My dad Steve was always a country boy at heart: his mother was determined he would not follow his father Joe Johnson down the pit so his first job was at a local farm.
Then came the Second World War. He was posted to Bradford, where he met and married my mother Gladys, the love of his life.
For her sake he settled in the “big city”, trying his hand at all kinds of work. Eventually he became a Council employee and shop steward in Unison (now part of Unite the Union.) He loved this, helping members with their work problems and frequently their personal problems as well.
Ours was always an open house, full of people fallen on hard times – confusing, perhaps, to any descendants of mine who may be researching our census data!
Father of Ruth and son of Joe and Lily Johnson
Born on 9 May 1919 in Chesterfield, Derbyshire
Married Gladys Crickmore on 11 July 1942
Died 27 October 2001 and buried in Undercliffe Cemetery