1901

 

  A HISTORY OF FEATHERSTONE 

 1901

EDUCATION IN 1901

  In March Robert Cowey told the School Board the teachers at his school would not collect for the Yorkshire Penny Bank because the bank would not pay them as it did at other schools. The board's attitude was thrift should be encouraged but thought it unfair the bank would not pay commission. Also the bank had agreed to pay 30s a year for use of rooms but had not paid for years. It was agreed to write to the bank and ask them to pay commission to the teachers, or pay the 30s which would be shared by Mr Cowey and Miss Roberts.

  In April the board decided to close the schools on the afternoon of a visit by Sanger's Circus as it was considered impossible to get the children to school. At the same meeting the board were told the gas company were laying a larger pipe to George Street School and it would be necessary to have larger pipes in the school in order to improve the lighting.
  It was decided to deduct superannuation charges each month from the salaries of teachers who wished to take advantage of the Superannuation Act. It was also agreed to have cookery lessons at Mr Cowey's school from the School of Cookery at Wakefield. A stove would have to be bought. The board would write to persons employing schoolchildren under age saying unless this was stopped proceedings would be taken. The clerk, Charles Lowden was given a £10 rise to £45. 
  In June the board had to consider regulations which said pupils should have attended 350 times (twice a day) for five years before they could leave. The Featherstone byelaws said a pupil could leave when reaching the age of 13 regardless of attendances.
  The inspector's report for 1901 was not as favourable as last time. It said all the school yards were in an unsatisfactory condition and would have to be put right. The board inquired from other boards the best method of dealing with them and the cost. The Government grant was 22s for the boys and 17s for the girls. 
  The inspector had welcomed the arrangements to teach cookery, but said the accommodation at the mixed school and infants must not be exceeded. This resulted in the cookery plan being abandoned because of overcrowding and the board agreed to look for a site for a new school. 
  The schools were not overcrowded on Mondays because it was reported a large number of parents were keeping children off school on washing days and thought they had a right to do so. The board were determined to put a stop to it.  
  Thomas Amison, a hairdresser in Station Lane, was reported to be employing under age boys on a Friday afternoon. He was to be warned he was liable to a fine of £2.
  A headcount at George Street School showed there were 100 more pupils than it was built for, so it was decided to seek land north of the railway station for a new school and compel all pupils north of the railway to attend it. Two weeks later it was decided to build a new school for 400 pupils adjacent to the present school off North Featherstone Lane. The architect would be told to allow as much space as possible for the playground.   

FEATHERSTONE CHURCH CLOCK

  The money for a clock in the tower of All Saints' Church, North Featherstone, was raised in about 18 months and it was ordered from J Potts and Sons of Leeds at a cost of £95.
  A large congregation gathered on New Year's Day to see Mrs Durnford (wife of the Ackton Hall Colliery manager) start the clock. A brass plate was placed in the church at the entrance to the vestry with the inscription "To the glory of God and the memory of the Rev T Hinde and his son, the Rev B Hinde, for 64 years vicars of Featherstone, 1823-1887, the clock in the tower of this church was placed by the efforts of the inhabitants and district, and was set going by Mrs H St J Durnford on behalf of the subscribers, January 1, 1901".  
  This photo of the clock in the tower is by Steve Norfolk.

 

       A NEW SEWER

  The main sewer down Wakefield Road was affected by subsidence and did not have a big enough fall to the sewage works. The council got a loan to replace it and a start was made in May on laying an 18 inch earthenware pipe. The size of the sewer problem was revealed when the 1901 Census showed in the past ten years the number of houses had increased by nearly a thousand and there were now 2,235.

  Even with a bigger sewer it was decided a pump would  be necessary, and a tender for a gas engine and pump was accepted from Tangye. An engine house would be built for it.

  The suppliers of the new sewer at 6s 9d a yard, Gates and Green, were late in delivering some of the order, and the contractor was left hanging about. The council were liable to the contractor for any delays so they asked Gates and Green to contribute to the cost and were offered £10.

  The council's sanitary committee recommended the owners in Wakefield Road (mainly Lord Masham) be asked to contribute 25% to the cost of the sewer. At the full council meeting Cr Walmsley proposed this recommendation be struck out. He said the owners had paid their rates the same as other owners and had thus contributed to the drainage of other parts of the township. Cr Booth said it was well known the owners in Wakefield Road had let the sewer down by taking the coal from underneath. The recommendation of the sanitary committee was passed by five votes to two, but the council later decided they couldn't do it.

  The delay over the purchase of land for the new sewage works continued and nothing was done in this year.

THE STREETS

At the year's first council meeting it was decided when a street was taken over by the council gas lamps would be installed. In April the specification for making up a street was finalised.
  All the soil had to be excavated and a rock bedding put down. This was to be topped by burnt shale or ashes and limestone chippings and rolled by a steam roller. There had to be footpaths six feet wide on each side made from two and a half inch thick flags and 12 inch wide curb stones, and drainage channels had to be installed. Some councillors objected to the owners being allowed to do the work themselves because they said it would be jerry-made.
  In December the council bought 50 street lamps and began installing them. It was also agreed to keep all the lamps lit all night because it would only cost an extra £10 for the four dark months, 

TRAMS IN FEATHERSTONE?

  In August the United Kingdom Tramway, Light Railway and Electric Syndicate Company obtained a tramway order with the title The West Riding Tramways Order 1901 and authorising a tramway to connect Normanton, Castleford, Pontefract and South Featherstone as far as Featherstone Station.

  The civil engineers for the scheme, Messrs Le Maitre and Parker, wrote to the council asking if they could fill up between the tracks with whinstone, which was the normal material for the roads in Featherstone at that time. The council didn't agree and they insisted in having paving sets between the tramlines and also asked for the electric cables to be under the footpaths.   

  Another scheme was published by the Wakefield and District Tramways Syndicate which included a line from Wakefield to the bottom of Station Lane.

  At the half-yearly meeting of the gas company John Waller said he was not worried about electric lights for he saw no prospect of trams or electric lights for 20 years to come. Nothing was done about either scheme in 1901.  

1901 NEWS ITEMS 

JANUARY  To commemorate the opening of the new century Mr Durnford entertained the council members and officials and their friends to dinner at the Junction Hotel

  Twelve locals returned from the Boer War in South Africa and Walter Hoyle, landlord of the Travellers' Hotel, held a function to celebrate. There was a supper and singing and dancing until 3am. Sergeant Harry Taylor of the First West Yorkshire Regiment did not come back with them. His father, Sam Taylor of Purston, was informed of his death.

  Arthur Clayton age nine of Purston was fined for climbing a lamppost and turning on the gas,

  The death occurred of William Jackson, late headmaster of North Featherstone National School. He was buried in Thirsk. Six months earlier his wife had taken over as head of the school.

  Francis Taylor and Abbe Walsh were fined for being drunk and disorderly in Herbert Dobson's lodging house in Phipps Street, and also for assaulting PC Anderson who attempted to restrain them.    

 Local property owners and landowners held a meeting at the Railway Hotel to form an association to take action for trespass and malicious damage to property. It was agreed to make James Booth the chairman and adopt the Hemsworth District Association rules. The subscription was fixed at 5s and 30 people joined.

FEBRUARY  Special services were held when Queen Victoria died. All the shops were closed for the day.

  George Hewitt, a Purston farmer, was fined £2 for selling milk containing 6% water. He claimed it was caused by rinsing his cans. The chairman remarked he must have rinsed them too well.

  Thomas Foy of Purston was hired as a farm servant by farmer William Brown of Wrangbrook at £33 10s for the year. Thomas went home for a day's holiday but didn't come back. The farmer took him to court for £10 compensation saying he had caused him great inconvenience. He was awarded £7.

  James Oakley and Harry Leyland, both Featherstone schoolboys, were ordered two strokes of the birch for stealing two boards belonging to Mr Umpleby.

MARCH  An inquest was held on Francis Adey of Pontefract who was killed at Featherstone Main Colliery. The jury's verdict was he was accidentally killed by a fall of roof. 

  Hubert St John Durnford and Frank Stebbing were both nominated to be Featherstone's first county councillor, but Mr Stebbing withdrew.

  At the council meeting there was a report from the sanitary inspector about ten vans on the fairground which had nine children among the residents. He said there was no water, drainage, closets or privies. Rubbish and slops were thrown onto the ground near the vans and it was saturated with filth. The inspector was ordered to have the nuisance removed. 

  At a vestry meeting held to appoint the overseers, Mr Maxwell said he owned the land on which the vans were parked. The land was drained and water was supplied by meter. Previous to the meter being installed the van owners paid 3d a week for water. Mr Gledhill agreed the action of the council was uncalled for.  

  Eleven houses in George Street were offered for sale. The total rent was £151 a year. The highest bid was £1,350 by Dr Buncle but the houses were withdrawn. 

  The Provincial Home Investment Company said a respectable number of miners and other workers in Featherstone had acquired their own homes by making payments to the company. 

  Only the North Ward was contested in the local council elections. William Johnson the retiring member polled 284 votes and Samuel Earnshaw 126.

  The Primitive Methodist Chapel in North Featherstone Lane was opened by John Walmsley. The building was originally his large workshop and he had converted it for a guaranteed price of £100 to seat 120. The actual cost was much more than that. The opening ceremony was followed by a tea in the North Featherstone Lane Board School for 350. Over £35 had already been raised towards the cost.

  At the Purston vestry meeting an extra £10 was granted to Joseph Watson who had been the collector of the poor rates for 25 years.
  The problem of the money from the sale of the land the blacksmith's shop was on in Pontefract Road had been going on for two years. It had been agreed the rent from the blacksmith would go to the poor and the council would have the money from the sale. The meeting expressed the hope because the money was originally a Purston charity it should be spent on the footpaths in Purston, and Girnhill Lane should have first claim.
  It was also said the three Purston councillors all lived outside Purston and did nothing for Purston Ward, whereas the other councillors could get anything for their wards.

APRIL  A deputation from the Purston ratepayers attended the council meeting. The council confirmed the blacksmith's shop would be transferred to the overseers. The clerk said the £150 in the bank from the sale had only been transferred to the council on March 23.

   Sam Goulding of Chapel Street age four was near the station waiting for his father coming from work when his cap blew off into the road. He ran after it and was kicked by a horse. He was badly bruised and lost some teeth. 

  The council re-elected Mr Durnford as chairman. The salary of clerk Charles Lowden was increased from £80 to £100 plus three yearly increases of £10. Dr Buncle said deaths in 1900 included two of scarlet fever, one of typhoid, 13 of measles, six of diarrhoea, nine of whooping cough and 5 of flu, pneumonia etc.

  Sanger's Circus paraded the town prior to their performance in a large tent on the recreation ground off Wakefield Road.

  Edith Green, a six years old girl living in Station Lane, did not return home from Regent Street School on a Monday afternoon. She had set off to North Featherstone with a schoolmate but they got separated and she became lost. She was eventually found crying near Pontefract Castle by Mr Lund of Tanshelf who informed the police and took her to his home. She was collected the next day by her father who complained the recognised bellman had refused to cry her loss even though it was a fine night. 

MAY  At the council meeting Cr Booth proposed revising the byelaws. He said they allowed closets to be built only six feet from the houses and it ought to be 16 feet. Some houses were being built with rooms no bigger than a good sized dog kennel. A committee was appointed to consider these matters.

JUNE  The Featherstone Main Colliery Accident Society reported funds were steadily increasing and there was now a total of £433 in hand. It was decided to give half a crown to all who did not go on the annual July trip. The voting for the destination was Liverpool 350, Blackpool 264, Scarborough 157, Southport 94, Morecambe 63 and Bridlington 29.
  Ackton Hall Colliery workers selected Lancaster, Morecambe and Blackpool for their excursion and Snydale Colliery had two trains to Blackpool.

  Arthur Littlewood, aerated water manufacturer, was summonsed for three breaches of the byelaws. He had built an extension without planning permission. The Bench ordered the extension to be demolished.
 

  At the council meeting there were complaints about the lack of footpaths alongside the roads. The chairman said the policy laid down in years past was only one side of a road would have a footpath, and the county council now refused to assist in the cost of providing one at the other side.

  An inquest was held on William Taylor aged 28 of Halton Street. He had worked at Ackton Hall Colliery for only two weeks taking the empty tubs off the cage in the Silkstone Seam. It was assumed he had gone back to the cage after shouting right to say it could be wound up, and he was struck as the cage rose. He died in the ambulance room. The jury decided it was accidental death.

  The 1901 census showed the population of the Featherstone district had risen from 7,528 in the 1891 census to 12,093.

 
JULY  The council decided the workmen's hours would be 7am to 5pm except for six weeks each side of Christmas when they would be reduced to 8am to 4pm.

  An inquest was held on George Lindsay of Low Ackworth who was fatally injured when caught between a tub and the side of the road in Ackton Hall Colliery. The verdict was accidental death.

  The Convalescent Fund Sunday was held on the football field. Pontefract Brass Band toured North Featherstone and Featherstone Brass Band toured South Featherstone. In all there were over 100 singers and instrumentalists. The half-yearly report showed 23 cases had been dealt with at a cost of £60.

AUGUST  Eleven houses in George Street that Dr Buncle had bid £1,350 for last March were put up for auction again. This time the mortgagees withdrew the reserve price but the highest bid was only £1,075 and they had to be sold for that price. 

 
SEPTEMBER  In order to provide a fund raising spectacle on Lifeboat Sunday a lifeboat was delivered to Featherstone Station and hauled to Pontefract by horses from Ackton Hall Colliery.

  At the half-yearly meeting of the gas company it was said the council now employed the street lamplighters at a cost of £30 instead of the company. Mr Maxwell again asked for penny in the slot meters to be installed in the working men's houses to convince people gas was cheaper than oil. Mr Watson said they now had 20 such meters in use and they would extend the system wherever possible, but many houses did not have a gas main or gas fittings. Mr Wilby said the directors would try to arrange every new block of houses had gas fittings laid on.

  It was years since the last case of smallpox so the council decided to give Edward Chambers notice to quit the smallpox hospital and a professional nurse would be engaged if it became necessary.

 
OCTOBER   Thomas Hopkinson, the postmaster at North Featherstone for about 46 years, retired. The business was taken over by Thomas Newsome and transferred to the other side of the road.

 
NOVEMBER  There was a large attendance at the football field for a race between J Cole and John Furry over 160 yards at £20 a side. The betting was two to one on Cole who won by two yards.

  At a Burial Board meeting the clerk, Mr Routlidge, asked for a rise saying his salary had been £18 since 1897. It was established Castleford paid £30 and Normanton £37 so he was given a rise to £25.

  Florence Roberts was prosecuted by the NSPCC for neglecting her three children age seven, ten and eleven. William Bauser, an inspector for the society, said the house and the children were in a filthy condition in spite of his visiting over a period of ten months. Mrs Roberts got only 15s a week from her husband who had gone away plus 13s a week from a lodger. All the children were too thin, poorly clothed and had sores and vermin. Another inspector and Dr Osmond of Pontefract confirmed this. PC Anderson said the mother was of drunken habits. The charges were denied and the cases was adjourned for a month.

  "Moving pictures" were shown at the Theatre Royal.

  Ackton Hall Colliery was brought to a standstill by a fire in the Haigh Moor winding house caused by a bricklayer upsetting a torchlight paraffin lamp. The fire was put out by the colliery's fire brigade but not before the roof of the winding house had caved in. The pit was idle for a few days.

   A Sunday afternoon funeral was held for Thomas Pointon who died after injuries received at Ackton Hall Colliery. He was a member of the 2nd Volunteer Battalion of the York and Lancaster Regiment. A large number of soldiers attended the funeral led by their band, and the procession was a quarter of a mile long. Many thousands of residents turned out to see it go by. The regiment provided a firing party at the cemetery.

   The lamplighters, now employed by the council, wanted to be provided with mackintoshes but the council decided to give them a shilling a week rise instead. At the same meeting a letter was read out from the Tradesmen's Association complaining about smoke from Ackton Hall Colliery chimney. 

 DECEMBER  The Tradesmen's Association decided to close the shops on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day. They also decided to complain to the police about children being allowed to play in the streets and loiter about the shops in Station Lane. 

1902

 

  A HISTORY OF FEATHERSTONE

                1902             

   THE HEALTH REPORT ON FEATHERSTONE

  The county council's medical officer of health produced a report on that part of the authority's region called the Pontefract Union. His comments on Featherstone were as follows.

   The water supply was obtained from Wakefield Corporation and stored in two reservoirs, Mill Hill and North Featherstone. Each held over 300,000 gallons, but Mill Hill was troubled by subsidence and had always leaked. It now only served a population of 1,400 (Streethouse and Snydale). The water consumption per head per day in 1901 was 7.7 gallons for the first six months and 6.4 gallons for the second six months.

  There were two recreation grounds provided with gymnastic apparatus, seats and bandstand. There was just one field of allotments.
  A large portion of the 1,700 houses were erected after 1878. The pattern followed was a through ventilated house with two rooms each 14 feet square, a backyard 20 feet by 15 feet, often a scullery, sometimes attics. A pantry was in many cases provided under the staircase. The average rent was about 5s 6d a week including rates.
  The windows varied, some swung on pivots, but the majority were sash and opened top and bottom. Sliding frames were seen in the new houses; but in the old buildings those in the living room were generally fixed either by paint or decay. Eaves spouts were not always provided and sometimes were defective, in both cases leading to dampness of the walls.

  At Manor House Farm in Purston the walls were dilapidated and damp, the spouting was defective and the drainage was in bad condition. Drains on Henrietta Street and Arundel Street were choked. In Albert Street there were several houses without drains. Defective sink pipes were numerous.

  Subsidence of the ground over coal workings had interfered with some houses, seriously affecting the drainage, especially in the neighbourhood of Wakefield Road. Several recently constructed houses were noticed unoccupied because of their dangerous condition.

  So many streets were unmade, rough, and uneven that it was needless to cite examples. Gas was being introduced into the side streets, and this had further disturbed the surface. The backyards were in a sorry mess in wet weather, no paving or levelling so as to facilitate drainage was attempted, and their condition was aggravated by their wholesale occupation with fowl runs, ducks, pigeon cotes and wooden sheds.

  In one small yard in Abbey Street there were 18 ducklings. In Purston Terrace there were eight piggeries in a deplorable condition after rainfall. Pigs were kept within 34 feet of houses in Wakefield Road in badly drained sites; also in Crossley Street. The yards were littered with ashes and tea leaves etc; Duke Street was a very unsavoury locality.

  Scavenging was well attended to, but neglected in Maxwell Street etc and information was given that "only a little was taken out last time". Reference must also be made to the horrible leaky metal tubs in Butterfield Square, though notice has been served to remedy this.

  There were a number of monster privy middens; two of them measured 12 feet by 15 feet, and 24 feet by 3 feet respectively. About a score of open privy middens still existed.

  There were only 135 houses in North Featherstone grouped in a triangular form, the original village. The new houses were brick but the older dwellings were of stone. Several were dilapidated beyond occupation. There were some back to back houses and sinks were not always provided. At New Row the slops were deposited in gullies. The main problem round Ackton was the smell from the manholes in Sewer Bridge Lane. The features said to be common to most places were unpaved streets, defective sink pipes and unsanitary privy middens.

  This was North Featherstone's New Row. A photo from the original Featherstone Local History Group.

                                                  EDUCATION IN 1902

 In January the School Board received a letter from Dr Steven saying Miss Tupman's eyes had been examined by a specialist and were so bad she had to stop work at once. It was agreed to allow the Salvation Army to use George Street School. Several teachers had asked for a rise so it was decided the male scale should be £65 to £75. Mr Cowey again asked for another increase in his salary. Two members voted for £5, two for £10 and three for nothing so it stayed as it was. 

  The May meeting was told the Yorkshire Penny Bank had paid the 30s rent for collecting at the schools which they had failed to do in the past. Mr W H Fearnley estimated the extensions to George Street School would cost £1,400 and at North Featherstone Lane £1,800. These estimates did not include the price of land, furniture, fees etc.  

  Arrangements were being made locally to celebrate the Coronation of King Edward VII. It was to be a public holiday and the board thought it would be a hardship to ask the teachers to attend to the children on their day off. The problem was solved by deciding to close the schools for the whole of the week, but the teachers would be expected to look after the children on Coronation Day.

  The board hit a snag with the school extensions when the Board of Education refused to pass the plans. It was agreed to make alterations and submit them again, but once again they were turned down. The plans were finally agreed at the end of July and the board advertised for tenders. 
  There were 25 tenders for the work at North Featherstone Lane. George Clements of Featherstone was successful with a bid of £1,818 17s 5d. The board also accepted a tender of £1,325 for new classrooms at George Street. So the board obtained a loan of £4,216 from the Public Works Loan Board to cover the cost of both schools.   

  In December the board agreed to buy 810 copies of the Bible and 80 of the New Testament.

 THE CORONATION OF KING EDWARD VII

  The Coronation of Edward VII was to take place in June and in March the council decided to call a meeting of representative men in the council's district to consider what to do as a celebration. At the meeting it was agreed to provide a treat for the aged poor and the children, and a committee was formed to oversee the event.

  At their first meeting it was decided to open a subscription list and find how many qualified and how much it would cost to provide a present for each child. The committee were told the council would contribute £100.

  Two weeks later it had been established there were about 3,000 children and about 600 old folk. It was decided to present each child with a mug which would cost about 3s 6d a dozen and 3,500 would be bought from local dealers at that price, but if not from a wholesaler. The cost for amusements, tea and sports would be 6d for each child and 1s 6d for each old person. A tender from Featherstone Brass Band of £10 10s was accepted. The council had now agreed to give £200 and the committee would have to make this up to £350 - the estimated total cost.

  In May the committee were told John Shaw and Lord Masham had promised £25 each and this persuaded Henry Briggs of Snydale Colliery to give £25 as well plus wood for a bonfire. The committee decided to give the old folk the choice of 2s each or a dinner. The children's mugs would be given out in the morning and to prevent breakages the children would be asked to bring their own mug for the tea.

  By June the deserving poor had been established as 250 in North Featherstone, 250 in South Featherstone, 85 in Snydale and Streethouse, and 35 in Loscoe. There were 3,294 children in all four districts. A separate group of organisers was arranged for each district and they were given 2s for each old person and 6d for each child. For a gala, sports etc £40 each was given to the North and South Wards, £12 to Snydale and £6 to Loscoe.

  The South Featherstone and Purston group agreed to give one shilling each to the 20 helpers at each school and prizes of 10s and 5s for the best cottage decorations and best decorated cart in the procession. £1 and 10s would be given for the best horse and trap, and two heavy horse and trap. All horses had to be led and not driven. 

  As the date of the Coronation approached it all went wrong. The King fell seriously ill and there had to be a postponement. The committee met and decided to hold everything up except the treats for the children and old folk. They met again the next day and the north district decided to carry on except for the bonfire, while the south district decided to stand by the previous day's decision. 

  So on June 26 south of the railway there was dinner for the aged and poor at the Railway Hotel (Mr Umpleby), Jubilee (Mr Johnson), Junction (Mr Waller) and Travellers (Walter Hoyle). There were 40 to 50 at each hotel. 

  The procession for the north district set off from the Assembly Rooms to North Featherstone and then back to North Featherstone Lane Board School. It was hundreds of yards long with bands, cyclists, wheelbarrows, wagons and traps all suitably decorated, Ackton Hall Colliery fire brigade, and turnouts from the collieries. There were sports and tea for the schoolchildren, and 250 old folk had an alfresco meal in the sunshine outside the vicarage. The vicarage grounds were decorated with fairy lights, and after the meal were opened to all-comers for maypole dancing, Punch and Judy, a ventriloquist and a band. 

  The winners of the various competitions were John Wright - decorated house, Charles Scholes - decorated cycle, Allen Hill - decorated wheelbarrow, A Jowett - best colliery turnout, A Booth - best cart. The festivities ended at 10pm. Those in South Featherstone remained postponed. 

  The south district decided to go ahead and held their procession on July 7. It commenced at the recreation ground in Post Office Road, then went round Masham's Square, round Purston and back up to the station. The children all went to their own school for the tea and then everyone congregated at the recreation ground for dancing, a juggler, marionettes and a greasy pole. The competition winners were heavy turnout - T Cuttle, light turnout - F Shore, best shop - Mr Caley, best cottage  - Mr Rowbuck, and there was a special prize for the way Granville Street was decorated.

  Edward VII was eventually crowned King in August but by that time it was something of an anticlimax.

        1902 NEWS ITEMS

JANUARY   An inquest was held on Sarah Jane Kirk of Earle Street aged two. She set herself alight with paper she had lit at the fire while her mother was upstairs. Dr Luck was sent for but she died from shock. The verdict was misadventure.

   The foundation stone was laid in Featherstone Lane for the United Free Church. Mr Bamforth said when he came to Featherstone more than 30 years ago there was just one chapel in Purston and one in North Featherstone. Now there were the Primitives, Wesleyans, New Connection and now the Free Church.

   There was a row at the council meeting over whether or not the finance committee should review the work of the sanitary committee. Cr J Booth said he would resign and he walked out.

  An inquest was held on Henry Womersley of Kinsley who was killed by a fall of roof at Ackton Hall Colliery. The verdict was accidental death.

  The New Year revelries resulted in David Smith and Joe Hancock of Purston being taken to court by Ackton Hall Colliery who claimed 2s 6s a day from each of them for not attending work from December 31 to January 4. The company said they had to pay other colliers 2s a day to do the absent men's work. The court ordered both to pay ten shillings.

FEBRUARY   Alfred Lumb aged 65, a platelayer for the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway, was knocked down by a train at Snydale and died before he reached hospital.

   At the Convalescent Fund annual meeting it was announced during the past year 42 local residents had been sent to various convalescent homes.

   The council decided not to take part in a joint smallpox hospital scheme with other authorities because there would only be two beds for Featherstone - less than in their own hospital. The chairman said it only cost £100 a year for their own hospital, and Featherstone's share of the cost for the joint effort would be about £200. Cr Darlington said he would withdraw a remark objected to by Cr Booth (who wasn't present) and the clerk said he would write to Cr Booth to let him know.

   The Local Government Board gave permission for £146 19s 3d from the sale of parish land to be spent on improvements to the main road in Purston. It wasn't spent on Girnhill Lane because the scheme to turn it into a proper road would be funded by other means. This postcard shows Pontefract Road at the entrance to Little Lane.

MARCH   The council appointed Tom Mitchell of Scarborough as caretaker of the smallpox hospital at a salary of £65. A request from Pontefract Joint Hospital Board to use the hospital was refused.

   Roslyn Holiday, electrical engineer at Ackton Hall Colliery and captain of the fire brigade, discovered a fire in the fitting shops. He blew the buzzer and the 12-man brigade assembled and tackled the blaze. The manager, Mr Durnford, rode up on his machine (motorbike?) and the fire was put out in an hour. The damage was estimated at £120.
 

APRIL  Messrs Stebbing, Darlington and Gledhill were returned unopposed to the council. There were no nominations either for the Ackton and Snydale Ward so James Eley, the retiring member, who hadn't put up was deemed to be re-elected.

   John Jones, lamplighter, John Heath, byeworker, and William Adamson, bricklayer, were charged with betting. The police claimed they saw Jones near the Railway Hotel take something from about 20 persons and make entries in a book - among those were Heath and Adamson. They all denied the offence but had previous convictions. Jones and Heath were fined £5 and Adamson £2.

  The council elected Peter Darlington as chairman although he said he would rather stand by. Although automatically re-elected it was determined James Eley was no longer qualified to be a councillor. The clerk was instructed to declare the seat vacant and take steps for the appointment of a new representative.

   An inquest was held on John Hardy of Pretoria Street who was injured by a fall of roof at Featherstone Main Colliery last December 5. He was taken home from hospital at the beginning of April but he wasted away and died on April 20. Dr Steven said death was due to compression of the spine and the verdict was accidental death.

   Twenty-eight boys from the Port of Hull Society's Sailors' Orphans Home gave concerts in George Street School and North Featherstone National School. They were all under 14 and were put up at homes in Featherstone. They toured the town for two days playing and collecting.

   The men at Featherstone Main Colliery collected £100 for a wedding gift for Captain Shaw, the son of owner John Shaw.

   A 58 strong party from the Bradford Junior Wool Association visited Ackton Hall Colliery. They went underground into the Silkstone Seam to view the stables designed for up to 50 ponies, and the workings which were now a mile out from the shafts.

JUNE   Thirteen Featherstone and Purston miners were charged with gambling with coins in Coal Pit Lane in Purston. Two others were charged with aiding and abetting (acting as lookouts). They were all fined from 9s 3d to 21s 9d.

   Children of the Methodist Free Church Sunday School were parading in Wakefield Road when they passed a bullock driven by two men. The bullock ran towards the children who scattered, but a boy of four called Harvey fell and was kicked by the animal. He was taken to Dr Steven's surgery and then home.

   PC Hully found seven Featherstone men stealing pigeons from Huntwick Farm at 1.40am. In court they did not deny the charge and received sentences varying from one to three months in prison.

   At the council meeting Cr Durnford suggested sending five or ten guineas to the King's Hospital Fund. Cr Booth said charity begins at home and if there were any surplus from the Purston Jubilee Fund it should be given to the Purston and Featherstone Convalescent Fund.

   All the churches and chapels gave thanks for the end of the Boer War in South Africa.

JULY   The miners of Featherstone Main Colliery voted to strike over the price list and a complaint the management were flushing the pit (closing down for the day and sending the men home) too early.

   The council agreed to lay footpaths in Hall Street and Ackworth Road, and to ask the gas company about the lighting of Halfpenny Lane and Wakefield Road.

   Four Featherstone miners were fined for not contributing to the maintenance of their respective mother as previously ordered.

   The pony drivers at all the local collieries went on strike for 3d a day extra for those under 16 and 6d a day extra for those over 16. They refused to go back to work in spite of pleas from their fellow workers and the Yorkshire Miners' Association. Most of them were back after a week, but those at Ackton Hall Colliery stuck it out for another week before giving in.

   Sophia Plant, a single woman, was summonsed for neglecting her three children who had been found sleeping outside a neighbour's house at 11.30pm. The police found Sophia asleep at home. She said she did not know where the children were. Inspector Bauser of the NSPCC said the house was dirty with broken windows, little furniture and no food. The children were poorly clad and with vermin. The mother refused to go into the workhouse. The man she was living with had left but was willing to take the girl but not the boys. The Bench decided to send the mother to prison for one month, and the two boys were sent to the workhouse.

AUGUST  There was a court case held as a test case over dirt (shale) in the coal at Featherstone Main Colliery. The evidence was for 6 years the coal had been riddled underground before being loaded into the tubs. New screens had now been built and riddling ceased, so now it was necessary to agree a deduction for dirt sent out with the coal. To cover this the price list had been reduced from 1s 7d a ton to 1s 5d a ton. Without warning the company had made a further reduction for dirt and the men were suing for this money in order to settle the matter. The judge suggested the parties could settle the matter between them but John Shaw declined. The judge then said as there was no agreement on a deduction for the slack dirt (small dirt as the large dirt had already been picked out) the men must be paid.

   The Express noted the number of court cases brought by the Featherstone and District Society for the Prosecution of Offenders. "It is a shameful thing that the fruits of any man's labour should be wantonly damaged or destroyed, and any organisation which helps to stop the injury complained of renders both a private and a public service."

   Miss Brookman performed the opening ceremony for the United Free Church on North Featherstone Lane. This was followed by a service and a tea for 80 persons.

  The front of the chapel can be seen, the rest is obscured by the houses. A photo from the Featherstone Heritage Group.

   The gas company told the Council they declined to light Halfpenny Lane and Wakefield Road. The council decided to take proceedings against Messrs F Shaw and Son for moving a bed from Chickenley to Station Lane which had been used by a person suffering from chicken pox and which had not been disinfected.

   An inquest was held on Alfred Dickinson aged 18 of Halton Street. He was run over by runaway tubs at Ackton Hall Colliery when a haulage chain broke. The verdict was accidental death but the coroner criticised the company for not producing the chain at the inquest.

   At the council meeting it was announced the water tank at North Featherstone was completed and supplying water. It had taken three years and eight months from the council first deciding to build it.

The North Featherstone water tank. A personal photo.

SEPTEMBER  After many years of campaigning by Mr Maxwell the gas company had begun to lay gas pipes in private streets. Joe Copley wrote to the council about an accident to his daughter caused by the bad state of Pretoria Street. The council told the Gas Board all roads should be repaired immediately the pipes were laid.

OCTOBER   An inquest was held on James Vincent Poppleton of Thornton's Buildings in Purston. His wife found him after he had cut his throat with a razor and he told her he must have gone mad. Dr Finch was sent for and he sent him to Clayton Hospital. Dr Cross from the hospital said the windpipe was cut right through and Poppleton died the next morning from shock. The verdict was he had cut his throat with a razor whilst in a delirium from illness. He had only complained of a bad stomach.

   The Bishop of Beverley attended Purston National School to hand out prizes to the 80 pupils of the mining and other evening classes.

   The council approved plans for a Primitive Chapel at North Featherstone Lane. It was decided to light the private streets the same as public streets and to pay the lamplighters £1 a week because they now had 70 more lamps to light. It was agreed to pay the surveyor, Mr Rothera, £200 year. F Shore and Son asked for compensation for the time the shop was shut for disinfecting but this was refused.

   A fire broke out in Thomas Amison's premises where he was a hairdresser and newsagent. It was put out by buckets of water but it caused damage estimated at £150.

   Separate inquests were held on George William Palmer aged 44 and Isaac Hufton aged 58 both of Andrew Street. Palmer was crushed by a large slab of stone which fell from the roof in Ackton Hall Colliery. He died the next day in Clayton Hospital. Hufton suffered a similar fate at Snydale Colliery and was taken home where he was seen by Dr Finch but died later. Both verdicts were accidental death.

DECEMBER   An inquest was held on Mary Spencer aged 73 of Pontefract Road who was found dead. She was in a bed downstairs and it was assumed she had gone to the coal range to get some water from the kettle and her nightdress caught fire. The verdict was death from misadventure.

   The council agreed to build a lavatory over the beck at Station Lane. Mr Bullock had applied for permission to extend his coach house and stables but he was refused.

   There was a fire at the premises of Mr M Andrews, a hosier and draper in Station Lane. Ackton Hall Colliery fire brigade turned out and before they arrived neighbours used hoses and buckets while others assisted in removing goods and furniture. The upstairs was destroyed and about £600 of damage caused. 

  An inquest was held on William Fitton of Nostell View, He had gone for a ride on a dray sitting on a bale of hay. The horse shied at a piece of paper blowing in the wind and he fell off under the wheels. The verdict was accidental death.

  The arbitrator decided Lord St Oswald was entitled to £12,581 17s 7d compensation for his land on which the new sewage works would be built.