1880

  A HISTORY OF FEATHERSTONE 

 1880

AN EXTENDED GAS SUPPLY

  A Select Committee of the House of Commons met in July to consider a bill for the Ackworth, Featherstone, Purston and Sharlston Gas Co to raise more capital. It was explained the company was formed in 1873 with a capital of £5,000, and this was later raised to £10,000. It was now proposed to raise a further £20,000 and borrow £2,500 so the district supplied by the company could be extended.

  The Local Board were in favour of the bill, and George Hudson, surveyor and engineer, said the works of the company were substantially built and the capital had been well spent. Mr Bradley objected because he had his own gas supply at Manor Colliery and he was supplying gas to 30 cottages. He wished to limit the district to be supplied by the gas company but the bill was passed.

A NUDE CHASE

  David Lawton was the night deputy at Manor Colliery. After a night shift in August he suddenly left his lodgings at Featherstone Green in a nude state and ran across the fields to Park Lane. He was chased by several persons but when they got near him he speeded up and they couldn't catch him. He ran all the way to Pontefract and was eventually stopped by Supt. Whincup and PC Kipping outside the court house. He was clothed as speedily as possible and taken to the workhouse. He was later transferred to Wadsley Asylum near Sheffield.

1880 NEWS ITEMS

JANUARY  The Pontefract Advertiser commented: The streets of this township now assume quite a cheerful aspect in these winter evenings, owing to the use of gas which has now been extended the whole length of Purston, South Featherstone and Street Houses. As many as 70 lamps are now kept burning at the roadsides, from dusk till half-past eleven, that is half an hour after the closing time of the various public houses.
  This postcard shows the gas lamp at the entrance to George Street. 

  Dr Buncle told the Local Board the least price to analyse Featherstone's drinking water was one guinea. He considered 12 samples a year would be necessary. The first four samples, taken from different parts of the district, were given very unfavourable results. Some members said the samples had been taken from water that was never drunk.

  Joseph Green was fined £3 or two months in jail for taking a pipe down Featherstone Main Colliery.

FEBRUARY  Two 16 year old youths were charged with doing one shilling's worth of damage to a gas lamp by throwing stones, and the local police had been asked to keep watch. The youths were fined one shilling each.

MARCH  A further sample of water taken from William Cowling's well in Station Lane was found to contain a moderate pollution of sewage or other impure matter and the report said, "The water is an undesirable source of supply for drinking purposes".

APRIL  George Bradley had only attended one Board of Guardian's meeting in the past year but he was re-elected unopposed for Ackton, as were Ernest Andrew for Featherstone (12 attendances) and John Waller for Purston (20 attendances).

MAY  The Methodist New Connection (Primitive Methodist) chapel, in Lord Street off Green Lane, was opened.

  In one of the many assault cases at Pontefract Court it was said "It appears from the evidence of the complainant and several witnesses called by both parties, that Phipp's Buildings at Featherstone are inhabited by a race of Amazons, seven in all, who are at daggers drawn with each other, and that the police are in very frequent requisition to keep the peace".

  Dr Buncle reported to the Local Board there had been four deaths from scarlet fever in April and one from typhoid. Thirteen children had died from wasting and convulsive diseases. The Board decided to serve notice on many persons to connect their private drains to the new main drains.

  Three men were charged with not sending their children to school. One had not attended for 12 months.

JUNE  The Local Board reappointed Dr Buncle as medical officer for three years at a salary of £40. Mr Watson was reappointed nuisance inspector at a salary of £25.

  A ball was given at Purston Hall for Percy Craven Hall's 21st birthday. There were about 60 of the surrounding gentry present, and the coachmen and servants of the visitors were entertained at the Junction Hotel.

 

  Fifteen men were fined 10s each for gambling in Phipp's Row. Supt Whincup said five of the men were old offenders, and their wives were always complaining to the police their husbands gambled their money away instead of giving it to them.

JULY  Samuel Crossley was secretary and treasurer of the checkweighmen's fund at Featherstone Main Colliery. He was paid 19s 6d a quarter, and he paid the two checkweighmen £1 17s for six days work or pro rata out of the fund. He had a large family, and as they were almost pining he handed over his books and left the district.

  It was found some entries in the books had been altered, and Crossley was charged with embezzling £2. He was sentenced to one month's imprisonment.

AUGUST  The Local Board made a policy decision that the streets should be paved and the houses numbered.

SEPTEMBER  It was announced "A commencement has been made of what, it is hoped, will be a complete restoration of the ancient church (All Saints, North Featherstone) here at present in a very advanced state of dilapidation. The portion undertaken at present is the south chapel which will be almost entirely rebuilt".

  The Local Board had borrowed £6,000 at 3½% for 30 years to provide main drains and outfalls for 920 houses. The property owners were charged £2 per house for connection to the sewers, but many objected to this, and so-called indignation meetings were held. Mr Fearnley, the chairman of the Local Board, said the Board were determined the poor people would be protected as the law provided. Mr Denton, a Board member, said the property of those owners was as bad or worse than any in the district. "If it was not for builders who erected jerry houses the Board would not have been jerry drainers". (Note: The Local Board byelaws issued in 1879 said all new houses must have a clear space at the rear. This brought to an end the building of back to back houses.)

OCTOBER  Abraham Fisher, a winder at Bradley's pit, was summonsed for assaulting George Rennison, weighman and timekeeper. It was said he came on the premises in an intoxicated condition and was asked to leave. He refused and became violent. He was fined 5s and £1 4s costs.

NOVEMBER  William Hewson was charged with permitting a nuisance in Station Lane. It was said he was the owner of a four-wheeled photographic van stationed at the path side. The van had no privy or drainage and everything was put through a trap-door and formed a pool beneath the van. The stench from this was very offensive to persons walking on the causeway. Poultry was kept in the van with the family. The Bench ordered the removal of the nuisance within seven days.

  In another argument about drainage between the Local Board and property owners, it was said in one block of houses the drainage had to be ladled from the cellar floor into the drainage pipe which was then stopped with a sack to confine the stench.

DECEMBER  A proposal by the Local Board to flag and pave the right hand side of Station Lane from the bottom to the station was postponed until all the drains were connected. It was agreed to lay some ashes as a temporary measure. 

  Peter Hall was the manager of Manor Colliery, and he also ran the accident fund. He was taken to court by Dr G P Atkinson of Pontefract for £7 10s. He said as medical officer to the fund he received £10 per annum for every 100 men employed. He had attended in every case on receiving a letter from Mr Hall, who now wished to escape payment, although the miners had contributed £40 to the fund. The judge awarded him the money plus costs.

  Ten Featherstone miners were caught gaming with coins and were fined various amounts depending on their precious convictions.