The Farmers Mart Jun/Jul 2016 - Issue 46 | Page 18

William Sykes & Son

Holmfirth
auctioneer
celebrates
150 years
Chris Berry talks with Paul Dixon
of William Sykes & Son
»»HOLMFIRTH LIVESTOCK
Market is one of Yorkshire’s
agricultural gems. It’s one of
the smaller marts but continues
to attract quality livestock and
good buyers every Tuesday
and one of its well known
auctioneers, Paul Dixon has
special reason to celebrate this
year.
Paul has been responsible for
auctioning sheep at Holmfirth
since 2008, but his own
personal history and that of
the business he has headed
up in the town since his father
Vernon Dixon, sadly died of
leukaemia at just 59, goes back
much further.
William Sykes started the
auctioneering business of William
Sykes & Son 150 years ago. He
handed over the reins to his son

The area’s longest established
independent estate agents
and auctioneers.

Call: 01484 683 543
to book your free valuation

Open 7 days a week
38 Huddersfield Road, Holmfirth HD9 3JH

www.wmsykes.co.uk
WMS-A5-Advert-0616-v0.1.indd 1

18 Jun/Jul 2016 www.farmers-mart.co.uk

22/06/2016 17:10

Herbert who duly passed on the
chalice to his nephew, William
Sykes Shaw. Vernon Dixon had
started working for the company
in 1951 and bought the business
in 1959-1960.
“I attended my first livestock
market when I was just six years
old,”says Paul. “But it wasn’t
Holmfirth. Dad had given over
auctioneering here when I was
three years old.”