a part in the community these days along with Sheila where they continue to support social activities in this village along with devoting time to the youngsters and their many activities.

Ernest Wagstaff

His first football experience honed on the irregular nature of Clayton's Yard and Billy's field, no doubt led to his mastery of the game enabling representation of the  Mickletown school side prior to a successful career in junior football.   Ernest played in most attacking positions for local teams, being a prolific goal scorer for Whitwood Mere as he was during his tenure with Methley United Juniors.  A match report for October 1955 records Ernest having scored 9 of 13 goals in a match versus Middleton Rovers.

A top of the table clash (reported in 1955) with Ashley Road Methodists brought a successful run by Methley to an end and cruelly introduced Ernest to the accident ward of Leeds Infirmary with an ankle injury.  He had been selected to lead the West Riding Youth in the National Championships the following week.

He has affectionate memories of his football experiences, playing alongside many of his former schoolmates including his old mate Kenny Williams.   He particularly remembers going to Milnsbridge (wheres that?) in a cup competition and having to clear cattle out of a shed before being able to change!

Ernest still supports the beautiful game but is often at a loss as to how so many highly paid stars today show an inability to dribble and are content with flat and backward passing.

He is also very proud of his grandson Scott's football career who plays professionally for Charlton Athletic - it must run in the family.

Ever visible on his bike, he is a supporter of many aspects of this village after a lifetime in the local pits he can be seen as one of the volunteers working on  clearance and maintenance of the church yard.   If you like the aspect of the church yard these days as you pass by – then please offer a word of thanks to Ernest and the other volunteers who roll their sleeves up and get mowing on your behalf.   Mind, he acquired horticultural expertise, along with many other values when he married Barbara, daughter of master of the allotments – Buller Bell.

George William Savory

 Born Bermuda West Indies1905 to 1988.

If ever you needed to know anything relating to Whitwood or Methley Junction Collieries, if you needed to know where the Undermanager was, or what were the pit holiday weeks, or when they planned to capple the cage,  indeed any information.   Then call Geo Savory, major domo in the Whitwood pit bottom office.  This was the same man to be seen ramrod straight, pacing and at the same time gliding round the village with his stick and shoes polished like mahogany.

Perhaps who better to describe the man than his CO, Major Godfrey Harland who wrote the following obituary in the ‘Infantry Magazine:

‘George Savory was one of that staunch band of pre-war territorials who gave up their holidays and week-ends between the wars, joining the TA in 1923.  He was a miner. His Yorkshire humour in adversity, his loyalty to comrades and stoical courage and determination were qualities typical of those men who came out of ther Yorkshire pits to defend their country in peril.  By 1939 George’s TA experiance as NCO and Colour Sergeant proved invaluable to 1/4 KOYLI in the early days of the war.  He served with the Battalion in Norway and Iceland and excelled as CQMS ofHQ Coy when the Battalion landed in Normandy.

It was characteristic that he contrived to conceal a painful condition which afflicted him before D-Day because he knew that otherwise he would miss being with the Battalion for the invasion.

During fighting in the Bocage, I by chance detected the problems he was experiencing and ordered him to report sick, he was evacuated to UK for an operation and after a recovery period he returned to the Battalion  and the advanced theatre of operations at Njimegen.  It was as CQMS of ‘B’ Coy on ‘The Island’ that George was severely wounded.  After many months in recuperation he was finally invalided out of the army and he returned to work at the colliery’.

Following the death of his wife he chose not to be a burden on his family, he retained his self-disciplined soldierly ability to look after himself under the affectionate eye of his family and neighbours.

Robin was pleased to relate the story of when his Father was based in Iceland 1940-1942 a convoy bound for Murmansk docked for replenishments.  The Captain and crew of HMS Edinburgh had made a plaque for presentation to the base and the man to hand over to CQMS Savory was none other than Haydn Duggan of Methley.

   .    

Haydn Duggan

Former RN radar operator at the grand age of 75 received a commemorative war medal from the Russian Government for Arctic duty on the supply runs to Murmansk.  Born in the  Rhondda in Wales, Haydn came to Methley at the age of 10. He worked at Savile pit on leaving school and joined up with the Royal Navy at the outbreak of war.    He was Selected for training on  radio direction operations following his experience with Mr Fox on radio  repairs.   On completion he joined HMS Kent one of two ships equipped with top secret radar equipment.   Haydn was on the very first Russian convoy and as a radio operator worked  in darkened rooms in the confines of the warship relaying observations to the bridge.

Convoys ran the gauntlet of the U-boats and enemy aircraft and Haydn often saw the aftermath of these raids with wreckage in the Arctic Ocean.  HMS Kent did receive one hit  and had to stop off for repairs in Iceland, luckily there were no casualties.  Other runs were the ‘White Patrol’ to Greenland and the ‘Black  Patrol’ to the Faroes.   Haydn reported that the Russian people were friendly and grateful for the supplies but it was difficult to strike up real friendships over the language barrier.

On demobilistaion, Haydn returned to Methley and Savile pit and later worked on the railways before retirement.  He never glamourised the war but added on his return he missed the  rum ration on board ship.

Haydn was also awarded the North Atlantic Star which along with the Russian Medal and his service medals formed a treasured collection along with service photos.

Better known in the village as team manager for Methley United AFC after originally playing for Kippax, Haydn was always able to attract talented players to the village side  enabling the side to be successful.  Evidenced by winning the League during his tenure along with the Embleton and Challenge cups of the Castleford and District throughout the 1950’s.