South Yorkshire Times July 23, 1949

Wath 83-year-old is only “Youngster”

Mr William Oliver, 15, Barnsley Road, Wath, sees nothing remarkable in the fact that he reached 83, as he is easily  outstripped by his sisters Misses Eliza and Susan Oliver, who are 89 and 87 respectively  and is only a little way ahead of 79-years old Samuel, and his sister Mrs Drake, who is 80. None of them however, have yet the record of their father, who reached 92.

But you have not yet heard all. Mrs. William Oliver can also boast of a family of long-livers. She herself is an amazing youthful and active 79, and her father reached the age of 89, with her mother only a few years younger.

To a ” South Yorkshire Times ” reporter on Monday, Mr. and Mrs. Oliver said they were not quite certain whether they had lived so long in spite of hard work, or because of it. Both started work when they were 13 (Mrs. Oliver in service and Mr. Oliver as a farm labourer), and only once in their lives have they been on a seaside holiday. They went together to Cleethorpes, but that was so long ago that neither can remember a thing about it.

Mrs. Oliver proudly told our reporter that never in all his 83 years has her husband worn a bought shirt, and only one pair of bought socks  … he much prefers “homemades.”

Mr and Mrs. Oliver were married in 1890 and hope to celebrate their diamond wedding next year. They have two married sons—Herbert, who lives in Thurnscoe, and Ernest in York —and two grandsons.