Market man Dame David says farewell
Reporter: by KAREN DOHERTY
Date published: 20 August 2008
IT’S the final curtain call for senior market officer David Wild who retires at the end of September after just over 30 years.
The amateur dramatic stalwart and popular pantomime dame joined Oldham as a market assistant in March, 1978, where he is renowned for his sense of humour.
He was promoted to his present position in 2002, but revealed that he has a lifelong connection with Tommyfield.
Like countless youngsters he looked forward to a ride on the roundabout run by Vera Smith, known affectionately as Dobbyhorse Vera.
He fondly remembers all the characters and said: “I have been coming to the market since I was a child. My mother used to shop on the market as did my grandmother. I remember going on the kiddies roundabout on the green which was where Primark is now. It was a Saturday morning treat.
“I have enjoyed my job very much. The market has changed and when I first came here we had 320 stalls on the open market and we really were the heart of the shopping then.
“Over the years shopping centres have been built and it’s had an effect on the market. We have downsized the outside market over the years and there are plans in the pipeline to have a street market.”
David (61) is an Oldham Athletic fan and lives in Abbeyhills with his wife, Ann. They have two daughters, Sarah (29) and Ruth (24), and a grandson, George David, who was born in April.
David started his job four years after the Victorian market hall burned down, its “temporary” replacement finally superseded by the current hall in 1992.
As well as being a familiar face to traders, he has also been involved with amateur dramatics for 38 years with St Mark’s, Glodwick, and then St Herbert’s, Chadderton, stage societies. His most recent appearance was in the “The Perfect Murder” at Oldham Lyceum.
“I have done 26 pantomimes, written about 24 of them and played every pantomime dame there is, plus Buttons, Idle Jack and others,” said David who joked “At lot of people will say every day at the markets is a pantomime!”
And he revealed that the market has seen its fair share of stars from “The Royle Family” actress Sue Johnston, who used to have a stall, to visitors such as Cilla Black.
David and Ann are planning to move to Gloucestershire to be near family and he added: “I shall see what the amateur dramatic scene is like there.”
Markets manager Peter Conroy paid tribute to David’s professionalism and added: “On a personal level David has always got time for people. He’s always funny, jokes just roll of his tongue, and he has a warmth that endears people so much to him.”
