The Treadmills of Northallerton

The new "retail and leisure destination" to be built on the site of the former prison in Northallerton is to be called "the Treadmills"

Along with many others, I have always thought this name showed distinctly poor taste and by chance I've just come across this, from R P Hastings' Chartism in the North Riding of Yorkshire and South Durham, 1838-1848, (Borthwick Publications, 2004)

Chartism was a nation-wide, radical, grass-roots, movement of the working classes calling for reform and, above all, for the vote.

Noting the local Chartists' tendency to exploit "every propaganda opportunity", Dr Hastings writes:

Northallerton House of Correction had an unenviable reputation.  Samuel Holberry, the young Sheffield Chartist leader, had become a martyr overnight when he died in 1842 at York Castle after imprisonment in Northallerton.  His associate, John Clayton, had died in Northallerton.  North Riding Chartists then took up the case of William Brook, a Bradford Chartist who had been 'reduced from a stout athletic man to a mere skeleton' in the 'Northallerton Hell'.  

Clayton, Brook and others, the Chartists claimed, had been subjected illegally to work on the treadmill.  Northallerton and Brompton Chartists raised a fund to enable Brook to buy his own provisions and petitioned the Home Secretary for his release.  Isaac Wilson, a Brompton weaver and Chartist leader, became treasurer and made weekly prison visits.  Donations came from as far afield as Dundee, Trowbridge, Spitalfields, Brighton and Abergavenny as well as Darlington.  

This is an excerpt from the "Proposed National Petition, to be signed throughout the country, and entrusted to the care of the "Political Prisoners' Release and Charter Petition Convention" from the Chartists' newspaper The Northern Star of 20 March 1841.  This section deals with the "Northallerton Hell" and the treadmill.  (The "silent system" had been introduced to Europe from the USA; under it, strict silence was enforced at all times.)

That in the Gaol of Northallerton, six Chartist prisoners, whose sentence was merely imprisonment, were put to hard labour, on the treadmill, contrary to law. 

That William Brook, one of the said prisoners, who had been convicted of sedition and conspiracy, at the same time as Peddie [convicted in 1840 at York], and whose sentence was three years, fell off the mill; and, though he informed the Visiting Surgeon, that he was frequently troubled with a cramp, yet he was forced, contrary to his sentence, to work upon the wheel, for nearly one calendar month, until removed by an order from the Most Honourable the Secretary of State for the Home Department. 

That your petitioners have been informed that John Clayton, a Chartist, who lately died in Northallerton House of Correction, had been sentenced to solitary confinement, upon a charge of violating the silent system. 

That your petitioners have every reason to believe, from what they have heard of the conduct of the authorities of the prison, that he came to his death in consequence of the cruel manner in which he was treated. 

That Wm Martin, who had been confined in the said House of Correction, Northallerton, was removed to Lancaster Castle, in consequence of the severity of the silent system, and of the tyranny of Wm Shepherd, the superintendent. 

That your petitioners have likewise been informed that the physical condition of the prisoners in the House of Correction, Northallerton, is deteriorated not only by the hard labour of the mill and the horrid silent system, but by the filthy manner in which they are obliged to sleep; that they have been for a fortnight at a time without a clean shirt, and their beds infested with vermin; that the only place where they are permitted to wash, is at a stone trough in the yard, and the superintendent is in the habit of coming to the yard gate and shouting to the petty officers to report the men for being too long washing themselves; that some of the prisoners have been punished for using too much soap, which is a proof that the object of the Governor is to enrich himself instead of attending to the comforts of the unfortunate convicts.

An overview of the history of imprisonment and an illustration of prisoners working on the treadmill, from Henry Mayhew's The Criminal Prisons of London (1862) can be found here.

Canon Atkinson of Danby's articles for the Hutton Rudby Parish Magazine

In July 2000, having discovered that the famous Canon Atkinson of Danby had written a series of articles in the years 1890 to 1893 for the Parish Magazine of All Saints' at Hutton Rudby, I scanned them to make a booklet.  

It has the lengthy (but fully explanatory) title of "Articles contributed to the Parish Magazine of All Saints' Church, Rudby-in-Cleveland by Canon J.C. Atkinson of Danby 1890-1893"

He covers many topics – "Ancient Britons", geology, his excavation of the burial mound at Folly Hill in the park at Skutterskelfe Hall – but perhaps is at his most engaging when he describes in great and loving detail birds, their nests and their eggs.

Malcolm McPhie has scanned the booklet and so anybody interested in these largely unknown articles by the famous Canon Atkinson can find them here on the Hutton Rudby and District Local History Society's Facebook page.

The prettiest warehouse in England – in Hutton Rudby

Who knew that Hutton Rudby boasted the prettiest warehouse in England?  What a claim to fame.

Daily Gazette for Middlesbrough, 10 July 1895

Mr Henry Fell Pease, Mrs Pease, and other members of the family visited many of the villages nestling at the foot of the Carlton Hills yesterday, and at all places met with a hearty reception.  At Hutton Rudby there was a well-attended meeting, many of those present being sailcloth makers from the Cleveland sailcloth works, which with its ivy-clad walls can boast of the prettiest warehouse in England.  Mr Pease spoke well both at Swainby and at Hutton Rudby.  Mr Pease stayed at Hutton Rudby, and to-day he moves on to Carlton and Stokesley.  Whilst engaged in the western Mr Henry Fell Pease's supporters were active in the eastern extremity of the division.  Both at Coatham, New Marske, and Eston meetings were held approving of his candidature, strong committees being formed at each place.

Henry Fell Pease, a member of the prominent Darlington Quaker family, was Liberal MP for Cleveland from 1885 until his death in 1896 at the age of 58.  

Here he is canvassing for the 1895 general election, the voting for which was held between 13 July and 7 August 1895.  Pease was successful but his party was not.  The election was won by Lord Salisbury's Conservatives in alliance with the Liberal Unionists, who had broken from the Liberal Party over the issue of Irish Home Rule.

It's possible that the ivy-clad warehouse was the long building which the Tithe Map shows behind the houses of Barkers Row, standing parallel to them.  Unless anybody else has a better idea?

Hutton Rudby Mechanics' Institute, founded 6 November 1850

So little is known of the Hutton Rudby Mechanics' Institute, that I quote this piece in full.  It gives such a flavour of the event and the times and the hunger for learning and self-improvement among working men.  An impressive 400 people packed the large room of the Flax Spinning Mill by the River Leven to celebrate the Institute's first anniversary:-

York Herald, 15 November 1851

SOIREE OF THE HUTTON RUDBY MECHANICS INSTITUTE 

On Thursday, November 6th, the first anniversary of the Hutton Rudby Institute was celebrated in the large room of the Spinning Mill, the use of which was kindly allowed for the occasion.  The room was tastefully decorated with evergreens, and though the day was very unfavourable nearly 400 persons sat down to tea, which was provided gratuitously by the ladies of the village, who presided at the tables.  Mrs Burnett, the well-known vocalist, assisted by Mr S J Taylor, who presided at the pianoforte, sung several popular songs, during the evening, and added greatly to the enjoyment of the assembly.  As soon as tea was over, and the room had been cleared of tables, &c., the Rev J S Barlow [actually the Rev R J Barlow] was called to the chair. 

The CHAIRMAN opened the proceedings by assuring the meeting that he felt duly sensible of the honour they had conferred upon him.  As he had not been accustomed to take part in public meetings, he consented to take the chair very reluctantly, fearing he should damage the cause they were met to advocate.  He said few things could be more cheering to a person in his position, than to see efforts made to elevate the tastes and habits of his parishioners, especially the tastes and habits of the labouring classes, and he sincerely trusted they would avail themselves of every means of improvement which was offered by the Institute. 

The SECRETARY read the report, from which it appeared the Institute had been established one year; that it numbers upwards of sixty members; that a reading-room well supplied with newspapers and periodicals; and a library well supplied with books had been opened; that the committee had expended about forty pounds during the year, and that they had a creditable balance in hand. 

Mr JOSEPH TAYLOR, of Middlesbro', addressed the meeting, at considerable length, on the advantages of mechanics' institutes.  He said the object of those institutions was to give young men facilities for mental culture, and to assist them to acquire such a knowledge of business as should enable them to compete with men who had been favoured with a superior education in their boyhood, or had enjoyed the advantages of living in larger towns.  He made a powerful appeal to the young men present, who had not joined the institute, to come forward and do so.  He said it was impossible to say to what a man would attain who resolutely "willed" to be "onward." 

HENRY PEASE, Esq., of Darlington, on presenting himself, was warmly applauded.  He said they were not to expect a great speech from him, he did not take himself the credit of being an eloquent speaker.  He had long been connected with mechanics' institutes; he had some knowledge of what they had done for the people, and if he could say anything that evening calculated to promote the interests of the Hutton Rudby institute, it would afford him much pleasure.  He said there was nothing Englishmen respected more than manliness of character; and to possess true manliness of character, a man must be educated; ignorance was slavery.  He would advise every young man to apply himself studiously to one branch of education until he had mastered it.  He would urge upon every young man the necessity of depending upon himself; to trust in no man, and in no body of men; to trust in nothing but his own efforts, and God's blessing upon those efforts.  Determine to do credit to yourselves, and credit to the institute of which you form a part.  He was very anxious they should attend well to the classes.  He would advise them to adopt a good system of reading.  It was astonishing how little some people appeared to know, though they read a great deal; they read without any system, and they could not command either true ideas, or proper expressions, when they wanted them.  He urged upon all the importance of doing their best to improve their position.  He said there were [illegible] encouraging examples of men who had attained the highest positions, with everything apparently unfavorable at their start.  He had seen much of Mechanics' Institutes, and he knew their tendency was for good; let those institutes be well conducted, and have the support of which they were worthy, and he was certain they would see, in every town, a different and a better state of things. 

Mr JOHN TAYLOR, made some useful remarks on the claims of Mechanics' Institutes.  He said he had several times visited Hutton Rudby to advocate Temperance, and it gave him much pleasure to be with them on that occasion.  He was certain the formation of the Mechanics' Institute would constitute an important era in the history of Hutton Rudby, and he trusted it would meet with that support, from the inhabitants generally, as should make it a real blessing to the village and neighbourhood. 

The meeting was also addressed by Mr John Jordison, of Middlesbro', G O Wray, Esq., R R Burgess, Esq., and Mr Joseph Hutton, of Stokesley. 

A vote of thanks was given to the chairman, and, about half-past ten o'clock, the largest and most enthusiastic meeting, ever held in Hutton Rudby, was brought to a close.

We know that by the end of the century the Institute was housed at the top of North End, and perhaps in 1851 it was already installed there.  The photograph below is thought to have been taken in the 1880s.

North End, Hutton Rudby

The building was later used as a Reading Room and Library, then a Snooker Hall, and in the 1960s it became a shop.  Originally it was a long, low building but it was altered in about 1900 when a mock-Tudor black-and-white frontage was added.

Postcard of North End, Hutton Rudby

This second photograph shows the new frontage.

For more on the vicar, Robert Barlow, see my book, Remarkable but still True, the story of the Revd R J Barlow and Hutton Rudby in the time of the cholera.  It's on this blog and Chapter 1 can be found here

Henry Pease (1807-81) was a member of the Darlington Quaker family.  He was a director of the Darlington & Stockton Railway, creator of the seaside resort of Saltburn, a peace activist who went to see the Tsar of Russia in an attempt to stop the Crimean War.  A short account of his life can be found here and there is more on his part in the opening of the railway line that ran across Stainmore here.  (I know I travelled on the line across to Penrith with my father, but was too young to have any memory of it now.  What a shame it's gone).

You will perhaps have noticed that though the village ladies supplied the refreshments, the young village women were not to have any share in the opportunities provided by the Institute ...


Thanks to Malcolm McPhie and the Facebook page of the Hutton Rudby and District Local History Society for the photos.  Many more photographs of North End can be found there.

The Rising of the North 1569

Exactly 450 years ago, the Rising of the North or Northern Rebellion of 1569 was reaching its crisis, as readers of Chris Lloyd's recent piece in the Northern Echo will know.  Don't miss it!  It tells the story of the siege of Barnard Castle and gives the numbers of County Durham men who were hanged after the Rising when Elizabeth I took her savage vengeance.

In Cleveland, Thomas Layton of Sexhow was a Queen's man and he played a part in the suppression of the Rising.  For the full story, check out my account of his cousin Thomas Milner of Skutterskelfe: the life & times of a Tudor gentleman. 

And when you travel along the road between Hutton Rudby and Stokesley, remember the man from the tiny hamlet of Braworth who was hanged there for his role in the Rebellion.

More on Joseph Honeyman (d 1848)

Dave Honneyman has just contacted me to say that the Joseph Honeyman of my last post (the seaman who died of cholera on board the brig Zephyr in the West Dock at Hartlepool at the end of October 1848) was, as I thought, the son of Thomas Honeyman and Ann Whorlton and it was Joseph who appeared in the Hutton Rudby census of 1841 as a cartwright's apprentice.

Dave tells me that Joseph's cousin Thomas joined the Navy in 1844 and he wonders if that was the reason that Joseph went to sea.

Thank you, Dave!  So nice to hear from you.  Anybody researching the Honeyman family should check out the information that Dave sent me in 2013, which can be found here:  Honeymans and Whorltons.

Joseph Honeyman of Hutton Rudby, dies of cholera in 1848

York Herald, 4 November 1848

CASE OF CHOLERA, AND CAUTION TO DRUNKARDS

On Tuesday last, an inquest was held before Mr John Settle, at the Angel Inn, in Stranton, on view of the body of Joseph Honeyman, a native of Hutton Rudby, in Yorkshire, and who was a seaman on board the brig Zephyr, then lying in the West Dock, at Hartlepool, on board of which the deceased was viewed by the jurors.  

From the evidence, it appeared that the deceased had been drinking for several days, in London, previous to the vessel leaving the Thames, and that he had got quit of about nine sovereigns in eight days, during which time he had been drunk every day.  

When off Flambro' Head on Saturday last, the deceased was suddenly attacked about five o'clock in the afternoon with illness.  He was sick and vomited very much, he was purged and subjected to cramps, and was also cold at the extremities.  He lingered about thirty hours from his first being seized, and died on board the Zephyr, at the harbour of the West Dock.  

Dr Green, of Hartlepool, attended the deceased on the arrival of the ship, and, at the inquest, he stated that deceased's was a case of malignant Asiatic cholera, the exciting cause being drink.  Deceased was 24 years of age.  Verdict, "Natural death, from Asiatic cholera."

On the Hartlepool History Then and Now website you can see a Public Notice dated 8 August 1848 warning the inhabitants of the cholera:

From information received almost daily in this country, from many parts of the Continent, it is manifest that, that dreadful scourge of human life, the CHOLERA, is spreading its devastating influence over many parts; and, from all accounts, the inhabitants of this country have the strongest reasons for dreading its quick approach to these Isles; and of all the towns in the kingdom, none can have greater cause of fear than Hartlepool ...

The same website has a picture of the West Harbour and Dock dated 1848.

A few weeks before the death of Joseph Honeyman, the Darlington and Stockton Times of 14 October 1848 had carried the report that "considerable apprehension and alarm" had been excited in Hartlepool the previous Saturday when a rumour spread that a young passenger on the Highland Chief out of South Shields had died of the cholera.  

It was Dr Green, with a police officer, who went aboard to establish the facts, and he decided  that it had not been a cholera case.  The belongings of the poor young man, Isaac Forsyth Arthur, were removed ("his trunk, portmanteau, &c") and the Highland Chief continued on her voyage to Naples.  The jury decided that he had died from exhaustion, caused by sea-sickness.  He was about 20 years old, and had been a student in the Free College at Edinburgh.

This was the second visitation of the Asiatic cholera to the United Kingdom.  Hutton Rudby itself had suffered in the first terrible epidemic in 1832.  For a full account see 'The Year of the cholera', chapter 11 of Remarkable, but still True, my book about the Rev R J Barlow of Hutton Rudby.

Already in 1832, a link had been made between alcohol and the disease.  To quote from that chapter:

The abuse of alcohol was frequently linked with vulnerability to cholera, by the newspapers and the doctors.  It struck a chord with the public, as this was the dawn of the temperance movement, and alcohol now carried increasing associations of poverty and lack of self-control.  Moreover, the usual medical advice was to abstain from strong liquor during the epidemic and take wine in moderation.  In fact the gastritis and malnutrition caused by excessive use of alcohol did favour the disease.

And the unfortunate young man at the heart of this story –

There is one Joseph Honeyman in Hutton Rudby in the 1841 Census who was of the right age.  Joseph, aged 17 or 15 (it is hard to tell whether 7 or 5 was the correction) was the son of Thomas Honeyman, weaver, and his wife Ann, and he was in 1841 a cartwright's apprentice.  He must have left the village for a more exciting life ...