Tributes to famous Chesterfield market trader and 'icon' after sad death of ‘the man who shouts on the market’

Don Hollingworth spent his entire working life on the market – becoming famous for his ‘three for a pound, your strawberries‘ call to passing customers at Ayres fruit stall.

Don died last week after a short illness and son Steve described his dad as ‘a true icon of Chesterfield’.

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Daughter-in-law Katherine Hollingworth, who is a Chesterfield borough councillor, said: "The market was always a big part of his life and where many of his friends were, even after he retired he was always in town catching up with people.

“I remember him letting his grandchildren help serve on the stall. They loved it, especially being allowed to shout ‘pound a bag’, he was a lovely guy who will be missed by us all.

"To describe Don to their friends my daughters would always say: ‘the man who shouts on the market’. Everyone knew who it was.”

Don was born on December 1, 1939, and on his first day on the market as a lad was told to ‘stand there and don't move’.

It was an instruction Don took to heart as he worked on the stall, opposite Marks & Spencer, whatever the weather, until his retirement in 2013.

Don’s wife Maureen passed away previously, but the couple had three sons and five grandchildren.

Their youngest son Steve worked with Don for many years on the market.

Don’s family says he worked through many changes on the market and lamented it was not as busy as it used to be.

Changes included the loss of transport through the centre of town and the bus station at the bottom of the Market Place.

He also fondly remembered the price of oranges being a shilling for a dozen when he started.

However, despite being on the stall ‘in all weathers’, he used to describe his time as a market trader as a ‘great life’.

The date for Don’s funeral has not been yet arranged, but there are plans for the car to pass the market stall on its way to the crematorium and there will be a live link set up.

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