Spen Valley Through the Years
by Maurice Popplewell
1909 to 1911

1909

Herbert Asquith, Liberal Prime Minister, sees the Old Age Pension Act start on January 1 1909. At 70, the pension was 5s for single men and 10s for a couple. It could be reduced by stages of 1s depending on means. If income was £31 10s (12s 1d a week), no pension was paid. This welcome move replaced Poor Law payments, which had been about 3s a week maximum. It is recorded that in some cases folks took flowers to the lady who paid their pension to them, taking from them the fear of the Workhouse. "God Bless Lloyd George," was their cry.

Whitcliffe Mount Grammar School was discussed and £3,500 of private money promised, while Miss Law and Mrs Mowat promised to cover the cost of the Assembly Hall - building and equipping - in memory of their father, Mr Alfred Law J.P. it was estimated that the school could be finished by September 1910, and the first sod was cut by Councillor Walter Wadsworth on March 31 1909.

Scandi Buzzer. John Fenton saw and heard a buzzer on a ferry boat in New York harbour. It had three notes of the common chord, spreadeagled, and it impressed him so much that he brought one back for his mills at Moorend. When the power of the factory's steam was pushed through it, the result was a loud screech! All of Cleckheaton could set their clocks by it, but it was by no means popular with everyone. It was complained that it could "waken the dead."

Jewish Traders at Dewsbury. The market traders, led by Mr Fred Wilby, were up in arms, because of the 50 Jewish traders who, they said, were selling cheap, foreign draperies and taking over the trade. Fred also instanced the custom among the Jews of going down on their knees and offering up a short prayer after disposing of their goods. "it is sacrilege," he said. Wilbys' stall is still much in evidence in the market; they appear to have survived the onslaught!

Our MP and Income Tax. Sir Thomas Whittaker said that a heavy tax on the rich would not bring in a great deal. Even if they were taxed at 5s in the £ it would not bring in as much as a 2d tax on everyone - and the rich had to be encouraged, for the common good.

Salvation Army. General William Booth visited Heckmondwike on August 9, Mr Arthur Copley opened the new Back Lane Working Men's Club on November 20, and the fiction section and the reading rooms were opened at the Heckmondwike Library.

Pupil Teachers. An examination was held in Bradford to select young assistant teachers. They had to be not less than 14 years of age!

Mr. J.I. Nussey, a Birstall manufacturer, was appointed chairman of the council. At their first meeting they reduced the rate by 4d to 7s 4d in the £. They had a welcome balance of £1,500! It will be remembered that Ellen Nussey and Charlotte Bronte were great friends, and Charlotte often stayed at Birstall.

Begging. A man was charged with begging in Heckmondwike, at this time a punishable offence. On promising to leave the district, he was discharged.

Wages & Prices. Mrs L Wardman of Birkenshaw, who was 20 in 1909, earned 15s a week on two looms. Her husband earned 19s 11d. Eggs were 1s a dozen, she says, and rent 2s 3d, rates 1s, 1s for coals, joint 2s 6d. They could save 5s a week. Her home cost £44 for all furniture, upstairs and downstairs. Four golf clubs plus bag cost 29s 3d, balls 24s a dozen. Rowntrees, for a penny, offered chocolate fish, marzipan sardine, chocolate hare, chocolate egg with chick. Brown Muffs had flannel suits for 25s, boys sailor blouses for 1s 6½d. Alfred Halls had lawn mowers in stock from 14s.

Leisure. Heckmondwike Baths...Heckmondwike Pierrot Pavilion...twice nightly, with Miss Sadie Thorne's "Merry Maids and Middies." Leyburn's Theatre - Mr Padgett of Woodhead Street told me he remembered seeing "Maria Martin - The Murder in the Red Barn" in the Market Square. One penny to go in! Cleckheaton Town Hall - Excelsior Animated Pictures. Central Chapel - "Elijah," "the treat of the season." Mr Hilaire Belloc gave a talk in the Co-op Hall, Heckmondwike, on Marie Antionette.

Christmas. I have talked to many elderly people from our valley about the festive season, and how they kept it in 1909. Many are no longer with us, but here are some of their comments: "At school we started weeks before making paper streamers and chains, and getting sticky with Gloy. We had very blunt scissors and cut things out for the tree." "We threw notes up the chimney, and I sometimes wondered if Santa couldn't read!" "The market was open until midnight. My brother and I (I was 9), went for the tree, it was 6d, we put silver paper on cockleshells, we stuck a ribbon on to hang them up." "Everyone tried to make their spice cake in good time. Mother mixed it in a big yellow bowl. When the cake was made she put the bowl down on the rug...we all had spoons and started scraping. Mother would say I've no need to wash it!" "We usually made a pegged rug for Christmas. All the family sat around the frame with canvas on, putting the various cloth pieces in with skewers. There was no television and no money to go out spending. Sometimes we would get the thick blanket out and play tiddly-winks." "Miss Ada Jane Hirst was a good woman. She gave me a book-mark with a text on, or something useful to wear. But Christmas was a wonderful time."

Florrie Ford. Folks loved to sing in 1909. Our churches and chapels produced oratorio, concerts and joyful hymns at their services. At the Prince's Theatre in Bradford, Miss Florrie Ford was singing to packed houses, with her "Oh! Oh! Antonio!" when all joined in the choruses. Another of her favourites was "Has anybody here seen Kelly?" Other stage songs of the year were "Boiled Beef and Carrots" and "By the light of the silvery moon." 

1910

King Edward VII (69) died in May, and his son George V became King, (as Halley's Comet blazed in the sky), as the first of the House of Windsor. The Liberals, under Mr Asquith, were returned in February with a majority of 2. At a second General Election in December they won 272 seats but the Conservatives also had 272. Agnes Powell founded the Girl Guides, and Crippen was arrested on the liner Montrose with his girlfriend Ethel le Neve. He was duly hanged. In February 80 Labour Exchanges were opened. Charlie Chaplin went to America to make his name.

Local Election. We had our first three-cornered fight. T Russel Williams was the Labour candidate. F.A. Kelley, conservative, lived at Belle Vue Villa, Prospect Road, Cleckheaton, and he pressed his claim "a Spen Valley man for Spen Valley." But no-one seemed able to unseat the Liberals here, and Sir T.P. Whittaker was elected with 4817 votes against 3439 for Conservative and 2514 for Labour. At a second General Election in December, the Liberals were still holding the local seat, which Labour did not contest.

A Cloudburst at Heckmondwike on June 9 brought tons of rubbish down to the Market Place, Staincliffe was at the centre of the storm and water poured down the High Street the width of the road.

Whitcliffe Mount Grammar School was opened in September as promised. The first headmaster was Joshua Holden MA (Oxon) up to 1914, when Herbert E Clayborn BSc took over.

The Smithson Almshouses in St. James' Street, Heckmondwike were opened by Sam Smithson and his daughter Polly, "To the Glory of God" and in memory of his wife and son. Sam was a quiet soul, successful in business, but taking no part in public affairs. He was a generous member of the church nearby.

Miss Mary Buckley of Norristhorpe was 100 on December 15, with presents and congratulations, including a telegram from King George V. She was born in a small cottage on the site now occupied by the Grammar School office. She died in 1911. Her husband had died 30 years earlier.

Heckmondwike Co-op celebrated its Jubilee, (it was founded in 1869), with a Children's Day. Over 4000 children of members had celebration mugs, sports and tea on the cricket field. Cost was over £175!

Sir Thomas Freeman Firth and his brother Sir Charles Henry Firth died within a few weeks of each other. They were two of the four sons of Mr Edwin Firth of The Flush & Flush Mills.

Providence Place Choir had their day out to Patterdale on July 4, leaving Cleckheaton at the ungodly hour of 5.12am, back home 10.45pm. The 59 on the trip had a sumptuous Pullman Car breakfast and dinner at Patterdale. There were free cigars for the men and plenty of fruit for the ladies. The choir sang"Hail Smiling Morn" on departing, and "O, who will 0'er the Downs with me" on reaching home.

Wages and Prices. The late respected Miss Hettie Henderson told me that in 1910, when she was 18, she was only earning 6s 4d a week at St. Peg Mills, being on short time. She moved to Joseph Briggs' as a warper, on 12s a week. She stayed 5 years, earning an extra 1s responsibility pay for training starters. Alderman Ben Turner, (later to be knighted), was secretary of the Weavers' and Textile Workers' Union. He said that no adult in a mill ought to be working for less than 6d an hour, full time, 55½ hour week. He knew of local willeyers getting 21s. There were firms in the valley employing married men at 20s a week, and the bosses were professed Christians! He said nothing about women employees! St. Luke's National School wanted a man and wife as cleaners, waged £35 per annum for both of them. Cleaning materials provided! Bickers at Dewsbury offered "Artistic table spreads"...London price 2s 6d, our price 10½d. Muschamps could fit out the ladies with a 50" ostrich boa for 3s 11d.

Last of the Hand-loom Weavers of Kilpin Hill. Joe Pinder was indeed the last, and he died in October. Proud of his independence, he was footing the treadles up to a year earlier, turning out some of the finest and most durable blankets ever made in the West Riding. He believed that the workman was worthy of his hire and often refused work because the price offered didn't suit him. The power-loom marked the end of his trade, but his own boss to the last, he died in the house at Kilpin Hill in which he had been born. Opposed to change, he would not even ride on a tram!

Roller Skating was becoming popular, and Batley Carr had the Empire Roller Rink, while at Heckmondwike Baths skating alternated with animated pictures.

The Saturday Penny was the highlight of the week for the 1910 child. With it 4 ounces of various sweets could be bought. There were pink and white coconut chips, everlasting sticks, almond rock, gob-stoppers, satin cushions and cupid's whispers. There were tiger nuts and "locust" (supposed to be the stuff the Israelites ate). There was licorice, in strips, sticks and boot-laces and licorice root (which is still around), which you chewed and chewed until it had the consistency of grass, and was just as tasteless. For children, whatever their home circumstances, 1910 was just as happy a year as any before, or since.

A Wonderful Lady of 90 I knew for many years told me "You knew everybody in the street when I was young. If you had trouble, everybody knew. If the man was sick they made a house-to-house collection. Every house gave 1d or 2d and with over 60 houses you could get quite a bit."

P.S. Under 1908 I mentioned three men caught gambling on a flat stone. One of them was James Poutney. A young friend of mine, Barry Holroyd, of Roundhay, tells me that James Poutney was his great, great grandfather! He came up from Kidderminster about 120 years ago, and finished with 47 years service at Cookes, as foreman in their warehouse. On retiring he was rewarded with a pension, not enjoyed by many employees. No wonder he could afford a bob or two at the cards!!

1911

George V was 46 and this was Coronation Year for our King and Queen. They entertained 100,000 children at a fete at Crystal Palace. It was a good year for weather, with almost unprecedented temperatures, over 100 degrees F. in August. Eastbourne had 384 hours of summer sunshine! The Titanic was launched and the Fol-De-Rols pierrots started at Scarborough. The English Women's Golf Championship was instituted.

Local Trade was good. P&M motor cycles were selling like hot cakes, with two years' work in hand. Wire ropes and card clothing were both busy, with record exports. It was a good year for curriers and leather generally, engineers were pushed for more capacity and worsted spinners had "nothing to complain about." Carpets and mattresses were busy on at Heckmondwike and the boot trade, especially in chrome and semi-chrome was breaking records.

Strikes. The countrywide trade pick-up meant a series of strikes, with the workers quite understandably wanting a bigger share of the cake. There had been pressure in Parliament for a minimum wage of 30s, but 32% of men earned less than 25s. On the railways, it was 20s, hence a rail strike. Card setting machine tenters at Critchley's had a £2 minimum, under an agreement made in 1907, but it was suggested that the company had offered to increase this for non union members. However it turned out, it caused a bit of bother. The Mechanics' Union asked for a 2s increase on their standard 32s. At Firths' 50 men at Bailiff Bridge wanted a stated minimum wage and no fancy bonuses!

What is for sure is that we had wealthy men in our community. On January 13th, the will of the ate James Walter Wadsworth, head of E. Wadsworth & Sons, worsted spinners, was published. He died on July 18th 1910 at his home, Broomfield House, and he left £156,648. Mr Charles Hirst (78), head of Charles Hirst & Sons Ltd., of Exchange Wire Works, died on August 21st. Most respected in the Cleckheaton community, but sadly incapacitated by partial paralysis, the business was being carried on by his sons Richard and Herbert.

Lloyd George's National Insurance Act came into being. Workers paid 4d, the employer 3d and the State 2d. With 9d in the kitty it was described as "9d for 4d." During illness 10s a week was paid for 26 weeks, then 5s weekly. Unemployment, however, was not covered.

The Heckmondwike Green was transformed from a cinder track to a miniature park. The walls, railings and general layout cost £700, raised by public subscription, although the Co-op gave £250 of it. Mr J.B. Allott did the masonry work.

Coronation Day was June 22nd. Celebrations were enjoyed throughout the Valley. There were giant bonfires at Scholes and on Cawley Hill. Sir Algernon Firth and his brother William Eustace gave a piece of land adjoining Beauregard Street and Vernon Road as a playing field. It was opened Nov 12th 1912. Children had 4053 teas at 4d, and the old folks 500 at 10d.

Waring Brothers, makers of game food, dog food and excellent dripping for our local fish shops, had been authorised suppliers to King Edward, and were glad to announce that their warrant was renewed by King George. Many folks will not remember the Royal Warrant, but will never forget the "pong" of the place, not far from the Six Lane Ends. (NB - see 1926 for a correction to this information)

Liversedge Church. The Rev. Canon W. Fowler conducted his last service as vicar, a position he had held for 40 years. At his last farewell service he said: "and if, by word or deed, or neglect, I have given offence to any, I ask them to forgive me."

New Buildings were springing up in the Valley. At Cleckheaton, Mr W. Goodall opened his Picture Palace in Albion Street, and the Picture Palace in Croft Street, Heckmondwike. There were seats at 3d,4d and 6d and balcony boxes 9d. "while all seats are comfortable," he said, "the 6d ones are of the tip-top variety and the 9d's are of the armchair type, in which a patron, regardless of expense, can take his amusement with well-bred nonchalance." At Heckmondwike the Elementary School in High Street, with frontage in Cawley Lane, was opened at a cost of £5,650. Mr Smith Allatt was the first Headmaster. And in Church Street the Alexandra Temperance Billiard Hall opened, with 12 tables and Mr W. Woffendale in charge.

Deaths. Mr Sam Smithson, whom I mentioned in my 1910 notes, died on Dec 11th. I should add an interesting item about him, for he was a keen cricketer, and had played against a team which the great Dr. W.G. Grace brought to Heckmondwike in 1876. And Sam bowled him out! Mr Hubert Oxley, an amateur airman who, with his friend Robert Weiss, was flying over the sands at Filey when the engine cut out, resulting in both their deaths. They were training for a competition flight to Leeds with a prize of £50 offered by a local newspaper. Their machine was a Leeds built monoplane belonging to the Blackburn Aero Company. Another death was Mr John Geldhill, employed by Heckmondwike UDC as road foreman. He was known as "Watter Jack", for, as a member of the Fire Brigade, it was his job, when a water main was laid from Staincliffe, to open a valve each morning, and to fill a receptacle outside the George Hotel, from which the locals fetched water, before individual house mains were laid. And finally, Mr William Sugden, founder of Wm Sugden & Sons of Water Lane Mills, died aged 62. He learnt the tailoring trade as a young man with Samuel Bedford, then as a tailor on his own, in Railway Street, then Albion Street and finally in Northgate. His sons helped with the setting up of the company, later to have branches in Barnsley and Wakefield.

Wages and Prices. Collinsons of Bradford announced that they had bought 10 tons of cocoa, offered at 1s a lb. Miss Varndell of Central Chambers, wanted an experienced bodice hand. Milk was 3½d a quart. John Wadsworth, a tramp, charged with begging in Liversedge, was given 3 months hard labour. MPs in Parliament got their first pay, £8 a week. Ben Turner was saying that the value of a woman's weekly work should not be less than a sovereign; many only got 12s.

Dewsbury Empire. Sir Henry Irving was drawing full houses with his interpretation of "The Bells." And Mr and Mrs Woodcock of Lower Blacup and Mr and Mrs Alfred Clough of Woodside (called Back o' t'Wood, had Golden Wedding celebrations.

Songs of 1911. "Little grey home in the west," " The Spaniard that blighted my life," "Roamin' in the gloamin" and "Alexander's ragtime band."

P.S. In my 1909 notes I mentioned a very Christian lady Miss Ada Jane Hirst. Mrs W. Ellis, of Westfield Lane tells me this lady was her aunt: we are to have a chat about her. And a real Heckmondwikian in his 87th year, Fred Roberts, tells me he saw the "Pierrots" at the baths, but when he was 6, in 1908, he went to see the pierrots in a marquee in Swallow Street. He even went onto the stage and sang "do you know the muffin man?" Thank you Fred. It's pleasant to know how childhood memories somehow seem to stay with us.