Spen Valley Through the Years
by Maurice Popplewell
1918 to 1920

1918

The year of peace, at last, but much was to happen before November 11th. Germany and her allies put up a fierce last stand, on the Somme again, at Arras and a second Marne.

January. Food rationing was finally introduced, with Food Control Offices in Heckmondwike and Spenborough. At first it was 4oz of fats, margarine or butter, and 1½oz tea, but meat was added in February, 1s 3d worth per head per week. The Spen Committee invited local farmers to bring their fat-stock to the weekly market in the George Hotel yard, where the slaughter house could be found. Prizes for the best beast, £1 and second best 10s were given. On January 27th nine head were brought. By September, the meat ration was 1s 4d, made up of 4 coupons of 4d each. With each coupon you were allowed a pound of sausages. Bacon and ham remained unrationed at this time. The food control officer got £3 a week.

Albert Chevalier, the great comedian, topped the bill at the Dewsbury Theatre Royal in February, to be followed by Mr Shaw's new play "Pygmalion." At our local cinemas they were showing "The Life of Lord Kitchener." He was drowned when the Hampshire struck a mine in 1915.

Manpower Bill. In April this Bill raised the military age to 50, and in certain cases 55. There was a strict comb-out of some essential industries, including 100,000 from munitions and 50,000 from the mines. This order affected many local workers, and showed that the war was not over yet!

Royal Visit. King George and Queen Mary were in our Valley on May 30th. They arrived at Heckmondwike at 1pm, where the town's oldest inhabitant, Mrs George Waterhouse (83) was introduced to them. The Queen was told that from the town, 1250 folks, from a total of 9117, were in the services. They were taken around Flush Mills, then on war-work, where Sir Algernon Firth presented James Goodall, spinning overlooker, with 60 years service to them. The Royal party left by train at 2.35pm for Marsden.

Capt. John Graham Mowat, of the West Riding Regiment, died on active service in June. He left property to the value of £16,724, probate being granted to his father, Mr John Gunn Mowat. He left his property to his brother, Alfred Law Mowat, and his two sisters, Lucy Marcia and Dorothy.

Fund-raising. There was friendly competition between Cleckheaton and Heckmondwike. Record amounts were raised by each community. Each had set a target, which both exceeded. Spenborough, with a target of £100,000, the price of a submarine, raised £254,188, or £5 per head. Heckmondwike's target was £22,500, the cost of 9 aeroplanes at £2,500 each. They actually raised £92,341, or £10 per head.

Model Lodging House, Church Street, Heckmondwike. This was offered for sale or to let. It was occupied by Mr Lister Hoyle, and registered for 66 beds, and was described as "the only registered house in the town!" Many local worthies were to stay there, including the popular man with the basin of "scouring-stone or ruddle" on his head, and a flower in his coat. He carried a doll in his pocket, and frightened some children.

Armistice, November 11th. Miss A Burton of 47 Howard Park, Cleckheaton, told me of her brother, Walter Burton, who served with the local Territorials in 1914, aged 18. He was gassed, and suffered until his death in 1974, aged 78. He was a signaller on November 11th, and took down a message from Marshal Foch to all units, which read: "Hostilities will cease upon the whole front from eleventh November, eleven o'clock. The Allied troops will not cross until a further order the line reached on that date and that hour. Marshal Foch." I have a treasured copy of this message in Mr Burton's handwriting. It seems that he made an extra copy for himself, and I have photocopied it! An old friend, who was 17 at the time, told me that she was working at Scandinavia Mills at the time. "The buzzer started at 11am," she said,"there was nothing like it in the Valley. There was 'Waddy's Whistle' and 'Anderton's Bell,' but none could compare with the 'Scandi Buzzer.' When it started we were all told to go home...I remember crossing the 'rec'...it was a cold, foggy morning and most of the women were at their doors as passed by. Everyone seemed to be crying. I remember my mother crying, but it was in thankfulness that my eldest brother would be safe now."

Influenza. With the war over, an epidemic of influenza caused 15 million deaths worldwide. Our Valley had its share of deaths. Rumour had it that the 'flu was being passed around by people licking stamps which had touched the counter with the sticky side down. Some said it was the ration books, because the shopkeepers handled food after tearing out the necessary coupons.

December saw the Coupon Election, so called because it included for the first time the 'Flapper Vote' for women at 30, and men at 21. Result in the Spen Valley Division was:
Sir T.P. Whittaker (Coalition Liberal) - 10634
Tom Myers (Labour) - 8508
Liberal majority - 2126

1918 Casualties. Private Frank Gomersall (23) was the eldest son of Mr & Mrs Arthur Gomersall of Northgate, Cleckheaton. He was killed by a sniper. And a shell killed Private Harold Thorpe (19), only son of Mr & Mrs Leslie Thorpe of Westgate (near the railway arch). But stoker Friend Sharp of Hightown, reached home after his ship HMS Triumph sank in eight minutes after a torpedo hit her. And my old friend Squire Firth of Moorend, was one of the few 'Bradford Pals' who came home!

Songs of 1918 were brighter...Oh Johnny, Oh Johnny, Goodbye-ee, Give me the Moonlight, and On the good ship Jacki Hicki Doo La.

1919

George V is now 54, and Lloyd George still Prime Minister of his Coalition Government. Income tax is 6s and is to remain so until 1922. The first two minutes silence id held on November 11th. Alcock & Brown fly the Atlantic, the Peace Treaty is signed in Versailles and the League of Nations is born. Jack Dempsey becomes world boxing champion and Lady Astor becomes our first woman MP.

Locally, the end of the war sees many job vacancies. The Yorkshire Woollen District Tramway Company wanted fitters, wheelwrights, turners and shed-men. Haley Brothers wanted girls for brace making. Jessops, the tailors, need coat, trousers and vest machinists. Scandinavia Mills wanted boys and youths for twisting and weaving. Spenborough UDC advertised for eight men, urgently needed for the fire brigade, and four teachers. Cookes were asking for piecers, fettlers, feeders and doublers. There was a general demand for rag sorters, spinners and doffers and chenille weavers.

Demobbed. By June there were 566 demobbed soldiers in Heckmondwike alone. The Employment Exchange at Liversedge asked for light work for those disabled, including ex-miners, wire workers, fettlers and brick layers.

Low Moor Iron Company had jobs for 30 brick layers at 1s 8d per hour. Weiss's at Longfield Mills, Heckmondwike would pay £2 a week for rag sorters, with tram fares paid on top. If they were prepared to travel to Sheffield, Koppers, engineers would pay 1s 9d an hour for 20 joiners and 100 brick layers.

Working Hours were reduced by some local firms. At Scandinavia Mill, for example, hours dropped from 55½ to 47, with wages staying the same, an increase of 14.8%. Squire Firth, ex "Bradford Pals", and often mentioned in these notes, returned to work there and found his 1914 wage of 28s was now 35s: within a fortnight of taking up his old job he found it had increased to 40s.

The Local Food Committees remained active, regulating prices in the Valley. Milk, per quart delivered at your door, was fixed at 6d in May, then 7d in August, 8d in September, 9d in October, 10d in November and 11d in December, where it stayed until March 1920. This gives some idea of price rises. In April tram fares went up, with a minimum fare of 1½d. Except Cleckheaton to Moorend which stayed at 1d.

Under the Beer Prices Order of 1919, it was laid down that beer could be sold at 6d and 8d a pint in any part of a pub provided that, at the same time, in some other part, it was offered at 5d and 7d.

Peace Celebrations were held in the Valley. The Spenborough Forget-Me-Not committee, which had raised £10,015, entertained returned prisoners of war with their wives and families. There were processions at both ends of the Valley, with bands, daylight fireworks, teas for young and old, with Mr Walter Goodall's Animated Pictures as a special treat. Cleckheaton laid on a civic welcome at West End Park, with the band of the 1/4th "Dukes" playing victory music, by kind permission of Lieut-Col. Mowat, DSO, MC. Walter Sharp, late of the Royal Flying Corps, in an advert for his "Pygmalion" shop, said: "All the little boys in Spenborough and our sisters and mummies thank you ever so much for being so brave and saving us from the nasty Huns!" How about that for a bit of sentimental poppycock!

But Troubles in our Valley were by no means over. We had coal and railway strikes which seriously affected our mills which depended so much on fuel and transport. In fact there was some unemployment again, a direct result of the strikes. Even the Co-op had a strike: Branch managers demanded £4 a week, were offered £3 5s, and settled for £3 15s!

Special Mention must be made of Mr John James Stead, of Albert Cottage, Union Road, who died on October 23rd, aged 78. He retired from the family's drysalter business at Valley Mills in 1900. But it is as a loyal and devoted Heckmondwikian that he is still remembered. He was a keen supporter of the Mechanics' Institute, when it functioned in a one storey building in Back Lane. He was an expert photographer, and most of the pictures of the town which have come down to us were the result of his dedication to his hobby. He was a founder member of the Bronte Society, the Heckmondwike Naturalists and Antiquarian Societies. Also the Spen Valley Literary and Scientific Society and the Yorkshire Archaelogical Society. He was a pillar of the United Methodist church, publishing a history of its life in our community from 1852 to 1902.

In November, Sir Thomas Whittaker, our Liberal MP died: he had been speaking in the constituency the previous week.

War Casualties. The deaths mentioned above were part of the normal life in any community. But the war had left many sad homes in our three townships, sadness which would not soon pass away. I will mention just two such homes, representative of so many more. Mr & Mrs William Simkin, of Joan Royd House, Heckmondwike, had three sons who all joined the army. They all obtained commissions and then, in one week, came news that two of them had been killed in action: the third son had been shot in the head and was in a serious state. Mr Simkin's brother Travers also lost his life. Details of the other family can be found on the memorial, and in the "In Memoriam" column of our local Herald: Walker. In loving memory of my three sons, Private Fred Walker, killed in action March 1st 1917, also Private Arthur Walker, killed in action April 9th 1917, also Private Harry Walker, killed in action May 8th 1918. From Mother, Brother and Sisters.

But life had to go on in our Valley. Kilburns' Tours started up with a day out to Harrogate and Knaresborough for 7s. As a young lad of seven, I remember being sent for fish and chips at Job Hemingway's fish shop in Kilpin Hill. He was a kindly man, who always gave youngsters a few chips to eat on the way home. At Christmas time, he had a barrel of oranges for us. He had a brother Reobath Hemingway, who kept a popular chiropodist's and shoe shop on Shaver Hill. There was a coal merchant, Noah Shaw, at Staincliffe, and we had a neighbour called Duke who had a brother named Earl. These names I find fascinating.

Condensed Milk. Mr J.W. Hillard and Alice Moseley of Wyke (who was assistant in his Scholes store) were up at Bradford Court for having sold a tin of condensed milk for 1s 4d when the price should have been 1s 2½d. Mr Hillard had actually paid 1s 4d per tin, and he produced an invoice, but a Government Emergency Order had said the price should be reduced. The case was dismissed on payment of costs. I should think so!

Songs of 1919. Jazz arrived, and folks were singing: How ya gonna keep 'em down on the farm, K-K-K-Katy, I'm forever blowing bubbles, and That old fashioned mother of mine.

1920

King George is now 55, and has been our King for 10 years. Lloyd George is Prime Minister of a Coalition Government. Income tax at 6s is high, but jobs are plentiful and wages relatively high. Conscription ended on April 30th. The United States started Prohibition, which stayed for 13 years. Baird demonstrates his radio vision. Our Communist Party is founded, and white lines appear on our roads. The Old Age Pension is now 10s. Hitler and Gandhi are in the news and the Olympic Games are held in Antwerp after a gap of eight years.

Local Election. Our member for many years, Sir T.P. Whittaker MP had died in December 1919 and on January 3rd we had an election in the Valley. Labour showed promise, and our local folks wanted a change. They returned a Labour member to Westminster:
Tom Myers (Labour)...11,962
Sir John Simon (Ind. Lib.)...10,244
Col. Fairfax (Coal. Lib.)...8,134
Labour majority of 1,718. Total votes, 30,340 out an electorate of 38,827...a 77% turnout.

The Maternity Home at "The Hollies," Cemetery Road, Heckmondwike, admitted its first patient in January.

More Job Vacancies. Tattersfields, Moorend Lane Mills, wanted blanket weavers and Jonathan Gomersall, up at Roundhill Mill, needed worsted hands. Heckmondwike Manufacturing Company wanted harness rug loom weavers, chenille setters, Brussels and Wilton weavers. George Street Chapel wanted a caretaker at £2 13s a week plus house, coal, gas and rates found. There was even a vacancy for a hand loom weaver, with accommodation for him worth 6s 3d a week!

The Food Control Committee snooped around to see what shopkeepers were charging. A case is quoted of a local greengrocer being fined £5 and whose daughter was fined 10s for charging 2s 3d for a rabbit which weighed 2lb 2ozs, without skin. The excess price was 5d, plus the skin, which seemingly should have been given to the customer.

Local Clubs. Membership at this time is interesting. Heckmondwike Back Lane had 1,100 members, Brighton Street 260, Heckmondwike Freemasons 72, Spen Victoria 700, Gomersal WM 420, Longfield 119, Heckmondwike Bowling 294, Norristhorpe WM 261, Hightown WM 486 and Liversedge Athletic 500. It was in these popular clubs that local men folk spent their leisure time, but I suspect that not many women enjoyed these facilities in 1920.

The Cleckheaton Philharmonic Society was an energetic body. In January 1920 we find them giving a "Grand Evening Concert" in aid of St. Sunstan's Hostel for blinded soldiers.

Mr Walter Allenby ACV (Diploma, College of Violinists, London) had vacancies for pupils. Application had to be made at the Picture Palace, Heckmondwike, where he led the small orchestra. He was a musician of quality, who must have given thousands of hours of pleasant music to patrons. He lived at Norristhorpe.

G.H. Kilburn & Sons were now in full swing with their "Ideal" coaches and charabancs. There was a circular tour via Nont Sarah's for 3s 6d, and 25s return to Blackpool for the Spen Valley Holidays.

Farrow's Bank went into liquidation in June, with a deficit of £2.8 million. About 100,000 small traders and local individuals lost all their money. It was a shattering event, which caused much suffering in our small community.

A Very Strange Strike was organised in January by the agents of the Pearl Assurance Company. They stopped collecting premiums. That is, all except Mr Rawden Clough of 9 Heaton Street, Cleckheaton. Pickets followed him around all day, as many as ten at a time, calling after him "Blackleg," "Skitting," and even "I would like to kill you!" One man shouted, "I'll throw you over the bloody wall." They boarded tram cars when he did, entered houses, where they shouted "Don't pay this man anything!" Two pickets were fined £2 each and costs, but the Spen Valley Trades and Labour Council put an advertisement in the local paper which read: "All Trade Unionists are requested to support the Pearl strikers by making no payments to Blacklegs!" The Trade Disputes Act of 1906 allowed "peaceful picketing," but this conduct seemed near to intimidation. And we had another coal strike, October 15th to November 4th.

Privies and Tipplers. I have always had a somewhat morbid and twisted interest in "things insanitary," which explains why I include what I think is interesting detail on the toilet facilities we had in the Spen Valley at this time! A report from the local medical officer of health produced the following: From 7,860 houses, there were 2,221 WCs, 614 'Tipplers' and 2,901 'Privies.' Then come 99 closets (box and pail). There were 2,000 wet ashpits, 481 dry ashpits and 1,546 bins. As a young lad I remember a rather naughty rhyme which went as follows:
"Neetsoil men turn out at ten,
They take their buckets and shovels with them,
In the middle of the night, they shovel the sh...,
And they cart it away in the morning."
This is very mild stuff by today's standards!

Children at this time were running around with a hoop, which they propelled along at speed. Girls had wooden hoops and a stick: boys sometimes had quite large metal hoops, which made a satisfying noise as the metal rod with a hook at the end helped the acceleration. We called them "bully bowls." And there was a wooden thing with extending crossed arms, with a feather at the end, with which you tickled the other kids. And what about the metal "bomb", in two pieces, at the end of a string. You put a cap between and it gave a joyous bang when you let it hit the ground. We had marbles and whips and tops, and I also remember a spinner which could be forced up a spiral metal rod. When it reached the top it could fly in all directions. What happy days, and we didn't need to put squibs in letterboxes. Just simple fun.

Songs of 1920: Alice Blue Gown, Swanee, Whispering. Films: The Kid (Jackie Coogan) and Perils of Pauline (Pearl White).