John Zuur Platten

Nov 27, 2024 | northernlifemagazine.co.uk | John Lancaster |Allan Bolton |John Zuur Platten |Alison Hramiak

The Grand Ol’ DukeBY JOHN LANCASTERThe Duke was brave and GrandOl’when he marched up the hill at Sandal. Ten thousand men couldn’t get served at the CaffSo he walked them back down, without a laff. To Macca Dee’s he went, but they clogged up the drive-thru. In desperation, he wailed: “Now what am I to do?”In Denby Dale was a fish and chip shop, an answer to his pleas.

Nov 8, 2023 | northernlifemagazine.co.uk | John Zuur Platten

Paul Thompson had been working hard to get his 1,600-pupil secondary school ready for the next Ofsted inspection, due at any time. He knew the notice would be short, hence his drive and determination to have everything ready. Nothing would be left to the last minute or to chance. The last inspection had ended the career of his predecessor and Paul was not going to let that happen to him. Planning had gone well, so far.

Sep 12, 2023 | northernlifemagazine.co.uk | John Zuur Platten |Laura Storey

I was a teenager during World War II. My late father, Tommy Platten, was determined to join the Royal Navy to “do his bit”. He got a shock when his conscription pages came through the letterbox, conscripting him to coal mining as a Bevin Boy – one of the 20,000 young men compulsorily sent to work down the pits to address a shortage of coal that was affecting the War effort and to remedy the lack of men to get the coal out.