Keith Lumley: 'I became a stone mason so I could restore the graves of our fallen VC heroes'

That would be going to Sandall Park on Thorne Road and going in one of the boats. It’s one of the biggest parks in Doncaster and is a lovely place and lots of space for kids.

I can also remember playing football for my school and winning the Clarke Shield when I was aged 10.I was born in Sprotbrough, still live there, and have been in Doncaster all my life.

Which is your favourite part of Yorkshire?

That’s a great question and I would say the stretches of the Trans Pennine Trail around Conisbrough where you have the castle. I like to go bike riding there and the trail is beautiful with the river and the castle nearby. I do enjoy history, so I think that one spot right in the middle of Yorkshire is my private area.

What is your idea of a perfect day out in Yorkshire?

I think I would find a country pub in the Pennines somewhere, look at the views and sip my favourite beer. I particularly like going to Bradfield near Sheffield and looking across the valley.

What is your favourite walk?

It would again be the Trans Pennine Trail, around the Lower Don Valley near Conisbrough and Cadeby. You have that marvellous viaduct and the castle. The views are stunning, and I am fascinated by anything that’s old.

Who is your favourite sportsman or women, past or present, who you would like to take out for lunch?

He is no longer with us, but it would be Fred Trueman, the Yorkshire and England fast bowler. Fred was a boyhood hero of mine because I love cricket. I liked his Yorkshire spirit, and I can see him now, bowling with his baggy shirt and sleeves rolled up. Fred’s action was just perfect.

Which Yorkshire stage or screen star, past or present, would you like to take out to dinner?

I am afraid she is no longer alive, but it’s the actress Diana Rigg who was born Doncaster in 1938. I was brought up on her show, The Avengers (1961-69). Diana played opposite Patrick Macnee who was John Steed in the programme. Diana was a great lady and sadly died in 2020, aged 82.

What is your hidden gem in Yorkshire?

My hidden game is in Cadeby and it’s a beautiful church, St. John the Evangelist, where George Wyatt VC is laid to rest. We maintain his grave and recently renovated it. It’s lovely just to sit there in the peace and quiet and do the work on the headstone.

Which Yorkshire person to you admire the most?

I think it has to be one of the seven Doncaster recipients of the VC. These are guys who gave a lot to their country and to Doncaster. They are the real heroes from this area. George Wyatt, who lived in my village, was awarded the VC in August for his bravery in France.

Like me, he was a policeman in Doncaster, survived the 1914-18 war and died in 1964. There’s a plaque in the church to him and also one in Doncaster police station in George’s honour.

Which part of Yorkshire would you like to own for the day?

I think I’d like to own one of the Three Peaks, either Pen-y-Ghent, Ingleborough or Whernside. Given a choice, it would be Great Whernside, and you can imagine sitting up there on a nice and warm sunny day. I am sorry about the other two.

What do you think it is which gives Yorkshire its unique identity?

It’s the Yorkshire people. There’s no messing about, we say it as it is, and we get on with life. I think that attitude sets us apart from anywhere else. There’s an old Yorkshire saying…you can always tell there’s a Yorkshire person in the room because they’ll tell you.

Do you think Yorkshire has changed for the better or the worse since you’ve known it?

Keeping politics out of it, Yorkshire has changed for the better. We attract loads of tourists. In terms of its reputation, Yorkshire has grown.

How would you say that Yorkshire has influenced your career?

I was a police officer for 32 years in South Yorkshire and I was born and bred here, and I wouldn’t have wanted to have been brought up anywhere else. Yorkshire has been a major influence.

Why did you get involved with the Victoria Cross Trust?

It started with reading a letter sent by the mayor of Doncaster to George Wyatt VC inviting him for tea. He had saved the life of a woman after a horse had bolted.

I read George’s story and realised he’d been awarded the VC. The medal is something I’m really passionate about.

I then got involved with the Trust, became a trustee and then chairman. I also became a stone mason who does the restoration of graves.

When you’ve seen a grave rebuilt, you know you’ve found your vocation. In the last two years, we’ve restored more than 200. We also go into local schools to talk about the history of the VC. We do that in the winter.

Do you have a favourite pub?

The Leopard next to the railway station in Doncaster. It sells cask ales, has its own brewery and my favourite beer is Titanic Plum Porter. The Leopard is very popular with the CAMRA community.

What’s your favourite restaurant?

It’s the Blue Bell Inn at Wentbridge near Pontefract. They do a fantastic stir fry-beef, shrimps or chicken, and when the meal comes out, you can’t see it for five minutes.

If a stranger came to Yorkshire and you had time to take him or her to one place only, where would that be?

Funnily enough, that happened to me. I had a lady from Australia who came over and wondered where she should go. I took her to Conisbrough Castle and stood on the hill opposite, and when the sun is out, the view is brilliant. The castle is supposed to be the setting of Ivanhoe written by Sir Walter Scott who was inspired by what he saw.