I was born in Rotherham hospital and went to school in Kiveton Park. My family have lived in the village for around 6 generations now. I left the village in 1968.

I lived there with my mother Joan (nee Holden) and her second husband Douglas Miller who was also a miner. My father, John George Warrington died in 1957 after a motorcycle accident. He was a miner and also worked as a part-time fireman. I remember the bell ringing in the house calling him to a fire when we lived in Albert Terrace in the early 50's. He was also a member of the RAOB - Royal Antedeluvian (sic) Order of Buffaloes (Buffs), The Buffs did a grand job. After my dad died they looked after us kids and took us out on treats such as going to the Panto at the theatre in Sheffield and trips to Skeggy, Mablethorpe and Cleethorpes. Does anyone remember the train waiting at Kiveton station to take us to the seaside in the summers? My mum used to make a form of Bakewell tart - it was always eaten before, I think, we got to the other Kiveton station about a mile away!

Every Friday, after collecting his pay, my dad took me to school on the handlebars of his bike. His kids, me and my brother David and sister Sheila, had a treat on Fridays after dad getting his pay - he bought us a Wagon Wheel and a pack of Beech Nut spearmint. At this time, before his death, we were living in the White City.

When I was young, I remember going to feed the pit ponies that were tethered next to the wood shed that made the pit props in the colliery grounds. As children we had much more freedom to roam around the village, especially the woods at Red Hill and the pond at Tommy Flockton's field.

My family, the Parker/Holden family are descendents of James Parker who was the first pit manager for Kiveton Park when it was first sunk. James came from Church Gresley and after doing some family tree research in Derbyshire it seems that a lot of families from that area came with the Parkers to work in the pit in Kiveton. Some of the names I recognise are Deakin, Eames etc.

Apparently James Parker and his wife were into Methodism and helped bring about the Methodist Church in the village. They lived on Wesley Road in Kiveton.

My grandad, Tom (Tommy) Holden was a Sunday paper 'boy' in the village for many, many years and most of his grandchildren did a stint with him until he died in the 70's. I remember my stint, especially the cold mornings in the winter and the stops anytime at each pub up to Waleswood. I remember one year, when I was dressed in my Whit Sunday best, getting into trouble in the soft earth, clay like, near Waleswood and coming out looking like a monster. Each pub, although not open, offered my grandad sustenance in the form of a pint. The kids got a bag of crisps and a bottle of pop.

I loved being involved in the Carnivals in the summer and I remember being dressed with my brother David as Andy Capp and Flo. Another year I was My Fair Lady. I think my mother loved the hope of us winning. My brother David won 'Mr Adonis' one year. The Forge pub, which my sister Sue now runs, was the old picture house. Loved going there on Saturday mornings to watch Roy Rogers, Robin Hood and the like.

Another member of our family was Polly Johnson (Mary Ann) - she lived on Station Road in the latter years but was running a shop on the canal at Kiveton Bridge station near Red Hill many years ago.