Echoes of our Past NEWS ......... 19th April 1902

 

Read all about it……. Echoes of our past NEWS

What was in the local news this weekend in 1902?

MAIN NEWS –

*Jealous Irish Man –

James Wilson a 25 year old employee of Markham Colliery was in serious trouble this week after he had beaten his girlfriend causing a near fatal situation.  He was from Belfast, Ireland and had only been living in Arkwright Town for the past 2 weeks, staying at the home of Robert Dobson.  James had secured himself a job as a detailer at Markham Colliery. 

Robert Dobson had a young sister living nearby named Ada; she was staying with her brother in law Henry Dunn.  Ada was 19 years old and spent a lot of time visiting her brother, so she soon became on friendly terms with the young Irish man James.

On the Sunday night the pair had been out together and had not returned to Robert Dobson’s home until 2am the following morning.  Mrs Dobson was not very impressed with the late time the couple had kept, but James assured her that it was his entire fault and she must not blame Ada.  Ada was also staying at the house that night, as the couple parted James whispered to her that she must not forget what they had talked about that evening.

James had asked Ada to go off with him and leave Arkwright Town and her family; Ada did not want to go. 

The next evening as James was getting ready to go to work Henry Dunn called at the Dobson’s home and conversation got around to the wellbeing of Ada.  Henry thought that Ada should be returned to Yorkshire to her family.  At this James was furious and declared that he was not going to work that night, he asked Ada to go outside with him to talk but Ada refused.  The situation became more intense after Ada was sent on an errand for Mrs Dobson and James followed her, harassing her in the process.  So much so that Mrs Dobson asked him to leave the house.  He packed his belongings into a bundle and left, but before he went he gave out the chilling words of promise to the two ladies “I shall do for you both before 12 o’clock tonight”.

True to his word James returned later that night and wielded a poker at poor Ada striking her several times causing her great injury, Mrs Dobson ran for help and returned with Henry Dunn to find Ada slumped almost dead.  She did manage to awake and fell into the arms of Mrs Dobson.

A search was made for James but it wasn’t until the next day when he walked through Arkwright Town as bold as brass, on his way to Chesterfield.  He was apprehended and was to stand trial today for the attempted murder of Ada Dobson.

OTHER ITEMS –

*Cat custody –

A Persian cat was the centre of an agreement in-between Alfred Martin a shop keeper at Brampton and Emma Wall of Chester Street, each claiming to have ownership of the cat.

Emma was prosecuting Alfred after he allegedly sent our Bert Williams to steal the cat from her on 12^th April.

Alfred argued that the cat was his after he found it wandering on Newbold Road as a kitten and had taken it home for his wife to look after.  There had never been any advertisement for a missing kitten and so the Martin family assumed ownership.  Emma said that she owned the cat and Mrs Ann Marsh and Miss Burcher both agreed with her story. 

Bert Williams had been offered 3d if he managed to bring the cat back to Alfred, but on the day he had found it Alfred only paid out 1d.  Emma had been offered £2 for the cat on a previous occasion but had not wanted to part with it.

Sadly for Alfred the Bench agreed with Emma and custody was placed with her, Alfred was fined 2s 6d and costs. 

*Death of Blue Bell landlord, Bolsover –

Mr George Revill had passed away on Tuesday 15^th April after a long illness.  George was only 41 years of age. 

George had been a keen member of the local area being Urban Councillor until ill health caused him to resign a few months earlier.  He was a keen cricketer and was a member of the Town Cricket Club.  Eleven years ago George had left his position of foreman at Markham Colliery and taken over the running of the Blue Bell public house in Bolsover.  George leaves a widow and a large family.

*Education –

Many of the surrounding schools were advertising for next year’s intake –

v  Bakewell Grammar School, over 140 scholars – term starts 6^th May 1902

v  Chesterfield College for girls, temporarily at the holy Trinity Institute – 5^th May 1902

v  Belper Grammar School, established 1841, 3 vacancies for boarders – 6^th May 1902

v  Netherthorpe Grammar School, Staveley, specialising in science; chemical and physical laboratories, woodwork and cookery, boys and girls.  Tuition fees £1 13s 4d per term – 28^th April 1902

MARRIAGES –

*Reverend David Ross Fotheringham, so of Rev David Fotheringham J.P of Northumberland Park, Tottenham to Mildred Taylor daughter of George Taylor Esq of Welford House, Bakewell on 15^th April at All Saint’s Church, Bakewell

*Alfred McKay to Mary White daughter of Henry White on 16^th April at the Holy Trinity Church, Chesterfield

*A Savage to Harriett Gertrude Rhodes daughter of George Rhodes of New Tupton on 16^th April at St Lawrence’s Church, North Wingfield

*George Innes to Mary Newton on 16^th April at Chesterfield Parish Church

DEATHS –

*John Battersby aged 7 months son on 9^th April at Cresswell

*Mary Ann Andrews aged 3 months on 12^th April at Pinxton

*Edward Haywood aged 53 years on 10^th April at South Normanton

*Rebecca Haywood aged 38 years on 14^th April at South Normanton

*Mary Ellen Howe aged 35 years on 14^th April at Newbold

*William Rayner aged 13 years on 11^th April at Chesterfield

*Eliza Walker aged 60 years on 14^th April at Chesterfield

*Thomas Cooke aged 70 years on 11^th April at Speedwell, Staveley

*Ann Blanksby aged 23 years on 9^th April at Chesterfield

SPORT –

*Hockey –

It was the final game of the season for Chesterfield’s hockey team on Saturday.  The team travelled to Sheffield to play the game against the Riverdale Club and won 8 goals to 2.

Chesterfield could boast an eventful season after playing 21 matches they won 14, drew 3 and lost only 4.  They had scored 99 goals but only conceded 33. 

Well done Chesterfield hockey team.

AND FINALLY…

*2^nd Volunteer Derbyshire Regiment –

April had been a good month and the following men have joined the Derbyshire Regiment –

v  C company – William Haycock, Lewis Jones and Edward Wood

v  D Company – Joseph J Gregory

v  F Company – George Fletcher Needham, Cecil Hopkinson, William Ball and John Ellse

v  M Company – William Bennett, Sampson Bennett, Raymond Wooley, Arthur Maycock and Edward A Harvey

v  Cycle Company – Ernest Aveyard

Echoes of our Past NEWS............1st February 1890

Read all about it……. Echoes of our past NEWS

What was in the local news this weekend in 1890?

MAIN NEWS –

*Call for better wages for colliery banksmen –

A meeting was held at the Sun Inn at Chesterfield on behalf of the banksmen of the Derbyshire Collieries.  The Derbyshire Miners Association called the meeting and it was chaired by Mr Henry Jarvis of New Whittington. 

The whole purpose of the meeting was to attempt to gain equality and fairer pay for the colliery banksmen.  At present they were seen as less worthy of a decent wage as they only worked above ground, thus didn’t undertake the dangerous work like the underground men did.  Another issue was the fact that up until now there was no union for the banksmen and so they had not been united in numbers in their fight.  Now however a large number of banksmen had joined the Derbyshire Miners Association which meant that they had a large union of substantial power behind them.

It was argued that now the cost of living was rising; rents were higher, food and clothing were more expensive.  The Union asked that no “capable banksman" should earn less than 24s a week.  This would mean in reality a uniform increase in 20% of the wages paid.  Some collieries had already given their banksmen a wage increase –

West Kiverton 20%

Nesfield 20%

Silkstone 20%

Holbrock 16 ½ % (7d per day)

Langwith 15%

Glapwell 15%

Renishaw Park two three pences per day

Hornsthorpe two three pences per day

Tibshelf two three pences per day

Mapperley one three pence per day

Unstone Main 2d per day

Norwood 8d per day – the best rise up to now

OTHER ITEMS –

*Missing Grassmoor man –

A collier from Charles Street at Grassmoor had been missing since Saturday after leaving his home at 6pm that evening.  The collier was named Charles Hartshorn and he had left home to visit Chesterfield Market, where he was last seen about 11pm that night at Messrs Tyler Brother’s shop in the Low Pavement.

The description was given out of Charles; he was about 64 years old, 5ft 9 inches in height, of pale complexion with dark hair, side whiskers, chin shaven, slightly pitted with small pox.  He was of stout build and was wearing a “serge coat, light checked trousers, patched at the knee and seat, black and white scarf, blue and white shirt, grey stockings, boots recently repaired”.  All of his apparel was said to be much worn. 

Charles was thought to have fallen in the rivers Hipper or Rother, as it was said that he was very drunk when last seen.  The police were making a search of the rivers when they discovered the body of an unidentified female in the River Hipper.  The whereabouts of Charles was still unknown at this time.

*Dronfield Education –

The H M Inspectors reports were read at a meeting in the Cross Lane Schools.  They were described as “on the whole satisfactory”.  The boys department had done extremely well and passed 83 1/2% which had earn the school a grant of £142 12s 4d.  The girls had done even better with 88% pass rate, which equated to a grant of £150 13s 4d.  The infant department which was run by Miss Beardmore had also gained a grant (for the first time) of 15s.  The total amount for the school was £385 10s 8d.

Changes in the school teachers at Cross Lane School were also noted.  Miss Edwards a pupil teacher had been given a new job at nearby Woodhouse School.  Her salary would be £35 per year.  The position of Assistant Master at Cross Lane School had also been advertised and they had received 6 applications.  A Mr A E Broome from Ashton near Manchester was the successful candidate and was appointed at an annual salary of £45.

Over at the Woodhouse School the pass rates had been even better, 915 in the mixed department.  This meant that they had been awarded a grant of £104 7s 6d.

*Fatal accident at Rodlsey –

On Saturday last a farm servant named Thomas Rodgers was assisting to load a cart with the bags of wheat, which he had to carry down some steps from the corn chamber.  He was employed by Mr Burton a farmer at Kedleston.  As he was carrying a bag down the steps he lost his balance and fell down the flight of steps.  He injured his spine and was taken to the infirmary. 

Sadly his condition worsened and he died the next day.  His parents live at Rodsley near Ashbourne.

BIRTHS –

*Evans - on 8^th January son of Rev E Muirhead Evans, vicar of Ilkeston

MARRIAGES –

*George James Ogden only son of Samuel Ogden to Elizabeth Dean, only daughter of the late Francis Walter Ogden on 22^nd January at Wirksworth

*William son of the late William Gregory of East Moor to Maria Drabble eldest son of J H Drabble of Hollins House, Old Brampton on 27^th January by license at Old Brampton Church

*William Cutts potter to Alice Lowe at Chesterfield Parish Church on 20^th January

DEATHS –

*Maria Douglas wife of Bowery Douglas J P and ex-mayor of Chesterfield at the Cottage, Chesterfield on 27^th January.  Maria was interred at Calow Church on 31^st January

*John Hopkinson of Chestnut Cottage, Holmgate (late of Lifton Fields, South Wingfield) on 25^th January

*Charles Wright of Manor House Farm, Tapton on 28^th January, after many years of illness

*At Chesterfield Union Workhouse –

Jno Bush aged 39 years on 23^rd January

Arthur Eastwood aged 16 months on 25^th January

Miriam Rose aged 45 years on 25^th January

John Wright aged 82 years on 23^rd January

WEATHER –

*Weather 1889 –

The head gardener at Chatsworth a Mr O Thomas had taken detailed notes on the weather of 1889.  Here are his recordings –

v  Greatest rainfall – March 8^th 1.33 inches over 24 hours.

v  Highest temperature – 27^th June and 6^th July, 76 degrees

v  Lowest temperature – 6^th January, 11 degrees or 21 degrees of frost

He also noted that “if it had not been for the bright hot weather in June and early July, the weather in 1889 would have been very little better than in the cold sunless year of 1888.  It will chiefly be remembered in Derbyshire for its extraordinary crops of grass, and the almost entire failure of the apple crop”.

AND FINALLY…

*Living to an old age –

Belper Union were proudly reporting the ages of the people receiving relief from the Union.  In the district there were 112 people who were aged in between 70 years to over 90 years, which was described as “unusual”.

There were 3 people aged over 90 years, 4 people in between 85 and 90 years, 23 in between 80 and 85 years, 45 in between 75 and 80 years and 37 in between 70 and 75 years old.  The average age expectation at that time was late 40’s (1) so Belper was doing remarkably well.

 

(1) http://www.osfi.gc.ca/app/DocRepository/1/eng/oca/pdf/DEIP_Gallop_e.pdf