A HISTORY OF FEATHERSTONE
1976
ACKTON HALL COLLIERY
Ackton Hall Colliery was among those chosen to increase output to replace that lost by the closure of worked out pits elsewhere. The NCB announced a massive surface and underground development scheme in January costing nearly £8.5 million. The Silkstone seam was expected to be worked out in the present area in 1980, so a new area of the Haigh Moor seam would be developed. It was expected the output would rise from the current 604,000 tons of coal per year to 831,000. There would be a new washery plant at the Ackton Hall end for small coal, and new offices at the Ackworth end. The colliery manager, Mr Tom F Mottram, was promoted to general manager.
After the press conference at the mine, the NUM branch delegate Horace Lyman said about 200 miners' name were on waiting lists for accommodation. We are concerned about the housing situation and are not satisfied with the types of houses available for our men. At present many of the pit houses are in Kimberley Street and Earle Street, and these are not up to standard.
There were eight work stoppages in four months, so in February the NCB, the men's union NUM, and the officials' union NACODS drew up a code of practice. Terry Barraclough for the NUM said "We want men to take their grudges to their representatives instead of walking out. We have now got a management at Ackton Hall Colliery which will give us a fair hearing".
EDUCATION
The new comprehensive Featherstone High School took its first pupils in January - one week late. Photo - Bill Henderson..
A decking gun, used to fire nails into concrete, was stolen from the site of the new school in Gordon Street. The police said it was extremely dangerous in the wrong hands. Vandals had caused much damage at the old Church School in North Featherstone since it was closed. Wakefield Metropolitan District Council had bought it, and it was hoped it would be used by the social services department.
In February changes to the education system in Featherstone were announced. There would be first schools for five to nine year olds ( Purston, Regent Street, Girnhill Lane, North Featherstone at Gordon Street and North Featherstone C of E); middle schools for 9 to 13 (George Street, South Featherstone C of E, and North Featherstone Gordon Street). North and South Featherstone Secondary Modern School would be combined into Featherstone High School.
In June it was announced Sir Harold Wilson would do the formal opening of the High School. Cr J D Pearman, chairman of the education eommittee, said the school provided a unifying experience for pupils previously divided between two secondary modern schools in Featherstone. Ten years ago the prospect must have seemed very remote, but it is a credit to the people of Featherstone who, through their local representatives, fought long, hard and successfully for this new comprehensive high school.
Sir Harold Wilson did the honours in July. He said it was always exciting to be involved in the opening of a new school. He praised the comprehensive system which had meant the end of the 11-plus and the end of the psychological feeling that a child was written off at the age of 11.
Cr Roy Widdowson said there had been many arguments and battles with the former Divisional Executive Education Committee, but the Featherstone representatives had dug their heels in hard and the result we have now is most gratifying and well worth the job we had to do. The photo of Harold Wilson is from the Express.
North Featherstone Middle and First Schools were officially opened by Cr J H Livesey, chairman of the governors, in October. The photo of the school is from its website. The photos of the school interior are from the Express.
.JPG)
THE COUNCILS
JANUARY The Ackton Hall Colliery Band had spent £1,000 on new uniforms. The Town Council agreed to donate £50.
Featherstone allotment holders joined with others in the district to
fight a district council proposal to increase rents to £6. Messrs
Spragg, Evans and Emery were the Featherstone delegates. It was said it
would be an increase of 1,000% for some. They had offered 100% on
current rates but this was turned down.
Houses in the Station Lane clearance area were deemed unfit for human habitation and should be demolished.
The Greenside, Green Lane, old peoples' bungalows had electric convector heaters installed. The residents complained about their electricity bills which were over £70 for the October to December quarter as against about £30 in the summer. They had been told the Social Security could not help
MARCH Wakefield MDC announced the demolition and clearance of Lister Road had now been completed.
The Wakefield Council and West Yorkshire County Council agreed the 30mph speed limit on Pontefract Road should be moved towards Pontefract to take in the Houndhill Lane Junction.
APRIL An application for an existing garage and cafe on Wakefield Road to be turned into a restaurant and disco was turned down.
MAY The voting for the district council election was;
R Widdowson (Labour) 2,565 I P Roberts (Conservative) 1,674.
The voting for the parish council was;
Central Ward (three seats)
G Holt (Ratepayers) 488 R Widdowson (Labour) 482 E Longley (Labour) 401
C W Eastwood (Ratepayers) 327 L A Picken (Labour) 309
East Ward (three seats)
J Holt Ratepayers 544 M L Fox (Labour) 532 J H Livesey (Labour) 531
J W Bettridge (Labour) 509 A G Simpson (Ratepayers) 381
South Ward (three seats)
A Gascoyne (Ratepayers) 609 J W Everson (Labour) 558 T Barraclough (Labour) 543 K H Lambert (Ratepayers) 523 K Wilson (Labour) 405
North Ward
N Longbottom, S Bailey, D Townsend (all Labour) unopposed
The precinct in Station Lane had a makeover paid for by the district and county council together with the owners, Donlo Investment Developers Ltd. There was then concern by the road safety committee about it attracting lots of youths on bicycles. Photo - Dr J Gatecliff.
AUGUST John Box of Crofton, the owner of Strand Garage on Wakefield Road, applied for planning permission to change the existing garage and cafe into a timber yard and sawmill. Other applications for the same site were for a garden sales centre, auction sales room and a scrapyard. Featherstone Town Council were opposed to the idea on a main thoroughfare of Featherstone.
SEPTEMBER Wakefield Council were concerned about continuing vandalism throughout the area. Meetings would be held locally to encourage members of the public to play a part in combatting it. The police were determined to crack down on people carrying airguns and other weapons. They were also concerned at the availability of tins of paint in aerosol form. There was a campaign to restrict the sale of paint in this form.
OCTOBER Cr H Barraclough told the town council meeting heavy lorries turning the corner to and from Station Lane were mounting the curb, and the pavement was flattened in places to a level lower than the road. It was agreed to report it to the West Yorkshire County Council.
Wakefield Council were considering providing a caretaker's house at the new North Featherstone Middle and First School to deter vandalism of which there was a spate during the erection.
DECEMBER Wakefield Council announced a building programme for 163 houses in Featherstone. The first 40 would be at Andrew Street, and others would be on proposed slum clearance areas. The council houses wating list in Featherstone had 617 applicants.
THE ROVERS
The Half-yearly meeting was held in February. The financial secretary, Jim Reed, said the club was £10,459 in debt and was hoping for a good cup run. The committee had kept faith with the members by hanging on to its players, but the gate receipts would not meet normal expenses. If it was not for the pools and social club the deficit would be twice as large.
One member said he hoped if they got to Wembley again he hoped the club would not squander the money on too much entertaining. The chairman, Charles Raybould, said he agreed, and he thought they had realised that mistake.
The secretary, Derrick Hobbs, said the Rovers had never won the League Championship, but they were now top of the league and it would be very pleasant to fill that vacant place in the club's honours record.
Keith Goulding resigned as coach after a dispute with players at a training session. He was replaced by former scrum-half Tommy Smales.
There was concern in March about groups of so-called supporters causing trouble at games. One true supporter said Featherstone Rovers was becoming synonymous with the term moronic teenage louts. It is time this lot were cleared out. They are nothing but a blot on the good name of Featherstone Rovers.
In Junes, it was decided not to re-engage Tommy Smales as coach. No reason was given. He was replaced by former player Keith Cotton.
The annual meeting was held in August. Financial secretary Jim Reed announced a loss on the season of £604. He said another 1,000 spectators were needed at each home game to balance the books. The cost of repairs caused by vandalism was one of the biggest worries. but they were out of debt to the Rugby League for loans regarding the ground and stand. The number of members eight years ago was 1,400. Last season it was just over 600, which was the lowest ever.
The secretary said if new coach Keith Cotton could infect the players with his skill and enthusiasm for the game, there was no doubt the Rovers would provide entertaining fare and satisfactory results for all.
The players wanted a £5 pay rise, and the meeting expressed support for the committee in resisting it. The chairman, Charles Raybould, said they just could not afford it. They had to put the club first.
DICK TURPIN
"Stradivarius", who wrote a series of articles for the Express, said in one in March his grandfather once told him that Dick Turpin, the highwayman, came through Featherstone on his famous ride to York. The Bow Street Runners who were after him would go through Selby and Dick Turpin knew that.
Turpin wanted to get to York as quickly as possible, but as secretly as possible, so when he passed Doncaster he turned off on to the road that took him past Ackworth.
Then he travelled down Wragby Road (Went Lane) to Purston. His route then took him up what became Station Lane and down Green Lane to where he knew there was a blacksmith at Smithy Farm.
The blacksmith reversed the horseshoes so anyone following his tracks would go in the wrong direction. From there he had lots of options to make his way to York. Is it true, or was his grandfather pulling his leg? Either way, the Express went along with it and published this photo of Green Lane..JPG)
.JPG)
SIXTY YEARS IN THE BAND
The Salvation Army held a party in March for Mrs Doris Storey of Huntwick Drive for her feat of playing in Army bands for 60 years. She began playing for Ipswich band and had clocked up 40 years with Featherstone. She was given a songbook and an ironing board which she said she needed. There were messages and telegrams from old friends and colleagues. She told the Express she did not like seeing her age in print but admitted to being over 70. She said she would continue playing as long as possible.
GOODBYE TO THE RAILWAY HOTEL
Ken Greatorex (ex-Rovers player) and his wife Beryl were leaving the Railway Hotel after five years. One of the regulars said "Ken's particular sense of fun and Beryl's excellent food have made for enjoyable times". They were moving in March to a self-built house in Hensall.
During their time at the Railway they had established a beer garden which won the Best Beer Garden competition run by John Smith's Brewery. They also won a Wakefield area competition for pub decorations at Christmas 1974. Their photo is from the Express. That of the beer garden was taken in 1972 by Dr J Gatecliff.
THE SPORTS CENTRE
The Sports Centre at Featherstone High School was opened to the public in April. It could be used every evening from 5.15 to 11pm and every weekend. It contained a sports hall, gymnasium, activity area for table tennis, a committee room, squash courts, and a social area with a lounge bar. An outside area with floodlights was provided for outdoor games and tennis courts. The exterior photo is by Wakefield MDC, and the interior photos are from the Express.
FEATHERSTONE DISTRICT LOCAL PLAN
Wakefield MDC published a 24 page revue in April of the old urban district showing its present condition and what could be done to improve it. It indicated the final clearance areas as Pretoria Street and Kimberley Street, Station Lane from the Station to Johnson's Corner, the western part of Wakefield Road, and Andrew Street and Granville Street. The controversial by-pass route which would go down Post Office Road was still under consideration.
The remaining residents in Granville Street complained of the circumstances they were having to live in. Condensation, woodworm, an outside toilet, no hot water system, rats running round at night, and squatters in the houses left empty. Photo - Dr J Gatecliff Collection.
The Community Association arranged a meeting at Featherstone High School in May with three of the people who compiled the report, but only 50 locals turned up. The proposed bypass which would go down Post Office Road came in for criticism because empty properties were left empty because of the uncertainty. The photo of Post Office Road is by Dr J Gatecliff.
There was another meeting in July at the school, and this time the hall was full. Mr Eric Williamson, divisional planning officer for Wakefield MDC, said the "Ghost Road", originally proposed as a bypass in 1963, had become a constant constraint on development and it would almost certainly be scrubbed out in the new plan for Featherstone. It was pointed out the proposed North-South bypass (along Commonside Lane} would help, but the economical situation meant it would not happen for at least 15 years.
Concern was express about future housing being on the outskirts, leaving the centre a mass of demolition. Cr Roy Widdowson said there were plans to develop many central streets such as Ivy Street, Kimberley Street Mount Pleasant Street and Pretoria Street. Mr Peter Spawforth, chief planning officer for Wakefield MDC, said it was the policy to conserve the houses which were worth conserving rather than attempting to rip everything down and then start again.
THE GALA
The Gala was held in July during the 1976 heatwave. St John Ambulance members were in attendance in case anyone was overcome, but they were not needed. The Gala Queen was Denise Morgan, and her attendants on this Express photo were Caroline Power, Helen Hepworth and Mark Cave.
ARTHUR SCARGILL
Arthur Scargill. president of the Yorkshire Area of the National Union of Mineworkers, was invited in September by the local branch to Ackworth Pit to see the development scheme. He was accompanied down the mine by the manager, Tommy Mottram, and union officials Horace Lyman and Terry Barraclough.
There was a reception afterwards in the Brown Cow Inn, Ackworth, where Mr Scargill said "It is a pleasure for me to see the splendid work our members are doing. The standards at the pit are first class and the new development scheme is a credit to the colliery and the industry". The photo is from the Express.
RADIO ACKTON
The Express did a feature on Ackton Radio in December. It was run on a voluntary basis by several men who toured the hospitals at Ackton, Castleford and Pontefract to collect the patients' requests and then taped the programmes which were played at the various sites over GPO land lines.
Their problems included requests for records they hadn't got when they had to play a substitute as near as possible out of their collection. Because of lack of capital it was hard to keep buying new records and tapes. Records were sometimes donated, and one time they received 500 old 78rpm records in good condition.
They had to pay the GPO £400 a year for the use of the land lines. They had tried for a reduction, but in spite of being a charitable organisation they were refused.
GOSPEL HALL SHIP
The annual prize giving at South Featherstone Gospel Hall was held in December. The Sunday School children had decided the theme should be a salvation ship which weathered the storms of life, so the teachers spent two months construction a 30ft schooner complete with masts and sails. The teachers gave out 80 prizes to members of their own classes. The photo is from the Express.
1976 NEWS ITEMS
JANUARY A proposal by British Rail to fill in the station subway was rejected by the district council, and British Rail were asked to make the necessary improvements as soon as possible.
There was a fire in the committee room at North Featherstone Lane WMC which destroyed all the records. The committee asked the brewery for duplicate records so they could check the stock. A professional stocktaker, William Loynes, was called in and he reported a deficit of £599. The steward was dismissed, and the committee found barrels containing water. Edward Watson had been steward since 1972, and in court admitted falsifying accounts. He was fined £75 including costs.
The NCB began to prospect for coal on the proposed Springfield opencast site. The photo is from the Dr Gatecliff Collection.
Vandals had caused damage at the hospital commentary box at the Rovers ground. This was the third time in the last five years. George Holt, the programme controller at Ackton Hospital said the damage would be repaired out of the hospital comforts fund, but the money could have been put to better use.
Featherstone Fire service quiz team won the Wakefield Division Trophy at Castleford Civic Centre. The team was sub-officer I Dransfield and firemen W Grandidge, F Machen and A Gascoinge.
FEBRUARY Davis Fisher age 22 of Sun Court, North Featherstone, was a deaf mute. He was found dead on his bed wearing an industrial mask and with a plastic bag over his head. After hearing the medical evidence the coroner said there was no suggestion of suicide, and a verdict of misadventure was recorded.
Me and my Girl, a 1937 musical comedy, was put on by the Featherstone Operatic Society at St Wilfrid's High School.
MARCH Ackton Hall Colliery Band entered the Yorkshire regional qualifying championship and did well enough to qualify for the National Brass Band Championship.
Interest had revived in St Thomas's Dramatic Society and they were meeting every Tuesday in the Church Hall. Revd R H Tayor said more new members would be welcome.
APRIL All Saints C of E School put on a fashion show, concert and sketches in aid of the church fund. They raised £49. Shades of Green, a dress shop in Station Lane provided the models and compere for the fashion show.
MAY Granada Television chose Harris Brothers Printers to provide posters in the 1930s style for their television play The Benny Lynch Story.
JUNE A pair of kestrels had taken residence in Purston Church yard. Joan Taylor, the vicar's wife, was feeding them scraps of tinned dog food. The RSPCA said intruders at their Wakefield branch had let loose some kestrels and it was possible the birds at the church were two of them, but they didn't want them back.
Disables residents at Ferndale had their first ever day trip, provided by Wakefield Council in a specially equipped bus. They went to Blackpool accompanied by some of the staff.
JULY A peacock made itself at home in various places in Purston including Wentbridge Road, Welgarth Road and Purston Park. The police made inquiries at local estates and parks, but none had lost the bird. The photo is from the Express.
Albert Crowcroft of Priory Road complained to the council about the state of the Went Beck near his house. He said heavy raid could cause flooding, and his house had been flooded three times in the past. The photo is from the Express.
The Salvation Army Sunday School Queen was Christine Still age 14. Her attendants, from the left, were Michelle Sweeney, Helen Gosney, Sally Ann Watson and Beverley Skardon. The photo is from the Express.
The Green Lane Old Peoples' Centre celebrated its 10th anniversary. The Express photo shows the Mayor of Featherstone, Cr Jack Everson, with the two oldest residents, Mrs N Woolley (84) and Mr E Stringer (86).
AUGUST The long hot dry summer meant water stocks were running low. This notice was published in the Express.
The National Coal board was considering offering their houses to sitting tenants at half the market price. It was being discussed by management and unions at area level. The photo of Ashcroft Avenue is personal.
Featherstone and Purston were among areas being considered for standpipes as the drought situation became more serious. If used, and only heavy and prolonged rain could prevent it, householders would be given two days' notice, and the water to the pipes would be on 24 hours a day.
Station Lane was closed at the level crossing for major work to be done on the subway. Photo - Alan Walker.
There was a church unity gathering in the Methodist Church Hall. A concert included artists from the Methodist Ladies' Choir, Sister Jane, a Roman Catholic nun, and the Timbrel Brigade from the Salvation Army.
SEPTEMBER Featherstone (Green Lane) Working Mens' Club was planning to reorganise the interior. This meant the shops which had been there since the club was built would have to go, so the tenants were given notice to quit. They were George Bell a barber since 1936, Noreen Armitage a hairdresser for six years and Roland Weston a fruiterer for 20 years.
OCTOBER Harris Brothers were in demand again to print replica old poster for the Granada Television production of Hindle Wakes. Peter Harris said posters cannot survive that length of time so they have to be reprinted. The TV company supplied us with the details, and we set them up in old fashioned type.
NOVEMBER Ackton Hall Colliery Band led the Remembrance parade to the Ackton Hall Memorial and then for the service at the Rovers ground. Clergy from all the churches and the Salvation Army conducted the service, then the parade continued to the War Memorial where wreaths were laid. The poppy appeal raised £357.10, an increase of £30 on last year.
The committee of the Hospital Comforts Fund thanked the licensees and club committees of the town for their help in raising money for two colour television sets for Ackton Hospital.
DECEMBER A Christmas fair in St Gerrard's Church Hall and a nearly new shop in Station Lane for five days raised £390 for the church funds. The Methodists also had a Christmas Fayre in their church hall which together with a concert raised £574.
A bottle kept on the bar for nine weeks at the Featherstone Hotel was uncorked and found to contain £37.20 for the Hospital Comforts Fund. The Express photo shows the licensee, Mrs D Cording, with Mr G Holt and Mr J Wynne.
Members of the Hospital Comforts Fund visited Ackton Hospital on Boxing Day to give toys to the children and presents to the other patients. Bill Bingley acted as Santa Claus.
Revd Arthur Stuart Ramsden was installed as Vicar of Purston. Earlier in his career he was a curate at Featherstone Parish Church. The photo is from the Express.
