1961

 

A HISTORY OF FEATHERSTONE 

 1961

 

THE COUNCIL

JANUARY  The contractors at Featherstone Square would be asked to cut a ditch along the foot of the muckstack to provide drainage.A grant of £40 would be made to the Featherstone Musical and Dramatic Society.

FEBRUARY  It was agreed to buy 1,550 square yards of land and the buildings on it from Birshall Ltd of Ackworth Road for the proposed establishment of a Youth Centre. A previous decision not to allow fairs in the park would be adhered to.

  The bowling green had been damaged by vandals. There was also extensive vandalism on the Common Lane estate, and a £5 reward was offered to anyone giving information leading to a conviction.

  Tenants in Granville Street complained about the parking of vehicles. The council said it was a private street and they could take no action, drivers of lorries carrying shale would be requested not to park there.

  The tenants in Featherstone Square complained the coal bunkers provided by the council could not be locked. The council would provide letter boxes in Featherstone Square and Nostell View.

  Plans were approved for a petrol filling station, cafe and car park in Wakefield Road for Mr J Lister of Wakefield. 

  MARCH  The plans were approved for new premises for the North Featherstone Lane Working Men's Club. In the estimates for next year were extending the new street lighting system, a pavilion in Purston Park with new toilet accommodation, and extensive repairs and improvements to the Lister Baths. 

APRIL  The council were concerned at the slow progress being made on repairing and improving houses in Featherstone Square by the contractors H Gilbert Ltd. The council were prepared to extend the completion date by six months, and if not finished by then would impose the full conditions of the contract.

  The council would acquire the site where houses were being demolished in Aberdeen Terrace, Henry Street, Back Henry Street and Green Lane. Plans were approved for a presbytery adjacent to the Roman Catholic Church. 

MAY  Tenders were accepted from Neilsons Ltd for ice cream, and Messrs Littlewood for minerals for the sole sales in Purston Park for the season. The practice of playing gramophone records in the park would be discontinued. A pavilion was to be erected in the park at a cost of £2,500, and £25,000 would be spent on improvements at the Lister Baths. 

  The elections were contested on a Thursday instead of a Saturday for the second year. The walk-over in the North West Ward was the first in Featherstone since 1951. Bessie Major decided not to seek re-election for the Central Ward. The results were:

Central Ward  F G Smith (Labour) 772  G Holt (Ratepayers)  581

East Ward  Mary Lily Fox (Labour) 1,050  C B Roberts (Independent)  786

South Ward  D Gray (Labour)  821  E Price (Ratepayers)  545 

JUNE  The Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960 came into force. This meant the public and Press could attend the council's various committee meetings. At the first one the chairman, Cr H Woodock. regretted that no ratepayer had turned up. Because of the high rate of interest it was agreed to consider loans from the Soviet Union which were cheaper, and also the Yorkshire Mineworkers' Association. It was found later the loans from either party were nor suitable for the council's needs. 

  Vehicles would be prohibited from using the Middle Lane level crossing to avoid the cost of replacing the crossing gates. 

  One block in Featherstone Square was in a very bad state because of subsidence. Sloping floors were being levelled and doors made to fit them. Cr D Grey said they should be pulled down. The council's architect said it was simply a question of cost.

JULY  The council wanted to open a youth centre in the park at a cost of £22,000 with a grant of £11,000 from the Ministry. When this wasn't forthcoming the scheme was scaled back by omitting facilities for badminton. The amended plan would cost £12,000. Cr Davis said it is ambitious but necessary. We hear a lot about delinquency, and this is one way the council can do something about it. 

  There were complaints about the lack of toilet facilities in three houses in Pontefract Road. Cr Lily Fox said she was surprised that sort of thing could happen these days. The public health inspector was asked to see the landlords. 

SEPTEMBER  Cr T Morgan said the council could not afford to spend £25,000 on improvements at the Lister Baths because of the present rates of interest. The clerk was asked to obtain the exact figure and report.

  Cr D Gray said the baths should be closed during the winter months because of disturbances caused to neighbouring tenants, and they were run at a loss. Cr A J Davies said social activities represented as much for a public service as swimming. A vote to close in the winter was won by one vote. 

  Congestion in Post Office Road at Rovers home games was raised. Cr W N Marsh said the Maxwell Street fairground was ideal for parking. The clerk said it was private land and the council had no powers over it. Cr F G Smith said the owner had given the Rovers permission to use it.

  Cr T Morgan said farmers were ploughing up public footpaths. The clerk said there was a legal obligation to reinstate paths within two weeks. 

OCTOBER  Cr W Marsh said he thought the accommodation for old people in Little Lane was unsuitable because of the hill, and he suggested the houses should be let to single people and the old people rehoused. 

  A revised scheme costing £18,730 to improve and repair the Lister Baths was approved. It was hoped the work would be completed before the new swimming season.

  A grant of £75 was made to the Musical and Dramatic Society to enable them to start another season with a small balance. Last year's grant was £40. 

NOVEMBER  There were complaints about shoddy workmanship on council houses in Lea Lane which had cracks in fireplaces and hearths. The surveyor, Mr G F Adamson, said it was faulty installation that had caused the cracks, and the installers had gone out of business. Cement bags and other rubbish had been used as padding behind the fireplaces. The council agreed to replace the three worst affected.

DECEMBER  The council's hopes for a youth centre in the park received a setback when the county council decided to review the policy of grants. It was agreed in principle to provide future old people's bungalow estates with a warden's room, common room and laundry facilities.

 

THE ROVERS

   At the half-yearly meeting held at the ground in January the financial secretary, Mr A H Greaves, said the club was very much in the red because of an early dismissal from the Yorkshire Cup and an abnormal run of bad weather.

  The chairman, Mr J Jepson, also thought the bad weather was responsible, and he said the bad position showed how important were the pools and the debt which the club owed to all who contributed to their success. He thought summer football was the answer to the bad weather.

  The secretary, Mr R Bailey, recalled the disappointing start to the season, and the amazing transformation which had occurred since then. He said the club hoped to arrange training sessions in the gymnasium at Pontefract barracks.

  After the meeting the club sent a circular to all clubs asking for their opinion on a suggested season of March to October. 

  To commemorate Freddie Miller who died last year and was a member of the Rovers 1952 Challenge Cup Final team, a solid oak gate with a stonework surround was erected behind the main stand. It cost about £500 and was funded by the Knottingley Supporters' Club. It was officially opened in April by Mrs N Miller his widow. Mr E Hardaker, the chairman of Hull RLFC, said he was delighted a citizen of Hull should make such a wonderful impression on the people of another town. The photo is from the Express.

 

   At the annual meeting of the Northern Rugby League in June, Featherstone Rovers, who were previously opposed, changed their mind and voted in favour of a two division system. Their change helped the proposed scheme to be approved.

  The Rovers' annual meeting was held in the Miners' Welfare Hall in July. The financial secretary, My A H Greaves, said the accounts for the season showed a loss of £1,201. He said the lesson was the club, despite the help it receives from the Supporters' Club pool, could not make end meet without successful runs in the Yorkshire and Rugby League Cup competitions.

  The chairman, Mr J Jepson, said the club decided to support the two-divisions scheme because its own plan for summer football had not received sufficient support. The secretary, Mr R Bailey, during his review of the season, expressed thanks to the president, Mr A Bullock, who was entering his 25th year with the club. A proposal to increase the size of the committee was lost by 52 votes to 29.

  The 1961-62 season results would decide which teams were in the first division in 1962-63, so the committee proposed new playing terms. The previous season's match fees of £11 for a win and £5 for a draw would continue, but there would be a progressive winning bonus of £1 per match for three matches, to a maximum of £14. The players would stay on that figure until they lost when they would revert to £11 plus £1 when they won again.

 

THE AMDRAMS

  The Featherstone Amateur Musical and Dramatic Society put on Showboat at the Miners' Welfare Hall in March. A long review of the first night in the Express contained the following.

  Featherstone is this week disproving the popular theory that local entertainers are fighting a losing battle against television, housey-housey and the like. On Monday, at the opening performance of Showboat, all the 500 seats were occupied and only a couple of dozen remained unsold for the week's programme.

  The complete success of the first night was secured very early by the outstanding interpretation of Ol' Man River by Derek Davis and part of the Girnhill Lane Working Men's Club choir.

  The stage was often filled to capacity, and not only with people, but also with music, for it is in the ensembles that the company at Featherstone has long excelled. The orchestra, under Mr C Chilton, achieved its traditional high standard, and the producer, Miss Mary Robertson, must be well pleased with the outcome.

ALL SAINTS' APPEAL

  A appeal was made in May by All Saints' Church, North Featherstone, for £3,000. This was for death watch beetle and furniture beetle problems at the parish church (£1,200), repairs and redecoration at St Peter's (£400), and the Parochial Hall needed £1,500 spending on it. After two weeks £400 had been given plus promises of interest free loans of £1,200, so it was decided work could begin.

CHURCH VANDALISM

  Mrs Hilda Oxley went to Wilson Street Methodist Church in June to prepare for a service and said she had never seen such a mess in her life. Makeup crayons used for church concerts had been taken from a drawer and used to scrawl on the walls, cold cream was smeared on the seats and the organ, the pulpit hymnbook was torn and other hymnbooks lay all over the place. Hymn sheets had been glued around the church with glue taken from a cupboard and liquid had been spilled over the communion table.

  Mrs Oxley spent much of Saturday cleaning the church in readiness for the following day, but when the organ was opened up the keys inside were smeared with lipstick and greasepaint. Despite all that, the anniversary celebrations went ahead as planned.

NURSE WILFORD RETIRES

  After 26 years as a midwife in Featherstone, during which time she brought 2,000 babies into the world, Nurse Jeannie Reid Wilford retired in June. She was born in Scotland and came to Featherstone via Headlands Hospital in Pontefract. During her whole nursing career she estimated she assisted at the birth of 3,500 children. The photo is from the Dr J Gatecliff Collection.

 

PURSTON CHURCH SCHOOL CENTENARY

  A special service was held in Purston Parish Church in September to celebrate the centenary of the church school. Revd I O Jay said frequently having to witness a person's "mark" on a document (not being taught to write), education as we know it today is a modern institution. Now it is possible for any child of ability, irrespective of rank or wealth, to reach the heights of learning. The lead came from the Church, which before 1872 built and financed almost all the countries schools. It was easy to criticise the buildings, but there were no state grants 100 years ago.

   The vicar recalled his great regret when the infants department had to be given up ten years ago because of the state of the building and its "bulge". After the building had been repaired, the junior school returned from its exile in George Street and had gone from strength to strength.

  Previously in the parish magazine the vicar wrote that in 1944 under the Education Act the school managers handed over part of their authority to the state and the church became "controlled".

HEALTH ANNUAL REPORT

  In his annual report (for 1960) published in December Mr J F Ellison, the council's chief public health inspector, said he hoped the demand for red shale from the colliery spoil heaps would continue. Its removal caused a dust problem but this was relieved by hosing. The previous year's improvement of smoke from industrial chimney had been maintained, and the large number of diesel-engined vehicles caused little concern, but some give off clouds of choking black smoke simply through lack of routine maintenance.

  Regarding the 1956 Clean Air Act, no progress had been made in domestic properties. "Mineworkers are so numerous and their houses so distributed throughout the district that until the concessionary coal problem is completely and finally settled, no great steps can be taken in that direction.

  Fifty-six new dwellings were build during the year, including 30 bungalows for aged people. Water supply was generally adequate, but higher parts of Purston suffered a greatly reduced supply on certain days because of inadequate mains pressure. A scheme to improve the supply was in hand.

  In conclusion he wrote "The letting of council houses continued to be an onerous task".

  The medical officer, Mr J F Fraser, reported there were only 34 cases of measles during the year and no cases of diphtheria. There were 146 cases of tuberculosis on the register at the beginning of the year, and 142 by the end.

CRICKET CLUB WOES

  At the annual meeting of the cricket club held at the Junction Hotel in December the secretary, Mr George Kirby said the first XI played 22 games and only won one. The second XI played 20 and won six. He regretted the poor and dwindling support given to weekly whist drives. He said Bingo is the bugbear.

   The treasurer, Mr D Gilding, said there had been a loss on the season of about  £75, He commented "Something has got to be done and done quickly, for we cannot stand another season like this".

  Both officials asked to be allowed to resign because of work problems. After appreciations of their efforts, Mr R Belfield was elected secretary and Mr C Toft treasurer.

 

1961 NEWS ITEMS

JANUARY  At Featherstone Parish Church the vicar, Revd R A Nelson, dedicated an aumbry given by Dr Marjorie Steven and her sister, Mrs R Ross, both of Cornwall, in memory of their mother, Alice Steven, and sister, Mrs Marie Smith. The aumbry was fixed in the north wall of the Sanctuary and consisted of a metal safe and decorated oak door. Its purpose was was to provide for the permanent reservation of the Blessed Sacrament. 

 

  Terrapin prefabricated classrooms costing £3,498 were in the education estimates for 1960-61.

 

 FEBRUARY  The West Riding County Council decided not to have double white lines at the top of the hill on the main road near Houndhill Lane as recommended  by the Featherstone Road Safety Committee. 

 

   The Featherstone and Streethouse Tenants' and Ratepayers' Association held their annual dinner at the Clock Cafe. There were people from the York Association which the local association had helped to form.

  The Ackton Hall and Snydale Collieries' Workmen's Band entered the Halifax and District Association Competition and beat 12 other bands in the selection contest and the hymn contest.

MARCH  A postman emptied a pillar box in Leatham Crescent and found six letters were partly burnt. Two were so bad they had to be returned to the sender. 

APRIL  The annual dinner of the Featherstone Cricket Club was held at the Junction Hotel. The president, Mr F Vollans, said although the weather was poor and there was a £13 loss on the season they still had £70 in hand. He thanked the Miners' Welfare Committee for a new storage building in the ground, and complimented the groundsman, Mr W Swallow, on the appearance of the ground.

  The Ratepayers' Association said they would not contest the North-west Ward in the coming elections because it had four polling stations, and because the elections were on a Thursday instead of the usual Saturday, it would be a heavy drain on available workers.

MAY In the annual Fairburn Jumping Competitions John Roberts of Featherstone won the Foxhunter Competition riding Golden.

 

JUNE  The 11th annual Gala was held in the park in June. The Express commented two new innovations were horse leaping and the participation of the Hospital Comforts Committee. It said the weather was right, and from early afternoon to late evening the park made a lively scene.

  Over 1,700 people, including over 1,000 children visited Blackpool in three trains organised by the Green Lane Workingmen's Club. The members children each received £1 to spend, sweets, crisps and mineral waters. The trip cost about £2,000.

JULY   The 13th annual demonstration of the Featherstone and Purston Sunday Schools had a major change. Instead of the procession starting at Cressey's Corner and ending in Purston Park, it started at Pontefract Road and ended in the "top school field" at Gordon Street School. The queen was Ann Whitworth, and the procession was headed by the Salvation Army band. The Knottingley Boys Brigade band also took part.

  The change from Purston Park was an attempt to concentrate without the distractions caused by other activities in the park, and the experiment was considered a success.

AUGUST  Featherstone Fire Brigade were called out three times in one week. They were a chimney fire at the home of Mr N Sawyer of Hartley Terrace, A motorcycle fire at Manor Drive, North Featherstone, belonging to Mr G Lunn, and at a fish and chip shop in Green Lane owned by Mrs C Saye.

 

  Mr C Smith of Jubilee Lodge, Ackworth Road, returned from a three weeks holiday to find his house had been broken into. The intruders had evidently been there for a while because there were empty food cans lying around.

  Four Featherstone and Purston teenagers were in court in Blackpool for theft and assault. The magistrate said we are determined to do all we can to stop this hooliganism. 

SEPTEMBER  The Featherstone and District Horticultural Society held its third show at the Clock Cafe. There were 208 entries of flowers and vegetables from 28 exhibitors. E Wensley won the Raybould Cup for the most points in the show.

   Willie Smith, the former billiards and snooker champion, gave an exhibition at the B & S Sports Club. The proceeds were for the Cancer Research Fund and raised £42 10s.

  Mr C Haddock of the Vicarage Nurseries estimated vandalism in the past weeks had cost him £100. His major loss was 300 chrysanthemum plants pulled up and scattered about. Greenhouse glass had also been broken.

OCTOBER  Charles Harris, the Albert Street printer, was interviewed on the BBC Newsnight programme by Cliff Michelmore about his keenness for correct grammar and spelling. 

NOVEMBER  The Featherstone Road Club won the national hill climb competition at Yorks Hill, Kent. The team was L A Grayson, K B Lycett and O M O'Rourke. Womersley is also mentioned later in the Express report. The team received their medals at the Albert Hall.

  The Pontefract and Castleford Hospital Management Committee informed the Featherstone and District Hospital Comforts Committee they were willing to pay half the cost of installing individual headphones for patients at Ackton Hospital.

  At the annual meeting of the British Legion at the Featherstone Hotel, the president, Mr R J Wagner, said because there would be no dance at the Lister Baths this year, greater support would be needed from the public in the sale of poppies to raise the £100 which the dance realised.

DECEMBER  The accounts of the Featherstone and District Hospital Comforts Fund showed a balance in hand of £312. The secretary, Mr W Farrington, reported the Rovers had agreed to allow home matches to be broadcast for hospitals. It was decided Santa would visit patients on Ackton and Headlands Hospitals at Christmas.

  The West Riding Education Committee decided to alter the proposed four-form-entry Roman Catholic School at North Featherstone to a six-form-entry school.

 

  The North Featherstone Lane Working Men's Club, popularly know as The Rat Trap, closed in preparation for a move to new premises across the road.