Beighton residents are proud of their oldest married couple, Mr and Mrs Joseph Mellard, Robin Lane, near the Wesleyan Church. Mr and Mrs Mellard are both aged 82 and are still active. They have lived in Beighton 57 years, and were married at Sheffield Cathedral, then the Parish Church, on May 27th 1872. They have 3 sons, 7 daughters, 28 grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren living.
Mr Mellard was born in Sheffield, and his wife at Owlthorpe, Mosbro. Mr Mellard was for 40 years employed by the Sheffield Coal Company at the old and present Birley Colliery, and during the last 30 years was a boiler chargeman. He walked to and from his work seven days per week from Beighton and calculated that he tramped 69, 430 miles during the 30 years. He retired 11 years ago.
He has been a non-smoker all his life, and only at intervals does he drink beer. He is a staunch Liberal.
Mrs Mellard is the oldest member of the Beighton Wesleyan Church, and went on the annual trip on Monday with the Sisterhood to York.
When a Derbyshire Times representative called at the house, Mr Mellard was digging in his garden, which, he said, he had always cultivated since his marriage.
Mrs Mellard continues to do her household work.
The parents of both Mr and Mrs Mellard lived to a very old age.
(Transcript of Derbyshire Times article May/June 1933)