Mexborough and Swinton Times, March 3, 1939

Commendable interest in missionary endeavour was revealed at a meeting of the Juvenile Collectors’ Association at Princess Street Methodist Church at which the Rev. E. S. Rowe gave an address. Mr. H. Clarke reported that during the year the amount raised by the Church was £53, nearly double the amount raised the previous year. This excellent result was due to the enthusiasm displayed by the Juvenile Collectors, who had collected £36 17s. 5d., the individual amounts being: Molly Clarke £14, Geoffrey Barrett £5 3s. 11d., Mary Clayton £3 11s. 4d., Gladys Clarke £3 6s. 3d., George Robledo £2 14s. 1d., Muriel Beaumont £2 10s. 11d., Dorothy Walker £2 10s. 11d., Cyril Hodgkiss £1 7s. 5d., Doreen Beaumont £.1. 5s. 5d., Alwyn Cocking 8s. 2d.

Mr. J. Higginbottom is the Secretary of the Association and both he and the collectors were warmly congratulated on this fine achievement.   The collectors were presented with the D.S.O. service badge and book prizes by Mrs. Rowe, who had kindly words of encouragement for the recipients.

Special mention was made of the splendid result secured by Molly Clarke (picture), whose total of £14 was said to be the highest the individual amount ever collected in Wath-upon-Dearne Circuit.

Her achievement is all the more remarkable in that she only commenced as a collector at the beginning of 1938. She has 58 names in her book and very few of her patrons give her more than a penny per week, in some cases only half-pennies are received. So week after week with her cheery smile she goes her round gathering in the pennies knowing that they make shillings and shillings make pounds.

Molly is the nine-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Clarke, of 19, Brampton Road, West Melton. For the last 44 years either one or more members of the family have been collectors and Molly is the ninth to be so engaged who have gained the Missionary Society Juvenile Missionary Collectors’ D.S.O. merit badge. Both her mother and father have held the post of Missionary Secretary at the West Melton Methodist Church, and her father is now serving his second term as Circuit Lay Secretary.

Molly is aiming to increase the amount to at least £15 during 1939.

During the proceedings solos and recitations were given by Roy Speight, George Robledo, Molly Clarke and Doreen Beaumont.