South Yorkshire Times, Saturday January 6th 1951
Last of Pinch Row
Swinton Home For 77 Years
Yesterday a dapper grey haired old lady led her two-year-old golden retriever out of her small four – roomed cottage in Pinch Row, Warren Vale, Swinton, for the last time. She is Mrs Emma Dobson (77), who has resided in Pinch Row all her life, and now she is leaving for her new home — a bungalow in Brameld Road, Swinton.
The six little cottages — formerly Poor Law cottages — are to be demolished.
“Sorry to Leave?
Ever since her husband, Mr. Walter Dobson, died two years ago at the age of 77, Mrs. Dobson and her retriever “Molly” have lived alone. “We have been quite happy here” she told a “South Yorkshire Times” reporter on Monday, “and I shall be sorry to leave. This has been my home for 54 years now and I’ve got used to it.”
Number 42 has been occupied by a Dobson ever since its erection. Before Mrs Dobson and her husband took the house over it was occupied by her sister and before that her grandparents, Mr and Mrs W King.
Every day Mrs Dobson has had to walk hundred yards across the road, down 59 steps to a wealth of water.
She recalls a time when people came from Rawmarsh and Sandhill to collect water from the well. It was, at that time, renowned in the district for its crystal clear and ice cool water.
Mr Dobson also spoke of the time and quote bottles were filled at the wealth of patients in Montagu Hospital and Rotherham Hospital. She strongly refutes the claim that the water is unfit for drinking. “It doesn’t hurt me” she said, “it’s grand water, the best for miles around.”
Light to the cottage has been supplied with the aid of an old paraffin lamp “(which sparkled on the windowsill) and all cooking has been done on the little kitchen range. At one time both the fireplace and floor were made of ordinary house bricks but the cottages were later laid with large flag stones.
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