1924.
January 21st -
SOUTH SKELTON MINES started working again after headgear put up.
January 23rd -
RAMSAY MACDONALD BECAME FIRST LABOUR PM.
After a vote of no confidence Stanley Baldwin resigned as Prime Minister.
The leader of the largest opposition party, Ramsay Macdonald, was called on to form a minority Labour government, but Labour was unable to realise its more radical ambitions because of its reliance on Liberal support.
This helped Macdonald allay fears that a party representing the working class must be revolutionary, but disappointed many supporters on the Left.
February 1st -
NO WORK - MINERS NOTICES
Over 100 got their notices at South Skelton Mines and all men at North Skelton Mines.
February 14th.
SKELTON GROCER BANKRUPT.
Bousted, Frank, residing and carrying on business at 105, High-street, Skelton-in-Cleveland, in the county of York, Grocer.
Court Stockton on Tees. No. of Matter 33 of 1922. Trustee's Name, Address and Description Townsend, Charles Lucas, Official Receiver, 80, High-street, Stockton-on-Tees...
March 28th -
MINE MANAGER H Palmer, of North Skelton took over as Manager of South Skelton Mines.
May 8th -
SALTBURN PIER WRECKED -
|
Locals were shocked to hear that the Schooner "Ovenbeg" was driven onto the beach at Saltburn and by the 8th May it had wrecked itself and the Pier by smashing through it
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mary Ann Rooks. 1851-1930. Outside her home at 8 Thomas St, New Skelton in the 1920's. Victorian dress still the mode for older
ladies and note her strong, knarled, arthritic hands from a lifetime of hard work.
[Kindly contributed by her Grandson, Owen Rooks.]
|
May 4th -
SKELTON GREEN SUICIDE Mrs Readman of 55, Boosbeck Road Skelton, cut her throat.
LEAGUE AGAINST CRUEL SPORTS formed by Henry Amos, initially to oppose rabbit coursing.
8th July.
NORTH SKELTON GENERAL DEALER BANKRUPT.
COX, Randolph, residing at 47, Wharton-street, North Skelton, and carrying on business as a General Dealer at that address, and also as a Hairdresser, at 10, Queen-street, Redcar, both in the county of York.
Court at Stockton on Tees. No. of Matter 26 of 1923. Amount per 10d. First or Final, or otherwise First and Final. When Payable July 8 1924.
Where Payable 80, High-street, Stockton-on-Tees.
October 4th -
PARK PIT NOTICES A number of men finished work at Park Pit Skelton.
29th October -
GENERAL ELECTION - CONSERVATIVE LANDSLIDE.
This was the third general election to be held in less than 2 years.
Stanley Baldwin's Conservatives with 412 seats gained a large majority over Ramsay MacDonald's Labour with 151 and Asquith's Liberals with just 40.
It was thought that the fear of Socialism caused Labour's loss of 40 seats and persuaded many Liberal voters to defect to the Conservatives.
In Cleveland the Conservative, Sir Park Goff regained his seat from the Liberal, Sir Charles Walter Starmer. who now came third behind Labour.
|
1925.
1920's Poss Tub.
Latest Single Tub Washing Machine, as used by Elizabeth Harrison at 16
Trout Hall Lane, Skelton Green about this time.
|
Ethel Danby [nee Cook],
1920's Flapper.
Back Lane, Skelton home made style.
|
1920's Ironstone Miner.
Andrew Ward in SkeltonPark Pit.
|
Harrold Patton.
|
HAROLD PATTON - FIRST PETROL PUMP IN SKELTON.
It was opened in Holmebeck Rd, N Skelton by Mr Harold Patton, who, as seen by the gramophone needle tin and record shown here, was the new business opportunity spotter of the day with
also a shop for cycles and the hand cranked gramophone at 74 High St.
January 24th -
RAILWAY ACCIDENT - William Simpson of Hobdale, got knocked down by an engine on the line at Priestcrofts under the bridge.
February 28th -
TO THE WORKHOUSE - Geo. Smith of Trout Hall Lane was taken to the Guisborough Union Workhouse.
March 4th -
MINE INJURY - Walter Simons was injured at South Skelton Mines.
|
28th April -
CHURCHILL AS CHANCELLOR RETURNS BRITAIN TO THE 'GOLD STANDARD'.
In his first budget as Chancellor of the Exchequer, Winston Churchill returned Britain to its pre-1914 monetary system, whereby sterling was fixed at a price reflecting the country's gold reserves.
The move resulted in massive deflation and over-valuing of the pound.
This made British manufacturing industries uncompetitive, which in turn exacerbated the massive economic problems Britain was to face in the 1930s.
|
Gramophone Needles.
|
24th June -
SKELTON BAKERS & CONFECTIONERS BANKRUPT.
No. 2,468. Balls, Charles Oswald, residing at 121, High-street, Skelton, in the county of York, and Georgeson, William, residing at 51, Boosbeck-road, Skelton aforesaid, and carrying on business together under
the firm or style of "Georgeson and Balls" at The East Cleveland Bakery, in Boosbeck-road, Skelton aforesaid. Bakers and Confectioners.
Court Stockton on Tees. Date of Filing Petition June 24. 1925. Whether Debtor's or Creditor's Petition - Debtor's.
PENSIONS ACT. Winston Churchill started a contributory pension scheme for male manual workers who earned less than £250 per annum. It paid 10 shillings per week from the age of 65.
|
|
TELEVISION DEMONSTRATED. - John Logie Baird televises an image of the human face, but it was not until after the Second War that TV sets became widely available.
CHARLESTON dance craze took Britain by storm.
NORTH SKELTON MINE SHUT DOWN - HARDSHIP - from May until end of 1926.
The general world depression had caused the demand for iron and steel to fall away and work was hard to get.
It is said miners for some time living within earshot of the pit listened out for a hooter.
If it was sounded once they could go to work and if twice stop at home.
Squire Wharton of Skelton Castle marked certain trees on his estate for felling, which the local people could use as fire wood.
NORTH RIDING COUNCIL ELECTION. Thomas Coatsworth was elected to the North Riding of Yorkshire County Council for Skelton South and served until 1928.
December -
DEATH OF JACK APPLETON. A muffled peal remembered a devoted bell-ringer of over 20 years service at Skelton and Saltburn.
|
1926.
|
February 24th -
DEATH OF ELIZABETH [BESSIE] WHARTON.
Elizabeth Sophia Mytton Wharton [nee Harrison and born 12 Nov 1854 at Forden, Montgomery, Wales], at the age of 71.
She was the second wife of W H A Wharton of Skelton Castle. Buried in the Castle grounds behind the Old Church.
WHARTON SHIELD.
This was awarded to Richard Wright of 21 Charlotte Street, New Skelton. He was born about 1891 in Lingdale and lived there at 22 High St before moving to Skelton.
Many of his descendants still live in the area. The Wharton Shield seems to have been awarded to First Aid Teams on the Railways.
[Photograph kindly donated by his Great Granddaughter Louise Wright of Guisborough, N Yorks.]
|
|
May 3rd -
GENERAL STRIKE.
British industry depended on coal. During the First War the Mines were nationalised and wages grew. In 1921 Lloyd George returned them to private ownership.
Coal became too expensive and Britain had lost many of its export markets during the War.
The Mine owners sought to lower wages and increase hours. The Government sought compromise and appointed our Cleveland MP, Sir Herbert Samuel to head a Commission.
It recommended a cut in wages, but not more hours.
The Trades Union Congress headed by Ernest Bevin ordered a strike.
1.7 million workers in the Mines, Transport and other heavy industry stopped work.
The Government maintained essential services and after 9 days the TUC gave up in defeat.
Miners did not gain anything, the Union movement was left with a bad public reputation with many, but in 1929 the Labour Party won more seats than any other Party.
Silver Medal won by players of Skelton Church Football Club in season 1926/27.
[Photograph kindly donated by Alan Ward, son of F Ward.]
|
|
SKELTON OLD CHURCH BELL IN THE VICTORIA AND ALBERT MUSEUM.
The image and following information has been kindly contributed by Howard Wilson, Skelton History Society.
Photograph of one of the Old All Saints Church bells in storage at the Victoria and Albert Museum.
The other one is on display in Skelton Parish Church in the High Street.
The following is an extract from the Victoria and Albert Museum Review of the Principal Acquisitions during the year 1925.
An English church bell of the 13th C. of any size is a rare object, and the opportunity of acquiring one at the melting down price (scrap value) was gladly seized.
The bell, one of two mediaeval bells formerly at the old Church in Skelton-in-Cleveland, Yorkshire, is of extreme interest as an example of early bell-founding in this country, its date being put by the expert authority, Mr H. B. Walters,
at about 1230-50.
In perfect condition, it is quite plain and in shape considerably slenderer than bells of a more familiar type.
Its height is 4 feet 3 inches.
|
|
