THE FEATHERSTONE ........CHRONICLE....... ...........the 1950s..........: 1957

A HISTORY OF FEATHERSTONE

1957

THE COUNCIL

JANUARY Cr W Griffiths resigned from the council because of ill-health. His resignation was accepted with regret, and he was thanked for his continuous work since 1945.

The organisations hiring the Lister Hall for social gatherings would be informed they will not be allowed to hire constables after January 31, and they will be asked to make every effort to preserve order.

The Featherstone and Streethouse Tenants' and Ratepayers' Association decided to contest all four wards in the forthcoming election, and also the by-election caused by the resignation through ill-health of Cr W Griffiths (Labour).

FEBRUARY School headteachers would be asked to speak to children about the continued damage in Purston Park.

The council considered 13 tenders for 170 more houses on the Common Lane site. Two were chosen, and would be forwarded to the Ministry of Housing for approval. New surgery premises in St Thomas Road for Dr J Duncan were approved.

MARCH In the by-election caused by Cr Griffiths' resignation the result was:

S Robinson (Independent) 364

H Wright (Labour) 222

A long running dispute between the council and Mr J W M Burton over the use of a shop in Anderson Street as a betting shop came to a head. His appeal had been refused and the council resolved if he did not comply with an enforcement notice they would take steps to enforce it. Plans for the largest ever housing contract at one time would now be put into operation.

APRIL The council workmen were warned that on the production of a sickness certificate they were not permitted to resume work until the production of a clearance certificate. A suggestion for a reduction in the speed limit between Wentbridge Road and Purston C of E School when children were going to and from school was referred to the Road Safety Committee.

MAY The council accepted an offer of £15 by M Massarella to sell ice cream in Purston Park. Defects were reported in some new houses on the Common Lane Estate and the contractor had undertaken to remedy them.

There had been complaints about some farmers ploughing through public footpaths. It was agreed to take court action against those who had not reinstated them. Toll Bar House in Pontefract Road would be demolished and the cost charged to the owners. The medical officer reported 143 children had received a first injection against poliomyelitis.

The election results were:

Central Ward D Cameron (Independent) 603 A Booth (Labour) 302

East Ward W March (Independent) 882 Lily Fox (Labour) 869

North-West Ward Jessie Brabbs (Labour) 781 A Cooke (Independent) 709

South Ward J Harper (Labour) 583 W Fenton (Independent) 564

The Labour Party lost two seats which reduced their majority to four. All the Independent candidates belonged to the Featherstone and Streethouse Ratepayers' Association. A large number of people gathered outside the Town Hall to hear Mr H Tattersall, the clerk to the council, announce the results.

The annual meeting of the council elected Cr H Woodcock as chairman for the new year. Cr J Harper thanked the retiring chairman, Cr E Rowley, and welcomed the new one. He said for the first time for several years there had been an opposition in the council chamber and Cr Rowley had been scrupulously fair. Cr A J Davies, leader of the opposition, said "We shall always endeavour to give full co-operation and respect to the chair".

When it came to the appointments for the standing committees Cr Davies said they represented the electors just as much as other members of the council, and they should have the chairmanship of at least two committees. The chairman replied democracy had spoken at the elections, and automatically the majority will rule here. So the Ratepayers got nothing.

JUNE The council were to press for the demolition of houses in Phipps Street and Chapel Street for which orders had been made. Only six tenant had replied to a circular sent out about defects on the Common Lane estate, so all 146 houses would be visited and a schedule prepared. Plans were approved for a tennis and bowls pavilion at the Miners' Welfare Recreation Ground.

The National Coal Board told the council it was prepared to discuss selling Featherstone Square. The testing of the siren call-out system for the fire brigade would be changed from noon on Saturdays to 6.45pm on Thursdays.

The council decided to stick to a charge of £75 for the use of Purston Park by an amusement caterer at the Gala in spite of objections by the Showmen's Guild.

JULY The Council decided to have new lighting from the bottom of Station Lane to the Miners' Welfare Hall. Notice would be served on the owners of property in Phipps Street, Chapel Street, Henrietta Street and George Street intimating the council would complete demolition works and charge them with the cost.

The old council offices and house would be leased to Mrs Nora Edgar for seven years at an annual rent of £180, and repairs to the property would be carried out at once.

The rent arrears for council houses had reached £880. Cr J Harper said there were some cases of genuine hardship, but many tenants could make a much bigger effort to meet their obligation. Cr A J Davis suggested collecting the rents on a Friday or Saturday might make a difference. Cr Harper wasn't convinced and said the same names appear over and over again, but we have to be open to any suggestion to get these arrears down.

SEPTEMBER The council accepted an offer by Mr Doubtfire to provide amusements in Purston Park next May and August, on payment of £100 each time. Plans were approved for a snack bar and cafe for Mrs Edgar at the old council offices. Also she would be allowed to let the house included in the premises.

OCTOBER After further representation by the Independent members the council voted to stick to its decision not to allow a room in the Town Hall to be used for members to interview ratepayers.

The Government had put the bank rate up to 7%, and the council were concerned this might make building council houses unaffordable. It was said a loan for a house costing £1,500 would eventually cost £6,000.

NOVEMBER It was decided gas would not be supplied to the next 170 houses on the estate, but there would be solid fuel cookers and an electric point for an electric oven and hob.

Shale was being removed from the Ackton Hall Colliery muckstack which bordered Featherstone Square, and the area planning officer referred to the unsightly appearance of the heap during the operations and the apparent danger from the movement of boulders and slippage from the face of the removal. There was no fencing to keep children out and no warning notices. The officer asked the council for support in pressing for control of the extraction. The council agreed to give such support.

Following instances of unruly behaviour at dances in the Lister Hall, it was agreed to write to dance promoters stressing their responsibility in the matter.

DECEMBER The Gas Board offered to provide mains and services free to the 170 houses on the Common Lane estate if the council dispensed with solid fuel cookers and allowed the tenants freedom of choice between gas and electric cookers. The council did not agree to dispense with solid fuel cookers because of the large number of prospective tenants receiving concessionary coal.

THE ROVERS

New buildings underneath the stand, comprising players and officials changing rooms, and committee and tea rooms were opened by Mrs Bullock, the wife of the president of the club, Mr A Bullock, in March. The club chairman, Mr R H Jackson, thanked supporters and Mr Bullock for their leading part in providing the new buildings.

Mr C Evans spoke on behalf of the Junction Hotel Supporters' Club; Mr H West for the Green Lane Working Men's Club supporters; and Mr J Blackburn on behalf of the Joint Supporters' Club.

The season's accounts, published in June, showed a surplus on last season of £!,562 12s 11d, mainly because of the transfer of Don Metcalfe to Wakefield Trinity.

The annual meeting was held in the Miners' Welfare Hall in June. Alf Greaves, the financial secretary, said cheques received since the accounts were made up had almost cleared the overdraft of £1,214, and although income tax had to be paid on the profit, the abolition of entertainment tax would be a great help. There were several anxious periods during the season during which the help of Mr A Bullock and Mr R H Jackson had been invaluable. The club did not want to sell Metcalfe to Wakefield Trinity, but without the £3,000 transfer fee there would have been a substantial loss.

The auditor, Mr E Holstead, said the accounts showed a true reflection of a healthy and progressive club, soundly run and well managed, and deeply indebted to outside support.

The secretary, Mr R Bailey, said the playing record of 16th in the league was disappointing after the sixth place in the season before. The main reasons were fixtures against the five leading Lancashire clubs, and the resignation midway through the season of the coach, Bill Hudson, who left the district. Everyone hoped the appointment of two former players, Harold Moxon for the first team, and Arthur Street for the second team, would blend the playing talent into an effective combination.

Once again there was an attempt to change the number of guarantors from 12 to six to be elected by ballot, and once again it failed. The chairman, Mr Jackson, pointed out the guarantors were appointed by the bank.

BACK-TO-BACK DEMOLITION INQUIRY

The council wanted to demolish the 70 back-to-back houses between Fearnley Street and Wilson Street. Three owners objected; Mrs A E Casey of Bridlington, Mrs E Walmsley of Featherstone and Gallons Ltd. So an inquiry was held in April in the Town Hall by Mr E Oakley of the Ministry of Housing and Local Government.

The clerk of the council, Mr H Tattersall, said the Ministry approved proposals in January 1956 for the council to demolish 300 houses in a period of five years. A total of 62 houses had already been demolished, but the council had not before taken action under a clearance order. The present application concerned the largest batch of property dealt with at one time under the five year programme. The property was near a huge colliery spoil heap and for this reason the council had no wish to acquire the land by compulsory purchase (for council house building).

The housing density was four times the present accepted standard, and 193 people lived in the 70 houses. They were owned by 10 different parties. The three who objected owned 26 between them. They were built over 80 years ago; the surrounding streets were unmade and winter turned them into mud; and there were 40 trough closets. They had a combined living room and kitchen and one normal sized and one very small bedroom. Coal was stored in the cellar. There was no hot water system, and lighting was by gas. The shops were not included in the clearance order because they had through ventilation.

The medical officer of health, Dr J F Fraser, said all the houses were unfit for human habitation. Many of the tenants wanted better conditions because they said the present conditions were affecting their health.

Mr W H Fearnley, an architect, said the main structure of Scarborough Terrace was sound and he had prepared plans to remove the three main criticisms. It was proposed to turn two houses into one to provide through ventilation, create interior toilets and bathrooms and provide a ventilated larder. He estimated the cost of turning each pair of back-to-back houses into one house would be £150, and the current rent and rates of 8s 4d a week would rise to £1.

Mr Gill, for the owners, conceded the current deficiencies, but said it would be a shame to pull down the whole of the property without looking whether there is not some use for it for some years yet. Some of the tenants, of moderate means, and elderly, would rather stay where they were when the houses were improved, than face higher rents in council houses.

Mr H Wright, speaking on behalf of tenants, gave a list of all the defects in the houses, and said the tenants were continually fighting against ill-health. The inspector closed the inquiry and went to examine the property.

In July the council received notification that the Station Lane West Clearance Order was confirmed without modification.

DELAY THE CREMATORIUM?

At the annual meeting of the Osgoldcross Joint Cremation Board in June Featherstone Councillor J Parker ended his year as chairman. Cr H Henson from Osgoldcross asked if the design of the crematorium could be altered. He said there was no sacredness about the proposed building, and if it was not popular people would say "We are going to a beautiful place like Lawnswood. I think it is going to be a white elephant".
Alderman A Badnall from Hemsworth said the current plan was the third one. The Ministry said the first plan must be curtailed considerably, and also rejected the second plan. The third plan was approved, and that was as far as the Ministry would allow us to go. We have to accept what the Ministry says, particularly in present circumstances. We realise we must have something beautiful, and the original plans were prepared on that scale. The board must accept the present position or abandon the scheme for the time being. We might then be put back years. Cr Henson received no backing for his objection and the committee moved on to other business.

At the August meeting Cr Henson again raised objection to the plan and said the final drawing should have been submitted to each constituent authority, and not merely to the members of the board (Pontefract, Featherstone, Hemsworth, Knottingley and Osgoldcross). Cr J Parker pointed out it was the Government who cut the costs, and the board had to accept the ruling of the Minister who only allowed so much money.

The board then discussed the tenders for the scheme, and decided to accept the lowest of £46,177 6s 2d from Messrs Askham and Son, Pontefract, subject to an assurance the work would be completed in a reasonable time.

At the November meeting it was announced building work had begun on the crematorium. It was hoped to complete the foundations during the winter and start on the main building in the spring. The whole scheme would take 18 months.

The cost of the scheme was £46,385 to be repaid over 30 years, and the interest paid over that period would raise the total cost to £95,919.

THE HYDROGEN BOMB AGE

How to do emergency feeding in the aftermath of an hydrogen bomb strike was demonstrated at the back of the Social Service Centre in June. A dustbin was the emergency oven with its lid as the door. It was built into a brick structure with earth and water instead of cement, with an open fire at one end under a metal plate.

A meal of sausage and three vegetables, jam tart and custard, and tea was prepared for 20 people in less than an hour. It was estimated it could be built from scratch and provided meals for 50 people in about three hours.

After the meal had been served and enjoyed in the centre, the Area Civil Defence Officer, Mr R Angus, congratulated the workers. He said it was difficult to interest some local authorities in Civil Defence work, and the fact there was a local branch at Featherstone was due largely to Mrs Gardner. Not only in case of war, but in any disaster, it was pleasing to know Featherstone's little team would be able to go into action confidently. The Regional Meals Organisation Officer, Mr W Dickinson, said the meal had proved the capabilities of earth ovens.

THE GALA

The council's seventh annual gala was held in Purston Park in July and was opened by Cr H Woodcock, the chairman of the council. As last year it included a nursing exhibition and a recruitment appeal. Dr J D Pickup for the Pontefract and Castleford Hospitals Group, said because in a few years it was anticipated 100 beds would be added to Pontefract General Infirmary, nurses were needed now so when the wards were opened the staff would be fully trained.

He said it was an occupation with reasonable terms of service and better salaried than ever before, and a vocation by which girls could help sick people in their own community. Particularly we want girls from this district to come along and nurse their own people.

MR J HILSLEY'S REPORT

Mr J Hilsley, the council's sanitary inspector, in his annual report for 1956 in August gave the number of council homes built in that year as 32 houses, 24 bungalows and 48 flats. Also seven houses and four bungalows were built by private enterprise. There were nearly 400 people waiting for council houses in addition to the tenants of condemned houses.

A new booster pump provided by the council and a new trunk main provided by Wakefield Corporation improved water pressure throughout the town. There were still 92 houses not connected to the public sewer. The South Featherstone sewage works were being reconstructed and enlarged.

CR DAVIS v THE CHAIRMAN

There was a spat between Cr A J Davis (Independent) and the chairman Cr H Woodcock (Labour) at the September council meeting. It was concerning defects in the new houses on the Common Lane Estate which the council had previously decided to have a full survey made. Cr Davis wanted it discussed in public, and the chairman said it was down for discussion in committee (Ie in private).

Cr Davis said if you refuse permission to ventilate this subject in public, I shall go home immediately after this meeting and write to the Press. It is public money being wasted, and public events should be discussed in public.

After more toing and froing the chairman insisted it was going to be discussed in committee so Cr Daviis moved to another disagreement. The Independents wanted a room in the town hall to be made available for discussions between members of the council and ratepayers. The Labour councillors didn't agree, but this time Cr Davis was successful in getting the matter referred back to be looked at again.

Cr Davis carried out his threat of writing to the Press. This is part of a long letter.

"As a result of numerous complaints from tenants of our Common Lane Estate of 146 houses, my colleagues and I made frequent inspections. Several inspections were also made by (council) sub-committees. Resulting from these inspections the clerk of works was instructed to make house-to-house visits and ascertain fully the extent of the complaints regarding this estate.

"My colleagues and I made a detailed study of this document (the clerk of works report) and we were frankly appalled at the seriousness of it. Every one of the 146 houses is listed. A total of 992 separate complaints regarding defects are shown, an average of seven per house. If these repairs become chargeable to our repairs fund we could be faced with a bill for several thousand pounds; this for new houses which should require very little attention for a few years..

"If the repairs fund is to become self-supporting we must see to it that before houses are officially handed over to the council the contractor should remedy all defects and omissions. Failure on the council's part to carry out this duty can only result in the eventual complete bankruptcy of the repair fund.

"My colleagues and I decided that a public statement should be made during the public session of the council meeting. We were denied the privilege of discussing this urgent matter in public debate. Remember, hundreds of complaints have come from scores of tenants on the Common Lane Estate. The only way of letting them know we are alive to the urgency of their complaints is to discuss them publicly in the council chamber. We make no apology for taking the only alternative course left to us - this statement to your newspaper."

At the November Council meeting Cr Davis said it was still a serious state of affairs. The clerk, Mr H Tattersall, said he had written to Messrs Smickersgill (the builders) who had replied they were to meet the architect at the site, but he did not know if the meeting had taken place.

Cr Robinson said some tenants had been in their houses for 14 months, and had been waiting for repairs for eight months. He claimed you cannot see where the repairers have been yet. Cr Parker said he knew Messrs Smickersgill had done some repairs including a costly one.

MRS LAMBERT v THE COUNCIL

Mrs N Lambert of Ackworth Road, Purston, applied in November to the Local Valuation Panel at Pontefract for a reduction in the rateable value of her property. She said loudspeaker music came from the park from Easter to September "and we have to go out because we get so fed up with it", there was noise from the children's playground and damage which the children did to property.

The valuation officer, Mr R Greenall, contended the assessment was typical of that at Featherstone. It was the same as a house in Houndhill Lane, except £2 was added to those in Houndhill Lane because they were in the very best position in Featherstone.

He said his records showed the amplified music in the park was only played on eight Sundays this year and the licence did not allow music on Saturdays. It was played for two hours in the afternoon and two in the evening, but not when the weather was bad. The amplifiers were 220 yards from Mrs Lambert's house and no other householders had complained.

He continued, the children's playground was a fair distance away, separated from Mrs Lambert's house by the main road, a fence, a belt of trees and a hedge. He considered Mrs Lambert had overplayed the nuisance value.

Sir Harry Hardy, the chairman of the panel, said the appeal would be dismissed. Mrs Lambert replied "Then I have come here for nothing, It is just wasting my time. You can do it for Wordsworths and great big combines like that. It doesn't matter about me".

REMEMBRANCE

On Remembrance Sunday there was a parade from Cressey's Corner which the Express said seemed larger that in past years. It was headed by the Ackton Hall and Snydale Collieries Workmen's Band followed by the men's and women's sections of the British Legion, St John Ambulance Brigade, Royal Antedeluvian Order of Buffaloes, Ladies Glade, members and officials of the council, Police, Scouts and Guides.

A stop was made at Ackton Hall Colliery pit yard for a short service at the memorial, and then the parade moved off to Purston Church for a full service including the two minutes silence. Wreaths were laid at the War Memorial and The Last Post and Reveille were sounded by buglers of the band. The parade reassembled and the chairman of the council, Cr H Woodcock, took the salute at the Police Station.

An innovation was a combined service held at Wilson Street Methodist Church attended by members from Featherstone Lane and Wakefield Road Churches.

1957 NEWS ITEMS

JANUARY The annual meeting for the Ackton Hospital Comforts Fund was held in the Girnhill Lane Working Men's Club. The main items of expenditure during the years were ward curtains £138 and £54, individual bed lighting £75 and an electric razor £9.

"Rock and Roll" was included in the programme of dancing at the Lister Hall by the Ackton Hall Comforts Fund. About 400 people attended. Private Richard Gill age 20 of Station Lane was serving in Hong Kong in the Green Howards. His exhibition of "jive" won him second prize in a Christmas party competition.

The county council agreed to buy a plot of a quarter of an acre in Girnhill Lane from Featherstone Council, and an adjoining plot of about an acre and a half from the owners of the Nostell Estates for the proposed new infants' school.

Miss Hazel Kenealy of Glass Houghton was chosen as the Rovers' Queen at the annual Featherstone Rovers Supporters' Club dance in the Lister Hall. Photo uploaded to Featherstone Bygone Days by Deanna Dixon.

FEBRUARY At a meeting of the Osgoldcross Joint Cremation Board it was decided to continue to press for permission to build a crematorium which had been withheld under the credit squeeze.

A new type of television detector van was touring the district to find unlicensed televisions. It was said to detect receivers in adjacent houses separately.

The theme of Dixon of Dock Green on one Saturday was false alarms to the fire service. It was thought this had caused a "false alarm with malicious intent" the following day when Pontefract fire brigade turned out to seek a burning house in Featherstone.

A rally for miners and their families was held at Purston Methodist Church. There were Methodists from Castleford, Knottingley and Ferrybridge, and the church was decorated with miners' helmets, lamps, shovels and pieces of coal.

A wall, built as part of a renovation and extension scheme at the Travellers' Hotel, was demolished by an articulated lorry carrying waste paper and travelling towards Pontefract.

MARCH The Salvation Army celebrated 70 years in Featherstone. At a special service Senior Captain F J Neilson read out a list of officers who had served at Featherstone since 3 March 1887.

New petrol ration books were issued by the General Post Offices in Pontefract and Castleford.

The police were inquiring into another case of wilful damage in Purston Park after six windows in the boat house were smashed.

When school children saw a cat stranded on overhead electric cables in Victoria Street they reported it to the police. A Yorkshire Electricity Board workman, Mr J Pix of Pontefract, used a ladder to rescue it.

The Osgoldcross Joint Cremation Board received permission from the Ministry of Housing to invite tenders for the erection of a crematorium. The board's engineer, Mr A F Richmond, advocated selective tendering instead of open tendering, because the work was specialised, and a better class of construction was required. He said it was the normal procedure for better-class work. The board decided to consider the matter in private, and then announced they had agreed to selective tendering.

APRIL A world jamboree for Scouts was to be held at Sutton Coldfield. Among those chosen to represent the Pontefract and District Local Association were P B Wilkes, E P Bullock, J L Crane and H Walker all of the 1st Featherstone Troop.

A caravan belonging to Mr T Ross, a circus proprietor of Old Mill, Wakefield Road, caught fire.when a primus stove flared in the wind and set fire to nearby cloths. The family and other formed a bucket chain from the mill pond to put the fire out. In the caravan at the time were Mr Ross's sons Thomas age 19 and Kevin age 10, and Derek Gill age 21 a circus entertainer.

MAY Highfield Foods Ltd announced they were leaving the Palace premises because they had secured a big contract in Kent and were moving there to reduced transport costs.

Sutcliffe Hydraulics Ltd were hoping to move into the closed Ebenezer Methodist Church in Featherstone Lane in a few weeks.

South Featherstone Secondary Modern School was one of six West Riding schools to be equipped experimentally with a television set costing £115 before the BBC's new television programme for schools began. It was to enable the County Education Committee to get a broad outline of the effect of television in the classroom.

The Ackton Hospital Comforts Committee provided another television set for the hospital, this time for the women's ward. It was agreed to purchase another electric razor for the men's ward.

JUNE A six ton lorry from Blackburn caught fire in Wakefield Road. The driver escaped unhurt, and the fire was put out by firemen from Featherstone and Pontefract.

Edgar Jukes age 49 of Alexander Crescent died from injuries received in a fall of stone at the coal face.

After all the other gala queens had disappeared (Old Featherstone, Leatham Park Estate, Wellgreen and the council) the 9th annual demonstration and gala of the Featherstone and Purston Sunday Schools kept the tradition going by crowning Jean Williams of Featherstone Lane Sunday School. She was congratulated by last year's queen Maureen Rowett.

JULY The Ackton Hospital Comforts Fund decided to provide another television set for the men's ward. It was reported a nurse on duty at the exhibition during the Council's Gala in Purston Park had lost her watch. It was decided to recompense her if it was not recovered.

SEPTEMBER The Featherstone Musical and Dramatic Society chose The Desert Song as their production for next year.

There was a three day strike by the colliers in the Silkstone Seam at Ackton Hall Colliery over wage rates. It was estimated 2,850 tons of coal were lost.

In a publication in aid of the gift fund effort at All Saints' Church, North Featherstone, was an item about a monument in the churchyard consisting of a plain white upright stone with no inscription. It was known locally as "The Devil Stone".

There was a flue epidemic, thought to be the Asian variety which caused many pupils to stay away from school, and put up the absenteeism at Ackton Hall Colliery by 10%. Towards the end of the month the medical officer said the school attendance was only 50% but the epidemic appeared to have passed its peak.

Norah Edgar had changed the old council offices into the Clock Cafe. She applied to the magistrates for a music licence so she could install a jukebox. In support it was said many young Featherstone people went into Pontefract to spend their evenings, and their parents would be happier if they stayed in Featherstone. The application was refused.

OCTOBER The medical officer for the Pontefract Health Division, Dr J F Fraser, said the influenza epidemic which began at the end of August was now declining. The attendance at Featherstone schools was now back to normal.

The Ackton Hospital Comforts Fund held a meeting at the North Featherstone Lane Working Men's Club and decided their work at Ackton Hospital was almost done. They would now turn their attention to Headlands Hospital, Pontefract, which cared for many from the Featherstone area. Their name would be changed to the Featherstone and District Hospital Comforts Committee.

The newly named comforts committee put on fireworks displays for the children of Ackton and Headlands Hospitals, and also installed a second television set at Headlands.

NOVEMBER The four independent members of the council, Crs Cameron, Davis, Marsh and Robinson, interviewed 30 ratepayers and discussed a variety of problems. They four said it was intended to give the opportunity to ratepayers to ask questions privately of their elected representatives, and it was decided to continue the practice monthly.

DECEMBER Goods laid away for Christmas valued at between £250 and £300 were stolen from the premises of Mr R H Jackson, radio and electrical dealer, of Station Lane. The thieves entered by breaking a rear window and unscrewing iron bars meant to prevent entry.