SKELTON - IN - CLEVELAND
IN HISTORY

1910

LOCAL INSURANCE.
THE SICK AND FUNERAL YEARLY BENEFIT SOCIETY.

This group, The Rectory Club, which holds it meetings in the Rectory Room, closed the annual accounts in more prosperous fashion than has been its fortune for some years.
The call on the Sick Fund, especially during the latter months has been only about a third of normal requirements and the same may be said of the Death Fund.
This enabled the Club, after all expenses, to return to Members a dividend of 10 shillings each and to carry forward to the Sick Fund £2 18s 10d, leaving the Death Fund at £29 - 11s - 9 1/2d and the Reserve Fund at £31 16s 7d.

4th January -
ANOTHER TRAMP ON THE TREADMILL.
John Jackson, of the tramping class, was today sentenced to a month's hard labour for begging at Skelton.

5th January -
NOISY NORTH SKELTON FOR TORY CANDIDATE.
The coming election saw the Conservative candidate for Cleveland, Mr James Windsor Lewis, receive a noisy crowd of youths outside the Institute.
Inside a packed audience gave him a fair hearing, but afterwards he was deluged with questions.
It was clear that the locals supported the Liberal People's Budget and he would not get their support on polling day.

6th January -
FOOTBALL - NORTH RIDING AMATEUR CUP DRAW.
Guisborough Crusaders v Skelton Celtic.
Redcar Celtic v New Skelton Rovers.
Moorsholm Albion v North Skelton.

7th January -
HIGH ST DESERTER.
John Sutherland Scott was charged with being a deserter from the 18th Hussars.
The previous night, he walked up to Police Constable Edmondson, who was on duty in Skelton High St and gave himself up. He was remanded to await an escort.

January -
HERRING SCHOOL SWITCH.
Parish Magazine -
Mrs Herring desires to thank all parents, friends and teachers for the beautiful gold pendant and chain, also half a dozen dessert spoons she has been presented with, on the occasion of her leaving the Skelton Infant School to undertake the charge of the school at North Skelton.
Skelton Infants School, 1910.
Only child identified is Hope Gott, second from the Left on second row from back.
[Photo kindly contributed by Hope's Grand Daughter, Barbara Dobby of Carlton Miniott, nr Thirsk, N Yorks. She also attended the School in 1959.]

15th January -
STALE-MATE GENERAL ELECTION.
Voting took place from now until 20th February. The country was in the midst of a constitutional crisis caused by the House of Lords rejecting Lloyd George's Peoples Budget.
The result was a hung Parliament. Arthur Balfour's Conservatives with their Liberal Unionist allies had most votes, but Herbert Asquith's Liberals had a majority of 2 seats.
Asquith formed a Government with the support of the Irish Party.
The Labour Party, led by Arthur Henderson, increased their seats from 29 to 40.
The local MP for Cleveland, Herbert Samuel, Liberal, retained his seat.
There would be another Election in December of this year.

GIRL GUIDES. This movement was started in 1910 by Lord Baden Powell and his sister.

4th February -
FIRST ELECTRIC STREET LIGHTS.
Placed in Skelton High St.

10th February -
FOOTBALL - NOT SO FREE KICKS.
A Carver of North Skelton Swifts and J Catron of New Skelton Rovers were reported for kicking each other. Carver was suspended for 14 days and Catron for a month.

10th February -
NORTH SKELTON SUICIDE IN MINE RESERVOIR.
Annie Taylor, aged 15 and a half, of Richard St, North Skelton was employed as a day girl in the village and last evening left the house where she was engaged apparently with the object of going home.
She did not do so and about midnight PC Hutchings was informed that she was missing. At 7 o'clock this morning he traced footprints in the direction of the Mine reservoir.
Dragging operations were commenced and about 2 hours later her body was recovered.
At an Inquest on the 21st in the Institute her father, James Taylor, a Miner, said his daughter was employed at the house of Mr John Lee, 10 Richard St.
He last saw her alive at 7.20, when he was coming down from the Institutue to his house. She was in Lee's yard talking to a young man.
She was a cheerful girl. He had never cautioned her about staying out at night for there was no need to. Mr Ada Lee told the Coroner that Annie had been with her since Christmas and was a bright girl. On Friday she left by the back door and there had been no reason to find fault with her work.
They were having a cup of tea, when Annie jumped up suddenly and left without saying 'Goodnight', as she usually did.
Alfred Brundrett, a Miner, who lodged with the Lee family said that he had spoken to Annie from time to time and last saw her in the back yard about 7 p.m and they had a friendly chat.
There was nothing that gave him any idea that she would do away with herself.
Mrs Bessie Young, of the sub post office at North Skelton, said she was cleaning the windows and saw Annie between 7.30 and 8 p.m and she appeared quite cheerful and spoke first to her.
Dr Thorney said he saw the body on Saturday morning. There were no marks of violence and death was due to drowning, which was the Coroner's verdict.

22nd February -
ANOTHER TRAMP JAILED.
Thomas Harrington, described as a tramping labourer, was before the Guisborough justices today on a charge of begging at Skelton. He was given 14 days hard labour.

22nd February -
SKELTON BRANCH OF THE RED CROSS FORMED.
Over 70 ladies enthusiastically assembled at the Drill Hall, Green Road, Skelton to assist in the formation of ambulance and nursing classes.
Mrs Wharton has been entrusted with the supervision of the East Cleveland district by the County Association and gave an address.
An instructive talk was given by Dr Wigfield, who will be in charge of the ladies classes, while Mr Thomas Varty, Park and Shaft Mine Manager, will run the Men's.

2nd March -
CHURCH LADS BRIGADE.
The Annual Concert in aid of the Skelton Brigade Camp Fund was held in the Institute. The Camp this year will be held at Bridlington in June.

4th March -
NORTH RIDING COUNTY ELECTION.
The result for the Skelton Division was Edward Hamilton, Mining Engineer - 777. N Teasdale, Mines Deputy - 306. T Coatsworth, Auctioneer - 199. Majority 471. Mr E Hamilton was the representative until 1931.

10th March -
CRUELLY TWISTED HORSE'S TONGUE.
Alexander Richardson, a horse driver at South Skelton Mines was charged with cruelty to a horse on the 4th.
Mr John Thompson, Manager for the owners Bolckow and Vaughan, prosecuted and said that Richardson yoked his horse to a couple of tubs to "back" them into a siding.
As the horse did not readily respond to "back", defendant got hold of its tongue in a fit of passion. He bagan twisting its tongue and to such an extent that it was horribly torn.
Mr James Forrest, a veterinary surgeon, stated that he found a lacerated wound under the tongue about 6 inches from the tip. It was half an inch deep and two inches long. The horse would not be able to work again for 10 days.
Mr Thompson said it was a shocking case and asked for a severe penalty to deter others.
Sir Alfred Pease said it was a question of whether they should commit him to prison, but nothing was previously known against his character so he would be fined £2 and costs or a months prison in default.

1st April -
AN APRIL FOOL STONE THROWER AT PARK PIT.
Allan Dunning, a youth engaged in Messrs Bell Brothers Skelton Park Pit, was charged by Mr Thomas Varty, manager, with throwing missiles.
Dunning had thrown a stone which caught another youth, named John Thomas Searle, under the Left eye and inflicted a serious injury that could easily have blinded him.
Dunning said there was no ill feeling between them and he had thrown the stone for a lark and Searle was not in sight when it left his hand.
The justices imposed a fine of 10 shillings.

3rd April -
GARDEN SPADE DRILLED AND NICKED.
William Bowers, a miner of North Skelton was charged with stealing a spade, worth 3 shillings, the property of W H Ringrose.
Ringrose said he missed the spade in October of last year and on Good Friday he saw it in Bower's possession in an allotment garden at North Skelton.
He identified it by drill marks, which he had made on it.
Bowers said that he had bought it at Guisborough and when he refused to give it up, Ringrose informed the Police.
PC Hutchings said that in his presence Bowers threatened to burst Ringrose's mouth and said the spade was his father's.
Mr Hoggett, for the defence, said defendant belonged to a very respectable family and had never appeared in Court. He called the father and 2 brothers to bear out what he said.
The Bench however decided to convict and fined Bowers 10 shillings.

7th April -
BACK LANE - BUY TO LET.
At the Wharton Arms Hotel Assembly Rooms, Skelton last night a public auction was held. Messrs Nixon Bros, Brotton bought for £650 five freehold dwelling houses and about an acre of land situated in Back Lane, Skelton. It was stated the gross annual rental was £50.

23rd April -
LONDON TRAMP IN SKELTON.
William Rogers, a tramp hailing from London was caught by PC Pickering begging in Skelton. He was sent to prison for a fortnight with hard labour.

28th April -
NEW HQ FOR SKELTON VOLUNTEERS REQUESTED.
The Officer Commanding the 4th Battalion of the Yorkshire Regiment applied for the provision of Headquarters for the Skelton G Company of the Battalion.
Colonel Wharton was asked to make inquiries as to a site, the result to be forwarded to the Army Council for consideration.
This was approved and a sub-committee formed to proceed.
A new Drill Hall would eventually be opened in 1913. It was converted, badly, into present day Marlborough Court sometime in the 1980s.
29th April -
BOOKIE ON A LOSER.
Thomas Porritt of Brotton, a bookmaker, was charged under the Street Betting Act, 1906.
Sgt Walker and PC Hutchings stated that on the "City and Suburban" day, Porritt was observed in Vaughan Street, North Skelton.
He was approached by several people who handed him betting slips. He made entries in a pocket book and evidently had a good day as out of £10 taken in bets only one person backed a winner.
Porritt said he was acting for a commission agent and did not make as much as the prosecutor made out.
As he had been convicted the previous year for a similar offence the Bench fined him £5.

5th May -
NEW SKELTONER'S CAPITAL ADVENTURES - UP FOR'T CUP.
George Carter, a Miner of New Skelton, arrived at King's Cross with the Cup-tie excursionists on Saturday week.
He and a friend entered the 'Victoria' public house, Pentonville Rd and began to converse with a group of Londoners, including Albert Aldridge, aged 21, of Bride St, Caledonian Rd.
Suddenly George saw his handkerchief leaving his pocket and found that his purse, which contained 30 shillings, had gone.
The thief made a bolt for the door, but George went out of a side door, where he met Albert and seized him.
George told the Clerkenwell Court that when he said to the man - "You've got my purse," the thief tried to strike him, "but, I meant sticking to him."
John Melbourne, another miner of Skelton, said that he saw his friend seize the prisoner and tell him he'd like to have a go at him - "meaning fight him, your Worship."
He went for the Police and PC Atkinson, 200G, took the man into custody.

7th May -
DEATH OF EDWARD VII.
Aged 68. "A chill, bronchitis, and heart failure were the three successive steps which in hours brought his all too short reign to an end.
....the flying of flags at half mast, the tolling of Church bells, the mourning garb of the people and the draped Churches and Chapels were evidence that Cleveland joined whole-heartedly in the great national tribute of sorrow for a well beloved ruler.
...only the blast furnaces and Ironstone Mines were working.
...at Skelton well attended services were held in the Parish Church and Chapels.
8th May -
SKELTON BECK POLLUTED.
Saltburn Council decided to serve notice upon the Skelton and Brotton Urban Council under the Rivers Pollution Act, with regard to ongoing pollution of the beck, which they alleged was being caused upstream in Skelton's area of responsibility.

13th May -
SKELTON SWORD DANCERS.
Whitby Gazette - A party of "Morris" dancers from Skelton visited Whitby on Saturday and went through the Sword Dance, usually associated with the local Plough Stots on Twelfth Day.
They were collecting on behalf of a benevolent fund, though a day of national bereavement was scarcely an appropriate one for such a performance.

[See page 70 of Skelton stories about local sword dancing in the 1900s.]

13th May -
MINE DEATH - STONE FALL.
Longacres Mine. Thomas Marshall, a miner aged 39,was killed.
"He was engaged in barring down some stone from the face when another large stone suddenly burst a-way from between two backs, and falling on him inflicted injuries, from which he died in a few hours."

17th June -
A FEW ROUNDS AFTER A FEW ROUNDS - AN ENGLISHMAN'S RIGHT.
James Robson and Walter Holden, both miners of North Skelton, were charged with being drunk and disorderly at North Skelton on the 4th.
PC Hutchings said defendants were drunk and fighting. He warned them off once, but they returned to it again.
Both men denied being drunk, but admitted having a few rounds and Holden contended that it was quite right to do so.
"What's the use of being an Englishman, if you are not allowed to fight ?", he queried, amidst laughter.
He was fined £1 and Robson ordered to pay the costs.


17th June -
FAR FETCHED RABBIT TRAP TRAPPED POACHER.
William Templeman, a horsedriver in the mines of North Skelton, was charged with stealing a spring rabbit trap, the property of Squire Wharton, at Kilton on the 8th.
F W Robinson, an underkeeper, saw Templeman near 'Merry's Whin', walking along the side of the fence in Mr Maughan's field.
He stopped and put down a trap on the grass, set it, covered it with grass and walked away.
Robinson went next morning and lay in wait near the trap. At about 6 o'clock Templeman came and took a rabbit out of the trap and then went towards Kilton.
Robinson went after him and when he was spotted, Templeman threw both the trap and rabbit away.
Templeman told the Police and the Court that he took the trap home and knowing that he had done wrong, took it back next day and put it near the place he had found it.
Sir Alfred Pease said if he ever appeared before them again, he hoped he would not tell them a far-fetched story like that.
Fined 10 shillings for pinching the trap and 9s 6d for trespassing in pursuit game.

20th June -
NORTH SKELTONER OVER THE CLIFF.
A North Skelton Miner, named Harry Leybourne, was severely injured about the head on Saturday through falling over the edge of the cliff near the viaduct between Skelton and Saltburn, whilst walking through the wood.
The cliff is of considerable height and only a few months ago a Saltburn Miner was killed by falling over it.
Leybourne was conveyed home after medical treatment and is progressing favourably.

24th June -
WATCH GIVES TWO MONTHS TIME.
Alfred Isaac Smallett, of Skelton, a watchmaker, was sent to prison for two months hard labour for stealing a gold watch, value £20, the property of F C Sowerby.
Smallett worked for Mr Sowerby and on the 17th went away. He tried to pawn the watch with a Middlesbrough pawnbroker, who, not being satisfied with his story, sent for the Police.
When handed over to Guisborough Police, Smallett admitted his guilt and said he wanted some money to go to Redcar races.

24th June -
WIFE AND FIVE CHILDREN IN THE WORKHOUSE.
W Ford Milner, an under Woodman, formerly employed at Skelton, was charged with deserting his wife, Elizabeth Jane Milner and family, leaving them chargeable to the Guisborough Union.
Mr Henry Newson, the Workhouse relieving Officer, explained that there were five children and that they became chargeable on the 9th.
Milner said that he now worked on an estate at Wetherby and that he left his wife because she got into bad company.
The Bench sent him to prison for one month and adjourned for a month an application for a separation order made by his wife.
At the next hearing Elizabeth said her husband left her after accusing her of being unfaithful, which she denied.
Milner said he would not go back if he was given her weight in gold for doing so and was prepared to agree to an order.
This was made for 6 shillings weekly, the wife to have custody of the children.
On the 23rd September Elizabeth applied for an increase on the ground that another child had been born since the order was granted.
Milner said that he was only a Woodman employed at Wetherby and only earned 20 shillings, out of which he paid 12 shillings for his board and lodgings and 6 shillings under the present order, leaving him with 2 shillings for clothes and other expenses.
Dr Stainthorpe on the Bench said the order could not be increased, but could be if Milner's earnings increased.
24th June -
MOTHER IN THE WORKHOUSE.
Walter Codling, a miner of North Skelton, was ordered to pay the arrears of £3 19s towards the maintenance of his mother, who is chargeable to the Guisborough Union.

1st July -
GARDENERS WORLD - BOTTLING LECTURE.
On Monday night the fourth of a course of five Lectures on Horticulture at Skelton was given by Mr Alfred Gaut of the University of Leeds.
The first part was held in the Institute on the subject of the bottling of fruits. After that they adjourned to the allotments near the Institute where practical hints on the cultivation of vegetable and cottage fruits were given.
The final lecture was given the following week in the grounds and gardens of Skelton Castle.

23rd July -
RAILWAY STRIKE STOPS MINES.
Practically the whole of the Cleveland miners, who were thrown idle through the railway strike resumed work today.
Skelton Park Pit is still not working.
Between 1910 and the start of the First World War in 1914 the Trades Union movement held a series of strikes which has been called 'the Great Labour Unrest'
3rd August -
OLD CHURCH FUND.
A Garden Fete and Bazaar was arranged by Mrs Wharton and held in the Castle Grounds.
The object was to provide funds for the preservation of our old Church and Churchyard.

5th August -
ANOTHER TRAMP ON THE TREADMILL.
William Armstrong, a tramp with previous convictions, was charged at Redcar today with begging at Skelton. He was sent to prison with hard labour for one month.

8th August -
SKELTONER CUT HIS THROAT IN A FIELD.
Henry Tate, a Mines Deputy of Skelton identified a body, which had been found in a field at West Auckland, as that of his brother, Richard, aged 26 and formerly of Skelton.
Richard was a Grocer's Assistant, but at the time was working as a traveller for Messrs Walter Wilson Ltd.
Henry told the court that he was not aware that his brother was in any trouble. He had fallen from his cycle at Richmond a year ago and 6 weeks ago again fell and injured his head.
Sgt Spoors said he examined the spot where Richard was lying and found an open cut-throat razor.
On the body he found 4 letters, written in pencil, one to Richard's, one to his mother and one each to two young ladies.
Verdict of 'suicide whilst temporarily insane', was recorded.

19th August -
POACHERS OR BRUSSEL SPROUT PROTECTORS ?
W Hindle and Walter Holden, both miners of Brotton and North Skelton, respectively were charged with a breach of the Poaching Prevention Act.
PC Edmonson and PC Pickering both stated that they were in the back of Richard Street, North Skelton at about 3 a.m. on the 10th, when they saw the accused coming over some allotment gardens near the railway.
Holden was caught and had a bag containing 9 rabbits. Hindle bolted and was not captured, but the Constables swore that it was him.
Holden pleaded for another chance, saying that it was not murder. The Police would be better employed looking after murderers, than catching fellows killing rabbits.
These rabbits destroyed his Brussels sprouts and small cabbages and somebody had to kill them. In some districts men were kept to kill rabbits and he did not see there was any harm in preventing them destroying garden produce.
Sir Alfred Pease said it was no ordinary case of poaching. Both men had been convicted over and over again and only been fined. It was a trade they pursued, taking all the risks.
They would each be fined £5 and costs or one months prison.
Holden said - "I will go down the line and have a rest."


Boilermen at Park Pit in 1910.

19th August -
LIBERAL POWER SHOW AT RUSHPOOL HALL WITH MUSIC.
The annual Cleveland Liberal Association will hold its annual demonstration at Rushpool Hall, where a great crowd is expected tomorrow.
Sir Joseph Walton, Bart, M.P., the owner of the Hall, will occupy the Chair at the speech making.
Mr Herbert Samuel, the Postmaster General and M.P. for the area will give an important address.
The Skelton Old Band will play selections throughout the afternoon.

2nd September -
MYSTERY 3 CARD TRICK AND INCONVENIENCED IN A CONVENIENCE.
Charles Cobbing, a bookmaker of North Skelton, was charged with street betting at North Skelton on the 23rd August.
Sgt Walker and PC Edmonson had him under observation and noticed him walking up and down the street, constantly going from the Bull's Head Hotel corner to a public convenience, accompanied by men.
He remained there a short time and each time he left he was putting a book in his pocket.
When apprehended he said - "We all have to be caught sometimes. Give me a chance."
He had in his possession the names of several horses running at the York meeting, several betting slips, a sporting paper, £12 1s 3d in money and several curious cards.
No one had been able to make out what the cards were for. Some were gummed together.
It looked like some refinement of the three card trick.
Cobbing admitted having a few slips on him, but no more than a dozen. He had picked up the mysterious cards at Stockton racecourse and did not know what they had been used for.
Fined �5, including costs and papers to be confiscated.

9th September -
NEW CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETY SHOP AT NORTH SKELTON.
The Loftus Co-operative Society have decided to erect Branch premises at North Skelton, where many of their members now live and presently trade at the Brotton Branch.
Opened 18th November 1911.



September - The Postcard above was stamped at North Skelton at this time.
At the 1901 census Mary A Kime was living at 43 Wharton St, North Skelton and had a 4 year old son, William H, who must have been the lad the message on the Card records the Doctor visiting.
The addressee is Miss Kime at a Doctor's address near Keighley.
You would think Mary's daughter, also Mary A and aged 11 in 1901, was very likely "in service", some 80 miles away, there.

15th September -
SUPERIOR POSTAL SYSTEM USED FOR A BETTING FRAUD.
Harry J Stannard, a 31 year old miner of East Terrace, Skelton, was charged under the Larceny Act with trying to obtain the sum of 16s 6d from Charles Cobbing, a North Skelton bookmaker, by virtue of a forged instrument -
namely a letter falsely purporting to be a postal packet in course of transmission by post.
Mr Preston, prosecuting, said that on the 11th June a letter addressed to Stannard was posted at Skelton Post Office between 10 a.m and 1.15 p.m.
All letters posted during this time would bear the letter "B". At 3.40 p.m a letter addressed in coloured pencil was delivered by Robert Knaggs, the Skelton postman to Stannard's house.
At about 7 p.m that same day J Sanderson, a postman employed at North Skelton had about 30 letters to deliver.
In accordance he tied them securely in a bundle and put them inside his pouch and did not remove it until he got right into North Skelton.
After he had started his delivery, Stannard accosted him and said - "Have you lost any letters, postman ?"
He produced a letter and Sanderson saw the address was "Mr Cobbing. in 13 Wharton Street, North Skelton in Cleveland, Yorkshire."
Knowing that Cobbing was a bookmaker and Stannard a betting man, he became suspicious and asked Stannard where he found it. On examining the envelope closely, the postman noticed the address was written in ink and underneath Cobbing's name he could make out "Stannard" written in pencil. "Please put me 1 shilling on "Flinders".
Any to come, all on "Duke's Sister". Please leave it with Mr Bunn. If there is anything to come. Nicholson, the Keeper."

Flinders won the 2 o'clock and Scotch Duke the 2.30 and as a result Stannard would have won 16s 6d, had not Cobbing's suspicions been aroused.
Edward Nicholson, an assistant gamekeeper was called to confirm that he did not write the slip and had no interest in the bets made.
Stannard admitted that it was his hand-writing and that he got the information on the winning horses from the newspaper at 6 p.m.
Prosecutor said he must have mistaken Duke's Sister for Scotch Duke in his hurry.
In reply to the charge he had said -
"I am one of them that did it. I shall not mention the others. I shall take all the blame myself."
He was committed for trial at the next York Assizes, bail being allowed.


Card with Skelton postmark sent from 58 Harker St, Skelton Green in 1910.

16th September -
MORE POACHING MINERS.
John R Lock and Joseph Thompson, both miners of Skelton, were each fined half-a-crown, 2s 6d, plus costs for having trespassed in a field in the occupation of Robert Young at Skelton on the 6th.

16th September -
SKELTON UNIVERSITY SCHOLARSHIP.
As a result of the examination held by the Joint Matriculation Board of the Northern Universities, the Board recommended the award of only 3 scholarships.
One of these was to Frank Wright Robinson, of 54 High St, Skelton, a scholar attending Guisborough Grammar School and tenable at the Liverpool or Manchester University.

23rd September -
YER CAN'T PUT YER MUCK IN OUR YARD.
Mary Ann Dobson, of Skelton, a married woman, was charged with assaulting Eliza Mary Scott, a neighbour at Skelton.
Eliza said that Mary threw some filth into her yard and she spoke to her about it, the latter struck her and put her on the ground. Ordered to pay the Court costs.

23rd September -
LEEKS ON THE RAILWAY.
Walter T Leeks, a North Skelton miner, was fined 7s 6d for trespassing on the Railway line at 'Merry Ghyll', near Kilton on the 1st.

14th October -
VOTES FOR WOMEN.
Last night the literary meeting of the Skelton Wesley Guild was held in the schoolroom, when before a very large company, a most interesting and instructive paper on "Women's Suffrage" was read by a Miss Stella Wallace.

21st October -
RED CROSS AWARDS.
It is expected that Sir Hugh and Lady Bell will be present tomorrow afternoon at the presentation of certificates to the members of the local detachment of the Red Cross Society in the Drill Hall, Green Rd, Skelton.
The North Riding of Yorkshire has had the honour of registering the first 4 detachments under the new scheme of the War Office.

29th October -
WESLEYAN METHODIST CHAPEL.
London Gazette.
"A Separate Building, duly certified for religious worship, named 'Wesleyan Methodist Chapel', situated at Skelton, in the civil parish of Skelton, in the county of York, North Riding, in Guisborough registration district, was, on the 28th October, 1910, registered for solemnizing marriages therein, pursuant to 6th and 7th Wm. IV, c. 85."

18th November -
CHEEKY TRAMP GIVEN A CHANCE.
John Thompson was charged for begging at North Skelton. PC Frankland said that he went from door to door and was impudent to people.
As there was no previous conviction against him, the Bench decided to give him another chance, but Dr Stainthorpe warned him that he would be sent to Northallerton Prison if he was found begging in the District again.

21st November -
SKELTON CO-OP OPENS NEW BRANCH PREMISES AT LINGDALE.
The opening of the new Lingdale premises of the Skelton Co-operative Society took place on Saturday afternoon.
Prior to the ceremony there was a large procession from Skelton. Mr Matthew Ranson of Boosbeck, the President of the Society performed the official opening, after which there was a public tea, followed by a Meeting and a Concert.
Skelton Co-op Branch at High Street, Lingdale.

J Windsor Lewis.

29th November -
GENERAL ELECTION CALLED - CANDIDATES AT SKELTON.
Mr Herbert Samuel, the sitting Liberal MP, and Mr Joseph Toyn, the Cleveland Miners Agent fired the first shots in the campaign at Skelton and North Skelton.
Crowded audiences received them with great enthusiasm.
A week later the Conservative & Unionist candidate, Mr James Windsor Lewis, also had a large crowd at North Skelton, but a large number of youths had gained admission and loud booing and shrill whistling was indulged in.
They declined to listen to one speaker, but Mr Lewis was given a better hearing.
Mr Edward Hamilton, Conservative County Councillor, discussed the question of Tariffs and pointed out that 75,000 tons of iron and steel was shipped from the Tees to Japan, one tenth of the total of foreign shipments and the Japs were about to introduce tariffs.

James Windsor Lewis was a well respected and loved Welsh landowner in Llwydcoed, Glamorgan, who had taken part in the Boer War.
In the First World War he had been in France for some time with the 1st Battalion of the Welch Guards when on the 6th June 1916 he was killed, aged 39.
He had just returned to billets near Ypres, after leading a section of men on some night work, when he was hit by a stray German shell and killed outright.
He is buried at Brandhoek Military Cemetery, Belgium.
19th December. -
GENERAL ELECTION DEADLOCK.
Parliament had been dissolved on November 29th and at the General Election little change resulted.
As in January of this year, the Conservatives had most votes but the Liberals had a majority of one seat.
Herbert Asquith, Liberal, again formed a Government with Irish support and remained Prime Minister until resigning in 1916.
Labour gained 2 more seats to reach 42.
Herbert Samuel, Liberal, won the local Cleveland seat and remained this area's MP until 1918.

20th December -
CHRISTMAS GIFTS FOR THE POOR AND AGED.
North Skelton claims to be the birthplace of the movemement in Cleveland of running fund raising events throughout the year to raise money for Christmas gifts.
This year over £70 was divided among 58 deserving people.
Parker Walker.

21st December -
FIDDLING COALMAN FINED AND GIVEN THE SACK.
Parker Walker, a coalman of Skelton, was charged with embezzling the sum of 17s 8d, the money of Robert Dunning, coal dealer, by whom he was employed.
Mrs Sedman of Skelton Green handed him the money for coal that she had purchased and he did not account for this to Mr Dunning.
When apprehended by Sgt Walker he said - "I got the money and spent it. I intended to pay it back afterwards."
Ordered to pay 21 shillings or go to prison for one month.
Pte Parker Walker was killed in action, aged 31, on the 19th April 1917, serving with the 9th Battalion of the Yorkshire Regiment. Memorial Page here..

22nd December -
THRIVING SKELTON TERRITORIALS.
There was a large audience at the Drill Hall, Green Rd, Skelton for the presentation of prizes to the G Company of the 4th Territorial Battalion of the Yorkshire Regiment.
The Company is drawn from Skelton, Lingdale, Boosbeck, Brotton, Carlin How, Loftus, Skinningrove, Marske and Saltburn and while the ordinary strength of a Territorial Company was 117, at Skelton they had 130 and next month were going to add 12 more, the maximum allowed by the War Office.

ANGLO-SAXON CEMETERY - During this year the Anglo Saxon cemetery at Hob Hill was excavated. [See page 2 for what was found.]

NEW HOUSES. 5 houses and a shop were built in Charlotte St, New Skelton.
10 houses were built for a Mrs Elliot in Boosbeck Rd.

Next Page - 1911.
Previous Page - 1909 Tradespeople.
Contents Page.