A HISTORY OF FEATHERSTONE
1910
Mr Chesney,
the new council surveyor, was told to re-arrange the work of the council labourers and he found he could manage with five less, so five
of the oldest were sacked. The council fixed the wages of a few old men
employed as cleaners
at 18s a week, and also agreed with the surveyor the general labourers
would have to work more hours for the same money. Notice was given to
the workforce in January and when it expired 14 labourers and seven cleaners went
on strike. The Express pointed out none of the five sacked men was out of work as they had all found other employment.
A ratepayers meeting was called in the Adult School at which Mr J
Blades presided and spoke strongly in support of the workmen's claim for
a living wage. One of the affected men,
Mr Wilson, said they were now offered five and a half pence an hour,
whereas previously they had got 4s a day. (It can be assumed it was an
eight hour day so the hourly rate was 6d.) It had been calculated they
would have to work an extra 210 hours a year more than before. A
resolution was passed for Mr Blades to write to the council asking them
to receive a deputation from the ratepayers.
The next day the council met and Mr Chesney said
he had told four representatives of the workmen (Messrs R Fitton, J
Dudding, T Walker and T Price) he could not entertain them unless they
returned to work. The men said they would not come back except on the
old terms. Mr Blades' letter was read out but the chairman, Roslyn
Holiday, said they could not receive a deputation unless six days notice was given and the matter put on the agenda. Cr Evans said it was a question of urgency and a serious matter
for these old men. He had advised them to return to work, but they had
not accepted his advice. Still, he saw no reason not to receive the
deputation.
The chairman said the only point was whether it was a matter of urgency
for the council and he did not think so. The men knew their grievance
was to be discussed at the next council meeting and they were prepared
to deal with them fairly, but the men had ceased work and were no longer
employed by the council. They were told if they returned their case
would be considered, but they had not done so, and he did not think the council should discuss anything relating to men who were not now employed by them.
After some more arguments Cr Evans asked if the men returned to work would the council meet the deputation. Mr Darlington said the dispute was between the council and the workers, and outsiders had nothing to do with it. Cr Maxwell proposed the men be given another chance to return to work and then the council would meet the men themselves; the council wanted no deputation.
The chairman agreed, and said but for a number of busybodies stirring them up they would probably have been at work now, and amicable terms would have been arranged. The old men were not used to business, and had listened to younger men and thought they were getting something good. Cr Poppleton asked what would happen if the men did not return, The chairman replied they would have to get fresh men. The resolution was passed unanimously.
The ratepayers held another meeting at which Fred Shore presided. Mr Blades said he did not think they would have had
to have another meeting to get the council to see their deputation. The council should remember they were not private employers, but were, or
should be, the servants of the ratepayers. He
said six of the cleaners had had their total yearly wages reduced from
£396 to £348. They would also have to work an extra 210 hours for which
under the old system they would have got £35, so their true deduction
was £83 a year. He then produced figures to show the 14 general labourers would receive just a halfpenny per hour for the extra 210 hours they would have to work. He said the council had held a meeting in committee (at which the public were excluded) at which they agreed to meet the workmen, or their own deputation, if they agreed to return to work the next day.
The surveyor had been sent into the street to see if he could find any
of the striking workers. He found some of them but they refused to come
to the meeting until they had seen their mates. Then a deputation of
four councillors saw the men and arranged for three of them to come to
the council meeting, which went on until10pm. The men then decided they would not return to work on the new terms, but were prepared to return under the old conditions. Mr Blades said the council wanted the men to return like naughty boys, and to promise they would be good boys in the future. It was for the ratepayers to show this would not be allowed.
He said the reduction in the wages was because the council had indulged
in a legal action which had cost between £200 and £300, and they were
overdrawn at the bank. If
there was to be a reduction they should start with the higher
officials, and not take advantage of the workmen, who were not in a
union. The ratepayers were the owners of the concern, and it was for
them to say whether the wages of the workmen should be reduced. They
wanted to raise the standard of living not lower it, and the lines of social progress did not lie in the path the council were pursuing.
Mr A Coult refuted the suggestion they were busybodies. He supported the men because he felt a grievous injustice had been done. It was said the Featherstone men were well paid compared with Pontefract's, but in Pontefract they could get mansions, almost, compared with pigsties at the same rent.
He proposed the meeting should try again to get the council to comply with the standing orders and give notice and meet as soon as possible. Mr S Batten seconded. He
said Cr Waller had told them something which should ring in their ears
for a long time - that an election could be won on beer, and he had done
it. Were the ratepayers going to allow a disgrace of that sort in Featherstone at the next election.
Mr J J Murphy said as trade unionists they should support these old
men, who in their day could stand their corner with anyone as miners. Now they were all going to be too old at 60. Thirty shillings should
be the minimum wage in the country; they would come to it some day.
Featherstone's 14,000 people were being dominated by Masham's, Shaw's
and Briggs's. They talked a lot about freedom, but they continually put these men into power. If this sort of thing went on everybody
would be at the bottom rung of the ladder and they might as well die as
exist under those conditions. If by helping these old men against the
powers that be they were busybodies he was quite content to be one.
Mr E Hough appealed for financial assistance for these veterans of industry who had given their best to the country. He was prepared to hold meetings at every street corner to see justice was done. The resolution was carried unanimously.
The next day the council held another meeting and after some argument decided they had no choice but to back down. They felt they were trying to safeguard the ratepayers' interests,
but owing to the feelings expressed outside the council, and the state
of the roads, it was agreed to let the men resume work on the old terms.
The Express interviewed the council chairman (Mr Holiday) who said for some time some ratepayers had complained about the rates
and particularly the cost of maintaining the roads. The council had
told the surveyor to go into the matter, and he reported the council
were paying much above the average for that kind of labour. He said some
of the men would
certainly be too old to get work in the pits, and five pence farthing
an hour was a fair wage and the council would have no difficulty finding
workers at that wage. The opponents of the scheme should realise many
of the old men could not earn what was being paid to them, and for the same money the council could have got strong able-bodied men.
THE LISTER BATHS
The official opening of the Lister Baths
took place on Wednesday May 24. Prior to the opening the guests were
entertained to lunch at the Jubilee Hotel by Mr Holiday. After lunch Mr Holiday was thanked and he replied
with his own thanks to the guests for associating his name with that of
the hon gentleman in whose behalf he was acting that day.
They then moved to the new baths where a large crowd was waiting. Mr Holiday was presented with a gold key by the architect. He
opened the door and they went inside. Mr Holiday said he was there in a
double capacity as agent to the donor and as chairman of Featherstone
Council.
That afternoon saw the culmination of an idea which had been in the
minds of those present for a considerable time. The need of a public
baths for Featherstone was mentioned years ago, but the necessary
expenditure to which the Urban Council were in various ways committed
was such they did not feel justified in adding a further burden to the
rates.
He said the Hon John Cunliffe Lister was of a very retiring disposition
but the hon gentleman knew more about Featherstone affairs than many
people thought, and he was fully in touch with what was going on in the
town. The hon gentleman sympathised with Featherstone people and felt
very kindly towards them.
On one of his visits to the hon gentleman at Newark he mentioned the
need of a public baths, and Mr Lister at once said this need would
provide him with the opportunity for which he had been looking. Once the council accepted his offer he had stipulated while they were about it
everything was to be of the best. The arrangements had been well carried
out and everything was done in the best style. That day it was his duty
as agent of the donor to declare the baths open and to present them to the Urban Council as trustees for the district.
As chairman of the council he thought he could truthfully say they had
got a fine gift. The hon gentleman would have been present but he had
been ordered to Scotland for his health. He had expressed his sorrow
that he could not come and was sure Mr Holiday would do just as well. Mr
Holiday said he would have much preferred it if Mr
Lister had performed the ceremony and the sincerest thanks the donor
could have for his gift would be the wide and extensive use of the baths
by the Featherstone people.
Col Shaw moved a vote of thanks. He
said it was a noble gift and he was certain Featherstone people
thoroughly appreciated this generous act. Baths were necessary to the
health of the people and to the education of the young. The county council were determined swimming should be taught to schoolchildren
wherever possible and they offered certificates for proficiency in
swimming. They of Featherstone were indeed grateful to Mr Lister for his
generosity, and his handsome gift would always be a memorial of his
interest in the district.
Cr Maxwell seconded the motion. He said the council thoroughly appreciated
the gift, and they were also greatly indebted to Mr Holiday for without
his aid he did not think they would have the baths. As to the cost, the
scale seemed to have been lavish, and he thought Featherstone people
generally would appreciate what those present had seen that day.
Dr Steven said there was no need to labour the necessity of public
baths in a colliery town. The council had not been able to spend money
in that direction, much as the baths had been needed, and the ratepayers
therefore ought to feel all the more grateful to the donor, whose
generosity had exceeded anything which might reasonably have been
expected.
Cr Hough, a Socialist member of the council, said as a representative of the industrial class he had
much pleasure in supporting the other speakers. Many man blessed with
riches took a pride in erecting monuments. These were landmarks only,
but the buildings which had been opened that day were a mark of
citizenship, and would help to develop the health of the citizens of the
future. By the provision of these baths he had been saved from what he
thought would have been one of his principal duties - agitating for
baths - and the council had therefore been saved an uncomfortable time.
Tea was served on the balcony during which there was a swimming
exhibition which included Prof W Hall, late backstroke champion of the
world.
The Express commented
"For this splendid act of generosity the Featherstone public are
indebted to the Hon John Cunliffe Lister of Newark, son of the Late Lord
Masham, and owner of Ackton Hall Colliery and the Ackton Estate, and
indirectly to Mr Roslyn Holiday JP chairman of the Urban Council through
whose good offices the hon gentleman was led to make his magnificent
offer to the council. The need for public baths in an industrial town
like Featherstone can scarcely be over emphasised. The council would
certainly not have spent the public's money to such an extent. Everyone
will agree that in giving a set of baths which together with the site represents over £7,000, The Hon J C Lister has in a very practical way shown his great interest in the town".
Below is the official publication which accompanied the opening.
The photos below of the scene outside the baths, and that of the baths, are from the Featherstone Library Collection.
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EDUCATION IN 1910
This matter took a turn for the worse next month when the county council wrote to Mr Stebbing urging repair work to be carried out at once. The committee clerk said he had never seen a playground such as that at North Featherstone School. The chairman, Mr Maxwell, said he couldn't understand the managers' attitude. The school was benefiting the rates so why didn't the managers inform the ratepayers of the state of things and ask for subscriptions. If the work wasn't done another school would have to be built which would cost the ratepayers more than doing the repairs. (The National Schools were run by the church not the county council.)
The council decided schoolchildren would be allowed to use the Lister Baths during school hours at a cost of 1d per head which would include instruction in swimming.
In April it was time for a new education sub-committee, now selected not elected, and the council announced the following would be on it. Col Shaw, chairman, Messrs Darlington, Edwards, Evans, Maxwell, Protheroe, Hough and Oakley (all members of the council). The co-opted members were Revd H S Rogers, Messrs H V Chapman, A Higgins and J J Murphy. The lady member would be Mrs Buncle. The only change was Revd Rodgers replaced Revd Stebbing.
The 1910 inspector's report on Regent Street Girls' School said the children were clean and well behaved, and the arithmetic side of the work was well done. Successful attention had been given to language development in the lower part of the school, and in the upper the written composition was decidedly good. Recitations were well delivered, and the higher group showed much interest in history. Needlework and brushwork were very good and the singing of the highest group was praiseworthy.
In July Mr Cowey and Miss Roberts, both at Gordon Street School, asked for a rise. The committee decided to put off considering this until the new "top school" was opened shortly and the staffing established.
They did agree to change their minds about school heating methods and approved hot water heating systems for Regent Street and George Street Schools instead of fireplaces. The West Riding Education Authority agreed with this and passed the schemes providing the cost did not exceed £544. A gymnasium had been installed at the new Lister Baths, and in December the committee agreed to add gymnastics to the school curriculum and also gardening. The new "Top School" in Gordon Street is shown below. A photo from the Tony Lumb Collection.
THE ORPHANS' BAND
Over the past four years a total of £125 had been raised for the Port of Hull Society's East Coast Mission
and Sailors' Orphans' Homes, mainly due to the organising ability of
Tom Hargrave of Station Lane, popularly known as Sailor Tom. The
orphans' band visited Featherstone again in April and another £25 was
added to the total. They paraded through the streets and took
collections, and in the evening gave a concert in a packed Assembly Rooms. Before they left for home each lad was given a money gift by Mr Holiday. The Express said the money was down on previous years because the visit coincided with the Easter holidays.
The next month Tom Hargrave took a party
of 60 to see how the money was used. They caught the train to Goole and
then took a paddle steamer to Hull in glorious sunshine, but for their
return at 7pm the river was fog bound and the boat could not sail. They
had to spend the night on the boat and begin their journey the next
morning.
FEATHERSTONE'S NEW CLERK
Charles E Stewart Lowden, clerk to the council, died after a long illness. During that period his duties for the council had been carried out by James Arthur Haigh, a clerk in Mr Lowden's solicitor's office in Ropergate, Pontefract. At the April council meeting chairman Roslyn Holiday proposed Mr Haigh be appointed the new clerk at a salary of £130 a year. He said the proposal was unanimous and there was no need for him to say any more. Cr Scholes seconded the proposal.
Cr Shaw said he was not opposing Mr Haigh, but he would remind them they had always had a qualified solicitor as clerk. What were they going to do with their legal work? Was Mr Haigh
simply going to be a clerk with an office at the council offices, or
was he to be allowed to be connected with a solicitor's office? If the
latter,
was the council's legal work to be done in that solicitor's office, or
were the council free to put their legal work in whose hands they chose?
Was Mr Haigh
to be an official of the council, just like the surveyor? In proposing
this appointment they seemed to be going downhill. He did not mean this
to apply to Mr Haigh personally, but they might have some big legal case in the future and their costs would mount up.
The chairman replied Mr Haigh had promised to do all the council's work from the council offices, but they did not object to him doing other work elsewhere. (Unlike previously when a lot of the council's work was done at the solicitor's office in Pontefract.) The council would be free to employ any solicitor they wished.
Cr Shaw said it would be better to give Mr Haigh £150 to ensure he would not take any private work. If he did take other work it would mean five days work somewhere else and one days work at the office. Cr Hough supported Cr Shaw as to Mr Haigh not being allowed to work in a solicitor's office, but he would not object to him being the clerk for an education committee. He thought for £130 he ought to devote practically the whole of his time to the council.
Cr Poppleton said Mr Haigh had filled the position for 15 months and given entire satisfaction. Whatever other position Mr Haigh might take it would be second to this one, and if he devoted the necessary time to the work what more could the council require?
The chairman said the council agreed to Mr Haigh applying for the position of clerk to the pension committee and the governing body of the Pontefract Secondary School for Girls. Mr Haigh
had promised any other work would be secondary to the council's, and
all the council's books had now been brought back to the council
offices.
Cr Shaw said again he was not opposed to Mr Haigh, but he did think they wanted more from their clerk than hitherto.
It was very nice to hear Featherstone's work would be put first, but
what would any other employer of Mr Haigh say to that? He moved an amendment for Mr Haigh to be given £150 on condition he did not do any private work, but he could apply for work to other public bodies. Cr Darlington seconded.
Cr Maxwell
objected to more than £130 being given and he was supported by Cr
Hough, so Cr Shaw agreed to his amended figure being reduced to £130,
and said whatever arrangements the chairman had come to before the
meeting, it was up to the council to decide. The chairman said he
greatly resented this insinuation. There had been no personal
arrangement.
Cr Shaw's amendment was put to the vote but only four councillors voted for it so it was lost. Mr Haigh was appointed as previously planned ie he could take other work if he wanted. Mr Haigh had left the meeting while all this was going on. He now came back and thanked the council and hoped they would not regret their choice.
A FEATHERSTONE LABOURER'S DEATH
An inquest was held in April at Clayton Hospital on the death of Dennis Doll aged 53 of Post Office Road. His landlady Sarah Haworth said he worked as a labourer on the surface at Ackton Hall Colliery and had an accident last January. He was attended by Dr Steven and had a month off work. He
went to work last Tuesday and she was later told he had had an accident
and had been taken to Clayton Hospital. She went to see him and he told
her he had tried to get a lad out of the way of a runaway tub and he had been knocked down himself. He did not blame anyone else for his injury.
John Holroyd of Green Lane was the pitbank superintendent. He said Doll had worked there about 12 months and he was repeatedly absent from work because of illness, sometimes two or three weeks at a time. On the day in question he was told there had been an accident so he went to the far end of the rails and he found Doll being attended by the ambulance men who said he had broken his ankle.
He saw two empty tubs at the end of the rails and he asked a man called
Neal why he had let the tubs down without the haulage rope being
attached. Neal said he had brought the tub back without the rope, and as he picked up the rope to attach it to the tub two of them ran away down the slope.
John Holroyd said John Parker had told him he had seen Neal push the
tubs off without the rope and then try to attach it while the tubs were
moving. He said no tubs could go down unless someone failed to attach the rope or the tubs were uncoupled. The coroner said it seemed Neal was trying to do two things at once.
John Parker of
Ackton Hall Cottages was the haulage engine driver whose job it was to
pull the full tubs up from the ground level on to the gantry and lower
the empty tubs down. He said he brought one empty tub to the top of the gantry and Neal brought another and Neal coupled them together. Neal turned round for the rope and the tubs set off down the slope.
Arthur Lawson of Pontefract said he was at the bottom of the gantry when he heard
a shout and saw two tubs coming down. After the accident Dodd told him
his leg was broken. It was the first time Neal had let the tubs go down
without the rope.
Ernest Neal was cautioned by the coroner before he gave evidence. He said it was a difficult job for one man to do so Parker had brought the first tub. He brought the second and coupled them together. He agreed with the coroner that while coupling them the first tub must have gone slightly over the top of the slope. He picked up the rope and when he turned round the tubs had set off.
The coroner asked why he had not attached the rope before the tubs were
pushed to the top of the slope. Neal said he had seen others do it the way he had. The coroner said "You see the importance of it now". Neal agreed. Holroyd was recalled and he confirmed it was the usual practice to couple the tubs first and then attach the haulage rope.
Dr Bligh, the house surgeon, said a post mortem examination showed there was not a healthy organ in the deceased's
body because of diabetes and he would not have lived long if the
accident had not happened. In his opinion death was due to diabetic
coma, and he did not think death was hastened or aggravated by the
injury. The coroner asked if that meant it was natural causes and the
doctor replied yes.
The coroner said it would be better if some other method were used to
prevent tubs running down the slope. Mr Protheroe, the colliery manager,
said it was impossible for the tubs to run away unless they were pushed
over the top of the slope. The coroner said as far as this man's death
was concerned the jury would have to decide if the injury had hastened
his death or whether he had died from diabetic coma. They decided to
agree with the medical evidence.
DR BUNCLE'S REPORT FOR 1909
Dr Buncle's report to the Council for 1909 wasn't ready until July this year. This was his 33rd report but this time he knew there was to be an inspection of the district by the Local Government Board so he made a special effort.
There were 60 deaths of children in the first year of life, which was only half that for 1908. The deaths were caused by measles, enteritis, tuberculosis, convulsions, bronchitis, pneumonia,
premature birth, diarrhoea and congenital defects. The deaths of
children under five years old totalled 88 compared with 109 in 1908.
Dr Buncle commented "Mothers themselves are frequently young and inexperienced, either in bringing up children, seeing to their food and
clothing, or the management of a home generally. They have not had
instilled into them the great value of cleanliness in home and person as
valuable adjuncts to health. They have not been taught the value of ventilation to health, otherwise they would not stuff their chimneys. They have not been taught children with measles and whooping cough require care in their convalescence to prevent pneumonia and bronchitis, and many other matters which I have frequently enlarged upon. What does all this lead up to? That they should have the assistance of a district nurse.
Your council, I know, have considered the matter, along with the education sub-committee, and I understand a ladies' committee will be
formed. Whatever committee is formed a district nurse is absolutely
essential if mothers and children are to benefit thereby. There is also a
side to this question not belonging
to the parents but to the council themselves. The backyards and all
their contents should be absolutely sanitary, as well as the houses
themselves".
The report suggested the mouth, teeth, nose, ears and eyes of the
children should be examined for defects, which weakened the system. The
necessary treatment tends
to make stronger men and women, and better citizens and mothers. "In
the urban district of Featherstone there ought to be no difficulty in
this respect, as nearly all families have their own medical man to whom
they pay regularly. This is a question for the educational sub-committee, and I would advise them that some arrangements be made by them for supplying, at reasonable cost, any extras that may be necessary - such as spectacles, trusses etc."
There were 32 deaths from preventable diseases, none of which were from smallpox. The doctor still advised that the Joint Hospital Committee take over the Featherstone District Smallpox Hospital in Purston, or make some allowance for it to be used as an emergency hospital.
"In the past epidemics Featherstone has been the last of all districts
to contract the disease. This being so, where will Featherstone be landed in the next epidemic? The Glass Houghton hospital will be filled in no time from Normanton, Whitwood and Castleford, and Featherstone will be stranded helpless. This is no stretch of imagination. I say without much fear
of contradiction not more than 50% of the children are vaccinated. What
about the next epidemic if the hospital is dismantled after costing
over £1,000 with all drains, water and gas laid on, and roads made?
Rather than dismantle it, as a last resort, I would make it a sanatorium for the district for cases of phthisis."
The report states scarlet fever was prevalent most of the year. There were 96 cases, 92 were taken to the hospital and two died. There were 30 cases of diphtheria of which 21 were taken to hospital and two died. Thirty-one people contracted typhoid fever and all but one were taken to hospital where five of them died.
The doctor said the council had always had trouble with a small area of Wakefield Road where the drains and sewers had to be relaid several times because of subsidence, but he did not think this was the cause this time. When the sewers were relaid last time 14 cellars were filled in with all kinds of rubbish. This rubbish had had to be cleared under strict sanitary precautions. There were also 60 fowls being kept in one yard. Since the rubbish and the fowls had been removed there were no more typhoid cases.
Suggestions for remedial measures included the removal of ashpits and privies, and the installation of water closets, and the continuation of attention to private streets and yards on the present lines, which he said previous Featherstone Councils had refused to follow. The council had also put in force a byelaw requiring the concreting of foundations, which had for many years been in abeyance.
The doctor had a very strong opinion on the ill effects caused by rubbish and vegetable matter being left about until it decayed, causing much disease, and if overcrowding was added he regarded the conditions as very serious indeed; and he said it was absolutely necessary to pave or concrete yards and keep them free from fowls.
Dr Buncle concluded "The council during the year have striven to improve all these sanitary conditions, and I honestly believe it to be their desire to continue to do so. I congratulate the council on the statistics of the year". (These were much better than 1908.)
The doctor said the council had always had trouble with a small area of Wakefield Road where the drains and sewers had to be relaid several times because of subsidence, but he did not think this was the cause this time. When the sewers were relaid last time 14 cellars were filled in with all kinds of rubbish. This rubbish had had to be cleared under strict sanitary precautions. There were also 60 fowls being kept in one yard. Since the rubbish and the fowls had been removed there were no more typhoid cases.
Suggestions for remedial measures included the removal of ashpits and privies, and the installation of water closets, and the continuation of attention to private streets and yards on the present lines, which he said previous Featherstone Councils had refused to follow. The council had also put in force a byelaw requiring the concreting of foundations, which had for many years been in abeyance.
The doctor had a very strong opinion on the ill effects caused by rubbish and vegetable matter being left about until it decayed, causing much disease, and if overcrowding was added he regarded the conditions as very serious indeed; and he said it was absolutely necessary to pave or concrete yards and keep them free from fowls.
Dr Buncle concluded "The council during the year have striven to improve all these sanitary conditions, and I honestly believe it to be their desire to continue to do so. I congratulate the council on the statistics of the year". (These were much better than 1908.)
THE COUNCIL'S RESPONSE
At the July meeting the council considered proposals put forward by the
general purposes committee to sort out the Wakefield Road problems.
These were putting closure orders on Nos 5 to 21 Phipps Street until
they were made fit for human habitation; notices be served for the
cellars at Fourteen House Row which
were liable to be flooded, to be filled up and the floors concreted,
coal houses to be erected outside, and the council to meet the owner as
to the cost. Notices to be served for cellars at Twelve House Row and other places liable to be flooded, to be filled up to the level at which they flooded and then concreted.
The chairman, Cr Holiday, proposed the sub-committee recommendations be
accepted. He said they had no reasonable alternative. Cr Scholes
seconded. Cr Hough said before the cellars in Fourteen House Row were
filled in the sub-committee should see if there was any alternative
because the inhabitants wanted to keep their cellars. The owner had done
all he could to meet the council's requirements.
The chairman said he could not accept that, unless Dr Steven said there
was no danger in any delay. Dr Steven said he did not mind a short
delay, but anyone viewing the cellars in dry weather could not get any
idea of what the nuisance really was. He was quite sure his suggestion
was the only one to meet the case effectively.
Cr Poppleton supported Cr Hough and said he strongly objected to the
sub-committee's proposals about Phipps Street. The cellars only became insanitary after a storm, and this was because the council's sewer was not equal to carrying away the water. These cellars were
as sanitary as any others at the present time. They proposed turning
nine families out of houses when houses were most difficult to get. This
would probably mean
they would have to go into lodgings, and there would be more cases of
overcrowding. Overcrowded homes could not be sanitary. Why couldn't the council give 14 days notice?
The chairman said they were acting on the strong advice of Dr Stevens. He (the chairman) did not want nine families turned out, and he thought the owner could meet the council's requirements without doing this. Cr Poppleton
said the other places to be attended to included Mr Armitage's shop in
Purston, and the Travellers Rest Hotel. The council agreed to appoint a
sub-committee to inspect Fourteen House Row and the proposals were then
passed.
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| A photo from the Featherstone Library Collection. Fourteen House Row is on the left and Twelve House Row is on the right. |
DR J SPENCER LOW'S REPORT
The Local Government Board were perturbed about the state of the local districts so they decided to have a series of reports. Dr J Spencer Low
was chosen to make the report on the sanitary circumstances and
administration of the Featherstone Urban District. His report was dated
30 May 1910, but it was nearly another two months before it was published.
It
said the average mortality rate in Featherstone was higher than in
other towns and could be explained by the infant mortality rate and the
deaths from fever and diarrhoea. The difference in the infant mortality
rate compared with other towns was striking apart from 1909. Because of
this the doctor said the adoption of the Births Act of 1907, and the
making of arrangements for the visiting and instruction of mothers and those who had charge of infants was a matter of most urgent necessity.
He gave an account of the typhoid fever outbreak in the autumn of 1908 and said until the council secured the paving of yards, the abatement of nuisances, and the abolition of privy middens "autumnal recrudescences of typhoid are likely to occur".
Regarding notifiable diseases
he said inquiries of a sufficiently comprehensive kind were not done,
and not enough effort was made to detect cases among persons who had
been in contact with the infected.
The disinfecting chamber at Ackton Hospital was efficient, and he
advised the nuisance officer to arrange all articles which might
possibly be infected were sent to the hospital for disinfecting.
He said the council's smallpox hospital was well-arranged and well maintained, and they were trying to dispose of it to the Joint Hospital Committee, but they had just rented Castleford's smallpox hospital, although he did not think it was big enough for the whole district.
Regarding housing he wrote "The interiors
of some cottages were found to be in a filthy state. There is hardly a
yard connected with houses occupied by the labouring classes which is properly
paved, concreted or asphalted". The night soil workers in shovelling up
the contents of the privies had caused depressions in which water
lodged.
Featherstone Main Colliery had 118 houses, Ackton Hall 261, and Briggs
161, totalling 20% of all houses. He said Earle Street, Kimberley
Street, Pretoria
Street and Featherstone Square were all place where colliery houses
were in a very bad state. There was overcrowding, and unless private
enterprise could cope with the demand for houses it would be necessary for the council to proceed under the Housing of the Working Classes Act 1890 (ie build council houses).
Little progress had been made converting privies to water closets,
although the council had now required water closets to be provided for
all new houses.
The slaughterhouses were described as fairly well kept, but the cowsheds were in an extremely bad condition even though this matter had been brought to the attention of the council on several occasions.
Regarding Dr Buncle,
the council's medical officer, he said he was engaged in private
practice only to a very slight extent. He said Dr Buncle was a district
officer of the Pontefract Union and medical referee for the Yorkshire
Coal Owners' Mutual Indemnity Company which occupied most of his time.
Dr Buncle had not enjoyed good health for some years, and because of
this he had not been able to supervise properly the sanitary
administration of the district.
The Local Government Board had had great difficulty in obtaining annual and
special reports from Dr Buncle. From 1900 to 1908 Dr Buncle wrote to
the Board the preparation of his annual report had been delayed on
account of serious illness, which had interfered with his work for
considerable periods. The annual report for 1897 was never received by
the Board, and because of that half of Dr Buncle's salary was not paid. "In view of the grossly insanitary condition of Featherstone I think that Dr Buncle's re-appointment should only be allowed as a temporary
expedient until the council have had opportunity of making other
arrangements. The council should, in my opinion, take steps to appoint a
medical officer of health especially trained and qualified in sanitary
sciences, who should devote his whole time to these duties and to other
work not incompatible with their performance, such as that of medical superintendent at the fever hospital, and of public vaccinator in this and adjoining districts."
He suggested one medical officer for the whole district plus Methley,
and the combined fees would provide a good salary for one competent
full-time person.
Dr Low said Joe Sagar, the nuisance inspector, had done good work in the district, and his office books and records were well kept. He suggested the council should provide him with some clerical assistance. Mr Chesney, the engineer and surveyor, had not been long appointed, but he had been told to take the necessary steps regarding the paving of yards and back and front streets, and to prepare a scheme for the reconstruction of Snydale sewage works.
Dr Low made 12 recommendations to improve the conditions in Featherstone. These are listed below with the Council's reply.
The Express commented "In closing we must say it must not be assumed Featherstone is exceptionally insanitary because of what is found in Dr Low's report. If for instance Dr Reg Farrar had reported on Featherstone and Dr J Spencer Low on Pontefract we think the cases against Pontefract and Featherstone would have been very different from what they are. Dr Farrar's report was inclined to be sympathetic whereas we consider Dr Low's leans towards severity".
Dr Low's 12 recommendations and the council's view were as follows.
1 The council should take steps to secure a full-time, especially qualified medical officer of health - perhaps to deal with other districts as well. (The council decided to consider this later.)
2 The council should provide clerical assistance for the nuisance inspector. (Agreed the surveyor and sanitary inspector should consider the appointment of a stores clerk.)
3 If an infectious disease occurred careful inquiries should be made as to how it happened, persons in contact with it should be kept under close supervision, verbal and written notice to be given to the head of the household about the spread of infection and keeping children off school, school teachers to be informed about the infection and given notice when the children could resume at school. (this was agreed in total.)
4 Disinfection should be carried out more thoroughly, in particular the clothing and bedding of every case of enteric fever should be disinfected by steam or boiling. (This was already being done.)
5 The council should take measures to deal with the infant mortality by adopting the Notification of Births Act and the making of arrangements for the visiting and instruction of mothers and those who had charge of infants. (The Act would be adopted, and a health visitor would be appointed if the council had the power to do so.)
6 The council should consider adopting the Housing Act to provide sufficient housing accommodation. (The next meeting would consider this.)
7 Prompt action should be taken to secure the paving of yards and the making up of front and back streets. (The council were already doing this.)
8 The removal of stable manure and the emptying of privy middens at intervals of less than a fortnight. If possible they should be emptied every week in order to limit breeding places for flies. Precautions should be adopted to prevent the fouling of back streets during removal of privy contents. (The sanitary inspector would consider if this was practical.)
9 Action with regard to nuisance abatement should be more vigorously followed up. (The council accepted this.)
10 Further efforts should be made so as to improve the condition of the cowsheds. (Action on this had already been taken.)
11 The council should revise their byelaws. (The surveyor and medical officer would report on this.)
12 The Normanton and District Joint Hospital Committee should enlarge the accommodation at Ackton Hospital. (The council's representatives would bring this to the notice of the committee.)
Dr Low said Joe Sagar, the nuisance inspector, had done good work in the district, and his office books and records were well kept. He suggested the council should provide him with some clerical assistance. Mr Chesney, the engineer and surveyor, had not been long appointed, but he had been told to take the necessary steps regarding the paving of yards and back and front streets, and to prepare a scheme for the reconstruction of Snydale sewage works.
Dr Low made 12 recommendations to improve the conditions in Featherstone. These are listed below with the Council's reply.
The Express commented "In closing we must say it must not be assumed Featherstone is exceptionally insanitary because of what is found in Dr Low's report. If for instance Dr Reg Farrar had reported on Featherstone and Dr J Spencer Low on Pontefract we think the cases against Pontefract and Featherstone would have been very different from what they are. Dr Farrar's report was inclined to be sympathetic whereas we consider Dr Low's leans towards severity".
Dr Low's 12 recommendations and the council's view were as follows.
1 The council should take steps to secure a full-time, especially qualified medical officer of health - perhaps to deal with other districts as well. (The council decided to consider this later.)
2 The council should provide clerical assistance for the nuisance inspector. (Agreed the surveyor and sanitary inspector should consider the appointment of a stores clerk.)
3 If an infectious disease occurred careful inquiries should be made as to how it happened, persons in contact with it should be kept under close supervision, verbal and written notice to be given to the head of the household about the spread of infection and keeping children off school, school teachers to be informed about the infection and given notice when the children could resume at school. (this was agreed in total.)
4 Disinfection should be carried out more thoroughly, in particular the clothing and bedding of every case of enteric fever should be disinfected by steam or boiling. (This was already being done.)
5 The council should take measures to deal with the infant mortality by adopting the Notification of Births Act and the making of arrangements for the visiting and instruction of mothers and those who had charge of infants. (The Act would be adopted, and a health visitor would be appointed if the council had the power to do so.)
6 The council should consider adopting the Housing Act to provide sufficient housing accommodation. (The next meeting would consider this.)
7 Prompt action should be taken to secure the paving of yards and the making up of front and back streets. (The council were already doing this.)
8 The removal of stable manure and the emptying of privy middens at intervals of less than a fortnight. If possible they should be emptied every week in order to limit breeding places for flies. Precautions should be adopted to prevent the fouling of back streets during removal of privy contents. (The sanitary inspector would consider if this was practical.)
9 Action with regard to nuisance abatement should be more vigorously followed up. (The council accepted this.)
10 Further efforts should be made so as to improve the condition of the cowsheds. (Action on this had already been taken.)
11 The council should revise their byelaws. (The surveyor and medical officer would report on this.)
12 The Normanton and District Joint Hospital Committee should enlarge the accommodation at Ackton Hospital. (The council's representatives would bring this to the notice of the committee.)
COUNCIL HOUSES
At the council's August meeting Cr Hough put forward a resolution to adopt the Housing Act. He said his proposal was because of the condition of the district from a sanitary point of view, and the recent reports made about it. The sanitary condition was bad and there was a need of more houses. Some person more competent than him
had said there was room for 200 houses and his proposal for 50 was well
below that figure. It had been easy to prove there were 30 cases of
overcrowding
in two streets, and when these people moved they simply went to other
lodgings so the overcrowding was still there. If private enterprise
failed to build houses
the sanitary authority must step in. Private enterprise had failed to
meet the demand, and before a sanitary authority could carry out its
work in a proper manner there must be an adequate number of houses. At Fourteen House Row the owner had put up his rents because he had been called upon to make the houses habitable.
Although the council could not interfere with this, this instance was in favour of the resolution. The population was growing although it had been stated the life of the district was diminishing.
But no sane person would say Featherstone would ever be one of the
deserted villages. Last year only eight houses had been built, and the
population had increased far in excess of this. There was every reason
to believe the scheme would be successful, and if it would not the Local Government Board would not grant a loan.
Cr Evans seconded the resolution. He said the working man had a right to have a perfectly good home. If a working man had a good house he took an interest in it, a pride in it, and this encouraged his wife and children.
Cr Shaw said he had every sympathy with the resolution but it was a great mistake in itself. Before
anything could be done an inquiry would have to be held. The resolution
was absolutely futile; there was not a grain of sense in it. His
amendment would be of some use, and that
was the council approach the Local Government Board for powers to build
whatever houses might be necessary to meet the requirements of the
district. He was inclined to think Cr Hough was defeating his own object. Cr Hough said he thought a scheme had to be drawn up first.
Cr Maxwell thought the land had to be found first and the surveyor get out plans of the whole thing. This
had not been brought about by Dr Low. The council had been working
tooth and nail for eight years to make the sanitary condition of the
district better. The report of Dr Low would make it appear to the public
the council were novices in sanitary matters; but this was not so.
Their late sanitary inspector was put away because he was not carrying
out sanitary matters to the council's satisfaction. He (Cr Maxwell) was
in favour of building houses.
The chairman, Cr Holiday, pointed out Featherstone's population was a floating one. If there was good trade there was overcrowding, but if there was bad trade there were sufficient houses. If 60 houses were built perhaps 80 people from Pontefract who worked in Featherstone
would come here, and the overcrowding would be the same. He thought a
better scheme would be for the council to lend people money to build
their own homes. Some men working at Ackton Hall Colliery had had money
advanced, and when a man had a house of his own he thought he became a
better workman. If the council adopted the Act they should start first with old people and build some two-roomed cottages.
Also, the houses would have to pay, and this was a different matter with the Local Government Board
than with a private individual. The council would have to borrow the
money at interest and when the life of the houses was finished the council would not have got the money back. The whole matter required
further consideration.
Cr Shaw then proposed a committee be appointed to consider the matter. Cr Maxwell seconded. Cr Poppleton said it was wrong to say Mr Senior, the owner of Fourteen House Row, had put up the rents because he had received notice to make the houses habitable. Mr Senior had been put to considerable expense in regard to the houses already. As to the resolution, he thought the matter required further consideration. The houses to be built would probably be 7s 6d a week rent, and if that was the case there would be many unoccupied. The chairman also defended Mr Senior.
Eventually Cr Hough accepted the amendment in place of his resolution
and it was carried. He said he didn't care who made the proposition so
long as it was adopted.
DR BUNCLE
At the same meeting as above the council considered the re-appointment of Dr Buncle. Cr Hough had already given notice he would propose not re-appointing Dr Buncle. The chairman, Cr
Holiday, said the council had been invited to a conference to consider
appointing one medical officer to cover a wide area. Even if this was
agreed it would be 12 months or more before there was any change. Therefore
he proposed Dr Buncle should be re-appointed for another 12 months. Cr
Hough said if the appointment was made as temporary instead of for 12
months he wouldn't take the matter any further. Cr Shaw seconded the proposal.
Cr Hough said if the appointment was made for 12 months it would retard anything done at the conference. They would avoid disruption if the appointment was a temporary one. Dr Buncle could still be medical officer for 12 months. The chairman said the Local Government Board would not sanction the appointment if they thought it should be temporary. Cr Hough said the LGB was a great lumbering machine and would not move in the matter for some time.
Cr Hough said in the interests of Dr Buncle he wished to withdraw a statement that Dr Buncle was responsible for the insanitary state of Featherstone. From Dr Low's report it was evident the whole of the blame did not rest on Dr Buncle. His resolution was practically accepting one of Dr Low's recommendations. Both Dr Buncle and the council had been weak. Instead of the appointment being for 12 months he moved the council consider some scheme of appointing a medical officer thoroughly trained in sanitary science for Featherstone, or for all the districts mentioned by Dr Low combined.
Cr Shaw said Dr Buncle had been medical officer for many years, and there had been council members who had steadily and firmly opposed every single reform Dr Buncle had advocated. They had scores and scores of reports which showed Dr Buncle had carried out his work firmly. Some members said he was hard on the working man because he would not allow them to keep pigs in the backyards and they had systematically opposed any attempt towards sanitary reform. Dr Buncle had been hindered and prevented from going into these matters, and now the council wanted to turn round on the doctor for their own neglect which had been going on for years, simply because this report had come.
It was impossible for any medical officer to have worked harder than Dr Buncle had for Featherstone, under all the difficulties with which he had had to contend. Were the council going to hand over part of their business to the county council? They would have to do so if a medical officer was appointed for the whole district. The thin edge of the wedge was being got in, and eventually urban councils would be done away with. When Featherstone Council went to the conference they would be drawn into a resolution, somehow or other, and in the end they would have to join any scheme that was made. The council ought not to treat Dr Buncle in the extremely shabby manner it was proposed to treat him.
Cr Poppleton agreed with much of what Cr Shaw had said, but he did not agree with the statement some councillors had opposed sanitary reform. He would support the resolution so far as Dr Buncle had done his duty, but he had not attended the meetings as often as he might. Cr Evans also objected to some of Cr Shaw's remarks. He (Cr Evans) had done his part, and Cr Shaw had only attended one meeting in the past six months. Cr Shaw said he was referring to what the council did years ago. There had been considerable improvement of late. Cr Evans said Dr Buncle knew the district well and would suit them better than a stranger.
Cr Shaw said as the medical officer had been attacked he should be allowed to speak and defend himself. Cr Hough objected because Dr Buncle was not a member and had no right to speak during the discussion. Dr Buncle had said Dr Low's report was practically his own from time to time and he (Cr Hough) had no vindictive feelings towards the medical officer. If a medical man was appointed for the district the county would pay half his wages, and the local council would have some jurisdiction over his work.
Cr Shaw then asked Dr Buncle if these reports did not practically confirm his own reports? Dr Buncle said he knew of this state of things in the district and he had reported on them. He had advocated street widening and the conversion of privies into WC's. He never thought Cr Hough was making this matter a personal one, and he accepted what Cr Hough said on the matter. He had attended with few exceptions the sanitary committee meetings where most of the work was done. He had no axe to grind, and it was his wish to see the sanitary condition of the district was put to the best advantage. The only matter he objected to in the resolution was a person thoroughly trained in sanitary science should be appointed. He had his qualifications from the highest authorities in the land, and any member could see them if he wished.
The chairman said the council would not be showing their confidence in the medical officer if they did not re-appoint him for 12 months. If the Local Government Board were not satisfied they would not confirm the appointment. When put to the vote only four voted for Cr Hough's motion, so Dr Buncle was medical officer for another 12 months.
Cr Hough said if the appointment was made for 12 months it would retard anything done at the conference. They would avoid disruption if the appointment was a temporary one. Dr Buncle could still be medical officer for 12 months. The chairman said the Local Government Board would not sanction the appointment if they thought it should be temporary. Cr Hough said the LGB was a great lumbering machine and would not move in the matter for some time.
Cr Hough said in the interests of Dr Buncle he wished to withdraw a statement that Dr Buncle was responsible for the insanitary state of Featherstone. From Dr Low's report it was evident the whole of the blame did not rest on Dr Buncle. His resolution was practically accepting one of Dr Low's recommendations. Both Dr Buncle and the council had been weak. Instead of the appointment being for 12 months he moved the council consider some scheme of appointing a medical officer thoroughly trained in sanitary science for Featherstone, or for all the districts mentioned by Dr Low combined.
Cr Shaw said Dr Buncle had been medical officer for many years, and there had been council members who had steadily and firmly opposed every single reform Dr Buncle had advocated. They had scores and scores of reports which showed Dr Buncle had carried out his work firmly. Some members said he was hard on the working man because he would not allow them to keep pigs in the backyards and they had systematically opposed any attempt towards sanitary reform. Dr Buncle had been hindered and prevented from going into these matters, and now the council wanted to turn round on the doctor for their own neglect which had been going on for years, simply because this report had come.
It was impossible for any medical officer to have worked harder than Dr Buncle had for Featherstone, under all the difficulties with which he had had to contend. Were the council going to hand over part of their business to the county council? They would have to do so if a medical officer was appointed for the whole district. The thin edge of the wedge was being got in, and eventually urban councils would be done away with. When Featherstone Council went to the conference they would be drawn into a resolution, somehow or other, and in the end they would have to join any scheme that was made. The council ought not to treat Dr Buncle in the extremely shabby manner it was proposed to treat him.
Cr Poppleton agreed with much of what Cr Shaw had said, but he did not agree with the statement some councillors had opposed sanitary reform. He would support the resolution so far as Dr Buncle had done his duty, but he had not attended the meetings as often as he might. Cr Evans also objected to some of Cr Shaw's remarks. He (Cr Evans) had done his part, and Cr Shaw had only attended one meeting in the past six months. Cr Shaw said he was referring to what the council did years ago. There had been considerable improvement of late. Cr Evans said Dr Buncle knew the district well and would suit them better than a stranger.
Cr Shaw said as the medical officer had been attacked he should be allowed to speak and defend himself. Cr Hough objected because Dr Buncle was not a member and had no right to speak during the discussion. Dr Buncle had said Dr Low's report was practically his own from time to time and he (Cr Hough) had no vindictive feelings towards the medical officer. If a medical man was appointed for the district the county would pay half his wages, and the local council would have some jurisdiction over his work.
Cr Shaw then asked Dr Buncle if these reports did not practically confirm his own reports? Dr Buncle said he knew of this state of things in the district and he had reported on them. He had advocated street widening and the conversion of privies into WC's. He never thought Cr Hough was making this matter a personal one, and he accepted what Cr Hough said on the matter. He had attended with few exceptions the sanitary committee meetings where most of the work was done. He had no axe to grind, and it was his wish to see the sanitary condition of the district was put to the best advantage. The only matter he objected to in the resolution was a person thoroughly trained in sanitary science should be appointed. He had his qualifications from the highest authorities in the land, and any member could see them if he wished.
The chairman said the council would not be showing their confidence in the medical officer if they did not re-appoint him for 12 months. If the Local Government Board were not satisfied they would not confirm the appointment. When put to the vote only four voted for Cr Hough's motion, so Dr Buncle was medical officer for another 12 months.
THE YORKSHIRE JUNIOR CUP
Featherstone Rovers beat Pontefract Victoria, Hemsworth and Beverley to reach the final of the Yorkshire Junior Cup where they were up against Normanton. The game was played at Belle Vue, Wakefield on March 28 and ended with the score 12-12. The
replay on the same ground on April 6 was described as a rough house and
before the end of normal time when the score was 2-2 C Arundel of the
Rovers and E Dooler and E Green of Normanton had been sent off.
When the referee blew for time the Normanton players left the field,
but the Rovers players stayed and there was an argument about playing
extra time. The referee received instructions from the county officials
in the stand to continue the game, but the Normanton players protested
about having to play on.
Eventually some of them returned to the field, and when the game restarted Hufton scored
a try for the Rovers. A Normanton player kicked the ball out of the
playing area and when it was returned he kicked it out again, so the
referee ended the game. A large crowd gathered in front of the stand but
no presentation was made.
At the next meeting of the Yorkshire County Committee it was decided the cup would be awarded to Featherstone Rovers, but no runners-up medals would be given to the Normanton players. Suspensions given were E Dooler sine die, R Ward (probably
the player who kicked the ball out) until September 30, E Green and C
Arundel until the end of the season. The cup was presented to the Rovers
at the last home game of the season.
On June 7 the players were entertained to supper at the club's headquarters, the Railway Hotel, by Mr C Umpleby the landlord and owner of the Rovers ground. Sam Goodall, the Rovers secretary,
presented winners medals to Sam Southall, W Taylor, Edgar Woolley, Sam
Goodwin, R Hames, William Clay, G Howell, G Milburn, Fred Dyer, J
Stevens, J Jukes, Walter Walker (captain), Ron Johnson, C Arundel, J Cole, Frank Carter, J Hufton and G Ward.
The reason for more than the number of players in a team was not stated, but was probably all the players in both games. The photo of the team, cup and medals is from the Featherstone Library Collection.
THE CONVALESCENT FUND
The 16th annual festival of the Featherstone and Purston Convalescent
Fund was held in August. The officials of the scheme were Albert Steel,
president, R Peace and R H Rogers, vice-presidents, W Heptinstall,
secretary, and Ben Bramley, treasurer. During the year 16 people had
been sent to convalescent homes to recuperate.
The festival commenced at noon on a Sunday afternoon with a procession led by Featherstone Brass Band from North Featherstone to the main streets of Featherstone and Purston. They were followed by 300 members of the local lodges - Pride of Featherstone, President Lincoln, Oddfellows, Hope of Featherstone, Pride of Streethouse, Foresters, Free Gardeners, Sons of the Empire, Bristol and West of England, and North Featherstone Free Gardeners. There were also 300 children from the Purston Wesleyan and the South Featherstone United Methodist Free Church Sunday Schools. The new Boy Scouts under scoutmaster Bell acted as collectors along the route and at the festival.
They all ended up in Mr Umpleby's Athletics Ground in Post Office Road where Revd H S Rogers conducted a service. He said he was delighted to see such a large gathering in support of such a noble fund which had met with some criticism from outside. However, local men had blessed the convalescent fund. It was the rank and file who supported the fund and he appealed for the shilling, sixpence and threepenny bit contributions. It was the duty of the strong to help the weak, and the fund assisted those who were weak and ill and unable to bear the worry and responsibility of life. If they (those present) were in good health they might not be tomorrow, and no one knew when they might need the help of the fund.
Father Leteau and the Revd F A Page also spoke, and Dr Steven said it was gratifying to see the platform occupied by three clergymen of different denominations. He also welcomed the Boy Scouts. The gross receipts totalled £16 15s, much better than last year.
Pontefract Corporation tried again in August to get Featherstone Council interested. The Express commented "We are quite aware of the prejudice that existed some years ago in Featherstone against Pontefract and Featherstone being connected up by way of this thoroughfare, for ourselves we have always supported the suggestion, and we know of no reason for altering our view. There is no reason in the world why either town should benefit at the expense of the other, nor any reason why both towns should not benefit considerably by such a scheme.
"At present a good mile divides property situated in the two townships. By arrangement a first-rate street could be completed over that one mile, and we believe it is a fact the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Company have certain works in view which would eventually connect with Halfpenny Lane. This road offers admirable sites for workingmen's dwellings, and we are confident if the two authorities would put their heads together they could come to some arrangement for making a fine road, and doing both places good at the same time; and in all probability the tramway company would only be too glad, once the requisite subway was constructed, to connect Featherstone with their metals at Tanshelf."
Pontefract Corporation asked Featherstone Council to send a deputation to consider this idea. Col Shaw, as Mayor of Pontefract, was also present. At the council's discussion of this meeting there was a good deal of bad feeling between the council members who went to Pontefract and Col Shaw who strongly criticised the deputation's attitude. The deputation said they were expecting Pontefract to have a scheme already drawn up for them to consider, but there was nothing.
Cr Shaw said they went with their minds already made up. The deputation were determined the Featherstone public should not have this extra facility to reach other places, and they dismissed it purely from a tradesman's point of view. He said Cr Maxwell had said in a previous discussion he did not mind whether the footpath was proper or not for those workmen who had to come into the town, as he preferred the lane should remain a place for Sunday afternoon walks rather than become a public road. (Cr Maxwell said that was 13 years ago.)
Cr Shaw then criticised Cr Hough who he said as a representative of the workers should have better regard for the men who worked at Featherstone and lived at Pontefract, numbering fully 1000 families. It was scandalous these men should not have these facilities granted. He asked the council to consider this question as one of public policy, and to make up their minds that the public should have decent communications from one point to another.
Cr Hough claimed Cr Shaw was distorting the truth about the meeting at Pontefract, and he had as much interest in the working men as ever Cr Shaw had. He did not see the advantage which Featherstone was to gain from the scheme. He fully believed in towns close together having proper communications, but they had to consider their present responsibilities. The district was in a very insanitary condition and had to be remedied. A considerable amount of money would have to be spent on a thing of real utility, whereas the proposed scheme would be of doubtful utility.
Cr Poppleton said from a tradesman's point of view he did not fear competition with Pontefract, and Featherstone tradesmen all round could do equally as well for customers as Pontefract tradesmen could. He looked at the operation as a public representative. He could quite believe the scheme could benefit Pontefract; but he failed to see where it would benefit Featherstone. There were excellent train facilities for the workmen to go to and from work, there were two good main roads, and there was a very good footpath on the lane. The footpath got a little swampy at times, but it was one of the best in the district. There was already adequate building land, and this scheme would increase the rates and he did not see any benefit from it.
The chairman, Cr Holiday, said great expense would be involved and they had to consider whether the time was ripe for the scheme. He did not think the working men of Featherstone would approve of the expenditure simply for the difference it would make to vehicular traffic. Cr Maxwell said with the rateable value of the district coming down, and the sanitary work at hand, he did not think the expenditure justifiable.
In reply Cr Shaw said he had very good authority trams would be run if the road was improved. Suppose the cost was £10,000, repayments might be over 30 years or even longer. They ought to consider the 1,000 men or so who worked at Featherstone and were getting coal which helped to pay the Featherstone rates; and these men had a right to be considered. Featherstone's coal would be worked out in 30 years, but they would still have to cater for the population, and there would also be much coal got outside Featherstone which would have to come into Featherstone.
Cr Hough said he knew the working men of Featherstone well, and what they wanted before the suggested scheme was sanitary homes and the town got in a sanitary condition. They wanted to live in homes where they could breath good air, and not have to live in pigsties as some were doing. The Featherstone men did not want any more insanitary jerry-built houses; and they objected to being huddled together as they had been.
Cr Shaw proposed a meeting of clerks and surveyors to prepare a scheme, but he did not get a seconder so that was the end of it as far as Featherstone Council were concerned, until in November the surveyor was instructed to consult his colleague at Pontefract for details of their scheme.
The people living around the Halfpenny Lane area got up a petition to support the proposal and it was signed by over 600 residents. It asked the council to open out Halfpenny Lane up to the railway crossing. They said the district generally would benefit as would the building trade. There would be better facilities for vehicular and foot traffic, and there was also the chance of trams to and from Pontefract. The railway company had already agreed to build a bridge.
At 10.45am on 20 September the undermanager went through the passageway and discovered the remains of a jacket which had become ignited. The jacket was hanging on a nail and close to it on the floor was another jacket on fire. The battens in which the nails were fixed had taken fire and it would probably have spread in a short time if it had not been discovered.
The undermanager put the fire out and at the end of the shift waited to see who would claim the jackets. They turned out to be Robert Carrington and John Morgan who worked together. Carrington admitted he had smoked a pipe in the train on his way to work but said he had knocked it out at Featherstone Station and carried it in his hand until he reached the colliery and then left it on the pit top as usual. Morgan was a non-smoker.
The undermanager could not find any trace of a pipe in either jacket and the inspector of mines decided the most likely explanation was Carrington must have put his pipe in his pocket and when he took it out at the pit top some smouldering ash remained in the pocket and later took fire.
Knapper told the court at about nine o'clock in the reading room Haigh offered to toss a coin for a bob or two, so he had sixpence on and lost. He gave Haigh one shilling and Haigh refused to give him the change but said he would toss for double or quits and he lost again. Haigh then demanded another shilling which he refused to give him. He pushed Haigh away and Haigh swung a glass measure round and cut off the top of his ear. He also caused other injuries to his forehead and right eye with another blow. Haigh had offered to pay him 10s a week while he was off work but he refused.
Arthur Haigh admitted demanding the money he had won and he said Knapper refused to pay and threatened to put it across him and hit him with a beer glass. He threw some beer over Knapper who then rained blows on him.
Both men had witnesses to support them, but the judge decided Charles Knapper had the best case (and a bit of his ear missing). He awarded him £9 at £1 a week and costs but as Arthur Haigh left the court he said he would rather suffer death than pay.
The festival commenced at noon on a Sunday afternoon with a procession led by Featherstone Brass Band from North Featherstone to the main streets of Featherstone and Purston. They were followed by 300 members of the local lodges - Pride of Featherstone, President Lincoln, Oddfellows, Hope of Featherstone, Pride of Streethouse, Foresters, Free Gardeners, Sons of the Empire, Bristol and West of England, and North Featherstone Free Gardeners. There were also 300 children from the Purston Wesleyan and the South Featherstone United Methodist Free Church Sunday Schools. The new Boy Scouts under scoutmaster Bell acted as collectors along the route and at the festival.
They all ended up in Mr Umpleby's Athletics Ground in Post Office Road where Revd H S Rogers conducted a service. He said he was delighted to see such a large gathering in support of such a noble fund which had met with some criticism from outside. However, local men had blessed the convalescent fund. It was the rank and file who supported the fund and he appealed for the shilling, sixpence and threepenny bit contributions. It was the duty of the strong to help the weak, and the fund assisted those who were weak and ill and unable to bear the worry and responsibility of life. If they (those present) were in good health they might not be tomorrow, and no one knew when they might need the help of the fund.
Father Leteau and the Revd F A Page also spoke, and Dr Steven said it was gratifying to see the platform occupied by three clergymen of different denominations. He also welcomed the Boy Scouts. The gross receipts totalled £16 15s, much better than last year.
A BRIDGE ON HALFPENNY LANE?
In
previous years there was mention of efforts to convert Halfpenny Lane
into a proper road. This would have required a bridge or subway at the
railway crossing and would be the costliest part of the conversion. The
main parties wanting this to be done were the Pontefract traders, hoping
to persuade those in the Green Lane area to spend their money in
Pontefract, the Featherstone coal owners, who wanted an easier route to
Pontefract for their coal deliveries by road, and the many miners who
travelled Halfpenny Lane to work at the local collieries.Pontefract Corporation tried again in August to get Featherstone Council interested. The Express commented "We are quite aware of the prejudice that existed some years ago in Featherstone against Pontefract and Featherstone being connected up by way of this thoroughfare, for ourselves we have always supported the suggestion, and we know of no reason for altering our view. There is no reason in the world why either town should benefit at the expense of the other, nor any reason why both towns should not benefit considerably by such a scheme.
"At present a good mile divides property situated in the two townships. By arrangement a first-rate street could be completed over that one mile, and we believe it is a fact the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Company have certain works in view which would eventually connect with Halfpenny Lane. This road offers admirable sites for workingmen's dwellings, and we are confident if the two authorities would put their heads together they could come to some arrangement for making a fine road, and doing both places good at the same time; and in all probability the tramway company would only be too glad, once the requisite subway was constructed, to connect Featherstone with their metals at Tanshelf."
Pontefract Corporation asked Featherstone Council to send a deputation to consider this idea. Col Shaw, as Mayor of Pontefract, was also present. At the council's discussion of this meeting there was a good deal of bad feeling between the council members who went to Pontefract and Col Shaw who strongly criticised the deputation's attitude. The deputation said they were expecting Pontefract to have a scheme already drawn up for them to consider, but there was nothing.
Cr Shaw said they went with their minds already made up. The deputation were determined the Featherstone public should not have this extra facility to reach other places, and they dismissed it purely from a tradesman's point of view. He said Cr Maxwell had said in a previous discussion he did not mind whether the footpath was proper or not for those workmen who had to come into the town, as he preferred the lane should remain a place for Sunday afternoon walks rather than become a public road. (Cr Maxwell said that was 13 years ago.)
Cr Shaw then criticised Cr Hough who he said as a representative of the workers should have better regard for the men who worked at Featherstone and lived at Pontefract, numbering fully 1000 families. It was scandalous these men should not have these facilities granted. He asked the council to consider this question as one of public policy, and to make up their minds that the public should have decent communications from one point to another.
Cr Hough claimed Cr Shaw was distorting the truth about the meeting at Pontefract, and he had as much interest in the working men as ever Cr Shaw had. He did not see the advantage which Featherstone was to gain from the scheme. He fully believed in towns close together having proper communications, but they had to consider their present responsibilities. The district was in a very insanitary condition and had to be remedied. A considerable amount of money would have to be spent on a thing of real utility, whereas the proposed scheme would be of doubtful utility.
Cr Poppleton said from a tradesman's point of view he did not fear competition with Pontefract, and Featherstone tradesmen all round could do equally as well for customers as Pontefract tradesmen could. He looked at the operation as a public representative. He could quite believe the scheme could benefit Pontefract; but he failed to see where it would benefit Featherstone. There were excellent train facilities for the workmen to go to and from work, there were two good main roads, and there was a very good footpath on the lane. The footpath got a little swampy at times, but it was one of the best in the district. There was already adequate building land, and this scheme would increase the rates and he did not see any benefit from it.
The chairman, Cr Holiday, said great expense would be involved and they had to consider whether the time was ripe for the scheme. He did not think the working men of Featherstone would approve of the expenditure simply for the difference it would make to vehicular traffic. Cr Maxwell said with the rateable value of the district coming down, and the sanitary work at hand, he did not think the expenditure justifiable.
In reply Cr Shaw said he had very good authority trams would be run if the road was improved. Suppose the cost was £10,000, repayments might be over 30 years or even longer. They ought to consider the 1,000 men or so who worked at Featherstone and were getting coal which helped to pay the Featherstone rates; and these men had a right to be considered. Featherstone's coal would be worked out in 30 years, but they would still have to cater for the population, and there would also be much coal got outside Featherstone which would have to come into Featherstone.
Cr Hough said he knew the working men of Featherstone well, and what they wanted before the suggested scheme was sanitary homes and the town got in a sanitary condition. They wanted to live in homes where they could breath good air, and not have to live in pigsties as some were doing. The Featherstone men did not want any more insanitary jerry-built houses; and they objected to being huddled together as they had been.
Cr Shaw proposed a meeting of clerks and surveyors to prepare a scheme, but he did not get a seconder so that was the end of it as far as Featherstone Council were concerned, until in November the surveyor was instructed to consult his colleague at Pontefract for details of their scheme.
The people living around the Halfpenny Lane area got up a petition to support the proposal and it was signed by over 600 residents. It asked the council to open out Halfpenny Lane up to the railway crossing. They said the district generally would benefit as would the building trade. There would be better facilities for vehicular and foot traffic, and there was also the chance of trams to and from Pontefract. The railway company had already agreed to build a bridge.
FIRE IN ACKTON HALL COLLIERY
A
small fire occurred at Ackton Hall Colliery which would have developed
into serious proportions if it had not been discovered at an early
stage. Close to the pit bottom there was a passageway which connected
the intake and return airways. There were doors in this passageway and
it was customary for the men to hang their jackets on nails between the
doors before proceeding to the workings.At 10.45am on 20 September the undermanager went through the passageway and discovered the remains of a jacket which had become ignited. The jacket was hanging on a nail and close to it on the floor was another jacket on fire. The battens in which the nails were fixed had taken fire and it would probably have spread in a short time if it had not been discovered.
The undermanager put the fire out and at the end of the shift waited to see who would claim the jackets. They turned out to be Robert Carrington and John Morgan who worked together. Carrington admitted he had smoked a pipe in the train on his way to work but said he had knocked it out at Featherstone Station and carried it in his hand until he reached the colliery and then left it on the pit top as usual. Morgan was a non-smoker.
The undermanager could not find any trace of a pipe in either jacket and the inspector of mines decided the most likely explanation was Carrington must have put his pipe in his pocket and when he took it out at the pit top some smouldering ash remained in the pocket and later took fire.
A LIVELY NIGHT AT THE GREEN LANE CLUB
There
was a bit of a do at Featherstone Working Men's Club in Green Lane one
night in October, and it ended up in court with Charles Knapper of Mount
Pleasant Street suing Arthur Haigh of Freeman's Buildings for £30
damages for personal injuries which had caused the loss of six week's
wages at 36s 3d a week, £3 3s for the doctor's bill, £1 for extra food
and nourishment, and the rest was for pain and suffering and permanent
disfigurement.Knapper told the court at about nine o'clock in the reading room Haigh offered to toss a coin for a bob or two, so he had sixpence on and lost. He gave Haigh one shilling and Haigh refused to give him the change but said he would toss for double or quits and he lost again. Haigh then demanded another shilling which he refused to give him. He pushed Haigh away and Haigh swung a glass measure round and cut off the top of his ear. He also caused other injuries to his forehead and right eye with another blow. Haigh had offered to pay him 10s a week while he was off work but he refused.
Arthur Haigh admitted demanding the money he had won and he said Knapper refused to pay and threatened to put it across him and hit him with a beer glass. He threw some beer over Knapper who then rained blows on him.
Both men had witnesses to support them, but the judge decided Charles Knapper had the best case (and a bit of his ear missing). He awarded him £9 at £1 a week and costs but as Arthur Haigh left the court he said he would rather suffer death than pay.
YELLOW MUTTON AND GREEN FAT
William Hoyland was a butcher with outlets in Normanton, Castleford and Featherstone. In October he was summonsed by Featherstone Council for exposing unsound meat for sale. In Court Joseph Sagar, nuisance inspector, said he went to Hoyland's stall in Featherstone market and found some loin of mutton and some chops which he considered to be unsound because the fat had a greenish colour. He got a magistrate's order condemning the meat and showed the meat to Roslyn Holiday JP who examined it and then made an order for its destruction. He destroyed it the same day except for a chop which he took to Dr Buncle.
He
denied agreeing with William Hoyland the meat was yellow, which was not
necessarily unsound. He also denied William Hoyland had said the meat
was sounder than both of them. Mr F Kinder, for Mr Hoyland, then produced half a shoulder of mutton. Mr Sagar said it was something like the meat he had condemned, and he would also condemn the piece produced because of its colour.
Roslyn Holiday said he was not an expert on meat, but having considered
the importance of sound meat to the public health, he made the order
for it to be destroyed. It might be sentiment, but he did not like the look of the meat. The fat was greenish, the meat having the appearance of jaundice. He
said the meat was something like that produced in court but it seemed
to have faded. He admitted the meat in court was not the sort he would
buy, but it might be fit for human consumption.
Dr Buncle said the chop he had received was unsound. It was a yellowish colour tinged with green and had a strong smell. if the other meat destroyed was like the chop it was certainly not fit for food. He admitted yellow mutton was not necessarily unfit for food. He was handed a half shoulder and was told it was from the same sheep and had been in a refrigerator. At
first Dr Buncle said owing to the condition of the fat he did not think
it was fit for human food, but eventually said he could not give a
reliable opinion unless he saw it cooked.
William Hoyland said he had been a butcher for many years and had never had a complaint. He claimed Mr Sagar said "You've got a lot of yellow mutton there" and he replied "Have you never seen yellow
mutton before". Mr Sagar advised him to sell it as soon as possible. Mr
Sagar went away and came back later with Mr Holiday. He always sent
half a sheep to Castleford and the other half to Featherstone. He had killed four sheep that week and noticed this one was yellow.
This was the first yellow sheep he had ever had, but he had heard of
others. The meat unsold at Castleford and Featherstone went to
Normanton, and if not sold there in a week it was destroyed. He sold his
meat a penny a pound cheaper than other butchers - he was the working
man's friend. The sheep in question had been bought at Messrs Bentley
and Sons' Auction Mart with six others, and he had paid 35s for it. Edward Hoyland, the butcher's son, said he was the person who actually killed the sheep and he noticed the meat was yellow.
Expert evidence was given by William Dean, manager of the Leeds Co-operative butchering department, Mr H G Bowes, a lecturer on hygiene at Leeds University, and Mr A W Mason, a Leeds veterinary
surgeon. They all agreed yellow mutton was not necessarily unsound, and
the half shoulder produced was fit for human consumption. Mr Dean said
there was a definite prejudice against yellow mutton, but he had eaten
lots of it. Mr Bowes said the yellowness was often produced by the food fed to the sheep.
The Bench retired to consider their verdict and returned after a short while to find William Hoyland not guilty and the charge was dismissed.
Cr Poppleton said he was not going to take the opinion of the medical officer without considering the matter himself. The Grimsby pail closets were in use by hundreds, and they were also used in Manchester. How then could pails be insanitary in Featherstone? If the council had told him to abate a nuisance he would have done so immediately and supplied new pails in respect of any defective ones. The closets were 14 feet 6 inches from the houses, a considerable greater distance than stated by the law. He felt obliged to say something to clear himself seeing what had taken place on the sanitary conditions of Featherstone. The council ought to have considered the matter themselves and not taken what the officials said. The council were overstepping the bounds,and were taking a course not according to the law.
Cr Scholes said the council had not given notice about the pails particularly, and he was of the same opinion as Dr Buncle - the brickwork was contaminated with sewage and new closets were necessary to abate the nuisance. Cr Hough said it was just a quibble. The council had attended conferences about the sanitary condition of the town and promised to be good lads in future, but members round the table raised objections when their own property was concerned. The sanitary committee had said the nuisance would be abated by a conversion to water closets, and no better method could be adopted. The council confirmed the minutes and the pails had to go.
1910 NEWS ITEMS
POPPLETON'S PRIVY PAILS
Joe
Poppleton was a councillor, shopkeeper and landlord. He was in trouble
with the landlord part of his activities in November. At that month's council meeting the medical officer's report said the nuisance arising
from the closets at Poppleton's houses in George Street could only be
abated by the installing of water closets.Cr Poppleton said he was not going to take the opinion of the medical officer without considering the matter himself. The Grimsby pail closets were in use by hundreds, and they were also used in Manchester. How then could pails be insanitary in Featherstone? If the council had told him to abate a nuisance he would have done so immediately and supplied new pails in respect of any defective ones. The closets were 14 feet 6 inches from the houses, a considerable greater distance than stated by the law. He felt obliged to say something to clear himself seeing what had taken place on the sanitary conditions of Featherstone. The council ought to have considered the matter themselves and not taken what the officials said. The council were overstepping the bounds,and were taking a course not according to the law.
Cr Scholes said the council had not given notice about the pails particularly, and he was of the same opinion as Dr Buncle - the brickwork was contaminated with sewage and new closets were necessary to abate the nuisance. Cr Hough said it was just a quibble. The council had attended conferences about the sanitary condition of the town and promised to be good lads in future, but members round the table raised objections when their own property was concerned. The sanitary committee had said the nuisance would be abated by a conversion to water closets, and no better method could be adopted. The council confirmed the minutes and the pails had to go.
1910 NEWS ITEMS
JANUARY John Waller gave 20 4lbs pieces of beef to poor widows in Purston and about £3 in half-crowns to people in receipt of poor relief.
Eliza Irving
of no fixed abode was found drunk on the footpath by PC Moorhouse. He
and PC Helliwell got a stretcher and carried her to the police station.
In court she said she was going to her relations in Wakefield. She was fined 6s.
The Adult School members provided a meat tea in their hall for 200 poor
or crippled children. Tea was sent out to those too ill to attend.
An inquest was held on William Davy McDonald of Leeds who was working for contractors on a boiler at Ackton Hall
Colliery. The boiler slipped while being jacked into position and
crushed him against a wall. The verdict was accidental death.
FEBRUARY The Express commented on the voting in the
General Election. "There was some rough play in places such as
Featherstone, chiefly because there happened to be snow about. In one
instance a gentleman who had the oversight of the Featherstone district
for the Conservatives was badly treated. He was heavily snowballed and was hit under the left eye causing serious discolouration and much pain."
The result for Osgoldcross was:
Sir Compton-Rickett, Liberal, 9,517
Mr Gerald Hargreaves, Conservative, 4.860
An inquest was held on Leslie Bamforth aged two months of Wakefield Road. He slept with his mother, father and another child. Dr Finch said death was because of suffocation and the verdict was misadventure.
The council were told the isolation hospital did not want patients sent on Saturday afternoons or Sundays. The council asked Cr Holiday to try and get this request altered and said Dr Buncle would inspect cases before any were sent at these times.
The council were told the Local Government Board would probably
sanction a loan of £1,570 for private street works. Some councillors
wanted to ask a number of banks for terms for the loan, but most were in favour of going to Barclay and Co where the council had an unsecured overdraft of £3,000.
Richard Mason "a well known Featherstone character"
was found sleeping in some hay by PC Wright. He had been sent to prison
last July for three months and he now got another 14 days.
The drumshaft
on the winding engine at Featherstone Main Colliery broke at 10am one
morning and it took until 10pm to get all 500 men on the day shift out
of the pit via the fan shaft. The men were expecting to be laid off for a long time, but Col Shaw persuaded a Sheffield firm his need was greater
and they let him have a drumshaft they were preparing for another
colliery. It was hoped this would cut the time down to six days.
Ellen Scoltock, a single woman, was in court for throwing snowballs in
Green Lane during the election. PC Shaw and PC Tuxworth said they saw
her come out of Earle Street and throw snowballs at people. She was
caught with a snowball in her hand. She denied the offence and Emma
Wheatley corroborated
her story. The case was dismissed but Harry Dukes, William Clayton,
Daniel Fox, Jonathan Cording and Fred Malpass were all fined for
throwing snowballs.
There was a large audience in the Assembly Rooms for the seventh annual
concert of the choral society which included 49 singers accompanied by
an 18 piece orchestra.
FEBRUARY It was announced PC Wright, age 46, was to retire on a yearly pension of £52 16s. He had been in Featherstone since 1904.
The Coronation Club paid a dividend of 10s to each of its 600 members. One of them, William Phipps, a 29 years old plasterer who lived in Mafeking Street, left home at 6pm on February 18 to go to the club and he was not seen again. His wife said he had been out of work for six months and his spirits were low, but she refused to believe he had committed suicide. Some of the reservoirs were dragged without success.
MARCH John Fearnley of North Featherstone was put to bed with a fractured skull caused by coming into contact with a hockey stick at the skating rink, Pontefract.
Purston White Horse Northern Union Club had won through the preliminary rounds of the Northern Union Challenge Cup and were drawn at home against Halifax in the first round proper. They refused to give up ground advantage and play at Halifax, so the game took place on the Beech Grove ground. The Express said it was the most attractive football fixture since the palmy days of the now defunct Featherstone Club. There were over 2,000 spectators and the takings were £57, but White Horse lost 23-10.
Fred Dooler did not play in this game. He had smashed his jaw in the game at Streethouse. Mr Walker, the club's representative on the Dewsbury, Wakefield and District League Committee made an appeal at a committee meeting for a grant for Dooler, who had a wife and three children.
Purston Wesleyan Church closed for a month to have a new organ installed, changes to the choir and decorating. The total cost was £530 of which the organ was £411. A grant of £200 had been received from Mr Carnegie, and the church still had to get £140 to clear the debt. The reopening was performed with a gold key by Mrs Peter Darlington. After a service, tea for 800 was held in the schoolroom, and there was a recital in the evening. During the day £70 was raised for the funds. The photo is from the Wakefield Council Museums' Collection.
The election for the council resulted as follows:
Ackton and Snydale Ward - Joe Oakley, miner, unopposed.
North Ward - David Protheroe, colliery manager, 386; Sam Wilkes Mason, checker, 266; Frank George Stebbing, vicar, 188; James Sutherton, undermanager, withdrew.
Purston Ward - Edward Hough, miner, 270; Tom Waller, licenced victualler, 239.
South Ward - Joe Poppleton, grocer, unopposed.
The Express said Mr Protheroe had the active support of the deputies, and Mr Waller lost votes because of the recent dispute with the council workmen. Messrs Keith and Sides did not seek re-election.
At the council meeting plans for 24 houses on Willow Lane were approved. Ackton Hall Colliery had used their traction engine in Ackworth Road and had caused a lot of damage. They had agreed to pay £500 for repairs over the next 12 months.
The Girls' School held an entertainment in the Drill Hall. The hall was packed and many would be members of the audience were turned away.
APRIL Arthur Chappell Mason of West View was a locker-boy at Ackton Hall Colliery. A pulley wheel broke on the haulage road and a piece hit him in the face killing him instantly. The inquest verdict was accidental death.
Ben Francis Yates, aged 30 of Halton Street, claimed 19s a week, half his average wage, from Featherstone Main Colliery. He had gone to assist a workmate buried under a fall. He was got out but died immediately after being taken out of the pit. Yates claimed the shock caused his neurasthenia. The judge agreed there was a genuine incapacity to work due to nervous shock because of the accident. He awarded 19s to date, and as the applicant could now do light work at about £1 a week, he ordered 10s a week to be paid from the date of the hearing.
The council had no observation to make on an application from the Junction Hotel (probably to the county council) for a licence to show films. it was agreed to borrow £1,570 from Barclays Bank for five years at 4%. Mr J W Sissons, the accountant, had his salary put up from £100 to £130 in spite of Crs Poppleton and Evans saying it was too much. It was also agreed to pay a man and wife £120 a year as baths attendants. Roslyn Holiday was elected chairman for the third year.
William Little, a Castleford draper, sued Walter Eyre of Masham's Square for £3 15s 3d for goods supplied. Mrs Eyre appeared in court and said one of the items claimed was a suit in November 1904, but they did not marry until December. His honour Judge Benson said "Then this must be the wedding garment madam. I think he must pay for that". William Little was ordered to pay 4s a week.
John Thompsom, known as Irish Jack and a hawker of spectacles, stopped the Revd J H Jackson near Pretoria Street and claimed his name was Gledhill and he lived in Pretoria Street. He had got children at home and had nothing for them. He had now got a job and would pay it back if the Reverend lent him money. He eventually got 2s.
Someone later told the Reverend the true tale so he went with PC Moorhouse to the Featherstone Hotel where they found John Thompson who had bought beer for three footballers. He had only 1s 2d left. He was sent to prison for one month for obtaining money by false pretences.
MAY The Featherstone Rovers secretary, Mr E Goodall, had sent a registration form for a player called Southall to the Northern Union but it was returned because it was not filled in properly. Southall then signed for Cutsyke AFC but the Rovers played him against Normanton. When the Normanton club found out they objected to the result and were awarded the two points because Featherstone had fielded an unregistered player.
At the council meeting Cr Holiday spoke feelingly about the death of King Edward VII. It was agreed the posting of notices proclaiming King George V would be sufficient, and there was no need for a public proclamation as in the days when the kingship could be disputed.
The surveyor read a report showing the incandescent gas lamps gave a saving on street lighting of £73 compared with flat gas burners. Cr Holiday said the council would not grant any more concessions to the gas company because of their reluctance to lay 400 yards of mains for street lighting at Ackton. The company had the lighting of the whole district and should look at the thing as a whole.
The funeral of Thomas Lucas, killed by a fall of roof at Snydale Colliery, turned up at the cemetery just after 4pm but Revd Stebbing, who had been notified, was not there. After waiting half an hour the undertaker, Mr J M Walmsley, was pressed by the mourners to give the last rites. This he did. Revd Stebbing turned up before these were ended but he took no part. He said he had mislaid the notice. It was claimed this was not the first time he had kept a funeral waiting. The inquest on Thomas Lucas's death decided it was misadventure.
The Ackton Hall Colliery ambulance team went to London for a national competition. They came fourth and each member received a set of silver mounted carvers.
An inquest was held on Florence Amy Turner of Kimberley Street. She went downstairs one morning in her flannelette nightgown which caught fire. She was severely burnt and died the same day in Pontefract Dispensary. There was a fireguard in place and it was suspected she had been playing with matches. The jury decided it was accidental death, and suggested something should be done to prevent flannelette being used for nightdresses.
Services were held in all the Featherstone churches on the day of the King's funeral.
An inquest was held on Matilda Lee aged 60 of Woodheads Buildings in Purston. James William Fawbert, printer, and Herbert Dobson, lodging house keeper, did not turn up for the jury and they were fined 10s each. Annie Hobbs, the deceased daughter, said her mother had not been ill but complained of feeling unwell on the Sunday and she died the next Tuesday. She did not think it necessary to send for the doctor. A post mortem showed death by pneumonia and the jury decided it was natural causes.
Joe Lunness, now of Barnsley, was in court for the fourth time over embezzling £39 belonging to the Ackton Hall Colliery Check Fund. Previous adjournments had been made to allow him to pay the money back but he had only repaid £7. Now he had offered a written agreement to pay £1 a month. The chairman said the agreement would not be worth the paper it was written on, but he adjourned the case again for another three months.
An inquest was held on Charles Morton aged 47 of Dixon Street who died not having worked since an accident at Ackton Hall Colliery on 31 August 1908, when he received a compound fracture of the left foot. He spent seven weeks in Clayton Hospital and six months as an out patient. Dr Thomas said the foot was useless and he would never have worked again. Death was due to heart disease aggravated by the shock of the accident. The jury's verdict was according to the medical evidence.
Richard Mason was found asleep in a straw loft in Crossley Street by PC Dodsworth. Mason said "You chaps always find me; it does not matter where I go". A long list of previous convictions was read out in court and he was sent to prison for one month.
Thomas Edwards of Ackworth drew the money for himself and two mates (the butty system) at Ackton Hall Colliery. One Friday he drew his own money plus 18s 9d for James Brannan and 14s 1d for Thomas Larkin and did a bunk with the lot. He was found and taken to court where he was sent to prison for two weeks on each charge.
JUNE Enoch Farrar, a travelling salesman, took a wrong turning into Hall Street, Purston, with his traction engine and wagons. While he was trying to get back he held up other traffic for 15 minutes. He was summonsed for obstruction but was let off with the costs.
Tommy Sides, landlord of the Featherstone Hotel, heard rumours of his doing things when he was a councillor which he should not have done. To scotch these he asked Robert Banks to call a meeting of the local miners' union at which he would answer any questions. He said if after his explanations the men were not satisfied he would donate £5 to the Convalescent Fund. He gave Robert Banks £2 for the meeting and the £5 to hold. The meeting was not called so he asked for his money back but didn't get it.
In court Robert Banks said the union refused to be mixed up with the matter and he kept the money because Tommy Sides had given a lot of money away lately. He was ordered to repay forthwith.
PC Cook found many young men playing banker in Featherstone Square. He was only able to name five of them to appear in court and they were all fined.
William Phipps, who disappeared in February, had not turned up or been found dead, so the Coronation Club held a concert, chaired by Tommy Sides who gave 21s, which raised £10 for the wife and two children.
PC's Dodds and Shaw spotted a gang of men playing cards in Coach Road. The lookout, James Edwards, saw them and shouted "Bobbies are coming". He was collared but put up a fight and he was fined 10s for obscene language and the assault.
JULY The purge against gambling continued with another eight men fined for gambling in Fox Lane, Purston, plus their lookout, and another three who were caught gambling in the Square.
AUGUST John Lunness was back in court again over his embezzlement. He said he had offered to pay 15s a month but this was turned down. He now offered to pay £3 down and £1 a month. He had a wife and four children and could not afford to pay more. The chairman told him he could pay that and the case was adjourned for another three months.
The feast was in full swing and there were a record 626 entries for the annual show. Some Featherstone tradesmen said there was not as much money about as in previous years, and many Featherstone folk took their ready money to other towns and ran up bills at home.
Harry Harrington played for the Yorkshire County Cricket Club at the Oval. He scored six runs and took four wickets for 102 runs. Some critics said he was not as fast a bowler as claimed. Local sportsmen were disappointed when he was dropped for the next game.
SEPTEMBER The council decided the cellars in Phipps Street would have to be filled in to prevent them flooding. A revised scheme for Snydale sewage works was agreed and the Local Government Board would be asked for a loan of £7,000.
The council voted in favour of adopting the Notification of Births Act 1907 which meant the sanitary inspector and the medical officer would know of births and the parents would then receive helpful information about the rearing of children. Cr Hough said the adoption of the Act without the provision of health visitors would be useless. Cr Walker asked who would pay for them, and when told it would be the ratepayers he said he would vote against. Cr Hough then insisted the provision of health visitors be considered at the next meeting.
A letter from Ackton Hall, Snydale and Featherstone Main Collieries and the Glass Workers and General Labourers unions was read out. It said "That the above named committees desire to call the attention of the Featherstone Urban District Council, entrusted with the administration of the Highways and Town Planning Act of 1909, to the present immediate need for your fulfilling the new duties placed upon you, so as to serve a speedy clearance of all slum areas and houses unfit for human habitation and the improvement of the sanitary houses (lavatories?), and the erection of new houses of good quality to meet the present needs". The council replied the matter would receive due consideration.
Congratulations were made to Cr Holiday on being made a JP. Cr Hough agreed but said certain magistrates including Roslyn Holiday refused to sign exemption certificates for vaccination. Cr Holiday said he had not refused but he tried to persuade people to be vaccinated to save lives.
Thomas Henry Carter of Robbins Terrace came home from work on August 29 complaining of back pain and saying he had slipped. He did not go back to work but improved and was able to go out. On September 13 he complained of bad pains in his stomach and went to bed. The doctor was sent for but he was dead when Dr Steven arrived.
At the inquest Dr Steven said the deceased had taken a large meal which he had chewed badly. The heart was enlarged and the valves were inflamed. Death was due to syncope on anticarditis and was accelerated by the large dinner. There was no evidence the pit accident had any connection. The verdict was in accordance with the medical evidence.
The first annual gala of the swimming club was held. The highlight was a water polo match between Featherstone Swimming Club and Ackton Hall Colliery Swimming Club. Featherstone won by two goals. The Featherstone Swimming Club photo is from the Featherstone Library Collection.
FEBRUARY It was announced PC Wright, age 46, was to retire on a yearly pension of £52 16s. He had been in Featherstone since 1904.
The Coronation Club paid a dividend of 10s to each of its 600 members. One of them, William Phipps, a 29 years old plasterer who lived in Mafeking Street, left home at 6pm on February 18 to go to the club and he was not seen again. His wife said he had been out of work for six months and his spirits were low, but she refused to believe he had committed suicide. Some of the reservoirs were dragged without success.
MARCH John Fearnley of North Featherstone was put to bed with a fractured skull caused by coming into contact with a hockey stick at the skating rink, Pontefract.
Purston White Horse Northern Union Club had won through the preliminary rounds of the Northern Union Challenge Cup and were drawn at home against Halifax in the first round proper. They refused to give up ground advantage and play at Halifax, so the game took place on the Beech Grove ground. The Express said it was the most attractive football fixture since the palmy days of the now defunct Featherstone Club. There were over 2,000 spectators and the takings were £57, but White Horse lost 23-10.
Fred Dooler did not play in this game. He had smashed his jaw in the game at Streethouse. Mr Walker, the club's representative on the Dewsbury, Wakefield and District League Committee made an appeal at a committee meeting for a grant for Dooler, who had a wife and three children.
Purston Wesleyan Church closed for a month to have a new organ installed, changes to the choir and decorating. The total cost was £530 of which the organ was £411. A grant of £200 had been received from Mr Carnegie, and the church still had to get £140 to clear the debt. The reopening was performed with a gold key by Mrs Peter Darlington. After a service, tea for 800 was held in the schoolroom, and there was a recital in the evening. During the day £70 was raised for the funds. The photo is from the Wakefield Council Museums' Collection.
The election for the council resulted as follows:
Ackton and Snydale Ward - Joe Oakley, miner, unopposed.
North Ward - David Protheroe, colliery manager, 386; Sam Wilkes Mason, checker, 266; Frank George Stebbing, vicar, 188; James Sutherton, undermanager, withdrew.
Purston Ward - Edward Hough, miner, 270; Tom Waller, licenced victualler, 239.
South Ward - Joe Poppleton, grocer, unopposed.
The Express said Mr Protheroe had the active support of the deputies, and Mr Waller lost votes because of the recent dispute with the council workmen. Messrs Keith and Sides did not seek re-election.
At the council meeting plans for 24 houses on Willow Lane were approved. Ackton Hall Colliery had used their traction engine in Ackworth Road and had caused a lot of damage. They had agreed to pay £500 for repairs over the next 12 months.
The Girls' School held an entertainment in the Drill Hall. The hall was packed and many would be members of the audience were turned away.
APRIL Arthur Chappell Mason of West View was a locker-boy at Ackton Hall Colliery. A pulley wheel broke on the haulage road and a piece hit him in the face killing him instantly. The inquest verdict was accidental death.
Ben Francis Yates, aged 30 of Halton Street, claimed 19s a week, half his average wage, from Featherstone Main Colliery. He had gone to assist a workmate buried under a fall. He was got out but died immediately after being taken out of the pit. Yates claimed the shock caused his neurasthenia. The judge agreed there was a genuine incapacity to work due to nervous shock because of the accident. He awarded 19s to date, and as the applicant could now do light work at about £1 a week, he ordered 10s a week to be paid from the date of the hearing.
The council had no observation to make on an application from the Junction Hotel (probably to the county council) for a licence to show films. it was agreed to borrow £1,570 from Barclays Bank for five years at 4%. Mr J W Sissons, the accountant, had his salary put up from £100 to £130 in spite of Crs Poppleton and Evans saying it was too much. It was also agreed to pay a man and wife £120 a year as baths attendants. Roslyn Holiday was elected chairman for the third year.
William Little, a Castleford draper, sued Walter Eyre of Masham's Square for £3 15s 3d for goods supplied. Mrs Eyre appeared in court and said one of the items claimed was a suit in November 1904, but they did not marry until December. His honour Judge Benson said "Then this must be the wedding garment madam. I think he must pay for that". William Little was ordered to pay 4s a week.
John Thompsom, known as Irish Jack and a hawker of spectacles, stopped the Revd J H Jackson near Pretoria Street and claimed his name was Gledhill and he lived in Pretoria Street. He had got children at home and had nothing for them. He had now got a job and would pay it back if the Reverend lent him money. He eventually got 2s.
Someone later told the Reverend the true tale so he went with PC Moorhouse to the Featherstone Hotel where they found John Thompson who had bought beer for three footballers. He had only 1s 2d left. He was sent to prison for one month for obtaining money by false pretences.
MAY The Featherstone Rovers secretary, Mr E Goodall, had sent a registration form for a player called Southall to the Northern Union but it was returned because it was not filled in properly. Southall then signed for Cutsyke AFC but the Rovers played him against Normanton. When the Normanton club found out they objected to the result and were awarded the two points because Featherstone had fielded an unregistered player.
At the council meeting Cr Holiday spoke feelingly about the death of King Edward VII. It was agreed the posting of notices proclaiming King George V would be sufficient, and there was no need for a public proclamation as in the days when the kingship could be disputed.
The surveyor read a report showing the incandescent gas lamps gave a saving on street lighting of £73 compared with flat gas burners. Cr Holiday said the council would not grant any more concessions to the gas company because of their reluctance to lay 400 yards of mains for street lighting at Ackton. The company had the lighting of the whole district and should look at the thing as a whole.
The funeral of Thomas Lucas, killed by a fall of roof at Snydale Colliery, turned up at the cemetery just after 4pm but Revd Stebbing, who had been notified, was not there. After waiting half an hour the undertaker, Mr J M Walmsley, was pressed by the mourners to give the last rites. This he did. Revd Stebbing turned up before these were ended but he took no part. He said he had mislaid the notice. It was claimed this was not the first time he had kept a funeral waiting. The inquest on Thomas Lucas's death decided it was misadventure.
The Ackton Hall Colliery ambulance team went to London for a national competition. They came fourth and each member received a set of silver mounted carvers.
An inquest was held on Florence Amy Turner of Kimberley Street. She went downstairs one morning in her flannelette nightgown which caught fire. She was severely burnt and died the same day in Pontefract Dispensary. There was a fireguard in place and it was suspected she had been playing with matches. The jury decided it was accidental death, and suggested something should be done to prevent flannelette being used for nightdresses.
Services were held in all the Featherstone churches on the day of the King's funeral.
An inquest was held on Matilda Lee aged 60 of Woodheads Buildings in Purston. James William Fawbert, printer, and Herbert Dobson, lodging house keeper, did not turn up for the jury and they were fined 10s each. Annie Hobbs, the deceased daughter, said her mother had not been ill but complained of feeling unwell on the Sunday and she died the next Tuesday. She did not think it necessary to send for the doctor. A post mortem showed death by pneumonia and the jury decided it was natural causes.
Joe Lunness, now of Barnsley, was in court for the fourth time over embezzling £39 belonging to the Ackton Hall Colliery Check Fund. Previous adjournments had been made to allow him to pay the money back but he had only repaid £7. Now he had offered a written agreement to pay £1 a month. The chairman said the agreement would not be worth the paper it was written on, but he adjourned the case again for another three months.
An inquest was held on Charles Morton aged 47 of Dixon Street who died not having worked since an accident at Ackton Hall Colliery on 31 August 1908, when he received a compound fracture of the left foot. He spent seven weeks in Clayton Hospital and six months as an out patient. Dr Thomas said the foot was useless and he would never have worked again. Death was due to heart disease aggravated by the shock of the accident. The jury's verdict was according to the medical evidence.
Richard Mason was found asleep in a straw loft in Crossley Street by PC Dodsworth. Mason said "You chaps always find me; it does not matter where I go". A long list of previous convictions was read out in court and he was sent to prison for one month.
Thomas Edwards of Ackworth drew the money for himself and two mates (the butty system) at Ackton Hall Colliery. One Friday he drew his own money plus 18s 9d for James Brannan and 14s 1d for Thomas Larkin and did a bunk with the lot. He was found and taken to court where he was sent to prison for two weeks on each charge.
JUNE Enoch Farrar, a travelling salesman, took a wrong turning into Hall Street, Purston, with his traction engine and wagons. While he was trying to get back he held up other traffic for 15 minutes. He was summonsed for obstruction but was let off with the costs.
Tommy Sides, landlord of the Featherstone Hotel, heard rumours of his doing things when he was a councillor which he should not have done. To scotch these he asked Robert Banks to call a meeting of the local miners' union at which he would answer any questions. He said if after his explanations the men were not satisfied he would donate £5 to the Convalescent Fund. He gave Robert Banks £2 for the meeting and the £5 to hold. The meeting was not called so he asked for his money back but didn't get it.
In court Robert Banks said the union refused to be mixed up with the matter and he kept the money because Tommy Sides had given a lot of money away lately. He was ordered to repay forthwith.
PC Cook found many young men playing banker in Featherstone Square. He was only able to name five of them to appear in court and they were all fined.
William Phipps, who disappeared in February, had not turned up or been found dead, so the Coronation Club held a concert, chaired by Tommy Sides who gave 21s, which raised £10 for the wife and two children.
PC's Dodds and Shaw spotted a gang of men playing cards in Coach Road. The lookout, James Edwards, saw them and shouted "Bobbies are coming". He was collared but put up a fight and he was fined 10s for obscene language and the assault.
JULY The purge against gambling continued with another eight men fined for gambling in Fox Lane, Purston, plus their lookout, and another three who were caught gambling in the Square.
AUGUST John Lunness was back in court again over his embezzlement. He said he had offered to pay 15s a month but this was turned down. He now offered to pay £3 down and £1 a month. He had a wife and four children and could not afford to pay more. The chairman told him he could pay that and the case was adjourned for another three months.
The feast was in full swing and there were a record 626 entries for the annual show. Some Featherstone tradesmen said there was not as much money about as in previous years, and many Featherstone folk took their ready money to other towns and ran up bills at home.
Harry Harrington played for the Yorkshire County Cricket Club at the Oval. He scored six runs and took four wickets for 102 runs. Some critics said he was not as fast a bowler as claimed. Local sportsmen were disappointed when he was dropped for the next game.
SEPTEMBER The council decided the cellars in Phipps Street would have to be filled in to prevent them flooding. A revised scheme for Snydale sewage works was agreed and the Local Government Board would be asked for a loan of £7,000.
The council voted in favour of adopting the Notification of Births Act 1907 which meant the sanitary inspector and the medical officer would know of births and the parents would then receive helpful information about the rearing of children. Cr Hough said the adoption of the Act without the provision of health visitors would be useless. Cr Walker asked who would pay for them, and when told it would be the ratepayers he said he would vote against. Cr Hough then insisted the provision of health visitors be considered at the next meeting.
A letter from Ackton Hall, Snydale and Featherstone Main Collieries and the Glass Workers and General Labourers unions was read out. It said "That the above named committees desire to call the attention of the Featherstone Urban District Council, entrusted with the administration of the Highways and Town Planning Act of 1909, to the present immediate need for your fulfilling the new duties placed upon you, so as to serve a speedy clearance of all slum areas and houses unfit for human habitation and the improvement of the sanitary houses (lavatories?), and the erection of new houses of good quality to meet the present needs". The council replied the matter would receive due consideration.
Congratulations were made to Cr Holiday on being made a JP. Cr Hough agreed but said certain magistrates including Roslyn Holiday refused to sign exemption certificates for vaccination. Cr Holiday said he had not refused but he tried to persuade people to be vaccinated to save lives.
Thomas Henry Carter of Robbins Terrace came home from work on August 29 complaining of back pain and saying he had slipped. He did not go back to work but improved and was able to go out. On September 13 he complained of bad pains in his stomach and went to bed. The doctor was sent for but he was dead when Dr Steven arrived.
At the inquest Dr Steven said the deceased had taken a large meal which he had chewed badly. The heart was enlarged and the valves were inflamed. Death was due to syncope on anticarditis and was accelerated by the large dinner. There was no evidence the pit accident had any connection. The verdict was in accordance with the medical evidence.
The first annual gala of the swimming club was held. The highlight was a water polo match between Featherstone Swimming Club and Ackton Hall Colliery Swimming Club. Featherstone won by two goals. The Featherstone Swimming Club photo is from the Featherstone Library Collection.
A conference was held at Castleford
by Altofts, Castleford, Featherstone, Normanton and Whitwood Councils
to consider appointing a full-time medical officer for the whole
district. After two hours no decision was taken.
Richard Atkinson was summonsed for deliberately damaging a bagatelle table at the Junction Hotel by repeatedly lifting up the top and banging it down. Thomas Waller said the damage was £3. Atkinson "an old offender" did not appear but was fined 20s, 16s costs and £3 compensation.
A schoolgirl was fined 16s 6d for pulling up eight turnips in William Abbott's field and passing them through the hedge to her mother.
Archer Wilford age five of Mount Pleasant Street went downstairs in his nightshirt with his brother. His mother heard his cries and ran downstairs to find his nightshirt on fire. She wrapped him in the hearth rug to put out the flames and sent for Dr Elder, but Archer died from his injuries the next day. The inquest verdict was death due to shock consequent on being accidentally burnt.
OCTOBER Inspector Aspinall told Pontefract Court he was in Halfpenny Lane at 2.30am and he saw Thomas Hepworth and another man coming out of a garden with a cabbage. The other man ran off but Hepworth was arrested. Supt Ackroyd said there was so much stealing from gardens and allotments in Featherstone and Pontefract the police had to keep a constant watch. Hepworth said he was drunk at the time. Col Shaw said they were determined to put a stop to this sort of thing and Hepworth was sentenced to one month with hard labour. The value of the cabbage was one penny.
Many people thought one month for a cabbage was too severe and a representation was made to the Home Secretary, Winston Churchill, but he refused to intervene.
Harry Sheldon and Martha Hall were living together. They fell out and after she left Harry Sheldon couldn't find two pawn tickets for a bracelet and a gold watch. He later found they had been redeemed by Martha Hall and re-pawned, so he summonsed her for stealing the tickets. In court she claimed he had given her the articles and he had agreed to the first pawning. The Bench dismissed the charge.
At the council meeting the medical officer reported the Bede Houses in North Featherstone were unfit for human habitation and a closure order was made. Orders were also made for many privies to be converted into WC's. It was agreed to find the cost of using the Lister Baths as a cinema in the winter, and the purchasing of 600 chairs. Also gymnastic apparatus would be bought.
A rate of 2s 2d was fixed, mainly because coal output was down. Cr Maxwell said this high rate would not encourage house building, and there was a shortage of houses. Cr Shaw said the coal was rapidly being worked out, and Featherstone ought to be more progressive and find other means of increasing the rateable value.
The council agreed if the joint hospital committee did not buy the Featherstone smallpox hospital it would be kept in good repair.
Amos Bailey and Harold Bates were fined £5 each for an assault on PC Hellithorn who caught them poaching at East Hardwick.
Albert Renshaw of Willow Lane was the chauffeur to Roslyn Holiday. While in Jewbury, near York, he ran over Lizzie Thompson aged seven. She was badly injured and taken to York County Hospital where she died shortly afterwards. Albert Renshaw was charged with her death and at the preliminary hearing Roslyn Holiday said he had been in the family's service for seven years and he was a careful driver.
The case was adjourned until after the inquest where it was said three little girls ran into the road. Two stopped but Lizzie ran on and Renshaw couldn't avoid hitting her. The jury decided it was accidental death and exonerated Albert Renshaw. Roslyn Holiday offered to pay the cost of the funeral, the court dismissed the charge, the parents shook Albert Renshaw's hand, and he sent a wreath to the funeral.
An inquest was held on John Eli Turner aged one month of Pretoria Street. He slept with his father and mother and was found dead one morning. Dr Elder said the death was caused by suffocation, and the jury decided it was misadventure.
Another inquest was on William Dyas aged 16 of Post Office Road. He had worked at Ackton Hall Colliery for just four days. He was standing at the side of an underground roadway to let a pony and tubs go by when the tubs came off the rails and he was crushed against the side. He was taken to Pontefract Dispensary suffering from multiple injuries and he died from shock. The jury decided it was death by misadventure.
NOVEMBER An inquest was held on Henry Scherdel, better known as Sheldon, aged 46 who lodged in Featherstone Square and worked at Snydale Colliery. He had to stop work because his arm had a painful swelling, and he told people it was because of dirty water dropping on him at work. After three weeks Dr Steven sent him to Clayton Hospital where he died a few days later. At the inquest James Darwell of New Crofton denied water was dropping on them at work, and Dr Blythe from the hospital said he had diagnosed blood poisoning and the swelling would have to be opened but the patient refused. He became weaker and died.
A post mortem confirmed blood poisoning, but it was impossible to say how it began, although it could have been caused by dirty water dropping on cuts. The jury's verdict was death from blood poisoning - cause unknown.
The magistrates eventually lost patience with Joe Lunness who had embezzled money and only paid £11 back which he said was all he could afford. They said it wasn't enough and sent him to prison for two months.
The ventilating fan at Ackton Hall Colliery broke down and the men had to be laid off for two days while it was repaired.
The council agreed to engage Miss Lee as a health visitor at £80 a year and to provide a uniform. The county council would be asked to contribute towards the cost. It was agreed to buy the gymnasium apparatus for the Lister Baths and to make arrangements for the gymnastics instructor at Pontefract Barracks to give instructions in gymnastics to Mr Bilson and the public.
Roslyn Holiday officially opened the gymnasium and said he hoped the youth of Featherstone would avail themselves of the excellent opportunities provided for them by the council. Displays were given by the Yorkshire Gymnast champions. Mr Holiday also agreed to buy the 600 chairs needed for the film shows.
William Pedley was found begging in Green Lane by PC Dodds. In court he said he left Hemsworth Colliery because he was only paid 2s a day. The court were told he had 14 previous convictions and had been sent to prison, but the prison doctor said he was of week intellect and was not fit to serve imprisonment. Pedley said he was willing to go to the workhouse and Supt Ackroyd said he would send a constable with him to ensure he got there.
DECEMBER John Reynolds aged 14 of Thornton's Buildings in Purston was a lamp cleaner at Ackton Hall Colliery. He was alone in the lamp room melting lead rivets in a pot on the fire. They were giving off fumes so he lit a piece of paper intending to burn off the fumes. His apron was drawn into the fire and set alight. His screams attracted Mr Mottram, the head ambulance man, who threw overcoats and jackets over him to put out the flames. He was taken to Clayton Hospital where he died two days later. At the inquest Mr Protheroe, the manager, said his life might have been saved if he had not run about the yard so much. There were plenty of people about but they could not catch him. The verdict was accidental death.
Thomas Lightbound of Ackworth was a deputy at Featherstone Main Colliery. He was buried by a fall of roof and taken to Clayton Hospital where he died from shock caused by a broken pelvis. The inquest verdict was in accordance with the evidence.
A public inquiry was held into the council's application to borrow £7,000 for the sewage works at Snydale to serve North Featherstone, Ackton and Snydale. There were no objections.
The council appointed Messrs Lowden and Co of Pontefract as the council's solicitors. The county council were considering a scheme for tuberculosis patients. Cr Holiday, who had attended the conference, was in favour, but Dr Buncle was against, saying the smallpox hospital was adequate for Featherstone patients. Cr Hough said it looked as if local medical men, including Dr Buncle, were more or less opposed to anything being taken out of their hands. The council decided to ask Dr Buncle the cost of converting the smallpox hospital.
There had been 22 cases of infectious diseases at North Featherstone Lane Infants' School. Dr Buncle investigated and decided not to close the school. Then the headmistress received a telegram from the county council instructing her to close it. Dr Buncle knew nothing of this and the council considered he should have been informed. The chairman, Cr Holiday, said the telegram could have been a hoax for all the council knew.
John Waller gave half a crown to all those on out relief and five pounds of beef to other people in Purston.
Richard Atkinson was summonsed for deliberately damaging a bagatelle table at the Junction Hotel by repeatedly lifting up the top and banging it down. Thomas Waller said the damage was £3. Atkinson "an old offender" did not appear but was fined 20s, 16s costs and £3 compensation.
A schoolgirl was fined 16s 6d for pulling up eight turnips in William Abbott's field and passing them through the hedge to her mother.
Archer Wilford age five of Mount Pleasant Street went downstairs in his nightshirt with his brother. His mother heard his cries and ran downstairs to find his nightshirt on fire. She wrapped him in the hearth rug to put out the flames and sent for Dr Elder, but Archer died from his injuries the next day. The inquest verdict was death due to shock consequent on being accidentally burnt.
OCTOBER Inspector Aspinall told Pontefract Court he was in Halfpenny Lane at 2.30am and he saw Thomas Hepworth and another man coming out of a garden with a cabbage. The other man ran off but Hepworth was arrested. Supt Ackroyd said there was so much stealing from gardens and allotments in Featherstone and Pontefract the police had to keep a constant watch. Hepworth said he was drunk at the time. Col Shaw said they were determined to put a stop to this sort of thing and Hepworth was sentenced to one month with hard labour. The value of the cabbage was one penny.
Many people thought one month for a cabbage was too severe and a representation was made to the Home Secretary, Winston Churchill, but he refused to intervene.
Harry Sheldon and Martha Hall were living together. They fell out and after she left Harry Sheldon couldn't find two pawn tickets for a bracelet and a gold watch. He later found they had been redeemed by Martha Hall and re-pawned, so he summonsed her for stealing the tickets. In court she claimed he had given her the articles and he had agreed to the first pawning. The Bench dismissed the charge.
At the council meeting the medical officer reported the Bede Houses in North Featherstone were unfit for human habitation and a closure order was made. Orders were also made for many privies to be converted into WC's. It was agreed to find the cost of using the Lister Baths as a cinema in the winter, and the purchasing of 600 chairs. Also gymnastic apparatus would be bought.
A rate of 2s 2d was fixed, mainly because coal output was down. Cr Maxwell said this high rate would not encourage house building, and there was a shortage of houses. Cr Shaw said the coal was rapidly being worked out, and Featherstone ought to be more progressive and find other means of increasing the rateable value.
The council agreed if the joint hospital committee did not buy the Featherstone smallpox hospital it would be kept in good repair.
Amos Bailey and Harold Bates were fined £5 each for an assault on PC Hellithorn who caught them poaching at East Hardwick.
Albert Renshaw of Willow Lane was the chauffeur to Roslyn Holiday. While in Jewbury, near York, he ran over Lizzie Thompson aged seven. She was badly injured and taken to York County Hospital where she died shortly afterwards. Albert Renshaw was charged with her death and at the preliminary hearing Roslyn Holiday said he had been in the family's service for seven years and he was a careful driver.
The case was adjourned until after the inquest where it was said three little girls ran into the road. Two stopped but Lizzie ran on and Renshaw couldn't avoid hitting her. The jury decided it was accidental death and exonerated Albert Renshaw. Roslyn Holiday offered to pay the cost of the funeral, the court dismissed the charge, the parents shook Albert Renshaw's hand, and he sent a wreath to the funeral.
An inquest was held on John Eli Turner aged one month of Pretoria Street. He slept with his father and mother and was found dead one morning. Dr Elder said the death was caused by suffocation, and the jury decided it was misadventure.
Another inquest was on William Dyas aged 16 of Post Office Road. He had worked at Ackton Hall Colliery for just four days. He was standing at the side of an underground roadway to let a pony and tubs go by when the tubs came off the rails and he was crushed against the side. He was taken to Pontefract Dispensary suffering from multiple injuries and he died from shock. The jury decided it was death by misadventure.
NOVEMBER An inquest was held on Henry Scherdel, better known as Sheldon, aged 46 who lodged in Featherstone Square and worked at Snydale Colliery. He had to stop work because his arm had a painful swelling, and he told people it was because of dirty water dropping on him at work. After three weeks Dr Steven sent him to Clayton Hospital where he died a few days later. At the inquest James Darwell of New Crofton denied water was dropping on them at work, and Dr Blythe from the hospital said he had diagnosed blood poisoning and the swelling would have to be opened but the patient refused. He became weaker and died.
A post mortem confirmed blood poisoning, but it was impossible to say how it began, although it could have been caused by dirty water dropping on cuts. The jury's verdict was death from blood poisoning - cause unknown.
The magistrates eventually lost patience with Joe Lunness who had embezzled money and only paid £11 back which he said was all he could afford. They said it wasn't enough and sent him to prison for two months.
The ventilating fan at Ackton Hall Colliery broke down and the men had to be laid off for two days while it was repaired.
The council agreed to engage Miss Lee as a health visitor at £80 a year and to provide a uniform. The county council would be asked to contribute towards the cost. It was agreed to buy the gymnasium apparatus for the Lister Baths and to make arrangements for the gymnastics instructor at Pontefract Barracks to give instructions in gymnastics to Mr Bilson and the public.
Roslyn Holiday officially opened the gymnasium and said he hoped the youth of Featherstone would avail themselves of the excellent opportunities provided for them by the council. Displays were given by the Yorkshire Gymnast champions. Mr Holiday also agreed to buy the 600 chairs needed for the film shows.
William Pedley was found begging in Green Lane by PC Dodds. In court he said he left Hemsworth Colliery because he was only paid 2s a day. The court were told he had 14 previous convictions and had been sent to prison, but the prison doctor said he was of week intellect and was not fit to serve imprisonment. Pedley said he was willing to go to the workhouse and Supt Ackroyd said he would send a constable with him to ensure he got there.
DECEMBER John Reynolds aged 14 of Thornton's Buildings in Purston was a lamp cleaner at Ackton Hall Colliery. He was alone in the lamp room melting lead rivets in a pot on the fire. They were giving off fumes so he lit a piece of paper intending to burn off the fumes. His apron was drawn into the fire and set alight. His screams attracted Mr Mottram, the head ambulance man, who threw overcoats and jackets over him to put out the flames. He was taken to Clayton Hospital where he died two days later. At the inquest Mr Protheroe, the manager, said his life might have been saved if he had not run about the yard so much. There were plenty of people about but they could not catch him. The verdict was accidental death.
Thomas Lightbound of Ackworth was a deputy at Featherstone Main Colliery. He was buried by a fall of roof and taken to Clayton Hospital where he died from shock caused by a broken pelvis. The inquest verdict was in accordance with the evidence.
A public inquiry was held into the council's application to borrow £7,000 for the sewage works at Snydale to serve North Featherstone, Ackton and Snydale. There were no objections.
The council appointed Messrs Lowden and Co of Pontefract as the council's solicitors. The county council were considering a scheme for tuberculosis patients. Cr Holiday, who had attended the conference, was in favour, but Dr Buncle was against, saying the smallpox hospital was adequate for Featherstone patients. Cr Hough said it looked as if local medical men, including Dr Buncle, were more or less opposed to anything being taken out of their hands. The council decided to ask Dr Buncle the cost of converting the smallpox hospital.
There had been 22 cases of infectious diseases at North Featherstone Lane Infants' School. Dr Buncle investigated and decided not to close the school. Then the headmistress received a telegram from the county council instructing her to close it. Dr Buncle knew nothing of this and the council considered he should have been informed. The chairman, Cr Holiday, said the telegram could have been a hoax for all the council knew.
John Waller gave half a crown to all those on out relief and five pounds of beef to other people in Purston.