1645 to 1649

   A HISTORY OF FEATHERSTONE 

 1645 to 1649

 

THE CIVIL WAR

  In 1642 King Charles found himself in dispute with Parliament and it became obvious sooner or later it would have to be decided who was the ultimate ruler in the land - King or Parliament, and so began the Civil War.

  King Charles issued a proclamation from York requiring the aid and assistance of all his subjects north of the Trent. The gentry around Pontefract responded to the king's appeal, granting large sums of money to the cause, enlisting men and providing them with arms.

  Pontefract Castle was the local rallying point and it was garrisoned by a strong force of gentlemen volunteers, among them being the Hammertons of the parish of Featherstone. Phillip Hammerton of Monkrode and Purston Jacklin was the son of Matthew and Bridget Hammerton who were said to live at Purston Old Hall. Phillip served in Sir George Wentworth's division and his brother Edward was a cornet (cavalry officer) in Sir Walter Vavasour's regiment.

  Nothing much happened locally until the Parliamentarians beat the Royalists at the battle of Marston Moor in June 1644 after which Oliver Cromwell took possession of York and then turned his attention to other Royalist strongholds including Pontefract Castle.

  The siege at the castle lasted until March 1645 when 1,600 Royalists under the command of Sir Marmaduke Langdale arrived from Oxford and forced the Parliamentarians to retreat towards Sherburn. Langdale then re-provisioned the castle and strengthened the garrison. He also stationed a body of cavalry at Featherstone and another at (Glass) Houghton under his nephew Langdale Sunderland. It is very likely Langdale Sunderland made the short trip between Houghton and North Featherstone and would be aware of Ackton Hall where he was to make his home some time later.

  The calm didn't last long because a few weeks after Marmaduke Langdale had left on March 3 Parliamentarian Fairfax gathered his troops together, crossed the river at Castleford in the dead of night and fell on Sunderland's troops at Houghton and routed them.

  He then moved to Pontefract and took possession of Monkhill and Baghill and laid siege to the castle again. This time there was no hope of rescue by Langdale who had lost the battle of Naseby, and in July 1645 the defenders of Pontefract Castle surrendered, and the local gentry were allowed to return to their homes.The castle then became a Parliamentarian stronghold.

  In 1648 the second Civil War broke out and the local gentry once again took up arms for the King. Nine Royalist officers disguised themselves as peasants and were allowed into the castle with carts loaded with provisions. Money was given to some of the soldiers to fetch ale from the town and while they were away the guard was overpowered and the gate opened for the Royalist troops.

  When Cromwell heard the news about the fall of the castle he sent a flying column to commence a siege until he could arrive. King Charles was executed in January 1649 but the Pontefract garrison refused to surrender and proclaimed Charles's son as King. But inevitably they were starved out and had to ask for surrender terms. They marched out of the castle on March 24 1649 and handed it back to the Parliamentarians.

  Although the gentry were again allowed to go back to their homes they didn't escape scot-free for backing King Charles and they were fined for choosing the wrong side. Abraham Sunderland died during the siege in 1644. His estate was fined £878 which his son Langdale Sunderland had to pay. He had to sell his estates at Coley and High Sunderland (near Halifax) and with the money he had left he bought the Ackton Hall estates from Thomas Beckwith.

  A side-effect of the civil war was the many entries in the Featherstone parish register for marriages and baptisms for people living in Pontefract. It would have been unwise for anyone to have gone near Pontefract All Saints' Church during the sieges so they came to Featherstone where they could be wed or named in peace.
  The following engraving from The Mirror of Literature, Amusement and Instruction 1832 shows Pontefract Castle as it was during the Civil War. This was the view as seen by Cromwell's gunners. Their inaccuracy knocked the church about a bit.

 

THE 1645 PLAGUE

  In August 1645 someone wrote in the Featherstone parish register "June and July lost, August plague in Featherstone."

  Bubonic plague was a dreaded killer disease which swept across the country at intervals for many years. It was carried by fleas on rats, although nobody knew it at the time, and in hot weather the flea population soared.

  The summer of 1645 was particularly hot so there were probably too many fleas for the rats. Although the fleas preferred to live on rats, if there were too many or if the rat died they would transfer to dogs or humans. When an infected flea bit a human it was almost certain death which is why the plague was feared so much.

  Not every township suffered to the same extent. The bigger towns where the people tended to be crowded together were the worst hit. The plague was particularly bad in Leeds and Wakefield.

  The unfortunate thing about the 1645 plague in Featherstone from the historical point of view is the first entry for those who died from it is Richard Turner the parish clerk who filled in the register. It would seem many of his pieces of paper with entries to be put in the register were lost, and so it will never be know how many local people died because of the plague. Those whose names are known were:

Richard Turner August 21

Joseph Righton August 24

Grace Pie August 24

Ann Hudson September 5

John Hudson September 18

Jennit Bateson September 23

Charles Milnes October 10

Mary Rawson October 18

Ann Horsman November 1

Ann Milnes November 1

  How many plague victims should have been recorded in the gap in the register between May 18 and August 21 is anybody's guess. Ten names may not seem a lot, but with a population of about 400 and allowing for some unrecorded plague deaths it seems about one in thirty died of the disease. With the onset of the cold weather in November the flea population would reduce and this particular plague died out.

RELIEF OUT OF THE RATES

  A General Sessions at Knaresborough in the summer of 1645 decided to raise £250 a week via the rates for the relief of the towns throughout the West Riding affected by the plague.

  This was apportioned according to the severity of the outbreak and for the local townships was decided at: Pontefract £10; Ferrybridge and Darrington £2 each; Knottingley, Campsall and Ackworth £1 10s each; Askern £1; Womersley, Carleton, Purston, Castleford, Smeaton, Stapleton, Brotherton and Shelley 10s. Featherstone and Whitwood are not mentioned so it can be assumed most of the above deaths were in Purston.

  In November when it was obvious the worst was over, an instruction was sent out to the "several high constables, collectors, receivers and distributers of monies to infected persons" to the effect that infected houses had to be shut up for a month after the infection had ceased, clothes had to be washed, well aired and perfumed, all houses thoroughly cleaned, and the "mean stuff" burned and poor owners recompensed out of the rates.

  All that was needed was to get rid of the rats and their resident fleas, but as this was unknown at the time the following rules were issued.

DIRECTIONS FOR CLENSINGE BEINGE SOME FEW EXPERIMENTALLS GAYNED IN YE TIME OF INFECTION.

1       All wooden vessells or ware, as likewise mettails, vizt., plate, peuter, tinne, brass and iron, &c., must be washt in hot scalding water.

2       Linnin must be washt in hott water and thoughly dryed, but not to be used of a good while after.

3       Woolen clothes to be scalded in hott water and soe dryed. Woolen cloth, carsy peeces, &c., to be putt in a running stream 2 dayes att least, then dried on ye ground or on tenters. Woole is to be opened washt in a runninge water, dry itt on ye ground or on stakes, with sunne, wind or fyer.

4       Fetherbedds or flockbedds are to be opened, ye fethers, flocks and ticks scalded and well dryed before they are made upp.

5       Such house is to be clensed in every part both abovehead and below. The wainscot, posts, bedstocks, tables,&c., to be washt in scaldinge water as before is directed.

6       All straw, dust, rags or other rubbish (not worth ye clensinge) are to be burnt, or, much rather, to be buryed deepe in ye ground, that swine roote it not, or others digge it upp.

7       Make fyers with greene broome, greene hay, or both. Sleck lime in vinigar. Burne much tarre, pitch, rozen, frankensence. Turpentine, &c.

  Ther is much abuse in smokinge and perfuminge ye roomes, rather producing putrifaction than any dissipation of ye infection, &c. Much carelessness and dishonesty in clensers.

  There is no doubt that this cleaning would have proved effective by killing off any fleas in the house, furnishings or clothes, even though the authorities did not know the fleas were to blame. The disease could only then continue by reinfection with new fleas.

  If it is true nearly all the plague deaths were in Purston then the death rate there could have been about one in ten. The first accurate figure for Purston's population was the 1801 census which gave the total as 177.

   

1678 to 1820

  A HISTORY OF FEATHERSTONE 

1678 to 1820

 

1678  BURIED IN WOOL

  The entry in the parish register for  August 31 1678 reads "Certified before Justice White by Arthur Greenwood and Alice Whitley yt Issabell ye wife of ye above named Arthur Greenwood was buryed in sheepes woole only."

  There was a glut of wool in the country so Parliament passed the Burial in Wool Act which provided that "no corpse of any person (except those who shall die of the plague), shall be buried in any shirt, shift, sheet, or in any stuff or thing, other than what is made of sheep's wool only, or be put in any coffin lined or faced with any other material but sheep's wool only". An affidavit had to be sworn at each burial that this was carried out.

  The penalty for failure was £5 but there was an exemption for those too poor to afford the wool. The legislation was in force until 1814, but it was generally ignored by 1770.

1741  THE TURNPIKE

  As previously explained the roads were in a mess until the passing of the Turnpike Act which allowed the setting up of toll booths and charging the road users. The Wakefield and Weeland Turnpike Trust was set up in 1741 and a toll booth was built at the junction with the road that became known as Hall Street. Typical charges were a penny for a horse, three pence for a coach and 4d to 6d for a heavily loaded cart.

1743  ARCHBISHOP HERRING'S VISITATION RETURNS

  Archbishop Thomas Herring "being by God's Providence called to a new Diocese" (of York) decided the best way to become acquainted with his parishes was to send a questionnaire to each vicar. His questions and the Featherstone vicar's answers give an insight into the parish as it was in 1743. Note the parish of Featherstone included Purston, Whitwood, Whitwood Mere and part of Pontefract Park district.

1 What numbers of families have you in your parish? Of these how many are dissenters? And of what sort are they?

     We have about 137 families. Of these three are Papists, one Presbyterians.

2  Have you any licences or other meeting house in your parish? How many? Of what sort? How often do they assemble? In what numbers? Who teaches them?

    None at all.

3  Is there any public or charity school, endowed or otherwise maintained in your parish? What number of children are taught in it? And what care is taken to instruct them in the principles of the Christian religion, according to the doctrine of the Church of England; and to bring them duly to church as the canon requires?

   Two private schools, not endowed, where children (whose number cannot be guessed their parents sending them as they can spare them from business) are taught to read and write, and once a week instructed in the Church catechism, and brought duly to church on the holidays.

4  Is there in your parish any alms-house, hospital or other charitable endowment? Have any lands or tenements been left for the repair of your church; or to any other pious use? Who has the direction of such benefaction? How are they managed? Do you know, or have you heard of any abuses or frauds committed in the management of them?

    An old alms-house endowed with lands rented at £2 14s 5d which is duly twice a year collected and distributed to three women. Twenty shillings a year was left to the poor at Purston Jaglin by Mary Cawthorne and lands bought with money left in charity to the same town, which yield nearly fifteen shillings, both which are faithfully distributed to the poor on St. Thomas Day.

5  Do you reside personally upon your cure, and in your parsonage house? If not where do you reside? And what is your reason for your non-residence?

    I reside personally upon my cure, and in the vicarage house.

6  Have you a residing curate? Is he duly qualified according to the canons in that behalf? Does he live in your parsonage house? What allowance do you make him?

    I have no curate.

7  Do you know of any who come to church, who are unbaptized? Or that being baptized, and of a competent age, are not confirmed?

    I know of none that come to church, who are unbaptized, and I hope those, who are not yet confirmed, and are of a competent age, will be prepared to receive it from your Grace.

8  How often is the public service read in your church? Is it duly performed twice every Lord's Day? If not how often, and at what times is it performed? And how come it not to be twice done, as the Act of Uniformity and canons of the church require?

    Divine Service is duly performed twice every Lord's Day, once every holiday, and on Wednesdays and Fridays in Lent.

9  How often and at what times do you catechise your church? Do your parishioners duly send their children and servants who have not yet learned their Catechism, to be instructed by you?

    I normally catechise the children on Sunday afternoons in the summer, there being then most leisure; several of my parishioners neglect sending their children and servants.

10 How often is the sacrament of the Lord's supper administered in your church? What number of communicants have you in your parish? How many of them usually receive? Particularly, how many did communicate at Easter last?

    The sacrament of the Lord's supper is administered eleven or twelve times in the year. The number of communicants last year 351. Number last Easter 136.

11 Do you give open and timely warning of the sacrament before it is administered? Do your parishioners send in their names as required? Have you refused the sacrament to anyone? For what reason? And how has the person so refused behaved himself since that time?

    Open and timely warning is given. The parishioners do not send in their names. I have never refused but one for visible signs in his behaviour at the rails that he knew not what he was about, but he was afterwards admitted to receive on his being better instructed.

  The Featherstone reply is signed by Christopher Driffeild (he signed that way) vicar of Featherstone, who was installed to this parish on  August 9 1734.

1772  THE WENT CANAL

  In the 100 years or so before the railways were built a series of canals carried much of the trade across the country. The Aire and Calder navigation system had a monopoly of water borne transport from Wakefield to Goole and Hull. In an attempt to overcome that monopoly an engineer called John Smith put forward a proposal in 1772 to make the River Went navigable. He surveyed the land from the river Calder at Wakefield to the River Went at Streethouse with the idea of connecting the two by a canal.

  The River Went would then be made wide enough and deep enough to take canal boats to the River Don, and then on to Goole and Hull. The total cost was estimated at £36,414 1s 7d.
  In the Purston section there would have been a fixed carriage bridge in Wragby Road costing £150 and four swing bridges at a cost of £154 16s. The total cost of the Purston section including three canal locks was about £2,500. The photo below of the Purston section, a personal one, shows it was not a practical venture. The necessary finance was not raised and the scheme was dropped.

   PIT DEATHS

  For about 200 years few details were put in the parish register. An entry could be as little as "John Smith buried", then gradually more information was given. The following burials occurred over a relatively short period.

   January 7 1770 Joseph Stott age 12 son of James Stott of Pontefract Park killed by a fall (of roof) in a coal mine.

  July 20 1773 Edward Copley age 49 of Featherstone killed by a fire damp. He probably blew himself up by igniting gas with his candle or oil lamp.

  March 20 1774 James Stott age 39 of Pontefract Park killed in a coal pit. He was almost certainly the father of the above Joseph Stott.

 September 23 1774 John Farrar age 26 of Featherstone crushed in a coal pit.
 February 9 1775 Thomas Barker age 39 of Featherstone killed by a fire damp.

 March 11 1776 William Cowdray age 37 of Pontefract Park killed by a fall into a pit. He probably fell down the shaft into a bell pit.

 April 15 1779 George Collier age 22 of Featherstone killed in a coal pit.

   This Ordnance Survey map shows the Pontefract Park District began at the eastern edge of (North) Featherstone. The  coal pits where the accidents could have happened are above where Pontefract is printed and between the N and E of Featherstone.

  The method of working was called bell pits form the shape of them. There was no ventilation and no roof supports. When it looked like the roof was going to fall in it was abandoned and a new one started. Photo - Old Pits on the internet.

1807  VOTING - OLD STYLE

  In 1807 very few people had the vote, and there was no secrecy about the polling, so it can be assumed just about everyone entitled to vote was "persuaded" to do so by one or other of the candidates.

  A Parliament was called to be held at Westminster on  June 22 1807 and the County of York was entitled to return two members. The usual writ was sent to the Sheriff of York and he called a special county court at York Castle. The candidates were William Wilberforce, the Hon. Henry Lascelles, and the Rt. Hon. Lord Milton.

  Upon a show of hands the High Sheriff decided Lascelles and Milton were elected, but Wilberforce demanded a poll. This was held over 15 days and the names of those voting at York Castle together with how they voted was published. The local entries are:

       Aikton

    Sir Edmund Mark Winn, Bart - Wilberforce and Lascelles

    John Williamson, husbandman - Wilberforce and Lascelles

       Featherstone

    Thomas Atkinson, farmer - Lascelles and Milton 
    William Frobisher, farmer - Wilberforce and Lascelles

    John Heptonstall, farmer - Wilberforce and Lascelles

    George Desmoth Kelly, clerk, - Wilberforce and Lascelles

    Charles Lake, husbandman - Wilberforce and Lascelles

    John Wilson, yeoman - Wilberforce and Lascelles

    John Woodhead, farmer - Wilberforce and Lascelles

    William Wightman, gent - Wilberforce and Lascelles     

       Purston Jackling

    William Ashton, farmer - Wilberforce and Milton

    Edward Crossley, gent - Wilberforce and Lascelles

    John Garratt, millwright - Wilberforce and Lascelles

    John Maude, farmer - Wilberforce and Lascelles

    Richard Nuns, bricklayer - Lascelles

    Thomas Oldfield, farmer - Milton

    Thomas Rowlandson, farmer - Milton

    Bartholomew Spink, farmer - Wilberforce and Lascelles

    Nathaniel Scholey, farmer - Lascelles and Milton

    Robert Warwick, farmer - Wilberforce and Lascelles

    Thomas Whitlam, publican - Wilberforce and Lascelles

  William Wilberforce was justified in demanding a poll because he topped it with 11,806 votes. Lord Milton was next with 11,177 and Henry Lascelles was bottom with 10,989.

  There were no railways at this time so the locals would have to get to York and back by horse power. It would have taken them a whole day to record their votes.

  It can only be speculation, but does the fact Thomas Whitlam is the only publican voting mean his was the only public house in Purston or Featherstone? He was the landlord of the Malt Shovel Inn, the whereabouts of which are unknown. 

 1810 DEATH AT PURSTON WINDMILL

  A boy age 14 lost his life at Purston Windmill in April 1810.  He was greasing the wheels and singing, and the miller mistook it for an order to take the brake off and put the mill in motion, and the boy was killed instantly. The Ordnance Survey map shows where the mill was situated.

1816 PURSTON WESLEYAN CHAPEL

A Wesleyan Chapel was built in Hall Street, Purston in 1816. This Ordnance Survey map shows its position near to the junction with Ackworth Road.

1819 ABSCONDER WANTED 

  The Featherstone Association for the Prosecution of Offenders put a notice in the Leeds Mercury offering a reward of three guineas for the apprehension of William Bainbridge of Purston who had stolen a game cock, the property of Henry Thompson of Purston. He had absconded leaving his wife and four children chargeable to the township of Purston.

1820 A NATIONAL SCHOOL

 The National Society for Promoting Religious Education was founded in 1811 with the aim of providing a school in every parish to give elementary education to the children of the poor in accordance with the teaching of the Church of England. The parents had to pay a few coppers a week. A National School was built in Church Lane near to Featherstone Parish Church.

1822 to 1863

   A HISTORY OF FEATHERSTONE 

1822 to 1863

 EDWARD BAINES'  1822 GAZETTEER

  Edward Baines published his History and Gazetteer in the County of York in 1822. The local entries are:

  ACKTON, in the parish of Featherstone, wap. of Agbrigg, liberty of Pontefract; 3 miles W. of Pontefract. Population 72.

Winn Sir Edmund Mark, Bart

Shaw George, maltster

Wigglesworth Thomas, butcher

  FEATHERSTONE, (P.) in the wap. of Osgoldcross, and honour of Pontefract; 2 miles W. of Pontefract. Population 337.

Bedford George, vict. Lord Nelson

Denton John, blacksmith

Frubbisher Sarah, victualler, Sun

Furbisher John, shopkeeper

Handley John, gardener

Hodgson Allen, wheelwright

Milner Joseph, parish clerk

Parkinson Joseph, butcher

Walsh William, corn miller

Whitlam James, schoolmaster

Corn & Flour Dlrs.

Askwith William

Hemingway John

Heptonstall John

Shoemakers

Collins Henry

Frank Thomas

Smithson Richard

  PURSTON JACKLING, in the parish of Featherstone. Wap of Osgoldcross, and honour of Pontefract; 2½ miles SW. of Pontefract. Population 244.

Cooper Thomas, shoemaker

Coward Samuel, shoemaker

Pickard Samuel, corn dealer

Shilleto Michael, cattle dealer

Spink William, butcher

Stead Martin, wheelwright

Thomas Henry, vict. Travellers' Inn

Walker Thomas, blacksmith

Whitlam Thomas, vict. Malt Shovel

  There is no entry for Purston Lodge (later Purston Hall) so it wasn't built until after this date.

1823 ACKTON PASTURE WOOD

  The trees in Ackton Pasture Wood were put up for auction. They comprised 316 oaks, 117 ash, 4 elms and 30 others. Mr John Williamson would show the wood to interested bidders.

 

1825  THE ODD MAN CLUB

  On May 13 1825 Joseph Blackburn was buried. His address in the parish register is given as The Odd Man Club, Featherstone Common. The following comment is added to the entry. "J.B. Was attended at his grave by the Whole Club in Party col'd Dresses - with drums, trumpets and drawn Sabres! The day (Sunday) was concluded by fighting & drinking! Ne quod tale posthac?" The Latin translates as "Not that there is such hereafter".

1828  MURDER NEAR ACKTON

  This description of a murder near Ackton is taken from Walks About Wakefield  by W S Banks published in 1871.

  The small footbridge over the little beck that divides Ackton from Snydale was the scene of a cold-blooded murder on the 17th of October, 1828. A young man called William Longthorne of Barnby Moor near Pocklington, aged only 18 years, left Wakefield at 6 o'clock in the morning of that day, having walked from Aberford the day before and having lodged in Wrengate at night. He was on his way to Ferrybridge, where he expected employment in the stables. In the morning he was accompanied by a man, also young, named William Mosey, son to a labourer at the gas works, and who lived in Wrengate. Longthorne had met Mosey when on his way from Aberford, and the latter caused Longthorne to be called up on the morning of the murder. The two were traced over Heath Common to Snydale, Longthorne being dressed in a brown frock coat and drab cord breeches, and carrying a bundle; and Mosey in a hairy cap, a blue striped smock, and dirty cotton trousers. One woman described Mosey as a low, broad-set, black-looking man. The two passed a man who was going the same road only a short distance before they reached Snydale, and this man, walking more slowly, went passed the place of the murder shortly after it had been committed. He noticed blood on the trampled grass, but seeing no person, suspected nothing. The close where this happened was Dole Close, and Longthorne was destined never to go beyond it, for when he and Mosey came into the lower part of it, Mosey knocked him down, got upon him, cut his throat almost from ear to ear with a razor, dividing the windpipe and laying bare the carotid arteries; and then dragged him by the feet to the little beck and threw him in alive and bleeding, and made off. A workman in a field heard a cry a little after 8 o'clock, raised himself to listen, heard no more, and went on with his work. The water stopped the bleeding, and Longthorne crawled by the beck side and through the closes to the back door of Alsop's house, the Cross Keys Inn. Dr Buchanan, then of Loscoe, and a Pontefract surgeon, were immediately sent for to attend him. Longthorne was unable to speak until his wound had been sewn up, and then only badly "yes" and "no"; but he made signs, and in the presence of Mr Hodgson of Normanton, wrote upon a slate a short statement of the attack, but could not give Mosey's name. He died in the forenoon of the following day. All that Mosey got from Longthorne were five shillings in money and a small bundle of clothing; but the latter he threw away after carrying it a short distance. The razor too was found in a field near Dole Close. Longthorne had, however, other money on him, namely, a sovereign, a guinea note, and eight shillings in silver. The coroner (Mr Thomas Lee) held an inquest, and the jury found a verdict of wilful murder against Mosey, and efforts were made to apprehend him, but failed of success. He has not been brought to justice.

  In September 1851, Mr McDonald, the then Chief Constable of Wakefield, heard of the whereabouts of Mosey; but it was deemed (because of the death of the witnesses and other things) to be impossible to obtain sufficient evidence for a conviction, and the offender was unmolested.
  This Ordnance Survey map shows the footpath Longthorne was taking and the crossing across the beck, the Sewerbridge Beck where he was dumped, and the Cross Keys Inn where he crawled for help. The puzzle remains why did he take this route instead of the direct Wakefield to Weeland road through Purston and Pontefract? If he had he may not have been murdered.

 

1829 THROWING DOWN THE GAUNTLET?

  This Cutting is from the Yorkshire Gazette of 27 June 1829 and is claimed to show Mr Aymer of Featherstone provoking Mr Taylor of Pontefract to a duel.

  

1835 ANOTHER TREE AUCTION

1837 TRANSPORTED FOR LIFE

  At York City Assises in July John Williamson age 24 was found guilty of stealing a cow belonging to William Moore of Featherstone. The sentence was he would be transported for life (probably to Australia).

            The photo of a sailing ship used to transport convicts is from Wikipedia.

1837 PEACEFUL DOVE

  In July a branch of the United Order of the Peaceful Dove Friendly Society was formed at the Lord Nelson Inn in Featherstone. A good number of young men enrolled and the village was enlivened the whole of the evening by the ringing of the church bells. It was said to be the first lodge of any society in Featherstone.

1840 HIGHWAY ROBBERY

   One night in October at about 9pm, William Spink junior of Purston was returning from Halifax on his horse. He was stopped near Crofton by six men who dragged him from his horse, pinned him to the ground and gagged him. They took from him £10 in gold and silver, and a cheque upon the Halifax Bank for £44 12s 6d. Then they heard a gig coming along the road so they fled, not having taken his watch and other items.

THE 1841 CENSUS 

  The first census of the population was taken in 1801 and gave the local populations as Ackton 86, Featherstone 305 and Purston 172. In 1811 they were much the same but in 1821 while Ackton was down to 72 and Featherstone up to 337 Purston had a large percentage increase to 244. There is no known reason for this and it cannot have been the start of Manor or Purston Collieries because in 1841 there were only two coal miners in Featherstone and two in Purston.

  In the 1841 census the populations were Ackton 76, Featherstone 318 and Purston 254. All three communities were based on farming, but there were craftsmen and shopkeepers to provide most of their need apart from medical matters, and probably a walk or ride to Pontefract market would fill in the gaps.

  There was no doctor, dentist or chemist. Not many people lived to a ripe old age, there were only 10 of 80 years or older in all three districts.

  Arthur Haywood was the owner of Ackton Hall and he listed seven servants. All the other residents were farmers or farm workers. Featherstone was much the same but there were enough people for tradesmen to make a living. Trades covered were blacksmith, brick maker, miller, tailor, carpenter, joiner, washerwoman, excavator, grocer, inn keeper, shoemaker (cordwainer), huckster (hawker) and chair woman ( a woman who pushed or pulled a Bath chair). Purston trades were mattress maker, tailor, brick maker, blacksmith, inn keeper, worsted spinner and butcher.

1842 CATTLE STEALING

  William and George Haist, both age 30, were in the Crown Court in March 1842 charged with stealing two cows, the property of Mr Spink, a Purston farmer. He told the court when his maid servant went to milk the cows she found they had gone. On receiving some information he went to Leeds where he saw the two brothers at a fair with his cows. He called in the assistance of a policeman and gave the brothers into his charge. The jury retired for some time before giving a verdict of guilty. The sentence was to be transported for seven years.

     1844 ALL SAINT'S CHURCH REPAIRED    

   All Saints' Parish Church was reopened in August after repair work. The congregations were very numerous on the first Sunday and £15 16s was collected towards the cost. Mr T B Faviell of Featherstone Hall paid more than half the cost of the repairs (not stated), and Arthur Heywood of Ackton Hall gave £60 for further work to be done.   

1845 INQUEST ON JOHN FROBISHER

  An inquest was held in May at the Lord Nelson Inn into the death of John Frobisher, a horsebreaker. He had been injured when a horse fell on him but appeared to be improving. When he hadn't been seen for a while entrance was made into his house and he was found dead on the floor. The jury returned a verdict of died by the visitation of God.

1846 NORTH FEATHERSTONE WESLEYAN CHAPEL 

    A Wesleyan Chapel was opened on Willow Lane in 1846. The map is the Ordnance Survey and the photo is from the Wakefield Libraries Collection.

1846 COLLIERS WANTED 

  This advertisement is from the Leeds Mercury.

1848 THE LANCASHIRE AND YORKSHIRE RAILWAY

  A railway line from Wakefield to Goole was originally proposed by the Wakefield, Pontefract and Goole Railway Company. This was taken over by the Manchester and Leeds Railway in 1846 and this became the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway in 1847. The line was opened in 1848 and included a station about half way between  (North) Featherstone and Purston on what was then called Featherstone Lane. 

  The Ordnance Survey map below shows apart from the Heywood Arms, probably built to serve the railway, and Featherstone Moor Farm the station is surrounded by open fields. The photo of the station is from the Tony Lumb Collection, and the photo of a typical locomotive is from Grace's Guide to British Industrial History.

 

1848 ASSAULT IN PURSTON

  James Robinson and James Pickard of Purston were in court in September accused of an assault on Anthony Garry, a young Irishman.  Garry attended with some of his friends and the Leeds Times reported he looked very ill. The newspaper commented "From some cause which we could not learn, this cruel and unprovoked attack upon an unoffending stranger was allowed to be compromised by the prisoners, through their friends paying to Garry £5, and £5 6s 2d expenses incurred, which being done, the prisoners were set at liberty".

1849 SUICIDE IN A POND

   In July 1849 Robert Gill, a joiner, "in a temporary fit of insanity, threw himself into a pond in a field belonging to Arthur Heywood of Ackton Hall".  At the inquest a verdict of found drowned was recorded.

1850 DROWNED IN A QUARRY

  George Bavington age 13 of Purston went swimming in March in water in a quarry. He got out of his depth and drowned. An inquest was held and the verdict was in accordance with the evidence.

   THE 1851 CENSUS

  Little changed in the ten years from the 1841 census. The population of Ackton increased from 76 to 82, Featherstone from 316 to 347 and Purston from 254 to 268, which gave a total for the area of 697. Of these 343 were born outside the three villages. There was only one person over 80 years old in each village. There was still no doctor, dentist or chemist.

  There were now 17 coal miners in Purston. There were two mines, Manor Colliery and Purston Colliery. They must have been very small undertakings. In fact Ackton Hall probably had more employees than either of those. There was a housekeeper, lady's maid, housemaid, kitchen maid, dairymaid, footman and under housemaid. Three possible others who lived away from the hall were coachman, gardener and under gardener.

1852 ROBBERY AT PURSTON LODGE

  In March Michael Haigh and Francis Oxley were in court on a variety of charges of stealing and receiving stolen property including two saddles, other riding gear and a horse rug belonging to Thomas Hall of Purston. The trial lasted nine hours but the jury only took minutes to find them guilty. Haigh was sentenced to be transported for seven years, and Oxley to 15 months in jail with hard labour.

1853 DIED FROM EXPOSURE

  An inquest was held at the Lord Nelson Inn in March on the body of an unknown woman who was found in a cowshed belonging to Mr W Powell of Purston. She was a stranger and had been seen round and about the previous day. When found she said she came from Leeds and wished she was at home again. She was very thinly clad and appeared to be about 40 years old. Mr Powell gave her some tea but she died shortly after. The jury gave a verdict of died from exposure to the cold.

1856 PURSTON COLLIERY FOR SALE

1856 ROBBERY AT THE STATION

  In December, Samuel Cooper age 9 of Pontefract bought a ticket to Pontefract at Featherstone Station with a large denomination coin. A porter was suspicious and it was found the till had been robbed. In court it was revealed he had committed several thefts, and he was sent for one month to the House of Correction, and then to a Reformatory for five years.

1857 CHIMNEY SWEEPING

   Young children had been used to climb chimneys to sweep the soot out. The 1840 Chimney Sweepers' Act made it illegal to allow anyone under 16 to do this. In May, William Dytch of Featherstone Green was in court for allowing his son John age 13 to ascend the chimney of Thomas Gilligan near the parish church. He pleaded guilty and was fined £5 plus 12s 6d costs.  

1858 TOO MUCH ALCOHOL?

   Bartholomew Spink age 56 of Purston was in Pontefract in April the worse for wear so he went to the Boy and Barrel Inn and ordered a bed. After four or five glasses of gin he went to bed. The next morning he had two glasses of beer and went out. On his return he asked to sleep there again and after drinking two pints of beer he went to bed. When he got up he did not have anything to eat, but drank four quarts of beer during the day. He then fell ill, but the doctor sent for could do nothing for him and he died. The inquest jury decided death was due to a visitation of God. 

  1858 STRUCK BY LIGHTNING

  Sarah Hewitt,a young woman living in Purston, got up early to go on a trip to Blackpool. It was raining so she went upstairs, accessed by a ladder, to get an umbrella. There was a flash of lightning and the house filled with smoke. Bartholomew Hewitt found her on the ladder with her foot fast. He managed to get her out with the aid of his wife but she died immediately. There were no marks on her but her boot was burst open. The house chimney was damaged and also articles in the house. The inquest jury's verdict was killed by lightning.

  

1858 FATAL ACCIDENT AT THE STATION

    John Parkinson  age 15 was a porter at the station. He was running on the line in October to change the points for an engine to take four wagons from the goods yard. He slipped and the engine ran over his legs. He was taken to Leeds Infirmary where he died the same evening. The inquest jury's verdict was accidental death.

1860 JOHN ASQUITH SHOT

  John Asquith lived with with his uncle Mr C Wrightman at Featherstone Common.  In April he went to Normanton and on returning home late at night he saw four men and being suspicious he kept watch. Two of the men got a ladder and put it up against the pigeon cote. He woke his uncle and two other men in the house and they chased the four men.  

  Asquith had a gun which was only charged with powder, and he said if they did not stop he would fire. Benjamin Clarkson, one of the four also had a gun and he turned round and fired at Asquith who was severely wounded. The four men were caught and in court it was alleged they all had a common intent to injure Asquith. They had a sack with 50 pigeons in it. Asquith was confined to his bed for ten days, and his life was considered to be in danger for a while.

  The four were Joseph Cowburn, Benjamin Clarkson, John Routh and Richard Ridgwell. They pleaded guilty to stealing the pigeons, and the jury found them guilty of of an intention to do grievous bodily harm. The judge said he had not heard of a more atrocious offence than this, and sentenced each of them to 15 years' penal servitude (jail with hard labour).

1860 NEIGHBOURS AT ODDS

  Edward Hirst and Joseph Wilkinson lived near to each other in Featherstone. It was said in court in December there had been some misunderstanding between them for some time. One morning in the early hours Wilkinson came home the worse for drink and made a great deal of noise in front of Hirst's house saying he was the man to kick up a row and made offensive remarks about Hirst's wife. 

  Hirst told him to go away but he wouldn't so his wife threw a hoe at him. Wilkinson seized the hoe and refused to give it up so after a struggle Hirst hit him with his fist and picked up a rail and hit him on the head with it two or three times. Wilkinson died shortly after. 

  Edward Hirst was charged with manslaughter, and in court Mr Campbell Foster, for Hirst, said he received a good character and he was a man of very peaceable disposition. The jury found him guilty and he was sentenced to four months' imprisonment. 
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 1861 THE BURNING WELL

   John Rhodes was on a train when strangers engaged him in conversation and said the Snydale estate was going begging because the geologists said the coal could not be worked because of a fault. He moved from Drighlington to Snydale and relying on his own judgement put down a borehole in March 1861 near to Featherstone Station. He struck gas and water at 140 yards. The water soon stopped but the gas was emitted for some while and could be lit or put out easily. It became known as the burning well and was something of a tourist attraction while it lasted. Its fame spread to London and a drawing appeared in the Illustrated London News.
  The success of this borehole persuaded John Rhodes to sink Snydale Victoria Colliery.

  THE 1861 CENSUS

  Once again nothing much changed in the ten years since the 1851 census. The Ackton population had moved up and down between 51 and 86 for 60 years. This time it went down from 82 to 67. Part of the drop could be because the Heywoods were away from home and may have taken some of their servants with them.

  Featherstone was up from 347 to 353, and Purston down from 269 to 263. The net result was a total population drop from 698 to 683. There were still very few houses between Featherstone around the parish church and Purston.

  Coincidence or not, the owner of Purston Lodge (later Purston Hall) was also away from home. Both big houses had servants left behind. There was now a police constable namely PC Grumshaw (spelt wrong) but still no doctor, dentist or chemist.

  Perhaps the oddest entry is for John Gilkirist (probably also spelt wrong) who was lodging in Purston and was 94 years old. He gave his place of birth as Philadelphia, USA, so what was he doing in Purston?

  One other mystery is a Butchers Arms listed in Featherstone but the occupant is down as an agricultural labourer. The Post Office guide for 1861 lists only the Lord Nelson, Heywood Arms and Sun Inn, so what the Butchers Arms was is anybody's guess.

 1861 PURSTON NATIONAL SCHOOL

   Purston National School was erected on the site of the old tithe barn, which was the property of the Dean and Chapter of Christ Church, Oxford. The land was given for the erection of a schoolmaster's house and school, the condition being the buildings erected on it should be for the exclusive use of a school conducted in accordance with the doctrines and principles of the Church of England. The trustees were the Archbishop of York, the Vicar of Featherstone, The Revd T H Hall and Rowland Winn Esq. It was built in 1861. Parents had to pay for their children to be educated. At this school it was 3d per week per child. The photo is a detail from a Wakefield Libraries Collection photo.

  The school had been funded by Revd Hall and was opened in April 1862. The number of children on the books was 101 and the average attendance was 69. The master was Mr Theaker, who also had a night class during the winter months, but the attendance for that was considered to be less than it should have been. 

1863  TRAIN TO LONDON

  The Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway timetable showed it was possible to get to Goole or Leeds direct from Featherstone Station. Not all trains stopped at Featherstone, and two that connected with the train from London at Knottingley only stopped at Featherstone to set down first-class passengers. Local travellers could get to London by catching the 8.13am at Featherstone, changing at Knottingley and arriving in London at 3.30pm.

  On Sundays the train left at 10.47am and arrived at 7.45pm. The timetable restrictions were soon removed and all trains stopped at Featherstone.

   

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