Mexborough & Swinton Times, February 3, 1928

Marmion Soap Works.

Annual Staff Gathering.

Messrs. James Dyson and Company, of the Marmion soap works, Wath-on-Dearne, on Friday entertained their employees and friends in the Wath Pavilion, according to their annual custom. About 150 persons attended, including Major Calderworth (managing director), Mr. F. Palframan (manager), Mr. J. IL Walton (secretary), Mt. G. H. Coleman (sales manager), Mr. T. Wood, Mr. Sylvester Walker, Mr. F. G. Seymour, Mr. Nicholls (representing the firm of Thomas Hedley and Co., of Newcastle, with which the Wath firm is associated), and representatives of local industries and trades.

The evening opened with a concert, given by the following artists: Miss Doris Cowen, L.R.A.11. (contralto), Mr. Stanley Jepson, L.R.A.M. (baritone), Mr. Jack Wood-Smith (humourist), Mr. Arthur Clifford (“Stainless Stephen”), Mr. James Revill (illusionist), and Mr. Horace Fulford, L.R.A.M. (accompanist). The vocalists were encored repeatedly, and the humorous items were also thoroughly enjoyed, particularly the “Local News Bulletin,” given by “Stainless Stephen,” introducing various local institutions, including the soap works, local councillors, the trams, and the ‘Mexborough Times.”

At the conclusion of the concert, Mr. W. T. Calderwood thanked ‘all the employees of the firm for their help and loyalty during the year. Although the past year had not .been good for trade, he had every hope of improvement in 1928, and looked forward to a return in the future of the pre-war state of industrial peace” and prosperity. , Mr. Palframan (manager of the works) expressed pleasure at seeing such a large number of visitors there’.

The coal trade depression had affected ‘the Marmion Works to some extent, hut he hoped the day was not far distant when the soap works would employ all the available girls in Wath and West Melton.        ,

On behalf of the visitors, Mr. Thomas Wade proposed a, vote of thanks to the Company, and wished them success in the future; and Mr. George Cook, seconding, said he hoped that the coal trade would improve to such an extent that the soap works would have nothing else to do but provide the collieries was so.

After supper, a dance was held, for which Doctor Johnson and Messrs. S. Walker and H Vaughan acted as MC’s and music was supplied by Duffield’s Band