A HISTORY OF FEATHERSTONE
1898
A NEW SCHOOL
Mr
Lott, HM Inspector of Schools attended the February meeting of the
School Board to assist in deciding the best means of providing the extra
accommodation to overcome the overcrowding in the present schools. The
situation was as follows.
Boys' School - pupils on books 446, school places 321, average attendance 353.
Girls' School - pupils on books 362, school places 250, average attendance 272.
Infants' School - pupils on books 402, school places 390, average attendance 274.
The overcrowding would have been worse but for many children staying away ill.
The inspector suggested extra accommodation should be provided for 120 boys, 80 girls and 60 infants. The new buildings should be heated by hot water apparatus instead of open fires. Mr Fearnley presented a plan showing a site off North Featherstone Lane and the board decided to write to the Education Department with their proposals.
Boys' School - pupils on books 446, school places 321, average attendance 353.
Girls' School - pupils on books 362, school places 250, average attendance 272.
Infants' School - pupils on books 402, school places 390, average attendance 274.
The overcrowding would have been worse but for many children staying away ill.
The inspector suggested extra accommodation should be provided for 120 boys, 80 girls and 60 infants. The new buildings should be heated by hot water apparatus instead of open fires. Mr Fearnley presented a plan showing a site off North Featherstone Lane and the board decided to write to the Education Department with their proposals.
In
March Mr Fearnley had plans ready for the school and the number of
places had been increased to 250 mixed pupils and 200 infants. The board
had advertised for an assistant teacher at £60 but received no
applications.
In July a tender of £3,456 for the building of the new school was accepted from Milson Dixon of Ackworth. Together with the cost of the land and furnishings the total cost was estimated at £4,242.
A
satisfactory inspector's report was received for the year and the board
thanked the whole of the teaching staff for their diligence and good
work. The attendance officer asked for a rise and was granted £1 a week
instead of 12s 6d. Mr Wood complained about the chairman, Mr Higgins,
doing repair work at the schools. Mr Higgins said he had consulted the
clerk and he was in order. The board agreed it would be better if the
work was done by Mr Higgins' son and on the son's account.In July a tender of £3,456 for the building of the new school was accepted from Milson Dixon of Ackworth. Together with the cost of the land and furnishings the total cost was estimated at £4,242.
THE RAILWAY CROSSINGS
In February an inquest was held on John Howell aged 17 of Hirst Hill in Staffordshire. He had left his home town only five weeks earlier because there was no trade there and he hoped to do better in Featherstone. He was on the Purston to Halfpenny Lane footpath and was crossing the line near the new sidings and he did not see the train coming until it was too late.
The train driver, coming from Pontefract, said he sounded a long blast on his whistle before the Halfpenny Lane crossing for both level crossings. He did not know he had hit anyone until he was informed at the station.
The jury decided it was accidental death but added "That in consequence of four recent deaths at this and the next level crossing the jury are of the opinion it is necessary that the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Company should provide a subway at this particular place known as Church Field level crossing in order to avoid future accidents".
Just three weeks later there was another inquest, this time on John Cooper who was found dead at Middle Lane crossing. He lodged in Nostell View and had been out of work for 12 weeks. He left his lodgings at 6.30am for his usual morning walk and complained of pains in his head.
Dr Crispin said he had been attending Cooper for 15 weeks and he was in a very low state of mind. He had given him a certificate for Southport Convalescent Home. The jury said it was death by misadventure and added the railway company should provide a bridge or subway for pedestrians.
The council wrote to the railway company to ask for a subway at Church Field. The company replied that crossing was no different to the others, but if the council wished to install a subway the company would give every assistance. The council didn't so the matter lapsed.
THE FOOTBALL CLUB CHANGES CODES
Featherstone
Rugby Union Club played in the Yorkshire First Competition in season
1897-98. Many other rugby union clubs had changed to Northern Union in
the previous two years and this resulted in Featherstone being promoted
to the First Competition.They finished the season as league champions which meant they had to play the traditional end of season game against the rest of the league. This should have been played at Featherstone but for some reason work had commenced on levelling the ground without waiting to see how the season ended.
The club committee didn't think this was a problem and they arranged to play on the football ground at Purston. For some strange reason the Yorkshire First Competition committee said no and the match would have to be played at Keighley.
Featherstone protested but to no avail so the following fifteen went to Keighley - J Wood, P Dixon, J McDermott, H Morgan, F Hopkinson, T Taylor, R Johnson, J Glew, H Wood, H Price, J Cole, J Cookson, F Alexander, C Philpott and S Helliwell.
Featherstone won 8-3 and were presented with their medals at Keighley's Victoria Hotel. Dr Steven, the Featherstone president, and Mr Simpson, a league representative, proposed toasts and agreed the only way forward was as amateurs in the Rugby Union.
Back home the Featherstone members did not agree with Dr Steven and a meeting was arranged to consider going professional and joining the Northern Union. Dr Steven was still against it and the players voted 11-8 in favour of no change. However, the members voted 44-20 in favour of joining the Northern Union and so the club changed codes. The team photo is from fevarchive.
ACKTON HOSPITAL
Towards
the end of the year the West Riding County Council's medical officer
reported to the council that Altofts, Castleford, Methley, Normanton,
Whitwood and Featherstone should have one isolation hospital to serve
them all for diseases other than smallpox.
The West Riding Sanitary Committee considered the report and decided to accept it but leave Methley out. The other authorities would contribute to the building of the hospital according to their population at the last census and the rateable value of their district. It would be called the Normanton and District Joint Isolation Hospital, and the running costs would be paid by each township according to the number of patients they sent. A site at Ackton was chosen.
The West Riding Sanitary Committee considered the report and decided to accept it but leave Methley out. The other authorities would contribute to the building of the hospital according to their population at the last census and the rateable value of their district. It would be called the Normanton and District Joint Isolation Hospital, and the running costs would be paid by each township according to the number of patients they sent. A site at Ackton was chosen.
THE BLACKSMITH'S SHOP
In June a ratepayers' meeting was held in Purston National School to decide what to do with this money. It was agreed to suggest to the council the ratepayers should have the proceeds from the blacksmith's shop and the council should have the money.
At the next council meeting the council agreed and it was revealed the money with 20 years' interest had risen to £150, and the blacksmith was paying £4 10s a year rent. However, the Charity Commissioners refused to agree and nothing was done.
The Ordnance Survey map shows the smithy on Pontefract Road between the Junction Hotel and the Travellers Inn.
In January the Featherstone Tradesmen's Association wrote to the council asking them to provide fire fighting apparatus. The council
agreed to buy a cart and hoses to a value of £50. The chairman said they
would probably have to buy a pump because the mains water pressure was
too low. In March the council approved extensions to their depot costing
£530 and these would include room for the fire fighting apparatus.
Howcroft's shop at the end of Allison Street caught fire in July, probably after being struck by lightning. The neighbours put it out with buckets of water and there were some comments about the non-appearance of the council fire fighting apparatus.
It turned out it wasn't yet ordered but the criticism urged the council on and at their August meeting a tender from Rose and Company was accepted. The apparatus was delivered and found to be satisfactory and the bill was paid. So Featherstone at last had the rudiments of its own fire service.
The original drainage scheme was put in when almost every house had a
privy or access to a shared one, the contents of which were emptied into a cart and dumped on a
field. Consequently the sewers were designed mostly for waste water and
the fall on the main pipe down Wakefield Road was only from 1 in 600 to 1
in 900 so any matter other than water caused a blockage.
The council agreed to give a trial to a pulsometer to pump sewage along the Wakefield Road sewer and to purchase it for £110 if it was satisfactory. In June after a fair trial it was found it would not pump the contents of the sewer which had too much solid matter for the amount of water present. The council decided to discourage the installation of WC's and patent tips in favour of privies and ash middens. Cr Durnford said sooner or later the council would have to put down a new main drain.
The sewage works couldn't cope and sewage was getting into the River Went outfall which caused some complaints. In October the council considered expanding the sewage works at a cost of about £5,000 and the surveyor was asked to prepare a scheme.
1898 NEWS ITEMS
The National Telephone Company quoted the council £26 a year for five years for a telephone. The high cost was because the only other subscriber was at Hemsworth and poles and wires would have to be specially laid.
This photo from the Featherstone Heritage Group shows North Featherstone Lane with a footpath at one side only. It also shows a gas lamp, the lack of which was a problem for many years for North Featherstone.
Another photo from the Featherstone Heritage Group shows North
Featherstone Lane nearer to Green Lane with only one flagged footpath.
The working men's club in the new Assembly Rooms was opened with 300 members. The committee said they were determined there would be no gambling on the premises. A week later the first entertainment in the Assembly Rooms was performed by the Hugh Dempsey Bright Lights Vaudeville Company. The Express commented the acoustic properties of the room are excellent, the stage scenery beautiful, and after several slight alterations the room will be one of the finest for some miles around.
This
photo from the Featherstone Library Collection shows the west end of the Assembly Rooms with
the entrance to the working men's club in Pretoria Street.
MARCH The Burial Board signed the deed for a loan of £450 to extend the cemetery, build boundary walls and lay out the land.
A large Bray's lamp was to be installed at the end of Girnhill Lane with a separate meter so it could be lit when the council considered it necessary instead of with the other gas lamps.
Messrs Dowson had installed baths in houses in North Featherstone but had not put taps over them in an attempt to avoid paying the water rates for baths. The council decided that idea would not work.
At the gas company half-yearly meeting Mr Riley and Mr Maxwell said every effort should be made to supply gas to households and tradesmen at a much cheaper rate because the present price was out of reach of the majority of the inhabitants.
The Miners' Relief Fund for 1897 showed 101 members at Featherstone Main and none at Ackton Hall and Snydale. Benefits had been paid to four widows and seven permanently disabled members.
APRIL In the council elections Messrs Durnford and Keith were unopposed for the South and Snydale Wards. The voting for the other two was:
Purston - James Booth 175, J J Eley163.
North - William Johnson 191, Revd Stebbing 171.
The Pontefract Barracks gave a display in Purston National School. A three hour show included the band, boxing, gymnastics and singing. The building was crowded.
R Walmsley was elected chairman of the council. The council declared itself against the Government Bill for pensions for local government officials.
A meeting at the Railway Hotel decided to form a Featherstone and Purston Cycling Club.
Nineteen men from Featherstone, Purston, Normanton and Hemsworth were in court for gaming with coins in Little Lane on a Sunday morning. PC Anderson said he knew all the men by name but one produced a witness to say he was still in bed at the time. All the others were fined between 2s 6d and 15s.
Musical shows continued at the new Assembly Rooms. The Express commented the Assembly Rooms Company are to be congratulated upon now being able to obtain some of the best companies in the theatrical world. The orchestra is capitally arranged.
The opening of the Jubilee Hotel made the nearby New Inn redundant and it was put up for auction. At a final bid of £350 it was withdrawn from sale.
MAY The Burial Board decided to purchase an iron archway for under the trees at the entrance to the cemetery and four iron seats.
The Tradesmen's Association agreed to close shops all day on Whit Monday.
Ex-hangman James Berry gave a talk on prisons and prisoners at the Assembly Rooms. Coloured slides were shown by limelight and an exhibition of the cinematograph was given.
The union at Ackton Hall Colliery held a meeting to consider what to do because the late secretary Mr E Smith refused to give up the banner. Mr E Cowey said they had consulted a solicitor and would go to law if necessary. Some said the banner did not have the Yorkshire Miners' Association on it, but others said it had Ackton Hall Colliery on it and that was enough.
A meeting of Snydale Colliery miners at the Jubilee Hotel was held to consider a scheme to be used instead of the Compensation Act which would come into force in July. The masters and men would contribute 2d a week for members and a penny for half-members. The fund would be managed by the existing accident fund committee. Payouts would be - disablement 10s a week for two weeks then £1 a week, half-members at half those rates. For a death by accident the dependents would receive £150 of which £30 would come from the fund and £120 from the company. For a fatal accident with no dependents the payment would be £20, and for natural causes on the premises £15. It was considered this scheme would be better than seeking compensation at law and it would be put to a ballot.
John William Cookson age 18 of Featherstone and an unemployed driver was found sleeping in Ackton Hall Colliery engine house and was summonsed for vagrancy. On being told he had been driven from home the Bench only gave a caution.
Thomas Leech was summonsed for beating his wife Mary Ann but he did not appear so he was arrested. The next door neighbours gave evidence they had to go in to stop the beating. He received one month with hard labour.
The Express commented "The punishment metered out to a Featherstone defendant was richly deserved. The fellow had literally made his wife's face black and blue by striking her with his fists. When he saw in court what was likely to happen to him he whimpered like a child. He was no doubt brave enough when beating the face of his poor emaciated wife into a pulp. The husband did not take any wages home and the family had to subsist on the earnings of the boys. Is there any wonder some people never get beyond the hand to mouth system of living".
The residents of North Featherstone did not fancy the council's idea of providing them with hard water from Pontefract and a protest meeting was held. The council took notice and struck a deal with Wakefield Corporation for a new contract of a minimum of 75,000 gallons a day and a maximum of 150,000 gallons a day at 9d per 1,000 gallons. Cr Durnford warned they were already taking 125,000 gallons and in two years they would be over the new maximum (and have to pay more).
JUNE John Williamson of Wakefield Road stood on a bucket to hang himself from a hook at the side of the front door. He had been very depressed and his widow said he had left a note saying he could stand it no longer.
Charles Thomas was summonsed for deserting his wife and child and giving them no money for 14 weeks. They had to depend on her parents for their livelihood. He said he was unable to work because of illness and she should apply to the Guardians for relief if she needed it. The case was adjourned and they were reconciled by the date of the next hearing.
The miners' demonstration was held at Sheffield. Two well filled trains left Featherstone, but many decided to take advantage of the holiday to go to Leeds instead to see the Barnum and Bailey Show.
JULY The butcher's shop of Mr F Wagner in Station Lane was struck by lightning and some stonework was shattered. The nearby lockup shop of Mr Howcroft, a boot and shoe dealer at the end of Allison Street, caught fire. The police broke in and neighbours threw water on the fire and put it out. Joseph Hoyle, a butcher, went to Pontefract for Mr Howcroft. It was assumed this shop had also been struck by lightning.
Dr Buncle was appointed medical officer to the Coal Owners Mutual Indemnity Company for the whole of South and West Yorkshire.
OCTOBER PC Alsthorpe met John Harvey and Albert Fisher in Huntwick Lane at 1.30am. They ran away and he chased them, but they turned and attacked him knocking him to the ground and kicking him. Then they ran off. They were arrested but in court they denied they were the men involved. That did them no good and they were sent to prison for 14 days with hard labour.
The council approved plans for bank premises for Leatham and Tew at the Station Lane end of Maxwell Street. At the same meeting it was agreed to lay a water main as far as Leatham's Lodge.
The Local Government Board reported to the county council they had not received the Featherstone medical officer of health's report for 1897. The WRCC decided £20 would be deducted from Dr Buncle's salary as a penalty.
NOVEMBER Charles Bates, manager for six years of the Wakefield Industrial Society in Green Lane, left for Wakefield.
To celebrate his 70th birthday John Waller entertained 80 of his friends to dinner at the Junction Hotel. He also gave everyone in Featherstone and Purston who was on out-relief from the workhouse a five shilling piece.
The medical officer of health closed the schools because of a measles outbreak. He reported to the council there were also 19 cases of typhoid of which two had died. This prompted more councillors to complain about the state of the streets. Cr Booth said the streets in Green Lane were worse than a fallow field.
Fenton Wood Beardsall applied to the magistrates for an exemption certificate for vaccination. He said he had no wish to see his child suffer as scores of children had suffered from vaccination. He was granted a certificate on payment of 3s.
DECEMBER Isaac Cotton pleaded guilty at Leeds Assizes to bigamy. He said he had married his second wife because he was tired of tramping the country and he believed his first wife to be dead. The judge said if it was true he was not guilty and did he wish to change his plea, so he changed it to not guilty.
It was then explained he had married his first wife in Wigan in 1883. They parted and he came to live in Purston where he married again. His second wife said she was told later he was already married and when she faced him with it he said his first wife was dead.
The jury came back to tell the judge they could not agree but he told them to try again and pointed out Cotton had declined to go into the witness box to give evidence and had previously pleaded guilty. This time the jury found him guilty and he was sentenced to one month in prison.
An inquest was held on Henry Palfreyman aged 31 of South View, Purston. He was killed by a fall of roof at Ackton Hall Colliery and the jury decided it was accidental death.
Featherstone Main Colliery Accident Society had been in the habit of making special grants to apparently disabled miners to clear them off the books. Many of them had then started work again, so it was decided to discontinue this practice except after full inquiries to prevent anyone else working a fiddle.
The council decided to give a month's notice to Mr Matthews, the hospital caretaker, and to advertise the job at £1 3s 6d for a man and wife without encumbrances (no children). Mr Matthews who had four children would be given another Council job.
Warwick and Company of Boroughbridge owned a grocer's shop and off-licence in Featherstone which had been run by the Banks family since 1877. The owners decided to take possession and gave Samuel Banks notice to leave but he refused to go so the owners had to get a County Court order. Banks left but he refused to hand over the off-licence.
Joseph Whitworth applied on behalf of the owners for a temporary transfer to Henry Wardman. Banks told the magistrates he had kept the licence because at the appropriate time he wished to have it transferred on his own account to other premises. The Bench granted the transfer to Henry Wardman.
An inquest was held on Julia Johnson aged 18 months of Free Church Street. She was playing in the yard and fell head first into a water tub which had only five inches of water in it. She drowned before being discovered. The jury's verdict was accidental death.
THE BEGINNING OF THE FIRE SERVICE
Howcroft's shop at the end of Allison Street caught fire in July, probably after being struck by lightning. The neighbours put it out with buckets of water and there were some comments about the non-appearance of the council fire fighting apparatus.
It turned out it wasn't yet ordered but the criticism urged the council on and at their August meeting a tender from Rose and Company was accepted. The apparatus was delivered and found to be satisfactory and the bill was paid. So Featherstone at last had the rudiments of its own fire service.
SEWAGE PROBLEMS
The council agreed to give a trial to a pulsometer to pump sewage along the Wakefield Road sewer and to purchase it for £110 if it was satisfactory. In June after a fair trial it was found it would not pump the contents of the sewer which had too much solid matter for the amount of water present. The council decided to discourage the installation of WC's and patent tips in favour of privies and ash middens. Cr Durnford said sooner or later the council would have to put down a new main drain.
The sewage works couldn't cope and sewage was getting into the River Went outfall which caused some complaints. In October the council considered expanding the sewage works at a cost of about £5,000 and the surveyor was asked to prepare a scheme.
1898 NEWS ITEMS
JANUARY
At the council meeting Dr Buncle reported 56 cases of measles, two
deaths from scarlet fever and one from typhoid. A letter had been
received from the Local Government Board agreeing to measles being taken
off the the list of zymotic diseases. The council agreed to extend the
sewer down Halfpenny Lane because of expected building work. It was
suggested flagging a footpath from the station to the Featherstone Hotel
to persuade Ackton Hall Colliery workmen to use that side.
The bankruptcy was announced of Fred Peckit of Green Lane, a draper
and seller of boots and shoes. He had started with £30 capital and had
never kept proper books.
FEBRUARY
The council agreed to lay a footpath from Green Lane to Pontefract
Lane at North Featherstone. The cost would be £1,070 and road repairs
£1,740. A loan for the full amount could be serviced by a penny rate.
The National Telephone Company quoted the council £26 a year for five years for a telephone. The high cost was because the only other subscriber was at Hemsworth and poles and wires would have to be specially laid.
This photo from the Featherstone Heritage Group shows North Featherstone Lane with a footpath at one side only. It also shows a gas lamp, the lack of which was a problem for many years for North Featherstone.
The working men's club in the new Assembly Rooms was opened with 300 members. The committee said they were determined there would be no gambling on the premises. A week later the first entertainment in the Assembly Rooms was performed by the Hugh Dempsey Bright Lights Vaudeville Company. The Express commented the acoustic properties of the room are excellent, the stage scenery beautiful, and after several slight alterations the room will be one of the finest for some miles around.
MARCH The Burial Board signed the deed for a loan of £450 to extend the cemetery, build boundary walls and lay out the land.
A large Bray's lamp was to be installed at the end of Girnhill Lane with a separate meter so it could be lit when the council considered it necessary instead of with the other gas lamps.
Messrs Dowson had installed baths in houses in North Featherstone but had not put taps over them in an attempt to avoid paying the water rates for baths. The council decided that idea would not work.
At the gas company half-yearly meeting Mr Riley and Mr Maxwell said every effort should be made to supply gas to households and tradesmen at a much cheaper rate because the present price was out of reach of the majority of the inhabitants.
The Miners' Relief Fund for 1897 showed 101 members at Featherstone Main and none at Ackton Hall and Snydale. Benefits had been paid to four widows and seven permanently disabled members.
APRIL In the council elections Messrs Durnford and Keith were unopposed for the South and Snydale Wards. The voting for the other two was:
Purston - James Booth 175, J J Eley163.
North - William Johnson 191, Revd Stebbing 171.
The Pontefract Barracks gave a display in Purston National School. A three hour show included the band, boxing, gymnastics and singing. The building was crowded.
R Walmsley was elected chairman of the council. The council declared itself against the Government Bill for pensions for local government officials.
A meeting at the Railway Hotel decided to form a Featherstone and Purston Cycling Club.
Nineteen men from Featherstone, Purston, Normanton and Hemsworth were in court for gaming with coins in Little Lane on a Sunday morning. PC Anderson said he knew all the men by name but one produced a witness to say he was still in bed at the time. All the others were fined between 2s 6d and 15s.
Musical shows continued at the new Assembly Rooms. The Express commented the Assembly Rooms Company are to be congratulated upon now being able to obtain some of the best companies in the theatrical world. The orchestra is capitally arranged.
The opening of the Jubilee Hotel made the nearby New Inn redundant and it was put up for auction. At a final bid of £350 it was withdrawn from sale.
MAY The Burial Board decided to purchase an iron archway for under the trees at the entrance to the cemetery and four iron seats.
The Tradesmen's Association agreed to close shops all day on Whit Monday.
Ex-hangman James Berry gave a talk on prisons and prisoners at the Assembly Rooms. Coloured slides were shown by limelight and an exhibition of the cinematograph was given.
The union at Ackton Hall Colliery held a meeting to consider what to do because the late secretary Mr E Smith refused to give up the banner. Mr E Cowey said they had consulted a solicitor and would go to law if necessary. Some said the banner did not have the Yorkshire Miners' Association on it, but others said it had Ackton Hall Colliery on it and that was enough.
A meeting of Snydale Colliery miners at the Jubilee Hotel was held to consider a scheme to be used instead of the Compensation Act which would come into force in July. The masters and men would contribute 2d a week for members and a penny for half-members. The fund would be managed by the existing accident fund committee. Payouts would be - disablement 10s a week for two weeks then £1 a week, half-members at half those rates. For a death by accident the dependents would receive £150 of which £30 would come from the fund and £120 from the company. For a fatal accident with no dependents the payment would be £20, and for natural causes on the premises £15. It was considered this scheme would be better than seeking compensation at law and it would be put to a ballot.
John William Cookson age 18 of Featherstone and an unemployed driver was found sleeping in Ackton Hall Colliery engine house and was summonsed for vagrancy. On being told he had been driven from home the Bench only gave a caution.
Thomas Leech was summonsed for beating his wife Mary Ann but he did not appear so he was arrested. The next door neighbours gave evidence they had to go in to stop the beating. He received one month with hard labour.
The Express commented "The punishment metered out to a Featherstone defendant was richly deserved. The fellow had literally made his wife's face black and blue by striking her with his fists. When he saw in court what was likely to happen to him he whimpered like a child. He was no doubt brave enough when beating the face of his poor emaciated wife into a pulp. The husband did not take any wages home and the family had to subsist on the earnings of the boys. Is there any wonder some people never get beyond the hand to mouth system of living".
The residents of North Featherstone did not fancy the council's idea of providing them with hard water from Pontefract and a protest meeting was held. The council took notice and struck a deal with Wakefield Corporation for a new contract of a minimum of 75,000 gallons a day and a maximum of 150,000 gallons a day at 9d per 1,000 gallons. Cr Durnford warned they were already taking 125,000 gallons and in two years they would be over the new maximum (and have to pay more).
JUNE John Williamson of Wakefield Road stood on a bucket to hang himself from a hook at the side of the front door. He had been very depressed and his widow said he had left a note saying he could stand it no longer.
Charles Thomas was summonsed for deserting his wife and child and giving them no money for 14 weeks. They had to depend on her parents for their livelihood. He said he was unable to work because of illness and she should apply to the Guardians for relief if she needed it. The case was adjourned and they were reconciled by the date of the next hearing.
The miners' demonstration was held at Sheffield. Two well filled trains left Featherstone, but many decided to take advantage of the holiday to go to Leeds instead to see the Barnum and Bailey Show.
JULY The butcher's shop of Mr F Wagner in Station Lane was struck by lightning and some stonework was shattered. The nearby lockup shop of Mr Howcroft, a boot and shoe dealer at the end of Allison Street, caught fire. The police broke in and neighbours threw water on the fire and put it out. Joseph Hoyle, a butcher, went to Pontefract for Mr Howcroft. It was assumed this shop had also been struck by lightning.
Dr Buncle was appointed medical officer to the Coal Owners Mutual Indemnity Company for the whole of South and West Yorkshire.
The accident societies of both collieries in the town had had a serious
drain on their funds in the past year. The society at Ackton Hall
considered reducing the accident benefit from 10s to 5s a week after
three weeks on the club but decided against it.
An empty carriage going to Pontefract collided with a landau just past Leatham's Lodge. The landau then collided with a waggonette. The driver and occupants of the landau (from Batley) were thrown out. The waggonette broke in two and the horse bolted with the two front wheels. Dr Buncle was sent for and a mounted policeman went to Ackton Hall Colliery for the horse ambulance. Mr W Wright of Batley was taken to Clayton Hospital but all the others were treated by local residents and could carry on to Batley. They had been to Pontefract Races. Hundreds of local people gathered to watch the scene.
The council accepted the offer of the £10 remaining in the Jubilee Fund towards a bandstand in the recreation ground. The winning tender for the job was for £26 by Walter Hemmingway.
An empty carriage going to Pontefract collided with a landau just past Leatham's Lodge. The landau then collided with a waggonette. The driver and occupants of the landau (from Batley) were thrown out. The waggonette broke in two and the horse bolted with the two front wheels. Dr Buncle was sent for and a mounted policeman went to Ackton Hall Colliery for the horse ambulance. Mr W Wright of Batley was taken to Clayton Hospital but all the others were treated by local residents and could carry on to Batley. They had been to Pontefract Races. Hundreds of local people gathered to watch the scene.
The council accepted the offer of the £10 remaining in the Jubilee Fund towards a bandstand in the recreation ground. The winning tender for the job was for £26 by Walter Hemmingway.
This Ordnance Survey map shows Lord Masham's field converted into a recreation ground
and bandstand and allotments, and access from the new Post Office Road.
Cr Thompson wanted to resign from the council but he was asked to hang on to avoid the cost of another election.
PS Sparrow and PC Anderson were investigating the theft of hens in Featherstone when Cr Mason reported seven stolen from his hen-coop. The policemen followed clog marks and found the hens hidden on the railway embankment. The hens were wrapped in a shirt which they recognised. On tracking down the owner they found his clogs matched the imprints. The unnamed owner of the clogs received two months in jail.
An inquest was held on Wilfred Shaw of North Featherstone Lane aged 13 weeks. He was found dead in bed and Dr W McKinay said a post mortem revealed the stomach inflamed and containing rusks, not suitable for such a young child. The verdict was death from natural causes as a result of improper feeding.
The Good Templars' Mission Van was pitched opposite the Railway Hotel to preach temperance. Hundreds of people attended from Saturday to Tuesday and 38 pledges were taken.
AUGUST An inquest was held on George Horbury aged 22 of Streethouse. He was a shunter at Featherstone Main Colliery and was riding on his shunting stick when he fell off and was run over. The verdict was accidental death.
William Cowley was charged with damaging clover in a field in Purston belonging to Thomas Cuttle. He was fined 15s 6d plus the damage - 3d.
Michael Gallagher of Featherstone was charged with wounding Thomas Smith of Normanton. Emma Gallaher, his wife, lived with Smith with whom she had gone visiting to a house in Featherstone. Gallagher found out and came in and struck Smith on the head with a knife but the wound was not serious. Mr Clayton-Smith asked the Bench to reduce the charge from unlawful wounding to common assault because of the provocation. The Bench agreed and fined Gallagher £1.
The Ackton Hall Colliery excursion was to Blackpool. A saloon coach was added to one train for the workers, wives and children of Mr H Mollekin, builder. The trains carried 1,200 passengers who should have left for home at 10.25pm but the trains were not in the station. They left 30 minutes late, packed out and minus Mr Mollekin's coach. One should have stopped at Sharlston but didn't, and the families had to walk home in the early hours. The Accident Society committee decided to make a strong complaint to the railway company.
SEPTEMBER At the half-yearly meeting of the gas company Mr J Maxwell again urged a reduction in the price to encourage householders to use gas instead of lamp oil. Several directors did not agree and said there would be difficulty in collecting payment of the quarterly bills unless the penny-in-the-slot system was adopted. The price had been reduced in July from 4s 2d to 4s per 1,000 cubic feet. It was agreed to increase the share capital by £2,000 to pay off the overdraft and have some capital in hand.
Cr Thompson wanted to resign from the council but he was asked to hang on to avoid the cost of another election.
PS Sparrow and PC Anderson were investigating the theft of hens in Featherstone when Cr Mason reported seven stolen from his hen-coop. The policemen followed clog marks and found the hens hidden on the railway embankment. The hens were wrapped in a shirt which they recognised. On tracking down the owner they found his clogs matched the imprints. The unnamed owner of the clogs received two months in jail.
An inquest was held on Wilfred Shaw of North Featherstone Lane aged 13 weeks. He was found dead in bed and Dr W McKinay said a post mortem revealed the stomach inflamed and containing rusks, not suitable for such a young child. The verdict was death from natural causes as a result of improper feeding.
The Good Templars' Mission Van was pitched opposite the Railway Hotel to preach temperance. Hundreds of people attended from Saturday to Tuesday and 38 pledges were taken.
AUGUST An inquest was held on George Horbury aged 22 of Streethouse. He was a shunter at Featherstone Main Colliery and was riding on his shunting stick when he fell off and was run over. The verdict was accidental death.
William Cowley was charged with damaging clover in a field in Purston belonging to Thomas Cuttle. He was fined 15s 6d plus the damage - 3d.
Michael Gallagher of Featherstone was charged with wounding Thomas Smith of Normanton. Emma Gallaher, his wife, lived with Smith with whom she had gone visiting to a house in Featherstone. Gallagher found out and came in and struck Smith on the head with a knife but the wound was not serious. Mr Clayton-Smith asked the Bench to reduce the charge from unlawful wounding to common assault because of the provocation. The Bench agreed and fined Gallagher £1.
The Ackton Hall Colliery excursion was to Blackpool. A saloon coach was added to one train for the workers, wives and children of Mr H Mollekin, builder. The trains carried 1,200 passengers who should have left for home at 10.25pm but the trains were not in the station. They left 30 minutes late, packed out and minus Mr Mollekin's coach. One should have stopped at Sharlston but didn't, and the families had to walk home in the early hours. The Accident Society committee decided to make a strong complaint to the railway company.
SEPTEMBER At the half-yearly meeting of the gas company Mr J Maxwell again urged a reduction in the price to encourage householders to use gas instead of lamp oil. Several directors did not agree and said there would be difficulty in collecting payment of the quarterly bills unless the penny-in-the-slot system was adopted. The price had been reduced in July from 4s 2d to 4s per 1,000 cubic feet. It was agreed to increase the share capital by £2,000 to pay off the overdraft and have some capital in hand.
OCTOBER PC Alsthorpe met John Harvey and Albert Fisher in Huntwick Lane at 1.30am. They ran away and he chased them, but they turned and attacked him knocking him to the ground and kicking him. Then they ran off. They were arrested but in court they denied they were the men involved. That did them no good and they were sent to prison for 14 days with hard labour.
The council approved plans for bank premises for Leatham and Tew at the Station Lane end of Maxwell Street. At the same meeting it was agreed to lay a water main as far as Leatham's Lodge.
The Local Government Board reported to the county council they had not received the Featherstone medical officer of health's report for 1897. The WRCC decided £20 would be deducted from Dr Buncle's salary as a penalty.
NOVEMBER Charles Bates, manager for six years of the Wakefield Industrial Society in Green Lane, left for Wakefield.
To celebrate his 70th birthday John Waller entertained 80 of his friends to dinner at the Junction Hotel. He also gave everyone in Featherstone and Purston who was on out-relief from the workhouse a five shilling piece.
The medical officer of health closed the schools because of a measles outbreak. He reported to the council there were also 19 cases of typhoid of which two had died. This prompted more councillors to complain about the state of the streets. Cr Booth said the streets in Green Lane were worse than a fallow field.
Another councillor queried a payment of £6 12s 6d to the caretaker of the
smallpox hospital in Little Lane which had been given in addition to the
normal wages of 23s 6d plus a free house. He was told this was for
"rations" because the caretaker was not allowed to leave the house when
there were patients in the hospital. Mr Denton said the agreement was
for the caretaker's children to be "put out" when there were patients
there. The meeting refused permission for builders Townsend and Glover to use lead pipes for water instead of galvanised iron.
Fenton Wood Beardsall applied to the magistrates for an exemption certificate for vaccination. He said he had no wish to see his child suffer as scores of children had suffered from vaccination. He was granted a certificate on payment of 3s.
DECEMBER Isaac Cotton pleaded guilty at Leeds Assizes to bigamy. He said he had married his second wife because he was tired of tramping the country and he believed his first wife to be dead. The judge said if it was true he was not guilty and did he wish to change his plea, so he changed it to not guilty.
It was then explained he had married his first wife in Wigan in 1883. They parted and he came to live in Purston where he married again. His second wife said she was told later he was already married and when she faced him with it he said his first wife was dead.
The jury came back to tell the judge they could not agree but he told them to try again and pointed out Cotton had declined to go into the witness box to give evidence and had previously pleaded guilty. This time the jury found him guilty and he was sentenced to one month in prison.
An inquest was held on Henry Palfreyman aged 31 of South View, Purston. He was killed by a fall of roof at Ackton Hall Colliery and the jury decided it was accidental death.
Featherstone Main Colliery Accident Society had been in the habit of making special grants to apparently disabled miners to clear them off the books. Many of them had then started work again, so it was decided to discontinue this practice except after full inquiries to prevent anyone else working a fiddle.
The council decided to give a month's notice to Mr Matthews, the hospital caretaker, and to advertise the job at £1 3s 6d for a man and wife without encumbrances (no children). Mr Matthews who had four children would be given another Council job.
Warwick and Company of Boroughbridge owned a grocer's shop and off-licence in Featherstone which had been run by the Banks family since 1877. The owners decided to take possession and gave Samuel Banks notice to leave but he refused to go so the owners had to get a County Court order. Banks left but he refused to hand over the off-licence.
Joseph Whitworth applied on behalf of the owners for a temporary transfer to Henry Wardman. Banks told the magistrates he had kept the licence because at the appropriate time he wished to have it transferred on his own account to other premises. The Bench granted the transfer to Henry Wardman.
An inquest was held on Julia Johnson aged 18 months of Free Church Street. She was playing in the yard and fell head first into a water tub which had only five inches of water in it. She drowned before being discovered. The jury's verdict was accidental death.