9th May 1974
He Inherits History

The youngest of four generations has a good slice of Pontefract history to inherit from his forbears. He is two-year-old Jason Lindley, the first male heir among the great-grandchildren of Mr John Lindley, Eastbourne Terrace, Pontefract.

His great-uncle was the last Mayor of Pontefract, Mr. Eric Tonks, who has just quit office on local government re-organisation. His great grandfather, Mr. John Lindley, aged 71, is a former banksman at the Prince of Wales Colliery and a former Pontefract cricketer. Mr. John Lindley recalls that one of his immediate forebears, grandfather or great-grandfather was connected with the building or designing of the original market building in Market Place, Pontefract, which at one time, if not now, bore a Lindley name or initial.

Jason’s grandfather, Mr. Gerard Lindley, senior and his wife Mrs Doreen Lindley, live at Leatham Crescent, Purston. Gerard is a driver for King’s Mills, Knottingley. Jason is a second child, having a six-year-old sister, Jane, but, among the six great grandchildren of Mr. John Lindley, he is the first to carry the line forward as a male descendant.

It is said that the Market Hall was opened by none other than that illustrious Pontefract M.P. Mr. H.C. Childers, who held every high ranking office in the Liberal Government except that of Prime Minister. He was responsible for the Barracks coming to Pontefract probably during his tenure as War Minister and was one of the architects of that chief anchor of present democracy - the secret ballot vote.

Consequently his future is in local government, or history [and especially Pontefract history] and he is sure of strong Pontefract family ties on both sides of his parentage. Mr. John Lindley, the head of four generations, and his wife Alice, have a total of four children (two sons and two daughters), 8 grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren.

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