A HISTORY OF FEATHERSTONE
1972
THE COUNCIL
JANUARY The council wanted to upgrade the sewage works as a combined Featherstone, Streethouse and Snydale scheme. The Government's department of the Environment counter proposed Snydale being combined with Normanton and Sharlston being included in the Featherstone scheme. The council decided to leave it to the officials to sort out.
As part of the new local government system a new West Yorkshire County Council was proposed with 88 councillors.
FEBRUARY The council was concerned about continuing vandalism, and wrote to local headteachers to ask them to explain to pupils anyone caught would be severely dealt with.
The council had a reclamation scheme for the remains of the muckstack between Lister Road and the railway lines. The county council said part of it could possibly be used as a playing field for the new George Street School.
MARCH The county council regional controller suggested the speed limit from Houndhill Lane to Jaglin Court should be raised from 30 to 40 mph. The council were against the move and were supported by the governors of South Featherstone Secondary Modern School.
The council had taken over the cleaning of footpaths from the county council, but a machine they had was not adequate and Mr D Sanderson, the surveyor said the stretch from LinPac to the Lister Baths and the narrow footpath at Purston C f E School would have to be cleaned by a gang of men.
The Station Lane level crossing barriers were down for almost 30 minutes on occasions. Cr R Widdowson, president of the NUM at Ackton Hall Colliery, said coal trains were not to blame. The times the three trains left during the day did not coincide with the times of the holdups. He suggested taking the matter up with British Rail to see where the blame lies. Cr J W Bettridge said the position was chaotic. We were led to believe it was a local problem and the matter certainly needs following up. Cr J H Livesey said British Rail would realise eventually these incidents would not be tolerated. Photo by Dr J Gatecliff.
Cr N Longbottom outlined a large improvement programme including the South Featherstone Sewage Works costing about £250,000, new changing facilities at Purston Park, the spoil heap area at Featherstone Square, the site of the Methodist Church at the bottom of Station Lane, and to the front of Brookway. Also a large number of sub-standard houses would be demolished.
APRIL There were delays in the building of bungalows on the Green Lane Phase Two site. The council were told there had been a lack of co-ordination between the main contractor and the sub-contractors and this had led to certain holdups. It was agreed to hold an early meeting with the contractor.
Cr Widdowson's opinion that coal trains were not to blame for the Station Lane delays received no support, and a delegation of local councils, the county council, and local MPs asked the Minister for the Environment to help solve the problem. The county council raised the possibility of the B6421 road being diverted. (An old scheme for a new road from the Junction Hotel to Cressey's Corner.)
MAY At an annual cost of £2,500 the council decided to give concessionary fare tokens worth £1 every four months to old age pensioners, the registered blind and the registered disabled unable to work. They could only be used on local service buses, and not holiday services as some people had hoped.
The election results were:
Central Ward R Widdowson (Labour) 660 Doris Simpson (T and R) 307
East Ward J H Livesey (Labour) 692 K H Lambert (T and R) 296
North West Ward D Townsend (Labour) 608 Doris Powell (T and R) 90
South ward A Edgar (T and R) 742 D Gray (Labour) 563
Cr Townsend was elected chairman for the next financial year. Cr George Holt, of the Tenants and Ratepayers Association commented "Congratulations to Cr Townsend on becoming chairman after six years as a councillor. I have completed nearly 11 years and haven't even been allowed to take the vice-chairmanship. I would have thought with reorganisation coming along, party politics would have been taken out of the council chamber, but no.
Cr Townsend said reorganisation is giving members and the officers and staff much work to do. We are trying to get as much done as we can in the next two years. The retiring chairman, Cr J W Bettridge, said future plans included slum clearance, landscaping of muckstacks and more open spaces.
JUNE The council had considered using the North Featherstone C of E School premises for a youth club but decided not to because there was no central hall and the classrooms were too small. St Wilfrid's School would now be considered.
The council were annoyed about a meeting being held at North Featherstone crossroads between the county council and police and all that was suggested was a guard rail on one corner.
JULY The council received a circular from the Department of the Environment urging councils to review the policy not to sell council houses. The Featherstone Council's view was 250 houses were to be demolished in a slum clearance programme and selling houses would reduce the number available for re-letting.
Mr Eric Naylor, owner of Gladstone Press in Back John Street, was at odds with the council over the value of his house No.29 John Street. The council had designated the area a clearance area but had only offered him "site value" for his house as it was unfit for human habitation. He claimed it was fit, having a modern bathroom suite, fireplace, staircase and window frames and was worth more. The council told an inquiry about the matter there were 5,190 houses in Featherstone and 658 were considered unfit for human habitation. The photo of Gladstone Press at the bottom of Back John Street is by Dr J Gatecliff.
The council wanted the area for housing, and the NCB had agreed to sell Mount Pleasant Street and Mount Pleasant Place, and if Mr Naylor's house was left it would stick out like a sore thumb. They were unable to help Mr Naylor with a new plot for his printing works because all the industrial land was in private possession.
The council had a scheme to demolish the empty Purston Methodist Church and widen the entrance to Girnhill Lane. Cr Widdowson said pedestrian crossing lights should be included in the scheme. The photo of the demolition of the church is by Dr J Gatecliff.
The council received Environment Department approval for its scheme to contour the 21 acres of the remains of the muckstack between Lister Road and the railway lines. Grass and trees would be planted and part of it would become a playing field for George Street Junior Mixed School.
SEPTEMBER North Featherstone Beck (probably Sewerbridge Beck) was polluted by silage and pig manure and causing a smell. Featherstone Council workmen poured 4,000 gallons of water into it to clear it our, and Pontefract Council instructed the pig owner to find some other way of disposing of the manure.
Building work on the site for 25 bungalows in Green Lane had ceased because of a building workers strike and picketing. Extra care was being taken to prevent vandalism. The photo showing the building site and the demolition of John/Back John Street under way is by Dr J Gatecliff.
The NCB told the council it had no intention of doing any further reclamation work on the south muckstack. The council gave permission to Featherstone Model Power Boat Club to use the park lake for the club's regatta and the Yorkshire regatta.
OCTOBER The council appealed to parents at Ackton to prevent their children chopping down trees to be used for bonfires. Five trees had already been hacked down.
NOVEMBER The council had a clearance order for part of Wakefield Road. Ken Varley, a bookmaker, and Mr and Mrs R Gough, shopkeepers objected but later withdrew their objections. The photo of the two premises is by Dr J Gatecliff.
DECEMBER An intercommunication system with the warden was being fitted to all council bungalows. So far 383 had been done and 84 were still outstanding.
THE MINERS STRIKE
A national miners' strike commenced on 9 January, the first official all out strike since 1926. The NCB said coal merchants would be unable to get stocks from pits because there would be nobody to load it. There were fears some schools would run out of coal. Local schools using it were Girnhill Lane, South Featherstone, St Wilfrid's and George Street.
The Pontefract Education Executive decided schools would cut off the heating at 2pm daily, and the schools would be closed to further education, youth clubs and other groups at 4pm. The Lister baths could not open.
There were pickets at the entrances to Ackton Hall Colliery and Ackworth Pit. A police escort got the deputies past the pickets. The NCB said Ackton Hall Colliery was put on a list of pits that might not reopen if safety work and maintenance was not carried out. A North Yorkshire Area union meeting decided there would be no more picketing to stop safety men from working, especially at Ackton Hall. This photo of the pickets at Ackton Hall Colliery is by Dr J Gatecliff.
As the strike continued into February, members of the Methodist Church broke up the woodwork in the disused Purston Methodist Church to give to old people who had run out of coal. The strike ended on 28 February, and the Lister Baths opened, a month later than intended.
The strike caused a rehearsal problem for the musical society. They normally used a school (which one not stated) but the Vicar of Purston and the Methodist Minister allowed their halls to be used.
The strike ended on 28 February and Ackton Hall NUM held a victory social in the Rovers Social Club. Area agent Jack Smart thanked the miners and their wives for their solidarity during the strike, and also the many trade unions who supported them.
THE ROVERS
Pat Randle of Appletree Road was selected to be Featherstone Rovers Rugby League Queen for 1972 from nine girls who entered the competition at the Rovers Social Club in April. An Express photo.
Six Featherstone youths were in court in May charged with throwing stones at two Warrington supporters' buses and causing nearly £200 worth of damage. Two were found not guilty and the other four were fined £20 each.
The players refused to sign for the new season until they got a rise on their basic match pay of £16 for a win and £8 when they lost. A meeting was held in July after which the players signed. The new pay deal was not disclosed.
The Rovers applied in August for an extension to the Sunday opening hours at the Social Club but were turned down by the West Riding Licensing Bench. The chairman, said the admission charge at one gate was a contravention of the Sunday Observance Act.
Mr A K Hill, for the Rovers, said there were no admission charges, but there was a "free" gate and a turnstile where programmes were purchased. Also, magistrates in Castleford and Wakefield had granted Sunday extensions.
A profit of £562 was reported for last season. There was no Express report for the July annual meeting because circumstances prevented a reporter attending. The Express claimed it asked the club for a summary of the reports of the chairman, secretary and financial secretary, but the club declined to provide them.
THE AMDRAMS
The Featherstone Amateur Musical and Dramatic Society had quite a few changes after using local talent for some years. Because the Lister Baths now opened in February they had to find a different venue and chose the Castleford Civic Centre. It meant they could now put their show on in the spring again instead of in the winter. The producer for The Merry Widow was Colin Marchant from Bradford, and the two principles were Keith and June Hopper from Wakefield Operatic Society.
The show went on in April. The Express review said the chorus drew gasps of delight with their frothy display of frilly panties, stocking tops and suspenders. Joan Hopper was charmingly gay and flirtatious, and Keith Hopper was irrepressible. The only criticism was the orchestra was too loud. The photo of the cast is from the Express.
EDUCATION
MAY The council agreed to share the cost of sports facilities at the proposed Featherstone Comprehensive School. It would be £86,000 each. There would be a gymnasium, sports hall, squash courts, bathing and a refreshment room. Cr R Widdowson expressed caution. He said we have no idea of the running costs. and by the time the scheme is completed we will be in the new Metropolitan District. We must not be irresponsible and create difficulties for the new authority. Other councillors voiced their enthusiasm for the project. Cr J H Livesey said it's about time our children had something worthwhile.
The Pontefract Divisional Executive Committee agreed the toilet situation for teachers and other staff at both the infants' and junior schools in Gordon Street was clearly deficient, and Portaloos would be installed ""with extreme urgency". At the infants' school there were three toilets, one outside and two in prefabricated buildings, for 18 staff plus domestics. At the junior school there was only one toilet for ten teaching staff, plus secretarial and domestics.
Eric Houlder, a teacher at North Featherstone County Secondary School and an archaeologist, took a group of pupils on field work at Featherstone Green. One found a small piece of pottery which Mr Houlder recognised as Roman. He said this is the first time anything Roman has been discovered in Featherstone.
Vandals broke into St Thomas's Junior Mixed School on two days and broke open drawers and scattered important records about the pupils all over the floor. Mr Herbert Roberts, chairman of the school managers, said it is just destruction for destructions sake.
After considering various sites it was decided the new North Featherstone C of E School would be built in North Close.
SEPTEMBER There was a 15% increase in the cost of the proposed joint facilities to be included in the comprehensive school project. The council agreed to meet this extra expenditure which now made the Featherstone share £98,900. The county council also agreed to meet its share of the increase.
OCTOBER A meeting was held by the Featherstone secondary school governors and the county council in October. It was told the building of the comprehensive school would start next January and would take about two years. It would be of CLASP construction with a steel frame, brick cladding on the ground floor and concrete cladding on the first floor. The heating system would be solid fuel. There would be car parking and a bus bay and a caretaker's house. There would be a music block with a stage and lighting and a sports complex. The cost would be £710,887.
Canoes were being constructed at South Featherstone Secondary School, and it was hoped to start canoeing next summer. It was hoped to train in capsize drill at the baths. At North Featherstone Secondary School all fourth and fifth year pupils were attending Whitwood Mining and Technical College.
At the Pontefract Education Executive meeting it was said the road improvement scheme for the Ackworth Road/Pontefract Road Junction would take part of the Purston C of E School playground which was already too small for the 220 pupils. It was said a replacement school was in the planning stage. Cr N Longbottom said they have already been through seven sites for the North Featherstone C of E School and four for Featherstone Comprehensive School. We don't know where we are.
The councillors and school governors for Regent Street Infants' School were angry because a decision to change the heating system from coke to gas was made by the county council without consulting them for their views (which were not in agreement). The reply was the National Coal Board was consulted and it was said a new chimney would be required and there was a lack of storage facility for coke.
SPORTS PAVILION
A new sports pavilion at the Miners' Welfare Ground was opened in July by NCB director Mr I J Mills. It catered for cricket, football and rugby league and contained four dressing rooms, showers, tea room and other amenities. It was funded by the local Welfare Committee and the Coal Industry Social Welfare Organisation. The photo is from the Express.
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Work started in January on building an organ at Purston Parish Church which had been obtained from a closed down Methodist church near York at a cost (including transfer and restoration) of £3,400. A scheme to raise the money had reached £1,000. Until it was ready for use a piano would be used. In July it was inaugurated by a recital given by Geoffrey Coffin, assistant organist at York Minster.
JAMES BROTHERS
The James Brothers company, quality furniture manufacturers, had used the old Miners' Welfare building for the past eighteen months but said in August they were considering seeking new premises because of lack of co-operation from the council.
They said one of their difficulties was the lack of Featherstone town name signs on the approach roads which they had complained about a year ago. Customers coming from Pontefract see only a Wakefield sign, and from Wakefield only a Pontefract sign, and baffled they drive on and take their custom elsewhere. We have customers all over Yorkshire and even from Blackpool, but we are losing custom because people who don't know the area don't know when they are in Featherstone.
Another problem was a lamp standard blocking the loading bay, which meant in wet weather furniture couldn't be loaded. They had offered to pay the cost of moving it but the council had done nothing. A council spokesman said the road signs had now arrived and they would be put up as quickly as possible. The matter of the lamp standard would be considered by the council. Photo - Rich Short (Featherstone Bygone Days). The photo of the road signs bought by the Council is by Dr J Gatecliff. This one was at North Featherstone.
TWO BIG BANGS
John Stanley Parker and his wife Pamela, assisted by Mr Parker's parents, were cleaning their new semi-detached house in Eastbourne Avenue in October in preparation for moving in when there was an explosion which destroyed the floorboards, cracked the walls, and partly damaged the next door house. A nearby police constable referee and 22 footballers arrived and organised rescue work.
All four Parkers were taken to Pontefract General Infirmary. The young couple had only minor injuries, Mrs Pauline Parker was detained (injuries not specified), and her husband Stanley had a broken leg but was allowed home after treatment.
John Parker told the Express when they went into the house he turned on the gas and electricity and made a fire. Shortly afterwards there was a terrific bang. Fortunately he had opened the windows. His parents were in the kitchen and fell through the shattered floorboards, His wife was upstairs. She said the house shook and she thought it was all going to come down.
PC Alan Carson said he was refereeing a match at the Miner's Welfare Ground when he heard the explosion, so he stopped play and they all ran across the railway embankment to the house. They ensured every one was out of the house and kept everyone away until the Gas Board, police and ambulance men arrived.
The builders, Charles Davis Ltd, said they regretted the incident but could not comment until investigations were completed. John and Pamela Parker's solicitor told the Express the insurance company's assessors had examined the property, accepted total liability and agreed to make payments in full. The builder agreed to demolish the property and rebuild immediately, which was estimated to take five weeks. The photo of John and Pamela Parker surveying the damage is from the Express.
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The second explosion was at the home of Mrs Joyce Johnson of Ackton Lane, North Featherstone. She said hers was only a "baby bang" compared with the other one, but it made a lot of mess and frightened the life out of her.
She said she lit a fire with a fire lighter and it did not seem to be burning well, so she used a shovel and a sheet of paper to draw it. When it had got going she put the shovel back in the shed and on her return left the house door open.
As she was moving a clothes horse in front of the fire there was a terrific bang. She was thrown across the room and there was soot everywhere. She said it could have been worse if she had closed the door.
The only explanation she could offer was there was a detonator hidden in the coal. A Coal Board spokesman said the incident hadn't been reported to them. Things do sometimes come out in the coal, but it is cleaned to the best of our ability.
A COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION
The Featherstone Community Association was formed in July at a meeting in the Methodist Hall with Dr R G Forster elected as chairman. Two schemes adopted were for good neighbours and a pre-school age group. The photo pf Dr Forster is from the Express.
In November Dr Forster said they were pressing for a community centre in Featherstone, but he felt the chances of such a building would decrease once the local government reorganisation took place. He said the lack of a civic hall did not help to foster community spirit and it was ridiculous when the Dramatic Society had to perform out of town.
He was in favour of a Community Hall Fund being set up and suggested the council could add one or two pence to the rates to give it a start. He was sure many people in Featherstone appreciated the need for a building in which people could get together and hold dances, or take part in pantomimes and plays and many other things. The musical director of the Musical and Dramatic Society, Mr Basil Phillips, said they would return without question if a hall was built. The Express commented there had been a possibility of converting the former Purston Methodist Church but it had now been demolished.
The council said due consideration would be given to a request, but at present it was committed to a number of schemes costing over £1,000,000, including improvements to the 1914 council estate, a new sewage works and joints sports facilities at a new school.
A NEW LOOK FOR MASHAMS TERRACE
Mashams Terrace, a row of houses from the sidings railway bridge to the colliery, had been demolished as part of the slum clearance programme. The council combined with North Featherstone Secondary Modern School in the autumn to give the site a face lift.
Three teachers supervised the pupils as they worked on the land. They were Mr J Marchant, Mr G V Quinn and Mr E Houlder. The council levelled the site and would provide top soil when it was ready for grassing and planting. The photo is by Dr J Gatecliff.
ACKTON RADIO
In November the Express published the time table for the radio service at Ackton Hospital and included a photo of Alan Jones sorting out the records.
1972 NEWS ITEMS
JANUARY The meals on wheels programme got off to a start with six volunteers distributing 30 meals, cooked by by Gaunsons clothing factory canteen, throughout the district. Seventy people had now volunteered to held.
The Salvation Army's corps citadel in Wakefield Road had deteriorated both inside and out and a surveyor from the London headquarters had carried out an inspection. It would need a lot of money to bring the building up to standard, and the future of the headquarters would depend on his findings.
The parishioners in North Featherstone had to raise £5,000 towards the cost of their proposed new school. The fund had now reached £2,300.
FEBRUARY Firemen were called to a fire in empty showrooms in Station Lane, formerly Kitridge's furniture shop. It was thought children playing with road lamps may have caused it.
A man was killed crossing the road from Girnhill Lane to Station Lane. At the inquest the coroner criticised the lack of pedestrian facilities on the Wakefield to Pontefract Road.
MARCH An organ company demonstrated an electronic organ to members of Featherstone Methodist Church to see if it was suitable instead of a traditional pipe organ. It was decided to purchase one for £2,600 and it was thought to be the only one of its kind in the district.
John Finch visited Featherstone to seek material for a television series he was preparing. Wilf Cranswick of Kimberley Street took him on a tour of public houses and clubs, and he also visited Joe Harper MP at his home in Bedford Close.
The meals on wheels committee said the present service of 36 meals on two days could be increased to three days if required. It was later said the volunteers had agreed to do extra time so it could go ahead.
APRIL A performance of Stainer's Crucifixion was given by the choir at Featherstone Methodist Church. The accompaniment was by the Alan 200 electronic organ, the first time it was used, played by Colin Malpass. The Express photo shows Colin Malpass at the organ with Alfred Cooke, the Methodist Church organist for 50 years, and Revd J B McCarthy, the Methodist Church minister.
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MAY Both vicars commented on the vandalism in the town. Revd R H Taylor said the window repair bills for schools must be phenomenal, and Revd R A Nelson said he had received a £120 bill for repairs to stained glass windows at Featherstone Parish Church damaged by air gun pellets and stones.
JULY In the West Riding Education Committee's major building programme were Featherstone Comprehensive School (£800,000), Featherstone C of E School (£40,000) and Purston Nursery School (£21,000). Also included was a youth centre at the proposed comprehensive school (£25,000).
Parking restrictions came into force for Station Lane. Parking was banned on the east side and in the side streets where they joined Station Lane. Parking on the other side was allowed for 30 minutes.
The Gala had to be postponed for three days because of heavy rain. It was finally opened by Leeds United and England footballer Terry Cooper. The fancy dress winner was Michelle Hare as Sleeping Beauty. She was awaked with a kiss from Terry Cooper.
AUGUST The Salvation Army were told it would cost more than £5,000 to bring its headquarters up to the required standard. Tenders were obtained for the work which it was hoped would start in a few weeks.
SEPTEMBER Some telephones were picking up BBC Radio 4 programmes. Mr Don Chaimberlain for the telephones service said it could be a faulty relay cable which should be earthed.
A Featherstone Council of Churches was formed with Revd R H Taylor as chairman. A united service was held at Purston Parish Church.
OCTOBER The Old Age Pensioners Association decided to move the venue for their meeting from the Lister Baths to the Huntwick Road centre because many of the members experienced difficulty climbing the steps at the baths.
The Purston Parish Church bell had to be removed because the mountings were unsafe. It was found the bell was also in poor condition, so a search was on for a replacement.
NOVEMBER The Remembrance Day parade began at the Miners' Welfare Hall with members of the council and various organisations. A stop was made in the colliery yard to lay a wreath at the memorial, and then the gathering moved to the Rovers ground where the service was conducted by the Vicar of Featherstone, Revd R A Nelson, the Vicar of Purston, Revd R H Taylor, and the commanding officer of the Salvation Army, Captain A Bartle. The parade then proceeded to the Purston War memorial for the laying of wreaths. The poppy day collection totalled £221, slightly less than last year.
The Purston Parish Church Dramatic Society was in danger of closing down after difficulty in finding enough cast members. An appeal was made for actors and it was successful enough to decide to put on a play next April.
John Finch, a TV writer who spent his early days in Featherstone, was back in the area looking for suitable boys to play parts in his latest production Sam based on Featherstone in the 1930's. The selected boys, from Pontefract and Featherstone, were taken to Granada studios for rehearsals and screen tests. Those from Featherstone were Tony Marcon and Clinton Whitehead of South Featherstone Secondary School, and Brendan Dawson of St Wilfrid's R C High School.
DECEMBER Two cars collided on Pontefract Road near the junction with Friar's Close in the early hours and four people were killed. None were from Featherstone.