1869

   A HISTORY OF FEATHERSTONE 

1869

 

DESERTED HIS CHILDREN

  James Knappy of Featherstone was charged in July of deserting two children last November and leaving them chargeable to the Union (the Pontefract Board of Guardians). A warrant had been out for his arrest since January but he could not be found. The Pontefract Advertiser in a humorous vein reported "Last Sunday the police constable stationed in Featherstone was surprised by the appearance of the prisoner at his home. "How do you do Mr Brown " he said, "How do you do" replied the PC. "Step in and sit down a minute". When he was sat down PC Brown informed him he had a piece of paper in his pocket which closely concerned him, and he read to him the warrant for his apprehension. The prisoner listened patiently but objected to being apprehended as it was Sunday. This objection however Mr Man in Blue overruled and secured his prisoner in the orthodox manner, none the less securely for the sacred nature of the day. It then transpired that the clever collier, labouring under the extraordinary impression that a criminal warrant could not be executed on Sunday had conceived the bright idea of coming over to Featherstone to see his old pals, have a laugh at the police, and decamp before Monday revived their powers. He was committed to gain experience during the three months allotted to his offence".

DEATHS AT SNYDALE COLLIERY

  An inquest was held at the Junction Inn on August 26 on the deaths of Henry Peel Noble and Jack Barratt in an accident at Snydale Colliery the day before. Thomas Todd of Snydale said he hurried (drove tubs) for the deceased who were making a drift (a sloping tunnel) through a fault. They used candles and had to hold them sideways to make them burn brightly. They drilled a hole eight feet deep, charged it with powder and set it off, in direct contravention of a command by Mr Thresh the bottom steward.

  The deceased went back to the drift and jeered at Todd for remaining behind. Todd, who was eating his snap, saw their lights go out, and not receiving any answer to his shouts he went for the steward. After a few minutes delay the two men were brought out and found to be dead.

  The coroner said it was plain nothing had been done in compliance with the rules. It was manifest the deceased had, contrary to orders, gone much sooner in the direction of the shot than they ought to have done. The pit was in a bad state, but they were both men of a reasonable age, and if they did not intend to kill themselves what occurred must have been a pure accident; though by their neglect of rules they must have contributed to their own deaths. There was no doubt the pit was not in a fit state to work in, and it was astonishing in these days the ventilation of a pit should be so bad. The verdict was accidental death.

  Frank Wardell, inspector of mines, said he was satisfied the laxity of the rules in the pit had been something tremendous, and he did not hesitate to say if the rules had been attended to the deceased would not have met with their deaths. At the same time, the pit was in a very bad condition has he would have to report. 

  (Note: In many mines at this period the ventilation was poor and there was a lack of oxygen. The miners found if their candles would not burn in an upright position because of a reduced oxygen level, they could be kept going for a while by holding them horizontally. These two men died from the afterdamp, the carbon monoxide formed by the blasting and not cleared by the poor ventilation.)

1869 NEWS ITEMS

JANUARY  Mr Taylor, the coroner, held an inquiry into the death of a five year old boy, the son of a farm labourer called Earnshaw. He was playing on the hearth with some dried peas when he jumped up, went into convulsions, and died before a doctor could be sent for. He had apparently choked on a pea. 

  Samuel Lodge, a Featherstone commission agent, got into a carriage at Wakefield Station in which were James Long, Thomas Coward and Joseph Scott, all of Darrington. In court Lodge claimed he was assaulted by the three; Coward broke his watch guard, Long hit him with an ash stick, and they pinned him in a corner. When he got off at Featherstone Station Lodge made a complaint to the stationmaster. Charles Asquith of Pontefract, who was also in the carriage, said he witnessed what had happened. 
  For the defence it was said Lodge was not intentionally struck but he got hold of the stick and broke it, and then an altercation ensured. The Bench said they considered the case fully proved, and it was necessary passengers should be protected from such practical jokes, and fined each of the defendants 5s and costs.

FEBRUARY  James Tasker of Purston applied to the magistrates for a petroleum licence. There were many applications under the new law and the Bench said each applicant must prove he had a suitable place to keep petroleum, and it had to be approved by an inspector.

APRIL  The officials elected for the new administrative year were:

       Featherstone   Overseers    James Baldwin Fearnley and John Atkinson

                              Constables   John Hepworth and John Parker

       Purston           Overseers    John Waller and James Rowlandson

                              Constables   George Chappel and Joshua Woodhead

  John Parker applied for an adjournment of the passing of the highway accounts (for the repair of the roads) for Featherstone. He said he and Mr Atkinson had held office as surveyors for many years as well as being overseers, but at a recent meeting in Featherstone, the vicar in the chair, an attempt had been made to appoint other surveyors. Mr Parker said this had not been properly done. The Bench directed a written notice to that effect be drawn up. 

  It was decided to enlarge the area of the Pontefract Poor Law Union, and many surrounding townships were added including Featherstone, Purston Jaglin and Ackton.

MAY  Four men were charged with being drunk and disorderly at the Junction Inn. There had been a fight said to involve some Staffordshire men, and one man had the end of his nose bitten off, and another an eye knocked out. Mr Cooper, a Purston resident, had a gate damaged but dare not sue because he feared for his large number of fruit trees.

  There was another fight about Staffordshire men at Castleford, with some men from Purston being accused of being Staffordshire men.

  Mr Fearnley, Featherstone overseer, applied to the Bench to have a rate granted on the 15th annulled because his name had been affixed to the rate book without his knowledge or consent. Mr Clough for Mr Fearnley said there had been altercations between the overseers and surveyors at Featherstone for years. They had assistant overseers and assistant surveyors and in this instant the assistant overseer, in the presence of one of the overseers, signed the names of both in the book that had been presented to the magistrates for signature.

  The overseer absent at the time of the signing was now in the market place and could easily be found if required. In the meantime the Bench would probably think fit to impound the rate book.

  The Bench said the story told by the applicant was not substantiated by witnesses or given on oath, and they would decline to interfere until the other overseer was present. In the meantime the rate book would be impounded.

JUNE  John Dunn Parker received a summons from James Baldwin Fearnley requiring him to give up possession of certain books and monies he had in his possession as surveyor of Featherstone, and which he neglected to give up within 14 days of the appointment of his successor. In court Mr Fearnley said he was co-surveyor with Mr Waller for Featherstone, and he had demanded the books and monies from the defendant. After the hearing was fixed the defendant arrived at Mr Fearnley's house with the books and £5 which Mr Fearnley declined to accept because the sum owing was £10 4s 6d. 

  Mr Waller gave evidence he had not received any books or monies from the defendant. Mr Clough (for Parker) said Fearnley was both overseer and surveyor, and as overseer he owed Parker a much larger sum than was due to him as surveyor.

  The Bench ordered Parker to pay the £10 4s 6d and 13s costs. They said they were acting with great leniency in not doubling the amount.

  At another hearing Mr Fearnley applied for a summons against Mr Parker for forging his name to a rate book. The Bench said they had no doubt that matters had been conducted with great irregularity at Featherstone, but they must decline to grant a summons for forgery. The rate book was ordered to be given up to Mr Fearnley.

JULY  The newspapers commented on the amount of shaft sinking for coal mines being undertaken in the local area. At Snydale and Featherstone work was nearing completion and it was expected coal production would soon commence.

SEPTEMBER  The Purston National School annual treat was held in Purston Hall park allowed to be used for the day by Revd T H Hall. The tea was provided by Mr Tasker of Purston.

OCTOBER  For the annual harvest thanksgiving at Purston National School the schoolroom was decorated with barley, wheat, black and white grapes, dahlias and other autumnal flowers. There were morning and evening services, and at the evening service more people turned up than could be accommodated. The preacher was Revd Thos Lingley MA, headmaster of the grammar school at Pontefract.

  The Pontefract Advertiser commented: "We congratulate the inhabitants of Purston on having festive seasons, services of which many a town congregation might justly be proud, and in doing so we offer a tribute of thanks to the family through whose instrumentality the building was erected, and the school is supported, and under whose careful supervision has been undertaken and carried out the arrangements of these services, for which so much practice and preparation is required".

  In a continuation of the Parker/Fearnley dispute Mr Parker sued Mr Fearnley for £13 15s 4d. For Mr Fearnley it was said the money would have to come out of the incoming rate, and that rate through the misconduct of the plaintiff was invalid, and steps were being taken to squash it.

  Since he had taken possession of the book he had ascertained Mr Parker had taken £16 for his salary instead of £5. His Honour gave a verdict for the amount claimed to be retained in court subject to any deduction that might be made by the auditor.

  John Thomas Jones and Edward Owen were charged with extorting money by false pretences from John Denton, a blacksmith of Featherstone. John Denton, who was aged and infirm, said he had known a little girl, Ellen Shaw, from infancy, and also her father and mother. He saw her tending a cow near the railway and he stopped to talk to her. He did not touch her or make any improper gesture towards her. The prisoners later approached him and demanded money so they should not report him for criminally ill-treating the girl.

  Mr Denton was so confused that he could not be induced by the prosecutor to repeat the words used by the men, and after much effort on the part of Mr Clough and the magistrate, Mr Clough said he was compelled to abandon the prosecution.

  At a Board of Guardians meeting at Pontefract it was said Featherstone was the only township that had not paid the call. There was a difficulty in getting a rate there because of disagreements between the late and present overseers. The chairman said Featherstone must borrow money from their banks and pay interest on it until a rate could be collected to pay it off.

  James Lord of Purston, a coal miner and noted poacher, went with William Blood and John Grice to Wragby. After drinking in the pub there they went for a stroll and were crossing the bridge over Nostell Priory lake when they saw a dead pike in the water. Lord said "I'll fetch that out". The others tried to persuade him not to because it was cold, but he took his clothes off and went into the water. He came out complaining of the cold but went back in. He got caught in some weeds and disappeared. The alarm was raised and his body was recovered. The inquest jury returned a verdict of accidentally drowned. The site is shown on this engraving from the Archives of Nostell Priory.

DECEMBER  Robert Bradshaw and Thomas Neil were charged with assaulting Sergeant Grimshaw at the Junction Inn. The sergeant said there had been a disturbance at what was called the New Beerhouse. He saw Neil and advised him to go home, but he went to the Junction Inn. Grimshaw said Neil was not to have any more beer and he was turned out. He came back again later and was involved in a scuffle with a mining steward called Stephenson. Grimshaw was called and he was assaulted by Neil and Bradshaw and he was knocked down and lost much blood. The end of a broken "life-preserver" was found at the spot afterwards. Both were committed to the House of Correction for three months with hard labour.