A HISTORY OF FEATHERSTONE
1975
THE COUNCILS
JANUARY David Thatcher of Halfpenny Lane was hoping to organise a ratepayers' meeting with the object of selection a ratepayers' candidate for the district election.
Compulsory purchasing orders were to be made for land from Nunns Lane to Ackworth Road required to improve road safety.
John Holt of the former Featherstone Ratepayers' Association said the
group had functioned for16 years, and at one time had six seats on
Featherstone Council. He admitted since the local government
organisation the group had been less active and he would like to see it
built up again.
There were derelict houses in Post Office Road which no one would
modernise because in 1964 a Featherstone bypass was proposed which would
go down that street. Piccadale Properties had a modernise and sell
programme but the land was protected from development. West Yorkshire
County Council said no date had been set for the work for the bypass to start, and the
scheme would be reconsidered at a later date.
MARCH Concessionary half-price fares for women over 60, men over 65, and
people with walking difficulties were to continue for the new financial
year. Land off Wakefield Road adjacent to Andrew Street was originally purchased for a depot. The two acres were now transferred to the housing committee of Wakefield MDC as a possible housing site.
APRIL Ernest Longley (Labour) was unopposed for the Wakefield Metropolitan District Council election.
Wakefield MDC asked residents for information about derelict land or buildings. The response from Featherstone was the Precinct in Station Lane, Andrew Street, Loscoe Lane, land opposite Bedford Close, land facing South View, Halfpenny Lane, Green Lane, and the pit head baths in Wakefield Road.
MAY The Wakefield Ratepayers Association checked the expenses claimed by councillors and alleged Norman Longbottom had claimed a £10 attendance allowance twice for the same day. Mr John Brailsford, the chief financial officer, checked the allegation and said Mr Longbottom had accidentally put down the same date for two meetings which were held on different days.
There were complaints from the 15 remaining tenants in Lister Road about cockroaches and rats infesting the uninhabited houses. Mr Fred Hardcastle told the Express, I am not standing by and watching my kids grow up in this squalor. As soon as my eldest child comes home from school, I take them both to my mother's out of the way.
Mrs Joyce Maybir, living in one of the newer houses said, we have to look out on this. Some children are getting skin irritations, which I think are caused by playing in the derelict houses among all the rubbish. Cr Geoff Lofthouse, the housing chairman, said "I accept that nobody should be expected to live in these conditions and we shall move those families as soon as humanly possible". The photos are from the Express.
Sam Bailey of Manor Drive, North Featherstone, was elected as the second mayor for Featherstone.
104 houses in Leatham Crescent had a room heater/oven unit and flue which was now considered a fire hazard. They would be removed and a central heating system installed via the lounge fireplace. The tenants would be given the choice of a gas or electric cooker, and gas or solid fuel central heating.
JUNE Wakefield MDC purchased two tables and 40 chairs for the Wakefield Road luncheon club. Graysim Properties Ltd were given permission to provide an open air market on land off Alison Street.
Tenders for demolition work were considered for Nos 1 to 41 Mount Pleasant Street, 1 to 8 Mount Pleasant Place, and 1 to 43 Ivy Street.
JULY A crowd of 50 angry tenants gathered at the town hall to protest at the increased heating charge on the 1914 council house estate. This made a three bedroom house rent £9 and a two bedroom house £8. They said they were told by Featherstone Council the charge would be £1 a week and it was now £3.55. They also alleged there was shoddy work by the contractors who "modernised" the estate. The photo is from the Express.
They later reached agreement with the district council for the heating to be reduced in summer months as in the rest of the district, and the heating charge would be reduced to £3 for a three bedroom house. Cr Lofthouse had toured the estate and agreed some of the work was shoddy.
Wakefield MDC decided to take over and maintain the shopping precinct. The developers had agreed to contribute £1,000 towards improvements.
The council published a list of houses to be demolished. It included for the first year, 1-35 Andrew Street, 2-42 and 1-23 Granville Street, 40-46 Pontefract Road, 2-24 Girnhill Lane, 2-4 Hartley Terrace, 1-47 and 46-58 Pretoria Street, 2-52 and 9-23 Kimberley Street, 2-38 Wakefield Road. Second year, 132-202 Station Lane, 10-14 Green Lane, 22-34 Albert Street.
SEPTEMBER The district council said the rates would not be increased next year to aid the battle against inflation, and appealed to West Yorkshire County Council and Yorkshire Water Authority to do likewise.
The district council's environmental health committee recommended clearance orders for property on the south side of Pontefract Road, Kimberley Street and Pretoria Street.
So they would not be a burden on the rates, the rents of council houses and allotments would be increased. The allotments would be provided with water, reasonable fencing, footpaths and roadways.
OCTOBER The district council approved the purchase of the now redundant North Featherstone Church of England School for conversion into a day centre, also a plan to build 50 two story flats at Hobb's field off Green Lane.
Wakefield MDC approved a plan to extend the 30mph speed limit on Pontefract Road by 150 metres from Houndhill Lane towards Pontefract.
A tender of £362,642 for the building of 50 homes at Hobbs Field was accepted.
NOVEMBER Twenty tenants of Little Lane housing estate signed a petition requesting the council to modernise their 50 years old houses, and complaining about shoddy repair work. The complaints were the bath was at the rear of the kitchen, the toilet was outside, and the window frames were rotting.
British Rail wanted to fill in the subway at the station but the council would not agree.
DECEMBER British Rail agreed to repair the subway. It was unlit and flooded in wet weather.
Allotment holders on Wakefield Road raised no objection to some land being taken for a new footpath costing £10,000 to help eliminate road accidents. A speed limit of 40mph was also planned. The Wakefield Metropolitan District Council would have to sell the land to the West Yorkshire County Council.
THE LONGBOTTOMS AND A CYCLONE
Roland and Dorothy Longbottom of Manor Drive saved up for nine years to go to Australia to visit their son Kevin and his family in Darwin. They left England on December 2 intending to stay until May. But on December 24 cyclone Tracy struck. The four adults and three children took shelter on the bathroom floor with towels over their heads to protect them from flying debris and glass. When the storm abated the house was uninhabitable, along with hundreds of others, with no power, water or functioning toilet.
Kevin was in the Royal Australian Air Force, and they were all put up in the officers' mess along with 14 other people. The Featherstone Longbottoms had only their passports, air tickets and the clothes they were wearing, so they were put on a military relief flight to Singapore. There they were met by both British and Australian High Commissioners who arranged for a flight for them back to London.
In all they lost £485 in clothes and money and their £1,200 holiday was ruined. They said their son fared much worse, losing his family home. The photo of them with an Australian newspaper is from the Express.
THE ROVERS
After reports Featherstone youths had attacked Salford supporters after the game in January a warning was put in the Rovers programme saying anyone identified as taking part in such attacks would be banned from the ground.
At the half-yearly meeting in February the financial secretary, Jim Reed, said two players had been transferred in the past three weeks for £8,500 or else he would have had to report a bank overdraft of £10,000. It was back to the old story of having to sell players to survive. "How can anyone expect the club to be financially sound when we can't attract sufficient interest from our own townsfolk?".
At the Rovers cup-tie against Salford in February there were scuffles in the crowd and a bottle was thrown on to the pitch from the Bullock Stand. There were normally six policemen at a Rovers game, but for this match 50 were sent. The police arrested six Featherstone fans and one from Salford. All seven were fined £100. In court they were told "This is hooliganism of a very serious nature. There can be only one sentence and that is the maximum we can impose".
At the Rovers cup-tie against Salford in February there were scuffles in the crowd and a bottle was thrown on to the pitch from the Bullock Stand. There were normally six policemen at a Rovers game, but for this match 50 were sent. The police arrested six Featherstone fans and one from Salford. All seven were fined £100. In court they were told "This is hooliganism of a very serious nature. There can be only one sentence and that is the maximum we can impose".
In April, Miss Lynda Greenwood age 18 was chosen as Miss Rovers for the new season. She lived in Ferrybridge. The photo is from the Express.
Derrick Hobbs, secretary, and James Reed, financial secretary, resigned in May saying they were unable to devote the necessary time to the jobs. Both had served for eight years and were thanked by the committee for their enthusiasm and cooperation. It was decided to combine both jobs and advertise for a full-time successor. John Jepson was re-elected president and Charles Raybould chairman. A month later the decision to combine both jobs was dropped and Messrs Hobbs and Reed were persuaded to stay on.
At the annual general meeting in August Jim Reed reported a loss on the season of £6,043 compared with a loss of £2,392 in the previous season. He said the gate receipts for first team games of only £10,198 were certainly the main cause for despondency. Because of the required advance payment for membership cards there were no defaulters this time and the membership was 800.
Some members asked if the social club could be included in the ground enclosure so the bar would be open before and after games. The chairman, Charles Raybould, promised to look into the matter.
EDUCATION
FEBRUARY Tenders were invited for the building of George Street Middle School and North Featherstone Middle School.
APRIL A district list of "deprived" schools included Purston C of E School. It was 113 years old, had no school hall and the pupils had to use the Purston Church Hall for meals and PE. Two classrooms were divided by a partition and there were not enough indoor toilets for 230 children. In 1970 it was described as not worth spending money on.
At North Featherstone there were three schools in one complex. There was a lot of walking outside between classes and most of the children's toilets were outside. the dining facilities were inadequate. There was only one toilet for 20 staff, and there was no staff room or medical room.
It was announced the comprehensive school, now under construction, would be called Featherstone High School.
MAY The Featherstone Community Association expressed disappointment because
the new comprehensive school would not have a central hall that could
be used by the community. They said they were told by Norman Longbottom
the Featherstone Council had contributed £106,000 towards the cost for
social and cultural facilities for use by the public.
The Methodist Church Hall in Wilson Street was being considered as additional dining accommodation for school meals until major building at George Street School was completed.
JUNE An open day was held at the new North Featherstone C of E School, to be called All Saints after the church. It
was built to replace the 150 years old National School and would cater for 200 children. The photo is from the Express.
Wakefield MDC proposed to provide a footpath on the south of Wakefield Road so children could walk safety from Wentworth Road to Andrew Street on their way to school.
JULY Cr John D Pearman, chairman of Wakefield District Council's Education Committee, announced 31 new building projects. Included were George Street Middle School, North Featherstone Primary, and St Wilfrid's RC High extensions. He said Featherstone North Middle had already been approved.
AUGUST George Street School, opened in 1885, was demolished. The photo below of the original building is from the Dr Gatecliff Collection. That of the demolition is from the Express.
OCTOBER The new comprehensive high school would open in the New Year, and the area would then move to a 5-9, 9-13 and a 13 to 16 system next September. Major projects were; St Wilfrid's - a £312,000 extension to provide sixth form accommodation, George Street - £190,878 for extensions to complete the 9-13 middle school, Featherstone North Middle - £221,334 for phase II of the new middle school.
NOVEMBER The new All Saints' Church of England School in North Featherstone was officially opened by the precentor of Christ Church, Oxford, Revd M Watts. The school was planned in 1971 to replace the National School, and for it to remain a church school the parents, children and staff had to raise £5,000 towards the original cost of £26,000. Numerous events were organised to raise this contribution, and it took four years. Inflation had put the price up to over £100,000, but the cost to the parishioners remained the same. The photo of the unveiling of the plaque is from the Express.
The plan to provide a footpath along Wakefield Road was approved by the councill and would cost £10,000. The Department of the Environment agreed to a speed limit of 40mph.
A boy at St Wilfrid's High School stuck a pin in another boy's arm. Rumour blew this up into an allegation a boy repeatedly stabbed a younger pupil with a pair of compasses. The headmaster, B V Bruyseels, described the situation as "This is nothing more than a storm in a teacup. There has been no vicious attack at the school".
DECEMBER The Wakefield Council Education Department put this notice in the Express regarding a delay in the opening of Featherstone High School. No explanation was given.
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NO DRINKING
Pontefract Licensing Committee refused an application by the council
for a drinks licence at the new sports centre. Mr G Wilson, for the council, said they wanted to provide a tastefully decorated bar area
where sports and recreation participants could have a drink afterwards.
The complex was physically separated from the high school, and the council would provide strict security during school hours.
Mr S Pawson, for the Licensed Victuallers' Association, said drinks in the complex would reduce their trade. Rates on public houses had increased threefold and some licensees were having to take outside jobs to supplement their income.
The Bench decided the needs of the complex could be met by applications for occasional licences, so in October the council decided they would comply with that.
TRIPEY DAN
The Express published an article about Dan Oldroyd in December. He came with his parents from Dewsbury in 1894 and lived in a cottage in Hall Street (demolished in 1971). The Oldroyds were tripe-dressers and had a shop at 58 Station Lane. Owing to his trade Dan Oldroyd became known as Tripey Dan.
In 1904 they started to make ice-cream using a gas engine to work the freezer. They sold ice-cream until the 1914 war broke out when they could no longer get the ingredients.
When old Dan died, his son John took over the business. The lease on the shop ran out and John wouldn't pay the increased rent. He moved over the road to No.63. His other son, also Dan, had a variety of jobs, working on bicycles for Ewbanks, for Sawyers builders in Purston, and driving South Yorkshire Motors buses.
While working for Ewbanks in 1926 he bought a 499cc Sunbeam motorbike which he rode in the Isle of Man TT races. He completed the course at 54mph in third place. The photo of the family house in Hall Street is from the Dr J Gatecliff Collection.
JANUARY LinPac Plastics Ltd had their patented egg box voted pack of the year in a competition open to packaging firms all over Europe.
Harold Moxon age 58 collapsed and died in his cobbler's shop in George Street. In his younger days he was a player and then coach with Featherstone Rovers. The photo is from the Express.
Fire engines from Featherstone and Pontefract attended a fire in Whitehead's fish chip and shop in Church Lane, North Featherstone. The damage was estimated at £1,000.
Three cars were stolen in six days in Featherstone, two from pub car parks. On the spate of car thefts in Castleford, Pontefract and Featherstone, Supt L Guscott said it was the worst for some time. Most seem to have been taken on the spur of the moment.
John Robert Price age 34 of Dickinson Terrace was killed when his Jaguar car collided with an articulated tanker at Cutsyke crossroads. The coroner said there was so much confusing evidence and uncertainty about the traffic lights given in the evidence it was impossible to come to any firm conclusion. He recorded a verdict of accidental death.
FEBRUARY The Purston Church bell weighing 5cwt was to be rehung with an electronic device which would enable it to be rung by remote control at any speed.
A third luncheon club was opened, this one at the Green Lane Community Centre. It would cater for up to 40 people.
Edward Harrison of Wentbridge Road was driving out of the Progressive WMC and hit a parked vehicle in Station Lane. The bump brought on an attack of asthma and Maurice Ellam gave him a drink of brandy. The police arrived and a breathalyser test proved positive so he was charged with driving with excess alcohol in his blood. The magistrates dismissed the charge.
A meeting was held in George Street school to consider founding a branch of Age Concern. Cr Longbottom expressed concern money raised in Featherstone would leave the town. Gordon Lishman for Age Concern said any money raised locally would stay. Only if a professional fund raiser were brought in would 50% be kept.
The police were investigating abusive letters sent anonymously to residents in North Featherstone and Ackton. Some had been getting them for five years. The writer was now adding illustrations to them.
MARCH The Ackton Hall Colliery Band under conductor Dennis Metcalfe was to appear in the all England NCB finals at Blackpool. They scored 187 points out of 200 in the semi-final. In all competitions in the last six months they had achieved two firsts, three seconds and one fourth. The Express photo shows the band being congratulated by the Ackton Hall Colliery manager Mr T Mottram.
As part of National Tree Week trees were planted near Lin Pac and George Street School.
Firemen had to use breathing apparatus to get into Featherstone WMC when a fire severely damaged the secretary's office.
Ackton Hall Colliery surface works had changed from steam driven to electricity, so the boilers were no longer needed. The two chimneys were felled. The photo of the two chimneys is by Dr J Gatecliff, and that of the felling is from the Express.
APRIL The Miners' Welfare Committee were concerned over vandalism at the miners' welfare ground while the schools were on holiday at Easter. Gates and fencing had been smashed, and cycles ridden on the bowling green.
The concessionary bus fare scheme was extended. Women over 60 and men over 65 would be able to travel half fare anywhere in the area operated by the West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive.
The police received a number of complaints from residents in the Green Lane area about packs of stray dogs. They coincided with the demolition of Mount Pleasant Street.
Gaunson Ltd in Featherstone Lane opened a nursery for 2 to 5 year olds to try and persuade young mothers to work for them. The advert and photos are from the Exoress.
MAY St Phillip's Church, Whitwood, was demolished, and its bell was reinstalled outside Purston Church. A personal photo.
At the annual meeting of the Community Association, dismay was expressed about the lack of a large community hall in the new comprehensive school. The headmaster, Mr D Booth told the meeting there would be a sports complex but no central hall. There would be a small hall with a portable stage, but it would not be suitable for the Featherstone Musical and Dramatic Society.
JUNE The Chief Fire Officer and the Chief Constable both recommended an order prohibiting waiting at any time in Andrew Street because parked cars and vans prevented the fire engine getting to the main road.
At the annual presentation evening of the Featherstone, Purston and District Billiards and Snooker League, Len Garbutt of the Green Lane Club was presented with the Player of the Season award. The photo is from the Express.
Mrs Ann Grace of Katrina Grove entered her son Mark in the baby show at Butlin's holiday centre at Filey. He was declared the winner over the other 34 competitors. The photo is from the Express.
A Granada Television crew visited All Saints' Church and Lister Road to film sequences for the series Sam.
JULY A tunnel about 75 feet long was discovered during work at North Featherstone crossroads. Eric Houlder, the Pontefract archaeologist said it was probably a relic of early coal mining.
The Salvation Army queen for the anniversary celebrations was Kim Sweeney age 13 from Streethouse. The Express photo from left to right shows Carol Ann Long, Gillian Wallis, Stewart Mark Hill, Kim Sweeney, Jane Lyman and Pamela Evans.
About 5,000 people attended the gala in Purston Park. Jane Allman was the queen. Attractions were a funfair, the Endrust parachute team, Pontefract Aero Modelling Club and Featherstone Model Powerboat Club. The photos of the Gala Queen and attendants, and the fancy dress winners are from the Express.
PC Clive Newton challenged a suspicious figure near the Travellers' Rest Hotel in the early house of a Sunday morning. The man dropped a sack and ran away. The sack was found to contain a large live cockerel. The police were trying to trace the owner - if it was stolen.
AUGUST John Picken age 15 of Huntwick Crescent tried to light a fire using petrol but only succeeded in setting the living room alight. Two children upstairs were rescued by neighbours, and firemen wearing breathing apparatus brought the other two to safety.
Lin Pac Plastics Ltd had a major factory expansion and were offering jobs at £57.66 for a 43 hour week.
A ten year old boy admitted three burglary offences and asked for another 18 to be considered at Pontefract Juvenile Court. He had caused £580 of damage at the new South Featherstone Comprehensive School. He was put in the care of the local authority. His brother who had accompanied him on his escapades was too young to be prosecuted.
8,000 timber crates and 2,000 pallets were destroyed in a fire started by vandals at the Wakefield Road firm of Pallet Sales and Repairs Ltd. Two youths were seen running away from the fire.
SEPTEMBER The television series Sam ended after 39 episodes. It was written by John Finch, the son of Bertha Finch, who used to live at his mother's shop in Station Lane. The series was based on his personal reflections of Featherstone, and some scenes were filmed in the locality.
Bad light stopped play in the Featherstone v Stanley Falcon cricket match, and the lack of a result meant Featherstone finished bottom of the Yorkshire Council Division one and were relegated to Division Two. They had played 23 games and only won four.
Vandalism and hooliganism continued. Four schoolboys were fined a total of £287 and ordered to pay £572 compensation for taking motor vehicles without consent and theft. There was a spate of bomb hoax calls. One was to Ackton Hall Colliery. The pit was searched but nothing was found. Some rose bushes were pulled up and destroyed in North Featherstone churchyard.
OCTOBER Debra Williams was crowned Sunday School Queen for the Methodist Church Sunday School. Her attendants were Jayne Kettleborough, Jayne Bennett, Mandy and Melanie Simms and Shaun Nash. Simon Malpass and John Savage were guards of honour. The photo is from the Express.
NOVEMBER The Remembrance Sunday parade began at Green Lane and stopped at the Ackton Hall Colliery memorial before moving on to Featherstone Rovers football ground. A service was conducted by all the clergy of the Featherstone Council of Churches. The last call was the Purston War Memorial where wreaths were laid. The Poppy Day collections raised a record £325.
DECEMBER At the annual general meeting of the cricket club it was said both teams had been relegated and there was an underlying flow of apathy through the club. Concern was expressed at the state of the ground and a full-time groundsman was needed.