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June
1939 - Local Press cutting
GIRLS' GUILD JUMBLE SALE.
A jumble sale was held in the Cowling
Parish Church Schools on Friday evening,
having been organised by the Girls' Guild. A
sum of £4.
10s. was realised. The Rose
Queen, Miss Dorothy Hargreaves, was in
charge of a stall of fancy goods. Mrs. S.
Warne was in charge of refreshments.
The proceeds were on behalf of the Dressing
Room Fund.
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June 1939 - Local Press cutting
COAL SOCIETY'S TRADING.
The half-yearly general meeting of the Cowling and District
Coal Society was held
on Monday evening, Mr. Stanley Smith presiding.
The Secretary (Mr. Walter Snowden)
presented the balance sheet for the last half-year,
which showed that the sales for that
period amounted to £2,104 2s. 5d., as compared
with £2,007 9s. 2d. for the corresponding half year in 1938.
The net profit was £36 14s. 3d. The increase in the sales was
stated to be due to the cold spell
experienced
at the beginning of the year.
The election of officers was as follows— Mr. Walter
Snowden, secretary ; Mr. Stanley
Smith, chairman ; Mr. Fred Snowden ; coal
manager. Messrs. Fred Gott and Walter
Davy were
elected to the committee.
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June 1939 - Local Press cutting
OUTING TO THE SEA.
Children and officials of the Ickornshaw
Methodist Sunday School spent an enjoyable day on Saturday at St. Annes-on-Sea
on the occasion of their
annual outing.
The party was in charge of Mr. Clarence
Wilkinson (Sunday School secretary) and
Mr. Daniel
Binns (superintendent).
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June 1939 - Local Press cutting
CANCER FUND COLLECTION.
A house-to-house collection on behalf
of the British Empire Cancer Campaign
realised the sum of
£8 14s. 6d.
The Cowling Parish Council were responsible
for the collection, and the following acted as collectors :—Misses Edna Cardwell,
Dorothy Shepherd, Maud Thompson, Doris Ramsbottom,
Florence Whitaker, Elsie
Whitaker, Kathleen Smith and Ena Gowling.
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Abstracts of
Ridge Mill from various sources:
1622 -
corn mill destroyed by fire then transferred to Lumb Mill.
14th
January 1580 or 1581 - Margareta Hargreaves drowned in water above mill
called Ridge Mill.
Earls
of Cumberland held lands in Cowling in 16th c. lands sold & 3 hamlets,
Cowling, Ickornshaw & Stott
Hill which met at Ridge Mill Bridge were
divided. Stood on land between where waters meet corn mill.
Grindstone found in beck.
Mention of stone for walls taken from Ridge Mill Plantation for walls in
connection with
repairs to Wood House in 1799. No mention in
records after 1773.
Road over 'stonery' to Wood House
made in 1792 & improved in 1797.
Bridal Path through Dark Wood, though we have
no evidence of where Dark Wood is. Mill Dam also mentioned to be in Dark
Wood.
1622 -
Robert Smyth of 'Ickornshay', yeoman, sold to Christopher Smyth of the same,
tailor, some farm
property. In document relating to sale, the
buyer covenanted to grind all corn at the water mill in 'Collinge'
called Ridge Mill.
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David
Bracewell of Lower Stonehead (A.D. 1677) was appointed to serve as an
overseer
and
master of the poor for one year at a salary of £5 15 shillings in March
1775, at the local Cowling Workhouse.
Duties included: To supply vittens (victuals).
To go 3 times every week to Workhouse.
To keep all account for work in poor house and for hay getting & shearing.
- Extract
taken from Wm. Sewell's notebook. Mr. Sewell (pupil teacher at local
school). Local
historian & teacher d. 1972 age 93.
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Bier (coffin trolley) at Holy Trinity Church
was presented by Kenneth Whittam who died around 1950 buried in Sutton
Parish Church. A second Bier was also used at Bar Chapel.
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Mr.
Wilberforce, former owner of Carr Head Hall was a stipendiary magistrate
in Bradford. A case which came before him was a convict found guilty of
his offence and Mr. Wilberforce enquiring as to his work, was informed
that the man was a skilled painter and decorator who specialised in
graining. Mr. Wilberforce had him sent to Carr Head to live in some of the
outbuildings and commissioned him to decorate the four doors immediately
inside the front door (2 left, 2 right). The convicted criminal was quite
obviously to lead a better life than imprisonment, he consequently set too
and grained all the aforesaid doors as imitation 'birds-eye maple'. It was
a natural thing to do for him to make the job last as long as possible,
and until recently the skill of his work remained evident. This was
believed to have taken place in the late 1800's.
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John
Hartley's Allotment on Earls Cragg were 118,466 Sq. yards in size.
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According to the R.D.C. handbook the population of
Cowling in 1931 was 795 males
and 948 females totalling 1743. There were 566 dwellings.
In 1801 the population had been 1140, rising to 2458 in 1841 before
falling to 1928 in 1871. This was before many
of the streets bordering on Keighley Road were built. Where
did the people live? In
large families in cottages adjoining farms where handloom
weaving was carried on.
Keighley Snowden gives an insight into this in his "Web of
an old weaver" and though he gives his characters different names and
perhaps takes liberties with some of them,
he still depicts life as it appears to have been at that
time.
(Source: Bright Laycock's notes 1960's).
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Hugh Smith Charity:
(Source: Bright Laycock's notes 1960's)
An Indenture dated 12/2/1665 between Hugh Smith of Bawsedge of the first
part and John Smith, son of Michael Smith
of Fair Place, Abram Brigg of Fair Place, Edward Smith and William Pighills
of Stonehead provided that the income from Bawsedge Farm should be
devoted to the payment of
school
wage for necessitous children who
could not otherwise afford education (Stott Hill and
Ickornshaw).The
linear descendants of James Wooler were for ever debarred from all benefits
and privileges under this grant.
Hugh Smith reserved the right to revoke this grant during his
lifetime but never
exercised it.
In
1759 an indenture showing that the land was
divided into two portions. One part to be devoted to education as above
stated.
1795 a further indenture dated 21st July showing that the
school
lands
were divided and
part was conveyed to Robert Watson.
On May
30th 1901 it was taken over by the Charity Commissioners and a scheme was
drawn up with the following persons acting as trustees :
R.B.Ackroyd (Cross Hills) appointed by Ch. Comm. for life,
J.N.Lee
appointed by Ch. Comm. for5
years.
John Hartley (Cowling Parish Council)
appointed by Ch. Comm. for5
years.
Thos. Watson (Cowling School Board)
appointed by Ch. Comm. for5
years.
Ben Snowden appointed by West Riding C.C.
appointed by Ch. Comm. for5
years.
The property was sold at auction by H.Tillotson at the Bay
Horse on the 18th
February 1902 and realised:
Farm Buildings (Robert Gott)
£430 .0. 0
House
in Ickornshaw (Alfred Hartley) £7 .10. 0 .
Total
£437. 10. 0.
This was invested in £515 .0 .0 2.1/2% Perpetual Preference
Stock of Midland Railway = £409 .8 .6
A further purchase of £258 of the same stock @76.75 was made
at a cost of £198 .0 .4.
This provides £19 .6 .6 from which grants are made at the
Governors
discretion.
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Craven
Herald - 1905:
Talk of the district was a Cowling farmer who had taken a pot shot with a
rifle at his next door
neighbour's wife. The farmer, Walton, of Albion Plain Farm appeared at
Leeds Assizes Court charged with feloniously shooting Martha Snowden, of
Hollingrake Farm.
His
defence solicitor said despite many hours in discussion with his client, no
explanation could be given and Mrs. Snowden had given evidence to say she
had no idea why Walton had shot at her. The court was impressed with a
letter signed by 113 residents
of
Cowling describing Walton as an honest and inoffensive man. The charge was
reduced to common assault and he was bound over in the sum of £10 to keep
the peace.
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A memorial service for Lord Snowden was held
at St. Margaret's Church, Westminster at 12:30pm 26th May 1937, after the
scattering of the ashes on 22nd.
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Keighley News
22.5.1937 -
'SEEING IT THROUGH. A STORY OF LORD SNOWDEN'S GRANDFATHER.'
On the surface there may seem to have been little in common between Philip
Snowden and his maternal grandfather, Peter Nelson, who had kept a
beer-shop, the Grinning Rat, at one time (says a "Manchester Guardian"
correspondent). Yet the unflinching courage which stood the missionary of
Socialism and the Cabinet Minister in good stead must have owed something to
that grandfather. When he was on his deathbed the people from the chapel
came to sing and pray with him. They told him that the love of Jesus could
grant forgiveness to the vilest sinner at the eleventh hour. They quoted
the precedent of the thief on the Cross. He listened to them and then said
"Well, I don't know whear I sall go when I dee. I've never been a religious
chap, an' I'm not going to alter at t'last minute to save mi soul. I'm not
such a coward as that. I'll see it through, and face whatever happens to
me.
The last few words might have served his grandson for a political motto.
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7th
February 1947, Parish Council News - Complaints regarding non-lighting of
street lamps, the
attention
of Gas Company's rep. had been drawn to this matter & he had reported that
the trouble appeared to have been caused by Middleton boys climbing the
lamps and
altering
the clocks! The Council felt sure that the culprits would realise the
seriousness
of these
pranks, and having regard for the inconvenience caused to both Middleton
residents and the Gas Company's workmen, the boys would surely refrain from
any
repetitions of these actions. If not, it was agreed the matter would
be taken up further.
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The Cowling School Board meeting in 1900
confirmed Teacher's salaries at 10s/month.
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The Queen's Theatre was opened on 3rd February
1900, and on the Tuesday of that week a 'Pink Tea' was held at Ickornshaw
Methodist Church by young ladies of the village.
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4th April
1909 saw a largely attended property sale take place in the Liberal Club. A
dwelling house No.
12 Fold Lane was sold to Mr. Jonas Laycock for £150. A plot of building
land containing 357 sq.yds. situated at the corner of the main street & Royd
St.
& fronting
main street & a large wooden building 20' x 18' on the plot of land was
purchased by Mr . W. Stephenson for £160.
Six
dwelling houses called Chapel House numbered 29 to 39 were withdrawn at
£230. Mr. Robert Feather Keighley was solicitor & Mr. Wm. Dewhirst
solicitor
to
vendors.
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On the
17th April 1909 the unveiling of a new stained glass window in memory of
Ickornshaw Wesleyan
Chapel
founders Mr. John Binns & Mr. Elias Redman took place.
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A "Smoking
Concert" was held in the Liberal Club on 23rd March 1909.
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During
the 1st World War Willie Whitaker (of James) dressed enough stone in 6"
courses to build sixteen council houses at Lingcrag Gardens, thereby
avoiding military service.
