A HISTORY OF FEATHERSTONE
1871
THE 1871 CENSUS
The sinking of
collieries at Snydale and Featherstone led to a remarkable increase in the
population of Featherstone since the last census from 353 to 2,222. Purston
almost doubled from 263 to 518. Most of the new residents were in a new
township called South
Featherstone. The population
of Ackton fell from 67 to 54.
There was now
a doctor or maybe two. Alexander Buncle came from Arbroath with his sister
Agnes and both are described as physician surgeons. There were two
manufacturing chemists, also brother and sister. George and Elanor (probably
spelt wrong) Day came from Hutton-le-Hole. Perhaps they made their own
medicines.
The most
important personages were George Bradley at Ackton Hall and Thomas Hepworth Hall
at Purston Hall. Both had servants in residence and living out. Up and coming
was John Shaw, owner of Featherstone Colliery (the Main bit came later) who
lived with his family and two servants at North Featherstone Manor House.
At Monkroyd there
was David Longstaff who as well as being a magistrate employed six men and a
boy on his 200 acre farm. John Waller owned the Junction Hotel, had 207 acres
and a threshing machine and employed three labourers and one boy, and a further
four men for farming.
SUICIDE AT SCARBOROUGH
The Revd Thomas
Hepworth Hall committed suicide in the Grand Hotel at Scarborough on September 4 by cutting his throat with a razor. He had written a
letter the previous day to his wife at Purston Hall, and when she received it
and found it to be in very incoherent language she sent Mr Arundel his
solicitor and Dr Graham his doctor to Scarborough, but
when they arrived he had been dead for some time.
At the inquest
Dr Graham said he had attended the deceased for ten years and he had known him
to have occasional attacks of nervous depression. He had been particularly bad
five months ago when suffering from a carbuncle on his throat, which had caused
delirium.
The
funeral
was held on Friday September 8. The cortege left Purston for Pontefract
Cemetery headed by a detachment of the West Riding Police. There were
three mourning
coaches, the private carriage of the deceased and others. He left a
widow and
three sons of twelve years and younger.
The photo below of the Grand Hotel in Scarborough is taken from Stories from Scarborough on the internet. The photo of Purston Hall is from the Tony Lumb Collection.
The photo below of the Grand Hotel in Scarborough is taken from Stories from Scarborough on the internet. The photo of Purston Hall is from the Tony Lumb Collection.
SMALLPOX VACCINATIONS
At a Board of
Guardians meeting in November the clerk read a letter from Mr E Hallam of
Streethouse in which he complained Dr Buncle, the parish doctor for Purston,
had without leave of their parents, vaccinated a number of children. He had
seen him give children half-pence and then perform the "filthy
operation".
The Board was
responsible for vaccinations and it was proposed by Dr Beard, the
vaccination inspector, four vaccination
districts should be set up, one at Featherstone to serve Featherstone, Ackton, Purston
and Snydale and to be open three weeks in every quarter. Where the vaccination
centre was more than two miles from a person's home the vaccinator might go to
that person's house.
About Mr Hallam's
letter he said the Board would not be justified in paying for such
indiscriminate work, but they might do so in cases where the doctor vaccinated
everyone who had been in contact with a person attacked by smallpox.
1871 NEWS ITEMS
JANUARY
Featherstone was among some townships late in paying their dues to the
Pontefract Board of Guardians. The Board said if an overseer had not paid the
call within seven days he could be proceeded against and if convicted would
forfeit a sum not exceeding £20 out of his £40 salary.
This advert appeared in the Leeds newspapers. It shows the building work going on in a new area called South Featherstone. The houses referred to are those that were later named Phipps Street.
This advert appeared in the Leeds newspapers. It shows the building work going on in a new area called South Featherstone. The houses referred to are those that were later named Phipps Street.
FEBRUARY Dr
Rhodes had died and Dr Wigin was temporarily appointed to the post of surgeon
by the Board of Guardians. Dr Buncle was later given the permanent
appointment.
MARCH Edward Doyle, said to be a Fenian (Irish Republican), was in court for sending letters to George Bradley threatening his life, and posting placards on the Ackton Hall estate. He was sentenced to six months in jail.
MARCH Edward Doyle, said to be a Fenian (Irish Republican), was in court for sending letters to George Bradley threatening his life, and posting placards on the Ackton Hall estate. He was sentenced to six months in jail.
APRIL John
Garrety and Peter Crossley were charged with begging in Purston Terrace. PC
Gamwell said he saw the two men and suspected what they were after so he
followed them to several places until they reached Mr Fearnley's house where he
took them into custody. The prisoners said they were colliers from Staveley on
the tramp in search of work, and one of them had pulled off his socks to sell
for food. The Bench said they had no doubt the prisoners would have obtained
work had they liked. It was such persons has they who took anything they could
get hold of. They would each go to prison for one month with hard labour.
Thomas Clamp, a collier age 38, was sent to jail for six months for stealing a duck, a drake, a turkey and a ferret from John Charles Longstaff of Monkroyd House. Police Sergeant Grimshaw found the stolen property under the bed in Clamp's house.
Thomas Clamp, a collier age 38, was sent to jail for six months for stealing a duck, a drake, a turkey and a ferret from John Charles Longstaff of Monkroyd House. Police Sergeant Grimshaw found the stolen property under the bed in Clamp's house.
Thomas Phipps,
landlord of the New Inn in Featherstone, was on a train from Wakefield to Pontefract which was derailed before it reached
Crofton. He was bruised and cut about the head but was able to proceed home. Mr
C Longstaff of Monkroyd was also on the train but was unhurt.
George Bradley
was elected to the Board of Guardians to represent Ackton, and John Shaw for
Featherstone. No person was named for Purston.
This advert shows Snydale and Featherstone Collieries were now producing coal. The Hartley after Snydale refers to a type of coal called Hartley steam coal, and Main is probably short for Stanley Main Seam coal.
This advert shows Snydale and Featherstone Collieries were now producing coal. The Hartley after Snydale refers to a type of coal called Hartley steam coal, and Main is probably short for Stanley Main Seam coal.
MAY Joseph
Lucas was summonsed for striking Thomas Cartwright age four who was alleged to
have run over unbaked bricks at the brickyard where Lucas was manager. PC Brook
said the defendant had frequently called his attention to footprints in his
bricks. He was fined one shilling.
Notice was
given for the churchyard at All Saints' Church to close on June 15. The Pontefract Advertiser commented
"We presume this will only affect the funerals of persons not having near relatives
interred in the ground, but where there are family graves (not completely
full), interments will take place as usual. The ground is very crowded, and for
some time new graves have been made only with considerable difficulty".
The report on Purston National School was: "This school is in a very fair state of
order and very creditable in elementary attainment". Since the
commencement of the school by the Revd T H Hall in 1862, 700 children
had been admitted. There were now 102 boys and 82 girls on the books.
AUGUST At the
Brewster Sessions John Phipps of South
Featherstone was told if
further cases of permitting drunkenness on the premises were proved his licence
would be withheld.
A fire broke
out in the stables of William Woodhead a farmer of Featherstone Green. It spread to
the house which was burned to the ground. Other outbuildings were also
destroyed. Pontefract fire Brigade arrived and prevented the blaze reaching a haystack.
George Green, a collier, came from Staffordshire to Purston and lodged with the Mallards. The Mallards went pea pulling and 16 years old Betsy was later sent home to prepare dinner for two lodgers. After dinner one lodger went out leaving Betsy alone with Green. He committed a felonious assault on her which she resisted and hit him with a poker.
He left the house but was tracked down and arrested by the police. In court he was charged with attempted rape and indecent assault. He was found not guilty of the rape charge but was sentenced to 18 months in jail for the assault.
OCTOBER George Reynolds age 51 worked at Featherstone Main Colliery where colliers used candles for illumination. One day a fall of roof occurred and brought down some gas which the candle ignited. Reynolds was badly burned and died two days later.
DECEMBER Martin Riley of Pontefract sued Thomas Wolford, a Featherstone farmer, for six shillings for two days' work on a threshing machine. Mr Wolford said he paid one man a lump sum to be divided amongst all the men who were threshing. The Bench decided as Riley was working for Wolford and not the man referred to he was entitled to his six shillings and costs.
George Green, a collier, came from Staffordshire to Purston and lodged with the Mallards. The Mallards went pea pulling and 16 years old Betsy was later sent home to prepare dinner for two lodgers. After dinner one lodger went out leaving Betsy alone with Green. He committed a felonious assault on her which she resisted and hit him with a poker.
He left the house but was tracked down and arrested by the police. In court he was charged with attempted rape and indecent assault. He was found not guilty of the rape charge but was sentenced to 18 months in jail for the assault.
OCTOBER George Reynolds age 51 worked at Featherstone Main Colliery where colliers used candles for illumination. One day a fall of roof occurred and brought down some gas which the candle ignited. Reynolds was badly burned and died two days later.
DECEMBER Martin Riley of Pontefract sued Thomas Wolford, a Featherstone farmer, for six shillings for two days' work on a threshing machine. Mr Wolford said he paid one man a lump sum to be divided amongst all the men who were threshing. The Bench decided as Riley was working for Wolford and not the man referred to he was entitled to his six shillings and costs.