1893

  A HISTORY OF FEATHERSTONE 

1893

THE MINERS' STRIKE/OWNERS' LOCKOUT

  The mine owners wanted to reduce wage costs because coal sales were down and it was rumoured they wanted a 25% reduction. The Miners' Federation refused to agree any reduction, and refused arbitration because a previous arbitration award had gone against them, and called a national strike. The owners gave notice the current contracts would end on July 28 and as the miners would not give way the mines were shut down on July 29.
  So many miners thought the owners were after a 25% reduction in total wages that Alfred Holiday, the agent at Ackton Hall Colliery, wrote to the Express to explain the true situation.
  His explanation was as follows. From 1888 to the end of 1890 (when the owners could sell all the coal they could get) the miners received six wage rises, four of 5% and two of 10% making 40% in all. All these rises were based on the 1888 wage. Thus a very good collier who could earn £2 a week on the 1888 price lists received an extra 40% of £2 which was 16s. The 25% reduction the owners wanted was only on the bonus which would then be 15%, so that same collier would then receive £2 6s, a reduction of 10s a week.
  The men couldn't just down tools. They had to give 14 days notice as if they were leaving or the management could have sued them for breach of contract. At Ackton Hall and Featherstone Main Collieries they all handed in their notice and after 14 days came out on strike on Friday July 28. The miners at Snydale Colliery had not been served the reduction of wages notice but they decided to support their fellow miners, so they gave 14 days notice and came out as well.
  The union expected the miners to last two weeks without strike pay and then they would receive nine shillings a week each plus one shilling for each child. It was also time for the co-operative societies half-yearly dividend, which was seen as an advantage for the miners, but those not in the union or the co-op would get nothing.
  The union passed a resolution "Where men are wanted to attend to the ponies, and engine winders who may be required to wind water, they be allowed to work at the old rates of pay, but in no case to wind coal".
  Ackton Hall Colliery was in the middle of a big enlargement programme financed by its new owner Lord Masham, and it employed 800 men and boys; about half of them underground and an unusually high number of surface workers because of the new works in progress. Shafts were being sunk to the Silkstone and Haigh Moor Seams, new buildings were being erected and machinery fitted. There were 200 mechanics, smiths, carpenters and bricklayers at work. On the basis all strikes and lockouts come to an end sometime, work on these developments continued throughout August.
  In its August 19 edition the Express reported on the situation as follows. Although the miners have done no work for nearly three weeks there has been a brisk and frolicsome feast as ever. The inhabitants have entertained their friends as hospitably, the fun of the fair has been indulged in as briskly, and many have had their holidays at the seaside as independently as though nothing had occurred to affect the ordinary placidity of the labour market. The men entertain little fear that in the end they will come off conquerors, and there seems a determined feeling that they will not give in whatever the result. Meanwhile, some of the small shopkeepers are already beginning to feel the pinch, and in a week or two, should the present state of things continue, the result will be a disastrous one to many tradesmen and others.
  When it became obvious the strike was going to last a long time a Featherstone Relief Committee was set up. Breakfast of tea, bread and buns was given to 1,000 schoolchildren. The coal owners had no wish to see the children starve and Lord Masham gave £25 to the distress fund and John Shaw gave £20. In addition both owners distributed bags of coal.
  Things got out of hand at Ackton Hall Colliery and two men were fatally wounded. (covered in a separate issue). Lord Masham decided to give his side of the dispute by means of a press release as follows.
  "For the future, Ackton Hall Colliery must ever be remembered for a most disastrous and foolish riot, ending, sad to say in bloodshed. Perhaps its history since it came into my hands may be of interest to the public in general, and I trust of some profit to the miners to whom this letter is more especially addressed. About three years ago I purchased the Ackton Hall estate. During the three years the Ackton Colliery has been in my possession I have spent large sums in developing it and shall probably have to spend as much more in opening up the Silkstone bed. The present production is probably about 600 tons per day of Warren House coal, and it will probably reach over two thousand tons when the Silkstone is fully developed. Now, in all this, is there anything to which the miners can or should object? Is it not evident that when the outlay is completed and the colliery fully developed it must give employment to an immense number of men for as long as the Ackton coalfield lasts - say sixty or seventy years? This being so, may I ask the thoughtful working miners if they can see any possible reason or justification for looting, burning, and destroying Ackton Colliery, ending, as it has done, in the loss of human life? Ackton Colliery during the first two years made a fair profit. The last half-year it lost not only the two years' profit, but something more, and this half-year must be still worse. It will be four or five years, and maybe more, before a single shilling of profit can be made. And yet, because the "bloated capitalist" ventures to think that under the circumstances wages should be more reasonable, his place is looted and burnt to the ground. Capital unprofitably employed must go into bankruptcy and the workers into the streets. It is therefore in the interest of the workers that the masters should prosper if they hope to be prosperous themselves. If nothing less (than any reduction in wages) will satisfy the colliers, I see nothing for it but they will have to suffer, I regret to say it, many more with them, until they are prepared to listen to what is reasonable and right."
  It was all to no avail and the strike went on. John Austin, the local MP, sent a cheque for £30 to the Relief Committee and John Shaw sent another £20. The Express reported at the end of September there were hundreds of men, women and children picking coal at the pit tips, or gathering firewood in the lanes.
  In October the owners reduced their demand for a 25% reduction to 15%. A notice was put up at Featherstone Main Colliery saying "These pits will be open for work on Monday next on the terms decided at the Derby conference of owners, viz. 15% off the present 40%. Thomas Thompson, manager, Featherstone Offices October 12th 1893". The miners ignored it and stayed on strike,
  The Relief Committee decided to continue feeding 1,000 children daily and to give flour to 900 families. They would also buy seven tons of potatoes to be distributed in the next week. The funds would then be exhausted. Sums received from newspapers were - the Sun £25, Daily Chronicle £29, Yorkshire Post £10, Leeds Mercury £5 and Daily News £5. A week later four newspapers sent another £41 and £9 was collected locally so the committee decided to carry on.
  John Austin and his wife visited Featherstone to see the girls being fed at the Girls' School. He then went to Alf Higgins' house (president of Featherstone Liberal Association) and left a large number of pork pies and rabbits to be given to needy cases. Mr Tuby of Doncaster (who used the fairground) sent 600 large currant buns. The collections at Purston Church on November 5 realised £5 and were given to the Relief Committee.
  Francis Wilcox, secretary of the Relief Committee, wrote to the tradesmen of Pontefract via the Express pointing out about 40% of the wages of the miners of Featherstone found its way into Pontefract tills, but with one or two exceptions the tradesmen of Pontefract had not assisted in meeting the distress. He wrote "I think it is to be the duty of those who benefit from their custom in prosperous times, now, in their extremity, to come to their help. The conduct of our own tradesmen stands out in striking contrast. These men have acted a brother's part. This great struggle will, we hope, soon be over, and the men at work again. Then what? We shall say who has shown himself to be friendly?".
  By November the Government were getting worried about the effects of the strike on the economy and a joint conference of the miners' union and the owners was set up under Lord Rosebery. After a lot of argument and counter proposals it was agreed work would resume at the old rate, and the Conciliation Board would decide if there should be a different rate, and if so it would start on 1 February.
  The Express commented the miner has not ended his tribulation by the settlement arrived at. Heavy a price has he already paid to assert his rights, he has to go on paying. He has to wipe off the arrears of rent he has incurred during the long struggle - which means that every week for 32 weeks after he resumes work he will have deducted from his wages a week and a half's rent. Then, once a month will come the deduction for coal consumed at home; and every week the levy for the union. That is not all. There is the long bill run up, in many cases, with the local tradesmen in the long weeks of idleness. Would any men take such crushing liabilities upon themselves unless their wages were too bitter to be tolerated?
 The Relief Committee said they had supplied 86,000 buns and 56 tons of potatoes during the strike as well as £30 a week on flour and yeast. The total cost had been £65 a week and there was enough money left to give assistance to 200 families for a week where the husband had not yet restarted work. All the teachers had assisted in feeding the children.

FEATHERSTONE FOOTBALLER "KIDNAPPED"?

  The Featherstone Football Club played rugby union and although players could be transferred from one club to another it was against the rules for a club to offer an inducement to a player to sign for them. Featherstone considered they had been hard done by by Johnson Varley, secretary of the Bramley club, seeking to get E Gill to sign for them by improper inducements, so they brought a charge before a meeting of the Yorkshire Rugby Union committee.
  George Stubbs, the Featherstone secretary, appeared for his club and Mr J H Potter, a member of the Bramley club appeared for Mr Varley. Mr Potter objected to the charge being heard at all because Featherstone had not made the necessary £10 deposit. The president ruled it was only a preliminary hearing and if it was decided to take the case further then Featherstone would have to pay the £10.
  Mr Stubbs then said he had been instructed by his committee to lay the following charges against Mr Varley. 1. That on Saturday October 28 he visited Featherstone with the full intention of kidnapping one of our players, and that he, on this date, offered sufficient inducement to E Gill to justify a charge of professionalism against him. 2. That on Tuesday October 31 he again committed himself in the shape of treating and offering to find Gill employment. 3. On November 1 at Wakefield He again committed himself in the shape of treating and other inducements.
  Mr Stubbs said it was the intention of his committee to stop the kidnapping business if possible. He could assure them they had been pestered by kidnappers time after time, and they were compelled to apply for the protection of the county committee.
  E Gill was then asked to give his version of the episode. He said Mr Varley approached him as he was coming off the field at Featherstone and asked him if he would meet him after he was dressed. They met at the Station Hotel where they had a drink and then went on the station platform. Mr Varley asked him if he had any intention of leaving Featherstone and he said he had not. Whereupon Mr Varley told him he would better himself if he would leave and asked him to meet in Leeds the next Tuesday.
  Mr Gill said he told him he had no money and he couldn't borrow any because his mates were on strike. Mr Varley then gave him two shillings for his fare. In Leeds they met at the Star and Garter Hotel and Varley stood him a drink and gave him one shilling for his dinner. They met in the afternoon at the Greyhound Inn and Mr Varley asked him to go back to Featherstone and get his transfer from the committee and then meet him at Wakefield the following day. Mr Gaunt, another Bramley official, gave him another three shillings to keep the appointment. He was also offered a job as a boot and shoe maker or as a gardener at a wage of at least £2 a week.
  Mr Gill couldn't see the Featherstone committee because they didn't have a meeting but he went to Wakefield and Mr Varley took him to a football match. After the match Mr Gaunt gave him a shilling for his train fare and told him to get his transfer and come and play for Bramley on Saturday, but he told the Featherstone committee what had happened and said he had no intention of leaving Featherstone.
  Under close questioning Mr Gill said he told the Featherstone committee when he was first approached and they told him to go to Leeds and a committee member (Mr Johnson) would go with him as a witness. Unfortunately Mr Johnson couldn't get near enough to hear what was said and so couldn't back up Gill's original version about money changing hands.
  The County committee consulted in private and then informed the Featherstone secretary they could take the matter no further unless Featherstone made the £10 deposit. George Stubbs replied "We shall have to get someone to lend it to us then". That didn't happen so that was the end of the matter.

EDUCATION PROBLEMS

  The School Board decided to have a new school building in Regent Street for 250 pupils and then for another 150 if required. The inspector's report for 1893 said the building of the new school should be pushed ahead as quickly as possible because of the overcrowding.
  He also reported the Boys' School had shown an improvement but there were not enough teachers for the number of pupils. At the Girls' School there were many backward children and there was also need for a stronger staff there. In the Infants' School there had been an improvement but the teachers should aim at still higher results. Within two weeks of that critical report the Public Works Loans Committee granted a loan of £2,075 for the new school.
  When the new school year began in September Mr J Derkin, a blind man, asked the board to release his boy from school for two days a week so he could lead him into various places to earn his livelihood. The board said it was an exceptional case and as the boy would soon be above school age he could be absent on Fridays providing he had attended the other four days.
  In an attempt to obtain more teachers the board had advertised for two assistant mistresses at £40 a year but had received no applications. A re-advertisement at £45 had only produced two replies. Miss Hall of The Cottage (in Whiteley Street) was one applicant. She had been appointed and then it was found she did not have the proper qualifications so she was not allowed to commence duties. She asked for a month's salary from the board but the board and the clerk considered she had no claim.
  As Christmas neared there was an epidemic of measles which caused much reduced attendances at the schools. The board said if things did not improve soon they would have to close the schools.

WATER PROBLEMS

  In July the Local Board's water committee was asked to inquire into the price of water paid by the collieries which was the same as the price paid by Featherstone Local Board to Wakefield Corporation.
  At the next meeting the surveyor reported that including the annual payment of principle and interest, the cost of water was 1s per 1,000 gallons. The water accounts which were intended to be run on a break even policy were £170 in surplus. In order to get rid of the surplus it was agreed to reduce the cottage water rate by 6d and to replace tap washers free of charge in houses without a water meter.
  It was explained the charge to the collieries was originally 11d per 1,000 gallons, but because the board was not taking the minimum quantity required by the contract the price was reduced to 9d per 1,000 gallons.
  By October the reservoir was leaking again. The clerk had written to Mr Paterson but he had replied his connection with the works had ended 18 months ago and his account had not yet been settled. (The board was £600 overdrawn at the bank.)
  Another disgruntled person was Mr J Copley of Old Featherstone. He complained to the board the town well had been paved over and he was short of water for his cattle. The clerk was instructed to inform him the water main ran past his door and he should get his water from that.

REVD STEBBING AND THE CEMETERY

  In January Revd Stebbing delivered an ultimatum that he would no longer conduct Sunday funerals unless they were before 9am. The Express commented there is a very strong feeling against the vicar's conduct, not only in this, but in other matters connected with the cemetery.
  A public meeting was announced "to protest against the action taken by the Revd F G Stebbing, Vicar of Featherstone viz:
1 His attempt to stop Sunday funerals in the consecrated part of the cemetery,
2 his application for an increase in his burial fee,
3 his claim for a fee on monuments, headstones and other sundry grievances."
  The meeting was held in the Boys' School with William Boffey acting as chairman. He said the population of Featherstone was drawn from all parts of the country and the relatives could not get at a day's notice. If there were no Sunday funerals it would put the working class to a great inconvenience as well as to unnecessary expense. He praised the Burial Board for strenuously opposing the vicar's applications in the past. He accused the vicar of being late and keeping the mourners waiting, and when there were two funerals and the graves were close together he would stand between the two and have one service. "Was this decency" he asked.
  Revd Stebbing took the platform and said there were two sides to the question. He had a perfect right to fix the hours on a Sunday which at present were 9 to 9.45 in the morning and 12 noon to 12.30. He had other parish work to do on Sundays and he wished to discourage the habit of saving funerals for Sundays when they could very well take place during the week.
  If there was going to be bother about his attempt to raise the burial fee to 2s 6d as charged in other districts he would drop it. He had often to wait for funerals and he had complained to the board.
  Other speakers said using the unconsecrated part of the cemetery would remove all the difficulties. A resolution against Revd Stebbing was carried unanimously. A resolution was also passed to petition Parliament to change the law whereby the Church of England could claim a fee if a headstone was put on a grave. Mr Rogers MP agreed to present such a petition to Parliament.

1893 NEWS ITEMS

JANUARY A goods train was standing in the station when another goods train ran into it causing wagons to pile up on each other to a great height. Australian beef and mutton was scattered all over the track. The accident happened at 10pm in thick fog and it took five hours to clear the line.

 

  Samuel Bradshaw aged 50 set off for Featherstone Main Colliery at 8am and shortly after he was found dead in the snow in the pit lane.
 

  Thomas Henry Smales of the Travellers' Rest was summonsed for selling adulterated whisky. A County Council inspector purchased some whisky which was found to be 29 degrees below proof, the maximum allowed being 25 degrees below proof. He was fined ten shillings and costs. James Umpleby of the Railway Hotel was also summonsed for selling under strength gin and Irish whiskey. He was fined £1 3s 3d on each charge.

FEBRUARY The Local Board passed plans for four houses and four shops on the west side of Station Lane for Mr Maxwell. A driver was set on for the steam roller at 30s a week, his spare time to be spent on road work. It was agreed to lay 300 yards of water main to the cemetery if the Burial Board would pay half the cost.

   At Ackton Hall Colliery a large piece of iron was being lifted by a crane when a pin attaching it to a chain broke. It fell on Abraham Hercock killing him instantly. James Swallow suffered a broken leg.

   John Henry Chester, said to be one of the first to form the football club, had left Featherstone seven years earlier to join the Army. He got on a train in London and at Doncaster the guard went to his compartment to tell him to change for Pontefract but he was missing. He was found on the lines near Retford still alive but unable to say how he got out. He died of his injuries. Both compartment doors were locked but the windows were down. The inquest jury recorded accidental death and the Featherstone football team acted as bearers at the funeral.

MARCH The Express reported "A switchback railway, worked by steam and lit by electricity, has caused some interest and amusement at Featherstone during the past few days".

   James Baldwin Fearnley, the Local Board surveyor, died after a six day illness. His death caused a delay in the start of work on the new council offices. The new surveyor was Mr Sutcliffe from Thornton Local Board appointed at a salary of £150.

  All the street lamps were out because of a failure in the gas supply. The Express commented it wasn't the first time and there were still no gas lamps at the street ends asking when will the gas board remedy such neglect, and when will the Local Board increase the number of lamps.

   Messrs Cowling, Waller and Wardman had to put up for re-election to the Local Board but there were no other nominations so they were returned unopposed. 

  Messrs Webster and Clemens of Barnsley entertained workmen and friends at the Railway Hotel to celebrate the completion of the new ventilation arrangements at Ackton Hall Colliery. They had installed a large fan to replace the underground furnaces.

   The Railway Hotel below from the Tony Lumb Collection was the venue for many functions and inquests. 

 

    Twenty-three Featherstone men were in court accused of gambling. PS Sparrow and PC Thorpe said they found them playing pitch and toss or looking on in Little Purston Lane. All but one, who provided an alibi, were fined between 9s 6d and 14s 6d.

APRIL Mr J T Bennett, ex-manager of Featherstone Main Colliery, was presented at the Railway Hotel with a massive gold watch and chain from the pit's employees. It had been on display in Maxwell's window for some days.

  Two cottages in Station Lane had the fronts taken out and replaced by two plate glass windows and a door. They were to become a drapery store for Mr Parkinson and it was claimed it would be one of the finest shop fronts for miles around.

MAY At the Local Board meeting Dr Buncle said the caretaker at the new smallpox hospital had caught smallpox but he must have brought the disease with him from his previous post at Pontefract Workhouse.

  The Ordnance Survey map shows where the smallpox hospital (bottom right) was built - well away from other buildings. The photo of the hospital is from the Wakefield Libraries Collection.  

 

  The board decided it was no longer economical to hire transport, so it was agreed to buy two horses and carts to work the sewage farm and do scavenging if necessary.

 The rapid increase in the population had caused a housing shortage and the house owners were putting up the rents. James Fearnley applied for an ejection order against a Mr Cook who refused to leave because he said he could not possibly get another house. He said Fearnley wanted him out because he had let it at 12s 6d instead of the 10s he was paying. He was ordered to leave within 21 days.

  An inquest was held on Tom Roberts aged 14, a pony driver who lived in Taylor's Row. His head was caught between the tubs and the side of the roadway in Featherstone Main Colliery. He was taken home unconscious in the horse ambulance and he died the same night. The jury decided it was accidental death.

  Featherstone Model Brass Band gave a concert in the cricket field to raise funds for new uniforms which they had already ordered.

  A ballot of the Featherstone Main Colliery Accident Society chose Blackpool for the annual outing. The half-yearly meeting agreed to give each member 3s as well as his excursion ticket in spite of the secretary, Mr Garside, pointing out the folly of such a step. It was agreed to hold a special collection for anyone off work for six weeks. On a proposal to change from the London and Midland Bank to the Yorkshire Penny Bank only two voted in favour.
  Mr Garside said he was going to resign because of much criticism over the accounts. He said he was not prepared to work again as he had done and submit to such treatment. However, the meeting passed a vote of confidence and increased his salary to £10 so he agreed to carry on.

  The Revd Burgon had accepted the living of Stainforth after 21 years in Purston. A meeting of parishioners agreed to make a presentation of a purse of gold and an illuminated album of subscribers.

  John Waller was re-elected chairman of the Local Board. Mr Alexander was co-opted onto the board in place of Mr Bennett.

JUNE   A total of £74 2s 2½d had been raised for Revd Burgon and it was decided to give a cheque.

  Ezra Hepworth aged 29 of Purston had been treated by Dr Buncle for six weeks and was said to be depressed in spirits. He was found hanging from the banister rail. The inquest jury decided it was suicide while temporarily insane.

  The Local Board passed plans for a new store for Wakefield Co-operative and a mission room for Revd Stebbing in Green Lane. They also considered the use of wooden buildings in Wakefield Road for business purposes without any sanitary arrangements. These were against the bye-laws but the clerk said the Local Board had committed themselves in allowing them to be erected and could not now order them to be removed. Mr Denton proposed they should all be inspected and sanitary arrangements installed where required, and no more should be built. This was passed as was a proposal to summons Mr A Earnshaw who had a fried fish and tripe shop in Back John Street which was said to be committing a nuisance.

JULY The Local Board agreed to buy electric street lamps for North Featherstone and the electricity from Ackton Hall Colliery.

  The Revd H Speering Rogers from Preston was appointed to Purston.

  The Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Company were issuing cheap market tickets on Saturday afternoons. The Express commented it is a boon which in such hard times will be readily taken advantage of.

  Herbert Ward was fined 10s or 14 days in jail for opening his lamp down Featherstone Main Colliery. The chairman of the Bench said it was a very serious offence, and in face of the recent explosion at Thornhill Colliery it was impossible to pass the case without punishment. In any future case a sentence of imprisonment without the option of a fine would be inflicted.

  John Walmsley, a builder, was summonsed for assaulting John William Gibson, a young lad. He was building houses in Green Lane and was pestered with boys breaking bricks or taking them away. He found John Gibson on the site and forced him to take two bricks back to the pile. The Bench said there was no doubt Walmsley had received considerable provocation but he had no right to lay hands on the boy. He was fined 17s.
  John Gibson's mother Esther was fined 29s for an assault on John Walmsley when he was remonstrating with her son. It was said she grabbed hold of his beard and said she would tear every hair off his face.

  At the Local Board meeting the chairman said he wished to draw attention to the tap room style which their proceedings had assumed at several recent meetings, He asked members to stop gabbling round the table and get on their feet when they wished to speak, and only speak on one subject. Then their meeting would not be so prolonged and would not in future assume the character of a tap room brawl.
  The Express commented the members approved of this but in a very short time afterwards it appeared to have been forgotten.

  There was a letter from the gas company pointing out the dilapidated state of some of the street gas lamps. It was agreed to buy new lamps where necessary and paint the others.

  Wakefield Industrial Society had complained a fish and chip shop near their premises was causing a nuisance. The clerk had investigated and it seemed the smoke from the chimney was the main complaint. The local residents considered it a boon and they much enjoyed the fried fish at supper time. The Local Board had already given notice for the business to be suspended. Mr Denton proposed if the chimney was made higher the notice would be withdrawn. Mr Alexander objected saying when the plans were put to the board they were for a tool house. In his opinion it was a perfect nuisance. After a heated discussion Mr Denton lost the vote 4-5.

AUGUST  One evening in Station Lane PC Thorpe came upon James Towell stripped, drunk and causing a disturbance. Towell attacked the constable and kicked him with his heavy clogs. About 1,000 people had gathered round before PC Palmer came to assist. He was also kicked about the legs and body.
  In court Towell said he was drunk because he had been ejected from his house. He expressed regret for what he had done and was fined 8s for being drunk and one month with hard labour for the assault on each constable. Both the chairman and Supt Whincup said it was a disgrace to the community that 1,000 people looked on and failed to aid the constables.

  George Pell, grocer and draper, went bankrupt because of bad trade and the number of people to whom he had sold goods on credit. He said many of these had left the district without settling their account.

  A concert was held at Purston National School in aid of the Thornhill Colliery Disaster Fund. The Model Brass Band toured the streets and the Purston String Orchestra played at the concert. About £10 was raised.

  For the first time Purston Feast was held in Featherstone. The main attraction was Mr G T Tuby's switchback railway erected in a field near the station. John Greenhow and George Money were using waggonettes to drive people about the town at a penny a time. They collided near the Junction Hotel and both waggonettes were damaged. Several people were severely shaken.

  Two hundred cyclists from all over the West Riding paraded to Purston Church behind the brass band. A large crowd gathered to see the procession.

  Featherstone Football Club held an athletics meeting in the cricket and football field to raise funds to clear their debts - mainly on the new grandstand.

  The second annual demonstration of the local friendly societies was held during the feast time. The brass band headed the Oddfellows, Foresters, Rechabites and Free Gardeners to Purston Church. Afterwards a gala and sports were held in the old windmill field. The band (in a wagon) headed a procession of cyclist dressed as soldiers, sailors, clowns, beggars etc. Thousands turned out to watch, and a second procession was held in the evening with all the cycle lamps lit.

SEPTEMBER Two girders each 18 tons and 76 feet long were put across the railway to support a bridge from Ackton Hall Colliery to the other side of the tracks so pit dirt could be tipped south of the railway.

OCTOBER Thomas Waller, the eldest son of John Waller, married Mary Frances Micklethwaite of Ackworth. John Waller provided tea in Purston School for all the pupils and teachers, the Purston Church choir, and 30 of his tenants and their wives. He also gave 2s to everyone in Purston and Featherstone on the books of the relieving officers.

  The Local Board were overdrawn £600 at the bank and were told by the auditor not to overdraw further. This was because of overspending on the smallpox hospital which had cost about £800. The Local Board would not agree to a loan to defray the cost and a half-year rate of 1s 6d was to be fixed.

NOVEMBER The Burial Board inspected the cemetery and found many headstones did not comply with the rules. It was decided in future gravestones must not exceed six feet high and curbstones could only be three feet six inches wide and seven feet long.

  Sixty workmen were entertained to supper at the Railway Hotel to celebrate the starting of two new winding engines at Ackton Hall Colliery. Misses Margaret Holiday and Eva Clayton performed the starting ceremonies.

  The nameplate on one of the winding engines shows a starting date of August 31, obviously delayed by the strike. The photo is from the Featherstone Library Collection.

  Featherstone beat Kippax 19-0 in the final of the Dunhill Cup at Pontefract. The Featherstone side had played ten games so far this season and won them all. Alderman Taylor, Mayor of Pontefract, handed the cup to his namesake Taylor the Featherstone captain. When the players arrived home crowds thronged the main streets to see them. The brass band met the team at the Travellers' Rest and played them round the town. Squibs, crackers, rockets and all manner of illuminations were flying in all directions. At the club house (the New Inn) suitable celebrations took place.

  An inquest was held on John Gleed, an underground labourer at Snydale Colliery. He was found lying across the lines and on arrival at Clayton Hospital it was discovered his back was broken. He died five days later. The jury's verdict was accidentally injured.

DECEMBER The payments by the Featherstone Main Colliery Accident Fund had been raised from £8 to £10 for death, 8s to 10s a week benefit for an accident to a man, and 4s to 5s for a boy. This had caused a loss of £100 on the last six months accounts and the committee recommended going back tot the old rates. The half-yearly meeting decided to stick to the new rates and to have special contributions if the balance in hand dropped to £200.

  Dr Steven reported to the Local Board there was one case of smallpox in the hospital, there had been nine cases of typhoid in the district with two deaths, and about 500 people had contracted measles and some had died.

  Mr Denton brought up the condition of the private streets at a Local Board meeting which he said he had been doing for the past two or three years. He said they were in a filthy condition. The surveyor promised to take the matter up.

  Featherstone FC held a supper in the New Inn. Mr A Hartley presided and handed the Dunhill Cup medals to the team. He said he was sorry to see the cup empty and he gave 10s towards the cost of filling it. He also contributed £1 towards the cost of the medals.