A West Yorkshire chimney sweep has made the best find of his career so far. Gary Walker had to laugh when he pulled a historic bit of newspaper from the flue of a 1940s semi in Huddersfield.
The ‘crispy’ but still readable page from the October 29, 1965 issue of The Daily Express featured an article speculating whether England could win the football World Cup on home soil the following year.
The team, captained by Bobby Moore, famously beat West Germany at Wembley with two goals in extra time sealing a 4-2 victory.
Unfortunately England teams ever since have watched their own World Cup ambitions go up in flames.
As for how this historic keepsake avoided being burned up, Gary said he believed it had been stuck on a ledge high up in the chimney in a fireplace that had been unused for decades.
He explained: “The landlady was renovating the home in between tenants and they had opened up an old open fire in a bedroom that had been boarded up for years.
“She got me in to do a power sweep and I pulled it out.
“I just laughed when I saw it as the guy was speculating whether England would win the World Cup or not.
“The lady was also quite excited as her husband is a big football fanatic, so she took it home to show him.
“It was quite interesting, there were a few bits that had been stuck on a shelf quite high up.
“It’s probably been lifted up on the flue gases and then trapped on a ledge for all these years.”
The other page uncovered by Gary features an article about Lord Snowden – who was a celebrated fashion photographer in 1960s London and controversial husband of Princess Margaret.
The page also has news of Britain’s Eurovision song contest hopes.
By Nick Lavigueur – Editor, Fireplace Specialist
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