Mexborough & Swinton Times 29 October 1937
Housekeeper
Generous Bequests of Dr. D. B. Foley
Former Wombwell Practitioner
Dr. Daniel Bartholomew Foley, for many years medical practitioner at Wombwell, who died in a Manchester nursing home on July 10th, 1937, at the age of 72, left estate of the value of £18,532, with net personalty £10,278.
Among the numerous bequests are several to old servants who have associations with Wombwell, while his house at 80, Mill Lane, Churchtown, Southport together with the residue of his property in trust goes to his housekeeper, Miss Alice Sykes, aged 49, daughter of the late Mr. Henry Sykes, who at one time lived at Concrete Cottages, Wombwell, and worked at Cortonwood Colliery. Miss Sykes had been in his service for 35 years
The Will.
Other provisions of the will are:
The goodwill of his business of a fish and chip potato dealer in trust for Ernest Mitchell and his wife, Lily Mitchell.
His residence, money at the National Provincial Bank, Southport, and his effects to his housekeeper, Alice Sykes.
£50 for Masses and for the service of a priest at his funeral.
The residue of his property in trust for his housekeeper, Alice Sykes, for life, and then:
£500 in trust for the Superior of Syon Abbey, Brent, Devon, for Masses.
£500 in trust for the Roman Catholic Church at Wombwell, near Barnsley, for Masses.
£500 in trust for St. Joseph’s Foreign Missionary Society Mill Hill, London.
£300 in trust for the Rector of the Roman Catholic Church of the Holy Family, Brompton Road, Southport, for Masses.
£300 in trust for the Roman Catholic Church of St. Patrick, Marshside Road, Southport, for Masses.
£100 to Brother Benignus, Superior of Alveian Brothers Home, “St. Mary’s,” St. Mary’s Road, Moston, Manchester.
£10 to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
£300 to Edna May Saville, £100 to Harry Kendall, £50 to Frank Barker.
Subject to some small legacies, the residue of his property as to one-third equally between Ernest, Lily, Daniel Bartholomew and Leslie Mitchell, one-third equally between Joshua Sykes, his wife, Stella, and their son, George, and one-third equally between Elizabeth Thornton and her daughter, Irene.
Swinton Link.
Mrs. Lily Mitchell, who with her husband inherits the goodwill of the fish and chipped potato business in Virginia Street. Southport, was in domestic service in Dr. Foley’s household in King’s Road, Wombwell, for many years. Her husband, who belongs to a family brought up in Park Street, Wombwell, was formerly a miner. Before her marriage Mrs. Mitchell was Miss Lily Stancey, of Piccadilly, Swinton, Rotherham.
Mrs. Edna May Saville, so mentioned in the ‘ will, is a sister of Mrs. Mitchell and wife of Mr. Norman Saville, 31. Blythe Street Wombwell. She was employed by Dr. Foley for ten years. Mr. Joshua Sykes is brother of Miss Alice Sykes and lives at Prestatyn. Wales. Elizabeth Thornton is sister of Miss Alice Sykes and lives at Sheepbridge, Huddersfield.
A native of Cork. Ireland and a bachelor. Dr. Foley came to Wombwell as a young medical practitioner, and shortly afterwards was appointed pit doctor at Darfield Main Colliery, an appointment he held until his retirement to Southport in 1931. For the greater part of his professional career he was in partnership with his brother, Dr. James Joseph Foley, who. As a doctor with the rank of Captain, served with the British Forces at Salonica during the Great War. Dr. James J. Foley died East year. The only other member of the family, a sister died some years ago, It is believed that the doctors came of a titled stock, but nothing was over known of their family in Wombwell. One who was dosely associated with them for many years told a “Times” reporter yesterday “They never talked about their relations and as far as we know they had none.”
Their First Lodgings.
The brothers came to Wombwell in 1892 —the year before the great strike—to take lodgings in Summer Lane opposite the old Methodist Chapel. Later they went to live first with Mr. J. Thornley at a “beer-off” in Cemetery Road, then in “Mr. Gray’s house” at the top of Cemetery Road, next in Clarke’s Croft off High Street, finally moving to a house which they had built for their own occupation in King’s Road and where they spent the remainder of their days in Wombwell.
A man of massive stature, extremely shy and of somewhat “monkish” habits, “Dr. Dan” had a very generous and cultured nature. The liberality he has shown towards his old servants was characteristic of his kindly consideration for their interests. He helped hundreds of people out of difficulties and never turned down a good cause. He treated those who worked for him as personal friends and deemed it a privilege to exercise over them a sort of benevolent guardianship, taking a close “fatherly” interest in their domestic affairs and maintaining that interest in the next generation after their marriage.