A HISTORY OF FEATHERSTONE
1952
THE COUNCIL
JANUARY
Residents on the Leatham Park Estate complained the work needed after
mining subsidence had not been done by the National Coal Board. The council agreed to pursue the matter.
FEBRUARY
Following the death of King George VI, the proclamation of the
accession of Queen Elizabeth II was read from the steps of the council
offices by the chairman Cr T Morgan, and was followed by the playing of
the national anthem.
All tenants of post-war council houses would be informed they could not
keep fowls, rabbits or rodents about the premises. Emergency repairs to
property on the Leatham Estate by the NCB had been carried out. The
C
council was concerned about children using the All Saints' churchyard as
a playground, and asked parents to help the council to put a stop to
it.
MARCH
The council decided to have an annual carnival day to be held in June.
The Clerk of the Peace would be told of the urgent need for more
Justices because of difficulties caused in the signing of documents.
There was only one in the whole of the urban area.
APRIL
A method was adopted for the letting of council house by which 60%
would be let from a points system, 30% would be reserved for emergency
cases, and 10% for newly-married couples who did not qualify under the
points system.
The attention of the police would be drawn to complaints about the
night parking of vehicles in the streets throughout the district.
MAY
The council received a letter from the police about the increasing
number of cases of lead stealing. It was agreed to keep a register of
old metal dealers and marine store dealers.
At the annual meeting Cr W Griffiths was elected chairman, and Cr Bessie Major was welcomed to the council.
JUNE Miss Kathleen Gilbert age 20 of Albert Street was chosen to be queen for the forthcoming Gala.
JULY
The council granted rent relief to a tenant whose house was affected by
mining subsidence, and asked for a report on another house in Little
Lane. Featherstone joined other councils from Castleford, Pontefract,
Hemsworth and Knottingley to form an Osgoldcross Joint Cremation Board.
SEPTEMBER
Plans for 20 old people's dwellings at Cressey's corner were approved.
The NCB were told the council would not agree to them building houses
on sites earmarked for council houses, and suggested a site in Girnhill Lane.
OCTOBER The council was concerned about damage to shrubs and trees on the Ackton Lane Estate and said proceedings would be taken against future offenders. It was agreed to buy 100 rose trees for the park and prepare plans to convert Purston Hall into a civic centre. Council tenants were told they must pay an insurance premium to the council if they erected a television aerial.
All the council house rents would be increased except the 1914 estate which was protected by the Rent Restriction Act. Cr Harper said the post war houses had never been let at an economic rent.
NOVEMBER
It was said if equipment was delivered as promised the new water tower
should be in operation by the end of the month. Flashing beacons were to
be put at the pedestrian crossing at Purston School.
DECEMBER
The council approved a plan to use Purston Hall as a civic centre.
Consent was to be given to the NCB to use land off Girnhill Lane for 174
houses for miners.
THE CRICKET CLUB
The annual dinner of the Featherstone and Purston Cricket, Tennis and
Bowling Club was held at the Junction Hotel in January. A presentation
was made to Mr H (Toby) Mason who was groundsman from 1922 to 1950. He
received an inscribed walnut clock from the president, Mr A E England.
Mr Arthur Booth, the former Featherstone and Yorkshire cricketer,
proposed the toast for the club. He felt the low position of the club in
the league table was due to lack of practice, but he praised the
women's committee who helped the club financially.
Mr England acknowledged the work of the women's committee and said
they had plans for a new tearoom which would be a costly item.
Dr J Duncan once again proposed the toast for the town. He said the
muckstacks were still Featherstone's most characteristic feature, and he
welcomed the new look Purston Park, more new houses (making the total
since the war into 400) and the pithead baths at Snydale Colliery. In
his 26 years in Featherstone it had lost dreadful houses, dreadful
streets, not all of which had gone, and an atmosphere polluted with
sulphur.
The chairman of the Council, Cr T Morgan, said the local organisations
(rugby league and cricket?) had to struggle to exist, but it was amazing
how they kept going. Featherstone Council with housing its biggest
headache, was proud to have let its 1,000th house recently.
TWO PUB DISPUTES
There
was trouble at two pubs which led to four men being up before the
Pontefract magistrates at the same sitting in January. The first
confrontation was at the Bradley Arms between Jack Brown of North
Featherstone and Lewis Griffiths of Wakefield. Griffiths was assisting
the licensee, a relative, and Brown accidentally knocked a bottle from a
tray which Griffiths was carrying.
The two went into the yard, presumably for a fight but were restrained.
A little later they went outside again where Brown was alleged to have
removed his coat and struck Griffiths several times. Griffiths was taken
into the hotel where a doctor saw him and then sent him to hospital.
Griffiths told the Bench he had 12 stitches in his top lip, two in his
bottom lip and one on his head. He said he never attempted to defend
himself. Brown maintained Griffiths had a grievance against him because
of the drink being knocked over. He said Griffiths struck at him but did
not connect. He felt several of his blows connect, and when Griffiths
fell to the ground and continued struggling he hit him twice again.
Mr A R Collen, representing Brown, said it was one of those occasions
when people decided to settle their differences by blows. He suggested
Griffiths was the man who had asked for the trouble. The magistrates
agreed and dismissed the charge of causing grievous bodily harm against
Brown.
The second set to was between George Copland of Featherstone and Thomas
Jones of Purston in the Junction Hotel. An argument arose between Jones
and James Copland, George's brother. They were told by the licensee to
go out. They continued arguing outside and it ended in a fight which was
described as the two throwing their arms about and not hitting
anything.
While Jones was sitting on the ground, George came up and hit him
several blows in the face and he lost consciousness. Jones later
attended Pontefract General Infirmary and St James's Hospital, Leeds. It
was found he had two fractures of the jaw, a fracture of the nose, and
because of the condition of his jaw, all his bottom teeth would have to
be removed.
When seen by the police Copland said he was sorry, he did not know it
was as bad as that, and he wished it had not happened. The Bench said it
took a serious view of what appeared to be a readiness to fight, and
hoped it would be a lesson to him to keep a curb on his fists. They
fines George Copland £5 plus costs. PURSTON CHURCH HALL
Members
of Purston Parish Church were congratulated in February by the Bishop
of Wakefield on their courage and enthusiasm in building a church hall
in such difficult times, and thanked for the encouragement their example
would provide.
The
new hall, built at a cost of £2,500 alongside the Parish Church,
provided seating for about 200 people, but many more were
present at the opening and dedication ceremonies by the bishop.
The bishop recalled it was his fourth visit to Purston and said without
a hall of some kind, true parish life was impossible, and he was glad
to see the hall so near the church.
The Express described
the building as light and airy, consisting of a main hall, a committee
room, a well equipped kitchen, and cloak and toilet rooms. A loan from
the Diocese of £1,000 would be repaid over seven years. The photo
shows the bishop and the vicar, Revd I O Jay, having a chat with Miss J
S Alexander MBE, a long standing member of the church and Sunday School
teacher. A Wakefield Libraries photo.
THE ROVERS
Mr
A H Greaves, the financial secretary, appealed to the ten branches of
the supporters' clubs for urgent financial help at a meeting held in the
Miners' Welfare in February. He said the position was worsened because
seven of the remaining ten league fixtures were away games.
Mr A Berry, the secretary, said this was because of the admission of
Workington AFC to the football league (they used the same ground as
Workington Town) which caused last minute alterations to the fixture
list.
The Rovers beat Rochdale Hornets and Batley to get into the third round
draw for the Rugby League Cup for the first time since 1925. The draw
gave them a third round home game against Wigan, and the committee had
the problem of getting a quart into a pint pot. It was decided to make
the game all ticket and no person would be allowed to buy more than two
tickets.
The supporters worked many hours to improve the banking and terracing.
Six foot concrete slabs were used for terracing, and 76 were laid in one
day. They planned to work right up to the time of the match. Their
efforts resulted in the ground capacity for the game being fixed
at 16,000. The club was trying to get in touch with the 13 players who
faced Wigan in 1924.
In
the event, 14,344 turned up, a record Post Office Road attendance. Wigan were beaten 14-11, and the Rovers were
in the semi-final for the first time. The cartoon below is from the Express, and the past and present players photo is from the Dr Gatecliff Collection.
The
Rovers sold 8,915 tickets for the semi-final against Leigh at
Headingley, and rewarded their supporters by winning 6-2 to gain a place
in the final at Wembley. The attendance at Headingley was 34,000, by
far the largest attendance for a Rovers game.
The final was against Workington Town on 19 April. The team went to
Westcliff on Sea in Essex on the Tuesday before the game. From the early
hours on the day of the match Station Lane was busy with people making
their way to the station for the special trains to London.
It was the first final to be televised, and those who stayed at home
crowded into the houses of those fortunate enough to have a television.
Fifty people saw the match at the Junction Hotel, and 600 old people
watched it on 40 sets in the Miners' Welfare Hall.
In the end 72,093 spectators saw the Rovers lose 18-10. The Rovers
player coach Eric Batten said "We cannot win every time, and I think we
were beaten by a better team, but we made them fight". The team was:
Freddie Miller; Eric Batten, Don Metcalfe, Alan Tennant, Norman
Mitchell; Ray Cording, Ray Evans; Ken Welburn, Bill Bradshaw, John Daly,
Fred Hulme, Laurie Gant, Cliff Lambert.
When they arrived home the team transferred to a single deck bus with a
specially constructed platform on the roof. At Houndhill Lane they were
met by Yorkshire's Rugby League Queen Jean Bowen and Featherstone's
Carnival Queen Pat Wilson. They were led to Post Office Road by the
Ackton Hall and Snydale Collieries Workmen's Band, which because of the crowds
took 35 minutes.
On the stand, the chairman of the Council, Cr T Morgan, welcomed the
team home. Eric Batten responded for the players. He acknowledged the
wonderful reception and made no excuses for the defeat and claimed the
team were not disgraced. The party then went to the Lister Hall for an
official reception by the Council of over 160 people. The hall was
decorated with the Rovers blue and white colours. Mr R H Jackson, the club
chairman, regretted the absence of the president, Mr A Bullock. He said
"To be ill at this time must have been the great disappointment of his
life". He thought Wembley was a great ordeal for the many young players
in the team, but the Rugby League secretary, Mr W Fallowfield, had
congratulated the club on playing its full part in a grand final. The photo of the programme is personal and the crowd in Station Lane was uploaded to Featherstone Bygone Days by Tracy Sharp..
In
June Mr A Berry resigned as secretary and he was replaced by Mr G L
Collier of Featherstone Lane who was chosen from 28 applicants. Mr F
Bell of Ivy Street replaced Mr W Randall as full-time groundsman.
The season's accounts showed a loss on the season of £743 despite a
rise of over £4,000 in gate receipts. This was offset by an increase in
signing on fees of £2,500 and £2,000 in players' wages and expenses.
The annual get together at the Junction Hotel where the players
entertained the committee was held in June. Mr W Williams made the
arrangements for the 20th year in succession. He congratulated the team
on their magnificent performance at Wembley and said the young blood
introduced to the team had worked wonders. As young players came on,
older ones had to hang up their boots, and he urged them to do so
gracefully.
Mr E Fearnside presented a testimonial cheque for £216 each to Jack
Blackburn and Jimmy Russell who had now retired, and praised their loyal
service since 1939.
The annual meeting was held at the Welfare in June. Mr E Holstead, the
accountant, thought the balance sheet would appear to some people to be
an anticlimax after the magnificent effort of the team in reaching
Wembley. He said "I found from the accounts, however, that getting to Wembley is
an expensive business. But the success of the club last season cannot be
measured in cold figures, and it is to be hoped its vastly improved
playing record receives financial reward next season".
Mr J Caulfield of Pontefract described the balance sheet as most
appalling, and asked whether the large party which went to Wembley was
justified in view of the club's precarious financial position.
The chairman, Mr R H Jackson, thought the nine members of the committee
who accompanied the players were justified in going, and the players
appreciated their presence. He stressed insufficient receipts from
league games was the primary cause of the present financial position.
The voting for the committee resulted in Dr M B Garnett, John Jepson
and Tommy Woodcock being elected. Mr A Haigh lost his seat.
The appearance in the cup final earned the Rovers a game against the
Australian tourists in October which they lost 15-50. Persistent rain
kept the attendance down to 3,800. The Australians were entertained to
dinner at the Junction Hotel after the game.
LEATHAM PARK CHILDREN'S FUND CLOSES
The committee of the Leatham Park Estate Children's Fund said in March lack of support from the
estate residents was making things awkward. It was decided unless
further support was forthcoming this year's effort would be the last.
In April all the members of the working committee resigned. Mr W Eyre, the secretary, wrote to the Express thanking
them for the interest shown in their efforts and said he was deeply
sorry to see such a grand organisation come to a sorry end. It will ring
down the curtain as the show is ended.
Subscriptions for the present year by residents of the estate would be
returned to them, and any surplus would be handed to charity or a
hospital fund.
MR J E GRAHAM BEM
Mr
J R Graham of Halfpenny Lane was awarded the BEM in the Queen's
Birthday Honours List published in June. He began work at Ackton Hall
Colliery in 1917 and was foreman boilersmith since 1919. He was a member
of the former Burial Board, and a special constable from 1936 to 1938
when he resigned to take charge of ARP work at the colliery. He was
superintendent of the colliery's fire brigade for 20 years and a member
of the council from 1946 to 1949, also chairman of the Featherstone
savings committee.
In
sport he was chairman of the first Featherstone Rovers Supporters' Club
from 1926 to 1929, and later chairman again and then a life member. He also
served as chairman for the Featherstone and Purston Cricket, Tennis and
Bowling Club, and for the former carnival committee.
THE GALA
After last year's successful council gala it was decided to have an annual one.
It was held in a heat wave in June which turned out to be too hot for
some. The queen, Kathleen Gilbert rode in an open top car from
the Bradley Arms with her attendants Norma Brooks and Lilian Taylor. She
collapsed soon after arriving at the park, and the crowning ceremony
had to be delayed until later and then she was taken home.
A
host of attractions kept the large crowd entertained throughout the
day, and the evening illuminations and the fireworks which ended the
gala provided a fine spectacle.
There was more drama. Joshua Telford age 69 of Little Lane collapsed
when leaving the park in the afternoon and had to be assisted home. It
was found he had had a heart attack. William Walton age 35 of Leatham Park
Road was walking home at the end of the gala when he collapsed. He was
taken by ambulance to Pontefract General Infirmary but was dead on
arrival.
THE DISTRICT GALAS
The 24th annual gala for Welgarth Road and The Green was held in July.
The Carnival Queen, June Dodson, was crowned by the retiring queen, Jean
Cousins, and then there was a procession down to Pontefract Road, round
by the Junction Hotel and back to The Green.
There
were 20 competitors for the fancy dress competition. The judges could
not decide so all were given a prize. There were sports for the
children, a tea for all under a marquee, and the event closed with
dancing and fireworks.
The Old Featherstone and Ackton Children's and Old Folk's Treat was also held in July, and was held over two days. On the Saturday there was a procession headed by the Ackton Hall and Snydale Collieries Workmen's Band, followed by the Queen, Miss F Matthewman, and a number of gaily decorated drays. It toured the district and ended in Messrs Copley's field where tea was served to about 300 children and 150 old people.
There were selections by the band and others by the Wakefield Comic Band, Mr F Brookes (ventriloquist and conjurer), a Punch and Judy show, a model aircraft exhibition, and many competitions. On the Monday there were sports for the children.
THE ANNUAL HEALTH REPORT
Dr
J P Fraser in his annual report, published in September, said the
population was 13,840, and the number of inhabited houses was 3,903.
There were 531 cases of measles, and immunisation against diphtheria was
received by 186 children. The home nursing service was operated by two
nurses and a relief nurse, and over 200 cases were treated and 7,806
visits made.
In
his report the sanitary inspector, Mr J Hilsley, said the new water
tower was approaching completion and should provide adequate pressure to
all parts of the district. More privies were converted leaving 126
still to be done.
The demand for houses showed no signs of abating and there was a
waiting list of 849. During the year 66 houses and bungalows were
completed and six built by private enterprise. Houses built since 1946
totalled 484.
PEA PULLERS' PROBLEM
John
Joseph and Harold Baker traded as J Baker and Son and were in
Castleford Court in November charged with using a motor lorry and
carrying passengers whereby injury was likely to be caused. The
lorry. driven by Bramwell Hill of Featherstone, was stopped by two
policemen who told the court it was crowded with men, women and children
who said they were pea pullers. The police said they were sat on
the sides and tailboard. They counted them and there were 39.
An insurance official told the court the company would have no
hesitation in paying any claim if the lorry had been involved in an
accident because they were satisfied the passengers were not being
carried for hire or reward, but in accordance with a contract.
Hill said when he left Baker's place of business all the passengers
were sat on the floor of the lorry, and in that position would have been
perfectly safe. Arthur Copley, a North Featherstone farmer, said he had
a contract with Baker's to carry scales, pea bags and pea pullers. At
times there was difficulty with the pea pullers as some would not wait
for a second lorry to take them.
The magistrates said because of the insurance company's cover note the
three defendants would not be disqualified, but they were fined for
other technical offences.
CHRISTMAS DANCES
Featherstone Rovers had their usual Boxing Day dance in the Lister Hall. The Express said it
was well attended but did not give the number. The Cricket Club
followed with their customary New Year's Eve dance. In the presence of
over 500 people the Three Sunbeams appeared on the stage at midnight,
and the five year old daughter of Mr W S Newton, the club treasurer, was
Miss 1953. The singing of Auld Land Syne was led by Mr H Mason.
A series of dances over the Christmas and new year period were arranged by Norman Longbottom. 
1952 NEWS ITEMS
JANUARY
Featherstone and Pontefract firemen made their sixth call out to a fire
in the false roofs of prefabs in Leatham Crescent. They were caused by
sparks from the chimney dropping onto dried grass in the roof. The grass
was from birds building their nests and there was a fault design
of the roof apex which allowed dropped grass to accumulate. Council
workmen were fixing aluminium sheeting under the ridge to prevent
further occurrences.
A committee was formed in 1950 to help the Cresswell Colliery Disaster Fund. Members were the Miners' Welfare, the Rovers, the cricket club,
and the working men's clubs. They held a meeting in the North
Featherstone Lane WMC and decided to change the name to the Ackton
Hospital Television Fund, the first objective being to provide a
television for the men's ward.
FEBRUARY Mr J C Avery of Highfield Foods Ltd appeared on the programme What's My Line on the television. His job of making noodles didn't fool the panel.
A concert was held in the Hippodrome in aid of the Ackton Hospital Television Fund and raised about £45. This raised the total so far to £83, and a television set had already been installed at the hospital.
MARCH The Featherstone and District Musical and Dramatic Society put on their latest offering Rose Marie at the Miners' Welfare Hall. The Express revue was slightly critical and said at the opening performance it needed a little more polish and assurance at times, but the first-night nerves soon disappeared.APRIL At Leeds Town Hall Jean Bowen, the Rovers' Rugby Queen, was selected as the Rugby League Queen for Yorkshire.
Featherstone Fire Brigade was called to a snap cabin in the locomotive shed at Featherstone Main Colliery. In spite of their efforts it was completely burnt out.
MAY Ackton Hall Colliery produced a record weekly amount of coal since nationalisation of 13,156 tons.
JUNE The county education authority wanted to use Purston Church Hall as additional accommodation for Purston School and their land agent offered £100 a year rent. The church council said it wasn't enough and suggested £150, but the land agent considered that unreasonable.
JULY The committee of the Ackton Hospital Television Fund met and decided to change the name to the Featherstone and District Comforts Fund. Mr R H Jackson was thanked for installing and providing the aerial for the second set for Ackton Hospital. The fund's next effort would be to provide Christmas gifts for the patients in Ackton Hospital.
AUGUST A meeting was held in Ackton Hall Colliery offices to discuss the change from local miners' welfare committees to the Coal Industry Social Welfare Organisation. The cricket club and the Rovers were represented plus intermediate football clubs, but later the Rovers said they could not be involved because they were a professional organisation.
A concert was held in Ackton Hospital for the presentation of the second television set. Each had cost £86, but so successful was the new comforts fund that £260 had been collected so far.
OCTOBER The annual meeting of the British Legion was held at the Featherstone Hotel. It was agreed to increase the annual subscription from 2s 6d to 3s because their credit balance had dropped to £100. As a result of a membership drive a record figure of 440 was reported.
Nurse E Leach of Featherstone Lane was one of four West Riding nurses, among about 130 from the whole country, who were invited to the House of Commons to receive a long-service badge for 21 years' service in the Queen's Institute of District Nursing. The photo is from Aberdeen Archives on the internet.
NOVEMBER There were two fires in one week. A platelayer's hut at Featherstone Main Colliery was destroyed, and a haystack at the sewage farm caught fire but two thirds of it were saved. Featherstone firemen were helped out by colleagues from Castleford at the first one and Pontefract at the other.
Writing in the parish magazine, the Vicar of Purston, Revd I O Jay, said the total cost of the church hall was £3,029, of which £1,200 was a loan which had to be paid back in six years. Donations had not come up to expectations and he said the financial position was grave.
In one week Ackton Hall Colliery produced a record output of 14,422 tons. This was achieved by working Saturday morning.
DECEMBER Passers by including PC Smith noticed a fire in the engineering works of Birshall of Purston. They used fire extinguishers until firemen arrived from Featherstone and Pontefract. The damage was limited to a burnt wooden first floor.
The Hospital Comforts Fund arranged entertainment for the patients and a dance for the staff at Christmas. The Featherstone and District Musical and Dramatic Society put on the pantomime Cinderella at the Miners' Welfare Hall.
