THE FEATHERSTONE ........CHRONICLE....... ...........the 1950s..........: 1956

A HISTORY OF FEATHERSTONE

1956

THE COUNCIL

JANUARY It was reported the electricity supply in Featherstone was overloaded, so the council agreed to lease a site in Post Office Road to the Yorkshire Electricity Board for a sub-station.

Mr F L Conway, the park's superintendent, was to leave for another post, and the council recorded its appreciation of his work. Plans were approved for a new infants' school in Purston. The county council were to have the bottom of Station Lane crossroads inspected by an engineer of the Ministry of Transport for road safety.

Because of the high interest rate on loans it was decided not to go ahead with the provision of a cafe in Purston Park for the time being.

FEBRUARY It was decided to put fluorescent or sodium lighting on main roads in the estimates for 1956-57. Mr John C Binns from Lancashire was appointed park superintendent in succession to Mr Conway.

MARCH The streets on the Common Lane housing estate would be named Priory Road, Hardwick Road and Huntwick Road. The surveyor would inspect Henrietta Street after a complaint about its deplorable condition.

APRIL For the first time since 1951 there would be a contest in the council elections. The nominations were:

North Ward - John Parker, checkweighman, Manor Drive (Labour).

South Ward - Henry Woodcock, miner, Pontefract Road (Labour).

Ackton and Snydale Ward - Harold Darbyshire, miner, Ackworth Road (Labour).

Purston Ward - Willie Bingley, miner, Cherry Garth (Labour)

Alfred Jeffries Davis, insurance agent, Pontefract Road.

Mr Davis, an Independent Labour candidate, won by about 1,000 votes. (The voting figures in the Express are not readable.)

The council decided all employees would have to apply annually to continue when they were 65 years old, and would have to retire when they were 70. The use of the slipper baths in the Lister Baths would be ended because of the cost. A licence would be obtained for gramophone records to be played at Purston Park on Saturdays and Sundays.

MAY The county council agreed to the ward changes requested by Featherstone Council. There were complaints about refuse collectors throwing refuse into the street before loading it on the vehicle.

The divisional education officer asked the council to consider allocating homes to teachers because of the difficulty in obtaining suitable applicants for vacancies at Featherstone schools. The council decided to take no action. It was resolved to take a traffic census at the bottom of Station Lane to support the council's suggestion of traffic lights. All footpaths would be examined after complaints some had been ploughed over.

JUNE It was agreed Mr Doubtfire would be permitted to hold fairs in Purston Park in September for £50 and next June for £100. A scheme to alter the fountain in the park was approved in principle but would be deferred. It was resolved the War Memorial, blown down in a gale, be repaired as soon as possible.

SEPTEMBER A clearance order was made for all the back-to-back houses from Fearnley Street to Wilson Street. The Coal Board would be asked about the future of No.21 Ackton Village which it was thought should be preserved because of its historical nature.

OCTOBER The tenants of the houses in the clearance order were told they would have to be vacated in the next 28 days. A tender of £72,180 from W Birch and Sons of York for the new South Featherstone sewage works was accepted.

NOVEMBER A tender of £2,020 was accepted from Adams Hydraulics Ltd for improvement work at the South Featherstone Sewage Works.

DECEMBER The council bought 14 acres of land to extend the Common Lane housing estate. Common and rustic bricks for 170 dwellings would be obtained from the London Brick Company.

After receiving a letter from the county council about the welfare of elderly people, the surveyor was asked to prepare a scheme to provide wardens' accommodation and a community room to serve old people's bungalows in Green Lane and Halfpenny Lane.

Permission was given to Sutcliffe Hydraulics Ltd to use the defunct Ebenezer Chapel in Featherstone Lane.

THE TOWN HALL OPENED

In January, Hugh Gaitskell, the Labour Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, arrived in Featherstone to open the new Town Hall converted from Purston Hall at a cost of £18,500. At the ceremony he said "In the old days most of the houses and parks were privately owned, but there has been what I would call progress, Houses such as this have become the property of the community". He then unlocked the door and the party inspected the building.

In the council chamber a second ceremony took place. Cr J Harper was invested by Mr G O Sylvester, MP for Pontefract, with the new chain of office bought by public subscription. Cr Harper expressed his pride at being the first wearer of the chain. The photo is from the Dr Gatecliff Collection.

The council then entertained the guests to dinner in Lister Hall. In the after dinner speeches Mr Gaitskell said whenever a local authority undertook a project of that nature there were always some complaints about the expenditure. But there was such a thing as civic pride, which should be encouraged. The old council offices were no longer satisfactory, and the council now had one of the most convenient, commodious and attractive town halls in the neighbourhood. He felt the council had secured a very good bargain for the money spent.

THE AMDRAMS

The Featherstone and District Amateur Musical and Dramatic Society chose Sinbad the Sailor for their pantomime in January, and intended an all under 21 cast, an official saying "We are following the Rovers and giving youth a chance".
The Express commented "It was perhaps as well a few old hands remained. Because of stilted, unnatural dialogue, the good ship Golden Sovereign found herself in choppy waters. There was compensation in much lively singing and clever dancing; the choruses were bright and tuneful and the dancing of the Sunbeams was particularly effective.
"The effect of immaturity was noticeable but the newcomers, in addition to gaining experience, must have been encouraged by the warmth of their first night reception by the audience."

The main event was Maid of the Mountains, a production put on at the Miners' Welfare Hall in March. The Express commented "On the opening night the company seemed to enjoy their work as much as the capacity audience of old people from Featherstone, Pontefract, Ackworth. Shafton and Crofton. There was a pleasant dancing team of six and a chorus of 30, which sang the familiar and tuneful numbers with gusto".

At the annual meeting in June it was decided the production next year would be No, No Nanette. Mr A Bullock was re-elected president.

THE ROVERS

Beryl Davis age 17 was chosen as Miss Featherstone Rovers at a dance in the Lister Baths arranged by the supporters' club in January. Her sister Brenda was queen at the Leatham Park Estate Gala in 1949.

At a members' meeting held in the St John Ambulance Rooms in February the financial secretary, Mr A H Greaves said although the gates averaged £378 a match which was higher than last season, the club was still losing about £100 a match and about £850 had been lost so far this season, but the best home fixtures were still to come.

Mr J Jepson, the vice-president, spoke about the new dressing rooms and other ground improvements and expressed the club's indebtedness to the president, Mr A Bullock, and the many supporters clubs which between them had spent about £600 on the ground.

It was announced the club was due to £550 from the profits of the Rugby League Tour, but £350 would be deducted from the Rovers' sum by the Rugby League to pay off the remaining £350 debt on the 1926 stand loan.

The accounts for last season, published in June, showed new record net gate receipts of £10,277 and a profit on the season of £205, the fourth time since the last war.

The annual meeting was held in the Miners' Welfare Hall in June. It was reported the club membership was 1,560. In the financial report the auditor, Mr E Holstead, said many assets were not included because they were provided by friends and did not go through the books. A typical example was the new covered terrace worth £1,800 given by Mr A Bullock. He said donations of £1,061 were an expression of the debt owed not only to supporters, but to many friends, and typified the great pride which Featherstone and district took in its football club.

The secretary, Mr R Bailey said the season was the second best in the Club's history with a final league position of sixth. For the first time in the club's history the team scored in every league match. The new "Player of the season" ballot was won by Jack Fennell.

The ballot for the committee resulted in Messrs C Raybould, F Mountain and J T Hobson being elected. Mr R H Jackson was re-elected chairman at the first meeting of the new committee.

In July Bill Hudson, an ex-international forward, was appointed coach in place of Eric Batten who had held the position since 1950.

THE GREAT GALE

One of the worst gales to affect Featherstone occurred in March. The War Memorial was blown down, the Bullock stand on the Rovers ground was badly damaged for the second time, there was damage to properties all over the district, trees were blown down which delayed traffic, a broken power line in Featherstone Lane wrapped itself round a bus stop sign and created a display of blue flashes which stopped the traffic, and there was a power cut from midnight to 6.30am. The photo of the broken War Memorial is from the Express.

ACKTON HALL PRESENTATIONS

At a function at the Junction Hotel in April arranged by the Overmen, Deputies and Shotfirers Association presentations were made to Mr S Goodwin and Mr F Vollens.

Mr Goodwin had retired after being a deputy for 50 years. He was presented with a gold wrist watch from the officials, and an inscribed cigarette case and lighter from the workmen.

Mr Vollens was undermanager in the Haigh Moor Seam and had now been appointed manager at Waterloo Colliery. He received a canteen of cutlery from the officials, and a pen from the office staff.

THE FOUR WARDS RESIZED?

Because of new house building and slum clearance the number of electors in each ward for the council was becoming increasingly disparate. The council applied to the West Riding County Council to readjust the boundaries, and a meeting was held in the Town Hall in April chaired by Alderman F Winterbottom.

The clerk, Mr H Tattersall, said the four wards electors were:

Ackton and Snydale 1,718

North 3,074

South 828

Purston 3,784

The Common Lane council house building programme would hold 580 houses and about double that number of electors, but it was in the Purston Ward which was already the largest. The council suggested the boundaries should be altered to transfer 752 electors from the North Ward to Ackton and Snydale, and 982 from Purston to the South.

This still left a wide gap between the South and Purston Wards, but this was deliberate to accommodate slum clearance and housing proposals during the next five years. It was also proposed to rename the Ackton and Snydale Ward as South-west, and the Purston Ward as East.

Answering questions, Mr Tattersall said it was inevitable people on opposite sides of a street might find themselves in different wards, but this was so now. The proposals would not be affected by industrial development which the council would welcome on a small site in Wakefield Road.

The council chairman, Cr J Harper, said nearly 900 people were waiting for houses, and 500 houses were awaiting demolition. A new school had been approved in the South Ward and another was to be built.

The chairman for the meeting said there were no objections and expressed a personal opinion that the scheme was a very good one. He said the committee's recommendations would be made in due course. A few weeks later the council's proposed changes were approved.

THE GALA

The sixth annual gala was opened in July by the chairman of the parks committee, Cr Lily Fox, who said she thought the event had now become part of the life of the community. There was a fun fair, competitions and children's sports.

The attractions included a nursing exhibition. Cr J Parker said the shortage of nurses was a problem which affected everyone. Shortly there was to be a big extension of Pontefract Infirmary which would enable a greatly improved service, but that depended upon there being sufficient nurses to staff the new wards. At the moment the recruitment fell far short of the needs of the local hospital group. He asked everyone, particularly parents whose daughters were to leave school soon, to visit the exhibition and note the facilities offered.

Mr A Tawse, a surgeon at the hospital, no doubt tongue in cheek, said the modern young lady wants the security of a husband. Large numbers of handsome young doctors enter the hospital service each year, plus the large number of men who come as patients and are captivated by the charms of their attendants.

There were races for children, plus competitions for wild flowers, walking on stilts and a slow bicycle race. For the adults were a women's boat race, a slow bicycle race and a competition for the oldest bowler hat. A concert party closed the programme.

CR DAVIS STIRS IT UP

At the July council meeting Cr Bessie Major referred to a letter by Cr A Davis in the Express in which he accused the council of intolerance, not allowing free speech, and allowing party politics to take charge. She said if Cr Davis could prove any of the allegations she would be willing to resign her seat on the council.

Cr Davis replied there were many things he could prove. He alleged in housing preference had been shown. Cr Major said if you suggest party politics have taken pride of place, it means members of the Labour Party have been given preference.

Cr Davis said he joined the council with constructive ideas. One of the human problems of this district is housing and I can tell you of scores of cases of people who have been given preference over people who have been on the list longer. It was not possible for a ratepayer to approach the council and ask what is your system because they would not get a proper answer.

The chairman, Cr E Rowley, said certain allegations had been made in the Press. As an old councillor he preferred such things to be said in the council chamber. We have nothing to hide, and what is said here is final, provided it is true. The only time I could be accused of jumping on Cr Davis was when he told a falsehood.

Cr Davis said you are entirely wrong. He declared freedom of speech was restricted at every meeting when the council resolved to proceed in committee. He referred to his proposal to have a room at the Town Hall where the public and councillors could meet being turned down. He alleged Cr Rowley said in committee (no public allowed) he was not going to wet nurse the public.

Cr Rowley said that is correct and I say it again in public. I also told you you would have to do it the hard way as we have done. There are times when my wife gets fed up of answering the door. You may be able to place certain times at your disposal. Can other members?

Cr Major recalled she had brought schemes and ideas to the council, but if they were rejected she hadn't gone screaming to the Press. Cr Davis replies he would write to the Press whenever he wished. Cr Major retorted then don't tell untruths.

Cr H Woodcock entered the argument saying Cr Davis had been treated with the utmost civility by his colleagues and had said so to him. The next thing was a letter in the press denouncing his colleagues. People here have served the town for years. You apparently thought when you came here you were going to turn Featherstone over, but when you got into the council chamber you knew so little you had to sit and listen, so all these things you had promised to the public you could not fulfil.

The chairman closed the discussion and said we have blown off steam. The council tried to do its business in a proper manner and always would.

At the September council meeting Cr Davis brought up the overspending of £24,000 on a loan of £7,500 for council house improvements. He said this is a colossal sum and what steps does the council intend to take to see it doesn't happen again.

The chairman, Cr E Rowley, said "Probably owing to the enthusiasm of officials in improvising this scheme, and the enthusiasm of the tenants we were a little overspent before our officials suddenly realised it".

Cr Davis wished to consider the matter in public, but the council voted 5-3 to continue in private.

NO LOAN FOR A CREMATORIUM

At a meeting of the Osgoldcross Joint Cremation Board in September it was reported that in spite of the Ministry of Housing and Local Government approving the plans, a loan to build it was refused. The clerk to the board said he had pointed out the nearest crematorium was 15 miles away, and the demand on it usually delayed a funeral by a week.

The Ministry declined to regard the scheme as exceptional enough to justify a loan at present, and consent must be deferred until conditions were easier. The board agreed to seek to send a deputation to the Ministry to argue their case.

REMEMBRANCE

The Remembrance Parade in November compared with the largest of its predecessors according to the Express. It assembled at Cressey's Corner and was headed by the Ackton Hall and Snydale Collieries Workmen's Band. It made a call at the Ackton Hall Memorial where wreaths were laid by the National Union of Mineworkers and the British Legion. A short service was conducted by Mr J Wright.

The service in Purston Church was taken by Revd I O Jay, the two minutes silence was observed, and Army buglers sounded The Last Post and Reveille. Wreaths were then laid at the repaired War Memorial which was dedicated by the vicar. The chairman of the local British Legion, Major E Sephton, expressed thanks to the council for the repair work.

1956 NEWS ITEMS

JANUARY The Purston Church magazine gave the final accounts for the church hall which was now free of debt. The cost was £4,309 including architects fees and furnishing, and it was paid for by a grant of £1,500 from the Diocese and the rest was raised by special efforts in the parish.

A memorial tablet was put on the north wall of Purston Church with the inscription "Jane Stear Alexander: For 68 years a Sunday School teacher in this parish, 1870-1954". A dedication service was held, attended by her three sisters - Mrs Booth and Misses M and N Alexander.

FEBRUARY About two dozen lead waste pipes were stolen from houses on the Alexandra estate.

An intruder in the Green Lane Working Men's Club was disturbed by the steward, Mr Arthur Marsh, but he dashed through the bar door as it was opened and got away. Nothing was stolen.

The Vicar of Featherstone, Revd H R Haworth accepted the living of South Ossett. He said the Bishop described it as a big parish where he wanted a keen and vigorous younger man, so he could hardly resist such an invitation.

MARCH Now all the colliers at Ackton Hall Colliery travelled to Ackworth Pit to their work, pit head baths were built in the pit yard there.

The Ackton Hall and Snydale Collieries Workmen's Band won the third prize in the Coal Industry Social Welfare Organisation's brass band festival. Several members were still at school and were being instructed by bandmaster T Sellers. This shows the band was named after the weekly contributors at the collieries and not the playing members.

The annual meeting of the Ackton Hospital Comforts Fund said £153 was spent on ward curtains and £56 on dressing gowns. In the next year there would be bed-side lamps and more ward curtains.

The West Riding County Council approved a proposal to spend £4,347 on improving the sight line and widening the junction at North Featherstone crossroads.

APRIL Mr F G Smith announced his resignation from the secretary's post of the Ackton Hospital Comforts Fund because of pressure of other work. He had been secretary from the start four years ago.

A car collided with a bus at North Featherstone Crossroads, and three women in the car, all returning to Altofts, were killed.

MAY The Mineworkers' Union of Russia invited the National Union of Mineworkers to send a party of ten for the May Day celebration, and visits to the Bolshoi Theatre and coal mines. Among those chosen were Joe Harper and Derek Grey from Featherstone.

The Road Safety Committee ran a slogan competition for schoolchildren. The winners were; 12 and over - Beryl Powell "It is better to lose a ball than you life", and 11 and under - Joan Wright "Be patient, and not a patient".

The bell at St Peter's Mission Church came from an old Featherstone fire engine. Its supports collapsed and it was damaged. It had now been repaired and rehung.

JUNE A previous attempt to have a ratepayers' association to contest council elections failed, but Mr A J Davis's success in the council election (which broke the 100% Labour majority) resulted in a meeting being held in June in the Town Hall to form the Featherstone Tenants' and Ratepayers' Association. The council decided future meetings could not be held in the Town Hall.

After 41 years in business in Station Lane Charlie Smith announced his retirement at age 67. He was believed to have worked in his own business longer that any other shopkeeper.

JULY Maureen Rowett was crowned the queen of Featherstone and Purston Sunday Schools for their annual gala. The ceremony should have taken place in Purston Park but was rained off and was changed to the Purston Methodist Sunday School. The Salvation Army provided a fanfare of trumpeters.

Miss Una M Dawson, a teacher for 44 years, the last 23 at the County Primary Junior Mixed School in George Street, retired. She was presented with a radio set from scholars past and present, colleagues and friends, by headmaster Mr A F Blackburn. He thanked her for all she had done for the town and her profession. Miss Dawson is in the centre of this photo from the Featherstone Libraries Collection.

Something dropped from the sky into Hall Street, Purston. There were rumours it was a flying saucer. It turned out to be a 16 inches diameter sphere with an empty aluminium basket attached to it. It was an aeronautical balloon and on inspection had marked on it "Useless: keep for salvage".

AUGUST Old Featherstone Working Men's Club arranged a train trip to Cleethorpes for 300 children including 12 from Carlton Cottage Homes in Pontefract. Many of the children were accompanied by their parents. Apart from a thunderstorm the day was fine. Each child was given 10s to spend. When the train returned Mrs Askew of Fairfax Avenue, North Featherstone, fell in alighting from the train and dislocated her shoulder.

Two exhibits in the national exhibition of children's art at the Royal Institute Galleries in London were by scholars of Regent Street Infants' School. They were Father pheasant and his children by Michael Roberts, and Father pheasant out for a walk by Patricia Roberts, both age six.

SEPTEMBER Work commenced on repairing the St Thomas Road War Memorial blown down in a gale last March.

The sanitary inspector reported only 56 new houses were built in 1955 compared with 288 the year before. Eighteen houses were demolished. He said the demand showed no signs of abating.

OCTOBER Mosquitoes were breeding in an area between Old Snydale and Ackton, and the council officials were asked to investigate the possibility of draining the area.

Rabbits were rescued from a blaze at West View allotments when two sheds belonging to Mr C Renshaw caught fire. Firemen fought the blaze but a wooden shed was destroyed and a brick one had its roof damaged. The cause was thought to be a combustion stove.

NOVEMBER A shed at the rear of the shop of Mr R H Jackson was damaged by fire. It was thought to have been caused by children setting light to cardboard cartons.

DECEMBER The two paintings by Michael and Patricia Roberts were included in the National Exhibition of Children's Art in York.

Mr F Hodgson's horse drawn milk float was in collision with a lorry in Girnhill Lane. The horse was pulled to the ground but was not injured.

Because of international problems over supplies, petrol was rationed. Ordinary motorists were limited to 200 miles per month, and business uses to 300 miles. Bus companies were told to save 5% of fuel on normal services, and 10% on excursions. The service on local bus routes was reduced. The illustration is from a BBC website.

The Poppy Fund collections totalled a record sum of £249 13s 6d.

For the first time in its history, a performance of The Messiah was held in the Featherstone Lane Methodist Church.There were 60 voices in the choir from the Featherstone and Brotherton Choral societies, and all the soloists were from Scunthorpe.

The Pontefract Education Executive decided not to accept the lowest tender for a new infants' school in Purston after considering the suitability of the firm. The next lowest tender was much above the permitted figure, so it was decided to obtain fresh tenders.

A stack containing six tons of oats and barley at Fothergill's Warren House farm was destroyed by fire. The cause was unknown.

A Social Evening was held in the Parochial Hall to welcome the new Vicar of Featherstone, Revd A E Unwin, and his wife and daughter. The vicar expressed thanks for the warmth of his welcome.