Saturday 22 June 2013

Echoes of our Past NEWS .... 26th June 1886...............


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

What was in the local news this weekend in 1886?

MAIN NEWS –

*Queens Accession –

Queen Victoria took her throne on 20th June 1837; the townspeople of the Chesterfield area were patriotically celebrating her reign 49 years later.

v  All Saints Church, Ripley sung the National Anthem and the evening service was taken by Rev R F Burrow on the subject of the British Empire and its constitution.

v  Staveley held a special church service and special prayers were said to the Queen.

v  Clowne Church rung a special peel of bells an hour before the morning service and an hour after the evensong service.  A “very large congregation” was present at the services.

OTHER ITEMS –

*Assault at Grassmoor Colliery –

John Parry a collier found himself appearing in front of Chesterfield Police Court accused of assault.

George Tipper a Stallman appeared in “a weak state of health” with his head bandaged after John had allegedly assaulted him.

The incident occurred on 17th June at 10am when George had spoken to John regarding the job he was working on as a “holer” which needed completing.  John had refused and the pair began arguing, John using bad language.  John lost his temper and “turned savagely upon him (George) and struck him with a pit lamp” also kicking him.

John argued his defence that his actions had been purely in self-defence but Mr Barnes who was heading the enquiry stated that this gave him no right to hit George with a pit lamp.

John was sentenced to one month’s hard labour at Derby Gaol and paid costs of 30s or face imprisonment for a further month.

*Reckless colliers –

Four colliers were charged after they alighted from t Midland Railway train whilst it was still in motion.  Apparently this was becoming common practice amongst the miners who were keen to alight from the train as soon as possible.  Only a month earlier a collier at Grassmoor was killed whilst doing the very same thing.

The men were traveling on the 4.40pm from Staveley to Chesterfield and were named; Thomas McCormack of Wards Yard, Peter Smith of Auckland’s Yard, Frank Hibbert of Elder Yard and Robert Laden of Cowley Yard. 

They were each fined £1 plus costs in a bid to put a stop this dangerous practice.

*Accident at Newbold –

Alfred Sidebottom who worked as a labourer at Saunders brickyard in Newbold was injured when his hand was caught in the brick pressing machine. 

He was admitted to Chesterfield Hospital and the injuries were found to be so severe he required amputation of this little and ring fingers.

*Regimental encampment at Blackpool –

The second Derbyshire Volunteer Regiment comprising of the companies from Chesterfield, Chapel-En-Le Frith, Bakewell, Wirksworth, Matlock Bridge, Clay Cross, Whaley Bridge, Hartington and Staveley were enjoying their annual encampment at Blackpool.

They arrived in the seaside resort at Blackpool at 9.30pm on Saturday night having had a very long journey due to all the other holiday makers flocking to the coast via the railways.  The weather was “gloriously fine” in fact it was commented upon that “after a long delay, summer had indeed come at last”.

On Sunday morning most of the men attended St John’s Church service at 9am.  As the day was also the anniversary of the accession to the throne of Queen Victoria the National Anthem was sung.   After dinner the men were free to enjoy the seaside, they “strolled along the piers, promenade or sands”.    No drills were to take place on this Sunday as the men were at rest.

*A reason to emigrate –

The working class members of Chesterfield were being lured to the sunny climes of Australia with an article detailing the wages and working practices which they would live by in New South Wales.

Miners would earn 10s a day, pit labourers 6s to 6s8d per day, carpenters and blacksmiths were even more prized earning 9s to 11s per day.

The working day would be an 8 1/2hour day but in a years’ time the hours were to be reduced to 8 hourly days. 

Not only were coal miners needed but there were also opportunities for tin, copper, gold and silver miners earning around 8s 4d per day.

If the mines were remote and thus required the miners to travel a distance then this would be compensated with a higher wage.

The other occupations required were – engine drivers 10s to 11s per day, firemen 8s 4d to 9s 2d per day, smelters 10s to 10s 6d per day.

MARRIAGES –

*William Wilson of Chesterfield to Alice Maud Botham of Loundsley Green Farm, Brampton eldest daughter of W D Botham, on 19th June at St Thomas Church, Brampton

*James Barker to Emily Heyward on 22nd June at St Helens Church, Eyam

*William George Blanksby of Hardwick to Mary Anna Brocksopp of Pilsley on 22nd June at Pilsley Church

DEATHS –

*Ann Fanshawe relict of Robert Fanshawe nail manufacturer of Eckington, aged 80 years on 22nd June

*Mary Ann Fearn at Baslow aged 70 years on 15th June

*William Hay aged 34 years, after a short illness, youngest son of the late Canon Hay of Belper at Pleasley on 24th June

*Arthur Johnson aged 9 months at Newbold on 19th June

*Elizabeth Lowe aged 24 years at Rowsley on 21st June

*Lily Kent aged 5 months at Brimington on 19th June

*Leonard Merry aged 7 months at Brampton on 22nd June

*Joseph Marples Tagg aged 5 months at Spital on 21st June

SPORT –

*Staveley Athletics –

The annual athletics day was held at the Staveley Recreation Ground on Monday last. 

The results were as follows –

v  Under 14’s boys 150 yards – 1st Moody, 2nd Allen, 3rd Dowson

v  Residents of Staveley 100 yards – 1st Rice, 2nd Vardey, 3rd Hay

v  100 yards flat race – 1st Fowler, 2nd Morris, 3rd White – time 9.45 seconds

v  1 mile bicycle race, for members of the Staveley Club – 1st Dolan, 2nd Cox, 3rd Daffin

v  220 yards flat race open – 1st F White Ilkeston, 2nd T Kinman Sheffield, 3rd A Slater Nottingham

v  300 yards hurdle race open – 1st S Morris, 2nd J Hay Staveley, 3rd P Spence Manchester

AND FINALLY…

*Bye Law Offences –

Not only were criminal’s in trouble with the law, many of our ancestors got themselves on the wrong side of the law by committing an offence of the bye laws. 

One such was tried this week at Clay Cross Petty Sessions –

John Bingham drove his cart containing “offensive matter” at 4am.  Some of the matter was spilt on the highway.

John broke the bye laws by having carted in between midnight and 8am in the morning. 

As a warning to others he was fined 18s 6d plus costs – a large fine.

Just think nowadays if we could not drive on the roads from the hours of midnight until 8am? Or if the lorries and vans were banned at that time?  How peaceful life would be – but we would all be late for work!

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