ARTHUR Aspinwall still has a reminder of the days he was given time off school — so that he could go to work.

He was the eldest of nine, having four sisters and four brothers, and lived with his parents in Gold Street, (off Doncaster Road), Barnsley. But, when at 13, he acquired a part-time job, his mother Phyllis had to get permission from Barnsley Council’s education authority for him to leave school early to enable him to do this.

After permission was granted, he was told he could come out of school at 3.30pm instead of the normal finishing time of 4pm. He was then issued with an arm band which he had to wear showing he had permission to leave the school building.

Arthur is now in his 70s and he still has the arm band which fits him, although he admits it is a bit of a tight squeeze. It has a small metal disc in the middle embossed with the words: ‘County Borough of Barnsley; Barnsley Education Committee. Employment of Children (No 19)’.

Arthur's job entailed taking out meat orders to customers for a Sheffield Road butcher. His means of transport was a bike with a large basket on the front. He pedalled quite long distances with heavy loads, no mean task for a young lad who was still at school.