AFTER celebrating the long-awaited reopening of their beloved local in recent weeks, regulars at a Worsbrough pub noticed a treasured piece of history had gone missing and have appealed for its whereabouts.
The Edmunds Arms, on Worsbrough Road, was closed for more than a year after its owner - Samuel Smith’s Brewery - struggled to find a manager for the pub.
During its lengthy closure, the pub fell victim to a break-in sometime during the second lockdown - which is when regular 76-year-old David Hudson suspects a more than 120-year-old trophy was stolen from inside.
David, who has been a regular at the pub for more than 50 years and a trustee for the last ten, noticed the trophy was missing from its cabinet where it was displayed for more than 35 years when he revisited for the first time since its closure.
“The trophy is the J Grayson Challenge Cup - it was first presented in 1904 and again in 1912,” he told the Chronicle.
“The history of it is really quite interesting.
“It actually went missing years ago - and it turned up at a scrap merchants down in Nottingham.
“There was a programme on television with Arthur Scargill at the pub at the time, and the scrap merchant had actually seen the programme and made the link with the trophy.
“The leaseholders of the Edmunds Arms at the time, who included a few big Barnsley names, actually bought it back off the scrap merchant.
“But when they packed in, they took it with them.
“They were then asked to give it back though, which they did, on May 17, 1985 according to the deeds we have for it - then it was in the pub until it was taken.”
David said despite the cash value of the trophy being relatively low, it should now be back on display where it belongs.
“It might be long gone now,” he added.
“Value-wise, I think somebody will have thought it was solid silver - which it almost certainly isn’t.
“It’s more the sentimental value which should be treasured.
“There’s only really me who would have and did notice it was missing - because I’ve seen it in the cabinet for years upon years.
“It seems as though they’ve prized the cabinet open and taken it.”
