1887

   A HISTORY OF FEATHERSTONE

 1887

MAINS WATER - BY ONE VOTE
  In February the Local Board received a formal offer of a water supply from Wakefield. It was to supply a minimum quantity of 33,000 gallons a day for 30 years at a cost of 11d per 1,000 gallons up to 50,000 gallons. For a quantity above that it would be 10d per 1,000 gallons, and above 125,000 gallons 9d per 1,000. The Featherstone Local Board was to pay for the cost of the water main and meters, but there was a possibility of sharing with Wakefield Rural Sanitary Authority and Normanton Local Board. If the Board did not agree within a few days Wakefield would go ahead with a single scheme for Sharlston. Not all members of the Board were impressed by this offer. John Waller said our water must be good, for there are persons who have lived to be 90 and 92 years of age who have drunk it all their lives.
  Timothy Allison of Leeds told the Board he had sunk two wells in Featherstone one of which supplied more than 45 houses. He said if the landlords sank wells they would find water. The Board also met a deputation from Pontefract but adjourned without taking a decision.
  In the summer there was very little rain and the whole district suffered from a severe drought. The local residents were compelled to use any kind of water regardless of quality for both domestic and drinking purposes. Water was constantly pumped from Mr Bradley's colliery and sent down old gas pipes to parts of the district.
  The Local Board asked Mr Bradley if he could supply the whole district with water and he replied he was willing to do so at a nominal cost. However, the Board was reminded Dr Buncle had said the water was too salty so that idea was dropped. Mr Cowling proposed some kind of local scheme which he said could be done for £1,000 but he got no seconder. It was eventually agreed to approach Wakefield Rural Sanitary Authority for a joint scheme for water from Wakefield Corporation.
  The WRSA refused to pass on water to Featherstone at a price less than 11d per 1,000 gallons. The Board chairman said it would cost a 9d rate which was a very serious matter, so most members were now in favour of a home scheme. David Denton said it was all very well for members who lived in halls and mansions and had plenty of water, but let them come down to the level of, and live for a time among the poor people and learn something of their suffering, then they would soon alter their opinions. The Board then agreed to form a special sub-committee with power to call in an engineer to recommend a source from which to obtain water. In September the Water Committee appointed Malcolm Paterson as consultant.
  He submitted his report within a few weeks which said the district had a population of about 6,800 and was a union of mining villages divided by large tracts of farming land. This meant a large cost in distributing the water whatever scheme was chosen. He suggested coal production would rise to a peak and then decline, and it was only a question of a few generations before it became extinct. There was no river to support other industries, so the end of coal mining would result in a loss of population, and it was necessary to ensure future ratepayers were not saddled with a large debt when that time arrived. He recommended a scheme to service a maximum population of 10,000 and he had considered three possibilities
  The first was to buy water direct from Wakefield Corporation, which would mean laying a seven inch diameter pipe from the Wakefield boundary and this would supply a maximum of 150,000 gallons in 24 hours. The water would be piped to a reservoir at Windmill Hill (near Streethouse) capable of holding five days' supply to allow for emergencies. The reservoir would be covered to keep the water clean.
  The second was to buy the water from Wakefield Rural Sanitary Authority at the Featherstone Boundary. This would save nearly three miles of pipe but the water could cost 2d per 1,000 gallons more.
  For his third scheme Mr Paterson had found out how much water the collieries were pumping out, and he came to the conclusion there was plenty of water to supply the whole district if a well was sunk at the right place and the water pumped out. He proposed a trial borehole between Monkroyd and Purston. If that proved a success a well would be sunk to a depth of 70 yards and the water pumped by duplicate engines to a water tank on Featherstone Hill which would be 250 feet above sea level.
  He had estimated the capital sum to be borrowed by the Board would be £7,300 for the Wakefield scheme, £5,000 for the Rural Sanitary Authority scheme, and £3,100 for the local scheme. The estimated annual costs including interest and repayment of capital were £1,242, £1,280, and £780 respectively, all based on a 30 years loan.
  The water committee considered Mr Paterson's report and recommended a test borehole be drilled to a depth of 70 yards. All the members voted in favour except Mr Denton who was worried about suggestions the coal mining operations would break up the water table (the level at which the water would be found) and reduce the water supply.
  The Local Board adopted the recommendation of the water committee at its September meeting, but immediately cancelled it when the problem of faults breaking up the water table was raised. It was agreed to call a special meeting in October to decide what to do. At that meeting the opponents of the home scheme said the working of the Stanley Main seam would break up the water table, also the expense of the Wakefield scheme was exaggerated. It would only cost 2d a week for a small house. Messrs Denton, Wardman, Eley and Earle voted for the Wakefield Scheme and Messrs Fearnley, Cowling and Bennett for the home scheme. John Waller was absent.
  The Board chairman (Mr Fearnley) said he thought the majority were so far wrong he would do all in his power to upset the decision. He claimed £140 on a Featherstone borehole would be money well spent. The clerk said the business of the Board was done on a majority vote and he did not see what a minority could do after the decision was made.

THE HARD UP SCHOOL BOARD
  The School Board had got itself in a fix by not including the fitting out of the two new schools in the building loan, so to pay the £200 savings had to be made. At the meeting in April Thomas Phipps suggested the salaries of the teachers and the clerk should be reduced. He said Tinley Simpson the headmaster had a salary of £130 plus a house and that was plenty. (Mr Simpson also received money out of the Government grant which Mr Phipps apparently thought should be withdrawn.) After being reminded of the examination in July which would determine the size of the grant Mr Phipps withdrew his suggestion.  
  At the same meeting James Fearnley, the school attendance officer on two days a week, asked the School Board for a rise of 2s a week because of increased duties. The Board decided to defer a reply.
  Mr Fearnley had been in court a short while earlier when James Bullock, a shopkeeper, and four miners were fined five shillings each for not sending their children to school. Mr Bullock and one of the others said their children went to Michael White's school which they considered better than the Board schools. They were told they must send their children to a properly certified school.
  In August the Board Schools and Purston National School were all declared satisfactory by the inspector, so Mr Phipps had another go at proposing the salaries of Mr Simpson, Miss Sykes, Miss Bird and the clerk should all be reduced, but he got no seconder. However, Mr Simpson (who had received £218 9s 3d in the previous year) had offered to forego £45 of his grant money and that was accepted. The Board agreed to raise the weekly wage of the attendance officer from 8s to 10s a week.
  It was reported to the meeting the school rolls were 178 boys, 156 girls and 134 infants, which meant after only two years the Boys' School now had more pupils than it was built for.

1887 NEWS ITEMS
JANUARY  A public meeting was held in the Methodist Free Church at which those assembled were told of the duty of all to abstain from alcohol and the need to join the Rechabites or a similar organisation.

FEBRUARY  There was a proposal to reappoint Dr Buncle as medical officer of health for Pontefract. His main opponent Dr George Atkinson wrote to the Pontefract Advertiser asking Mr Moxon (Dr Buncle's proposer) to substantiate his claim that Dr Buncle had reduced the death rate in South Featherstone from 50 per 1,000 to 16 or 18 per 1,000. He said if such a claim was substantiated he would not oppose Dr Buncle, but in his opinion the death rate was never higher than 25 per 1,000. This controversy did not prevent Dr Buncle being reappointed.

  Mr E Leatham presented a toy each to 330 children who attended an evening's entertainment at Purston National School arranged by William Gray "the able and respected schoolmaster".

  The Featherstone Methodist Free Church had used a room in Wakefield Road but it wasn't large enough so in 1881 they established a building fund. The foundation stone for a new building was laid in Providence Street, Station Lane, to accommodate 440 people at a cost of £600. A total of £300 had been raised so far. The Revd G Turner of Leeds gave an address and suggested it be named Jubilee Chapel to celebrate Jubilee year.

MARCH  Frances Banks, a grocer, applied for the transfer of the beer off-licence from her late husband to herself. On her behalf Mr Kaberry said she sold very good beer, so that people came from a distance, even passing other licensed houses on the way to obtain it for their meals. The transfer was granted.

  George Bradley had only attended three guardians meetings in the past year, but once again nobody put up against him so he retained the position for Ackton. Richard Cowling (177 votes) beat Jonah Barratt (108) for the Featherstone post and John Waller was returned unopposed for Purston.

  Robert Gibson of Purston had to attend a bankruptcy hearing where it was said he had a deficit of £72. He said he had made a profit when he was a publican but he had lost it all when he became a joiner and farmer.

  The Gas Company reported sales down, but mainly because Featherstone Main Colliery "had discontinued the use of gas in the workings". (Note: It was common practice up to this time to pipe town gas down the shaft and use it to light the pit bottom and main roadways. It caused explosions at some mines and it would seem the new manager at the colliery had decided it was a poor idea.)

  A new reading room was opened next to the Local Board offices and 100 members enrolled in the first few weeks.

APRIL  The Local Board co-opted Mr Bennett, the new manager of Featherstone Main Colliery, on to the Board. They justified this by the fact the colliery paid 25% of the rates of Featherstone and 12% of the rates of the whole district. At the same meeting John Waller suggested the Board should build new offices to celebrate Queen Victoria's Jubilee.

MAY  Lucy Bolton age 52 of North Featherstone had been ailing for 14 years and getting worse. One morning her daughter found her hanging by a cord from a hook in the kitchen. She cut her down but it was too late. The inquest jury returned a verdict "that she committed suicide by hanging herself whilst in an unsound state of mind".

  There were no elections for the Local Board and James Fearnley was re-elected chairman. At the first meeting there was a letter from Mrs Reedhouse of Wakefield saying her tenants in The Crescent or The 14 Row were leaving because of the stench from a sewer used by George Bradley's property. The Board decided as it was a private sewer they could do nothing.
  There was a dispute about which main footpaths should be flagged because there was not enough money to do them all. It was decided to do half the west side of Station Lane if those owning streets off it would do theirs, and also part of Wakefield Road.

JUNE  The Local Board agreed to post notices warning people of prosecution if they did not isolate themselves while suffering from infectious diseases. At the same meeting John Wood was ordered to remove ashes and filth he had dumped in Gas House Lane.

  Dr Buncle was the Poor Law medical officer for Purston. A pauper had been signed into the workhouse by his assistant Dr Steven instead of by his deputy Dr Wood. Dr Buncle wrote to the Guardians saying Dr Steven signed the form as a private practitioner not as his assistant. The chairman of the Guardians said it was very informal.

  St Thomas's Church celebrated Queen Victoria's Jubilee by 426 Sunday School scholars and 30 teachers parading the village with banners. Tea was provided in the National School and there were games, sports and fireworks in Purston Hall park.
  Also at Purston National School a Jubilee Tea was held and 208 people aged 60 or over, and all widows of any age living in Purston and Featherstone, were entertained. Conveyances were provided to bring those from North Featherstone.

JULY  Aaron Vaughan was fined one shilling for deliberately setting his chimney on fire by putting a basket on the fire. He said he could not get the chimney to draw.

  Most street owners had replied they would flag their own street so the Local Board agreed to flag half the west side of Station Lane this year and half next year.

  Two railway engines broke down in one week at Featherstone Station and replacements had to be sent from Wakefield.

  The Featherstone Main Colliery Accident Fund's annual excursion ran two trains to Liverpool. The trippers were able to see the arrival of the Queen of Hawaii at Lime Street Station on her way home after attending the Jubilee celebrations.

  The Featherstone Corps of the Salvation Army was formed in March, and four months later they held a march through "the enemy's stronghold" led by the Normanton Brass Band. A large number of locals came out to witness the display.

  The miners' demonstration was held at Wakefield and there were 397 bookings on a special train from Featherstone Station. There was a procession by miners from Snydale Victoria and Featherstone Main before the train left and when it returned.

AUGUST  The National School scholars in North Featherstone were given a tea by John Shaw of Darrington Hall and Howard Horner a Wakefield solicitor. Each child received a china mug for Queen Victoria's Jubilee.

  St Thomas's Church choir, 32 in all, were given a trip to Southport by rail. Purston Wesleyan Sunday School had a trip to Brockadale Woods in five wagons.

  The Board of Guardians wrote to Dr Buncle regarding the case of Richard Evans who was alleged to be a lunatic but had been seen by neither Dr Buncle nor his deputy Dr Wood. Also that Dr Steven, his assistant, had been systematically seeing patients concerning the Guardians on Dr Buncle's behalf instead of Dr Wood.
  The Guardians received a reply from Dr Steven saying he and Dr Wood had seen the case and considered it trivial. Also Dr Buncle's health had compelled him to leave the place for a short time but he would probably reply to the Guardians' letter himself. The Guardians decided if no such reply was received they would write again.
  On his return Dr Buncle wrote to the Guardians suggesting Dr Steven be named as his deputy instead of Dr Wood. The Guardians agreed thus regularising what was already happening.           
                             
   A house near Purston Church occupied by William Sharp was struck by lightning. A ball of fire came down the chimney and into the kitchen bringing down a large amount of soot.

  Purston's annual feast was held in a field near the gas works. There was a bazaar, swing boats, aunt sallies etc but no shows because trade was bad in the district. (The half-yearly statistics for the Guardians showed 144 paupers in Featherstone had received relief, 20 in Purston and 20 in Ackton.)

OCTOBER  The living of All Saints' Church was offered to Revd F G Stebbing of St Peter's Mission Church, Mirfield. Captain Hiles of the Salvation Army left for Brighouse and was replaced by Captain Goss. Both were ladies.

  Walter Ward and Henry Littlewood were sued by Mr A Copley, a cab proprietor, for the hire of a waggonette. On behalf of Featherstone Football Club they had agreed to hire the waggonette at 18s a journey for away games. He had not been paid for two journeys and it was claimed the money had been given to the club secretary Mr Watson but he had absconded. A verdict was given against Mr Ward who had done the actual hiring.

  The Guardians asked Dr Buncle why a large number of smallpox vaccinations had not been carried out. He replied it was because of measles and scarlet fever which had been in Featherstone for six months.

  The Methodist Free Church off Station Lane was opened. It had been built by Mr Elleson of Featherstone at a total cost of £906. John Price of Ackworth had provided 3,000 bricks and delivered them free from the blowing up of a chimney at Streethouse Colliery. The Express reported the Free Church began when the worshipers at the Wesleyan Methodist Church fell out and some left to form their own church. They had only 30 members but 200 Sunday school pupils.
  The Methodist Chapel is shown below with the Sunday School pupils in front. A Tony Lumb Collection photo.

NOVEMBER  The Local Board decided to take out a summons against George Bradley who had refused to pay his rates because he was appealing against his assessment. The Board fixed a rate of one shilling for the next six months.

DECEMBER  At the annual meeting of the Purston and Featherstone Cricket Club it was reported the club had 48 members. The income last year was £21 19s 7d and the expenditure £21 16s 7d. The club still owed £8 rent for the last two years on the cricket field. 

  The ratepayers at North Featherstone had complained for many years they did not get the same service as the rest of the district, the main problems being the lack of street lighting and drainage. The difficulty with the drainage was the sewage works were at the River Went a long way away.
  The lack of town gas for street lamps was because North Featherstone was in the district given to Castleford Gas Company and they would not lay a main because they said it would be too expensive. The Local Board agreed to erect 12 oil lamps.

  A rabbit coursing event on the New Inn grounds was well attended.

  The Ordnance Survey map below shows the new Primitive Methodist Chapel in Wakefield Road and the United Free Methodist Chapel in what the Express called Providence Street but which is unnamed on the map.
  Also shown is the New Inn (actually just a beerhouse) at the far end of Phipps Street and the sports ground beyond which was used for cricket and football and also rabbit coursing.