1885

  A HISTORY OF FEATHERSTONE

  1885

NEW SCHOOLS OPENED

  The three new Board Schools were opened in April and Tinley Simpson was appointed headmaster over all three (Regent Street infants and girls, and George Street boys) after the School Board considered 27 applications for the post. The Featherstone Local Board made bye-laws compelling the attendance of all children of school age and sent them to the Education Department for approval.

  The Pontefract and Castleford Express commented: All three schools are fitted up replete with every requisite in the shape of books, maps and all the modern aids to teaching. The inhabitants of Featherstone are to be congratulated upon for having for their children schools of a first class order, where they will be well taught, without the sacrifice of health (by sending them out to work) and at a small cost to their parents.

  Those who have to pay the School Board rates may feel it somewhat of a burden on them, but they as well as the whole community must indirectly derive benefit from the excellent schools, knowing that the child is father of the man, and that the education of the children must make them when they grow up, better men and better women, and more useful in their respective spheres of life. The Board have no doubt had an arduous duty to perform, but their labours have certainly been crowned with success, and this fact must be their reward.
  The photo from the Tony Lumb Collection shows the Girls' School in Regent Street and the headmaster's house on the right. The one underneath of George Street School is from an old postcard.

 STILL NO MAINS WATER

  At the August meeting of the Local Board only two members turned up so an informal chat on a water supply took place. Dr Buncle said it would cost £1,000 a mile to lay water mains. David Denton said whatever it cost, the Board would sooner or later have to provide a water supply for the inhabitants.

  At the October meeting it was said there was enough water running away from Mr Bradley's pit, and water running to waste in Purston, to supply all needs. Samples were sent to Mr Allen, a Sheffield analyst, who reported he could not recommend for public use the water from Bradley's pit or Spink's well. A sample from Featherstone Main Colliery was found to be salty but drinkable. The Board agreed to put down a 50 yards deep borehole to see if water could be found. If so it would be pumped to a large cistern at North Featherstone to serve that area.

ELECTION TROUBLES

  The Representation of the Peoples Act of 1884 gave the vote to all who had land of a rental value of £10 or who paid rent of £10 a year. This meant the election in December 1885 was the first in which the miners of Featherstone could vote; even so the local electorate only totalled 761. Polling stations were set up at Regent Street and George Street Schools. They were picketed by the miners, the majority of them supported the Liberal candidate and wore yellow rosettes.

  The Pontefract Advertiser reported: Anyone wearing blue was soon shown the error of his ways. As the day wore on and the sun went down, the chaff and bandying, at first good humoured, if somewhat coarse, gradually developed into hostile activities. Bold indeed was the man who ventured within sight of the crowd with a tag of blue in his buttonhole.

  A commercial traveller driving through the village happened to have a blue handkerchief in his breast pocket. He was attacked with sticks and stones and was glad to make his escape. Another man, innocently wearing the badge of the Blue Ribbon Army (nothing to do with politics) was attacked and had to seek shelter in the station booking office. George Senior, manager of Ackton Hall Colliery, was knocked to the ground and had his shoulder broken.

  A brass band appeared at 6pm and toured the streets followed by a mob. All the street lamps were knocked out, and the houses of those known to be Conservative supporters were attacked. The band marched to Purston playing "See the conquering hero comes" and on arriving at the Junction Inn more than 100 window panes were broken. Butcher Charles Hemmingway had all his windows smashed and a large quantity of beef was completely spoiled.

   After breaking the windows of all the other tradesmen, a move was made back up Station Lane to do a similar job on the Railway Hotel. More than 100 stones were picked up in the hotel after the mob had left. They went up and down Station Lane three times up to 8pm doing fresh damage each time. Some residents protected their property by firing a double-barrel shot gun over the head of the crowd, which quickly took themselves to less dangerous quarters.

  Perhaps the worst incident was at a house in Fearnley's Buildings where the drawn blinds told of a death within. "Bang through the window went showers of stones, pitilessly alighting upon a bed where a dead woman lay". 

  Police were brought from Wakefield and by 8pm were in charge of the situation but they remained all night just in case. Seven men were charged with throwing stone and were fined £1 or one month in jail. David Wadsworth was was jailed for one month for assaulting PC Strickland.
  Featherstone and Purston tradesmen applied to court to find out what they should do regarding compensation for damage done to stock and premises. Supt Whincup said he had visited the premises and it was really serious. Shopkeepers and innkeepers had had to board up their premises. The applicants were told to send in their claims to the Chief Constable of the Riding.

1885 NEWS ITEMS

JANUARY  Thomas Fewkes, a travelling photographer, was sent to prison for three months with hard labour for stealing items from William Crispin, a chemist, and George Freeman, a miner of South Featherstone.

FEBRUARY  Two Featherstone Main Colliery pit lads were sent to prison for a month for cruelly ill treating a pit pony. They had thrown stones at it and knocked an eye out. Earnest Andrew the manager said there were about 200 ponies in the mine and seven of them had had an eye knocked out in similar circumstances.

  The Local Board agreed to a request by the National Telephone Company to erect telephone poles in order to provide telephonic communication between Wakefield, Pontefract and Castleford. The Leeds Postmaster also wanted permission to erect poles to provide a telegraph between Featherstone Station and Purston Post Office.

  Ernest Andrew asked the Local Board to take up the matter of a postal service for Purston Common. Although the houses built there were within 200 yards of the post office there was no delivery whatsoever. A Purston man happened to go to the post office and found a letter had been waiting there for him for a week. The GPO later agreed to deliver to Purston Common.

  The South and West Yorkshire Coal owners said because of the depression in the coal trade the 10% increase awarded in November 1882 would have to be taken off. If the men did not agree then the pits would close on March 31.

  The Yorkshire Miners' Federation decided to resist the cut by every legal means, and they asked every colliery to send representatives to a meeting at Rotherham. Featherstone Main Colliery (500 workers) and Snydale Colliery (400) both sent representatives to the meeting, but apparently Ackton Hall  Colliery (then much smaller) did not.

MARCH  Featherstone Local Board received a letter from Supt Whincup stating if the Board did not repair 300 yards of Park Road from North Featherstone, which was in a disgraceful condition, he would have the Board indicted. The chairman said he considered the road belonged to Mr Bradley and had never been repaired by the Board, although the public used it. The clerk was asked to look into the matter.

  All the streets had now been named and the Local Board was considering having the houses numbered, but it was difficult because of the amount of building going on.

  Messrs Denton (Streethouse), Cowling (Purston) and Earle (Whitwood) were all re-elected to the Board.

  The attendance list for the Guardians showed George Bradley (Ackton) had not attended any meeting while Richard Cowling (Featherstone) and John Waller (Purston) had turned up 21 times each.

APRIL  Joseph Fearnley was re-elected chairman of the Local Board. They were informed there were problems at the sewage works because of the large volume of water from Snydale Colliery which flooded the system and caused a great nuisance. Mr Rhodes (the owner) had been refused permission by Mr Winn to run the salty water into the Went Beck so he connected it to the drains. The Board agreed Mr Rhodes was to be told to disconnect his water from the drains.

  Dr Buncle reported nuisances were being caused throughout the district by heaps of pig manure.

  Harry Tonkin Glew age two of Duke Street was standing at the table eating an egg when he upset a cup of boiling tea onto his shoulder and breast. His mother and aunt applied flour, sweet oil and lime water to the scold and the child did not seem too badly hurt. However, he died five days later and an inquest was held. No medical evidence was given and the jury's verdict was "The deceased died from a disease, the nature of which was not ascertained".

  An Ackton Hall collier named Oliver sued George Bradley for £3 6s as a fortnight's wages in lieu of notice. He claimed he was employed to construct a double-yard packing wall, but the new manager, George Senior, refused to pay except as a single-yard wall. On Oliver pressing his case he was told there would be no more work for him. He went to the pit for a few days and was told there was nothing for him to do, so he considered himself dismissed. Mr Senior said Oliver was entitled to wait a few days until another job turned up. Mr Bradley said the plaintiff was never discharged.  

  The judge gave a verdict for the plaintiff and said if ever a case justified the existence and interference of a union such a one as this did, and he marked his sense of the disgraceful way in which he believed Oliver had been discharged by giving costs on the higher rate. 

  The mine owners wanted a 10% reduction in wages. The Yorkshire Miners' Federation offered 5% which was rejected so some miners were called out on strike. The three local collieries continued working and, apart from a two shillings a week levy to the union, the men agreed to collect money for non-union men who did not received the strike pay of nine shillings a week plus one shilling for each child under thirteen. The union caved in after a few weeks and the miners who had carried on working had to accept the 10% reduction along with the rest.

  Alexander Buncle had been medical officer of health for Pontefract for nine months when he was due for re-appointment.  Some members of the Town Council were against him because he lived in South Featherstone, but he was re-appointed by 11 votes to 10.

  In the first quarter of the year there were 22 deaths in Featherstone and 17 of them were infants under five years old.

  Robert John Turner was fined 20 shillings and costs for taking a pipe, tobacco and matches down Featherstone Main Colliery. Ernest Andrew, the manager, said Turner had only worked there for four months but he had a perfect knowledge of the rules.

MAY  At the Local Board meeting the clerk reported Mr Bradley had done nothing about the well at Old Featherstone. The well was polluted but would be alright when cleaned out. It was agreed to clean it out and puddle it and put it in a proper state of repair.

  The surveyor later reported the work on the well was still proceeding. There were about another six feet to clean out and 60 gallons of water a day had to be removed. The water was as black as ink but was expected to be satisfactory when the work was finished.

JUNE  The Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Company announced they were to widen the north platform of the station and build a porters' room and toilets. It was not intended to erect a shelter for passengers.

  At the Local Board meeting it was said there were further problems at the sewage works. The man in charge had killed dozens of moles, but leaks caused by their digging were allowing sewage to pass into the beck.

   Michael James Luckman, a 14 years old pony driver at Snydale, was driving three tubs to the pit bottom. He tried to get on the first tub to ride behind his pony but he fell off and was run over. He died before he was got to the pit top.

   Mr J Kaberry, a Pontefract Solicitor and clerk to Featherstone Local Board, was appointed to the School Board. He succeeded Mr F W Bradley who had resigned.

  There was an outbreak of swine fever in the district. There were ten places infected in Featherstone and Purston. Supt Whincup and a veterinary surgeon had visited them all and all the infected animals had been slaughtered.

JULY  Two special trains conveyed 999 people connected with Featherstone Main Colliery to Scarborough. Mrs Hall of Purston Hall arranged for Purston Church choir to be part of the trip.

AUGUST  The Local Board wrote to Mr Hodgson of Loughborough (who built the sewage works) pointing out the defects in the system. He replied it would only take a few pounds to put matters right, and it was only to be expected after seven years working. He would come and inspect the works. The Board chairman said the sewage works had only been in operation for four years.

  The Board was told the well at North Featherstone was found to be 53 feet deep and it was deepened by another ten feet. It was now in use and the water had risen a foot in the last eight days. The Board agreed to to provide a pump at a cost of £9 5s.

  The Board Schools headmaster's report said there was a steady increase in the number of children attending the schools, and it would have been better still had not the measles outbreak prevented many children from attending.

 

  Annie Cook, age 19 and an orphan, had been living with a Mrs Brown in Featherstone. She obtained a job at the Lock Inn, Allerton Bywater, but ten days later she was sent home ill by cab. She went to the Union (Workhouse) Hospital in Pontefract and was found to be suffering from smallpox, following which no one else was allowed to approach the building. The chairman of the Board of Guardians said it was a very serious matter, and inquiries ought to be held as to how it came to be a person suffering from smallpox was allowed to walk through the streets of a town.

  A combined Purston and South Featherstone feast was held. A maypole was erected in a field near the Purston Toll Bar and a display was given by the Kirk Smeaton Band of Hope maypole dancers.

  Police Sergeant Coutts left Purston for Wilsden near Keighley after three years at the Purston Police Station. He was replaced by PS Shortcliff from Wilsden.

  Rowland Hill, a horse dealer, was charged with assaulting Charles Hewett, a Featherstone farmer, with a horse whip. Hill had gone to Hewett's house and accused him of taking water from one of his fields. Hewett denied it but was whipped by Hill. The Bench fined Hill 20 shillings.

SEPTEMBER  The Local Board re-appointed Dr Buncle as medical officer at a salary of £40. The clerk read out an anonymous letter saying stalls blocked the streets on Saturdays so horses and carts could not pass, and some land should be set aside as a market place.

  There were 50 new pupils at the Board Schools for the new school year taking the total up to 291.

  James Fozzard, landlord of the Bradley Arms, was charged with refusing to admit a police constable on duty. PC Stickland said it was after midnight, and seeing lights and hearing noises in the house he knocked on the door. The landlord asked who was there and he replied the policeman, but it was several minutes before the door was opened. John Button came out and was charged with being on the premises during prohibited hours. After considering the evidence the Bench dismissed the cases against both Fozzard and Button on payment of costs.
  This photo of the Bradley Arms is from the Tony Lumb Collection.

  The voting for a new School Board was Ernest Andrew (529 votes), W Hepworth (253), Joseph Battye (171), A Alexander (170) and Joseph Chambers (145) all elected. The only other candidate was Thomas Phipps who received 111 votes.

OCTOBER  The Local Board received a deputation asking for the street lamps to be lit all night instead of being put out at 11pm, or alternately be relit from 4am to 6am for the benefit of miners going to work. At its next meeting the Board agreed to have the lamps relit from 4.30am to 6am except when there was moonlight.

  A political meeting was held in George Street School for the Liberal Party. The chairman, Mr R F Andrews of Ackworth, congratulated the assembly on having for the first time the right to vote for members of Parliament.

NOVEMBER  An inquest was held at the Railway Hotel on Mark Westmoreland aged 19 of Castleford. He was being lowered down a shaft being sunk at Ackton Hall Colliery when he was hit on the head by a brick. He was taken to a house in Station Lane where he died soon after.

  The West Riding Permanent Relief Fund Friendly Society held a meeting in Featherstone at which 115 people turned up. The society was formed for the protection of widows and orphans of miners, and those prevented from working as a result of an accident.

  The 761 voters in Featherstone and Purston, most of them voting for the first time, helped the Liberals to win Osgoldcross - Ramsden receiving 5,153 votes against his Conservative opponent Hardy who only managed 3,053.