Hutton Rudby between the Wars: in newspaper cuttings

These notes were taken years ago, from a scrapbook that somebody lent me.  I think, as is often the way with newspaper clippings, they were mostly undated (I don’t like to think that I didn’t copy out the dates!) but I think they are interesting all the same …and I have been able to date most of them ...

The funeral took place at Hutton Rudby yesterday of Mr John Barnabas Smith, one of the best-known residents of the parish, and the proprietor of one of the oldest businesses on Teesside.  Mr Smith, who was 73 years of age, had all his life enjoyed excellent health, and as recently as Saturday he spent his leisure hours digging in his garden.  On Tuesday morning he got up at his accustomed time, and after breakfast set off, as was his wont, to walk to Potto Station.  So regular had he been in his habits that many residents of Hutton Rudby have set their clocks by him as he passed to the station in the morning when on his way to business.
Shortly after passing the Village Hall in course of erection in Lodge-lane [it was built in 1927], Mr Smith was seen to fall to the ground.  He was taken into Mr McKinney’s house, and Dr Proctor was called to him …

[Sister: Mrs Scaife.  Niece: Miss Finlayson.  J B Smith worked for Joshua Byers & Co, timber merchants of Stockton, which was taken over by Mr John Wilson Watson, and J B Smith finally became proprietor of the business.  He never married and in the 1911 Census was living at Jubilee Cottage on North Side, near to the (Wesleyan) Methodist Chapel]

Joseph Mellanby Mease

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January 1928
Mr Joseph Mellanby Mease, of Leven Valley House, the oldest inhabitant of Hutton Rudby and the oldest reader of the Northern Echo, has died at the age of 100 …

[He attributed his great age to an open-air life, plenty of sleep and always having been abstemious.  Never smoked until he was over 80, and after that had a cigarette after supper every night.  In early days was chief clerk at the chemical works in Jarrow owned by a member of the Mease family.  Came to Hutton Rudby in 1858 as manager of a corn mill, on the site of which the police constable’s house now stands.  Three years later he lost his arm when his sleeve was caught in the machinery.  When the Northern Echo had its jubilee in 1920 he was one of the 3 or 4 people who proved they had taken the paper from its first number, and he was presented with a silver teapot]

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Hutton Rudby Bridge
Reporting to the Highways Committee of the North Riding County Council with regard to the Hutton Rudby bridge, the County Surveyor states:-

The property on the south side of the river which obscures the view at the foot of Hutton Rudby bank is offered for sale at £1,750.  The property consists of a mill and 4 occupied cottages.  If the property were pulled down a good improvement would be effected.  The cost of clearing the site and making good would probably be covered by the value of the scrap material from the buildings.  The property adjoins the Bridge road which is maintained by the County Council.  The continuation of the Bridge road in either direction is a district road between Stokesley and East Rounton.
[The Mill and cottages were demolished in the 1930s to widen the road, which was dangerously narrow at that point]

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 Sir Bedford Dorman buys Newton Hall
Newton Hall, Newton-under-Roseberry, the home of the late Mr Arnold Stead, has been sold to Sir Bedford Dorman, of Enterpen, Hutton Rudby.  The figure is said to be about £5,000.

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Daddy Long Legs – Good Production by Hutton Rudby Women’s Institute
… Hutton Rudby’s W.I’s Dramatic Society presented Daddy Long Legs in the Village Hall – one of the finest and best equipped village halls in the whole country.
The production had been well-rehearsed and many of the artistes benefited from Miss Gwen Lally’s demonstrations at the Middlesbrough School of Drama earlier in the week.  The result was a very creditable performance.
Mr J Milburn ably sustained the role of the hero and Miss N Hodgson was no less happy as the heroine …

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The death has occurred of Mr J T Swales, of Toft Hill Farm, Hutton Rudby, an agriculturist widely known in Cleveland.  Mr Swales formerly farmed for some years at Broad Carr.  For nearly 25 years he was a valued member of Hutton Rudby Parish Council and was up to the time of his death a school manager.  Until a few years ago he represented Hutton Rudby on Stokesley Rural Council.  He was associated with the Wesleyan Church.
The chief mourners were the widow and the family of 3 sons and 3 daughters.
 

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Mrs Yda Emily Margaretha Richardson of the Manor House, Abbots Leigh, Somerset, widow of Joseph Richardson of Potto Hall, Northallerton and an adopted daughter of Lord Winterstoke … left £373,907, net £338,597.  Bequests to godchildren and charities.
[died 22 Sept 1936]

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Mr George Charles Walker M.D., D.P.H., of 1 Sexhow-Lane, Enterpen, Hutton Rudby, and formerly of Winchmore Hill, N., left estate of the gross value of £1,391, with net personalty £1,104.  Probate has been granted to his widow Mrs Daisy Bentley Walker, of 13 St Mary’s-road, Golders Green, N.W., sole executrix.
[died 29 Apr 1934]

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Mr Charles Edward Richardson of Kirklevington Hall, Yarm, who died last January in his 87th year, fourth son of Thomas Richardson M.P. , left estate value £90,664, net personalty £74,377

[died 1940.  Niece: Maria Dorothy Maclean.  Deceased sister: Eleanor Domville.  Late brothers: Henry and Sir Thomas.  For the stories and speculation about the secret rôle of Kirklevington Hall (now Judges’ Hotel) in WWII see here and here]

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Mrs Rachel Mary Punshon of Ingleby House, Northallerton, well-known breeder of Shetland ponies, widow of Mr N Punshon, left estate … gross value £128,851 … net value £65,985

Mrs Rachel Mary Punshon on Hutton Rudby Green

The photograph (from the History Society's collection) was sent by Mrs Punshon to a friend as a Christmas greeting card in 1913.  We see her, swathed in furs, driving the Shetland ponies for which she was well-known.

[Dagmar, widow of her brother Henry Cooper Abbs, inherited her cars during widowhood, remainder over to Rachel Cooper, testatrix’s niece.  Nieces: Grace Abbs, Kathleen Abbs.  Husband’s nephews: Hugh, Walter, William, Bertram and Arthur]
[Died 23 Jan 1933]

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The sales particulars for Crowbank and Number 21 North Side (Crowell Cottage), The Green, Hutton Rudby:-
Sales by Auction
on Friday, 11th October 1929
[includes]
Lot 3
All that desirable block of business premises, known as Crow Bank, situate in the middle of Hutton Rudby aforesaid, containing Two Front Rooms (used as Provision and Greengrocery Shops), Kitchen, Scullery, Bakehouse, Store, and Wash-house; Five Bedrooms, Attic, Store Room, and Out-conveniences, Two Garages, Three Pig Houses and Open Shed; together with the Grass Paddock behind the above, containing 2 Roods, 20 Perches or thereabouts, and now in the occupation of Mr H Reveley, at an Annual Rent of £52.
Lot 4
All those Two Shops, adjoining the above, together with the Garage, in the occupation of Messrs C & H Grierson at an Annual Rent of £20-16s.
Lot 5
All those Three Garages (Two Brick-built and One Wood-built) situate immediately behind the above, and now let to Mr L Reveley at a Yearly Rent of £13

Harold Grierson at No 21 North Side, Hutton Rudby in 1928

[This photograph from the Hutton Rudby History Society collection shows "Banty" Grierson and his van in 1928, the year he started up his own business as a butcher at No 21 North Side.  He bought the Ford van for £5 and delivered meat over a wide area, including to Lady Bell at Rounton Grange.  It was a reliable van - but he used to have to drive it in reverse gear to pass over Scarth Nick on his way to Osmotherley.  Mr Grierson was a very helpful source of information on the village in the early 20th century when I was writing A History Walk round Hutton Rudby.  No 21 North Side was rebuilt in the mid-1950s as a three-bedroomed house and given the name Crowell Cottage.]

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Mr John George Garbutt of Elwick House, Hutton Rudby, formerly carrying on business as a butcher in Middlesbrough Market, died on 19 November aged 79, leaving £13,092, with net personalty £8,050.

[Executors: his widow; Bewick Garbutt of Elwick terrace (son); and John Henry Goldsbrough of Ebenezer Place.  Children: Bewick, William Edwin and John George Garbutt, and Mrs Goldsbrough]

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Hutton Rudby Diamond Wedding
Mr and Mrs William Sidgwick of Green Bank, Hutton Rudby … Mr Sidgwick is 83 and his wife is 80 … For 50 years Mr Sidgwick was head gardener at Drumraugh [Drumrauch] Hall … Mrs Sidgwick … is fond of talking of their early days in Hutton Rudby when weaving was carried on in most of the cottage homes and when the villagers rounded off long hours of toil by cultivating their gardens and allotments.  Holidays were then unknown.

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Crathorne Farmer’s Child Drowned in Mill Dam
A verdict of “Death from Drowning” was returned at an inquest at Crathorne last night on Geoffrey Atkinson, the three-year-old son of Mr and Mrs H H Atkinson, of the Mill Farm, Crathorne.  While playing with his six year old brother the child fell into the mill dam near Crathorne Mill and was carried about ¾ mile down the mill race.
[1942]

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Rev Canon John Latimer Kyle of Potto Grange, vicar of Carlton, Faceby and Busby, owner of Fox & Hounds Inn, Carlton, well-known breeder of sheep left £27,572 (net £13,294) to his wife for life, remainder to daughters, one-third to Mrs Frances M L Steele of Bishop Auckland and two-thirds to Miss Kathleen F Latimer Kyle of Carlton
[Died 17 Nov 1943]