76-year-old copy of Doncaster Free Press found under floor during house renovation

The remarkably intact copy of the edition, which dates from 1945, was found by Justin Fleming at a house in Intake where he he had been helping with repairs and renovations.

He said: “I found it under some floor covering along with many other newspapers from that era.

"The house belonged to my friend's gran who recently passed away at the grand old age of 106.”

Justin found the copy – which is dated December 27, 1945 at the house in Ardeen Road, Intake.

The copy was published just months after the end of the Second World War – and is listed as our 1,075th edition following the founding of the paper in Doncaster by printer and publisher Richard “Dickie” Crowther in 1925.

With a price of just one penny, the paper also carried the sub-heading title ‘and Courier of Coming Events’ beneath the Doncaster Free Press title with a front page dominated by adverts for a string of long-gone firms and companies.

There are ads for second hand furniture stores Rowland Bros, which was based in Sunny Bar, the former home of the DFP, with other adverts for Smith’s and ‘radio specialist’ Harry Pickering also feature

Clothing store Raymond was offering “smart coats and costumes, frocks, slacks and skirts” while Red Line Taxis offered details of its night service from the Red Lion garage.

And there was medical advice too, Veno’s offering relief for “that troublesome chesty cough” while Cephos was described as “the safe remedy” for colds and flu.

The front also boasted ads for Doncaster piano dealer Chas J Fox and Famous Army Stores.

Inside were details of dramatic Doncaster Council plans for Sandall Park.

A scheme had been drawn up for an open air pool with room for 2,000 bathers with further plans for fountains, ornamental gardens and even ‘a large sports stadium’ for the provision of athletics events.

Of course, as many Doncastrians will know, most of those council ideas never came to fruition.

Justin also found copies of other newspapers dated from December 1945 to March 1946, including the now defunct national paper the News Of The World, The Doncaster Gazette and the Yorkshire Evening Post, which at one time had offices in Scot Lane and where TV broadcasting legend Sir Michael Parkinson first cut his teeth as a young reporter at the start of his career.

The Free Press began life in Doncaster nearly 100 years ago, the brainchild of local printer Richard “Dickie” Crowther, who was the paper’s very first editor.

The newspaper was based at offices in Sunny Bar for 89 years before moving to a new home on Printing Office Street in 2014 after producing more than 4,500 editions of the paper at Sunny Bar. Since the Covid pandemic, reporters have been based at home.

The distinctive red-brick building opposite the Corn Exchange and which dates from 1902 was the home for the very first edition of the Free Press on June 18, 1925.