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January 2016 Volume 24 Number 1 ISSN 0969-87-44

Domus Historiae

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Domus Historiae

Cub Pack at Helmieh Garrison, Cairo 1941

How I wish I had listened to my Dad - Page 33

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Volume 24 Number 1 January 2016

Domus Historiae

JOURNAL OF BARNSLEY FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY

Volume 24 Number 1 - January Quarter - 2016

2 EDITORIAL Bryan Danforth 3 WORLD WAR 1 - TIMELINE JAN - MAR 1916 Jeff Chambers

7 THOMAS MASTERS 1870 - 1959 Harold Masters

14 BOOK REVIEW - GREAT SACRIFICE Jeff Chambers Jane Ainsworth’s Memorial Book 15 JARRATTS BUILDING WORSBOROUGH DALE Denise Bates

18 1939 REGISTER - MYKO CLELLAND Report on Guest Speaker Jeff Chambers

19 BITS AND PIECES Jeff Chambers 21 SERENDIPITOUS FINDS June Wilmore

23 JOHN CROWTHER HIGGS 1929 - 2015 24 EXPLOSION AT WORSBOROUGH POWDER MILLS The Editor

28 THE WANDERING WHITESMITH

A BARNSLEY BOY BOUND FOR BLACKPOOL Steve Gomersall 33 BILL DANFORTH How I wished I had listened to my dad Bryan Danforth 35 NEW MEMBERS AND THEIR INTERESTS Elaine Jackson

36 SOCIETY SEARCH SERVICES Inside front cover - LIST OF COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Inside back cover - DIARY DATES

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EDITORIAL Firstly, may I wish you all the very best for 2016. This year promises to be

a busy one as we continue to celebrate the centenary of the period of the

First World War. July 1st sees the commemoration of the first day of the

first battle of the Somme. Men, and boys, from Barnsley played a major

part in this battle, as the PALS Battalions took the brunt of the initial

onslaught. I’m sure some of you will have researched relatives who fought

or who grieved that day. If so, please share your stories through this

journal.

In this quarter’s edition of Domus Historiae we have a wide range of

articles for you to read. We continue the timeline of events from January to

March 1916. As well as a report of the interesting talk by Myko Clelland on

the 1939 Register. Harold Masters, who shared his research about his

uncle in the last edition, has submitted some more of his research, this

time about his father, Thomas Masters. Steve Gomersall’s contribution,

The Wandering Whitesmith, will interest many of you especially if you ever

wondered what a whitesmith was. Denise Bates has contributed her

research on the Jarratts Buildings in Worsborough Dale.

Serendipitous Finds by June Wilmore is one of those articles full of unusual

snippets that we all find when we search the web for news about our

relatives. Who else can say that their relative was killed by a bear?

It is however, with great sadness, that we bring news of the passing of

John Crowther Higgs a long standing member of Barnsley F.H.S who will be

greatly missed.

Finally, I come to the end of my final editorial as after this issue I hand the

reins to Maggie Bennett who has served as my sub-editor and has been of

great support to me. She takes over as editor and I am convinced she will

prove a worthy successor.

Being editor of a publication such as Domus Historiae has been a pleasure.

I have had some really interesting articles sent to me and some interesting

contact with members. I have enjoyed reading everything that I have

received. It is not easy trying to fill the pages of the journal with

interesting and relevant material so I urge you to support Maggie and

share your research with us so that we can keep up the high standard of

the journal. I hope to continue my own research which has been put on

hold for the last three years and hopefully share some of it through the

pages of the journal.

Editor

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Timeline January 1st 1916 to March 31st 1916

January 1 Yaunde (Cameroons) taken by General Dobell's forces. King of Serbia arrives at Salonika. January 6 H.M.S. "King Edward VII" sunk by mine off North of Scotland. January 8 Evacuation of Helles (Gallipoli Peninsula) completed. January 9 The Gallipoli Campaign ends in an Allied defeat and an Ottoman victory. General Sir Charles Monro vacates command of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force and General Sir William Birdwood vacates command of the Dardanelles army. January 10 General Sir A.J. Murray takes over command of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force. January 11 Corfu occupied by French forces. Russian offensive towards Erzerum begins. January 12 Armistice concluded between Montenegro and Austria. January 14 Action of the Wadi (Mesopotamia). Lieut.-General Sir Percy Lake appointed Commander-in- Chief, Mesopotamia. January 15 British S.S. "Appam" captured by German raider "Moewe." January 16 General Sarrail assumes command of Allied forces at Salonika. January 19 Lieut.-General Sir Percy Lake takes over command of British forces in Mesopotamia from General Nixon. January 20 Armistice talks between Austria and Montenegro cease. January 22 Antivari (Montenegro) occupied by Austrian forces. Rumanian Government opens negotiations with Russian Government with a view to military assistance. January 24 First Military Service Bill passed by British House of Commons. January 26 United States Government make informal protest to British Government regarding their "Black List" policy. January 27 Shipping Control Committee formed in Great Britain. The Military Service Act is passed by Parliament; imposing conscription on all single men aged 18 to 41 in Great Britain. Exemptions were made for men in essential war work, those declared medically unfit, religious ministers,

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and conscientious objectors. [The period of conscription was in force until 1919]. January 29 Last German airship raid on Paris. January 31 Nine zeppelins airship raid on Liverpool. Poor weather conditions scattered the aircraft, several towns were bombed. 61 people were reported killed and 101 injured by the raid. February 2 German airship "L.-19" founders in the North Sea. February 8 British Government request naval assistance from Japan. French cruiser "Amiral Charner" sunk by submarine off Syrian coast. February 9 German gunboat "Hedwig von Wissman" sunk by H.M.S. "Mimi" and "Fifi" [Ex-German Gunboat " Kingani"]. February 10 Military Service Act comes into operation in Great Britain. Remnant of Serbian Army concentrated at Corfu. German Government send note to United States Government stating that defensively armed merchantmen will be treated as belligerents from March 1st onwards. February 11 H.M.S. "Arethusa" sunk by mine in North Sea. February 15 Fifth Battle of the Isonzo begins. Agreement concluded between British Government and chieftains of the Bakhtiari (Persia) for co-operation in protection of Persian oilfields. British Order in Council extends powers of Ship Licensing Committee to all voyages. February 16 War Office takes over anti-aircraft defence of London from the Admiralty, and become responsible for anti-aircraft defence generally throughout the kingdom. War Office takes over from the India Office control of operations in Mesopotamia. February 17 Chios (Ægean) occupied by British forces. Last German forces in South Cameroons cross border into Spanish territory for internment. February 18 Mush (Armenia) taken by Russian forces. Mora, the last German post in the Cameroons, surrenders to the British. Conquest of the Cameroons by Entente forces completed. February 19 Major-General Tighe succeeded by Lieut.-General Smuts in command of British forces in East Africa. February 21 Battle of Verdun begins, ends 18 December 1916. On the Western Front, the German 5th Army attacks the

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French 2nd Army north of the historic city of Verdun, following a nine-hour artillery bombardment. The Germans under Chief of the General Staff, Erich Falkenhayn, seek to "bleed" the French Army to death by targeting the cherished city. At first, the Germans make rapid gains along the east bank of the Meuse River, overrunning bombed out French trenches, and capture lightly defended Fort Douaumont four days later without firing a shot. However, the German offensive soon stalls as the French rush in massive reinforcements and strengthen their defences, under the new command of Henri Petain, who is determined to save Verdun. An early spring thaw turns the entire battlefield into mud, hampering offensive manoeuvres. German airship "L.Z.-77" brought down by French gunfire at Revigny. German Government informs United States Government that defensively armed merchantmen will henceforth be regarded as cruisers. February 22 Lieut.-General Sir G. H. Fowke appointed Adjutant-General, British Expeditionary Force, France. Lieut.-General Sir C. F. N. Macready appointed Adjutant- General, Home Forces, Great Britain. February 23 Portugal seizes German steamers in the Tagus. Ministry of Blockade formed in Great Britain. Lord Robert Cecil appointed Minister of Blockade. February 25 Fort Douaumont (Verdun) stormed by German forces. February 26 Senussi defeated by British forces in Action of Agagiya February 28 The nucleus of a British air squadron formed to bomb German industrial centres. February 29 Action in North Sea between German raider "Greif" and British auxiliary cruiser "Alcantara": both sunk. German Government send note to United States Government stating that it is not intended to postpone the extended submarine campaign. March 2 Bitlis (Armenia) taken by Russian forces. March 3 Agreement as to provisional administration of the Cameroons concluded between French and British Governments. March 4 Russian force landed at Atna for attack on Trebizond. March 5 British advance on Kilimanjaro (East Africa) begins. March 6 Mr. Baker appointed United States Secretary for War. Germans renew their Verdun offensive, this time attacking along the west bank of the Meuse River, targeting two

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strategic hills northwest of Verdun that form the main French position. However, by the end of March, the heavily defended hills are only partially in German hands. March 8 Second attempt to relieve Kut: British relieving force repulsed at Dujaila redoubt. March 9 Germany declares war on Portugal. March 10 Taveta (East Africa) taken by British forces. March 12 Allied Military Conference held at Chantilly regarding a general summer offensive. March 13 New Moshi (East Africa) taken by British forces. March 14 Sollum (Western Egypt) reoccupied by British forces. Admiral von Tirpitz, German Minister of Marine, resigns. March 15 Austria-Hungary severs diplomatic relations with Portugal. Austria-Hungary declares war on Portugal. March 17 Fifth Battle of the Isonzo ends. March 18 Battle of Lake Naroch (White Russia). On the Eastern Front, the Russians oblige a French request to wage an offensive to divert German resources from Verdun. Although the Russians greatly outnumber the Germans in the northern sector of the Eastern Front, their poorly coordinated offensive around Vilna and at Lake Naroch is swiftly defeated by the Germans with 70,000 Russian casualties. March 19 General Sir A. J. Murray takes over command of the Force in Egypt from General Sir John Maxwell. March 21 German forces retreat from Kilimanjaro area. March 24 S.S. "Sussex" (British) torpedoed by submarine in the English Channel. March 28 Inter-Allied Conference in Paris. Declaration of Unity between Belgium, France, Great Britain, Italy, Japan, Portugal, Russia, and Serbia regarding military, economic, and diplomatic affairs, drawn up. March 30 Russian hospital ship "Portugal" sunk by submarine in the Black Sea. March 31 German airship raid on England (east coast). Airship "L.- 15" brought down by gunfire near mouth of the Thames.

Jeff Chambers

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THOMAS MASTERS 1870- 1959

Sacked because he refused to work on Sundays

Thomas Masters was born 28th May 1870, in upper Cudworth, near

Barnsley. His parents were John Masters born 1826 in Willoughby,

Warwickshire, who died in Barnsley 9th October 1912, and Lucy née

Woffenden died 16th March 1899 who had been born in Shafton.

The 1881 census shows Thomas aged 10, along with two brothers, William

aged 20, and John aged 16, living with their parent John aged 55, and

Lucy Masters aged 46. The 1891 census shows Thomas aged 19 along

with his father John aged 66 and mother aged 56, living in Somerset

Street, Barnsley.

There is very little information about Thomas’ early life, but like most

youngsters he would have attended a local school and like most

youngsters probably got himself into a fair amount of trouble. At some

point he helped the local 'Bookie' probably enjoying the danger involved

as gambling was illegal. Thomas apparently used to offer his mother

money earned by helping in this illegal activity, but if she knew it was

from gambling, she would refuse it being a strong Methodist. A family tale

tells us that the local 'bobby' caught him at some point, and as was the

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custom in those days, gave him a clip round the ear and pointed out his

responsibilities at home.

Sarah Elizabeth Marr had been born on 7th November 1874, and she

married Thomas on 21st May 1893. Probably due to Sarah's influence and

that of his own mother Thomas became a strong Methodist. Their first

daughter was named Emily and she was born on May 1st 1895 but died

aged four on May 21st 1899. This must have been a traumatic year for the

couple as Thomas' mother, Lucy, had died on 16th March. On 16th

October that year, Sarah gave birth to a son who they called Percy who

died within days of his birth.

Thomas was working as a labourer at Qualter Smith’s foundry, on Crooke

Street, off Summer Lane, and was under pressure to work on Sundays.

Because of his strict adherence to the Methodist code, he refused, and

Qualter Smith’s sacked him. Thomas was now the main breadwinner and

needed to support a household of 6 people. After much discussion with his

wife, and probably deep heart searching, Thomas consulted trustees at Pitt

Street Methodist Church and requested a loan of £5.00. The trustees

involved were prominent local businessmen, Mr G Butterfield of Butterfield

and Massie, a well known haberdasher whose premises were on Market

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Hill and still in business under the same name into the 1960s: and Mr E

Broomhall of E & H. J. Broomhall who produced workwear inside the

premises of the Barnsley Canister company on Sackville Street. The loan

was used to purchase a flat cart and a pony so that Thomas could start a

carting business.

The 1901 census shows Thomas aged 29, and Sarah Elizabeth aged 26

with their two sons, Harold age 7 and Norman aged 4. At the same

address, 180 Summer Street, was Thomas’s father John, aged 56 and

Sarah's father, William Marr aged 59. Thomas' occupation is listed as

'general carter', he was obviously a good investment for the Methodist

Church and he was allowed other similar loans until September 1902

which he repaid at 10/- (50p) per week.

By the 1911 census, Thomas is listed as a coal merchant and the family

had moved to 35 Fitzwilliam Street. Thomas is 40 and Elizabeth is 36,

Thomas' father John is 85, and there are three sons, Harold aged 17,

Norman aged 14, Edwin aged 3, and three daughters, Hilda aged 6,

Winnifred aged 5, Dorothy aged 2yrs.

Soon, a Mr Gartery, agent for Houghton Main Colliery arranged for Thomas

to have coal on account which made it financially easier for him to operate

and he soon started carting for the Barnsley British Co-operative Society

for which they paid him a shilling (5p) per ton carried. The cost of coal at

the start of the last century was about 18 shillings (90p) per ton.

Thomas gradually built up his stock of horses and carts, and went into

house removals by purchasing an existing business from Sheppard’s,

which consisted of one horse drawn removal van. Removals were carried

out as far as Leeds, Bradford and Sheffield. A trip of about 12 miles would

take up to 2 days, a removal to Nottingham would take up to a week, a

distance there and back of approximately 60 miles. To help the horses on

steep inclines they often had to hire extra animals from farms en-route.

By this time the family had moved home several times since Somerset

Street, via Keir Street, Mona Street (off Stocks Lane), and Summer Lane,

where Thomas had a coal yard in the railway station.

Now Thomas bought 35 Fitzwilliam Street, off Summer Lane, which had a

large yard and stables for the horses and different carts. Because the

family was getting large he also bought the house next door to No 35

which later became the place where Thomas’s son Edwin settled down

with his family.

In 1917 Thomas purchased Highfield House, Sackville Street. The

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purchase price was £1000.00, with a mortgage of £752.00 which was a

good indication of his success in business as well as the respect he had

earned among the business community in the town. From borrowing

money from the church to buy a horse and cart to being allowed a

mortgage of this amount less than twenty years later shows how

respected he had become.

Highfield House had been built early in the 1800s and extended in 1846.

There were 7 bedrooms upstairs, and downstairs were 6 large rooms.

Below one of the end bedrooms was a garage, and the yard outside was

large enough to hold 6 heavy goods carts while across the yard were

garages where they used to stable horses and carts, with storage places

above.

When Thomas bought the company's first petrol engine vehicle it was a

French lorry made by La Coste , and it had no reverse gear! In order to

move the vehicle backwards it was necessary to use a large wooden pole

as a lever. During WW1 this vehicle and a number of horses were

commandeered for use in the war, it is also presumed that Thomas’ eldest

son Harold and Norman, went with the horses. On Harold’s last leave from

the front, he had a big argument with his father. Prior to enlisting, Harold

had been training to be a Methodist Minister but his experience in the

trenches caused him to question how God could allow such atrocities to

happen in the world. Unfortunately the argument was never resolved and

Harold was killed in France in 1918, nevertheless Thomas never wavered

from his Methodist faith.

Harold had owned a pony called Tommy, and his father kept the animal

until it was very old in the hope that Harold would come back someday.

Tommy the pony had been taught to open the back door of the house with

his teeth and was more of a pet than a working animal.

Thomas never learnt to drive motor vehicles and he went into partnership

with a gentleman called Tillotson. The company, known as Masters and

Tillotson was solely involved in House Removals, Mr Tillotson died in

1939.

During the depression in the 1920s like many employers, Thomas found

he had to reduce his workforce. and the ones he chose to dismiss were his

sons. When asked why, he said that the ones he kept on were all married

with children.

Sarah Elizabeth died early in 1929 aged 54 and Thomas must have felt

completely lost without her. She had been his moral support though the

hard times and they had enjoyed a level of success together. Their family

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life had been settled and their children were doing well but with the loss of

Sarah much of the domestic arrangements would have gone by the board.

Thomas employed a housekeeper to look after all the domestic jobs that

needed doing, because by now there were 11 people in the household.

She was Miss Martha Ann Hanson, who became known to all the family

simply as 'Sanson' (pictured above). Later it was suggested to Thomas

that his closeness to Sanson was causing tongues to wag and the couple

were married on August 22nd 1932. It is a compliment to this lady that

the family seems to have accepted her and welcomed her into the fold.

Certainly it meant that Thomas could continue to run his businesses and

invest his time and money well. During the 1930s Thomas purchased

property in Newton Street, where a number of houses had been

demolished and this was used for parking the vehicles and a remaining

building was used for their maintenance.

In 1936 Thomas was 66 and had gone into semi-retirement, on March 24th

that year Thomas’ Haulage business became a limited Company. The

directors of the new Company were Thomas Masters, Norman Masters,

Edwin Masters, Leonard Masters, and John William Masters, all with 100

shares of £1.00 each. Thomas’s second wife Martha (Sanson) was the

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Company Secretary, a post she held until she died on 1st October 1959

aged 83. Thomas kept busy around the yard and chopping wood up for the

fire, appears to have been a favourite pastime!

Christmas was always a special occasion, all the family used to go to

Highfield House on Boxing Day for a good meal and a meeting of all the

family. To cater for everybody the meal had to be served in 2 sittings,

after the first sitting had finished eating they then had to serve the food

up to the second sitting. The children had fun playing hide and seek in

rooms that had become unused as Thomas’ sons and daughters got

married and moved into their own homes. A lot of the rooms in Highfield

House were now used to store household furniture.

In the afternoon after everybody had eaten, Thomas would go to a large

safe in the room that was now used as an office and he would take out a

large number of envelopes. Everybody there got an envelope with cash in

it as their Christmas present, even though some of the guests were not

yet in the Masters family, still they got an envelope.

The previous owner of Highfield House had been a doctor, and the room

that the Masters family used as an office still housed the large unit built to

contain a lot of the doctor's tools and medicines. Down in the cellar there

was a large granite table, and above it in the ceiling was a series of hooks.

In the days when the house had been built the stone table would have

been used to clean, prepare, and store vegetables and meat. The hooks

would have held hams or strings of onions. I am sure I am not the only

person to inform people that the room was used by the Doctor and he

would hang arms and legs up on the hooks, which is probably why a lot of

people would not go down there!

During the 1950s Thomas was getting a bit frail and required a bit of help

whilst washing, one of his granddaughters and her boyfriend used to go

up to Highfield House to help the old man. Thomas couldn't understand

why the couple were still unmarried and the girl told him that her father

had refused to give her away in a Catholic ceremony. Thomas' reply was

that he would give her away himself, in the Catholic Church. She was to

leave everything to her grandfather and he would sort it out. Of course,

her father relented and she was married in the Catholic Church to the man

she wanted. A short time later it came out that a lot of the local churches

and chapels received a quantity of coal, especially in the winter and of

course the Catholic Church was one of them.

Thomas Masters died on 16th February 1959. The day of the funeral was

wet and miserable, as he was buried in the Barnsley Cemetery down

Cemetery Road. Thomas never wavered in his Methodist way of life, and

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true to his beliefs, he did not want an extravagant funeral. His children

followed his wishes and there is no headstone to show where he is buried,

Thomas did not believe it was worth spending any money on memorials,

he felt the money should be enjoyed by the living.

Despite Thomas' Methodist feelings, he never tried to influence people,

even though his sons and daughters were not church or chapel people, the

influence of Thomas was still there which basically was to treat others as

you would want them treat you.

The Company that Thomas had started was always run on the principle of

honesty and treating the customer well. It didn't matter if it was a big

job, or just a small removal. People mattered, and remembered how they

were treated, customers returned when next they needed some haulage

work done. They also told their friends, and this often helped the

company keep going in difficult times.

The Company could not always guarantee the same crew, often there

would be a space of ten years or more between moves with the same

customer. Still it proves that the reputation of the company was

outstanding.

Norman died on 19th December 1964 and had been the office manager;

Edwin maintained the vehicles, if a vehicle required an engine change at

the end of the day, the vehicle would be ready to go again early the next

morning, Leonard and John also had office duties, even after having a full

day out on the vehicles. Most of Thomas Masters employees were in the

Union and the area representative said that it was a pity that some of the

other haulage businesses in the South Yorkshire area did not look after the

employees as well as Thomas Masters.

What would Thomas think of life today? Thomas was brought up in a

period when you could trust your neighbours, and families would pull

together to help, if one of them had run into difficulties. You kept your

word, you were honest, and tried not to do any harm to anyone, and help

them if you could.

Harold Masters

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Great Sacrifice:

the old boys of barnsley holgate grammar school in the first world war

Jane Ainsworth’s Memorial Book tells the stories of the

76 Old Boys of Barnsley Holgate Grammar School who

died during the First World War, while serving their

country. It also includes a detailed history of the

grammar school and extracts from the school’s

magazine. Barnsley Holgate Grammar School was

prestigious and its first headmaster, Reverend Charles

Stokes Butler, was inspirational. The Old Boys felt a

strong loyalty and affection for their school and this

feeling was reciprocated by the teachers and other

pupils. During the First World War, details of all those

serving their country were recorded in the Old Boys’

Association magazine Alumnus, which was sent to men

fighting at the front along with copies of the Barnsley

Chronicle. Many of the men in the forces visited their old school when home on

their precious leave and some contributed articles and letters about their

experiences, which have been reproduced in this book. Jane was determined to

create a Memorial Book that was different from others and the breadth of her

research clearly demonstrates how she has achieved this. She has told the men’s

life stories in as much detail as possible, concentrating on their family and

personal development as well as experiences during the war. It is important

to remember that 42 additional brothers served and five of these died, as did

three brothers-in-law. The invaluable contributions from Alumnus and many

obituaries from newspapers allow us to get to know these men as real people.

Jane’s aim is for these young men to be remembered as individuals, who could

have achieved so much more if they had survived the sacrifice of their

valuable lives for their country. Attending the Holgate encouraged the

majority to go on to achieve their potential after school, with a lot becoming

teachers. It instilled in them the values that led to early enlistment and

rapid promotion in the forces. This is what united them - not the disparate

“resting places” for their bodies, whether buried in a foreign grave or just a

name on a War Memorial overseas. They were all much loved as sons, brothers,

friends, colleagues, Old Boys of various educational establishments, husbands

and fathers.

Publication Date: March 2016

£25.00

Paperback (245mm x 170mm)

408 pages, 200 b/ w photos and illustrations, 8 pages colour illustrations.

ISBN: 97819110896085 20% discount when purchased either online or by phone, from Helion.

Pre-orders can also be taken online or over the phone.

Available from: www.helion.co.uk Tel. No. 0121 705 3393

15


JARRATTS BUILDINGS - WORSBOROUGH DALE

A few years ago I began to research the history of Jarratts Building in

Worsborough Dale and the families who lived there. Jarratts was a

development of 54 back-to-back houses that had been built in the 1850s

to house colliery workers. The houses were demolished in the 1950s. I

became interested in the building when I discovered my ancestors, the

McQuillan family were part of this community from around 1860 until the

1880s. My family connection with Jarratts and the adjacent streets

continued well into the twentieth century.

In 2012 my first appeal for information about Jarratts Buildings appeared

in Domus Historiae. At that time I promised to keep readers updated

about this project. Now seems an appropriate moment to do so, and to

ask again for any assistance anyone can give. Three members responded

to my appeal then with fascinating family detail and a talk I gave at St

Thomas' Church, Worsborough Dale in Spring 2015 unlocked valuable

information about the site.

From my research to date, it is clear that Jarratts had its own distinctive

identity. The houses were often known as the 54, when referred to by the

residents. Green Street, which bordered Jarratts, also seems to have been

an integral part of this tight-knit community, as was a part of High Street.

Jarratts was laid out in four blocks on a sloping site close to Darley

Colliery. Former residents have told me that the blocks were known

colloquially as Bottom Fold, Prison Row, Step Bow and Top Fold. Bottom

Fold fronted onto High Street and was enumerated as High Street from the

1891 census onwards. Prison Row appears to have earned its grim nick-

name because of the huge retaining wall that loomed above it and made

the homes that faced towards it dark and dismal. At the side of this

retaining wall was a flight of steps to the top two blocks of houses.

The numbering system did not flow logically across the site. The lowest

numbers were in Prison Row, then Step Row and then Top Fold which

seems to have ended with Dwelling 43. The highest numbered houses

were those in Bottom Fold. The unusual numbering can be accounted for if

the front of the site was used for taking delivery of building materials and

only built on itself when the rest of the development was completed and

occupied.

I have not been able to discover how the houses in each of the blocks

were numbered, but one former resident has identified their home in Step

Row on a plan and provided its number. If anyone can give any additional

detail it would help towards working out which family lived where and how

16


extended families were clustered or scattered across the site. If I could

pinpoint two or three houses in each block it may be possible to work out

the numbering system of that block.

During the twentieth century, Jarratts gradually became associated with

bad living conditions. Although the houses seem to have conformed with

the limited standards of the time when they were built around 1858, and

may have been desirable residences given that several mining families in

Worsborough Dale moved into them, I have not found any records to

indicate that any improvements were ever made by the landlord. In the

1940s, repairs seem to have been carried out only when statutory repair

notices were issued.

It seems likely that individual tenants may have managed to improve

some properties over time as there are differences in the household

facilities described by former residents. Certainly the condition of the

properties was variable by the early twentieth century. Occupants moved

from house to house, suggesting that new tenants had to take a property

that was in bad condition and then move if and when a better one became

available.

So far, ingenuity, persistence and lady luck have revealed plenty of

information but it is scattered in many places. Censuses, BMD records,

parish records, newspapers from the British Newspaper Archive and a

range of records held in Barnsley Archives have all provided tantalising

glimpses of what life was like in a mining community during a pivotal

century of British history. Supplemented by snippets of oral history a

picture of a distinctive community is beginning to emerge.

People rather than buildings are what make a community and I am

fascinated (and on occasions heartbroken) by the life-stories I have

already discovered or been able to piece together. However, my research

indicates that a few hundred families and probably well over a thousand

people lived in Jarratts, some for decades, others for just a very short

time, so I have only a very small fraction of the story. Some families were

long-established in Worsborough Dale when the properties were erected,

but the local mining industry attracted workers from Derbyshire,

Lancashire, Lincolnshire, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire,

Nottinghamshire, Rutland, Staffordshire, Yorkshire and all parts of Ireland

and Wales. Some put down roots and became part of the Jarratts

community whilst others moved away.

If anyone reading this has a Jarratts resident in their family history I

would be very pleased to hear from you. Surnames I am particularly

interested in because of their long association with the building are

17


Bennett, Bevons, Booth, Bower, Bowering, Brannon, Cauldwell, Cope,

Davis, Fallis, Finan, Glover, Goodlad, Grant, Grist, Hammond, Harper,

Hitchin, Hobson, Hodgson, Howson, Kelly, Kilburn, McDonald, McQuillan,

Padgett, Pashley, Pickering, Prescott, Shephard, Squire, Stanley, Swift,

Taylor, Whiteley, Winder, Winter. I have noted plenty of inter-marriages

between Jarratts families and would expect some people to have several

names in their family tree. All of these surnames relate to the nineteenth

and early twentieth century. I am also interested in the mid-twentieth

century but as a courtesy to these residents I have not included the

names of this period which I have discovered through various public

records.

As a historian I believe in carrying out research to a high standard and

then making my findings available to others. I have my own web site and

have set up some pages devoted to Jarratts Buildings.

www.denisebates.co.uk/jarrattsresearch.html will take you straight to

this. The research is split into two main sections, one relating to the

community and the other to the people. Please follow the relevant links.

The web pages are an on-going project which I fit in around other

commitments, so please keep visiting them as I have more material to

write up and post. The site already contains a plan of Jarratts, facts

about occupancy from 1861 – 1911 and stories about of some of the

residents or incidents that affected the community.

I am trying to build up as full a history of Jarratts as possible. Many

details will have survived in families as oral history rather than within

any written source. I would be delighted to receive any information that

would contribute to creating a rounded history of this community. Whilst

I would hope to be able to use it on the web site I recognise that there

are sensitivities when writing about people who are still alive and do not

do so unless I have permission from the person or people concerned.

So far the only pictures of Jarratts Building that I know of were taken

when the buildings were being demolished around 1958. As this was an

impoverished community I realise that people living there may not have

had a camera, but I also think it is possible that some photographs of the

building or its residents may exist. I would be delighted if anyone had

pictures they could share with me. In part it would provide evidence

about the exterior and interiors of the dwellings and how people lived. I

have also become attached to some of the residents as I have

researched them and would love to know what they looked like.

I can be contacted by e-mail at [email protected] or via the

contact me page of the website. I hope to here from you.

Denise Bates

18


1939 Register Guest Speaker: Myko CLELLAND,

Family Historian and Partnership/Outreach Manager for Findmypast

Myko began the PowerPoint presentation justifying the

importance of records by relating an anecdotal account of

his grandfather’s time as a Sicilian soldier in Sicily in WWII.

Explaining how this handed down account could be

supported by using period records.

With the 1921 Census not available until 2022, the loss of

the 1931 census due to a fire in 1942, with no census taken

in 1941, and the 1951 census not due for release until 2052,

the 1939 register stands as a very important document for

family historians to bridge the period 1921 to 1951.

He gave details how the 1939 National Register of 41 million people was taken on

29th September 1939 by 65,000 enumerators, and the purposes it was used for:

identity cards and issuing of ration books. The paper register was updated by the

NHS until 1991 who continued to add recorded deaths, marriages and changes of

names to the register over this period. No medical data is available. The National

Archives (TNA) archived the register in 1991.

The register layout was described in detail; what information was recorded, and

why certain entries were redacted. The cut-off point is 100 years and one day (100

year rule,) i.e., full details of anyone born before 1915 and dying before 1991 are

shown in the register. The 1939 Register is updated weekly.

Over eighteen months the register (7,000 volumes, 2,000 addresses per volume)

has been conserved, digitised, transcribed, and tagged by findmypast in partnership

with TNA to create a multi-searchable database.

Myko explained various techniques of how to narrow your search criteria to extract

the correct details from the register using the various search options. He also

explained the processes to reveal redacted information, and showed how entries

can be linked to other findmypast datasets, maps showing the area at different

periods in time, and newspapers of the time. Comparison demographic information

can also be displayed using the datasets.

He mentioned the various subscription options, and explained why this is a stand-

alone database.

The presentation lasted one hour followed by a fifteen minute question and answer

session. The audience raised questions relating to: redaction; missing entries;

search criteria; costs; why place of birth was not recorded, etc.

John WESTERMAN (Barnsley FHS Chairman) thanked Myko for an entertaining

presentation. He also thanked the forty-four people for attending hoping that they

now have a better understanding of the 1939 Register, and how to use this unique

aid in their continuing research.

http://www.findmypast.co.uk/1939register

Barnsley FHS Talk: 17th November 2015 Jeff Chambers

19


BITS AND PIECES

“HOMES UNDER THE HAMMER”

‘THE POPLARS’ DODWORTH ROAD, BARNSLEY.

Re: Dr. MORRIS, Deceased.

To be sold by auction by

Messrs. Lancaster & Sons, at the Royal Hotel, Barnsley,

on Wednesday, the 30th day of April, 1919, at 5 p.m.

The Substantial Stone-Built Residence, now in the occupation of Dr.

HORNE, known as ‘The Poplars,’ together with Groom’s House, Stabling,

Garages, Brick-pitched Yard, and Garden.

The property has a frontage to Dodworth Road of 80ft. and 81ft. to

Westfield Street, with Surgery and back entrance therefrom.

The House was originally built by Dr. SMITH for his own occupation, and

on his decease was followed by Dr. MORRIS (his Son-in-law), who on

entering the Church, was succeeded by Dr. HORNE, so that ‘The Poplars’

has had an uninterrupted medical history from its erection.

[Current occupants: Dodworth Road Surgery and Abbey Vets.]

VALUABLE FREEHOLD DWELLING-HOUSES AT CUDWORTH.

To be sold by auction by

Messrs. Lancaster & Sons, at the Royal Hotel, Barnsley,

on Wednesday, the 30th April, 1919, at 5 o’clock in the afternoon.

Re: William CURTIS, Deceased.

Lot 1

Four Dwelling-House, Numbers 1, 3, 5, and 7, Shaw Lane, Cudworth, in

the occupation of Mrs. Elizabeth ELLIS and Messrs. David SHAW,

Herman HINCHCLIFFE, and William CURTIS.

Gross annual rentals, £52. The site contains 925 square yards.

Lot 2

Four Dwelling-Houses, Numbers 50, 52, 54 and 56 Pontefract Road,

Cudworth, in the occupation of Messrs. Tom PLATTS, Frank FIDDY,

George ELLIS, and John PLATTS. Gross annual rental £67 12s.

The site contains 947 square yards.

The mines and minerals under both Lots are reserved.

Citation

The Barnsley Chronicle, April 1919, Vol. LXI. No. 3155.

20


Barnsley Police Courts

Friday 11th April:- Before Mr. C Howard TAYLOR (in the Chair), Mr. G. A.

GRIFFITHS, and Mr. H. IBBERSON.

Mischievous boys

The following Worsbro’ Dale lads were summoned for doing damage to a

train shelter:- William Henry HAIGH (16), pony driver; Lionel ED-

WARDS (18), trammer; Albert KILNER (16), rope lad; Daniel KILNER

(17), pony driver; William KILNER (13), screenhand; John GRIST (15),

pony driver; William ALMOND (14), pit hand. P.C. RYAN spoke to see-

ing defendants throw stones at the shelter doing damage to the wood-

work. Mr. W. E. NICHOLL, manager of the Barnsley and District Electric

Traction Company, said 10s. was the nominal estimate of the damage.

Defendants all denied doing any damage, and said they were only playing,

‘Puss, puss come to my corner.’ Each defendant was ordered to pay the

costs and his share of the damage, and Edwards, having been up before,

was fined 5s. in addition.

[“Puss, puss come to my corner” - A game that children play in which

all players but one occupies goals (as the corners of a room) and at a

signal try to exchange places before the one having no place of his own

can reach one of the vacant goals/ corners. Similar to ‘musical chairs’.]

Gaming at platts common

Five miners, John DONAGHUE, Alfred BALL, and Timothy GAVIN of

Platts Common John COTTERILL, of Hoyland, and William Henry BECK-

ETT, of Blacker Hill, were summoned for gaming with coins at ‘tossing.’

P.C. LAWS and Sgt. GREENWOOD spoke to seeing defendants gambling

at Platts Common on March 27th. They were all taking an active part in

the game. All though some of the defendants had ‘records,’ the Bench in

view of the fact that they had done their bit for their country, treated them

all as first time offenders, and imposed a fine of 15s., each.

A petty theft

William JACKSON, miner, Worsbro’ Dale, pleaded guilty to stealing three

wood wedges, valued 3d., from Messrs. LONGLEY’S timber yard, Worsbro’

Dale. P.C. RYAN said he saw defendant coming from the direction of

the yard, and upon stopping him found the three wood wedges under his

coat. Defendant was dealt with under the First Offenders’ Act, and was

bound over for six months.

21


Barnsley Police Courts

Monday 14th April:-

Before Mr. J. WAITES (in the Chair), Mr. R. N. PENNINGTON, and Mr.

H. IBBERSON.

Cudworth desertion case

Joseph FIELD, banksman, Cudworth, was summoned by his wife,

Sarah Jane FIELD, for desertion. She stated that they were married on

Easter Monday, 1915, at Cudworth Church, and her husband deserted

her on March 31st last. He was, she said earning 15s., to £1 a day. Mr.

RIDEAL appeared for the defendant who was agreeable to a separation.

The Bench made an Order for 25s., a week.

Citation

The Barnsley Chronicle, April 1919, Vol. LXI. No. 3155.

Jeff Chambers

SERENDIPITOUS FINDS

In my quest to find information about my relatives, I have found some

really interesting finds by entering names or places in to Google. Here

are my top four:-

My 5 x Great grandmother was killed by a bear in her home

Looking for information about the Ecclesfield District, I typed in

‘Ecclesfield’ and selected Ecclesfield History Home Page, then Old

Ecclesfield Diary, Date 1790/91. I then selected Mary, wife of Francis

Roger and selected more. There I found a report from the ‘Sheffield

Register’ newspaper.

Mary Rodger and the Bear

A circumstance not less dreadful in its consequence, than disgraceful to a civilised nation, happened at High Green, a few miles from hence, on Saturday morning last. A bear kept there by one Cooper for the amusement of country people at their wakes, got loose - pinched its food - and entered the dwelling of a person named Rogers. The unfortunate wife of the man was sitting with one child on her lap and another beside her, when the creature seized her with all the savage ferocity of its nature, and tore her in a manner too shocking to particularise.

22


The cries of the poor unfortunate and of the children reached Rogers and the Bearward, who almost at the same moment entered the house, and beheld a sight sufficient to appal the most callous mind - what then must have been the feelings of the husband? - He flew to the animal, but was unable to wrench its jaws from the object of its fury. Cooper then struck it on the head with a hammer, but the haft flying off, the blow was powerless; it however turned the bent of its rage on him, and it pursued until he was nearly exhausted with fatigue, and he must have fallen a victim, had not the neighbours, alarmed at the outcries, come up with him, and, at a second shot, laid it dead. The woman expired in dreadful agony on Monday. We hope and trust this dreadful and unparalleled accident will finally abolish, in these parts, the unchristian, barbarous species of diversion - bear baiting.

My Great-Great Uncle, Jabez Haigh, Divine Scientist (1857-1927)

I was intrigued that my great-great uncle began his working life as a

coal miner from Crane Moor, although he spent most of his life as an

evangelist / missionary and I knew from my research that he had gone

to Nevada. By entering ‘Jabez Haigh in Las Vagas’, I was directed to ‘the

Las Vagas Age - Rootsweb Ancestry.com’.

I found that on December 20th 1913, Jabez Haigh, Divine Scientist and

lecturer spoke on Saturday and Sunday evening on - ‘Self Government

and Bodily Sanitation’. The website of 31 pages, gives a fascinating and

very descriptive account of the lives and times of early settlers in

Nevada from 1905 to 1917.

My dentist made a film on Hunshelf and Chapletown, 1940-1944

Searching for Hunshelf, Yorkshire, I saw that there was a film about

Hunshelf Gun Site in the Yorkshire Film Archive. This silent film is 7 mins

50 seconds long - both colour and black and white. By a strange quirk of

fate, I was interested to see that the film was made by my family

dentist, Willie Thorne of Chapeltown and, in fact begins with ATS

marching down Lound Side, where the dental surgery was situated with

the spire of St John’s Church in the background. You can see posters

persuading women to join the ATS and another promoting the Dig for

Victory Campaign. Hunshelf Gun Site shots show the dug-outs and guns;

one particular image was of a game of rounders taking place with the

guns in the background.

23


My Wootton family hailed from Bunny, Nottinghamshire

Intrigued by the name of the village, I keyed into Google ‘Bunny Village’

and found to my delight that the local history society had a website with

maps, photographs, parish records, churchyard inscriptions, census and

Protestation Returns, village history. I learnt that the name throughout

centuries had been Bune, Bonei, Boneya, Boney; then Bunney, and most

recently Bunny.

Thomas Wootton was born in July 1796 in the nearby village of

Ruddington; he worked as an Agricultural Labourer for the owners of

Bunny Hall and moved to Worsborough where he married Sarah Stancey

on 25th November 1838 and worked as a farm labourer at Worsborough

Hall.

Sources

Ecclesfield History Home page

www.rootsweb.ancestry.com

www.yorkshirefilmarchive.com

The Bunny Village website

June Wilmore

JOHN CROWTHER HIGGS 1929 - 2015

One of life's gentlemen, who will be missed.

John, a long standing member of Barnsley FHS, passed away on November

18th.

‘He was very nice man who did a lot for the society, transcribing, providing

material for publications and giving his time as a committee member.’

John offered sound advice and encouragement at every opportunity. He

single-handed created a couple of monumental works, the Cawthorne

Parish Registers: an annotated transcription for the years 1653-1799, and

Barnsley Place Names. He also collaborated on many other publications.

24


EXPLOSION AT WORSBOROUGH POWDER MILLS

BARNSLEY CHRONICLE 1st June 1901

TWO MEN KILLED

Shortly before 9 o’clock on Saturday morning an explosion took place at

the gunpowder works of Messrs. Kynoch’s and Co. Ltd., situate at

Worsborough Dale. The explosion happened in an isolated part of the

buildings, where cartridges were being manufactured. There were two

young men employed there, namely, Frederick W. Thackray, of

Worsborough Dale and Abner Wraith, of Blacker Hill. Both fled

precipitously towards the watch-house and were met by other workmen

about the place hurrying to their assistance. Thackray and Wraith were

badly burnt, and they were conveyed to the Beckett Hospital at Barnsley in

2 ambulances – the Barrow Colliery Companies and Mr. A. F. Bedford’s.

The men’s injuries were of a serious nature, and their recovery was

doubtful from the first. Thackray succumbed on Sunday afternoon and

Wraith died on Tuesday night.

Mr C. J. Haworth, Deputy Coroner, opened an inquiry into the cause of the

men’s death on Wednesday at the Town Hall, Barnsley. Mr. J. W. Gillies

and Mr. W. C. Seeley, managers of the works, were present.

George Thackray, of Dunkirk Lane, Denby Dale, labourer, the first witness,

said that Frederick William Thackray was his son and was 26 years of age.

Deceased lived in lodgings at Worsborough Dale. He had worked for

Kynoch’s Ltd. as a cartridge maker about 6 months. On Saturday witness

received a telegram from the manager stating there had been an

explosion, and asking him to come to see his son. Witness saw deceased

at the hospital on Saturday, and was with him when he died on Sunday

afternoon about half past three o’clock.

Ellen Wraith, widow, of Waterfield Place, Ardsley, said the deceased Abner

Wraith, aged 19 years, was her son, and lodged at Millhouse, Blacker Hill.

He was a cartridge maker at Kynock’s Ltd. Witness heard of the explosion

on Saturday, and had seen the deceased every day since, though she was

not present when he died.

The coroner said it was absolutely necessary to adjourn the inquest for the

attendance of the government Inspector of Explosives. The inquiry was

therefore adjourned until 11th June.

BARNSLEY CHRONICLE 15th June 1901

25


THE EXPLOSION AT WORSBOROUGH POWDER MILLS

ADJOURNED INQUEST

NO ONE TO BLAME

The adjourned inquest on Frederick William Thackray (26) of Worsborough

Dale and Arthur Wraith (19) of Blacker Hill, the two cartridge fillers who

received fatal injuries in the explosion which recently occurred at the

Worsborough Dale gunpowder works of Messrs. Kynoch and Co., Limited,

was held at the Town Hall on Tuesday morning, before Mr. J. G. Howarth,

deputy district coroner. Captain Jocelyn Thompson (H. M. Chief Inspector

of Explosives), Supt. Quest, and Mr. Morris (representing the firm of

Kynoch’s, Birmingham), were present.

The first witness called was John Wilson, of Blacker Hill, the yard foreman

at the gunpowder mills, who said that he was with the deceased men

some ten minutes before the accident occurred, viz, about 8.20 am on the

25th May. The two men were employed in the cartridge press-house, their

work being to make compressed blast cartridges of loose gunpowder. The

pressing machine had sets of what might be described as dice, and a

“plunger” came down on top of these and compressed the gunpowder into

pellets or cartridges. The men were making cartridges that morning which

weighed nine to a pound. The men worked together in that building

regularly. The erection was a wooden one, and isolated, being 150 yards

distant from any other. The explosion occurred at 8.20, as near as he

could say. He was in the office and heard it, but it was only a slight one.

He and a man called Craig set off running to the pressroom, but Craig got

there first. The first thing witness saw was Wraith, running across the

bank. He had his trousers off and his shirt was burning. Witness here

explained that the men, before commencing work each morning stripped

in the watch-house, donning woollen trousers, shirts, and slippers. Wraith

called “Loose my shirt neck; its burning me.” As Craig went to Wraith’s

assistance, witness ran on and met Thackray coming away from the

remains of the building, part of which had been blown off on to the

pathway. Thackray was fully dressed, and as his clothes were on fire;

witness sat him on the bank and stripped him. After stopping the engines,

which worked the cartridge filling machine witness went to the watch-

house, where both of the men were being treated with oil and flannels,

which were always kept ready in case of an accident. Ten minutes after

the explosion had occurred the two men were swathed in cloths saturated

with oil. Both of them could stand up, and were perfectly sensible.

Ambulances were sent for from Barrow Colliery and Mr. Bedford’s.

Thackray, whose injuries were the most serious, was immediately

removed to the Beckett Hospital, Wraith being conveyed thither some time

26


later.

The Coroner: Have you an ambulance of your own? No sir!

The Coroner: Well you know you ought to have!

Continuing, witness said Wraith, who had charge of the filling

machine, had been in the employ of the company some five months. He

was careful, steady, and they considered him to be a competent man. He

had only had charge of the machine a few months. In answer to Captain

Thompson witness said that the powder taken up was “reeled,” or dusted,

and was always sifted and damped before being pressed. Questioned by

Mr. Morris, witness said he visited the press-house on the morning of the

accident. He left the two men oiling the machine. He asked them how the

machine was running, and Wraith said it was going all right. That remark

referred to its action the day previous, as it had not been in use so far that

morning. Thackray, though an old hand at the works, had only been

employed some two months at the filling machine.

Robert Craig, Blacker Hill, leading mill man at the works, said that on

Saturday morning, May 25th, he was standing by the watch-house when he

heard a slight explosion. He and Wilson ran towards the compressing-

house. Witness got there first. He found Wraith coming away from the

building. He simply said “Oh!” Witness stopped him and pulled off his

clothes. He took Wraith to the watch-house, and about 5 minutes later

Thackray was brought in. The men said nothing to him about the cause of

the accident. The garments of both men were smouldering. It was the

duty of Wraith; the foreman of the pressing-house, to see that the legal

limitation of the amount of powder allowed to be stored there was not

exceeded.

Dr. Harold Goodman, house surgeon at the Beckett Hospital, said that

Thackray was admitted to the hospital at 10.15 on the morning of the

accident, Wraith being brought in about 35 minutes later. Generally

speaking the men’s injuries were much the same, but Thackray was burnt

all over, from the top of his head to the soles of his feet. He was quite

sensible, and did not complain of any pain until half an hour had elapsed.

Witness deduced from the fact that deceased was suffering from a very

severe shock; in fact, when he was admitted, he was practically pul?????.

The majority of his wounds were superficial, but the face was burnt very

deeply. Thackray was perfectly black- just like a Negro. Witness’s opinion

of Thackray’s case from the first was that it was hopeless and the man

died at 3.30 the next day. Wraith was not burnt so badly, but his recovery

was doubtful. His burns were mostly on the body, especially about the

chest. He did not complain of severe pain for 24 hours after his

admittance. Wraith died on the morning of the 28th ult, but before his

death he described rather lucidly how the accident had happened. He said

they had been pressing cartridges, and had taken them out of the

27


machine. Wraith said he wanted to stop the machine, and told Thackray to

throw the “clutch” over the beam of the machine as it was going to the

top. Thackray missed it, and it fell, and Wraith said the beam must have

struck fire, some loose powder perhaps being about. Thackray complained

of pains in the abdomen, and said he had been thrown against something,

but as there was no advantage in putting him to extra pain, witness did

not examine him. It was the opinion of witness that death was owing to

shock and exhaustion, due to burning. The men had been treated well at

the works, being wrapped up properly when admitted to the hospital.

John Gillies Sealey, the resident manager of the Powder Works, said he

was in the pressing room the night before the accident took place, and

noticed there was no loose powder about. Witness had a conversation with

Wraith in the watch-house immediately after the explosion. Witness asked

how much powder there was in the building at the time, and Wraith said

150 lbs. He saw Wraith again at the hospital on the Sunday, and asked

him what had occurred. Wraith said he was stopping the feed box, and he

saw a flash from number 6 punch. Wraith also said he had made six trays

of cartridges that morning. There were 18 lbs in a tray, so that would have

been an impossibility in the short time, which they were at work, and

witness did not think that Wraith was quite clear in the head when he

made that statement to him. Thackray told witness that he was either

pulling, or had just pulled the lever when the accident happened. In

answer to Capt. Thompson witness said that Thackray had no business to

meddle with the lever; in fact, he had strict orders not to do so. If witness

had seen him so doing he would have severely reprimanded him. Mr.

Morris elicited the information that the machine must have been running

empty that morning, as the usual oiling operation was going on. If any

cartridges were made it would be just to try the machine. Wraith said the

building contained 150 lbs of powder; it is licensed for 300 lbs. Replying to

a question put by the foreman (Mr. D. Bridge), witness said it was quite

possible that an accident might occur through friction, even though the

machine was properly and frequently lubricated. Witness said he wished it

to be understood that both Wraith and Thackray were competent

workmen, and that the building had been thoroughly cleaned the previous

evening, so that there could be no loose powder about.

Captain Thompson spoke of visiting the works on the 28th ult, and said

that from his examination he was satisfied that the explosion was a very

slight one, in fact some men on the works did not hear it, whilst very little

damage to property had been done. He should describe it as a rapid

burning of gunpowder rather than an explosion. The statements of the two

men given in evidence practically agreed. It was clear no cartridges had

been made that morning, but the machine had been running for oiling.

The statement of Wraith that he was stopping the feed was substantiated

28


by the remains of a prop, which had been fixed to support a weight. He

believed that Thackray was pulling the clutch of the machine at the

moment of the explosion, and there was no doubt that the clutch caused

the explosion. The clutch, in his opinion, was an exceedingly dangerous

arrangement, and he did not think any good machine could be of such a

design. He admitted that the same kind of machine was being used in the

Government factories, and this particular machine had been working there

since 1880. They had not been entirely free from suspicion; in fact, a

serious accident occurred in 1893, but it was not clearly traced to the

machine. On March 12th last witness visited the Worsborough factory,

when he discussed the machine with the manager, and he made a note in

his logbook that he considered the clutch to be of violent action. It did not

work at all nicely, and he ordered the clutch to be used as little as

possible. This pattern of machine gave an immense amount of trouble,

and he considered it a dangerous one. The operation was sudden, and in

this case the clutch was being withdrawn, and he believed the friction

caused a spark, which led to the explosion. Messrs. Kynoch were quite

justified in using the same machine as was used in the Government

factories, but he was pleased to hear that the machine would be removed

and another of a different pattern, obtained in its place. As to the question

of blame Wraith disobeyed his orders in asking Thackray to touch the

clutch.

The coroner briefly summed up, and after a short consultation the jury

returned a verdict of “Accidentally killed whilst following their employment,

by an explosion, without any blame attached to anybody; but as to the

exact cause of the explosion there is not sufficient evidence to show.” The

jury also suggested that the owners should provide an ambulance, and Mr.

Morris said this should be done.

Editor

THE WANDERING WHITESMITH

A BARNSLEY BOY BOUND FOR BLACKPOOL

I will never know why, but sometime after 1871 my great grandfather

Tom Harold GOMERSALL (1853-1900) of 5, Pitt Street Barnsley left his

home and went to Blackpool, never to return. He was, like his younger

brother Malcolm William (1855-1884) a whitesmith. This trade no longer

exists, but at the time whitesmiths worked in cold non-ferrous metals such

as tin, copper, brass and zinc etc., whereas blacksmiths worked in hot

ferrous metals such as iron and steel. Tom Harold made all his own tools

and cabinets which my father used for many years as he too was adept at

making things.

29


Grandfather William’s embroidery card from the trenches

Harold's father Edwin (1824-1890) was a tailor born in Barnsley who

married Elizabeth BARBER (1822-1889) from Monk Bretton at Sandal

Magna in 1849 the family changed address’ in Barnsley several times.

Edwin's father William (1791-1858) was also born in Barnsley. On 11th

October 1811 he married Mary GREAVES (c. 1787-?) at Silkstone

Church. In 1829 William was publican at ‘The Temple of the Muses’ in

Greaves' Yard (Grahams Orchard) Barnsley, the building still stands

today now known as, Browne’s Bar.1

Tom (L), Malcolm (R) Tom Harold (1895)

30


The Temple of the Muses now Browne’s Bar

William's father John GOMERSALL (c. 1760-1820) married Hannah

TRUEMAN (1771-1852) in Darfield on 24th of November 1790.

Hannah was christened at Sheffield Cathedral.

My great grandfather Tom Harold was lodging at an address in Blackpool

town centre. He had married Esther THRELFALL (1862-1918) on 4th

January 1882 at St. Johns Church, Blackpool. They raised three

daughters Charlotte (1882-c. 1965), Bertha (1884-1945), Maggie (1897-

c. 1985), and two sons, Harold (1889-1891) and my grandfather William

(1886-1955.) Tom Harold carried on his trade of whitesmith until his

untimely death in 1900.

On the 4th July 1900, Tom was fixing, with another man, Charles

BUTTERWORTH, copper piping at the Blackpool Winter Gardens, when

scaffolding that was supporting them collapsed and they fell sixteen

feet to the ground. After being in a coma for four days Tom died 7th July

1900 (aged 46) without regaining consciousness. The Coroner’s jury

found ’that the deceased came by his death accidentally, and the jury

were of the opinion that the scaffolding was insecure’. 2

31


Tom (standing) Esther (on right)

32


In Loving Memory of

Malcolm William,

son of Edwin and Elizabeth

Gomersall,

of Barnsley

Born 17th November 1855.

Died 5th February 1884.

Also the above Elizabeth Gomersall

Who died Novr 26th 1889.

Aged 67 Years Barnsley Cemetery,

Section. R, Grave No. 609

Malcolm, who never married, was employed as a colliery clerk when he

died of consumption 5th February 1884 at Barnsley, six years prior to Tom.

I would like to hear from any relatives of the GOMERSALL family from

anywhere, including anyone who married into the GOMERSALL family. I

should really like to pass on the information I possess of my family, to any

relations. I find it quite ironic that I have so much material relating to my

family without any living relatives to share it with.

Citations 1 Pigot & Co.’s National Commercial Directory for 1828-29,

J Pigot & Co, London (1829)

2 Blackpool Herald, page 8, 6th July 1900, and page 5, 17th July 1900

issues.

Research courtesy of Debbie GOMERSALL - who married into the

GOMERSALL family, and is researching the GOMERSALL family lineage.

Steve Gomersall

33


BILL DANFORTH - How I wish I had listened to my Dad

William (Bill) Danforth was, for many years, a

familiar sight to miners and local residents

visiting the Ambulance Room at Woolley

Colliery Pit and through his work with the

scouts at Darton, he was well known to many

people. However, to my shame, I never really

had a good in-depth conversation about his

life. I remember some snippets and I have

discovered some facts since his death but he

was a private person and did not want to ‘bore’

people with his stories.

William was born in Wombwell, near Barnsley,

in March 1919. He was the youngest son of

Charles Danforth and his second wife Harriet

(née Hill). He had a number of siblings from

his father’s first marriage to Ruth Martin who

had died in 1913. John Thomas (1901) was the

eldest then Joseph Daniel (1904), next was Charles, born 1909 and finally

Edith, born 1912. So Bill was the youngest by 7 years and 18 years

younger than his eldest brother. His father sold insurance and when Bill

was about 7 or 8 they moved from Wombwell to Darton West.

When he left school he got a job at a poultry farm at Smithies, his job was

selling eggs, his transport was a three wheeled box type bike. However,

he eventually went to work in the Lamp Room at Woolley Colliery. He had

developed an interest in first aid as a boy when he would act as a patient

for a local colliery team where his father was the instructor. So when the

chance came he started attending classes in First Aid. Little did he realise

that this was to shape his working career and the rest of his life.

His classes in first aid were on Sunday mornings at the colliery and after

much studying he achieved his certificate, voucher and medallion.

He was a keen cyclist and a keen photographer. He was also a member of

the Scout movement. In 1939 at the age of 20, as war approached, he

joined the army. He didn’t wait to be called up; he joined the Royal Army

Medical Corps and served in it throughout the war. Part of his time was

spent in Egypt, at the Cairo General Hospital and at Helmieh Garrison. For

about two years whilst he was in Egypt he led a Cub pack of British

children of serving soldiers. He enjoyed this as he had been a keen

member of the Scout movement for many years.

34


Bill served with field ambulances serving with the 7th Armoured Division,

the Desert Rats and also with the 4th Royal Horse Artillery at the Battle of

Alamein. He was part of the campaign to drive the Africa Corps out of

Tunisia. He then landed at Salerno and was part of the campaign to

liberate Italy serving at Montecasino and then on to Rome.

He was drafted to Ranmoor Hall, Sheffield and the Dukeries serving in

various military hospitals. He was then sent to Germany and afterwards to

the South of France working on a trans-continental troop train, which

travelled, from Dieppe to Toulon as a medical orderly.

He did occasionally talk about his experiences in the war, but when I was

young they didn’t mean much to me, how I wish I could have those times

again. He did write down some of his experiences which I found after his

death and he took many photographs.

Field Ambulance in the Desert 1942

Cub Pack at Helmieh Garrison, Cairo 1941 - Bill is on the far left

Bryan Danforth

35


NEW MEMBERS AND THEIR INTERESTS

1812 Mrs Margaret WILLIAMS 5 Summer Road, Royston, Barnsley, South Yorks S71 4HY [email protected] GUNNS Winbotsham NFK ENG 1750-1850

FERRY Marseille FRA 1700-1900

MARSH Halifax YKS ENG 1700-1850

FERRY Halifax YKS ENG 1700-1850

WILLIAMS East Dene GLS ENG 1850-1900

FERRY London LND ENG 1800-1900

WILLIAMS Barnsley YKS ENG Pre 1800

BAMFORTH Barnsley YKS ENG 18c

1814 Ms Sheila JUBB Box 163, North West River, Labrador, NF, CANADA A0P 1MO [email protected] JUBB Ardsley, Darfield, Worsborough WRY 1750 -

ORANGE Wombwell, Darfield, Leeds WRY 1750 -

BEARSHALL Darfield, Worsborough YKS 1750 -

ALLOTT Worsborough WRY 1850 -

RUSSELL Leeds WRY 1700 -

RIMINGTON Gargrave WRY 1550 -

WADDILOVE Gargrave WRY 1600 -

DARWENT Gargrave WRY 1550 -

SMITH Burton WRY

1818 Mr Edward R. HAWKSWORTH 1819 Miss Louise SCOTT 1820 Mr Stephen JOHNSON 1821 Mr Graham FARMER

Elaine Jackson

36


SEARCH SERVICES

The Society is offering all its members six free searches during the year. You don‘t

have to use them all at once, they can be spread out over the year. Arrangements

for non-members are unchanged. Phil Edwards

Baptisms

Barnsley Ebenezer

Methodist New Connexion 1862-1973

Barnsley St. George 1832-1844

Barnsley St. Mary 1813-1837

Barnsley Wesleyan 1839-1910

Darton All Saints 1813-1822

Cawthorne All Saints 1800-1844

Royston St. John 1813-1831

Silkstone All Saints and

Bretton Chapelry 1813-1840

Wentworth Wesleyan 1849-1980

Wortley St. Leonard 1813-1856

Marriages





Penistone St. John 1800-1837


Silkstone All Saints 1800-1837

Burials





Dodworth St. John 1848-1934

Hoyland Nether St. Peter 1813-1861

Penistone St. John and

Denby Chapelry 1800-1856


Silkstone All Saints and

Bretton Chapelry 1800-1840

Tankersley St. Peter 1813-1858

Worsbrough St. Thomas 1859-1903

Wortley St. Leonard 1800-1854

National Probate Calendars /

Wills Index 1858 to 1943

Please give full name and year of

death. Because wills were not always

proved immediately we will search up

to three years after the death.

National Burial Index; Third Edition

England & Wales. Please give full name,

year -range and county if known.

Soldiers who died in the Great War

Please give full name and age if known.

1851 Census, Barnsley Area

Please give surname and forename(s) if

known and age. Or request all occurrences of a given surname.

1891 Census, Barnsley

Please give surname and approximate

age. 1891 Search results supplied as

copy of enumeration page.

For searches or enquiries please

contact:

Phil Edwards, 8 Western Street,

Barnsley, S70 2BP

or [email protected]

Please quote your membership number.

If applying by post please enclose a

large SAE (or IRCs.)

DIARY DATES

BARNSLEY F.H.S. PROGRAMME 2016

January 19th GUEST SPEAKER -Tony Dodsworth

Medieval Church Monuments in South Yorkshire

February 17th A.G.M. Followed by a Presentation TBC

March 16th GUEST SPEAKER - David Templeman

Sheffield in Tudor & Stuart times

April 19th GUEST SPEAKER - Ian Morgan

The 'Pleasure Palace'

May 17th GUEST SPEAKER - Jackie Dapelle

Family History - Sources before 1837

May 21st SHEFFIELD & DISTRICT F.H.S FAIR

Sheffield Wednesday Football Ground

Penistone Rd, Hillsborough S6 1SW

June 21st GUEST SPEAKER - John Tiitterton

Making the most of a Will.

BARNSLEY FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY

This is the official journal of the Barnsley Family History Society,

published in January, April, July and October of each year. Please send material for the April 2016 edition to the Editor, Maggie Bennett, 18 Porthleven Cresc., Astley, Tyldesley, Lancashire M29 7FZ or email

[email protected], by 28th February 2016. The Society accepts no responsibility for the views expressed in the articles published. The right to final editing lies with the Journal Editor.

Meetings of the Society are held at Buckley Street Methodist Church Hall, Union Court, Barnsley, on the 3rd Tuesday of each month from 7.30 - 9.30 pm. There is no meeting in December. Free parking is available and there is full wheelchair access. The venue is within easy

reach of Barnsley town centre. For more information visit the website at www.barnsleyfhs.co.uk

Copyright ©2016 Barnsley Family History Society. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of

any part of this publication is not permitted without the written permission of the editor.

Thomas Masters 1870- 1959

Sacked because he refused to work Sundays

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