1917

  A HISTORY OF FEATHERSTONE

The Great War 1917

JANUARY

  Because the Assembly Rooms were not available and the baths had not been covered over for the winter the annual Old Folks' Treat had to be held at another venue. The North Featherstone Lane Primitive Methodist schoolroom was chosen. Nearly 500 people were present including 14 from the workhouse. After the tea there was tobacco for the men, and chocolates for the women given by Messrs Rowntree of York.

   Revd Frank George Stebbing aged 67, Vicar of Featherstone for nearly 30 years, died at his home in Sandal. He had conducted services on Christmas Day but he was obviously unwell so he was driven home. He had suffered from asthma and bronchitis and had moved to Sandal for health reasons. He had recently returned to lodge in the vicarage with the current tenant and there was talk of his family moving back as well.
   He came to Featherstone in 1887 and in his earlier years had taken a prominent part in public affairs. The Express report did not mention he was the main reason why St Peters' Mission Church was taken over by the Purston vicar, but it did speculate a new vicar would bring St Peter's back in to Featherstone Parish.

   The local farmers said the price of milk would go up to 6d a quart which caused a protest meeting in North Featherstone. It was said the latest increase would make it 100% higher than pre-war prices.

   The council formally approved the scheme by the Electrical Distribution of Yorkshire for the provision of electricity in Featherstone. Once again the council said tenants in the new council houses could not have lodgers, and the four who did would have to get rid of them.

   The Army Council had decided because of the needs of hay for their horses they had to have first call on all the supplies. It was made illegal for anyone to sell or cart hay without permission. This new law was not widely known and George Copley was summonsed for selling hay and Ackton Hall Colliery for removing it. Both admitted the offence and said it was in ignorance. The colliery was fined 40s and George Copley 20s. William Hemingway and John Copley were fined 20s for a similar offence.

   The Featherstone Tribunal granted an exemption from military service to Percy Rothers, the council's assistant surveyor. Peter Darlington said he was surprised he had been accepted for the Army. Mr Maxwell said he had been a cripple all his life. Mr Haigh said he's absolutely lame in one leg. Isaac Hayward's exemption was withdraw but he was still sending cigarettes to the Featherstone men overseas.

   Ernest Vero of Girnhill Lane was wounded and discharged from the Army. Hundreds of Featherstone people went to Pontefract Barracks to see him presented with the Military Medal for bravery in the trenches under heavy bombardment.

   Miss Hannah Barber was appointed head of Regent Street Girls' School.

FEBRUARY

   A meeting was held in Regent Street School with the object of forming a War Savings Association. Roslyn Holiday said if people did not lend their money to the Government voluntarily they might have to do it compulsorily. It was agreed to form an association and Roslyn Holiday said the collieries should if possible lend their clerical assistance.

   Featherstone Main Colliery agreed to purchase £5 saving bonds for the workers who would pay 2s a week for 45 weeks ie paying only £4 10s. The interest over that period would go towards the other 10s and the company would pay the last shilling.

   The council decided to pay another 3s a week war bonus to its employees. The owners of property in Mount Pleasant, Ivy and Rhyl Streets were told to replace pail closets by water closets as soon as possible.
   There was a long discussion about the council helping with the enrollment of National Service Volunteers. Cr Holiday said while men were risking their lives at the front, all at home ought to do whatever the Government wished. If he would be more useful than looking after a colliery he would do whatever the Government said.
   Other members did not see the point of asking everybody in Featherstone to enrol, where the great majority were coal miners. Cr Poppleton said he would not enrol. Three of his sons were in the Army, and if he enrolled and they took him where would his business be.
   Cr Darlington said some people did not realise we were at war. It was time there was an end to the wait and see policy. Single fit men were being taken from the collieries, and how were the management to replace them. It was eventually agreed to form a committee.
   There was a letter from the Local Government Board asking local authorities to invest in the new War Loan. Cr Holiday said they had an extra £2,500 in the bank because the improvements it was intended for had been held up. After some discussion it was agreed to invest £3,000.

  Mabel Alexander's troupe of girl entertainers made their 17th appearance at a war concert, this time in the Palace loaned by Mr Harris and arranged by the St Peters' Mission Church Council. They raised £27 for the Shirt and Sock Fund and the Church Army hut fund.

                   Mabel Alexander's pierrettes. A photo from the Tony Lumb Collection.

MARCH

  An unnamed Featherstone grocer and general dealer was before the appeal tribunal as a conscientious objector. He said he had held the same views for 20 years and he would not do military service or take the place of another man so he could do military service. He was placed as a non-combatant.

   The council decided in the interests of food in wartime, residents could keep poultry and rabbits adjacent to dwelling houses if under suitable conditions, and the pig keeping rules would be relaxed so pigs could be kept within 30 feet of a dwelling subject to approval. Also pigs could be slaughtered in the allotments providing 48 hours notice was given, but the dressing of any carcass in a dwelling house was strictly forbidden. The council would contact Mr J E Booker to see if he would allow his slaughterhouse to be rented for the occasional slaughtering and dressing of pigs.
   The clerk read a letter of thanks from the Belgian Refugee Committee for the loan of The Haven and said all the furniture had now been removed and the council could resume possession of the building.

   Cr Evans said the police should be asked to relax the restrictions on lighting. He said it was like going from darkness into light going from Featherstone to Castleford. It was decided to write asking the restrictions be modified so as to afford the same facilities as in other districts.

APRIL

  The new vicar for the parish of Featherstone was Revd A P Birch MA who had previously been Vicar of Pilsley in Derbyshire.

   The will of John Shaw showed his estate was valued at £219,449.

   At a meeting of the relief funds committees Roslyn Holiday said £302 had been donated so far for the Local Distress Fund with £14 left in hand, and £545 had been given to the Belgium Relief Fund with £16 left.

   The council agreed a rate of 2s 1d for the next six months. Cr Maxwell said he hoped they could get it down to 2s next time. The chairman agreed, but pointed out several works were held up by the war, and they would be wise not to count on the reduction. It was decided to collect waste paper for a month to help the war effort and then see if it was worthwhile. 

  At the council's annual meeting Roslyn Holiday was re-elected chairman.  Cr Evans said he had often advocated this honour should go round, but he was willing to forgo this opinion on this occasion.

  On Good Friday John Martin Rowett aged 57 of Pretoria Street and Levi Walters aged 31 of Ackworth Road were working together in Featherstone Main Colliery when they were killed by a fall of roof. The inquest jury decided it was accidental death.

MAY

 JUNE

 

   A Featherstone Food Committee was set up as part of a Government effort to save on importing flour and sugar, as well as general economies in other foodstuffs and materials. A circular was sent out to all the grocers to find out how much flour and sugar was being used. The replies showed the weekly amount per person was 4.26lbs of flour and 0.3lbs of sugar.

  The council was also involved in the drive to grow more food at home by providing more allotments, a spraying machine for potatoes, and a water cart for the allotments without a water supply.

  An inquest was held into the death of George Heptinstall aged 15, a rope-lad at Ackton Hall Colliery. He had been crushed between empty tubs. The verdict was misadventure.

  A tragedy occurred at 24 Dickinson Terrace on the 15th which the Express said was an event "as the town has never before experienced, and, please God, may never experience again". Living in that house were Daniel and Harriet Bould with their four children - Elsie 8, Ida 7, Constance 5 and Leonard 3. The children all slept in one room.

  At about 10.30pm the Boulds were talking with their next door neighbour Mrs Metcalfe then they went in to go to bed. At about 11pm terrible screams were heard coming from the house and then Mrs Bould ran in to Mrs Metcalfe's with her throat and arms cut. Inside the house Ida and Leonard were lying dead, and Elsie was conscious but with her throat cut. Constance had escaped by running downstairs. Daniel Bould was also lying with his throat cut but he was still alive.

  Drs Steven and Finch were quickly on the scene and stitched up Daniel Bould's throat but he died shortly afterwards. Elsie and her mother were taken to Clayton Hospital where Elsie died not long after admission.

  Mrs Metcalfe, who was looking after Constance, told the Express Mr Bould had been wrapped up in his wife and children, and he never stayed away from work unless it was necessary. As far as she knew there was no trouble, but he had been depressed by money matters. Another unnamed source told the Express Mr Bould had to pay towards his mother's maintenance, and he had just been told he had to pay more.

  An inquest was opened at Clayton Hospital on Elsie Bould and was adjourned. An inquest in Featherstone on Daniel, Ida and Leonard was also adjourned. The funeral of the three children and their father drew a large crowd, but only mourners were allowed inside the cemetery until the last rights were concluded. Scholars from North Featherstone Lane Junior Mixed School sang hymns at the house and the graveside.

  An inquest was held into the death of Harold Walsh aged ten of Featherstone Square. He was playing on the muckstack with other boys and was larking about on the haulage wheel when it started up. He fell and fractured his skull. He was taken to the colliery's ambulance room and Dr Finch was sent for but he died before he could be taken to hospital. The jury's verdict was misadventure.

  Lance-corporal Charles Parker of Ackton, who was serving in the Royal Army Medical Corps, was awarded the Military Medal for bravery in reaching wounded soldiers while under heavy shell fire.

  There was a public meeting in the Palace regarding control of food supplies. Roslyn Holiday said the subject was neither popular nor pleasant, but it was one to which a great deal of personal responsibility was attached. Mr Munday of Leeds, from the Yorkshire War Savings Association, said many people did not believe there was a food shortage. Last year the world's harvest of corn was 20% below the average. There was also the submarine menace. If one big food ship was sunk enough grain was lost to keep the 15,000 people in Featherstone for seven years.

  Even if peace was declared this year there would still be a great need for self-rationing throughout 1918. He hoped the Government would put a stop to all profiteering, but there were great difficulties in the way of compulsory rationing, largely because it would increase officials and we had enough already. He urged those present to avoid waste of food of any description.

  Norman Parker of North Featherstone and Joseph Parker of Featherstone Square were not related and joined the Coldstream Guards separately but found themselves in the same platoon. They both went to France and after good work were both promoted to second-lieutenant. Joseph was then transferred to the Royal Warwickshire Regiment and Norman to the West Yorkshire Regiment. 

  On the same day, 3 May, both sets of parents received word their sons were wounded and missing. Even then the coincidence did not end. Later, at the same time both families received word the soldiers were in the same prisoner of war camp at Karlsrobe, by way of Messrs Cox, bankers, who had received a cheque from each of them. Then each family received at the same time a card from the International Red Cross confirming this and saying letters and parcels could be sent direct to their sons at Karlsrobe.

  An Economy Day and Parents' Day was held at all the schools to show parents how to economise on materials and foodstuffs - especially flour and sugar.

  Sir Joseph Compton-Rickett MP made a speech in Regent Street Girls' School. His main theme was the progress of the war, but he said he had been advised to go to his constituency because they were on the verge of revolution. He said he found no sign of this, but there were certainly misunderstandings with regard to war problems. 
  He mentioned the troubles in Russia, but said the fact the USA had entered the war meant certain victory, although patience was needed. On the food question he said something should be done to make the bread more palatable. When peacetime returned Osgoldcross Division, of which Featherstone was part, would certainly be divided into two. He thought they would be Pontefract and Goole Divisions.

  Charles William Haikings was in court charged with having sold potatoes above the maximum price. His daughter Florence and Margaret Jones were charged with aiding and abetting. Supt Ackroyd said Mr Haikings had sold potatoes in his Station Lane shop at 2d a pound instead of the maximum penny three farthings. This was an extra £2 6s 6d a ton. It was very difficult to stop this sort of thing. Rather than say anything people would pay any price almost. It should be made known the purchaser as well as the seller was liable to prosecution.   
  On the day in question Mr Haikings was regulating the customers into the shop and the two girls were weighing the potatoes up and selling them. He (the superintendent) did not ask for a serious penalty against the two girls because the blame, if proved, lay against Mr Haikings.
  Nellie Robinson of Crossley Street  said she asked for 2lbs of potatoes and handed over 2s. She received 1s 8d change but nothing was said about the price. Mr Clayton-Smith, defending, suggested she had received more than 2lbs, but the superintendent said the potatoes were weighed and were 3ozs short. Ann Elizabeth Yates, Elizabeth Haggerty and Mabel Brown, all of Hartley Terrace, gave similar evidence.
  Mr Clayton-Smith said there was a great crowd and all the halfpence for change had gone, so the two girls were instructed to sell 2lbs 6ozs for the 4d and the customers agreed to that. Mr Haikings said he knew nothing about what took place in the shop. There was such a crowd part of the fittings were broken. He told the girls to give them a treat and overweigh rather than under. No complaint had reached him about underweight.
  The superintendent said there had been a complaint about overcharging and if Mr Haikings had told everybody about the change situation he could have brought lots of witnesses. Mr Haikings said he was quite honest enough without witnesses.

  Both Florence Haikings and Margaret Jones said they originally charged 3½d for two pounds, but when the change ran out they told the shoppers it was 2lbs 6ozs for 4d. Everybody seemed satisfied and nobody complained. They had never sold at a higher price than the maximum. They could not say how many customers had paid 3½d or why the four customers agreed about the overcharging.

  The Bench found the case proved and fined Charles Haikings £5. His two girl assistants got away with paying 6s 6d each in costs. 

JULY

  The council held a discussion on the scheme providing for the new Parliamentary Division. The clerk suggested the chairman and himself should attend the commissioner's inquiry. The chairman thought the proposed change to a Normanton Division would be very good, the places embraced being of the same type. They were already linked up with regard to hospital work, and the change would only bring them together in one more interest in common. 

  Cr Darlington asked how the workers viewed the proposed change. Cr Murphy said he did not think there would be any opposition. The new division would be totally industrial. it was agreed the chairman and the clerk would attend the inquiry.  

  The inquest was resumed on Daniel, Ida and Leonard Bould. There were quite a few differences in the evidence to that published in the Express when the tragedy happened. Charles Dutton, a neighbour, said he saw Mr Bould standing at the door at 10.30pm. Shortly after 11pm he heard alarming screams coming from one of Bould's bedrooms. He jumped out of bed and ran downstairs. He found Bould standing at his door with his throat cut. Bould went back in and he (Dutton) knocked on houses for assistance.
  He then went into Bould's house with Messrs Ash and Metcalfe and Special Constable Wroe. Upstairs they found Lennie on the bedroom floor, dead.  Ida was in bed and also dead. Connie was in bed unhurt, so Mr Metcalfe took her away. They found Elsie on the floor between the bed and the window with her throat cut. His brother-in-law carried her downstairs. Daniel and his wife could not be seen. A razor was found on the kitchen floor.
  Harry Metcalfe said he heard Mrs Bould call help three times and murder twice. He walked across the yard and Mrs Bould came out with her throat cut. She asked if she could go into his house and he sent her upstairs to his wife. She said "Go to Dan, he's murdering the children". His remaining evidence was the same as Mr Dutton's.
  Harriet Bould was in mourning and her right hand was bandaged. She looked a pathetic figure and said she was staying at present with Mrs Metcalfe. She had been married nine years to Daniel and they had lived at 24 Dickinson Terrace for seven years. They had been very comfortable and her husband was a very good husband. On 12 June he had stayed at home with a very bad headache, and he had been depressed for some weeks about his work. He had had influenza and went back to work before he was fit. He was also troubled about being required to pay some money towards the maintenance of his mother. He had paid 1s a week and he was required to pay 3s, and he felt the responsibility was more than he could take.
  They went to bed about 10.45 and he never said anything, but got out of bed. She saw the razor shining so she got out of bed and he made for her. She tried to get it off him and her hand was cut. He then cut her throat without saying a word. She ran downstairs to get help, thinking that was the best thing to do, and her husband went into the children's bedroom. She never expected anything happening.
  Dr Steven said he went to 22 Dickinson Terrace and attended to Mrs Bould. He stitched and dressed her throat and when he was told of the others he left her hand and went next door. It was then about 11.30. He stitched Daniel Bould's throat although Bould resisted his efforts without saying anything. Bould died just as he had finished from shock and loss of blood. He next looked at the children, but they were already dead from hemorrhage. They must have died almost instantly.
  The coroner, Major Arundel, said there was no doubt the wound which caused Daniel Bould's death was self-inflicted. The jury might consider whether he was of sound mind or not when he inflicted the injury on himself. As to the deaths of the children, it was not in the jury's province to consider whether the man was sane or not when he inflicted the injuries on them. If the jury found he had inflicted the injuries wilfully their verdict in these cases would be murder.
 The jury decided Bould took his own life while temporarily insane, and he murdered the children.

  At the resumed inquest at Clayton Hospital on Elsie Bould the coroner said it would be an unnecessary strain on Mrs Bould to give her evidence again, so Superintendent Tattersfield repeated the evidence given at the Featherstone inquest. 
  The hospital surgeon said Elsie was admitted early on the 13th. She had a clean wound in the throat and two fingers of the right hand were cut. She was in a very bad way and died the same morning.
  The jury returned a verdict saying the child was wilfully murdered by her father cutting her throat with a razor.

  The Council's baby show was held in North Featherstone Methodist Schoolroom. Miss Lee said last year 492 babies were born and 49 died before reaching one year old. She said many would have been saved by proper precautions. There were 53 entries for the six competitions with a first prize of £1 and a second prize of 10s. There were also bread making competitions for regulation flour, war flour and substitute bread. The prizes for each were 30s, 20s and 10s.

  Lance-Sergeant W H Piper of Featherstone Square was in the West Yorkshire Regiment. He was awarded the Military Medal for bravery during an attack on Hill 60.

AUGUST

  The Assembly Rooms were reopened on Bank Holiday Monday with a grand ball from 8pm to 2am. The admission was 1s 1d. There was also a Cinderella dance on the Saturday admission 9d.

  Second-Lieutenant J T Lakin of the West Yorkshire Regiment was awarded the Military Medal for gallantry during an attack on Hill 60.

SEPTEMBER

  The Food Control Committee decided to pay Mr Haigh (the council clerk) £1 a week for doing the clerical work. The maximum price of flour had been fixed at 2s 6d a stone but some Featherstone grocers were charging less to tice customers in. The committee did not think they could enforce the maximum price. 

  Rhubarb and vegetable marrow had been classed as vegetables so no sugar was allowed for preserving. Mr Haigh was instructed to consult the divisional food commissioner and Leeds University about this.

  There was a large gathering at Pontefract Barracks to see Sergeant J J Millard of the West Yorkshire Regiment presented with the Military Medal for gallantry in heading a bombing party into the German lines. His home was in Wakefield Road.

  The council regretted they were unable to make any compensation to Mrs Bould in respect of destroyed clothing because this was not by order of the council or officials.

  In reply to a Local Government Board inquiry regarding houses for the working classes the council decided 300 more houses were required, and they were prepared to submit a scheme for the erection of that number at the end of the war. The surveyor was instructed to examine suitable sites, and the clerk to ascertain the cost of the land.  

OCTOBER

Lieutenant Tommy Sides, commanding officer of the 14th West Riding Volunteers, held a sports day on the Featherstone Main Colliery Athletics Ground. There was a large crowd, and the proceeds were given to the Shirt and Sock Fund. He said another 70 men were required to bring the Featherstone section up to strength.

  Private Arthur Jones left a grocer's business in North Featherstone to emigrate to Australia six years ago. He joined the Australian Light Infantry and died of wounds in France.

  The council agreed to purchase some land from Christ Church for building council houses. Other plots were to be considered. 

  The National Union of General Workers asked the council to pay an extra 6s a week on top of the council workers basic wage rate of 26s. The clerk pointed out their workers were already getting more than this.

  Cr Maxwell said they had been hoping to reduce the rates, but he proposed it remain the same at 2s 1d. The chairman said they were fortunate in not having to raise the amount, and the council voted to keep it the same.
   The clerk pointed out the Food Control Committee could not appoint a person to visit shops to find out whether goods were being sold at proper prices, but the council could, and they could prosecute if necessary. The council might ask one of their officers to do so. The council nominated Mr Sagar, and he said he would do his best.

  This map shows Lots one and two which the council agreed to purchase for the second council house estate.

 

NOVEMBER

  The Featherstone United Charities advertised for deserving and necessitous persons who were over 60 and not receiving poor relief to apply for a weekly allowance of 1s 6s to 3s a week. The annual Christmas dole would no longer be paid.

  The council held a special meeting to consider lighting the street lamps. It was agreed to light the lamps in Station Lane and some of the side streets subject to the agreement of Superintendent Ackroyd, and a man must be available to turn them off in the event of an air-raid warning.

  The Food Control Committee were to ask traders to co-operate wherever possible in the use of vans and lorries so as to eliminate journeys of half loads. It was expected there would be very stringent regulations on the use of petrol. 

  Two milk retailers asked if they could put up the price of their milk because the farmers had increased their price by 2d a gallon. The committee told them to get the farmers to put their price down again. The butchers asked if they could exceed the maximum price for pork, and they were also told no. Mr Sagar reported he had bought goods as tests and everything was satisfactory. 

  At a later meeting the committee said the price of milk would be 6½d a quart delivered and 6d if not delivered. Milkmen were to be requested to stay with their delivery round as in October and not go into different districts.

  Poppleton's delivery van. It's difficult to see how traders could combine deliveries. A Featherstone Heritage Group photo.

  A special meeting of the council agreed to pay an extra 6s a week war bonus to all employees. This made the total 14s a week.

  A sale at North Featherstone Lane Junior Mixed School raised over £45. Each child had been asked to take a potato to school and there was a total of 240lbs. There were numerous stalls with things for sale. The money would be used to send Christmas parcels to the soldiers.

  The council agreed to give Dr Buncle three months leave of absence because of ill health. Dr Steven would stand in for him. 

  There was a letter from the Boundary Commission confirming Featherstone would be in the Normanton Division at the next election. There was another letter informing the council no person could order coal if he already had one months supply in hand. Also the price had gone up 2s 6d a ton because of a rise in the miners' wages.

  An inquest was held on James Cavill aged 53 of Mount Pleasant Street. He was injured at Featherstone Main Colliery last January and hadn't worked since. Dr Steven said the cause of death was cancer, and the jury decided it was natural causes.

DECEMBER

    The military had decided George Johnson age 17 of Station Lane ought to be in the Army. At the Featherstone Tribunal he said he had lost the sight of one eye and he was being attended to by a specialist for the other. The tribunal granted him an exemption.

  The Express reported Featherstone parents were sending boys and girls on the train to Pontefract to fetch paraffin in all sorts of containers because there was none to be had in Featherstone.

  Lance-Corporal Harry Ward of Belle Vue Terrace was serving in the KOYLI. He was awarded the Military Medal for rescuing injured comrades while under enemy fire. Lieutenant J Cranswick of the Bedfordshire Regiment was awarded the Military Cross. The citation said although himself wounded he succeeded in rescuing all his wounded soldiers.