Otters on the frozen River Leven, February 1848

Reported in the Yorkshire Gazette 171 years ago today:-

This little piece of news was under the column heading SPORTING – I think we would today entitle it SPORTING?

Yorkshire Gazette, Saturday 5 February 1848

As a man of the name of Passman was last week proceeding to his work he had to pass a wood, near the river Leven, in the neighbourhood of Hutton Rudby, and to his astonishment observed five otters, in search of food, the river being frozen.  With the aid of a stick Passman captured two of the youngest.  The snow being on the ground enabled him to effect this, but the older animals escaped.  There are some otter hounds in Stockton, and the admirers of this old fashioned and manly sport did not thank this man for his pains, as they might hereafter have afforded gratification to the keen sportsman in pursuing them in their favourite element – water.

Hutton Rudby celebrates Queen Victoria's Jubilees, 1887 & 1897

In 1863, Hutton Rudby had celebrated the marriage of the Prince of Wales (the future Edward VII) in great style with flags, the brass band, tea and plum cake for 500 or 600 people, an immense bonfire and a firework display.  In 1887, the villagers prepared for another day of festival when Queen Victoria celebrated her Golden Jubilee.

Jubilee 1887 celebrations on Hutton Rudby Green

This remarkable photograph shows the crowds gathering around the maypole, newly erected for the purpose, on 21 June 1887.  The only account of the festivities that I can find in the newspapers is a few lines about the village's plans.  This appeared in the Whitby Gazette:-

Whitby Gazette, 21 May 1887

HUTTON RUDBY

QUEEN'S JUBILEE

The inhabitants of this village have decided to celebrate the approaching Jubilee by a dinner for the aged poor, tea and medals for the children, old English sports, including a dance round a May pole, and a display of fireworks.

However, a memento of the Jubilee does exist, which conveys the ambitious scale of the event, and was kindly lent by Bob Hutchinson to Malcolm McPhie for scanning.  You can see this booklet in full on the Hutton Rudby History Society facebook page.  Here is its attractive front cover:-

I have transcribed the booklet, and will set it out here, broken up into paragraphs for easier reading.  I've left the punctuation as it was, but have corrected the spelling of Dr Snowdon and of Osmotherley, so that they may be found in an onlline search.  

You may notice that the date of the celebration was 21 June 1887, but the date is frequently given elsewhere as 20 June.  The Royal Family's website explains that the Jubilee was celebrated on both 20 and 21 June.

As to whether it was genuinely a letter found in Doctors Lane, I leave it to the reader to judge.  It begins with a foreword by Allan Bowes Wilson and Alfred Wilkinson Kindler:-

A Memento of the Celebration of Queen Victoria's Jubilee Year

Hutton Rudby, June 21st 1887

The following letter was found a few weeks ago in the Doctors lane and though evidently not intended for publication it gives so good a description of our rejoicings on the jubilee day that a copy will it is thought form a very agreeable memento of the day

We apologize to the writer and the person written to for the advantage taken of the discovery

Wishing you a very happy new year
We are
Yours faithfully
[signed]Allan Bowes Wilson
              A W Kindler

Hutton Rudby
Decr. 1887 

Hutton Rudby

June 23rd 1887

Dear Kitty

You remember what a jolly time we had when we were staying here with Auntie 3 years ago how we enjoyed ourselves and how we both joined in saying we never had so festive a time and never met a jollier lot of people than we met at Hutton then  Well you know I was delighted when I was invited to spend the jubilee week by Auntie though I was sorry that you could not come too as dear Harry was coming over to stay with you but I dare say you enjoyed yourself and you and Harry managed to get lost or lose yourselves 

The chairman of the committee who had charge of the arrangements was Mr A B Wilson you know what a good sort he is and the programme for the day of which I have got a copy for you was printed in Old English on rough paper and a time was arranged for everything and it was signed by a formidable list of secretaries some of whom you will remember. Here they are the schoolmaster Mr S Eyre, Mr T B Wilson, Mr Wm Chapman and Mr A W Kindler 

The morning was a lovely one and when we turned out on the green it was as pretty a sight as ever I saw  There was a triumphal arch at the brow of the hill and flags on each side of the road down to the wynd  The boys were already playing a cricket match and when the bandsmen with the children had assembled at the bottom of the village to receive the pretty gold stars the gift of the chairman which were hung round the girls necks with ribbons and pinned to the breast of the boys by an ornamental pin everyone had turned out.  Visitors came in from all round the district even from Stockton and Middlesbrough  

Then there was a service at the church which is a fine dear old building standing as it does in the Leven valley close by the river and surrounded by woods on the north and east  

Afterwards more medals were given to the children and everybody joined in a procession which reached from the school half way up the Doctors lane and marched round the village singing  

Then all the people formed a large ring round the maypole which had been given by Mr Pyman of Linden Grove  The maypole dance which I had never seen before is so pretty  The boys and girls about 20 of them who had been trained by the schoolmaster each held a colored ribbon which was fastened to the pole about half way up and then when the band played they moved round in and out singing as they went until the ribbons were plaited round the pole  

After this we had a presentation to that merry old gentleman Mr Mease who teased you so much when you were here of a timepiece and supports  During this time photographs had been taken by McLeish of Darlington of the scene  

Until tea time we had all sorts of sports skipping and racing  At tea time there was such a crowd everybody who came had a free tea and all of us had to work hard  At the school we had about 6 sittings down and Kitty Garbutt who had charge of the children at the Wesleyan School had as many

After tea and until dark we had more sports about half of which I can't tell you  There was the old game of Clout the bellman a lot of blindfolded men blindfolded with ugly masks carrying bag of flour running after a man who was not blinded who carried a bell  They kept hitting each other until they were all over flour  There was sack racing and old men racing racing over obstacles through barrels and all sorts of funny things I forgot to tell you about the donkey racing which was very amusing especially with the committee and later in the evening by others of which I will tell you some other time 

After the sports were over there was dancing on the green and an immense bonfire  Some were playing Kiss in the ring and other games and some were dipping for coins in an electric bath provided by Dr Snowdon  After the fireworks everybody went up to the bonfire and there was a lot of speechmaking and cheering  Mr Wilson Mr Pyman Mr Jas Kindler Dr Snowdon and Mr Thompson from Osmotherley all made speeches  After that we went in but the men kept it up until about 2 o'clock in the morning I heard cousin Bob say he had an awful spree  I do wish you could have been here it was one of the best days I ever had 

Of course [blank] was with me the whole day and took care of me  If all Jubilees were kept as they keep them in Hutton I wish they would happen every month

With love to all
I am
Yours affectionately

An appendix is added, listing the prize winners at the sports

So we can see from the Memento that the photograph at the top of this post was taken by Mr McLeish of Darlington, and the maypole was provided by Mr Pyman of Linden Grove.

Notes on people mentioned

Allan Bowes Wilson (c1839-1932) and his brother Thomas Bowes Wilson (1845-1929) ran the Sailcloth Mill and were considerable figures in the village

Samuel Eyre was the village schoolmaster.  He died aged 60 on 18 November 1914.

William Chapman farmed at Old Hall, Sexhow.  He was for many years a churchwarden and Superintendent of the Sunday School.  He was in his sixties when he died in 1916.  The font cover was donated to All Saints' church by his siblings in his memory.

Alfred  Wilkinson Kindler was a Stockton solicitor.  The family lived for a time at Eden Cottage on Belbrough Lane.

Mr Thomas English Pyman of Linden Grove (and for more on the house, see here) was a member of the Cleveland shipowning family.  After living in Hutton Rudby for many years, he and his family moved on to West Hartlepool.  Sadly he died there at the age of 49 – his death is noted with much regret in the Parish Magazine in 1892.

Mr Mease.  This must be Joseph Mellanby Mease (1827-1928). 

[29 February 2020: For more on the Mease family, see the articles that begin here]

Percy A F Blair.  Percy Alexander Field Sadler (1866-1906) took his wife's surname Blair after the death of her brother.  For the Blairs of Drumrauch Hall see here

Alexander Park was a gentleman farmer who retired to live at Leven House (across the river from the church) with his elderly spinster sisters in the late 19th century.  Mr Park was for years the honorary secretary of the Hurworth Hunt, and was said not to have made a single enemy during all his time in office.  On his last day out with the hounds he and his old black horse had a combined age of ninety-nine.  He and his sisters were very generous and active in village and church life: the choir stalls and altar rails were given to the church by the family.  He died on 8 May 1914.

Henry Chapman (born 1859) the son of Henry Chapman (1800-78), farmers of Enterpen.  Henry built Highfield on Enterpen when he retired from farming.

Bartholomew Goldsbrough, butcher.  For more on Bartholomew Goldsborough (both spellings seem to occur) see The planting of the trees on Hutton Rudby green

George Smith.  George Henry Smith farmed at White House [Bulmer's Directory 1890]

John Goldsbrough.  Mr John Goldsborough is listed in Bulmer's Directory 1890 at the Gospel Temperance Hall.

Dr Anthony Snowdon lived at Ravensthorpe on Doctors Lane.  For more on Dr Snowdon, his car and the story of the pet raven, see A History Walk round Hutton Rudby.  He died aged 66 in 1920

Hutton Rudby Invitation Ball 1887

This programme for an Invitation Ball to be held that same year also survives, and Malcolm McPhie suggests that it probably relates to the Jubilee as well, but was evidently not held on the same day.  Thirty-six dances, in two parts, with supper in the middle at midnight, and festivities to end a 6 o'clock in the morning!

We don't know where this Ball was held, but I think it was probably in the Schoolroom.

Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee, 1897

The success of the celebrations of 1863 and 1887 set a pattern for the future, and when the old Queen's Diamond Jubilee came around, there were grand plans made.  Luckily a programme survives in Miss Winifred Blair's scrapbook.  I made notes from it in the days before scanning documents and photographs was easily done - I do hope Malcolm is able to go through the Blair albums!

As in 1887, the 1897 programme was written in Olde Englishe:-

Ye Ceremonyes and Games at ye Rejoycyngs on Ye Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria, at ye town of Hutton Rudby, June 22nd , 1897…Chairman:  Myster Allan Bowes Wilson … Commyttee:  Mysters P A F Blair, William Chapman, Alexander Park, Henry Chapman, Barthw. Goldsbrough, George Smith, John Goldsbrough and Dr Snowdon

The day started at 8:30 am with boys and girls at school being given 1/- (one shilling) each by Allan Bowes Wilson – then there was cricket – thanksgiving service – parade – Maypole – children’s tea – aged people given half-crowns – games and sports – great "fyre" at 10 o’clock

Again in 1911 and in 1937, the village celebrated with fervour.  The 1977 Silver Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II was celebrated in style, and can be glimpsed on this video, while these videos on youtube show the Village Event in the 1990s.

Photographs courtesy of the Hutton Rudby & District Local History Society.  

Visit their Facebook page for many more!

The Hutton Rudby Sawmill, the Richardson family and Seaham Villas

Darlington & Stockton Times, Ripon & Richmond Chronicle, 9 October 1880

SEAHAM VILLAS, HUTTON RUDBY

TO BE LET, to enter immediately.  TWO good FAMILY RESIDENCES, each containing Six Rooms, with Kitchen and Outoffice; large Garden. For particulars apply to JAS. RICHARDSON, Hutton Rudby, Yarm.

I thought originally that this little item from the local paper in 1880 might be of use to those trying to disentangle the Richardsons of Hutton Rudby, but on looking into it further, I found that it opened up various lines of interest:  the Richardsons, the Sawmill and Seaham Villas themselves.

The Richardson family

This coincidence of names – Seaham (of Seaham Villas) and the surname Richardson – suggests to me a link between James Richardson of Hutton Rudby and John Richardson of Hutton Rudby (1821-92), proprietor of the Seaham Weekly News

In that earlier post on John Richardson, I suggested that John was probably the son of John Richardson & Elizabeth Richardson.  In the 1841 Census, John (a "general mechanic") and Elizabeth were living in Enterpen, Hutton Rudby, with their children John, Jane, James and Robert.

(This is the O.S. map 1888-1913, reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland from their magnificent Map Images Website,  Do visit the georeferenced maps on the website to use the slider which will enable you to superimpose the old map onto the map of today.)

I think it very likely that James Richardson was the younger brother of John Richardson, the proprietor of the Seaham Weekly News.  Corroboration of this idea can be found in the 1891 Census, in which a Matilda Richardson, who was the same age as James's daughter Matilda, was working as housekeeper to John Richardson's family in Seaham Harbour.  This Matilda is described as John's niece and was born in Hutton Rudby.  In addition, James had daughters called Hannah and Emma, and when John's widow died in 1905 she left £50 apiece to her nieces Hannah and Emma.  I wonder if John had invested in property to let in the village and that it was being managed for him by James ... 

John Richardson married Eleanor Wight on 20 June 1848 in the church of Dalton-le-Dale.  They settled in Seaham Harbour, where they ran a shop and started the Seaham Weekly News.

In July 1849 John's mother Elizabeth died.  The 1851 Census shows that her widower John was still living in Enterpen.  He was 56 years old and his occupation is given as Cabinet Maker.  With him were his apprentice Simeon Burdon, 18, and his nephew Stephen Richardson, 13, also described as Cabinet Maker.  I can't identify James Richardson in the 1851 Census.

However, by 1855, James Richardson was definitely in the village and was working as a joiner:-

York Herald, 13 October 1855

TO WHEELWRIGHTS

WANTED Immediately, a good WHEELWRIGHT and JOINER.  Constant Employment and good Wages offered.  Apply to Mr JAMES RICHARDSON, Joiner, Hutton Rudby, near Yarm

He was by then married to Hannah, whose surname I think was Charlton (a search on freebmd shows that only one James Richardson married a Hannah in the Stokesley registration district, and her surname was Charlton) and they had started a family.

By the time of the 1861 Census, James looks to be well established and with a growing family.  He had two joiners living in the household and the children (Sarah, Matilda, Lewis, Jane and Ellen) were aged between 1 month and 9 years.  His father John continued to live on Enterpen, on the same side as the National School; James & Hannah lived on the opposite side.  Both James and John are described as Joiner & Cabinet Maker, and John has married for a second time.  His second wife, like James's first wife, was called Hannah.

By 1869, James had branched out and gone into business as a Timber Merchant, as we can see from this advertisement, which indicates he has either set up a secondary business of corn-milling or is perhaps acting as an agent for the owners of the Hutton corn-mill (the mill in which Joseph Mellanby Mease had lost an arm in 1860) or the Rudby mill:-

York Herald, 18 December 1869

HUTTON RUDBY

TO BE LET, a STEAM FLOUR MILL, power found, containing Three pairs of Stones, two French and one Grey, with Flour Dresser and Screen, all complete, together with Dwelling-house and Stable, &c.

For particulars apply to JAMES RICHARDSON, Timber Merchant, Hutton Rudby, near Yarm

In the 1871 Census he describes himself as a Timber Merchant employing 6 men & 1 boy.  He & Hannah had three more children: Hannah, John James and Emma.  James's father John, now 76, still described himself as a Joiner.  

And by this time, James & Hannah had moved across to the other side of Enterpen.  According to the house order listed by the enumerator, they lived in the next house after Joseph Hunt the blacksmith.  (We know that the smithy stood beside the National School, on the site of the house called Pyah.)

Smithy on the Wynd, Hutton Rudby
(the School can be seen to the right)

Next door to James was John and his second wife, and listed after John came the occupants of the Brick Garth (Poplar Avenue).  This suggests that the Richardsons were living at the top of Sexhow Lane, close to the site of the Sawmill itself – but not in the house now called Sawmill House, as I will explain later.

In 1872 he had a slight brush with the magistrates:-

York Herald, 6 January 1872

STOKESLEY

PETTY SESSIONS

Before I. Wilson and J. Emerson, Esqs., James Richardson, Hutton Rudby, timber merchant, was charged by Robert Scrafton, excise officer, with having used a dog cart at Hutton Rudby on the 29th November last, and not having paid duty for the same.  The case, however, was dismissed.

And then in 1873, his business crashed:

Edinburgh Gazette. 8 April 1873

Bankruptcies Awarded
James Richardson, of Hutton Rudby, York, timber merchant

However, all was not lost, and he was soon back at work in the timber trade.  Within a matter of months James was the manager of the Sawmill in Hutton Rudby.  

In the 1881 Census, he was aged 52 and he and Hannah had with them their younger children, Ellen, Hannah, John and Emma.  Their eldest son, Lewis, is described as a visitor; he was a 25 year old timber merchant.  By then, James's father John had died.

In 1885, James was still a Timber Merchant in the village as we can see from this advertisement:-

Daily Gazette for Middlesbrough, 8 April 1885

TO LET, a pleasantly situated HOUSE at Hutton Rudby; seven Rooms; large Garden.  Apply James Richardson, Timber Merchant.  Hutton Rudby, Yarm

I think this is quite possibly one of the Seaham Villas again.  In 1880 they were advertised as "containing Six Rooms, with Kitchen and Outoffice" but I wonder if now James is counting the kitchen as one of the rooms; reducing the number of words in the advertisement would probably save expense.

Then the following year an identical house is advertised by James's son Lewis – and he gave his address as Sawmill, Hutton Rudby:-

Daily Gazette for Middlesbrough, 21 October 1886 

HUTTON Rudby. - To Let, good House (semi-detached); 7 rooms; large garden.  Apply Lewis Richardson, Sawmill, Hutton Rudby, Yarm 

Clearly, Lewis was now in the timber trade in the village, perhaps having taken over from his father.  A notice in the York Herald reported that on 30 June 1887 Lewis married Miss Florrie Poole of Clifton, Bristol.  In 1888 their son James Arthur Poole Richardson was born in Hutton Rudby.  Soon afterwards, Lewis cleared his stock:

York Herald, 27 October 1888

SPECIFIC ARTICLES FOR SALE

TO Wheelwrights. - A quantity of best class and specially selected FELLOES, all sizes, for Carts and Rollies.  Also BEDS, SOLES, and sundry Scantlings of first quality.  Will be sold cheap to clear - Apply to LEWIS RICHARDSON, Sawmills, Hutton Rudby, via Yarm

He and Florrie moved the family to Ripon, where their daughter Elsie was born in 1890.  In the 1901 census they can be found living in Stretford, Lancashire, where Lewis was working as a "Foreign Timber Agent".

In the meantime – and perhaps while Lewis was running the Sawmill – his father James had become a farmer.  The 1891 Census finds him and Hannah and their unmarried children Eleanor (Ellen), Hannah, John James and Emma at Potto Carr farm.  It lies off Parson's Back Lane, a little way outside Hutton Rudby.

The 1901 Census shows John James and his sisters Hannah and Emma running the farm together as partners.

The Sawmill in Hutton Rudby

Hutton Rudby Sawmill

We see here the Sawmill in full operation in this photograph, together with 6 men, 3 children and a dog on top of the log pile.  

The first mention that I can find of the Sawmill is in the 1861 Census, when it is recorded by the enumerator, not as an occupied building but in the same way that he recorded the National School and the chapels.  However, while in the 1871 census I can find several men who are clearly employed in the sawmill, in the 1861 census I can find no one.  Either the Sawmill was not in operation, or somebody ran it as part of their main business and employed general labourers to operate it.

By the time of the 1871 Census it is clear that the sawmill is in full operation and staffed by workmen from outside the village.  Apart from James Richardson, described as a timber merchant, there were 3 bobbin makers (two of them born in Middlesbrough, the other in Morley), a bobbin turner (born in Pudsey), a wood turner and a Newcastle-born sawyer.  

But James went bankrupt in April 1873 and it was clearly not a good time for timber merchants in Hutton Rudby, as another notice shows that Aaron Carter of Hutton Rudby, Timber Merchant, went into a composition with his creditors under the Bankruptcy Act of 1869 in February 1874.  Perhaps Aaron Carter had taken over James Richardson's business?  It seems very likely.

And perhaps it was at this point that the Wilson brothers became actively involved.

Allan Bowes Wilson (of Hutton House) and his brother Thomas (of Enterpen Hall) were linen manufacturers and owned the Sailcloth Mill beside the River Leven.  Their father James Wilson was the founder of their fortunes, and the family was of considerable importance in the village.  They had capital behind them and were able to invest.  I wonder if they owned the sawmill buildings, and stepped in to keep the business running.

This advertisement of 1874 shows the Sawmill – now called the Hutton Rudby Sawmill Company – advertising for workmen, and we can see from it that James Richardson is the manager:-

York Herald, 7 February 1874

WANTED, by the Hutton Rudby Sawmill Co., one WOOD WAGGONER,  accustomed to loading all kinds of timber; one SAWYER, used to work a Rack-Bench; one WOODFELLER; none but steady men, with good characters, need apply. – Address, or apply personally, to JAMES RICHARDSON, Hutton Rudby, by Yarm

And we are reminded in this advertisement of the crucial importance of the nearby railway station (now disused) at Potto throughout the history of the Sawmill (for a full account of the history of Potto station, see here):

The Northern Echo, 21 March 1874

TO FIREWOOD DEALERS. – FOR SALE BY TENDER, a constant supply of FIREWOOD, free on rails at Potto Station.  Tenders at a price per ton will be received up to the 31st inst. – Samples may be seen, and all particulars ascertained, on application to the Hutton Rudby Sawmill Company, Hutton Rudby

But the Wilson brothers' active involvement seems to have been short term.  A notice in the London Gazette of 4 May 1875 shows that Allan and Thomas had been partners in the Hutton Rudby Sawmill Company as Timber Merchants, Sawyers and Bobbin Manufacturers with Thomas Lewis of Middlesbrough, Cabinet Maker, but that the partnership was dissolved on 30 April 1875 and Thomas Lewis went on to carry on the business on his own account.

Thomas Lewis was still in business in 1879, as we can see from this advertisement:

York Herald, 16 May 1879

WAGGONER – WANTED immediately, a Head Man for English timber.  None but experienced and steady men need apply. - Thos. Lewis & Co., Sawmills, Hutton Rudby, via Yarm

Nine years later, Lewis Richardson was winding up his business at the Hutton Rudby Sawmills – and it seems likely that it was at this point that the sawmill ceased working.

The Sawmill and Sawmill House

Various questions arise over the Sawmill building.  The photograph of the sawmill shown above shows quite a range of buildings.  Did they belong to James Richardson?  Did he have the capital to erect them?  Or did he, as seems much more likely, lease the buildings and the land from Allan Bowes Wilson and his brother Thomas?

This photograph shows the Sawmill in the 1950s, divided into three dwellings.    When did this happen? 

Sawmill House, Hutton Rudby, 1950s/1960s

The censuses provide a clue.

When Lewis Richardson gives his address as Sawmill, Hutton Rudby in the advertisement of 1886, I think this is simply his business address.  The 1891 Census does not show a Sawmill House, and there is no sign of such a house in that area.

Sawmill House makes its first appearance in the 1901 Census.  Listed between the houses of the Brick Garth (today called Poplar Avenue) and Allan Bowes Wilson's home at Hutton House, we find Henry Bainbridge, builder, living at Sawmill House.  He is 34, and his family consists of his wife Susan and children Walter, Alick, Bewick and Maud. 

But I think that the house was not the terrace we see today.  The 1911 census does not give the name Sawmill House, but it is clearly the same house.  The enumerator notes that there is a joiner's workshop next door to it.  It seems to me that Henry Bainbridge is living in part only of the old Sawmill buildings, because he gives the number of rooms (not counting scullery, landing, lobby, closet, bathroom or warehouse, office or shop) as 7.  Perhaps the joiner's workshop took up the remainder of the building.  So the final conversion of the buildings into the houses we see today took place after 1911.

And lastly

Seaham Villas, Hutton Rudby

I had despaired of identifying these houses when a chance glimpse of the 1911 enumerator's lists showed a Seaham Villa a short way up South Side on the western end.

It was occupied by John Purkis Banning, a 75 year old retired schoolmaster and his wife, and two of their middle-aged children, Miss Mary Banning (Professor of Music) and Miss Lizzie Banning (Professor of Music and Dancing).  The tailor John Hall and his family lived next door at Scarborough House.

I think Mr Banning's Seaham Villa was very probably No 37 South Side, and that, together with its neighbour Scarborough House, the pair of Victorian semi-detached brick villas just opposite North End were the Seaham Villas of James Richardson's advertisement in 1880.

An advertisement, in which Lewis Richardson describes one of the houses as "modern", supports this identification:-

Daily Gazette for Middlesbrough, 2 May 1887

To Let, Hutton Rudby, semi-Detached House, modern; 7 rooms; every convenience; large garden.  Apply Mr L Richardson, Saw Mill, Hutton Rudby, Yarm

And the photograph below, thought to date from the end of the 19th century, shows the two houses in the centre of the picture:-

South Side, Hutton Rudby

All photographs courtesy of the Hutton Rudby History Society.  To see them at their best, look at them on the Society's Facebook page, in the Albums for The Wynd, Enterpen and South Side.

An elaborate hoax at Stokesley, 1849

Somebody went to a great deal of trouble to set up this elaborate hoax against a local landowner.  I wonder what can have lain behind it ...

Darlington & Stockton Times, 17 February 1849

STOKESLEY

A HOAX 

We love at heart a jest, but not at the expense of our neighbours: we hope that whoever may have concocted the following will soon find to their cost that it is "above a joke":- 

Last week letters were sent in the name of James Emerson, Esq., to Stockton, Guisborough, Northallerton and Thirsk, requesting the attendance of solicitors, physicians, surgeons, auctioneers, builders, cabinetmakers, and even undertakers, at Mr Emerson's house precisely at one o'clock, besides ordering an open carriage and four greys from the Vane Arms at Stockton, to convey from home Mr Emerson and his family.  The various parties arrived in good time, but only to learn their services were not required.  

We understand that Mr Emerson has, with his accustomed liberality, offered a reward of £100 to be paid on conviction of the offenders, and that a clue to their discovery has already been obtained.

I'm afraid I haven't been able to discover whether the culprit was found or why it happened at all.

Mr Emerson was a man of some importance and became even more prominent in the years that followed this incident.  

According to A History of the County of York North Riding (which can be found on the British History online website) his family had owned a considerable amount of land in the Stokesley area since the 18th century.  In 1853 James Emerson added to this by buying the manor of Easby, presumably from Robert Campion because according to White's Directory of 1840 

Rt Campion, Esq., of Whitby, is lord of the manor, and resides occasionally at Easby Hall, a neat modern mansion, standing near the site of the ancient hall, which was long the seat of the Lords Eyre or Eure, the last of whom died in 1698. 

The County History describes Easby in this rather lyrical vein:

The roads of Cleveland all meet at Stokesley. That running east from the town to Whitby comes after about 4 miles to the little village of Easby.  Here a small stream which flows north from Battersby joins the Leven, and between the two streams is the park surrounding Easby Hall, a large stone mansion built in the 19th century, and the seat of Mr. John James Emerson.  The old manor-house of the Eures was on the other side of the stream, where it is commemorated by Castle Hill, on the summit of which is a memorial to Captain Cook, who was born and educated in this neighbourhood. 

On the outskirts of the park, across Otter Hills Beck, is a private chapel built in 1881 by the late Mr. James Emerson and maintained at his own expense. A little to the west is the Methodist chapel.

At much the same time James Emerson bought the manor of Kirkby-in-Cleveland from Mr John Hindson (the entry in British History online can be found here)

And that is why on 15 April 1854 these notices could be found in the York Herald:

MANOR OF EASBY

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that at the Court Leet and View of Frankpledge, together with the Court Baron of JAMES EMERSON, Esquire, Lord of the Manor of Easby in Cleveland, in the County of York, to be holden on MONDAY, the 24th day of APRIL, in the year 1854, the Boundaries of the MANOR OF EASBY will be perambulated; and that such perambulation will commence at the Bleach Mill, within the said Manor, belonging to the said James Emerson, and in the occupation of Benjamin Claxton, and proceed from thence along the midstream of the River Leven, in a South-East direction to the Boundaries of the Manor of Kildale, at ELEVEN o'clock in the Forenoon of the same day, and proceed from thence round the Moor.

JNO. P. SOWERBY,

Steward of the said Manor.

Stokesley, April 8th, 1854

MANOR OF KIRKBY, OTHERWISE KIRBY, IN CLEVELAND

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that the Court Leet and Court Baron of JAMES EMERSON, Esquire, Lord of the Manor of Kirkby, otherwise Kirby, in Cleveland, in the County of York, will be holden on TUESDAY, the 25th day of APRIL, 1854, at the MANOR HOUSE, in KIRBY aforesaid, at TWELVE o'Clock at Noon, when all Inhabitants, Resiants [sic], and Freehold Tenants within the said Manor, and others who owe suit and service at the said Courts, or either of them, are required to be and appear, at the time and place aforesaid, then and there to do and perform the same.  Dated this 8th day of APRIL, 1854.

JNO. P. SOWERBY,

Steward of the said Manor.

Stokesley, April 8th, 1854

John Page Sowerby was a Stokesley solicitor.  I think he was probably the solicitor mentioned here, who as a young man found himself increasingly anxious at the conduct of his partner Robert Brigham.

Ploughing with horses – how to do it

If you've ever seen on television a programme in which someone is struggling to plough with horses and wondered how people ever managed such an exhausting task – watch Maurice Atkinson talking to Malcolm McPhie on this video on the Hutton Rudby History Society Facebook page.

This is Malcolm's introductory note:

We are fortunate to live in a village surrounded by fields in all directions. Many of them require ploughing each year to prepare the ground for the next crop, a task that most would take for granted. Prior to WWII this activity was largely accomplished by horses and a ploughman.

This video is an interview with retired farmer, Maurice Atkinson (aged 91 on September 15th!) where I asked him to talk about learning to plough using horses.

In the interview he describes how his grandfather (Cooper Atkinson of Goslingmire Farm) spent an afternoon teaching him the necessary skills. The year was 1939 and Maurice was only 12 years old at the time.

Unfortunately we don’t have any photographs of Maurice working with horses, but have shown one of his father Eric W. Atkinson working with horses and one of Maurice in his teenage years working with a tractor.

Maurice, his father, and his grandfather were all prize winners at local ploughing and hedge cutting competitions.

In the second part of the video Maurice uses a scale model of a Ransome Plough to describe the complexities of setting one up correctly. He was a skilled blacksmith and welder and made the model himself.

We are lucky to have such in depth knowledge of farming in the 1930’s on our doorstep.

There should be no need to fight with a plough.  "A plough should run on its own," explains Maurice.  "It'll run on its own if it's set right."

Local newspapers report the news of the Armistice in 1918

The North-Eastern Daily Gazette 12 November 1918

A DAY OF REJOICING 

The rejoicings which began in Middlesbrough yesterday morning over the news of the armistice continued without interruption till nearly midnight and the town has seldom passed through fourteen hours of such joy.  In the afternoon the streets were a seething mass of humanity, and Linthorpe-road has seldom been so congested.  All the works were stopped by mid-day, and as the day wore on the neighbouring communities poured their thousands into the town to swell the huge crowds who had already congregated in the main thoroughfares.  Owing to restrictions of all kinds which could not be entirely removed with a wave of the hand, the illuminated display was not on such a scale of grandeur as might have been possible on an occasion of rejoicing in the halcyon days of peace; but the people did their best with the lights at their disposal, and the brighter streets were a pleasant reminder of a time which seemed almost to go down into the distant past.  The sky was lit up at intervals by the pyrotechnic display, and the jubilant note which prevailed throughout seemed to be well controlled.  In the days to come when Middlesbrough spreads its wings it will probably be better able to accommodate such huge crowds on a day of national rejoicing, but it may never again have an occasion when the circumstances so thoroughly justified such an explosion of pent-up exuberant patriotic feelings. 

STOCKTON'S REJOICING
In the long history of Stockton there have been many enthusiastic gatherings in the High-street opposite the Town Hall, but never one so large and so lively - and yet well behaved - as assembled yesterday afternoon when the Mayor and a number of other public men delivered short speeches of congratulation upon the great event of the day.  The band of the Bowesfield Ironworks played, and the people, with all their hearts, and with all the powers their lungs could give, sang the National Anthem, and then sent up cheer after cheer for the King.  "It is a memorable occasion, an occasion which has never before occurred in the history of the country," said the Mayor (Alderman J Harrison) "and we rejoice in it.  After four years of terrible war we have broken the terrible German menace, and we are confident that we have broken it in such a way that Germany will never again be able to make war.  This is not yet a declaration of peace, but we thank God that the armistice has been signed, and that we can see the end of the war."  

PAST AND FUTURE
There followed loud cheers, and with cheers were also greeted the other speeches in the High-street, Stockton.  Alderman Bainbridge said we had fought a good fight, and won, and he hoped that everyone would feel the responsibility of doing his or her share in the work of reconstruction which lay before the country.  "Whilst," said Alderman Nattress, "we rejoice in victory, and whilst we think of those men who have won the final victory, let us not fail to remember those who have fallen on our behalf."  "It is a victory for the forces of democracy and freedom over autocracy and militarism," said Councillor Bollands.  Councillor W Reed said in the great fight we had proved that might is not right, but that right is right, and that the God of Righteousness had been on our side.  Councillor I Robson and the Vicar of Stockton also addressed the gathering, and the company broke up with the singing of the National Anthem.  Similar proceedings took place from the balcony of the Town Hall, Thornaby. 

A solemn Te Deum will be sung at All Saints' Parish Church, Middlesbrough, tonight at 3pm, in thanksgiving for the end of the war. 

THANKSGIVING SERVICE
During the afternoon yesterday, the No 1 South Bank Boys' Brigade paraded South Bank, calling the people to a United Thanksgiving service at the Wesleyan Church.  There a good and representative company, which was presided over by the Rev M P Evans, President of the Free Church Council, and addressed by the Revs H W Pates, J Rutherford, C Allwright, and Councillor Vaux.  National hymns were sung, and the thanksgiving of the assembly voiced by Councillor T Bosher, Mr T Peacock, and others.  It is intended to continue the rejoicing on Sunday evening next in the Baptist Tabernacle.

The Yorkshire Post carried reports of rejoicing across the region, including

The Yorkshire Post, 12 November 1918

Cheering soldiers were in great evidence at Richmond, and at the Market Cross there was a great crowd, where, on the motion of the Mayor, it was decided to send a message of congratulation to Marshal Foch, Sir Douglas Haig, and the Prime Minister.  At Catterick Camp a general holiday was proclaimed 

At Whitby the band of the Hunts, Cyclist Battalion paraded the town, and the gaily decorated streets were thronged with happy people.  

There were scenes of intense enthusiasm at Darlington, but happily unmarked by any touch of rowdyism.  

Remembrance at Nunthorpe

At Nunthorpe, impressive displays by the Nunthorpe and Marton Knitters remember the fallen of the Wars and the suffering of children and animals.  This photograph from the Nunthorpe Working Together Facebook page shows the display near the War Memorial.

Midshipman Duncan Stubbs is commemorated on that Memorial.  His story can be found here.  And here is a photograph of his father's horse Jess, one of the many horses who died during the First World War, can be found here

Duncan's father Thomas Duncan Henlock Stubbs built the Red House on Church Lane, Nunthorpe and the family lived there for many years.