The Weekly Exchange: a Middlesbrough newspaper from 1877

I have found amongst my papers a couple of editions of The Weekly Exchange.  I'll post a selection from them over the next few weeks.  Some familiar names (Hintons) and some interesting stories ...

The Live Bait Squadron: 99 years ago

On this day in 1914, three British cruisers were sunk in the North Sea, torpedoed by a solitary German submarine.  The Hogue, Aboukir and Cressy were lost with the lives of 1,459 men and boys.

John Duncan Stubbs 1899-1914

Amongst them was John Duncan Stubbs, always known as Duncan.  He was born in Coatham, attended Coatham School, and lived in Nunthorpe. 

Men from Whitby were among the 837 lucky survivors.

If you are related to anybody from the cruisers, visit the Live Bait Squadron website and make contact with Henk van der Linden.

He is preparing for a centenary commemoration next year and wants to hear from you.

Hutton Rudby by Alfred M Aldersen

I haven't photographed this limited edition poster very well, but it's too pretty to leave out ...

News from Hutton Rudby: 1875 & 1876

York Herald
Thursday 21 October 1875

from an account of the Quarter Sessions at Northallerton

The Chairman, in his charge to the Grand Jury, said he was sorry he could not congratulate them upon any decrease in the extent of crime in the Riding, as there were no fewer than twenty-nine cases to be disposed of at these Sessions.  Although the number did not exceed the usual amount, yet the crimes charged against the prisoners were of a very grave character.  There were three cases of housebreaking, sixteen of stealing, two of unlawful wounding, three of uttering counterfeit coin, one of indecent assault, one of unlawful shooting, one of horse stealing, and two of obtaining goods under false pretences.  This was indeed a very serious list of offences.

And one of the offences was committed in Hutton Rudby.  Perhaps this was a prank that went wrong?  At any rate, the accused was acquitted. 

Robbery from the person at Hutton Rudby

James Honeyman (22), greengrocer, was indicted for stealing a purse containing £3 and several articles of wearing apparel from the person of Jonathan Fairburn, at Hutton Rudby, on the 4th inst.  Mr Darnbrough prosecuted, and Mr Thompson defended prisoner. 

Prosecutor is a labourer, and resides at Appleton Wiske, but on the day in question he was at Hutton Rudby, where he met the prisoner and two men named Passman and Barr.  Several public-houses were visited, and at length the prosecutor became intoxicated.  They each got a bottle of spirits and walked together along the high road towards Crathorne, after going some distance they sat down on the bank side and partook of the spirits. Prosecutor fell asleep, and on awaking found he had been robbed of his money and other property. 

Passman and Barr accompanied the prosecutor and the prisoner on the road, and saw the robbery committed whilst watching through an adjoining fence.  To them the prisoner offered half a sovereign to purchase their silence, but they declined, and gave information to the police. 

Evidence was called for the defence to show that Passman had seen the prisoner's father and said to him that he, Barr, and Honeyman were in trouble, and that they must go to the prosecutor and make it up.  Passman also told the prisoner's father that he did not see the robbery committed. 

The jury returned a verdict of not guilty.

The following report probably relates to the Mr Sherwood named in the Tree Planting map and notes.

Daily Gazette for Middlesbrough
Monday 24 July 1876

Hutton Rudby

MR WM JEFF is instructed to SELL BY AUCTION, on MONDAY, July 24th, 1876, at the house of Mr J R Sherwood, Butcher, &c, under power of a bill of sale, the whole of his HOUSEHOLD FURNITURE and effects; also, that well known GREY COB, 14 hands high; Spring Roller, Spring Cart, Harness, New Straw Cutter and other Implements, &c, &c.
Sale at Two p.m. prompt.

Grove House, Harrogate: 1912

Grove House, Harrogate 1912

Following my last blogpost, here is a second Yorkshire property from the Knight, Frank & Rutley brochure of 1912.

Grove House was the home of Samson Fox (1838-1903), engineer, industrialist and philanthropist. 

A remarkable man and a great benefactor of Harrogate, he was the ancestor of the celebrated Fox family acting dynasty – as you may know, if you saw the episode of Who Do You Think You Are? that featured Emilia Fox. 

There is a history of the house on wikipedia and jolly photos of Edward Fox unveiling a plaque at Grove House in May 2012 here.

YORKSHIRE

Ten minutes walk from Harrogate Station

A Valuable Residential Property
known as
GROVE HOUSE
Harrogate

Extending to 75 Acres

Or the House and nearly 15 Acres would be sold separately

The Handsome Stone-built Mansion stands 300 feet
above sea level, in well laid out Pleasure Grounds.  It
contains: –  Staircase Hall 33 ft. by 17 ft., Drawing
Room 30 ft. by 20 ft., Dining Room 26 ft. by 20 ft.,
Billiard Room 30 ft. by 20 ft., Library 26 ft. by 18 ft.,
Magnificent Ballroom or Picture Gallery 42 ft. by
30 ft., Study, Morning Room, Business Room, 26
Lofty Bed and Dressing Rooms (three of the Dressing
Rooms are fitted with Baths), Bathroom and the usual
Domestic Offices

Electric Light and Acetylene Gas installed
Modern Sanitation

Stabling for 17 Horses - Grooms’ Rooms
Motor-house with Pit, Two Cottages, Farmery

The Pleasure Grounds include Tennis and Croquet
Lawns, Flower Gardens, Small Lake, Museum and
Observatory with Telescope.

The 60 Acres of Meadowland
Which are ripe for development would not detract from
the privacy of the House and Grounds if built upon

Two Golf Links within two miles - Hunting with three Packs

Auctioneers & Land Agents Messrs. KNIGHT, FRANK & RUTLEY,
20, Hanover Square, London, W.

 

Grove House, Harrogate 1912

Probate of the Will of John Cole of Stokesley (c1812-1892)

John Cole of Stokesley made his Will on 19 December 1885. 

He left all his “household goods and Furniture plate linen Books Glass and China” to his two daughters Elizabeth Sarah and Jane.

His executors were William Robinson of Enterpen, Hutton Rudby, Yeoman, and George William Rickatson of Stokesley, Grocer.

The rest of his estate was divided equally between his daughters and his son William.

The Will was witnessed by C E Jameson, solicitor, Stokesley and J W Skeen, his clerk.

John Cole died on 2 February 1892, by which time William Robinson of Enterpen had died, so his Will was proved by George William Rickatson alone on 12 March 1892.  The gross value of his estate was £1,385. 10s. 0d.

John Cole was born in Gateshead and had lived in Stockton-on-Tees and Kirkby-in-Cleveland.  in his Will he is described as "gentleman", probably because he had been retired for some time.  In his working life, he had been an engine driver and a publican.  In 1861 he was running the Tilery Inn in Garbutt Street, Stockton-on-Tees.  By 1871 he had moved with his family to live near Stokesley and in 1881 he and his wife Elizabeth, then aged 69 and 55, were living at Cleveland Cottage in the parish of Kirkby-in-Cleveland near the Station Hotel, Stokesley. 

In 1891, John Cole was living in High Street, Stokesley.  He was a 70 year old widower, born in Gateshead, and in his household were his unmarried daughter Jane (30) and his married daughter Elizabeth S Passman (32).

Ten years earlier, he and his wife Elizabeth (55) had been living at Cleveland Cottage in the parish of Kirkby-in-Cleveland near the Station Hotel, Stokesley.  His wife was born in Hutton Rudby, and their unmarried daughters Jane and Elizabeth were with them.  They were then 24 and 25 years old, and had been born in Stockton. They had been living there for at least ten years

In 1861 John had been running the Tilery Inn in Garbutt Street, Stockton.  His son William was then an apprentice painter aged 19; there was a gap of 13 years between William and John's elder daughter Elizabeth.  The censuses show that William had been the middle son of three - there had also been an older boy, John, and a younger boy, James.

Thorpe Underwood Hall: 1912

I can date this Knight, Frank & Rutley brochure from the final pages, because they advertise  auction sales due to take place in May and June 1912.

Amongst the landed estates and large country houses featured is Thorpe Underwood Hall, Ouseburn.  This had been built only a few years earlier and was designed for Frederick William Slingsby by the York architect Walter Henry Brierley.

Between 1885 and 1926 he was responsible for over 300 buildings, including schools, churches, houses and civic buildings across the North, amongst them Northallerton County Hall – and, in 1923-4, the restoration of All Saints’, Hutton Rudby.  The extensive work on the church took eight months, and during that time the congregation was ferried out by bus to services held at Drumrauch Hall.

Thorpe Underwood Hall stands close to the site of the old Thorpe Green Hall, which had been destroyed by fire at the end of the 19th century, and which is remembered now for its connection to the Bronte family.

Thorpe Underwood Hall 1912

Anne Bronte lived at Thorpe Green as governess to the Robinson family.  She was joined by her brother Branwell, but his time there was to precipitate the crisis that led to his death.

The Monk's House mentioned in the Particulars (where it is claimed to be C16 – it is actually C17) was the home of Branwell while he was tutor to the Robinsons’ son.  His ink drawing of the back of the house is well-known, cf p282 of The Art of the Brontës by Christine Anne Alexander.

Thorpe Underwood Hall 1912

By direction of W SLINGSBY, Esq.

YORKSHIRE
Within 2 1/2 miles Cattal Station, 5 miles Alne, 12 miles York and 11 miles Harrogate

A Fine Modern Mansion of Elizabethan Design
known as
"Thorpe Underwood Hall"
Ouseburn

Between Harrogate and York
Extending to about 178 Acres

The Hall is most conveniently arranged on 2 Floors
Oak-panelled, and fitted throughout with every
Modern Convenience.  Electric Light Installed.  Accom-
modation: Large Oak-panelled Hall measuring
36ft. by 20ft., Billiard Room 27ft. by 20ft.,
Drawing Room 29ft. by 18ft., Dining Room
29ft. by 18ft., Morning Room, Boudoir, Business
Room, 20 Bed and Dressing Rooms, 2 Bathrooms
Park of nearly 100 Acres
Stabling for 8 horses

Cottages
Attractive Pleasure Grounds

The Historic 16th Century Monk's House
is included

The Property is situated in the Middle of the York and Ainsty
Hunt and within reach of the Bramham Moor and Bedale Hunts

Illustrated Particulars on Application
Auctioneers & Land Agents Messrs Knight, Frank & Rutley,
10, Hanover Square, London, W.C.

Thorpe Underwood Hall is now a school.