SKELTON - IN - CLEVELAND
IN HISTORY


1881.

Population growth in Skelton due to the effect of opening ironstone mines and health improvements.

NEW CHURCH IN HIGH STREET STARTED - to a design by R J Johnson of Newcastle. It would be completed in 1984.

3rd January -
SKELTON SOCIETY FOR THE PROSECUTION OF FELONS.
This society, which has been in existence for 93 years, held their annual dinner on Friday at the Old Royal George Inn, Skelton, when a large number of persons sat down to a splendid dinner provided by Mr Noah House. Mr J Dixon was in the Chair.

7th January. -
FATAL BLASTING AT MINE.
Thomas Hart , a Miner aged 51, was stemming a hole at Long Acres Mine and had got twelve inches of 'stemming' on the charge of powder, when by some means the charge exploded, killing him.
His mate Harland was injured.
An inquest was held at the Wharton Arms, Skelton by the Coroner, Mr A Buchanan.
11th January -
LONELY FERRET.
Robert Henderson and David Harness were charged by a farmer, named Andrew, with trespassing in pursuit of game on land belonging to Mr J T Wharton at Skelton on the 25th.
Mr Andrew said that about 3 in the afternoon he went out for a walk and found the two defendants standing against a rabbit hole.
He examined the hole and found a ferret in it.
Defendants pleaded not guilty, one of them saying that his attention was called to the spot by some one breaking down a holly bush and he saw him walk away.
Case dismissed.

14th January -
SKELTON COFFEE PALACE - BAGATELLE.
An important addition has recently been made to the various amusements at the Skelton Coffee Palace in the shape of a new bagatelle table, which has been presented by J T Wharton Esq at a cost of �20.
The rooms were opened some 2 years ago to meet a "felt want".
Refreshments are supplied at cheap rates.
There is a smoke room, chess, draught and dominoes and a well-supplied Reading room.
There is also a covered shed for quoit playing, which is lighted with gas every evening.
We are sorry to learn that so far the scheme has been financially a failure.
Cleveland ironstone mine output. Nothing in 1850 to one and a quarter million tons 1877.
The drop in output between 1877 and 1881 was due to lack of demand for ironstone throughout the industry.

2nd February -
SNOWBALLING DRUNK.
Thomas Vintres was charged by Inspector R Clarkson with being drunk and riotous on the 22nd in Vaughan St, North Skelton.
PC Calvert said defendant was swearing and wanted to fight.
Defendant said the whole affair arose out of snowballing and he was sorry.
It was his first time before the Bench and he would take care that it was the last. Fined 5 shillings and costs.

7th Feb. -
MAN KILLED ON THE RAILWAY AT SKELTON.
"A melancholy accident happened on the railway at North Skelton on Saturday night.
An old man [he was aged 65] named Zachariah Wilson, a joiner employed at the North Skelton mines, had been to Middlesbrough and had come back by train to Saltburn.
Instead of coming back from Saltburn to his home at North Skelton by the turnpike road, he had gone part of the way on the railway line.
He had got to the junction at North Skelton, where he was met by the excursion train from Middlesbrough.
His foot was taken off by the ankle and legs otherwise mutilated.
He died this morning from the injuries received.
He was found on the line by PC Calvert and his own son-in-law, Robert Bean."

Skelton did not have its own station until July 1902.
People had to travel, usually walk, around two miles to either Saltburn or Boosbeck to catch a train at this time.

9th Feb.
INQUEST.
An inquest was held at the Bull's Head Inn, North Skelton before Mr William Robinson, Deputy Coroner, touching the death Zachariah Wilson, who died from injuries received on Saturday last by being run over by the return trip train from Loftus.
Inspector Dobbie watched the case on behalf of the North Eastern Railway Company. A verdict of accidental death was returned.



Priestcroft Junction, Here the Railway line from Middlesbrough via Saltburn met the line from Middlesbrough via Guisborough, Boosbeck. There was also a spur line off to North Skelton ironstone mine. The fatal accident on the 6th Feb 1881 occurred close by.

14th February -
WEEKLY MARKET FOR SKELTON.
Letter to Editor of Northern Echo.
Gentlemen,
Some centuries ago Skelton had its weekly market, when there would not be a third of the people in the Parish there are in it now.
I am glad to see that the Chairman of our local Board is moving in the matter.
I hope every member and ratepayer will give him their cordial support.
We are 4 miles from the nearest market and it is high time that we had one.
I understand our worthy Squire is willing to concede the Green, which can at an easy cost be made to answer the purpose contemplated.
Yours truly,
An Old Miner.

15th February -
DRUNK POLICE ASSAULT.
3 brothers, Henry, James and Thomas Mitchinson and Daniel Collingwood were charged with being drunk and disorderly and assaulting the poice at Skelton on the 12th.
PC Brough said that whilst trying to apprehend Henry, the other 3 came up and tried to release him.
Thomas said, "Let the b------ have it." They then ill-used him, knocked him down and kicked him. Fined £2 and costs or a months hard labour.

15th February -
ASSAULT WITH AN IRON 'SPRAG'.
John Plummer, a Horse driver at Skelton Park Mines was charged by John Harbottle, Manager with fighting in the mine on the 28th January.
J Jackson, a "dog-whipper" said that Plummer had taken 2 wagons more than he should have done.
He remonstrated with him and brought a horse to take the wagons away, but Plummer pulled them over a pair of points to prevent him doing so.
A disturbance took place and defendant kicked Jackson, who then went for the overman.
When he returned 2 men were leading Joseph Mallet away.
Plummer was further charged with malicious wounding and Daniel Crawford gave evidence that he had hit Mallet with a sprag [heavy metal bar that the horse-drivers used to jam the wheels of an ironstone tub to stop it moving].
Sergt Dickinson said he arrested Plummer who said "It is a bad job, but he should have let me be."
The wounded man was insensible and the doctor unable to give the extent of his injuries. Case was adjourned and bail not allowed.
At the next hearing Joseph Mallet said the "dog whipper" sent him to get the two wagons back.
On the way he met a man named Butcher and the prisoner.
Butcher struck a boy named Breckon and he remonstrated with him, when another boy named Turner picked up a piece of ironstone and threatened to fell witness.
Whilst talking to Turner, the prisoner came up behind him and said "Jackson has hit me and I will fell you for it."
He was hit from behind on the head and knew no more.
Case was reduced to common assault and Plummer sentenced to 1 month hard labour.
[The 1865 Prison Act had sought to make prison a place not to go back to. Sleeping on boards, extremely plain food, and long hours of work at repetitive tasks.
The Treadmill and Crank were not abolished until 1898. - "hard bed, hard board, hard labour."]

15th March. -
SKELTON SHOEMAKER BANKRUPT.
In the Matter of a Special Resolution for Liquidation by Arrangement of the affairs of Thomas Lowe, of Skelton, in Cleveland, in the county of York, Shoemaker and Shoe Dealer.
The creditors of the above-named Thomas Lowe who have not already proved their debts, are required, on or before the 29th day of March, 1881, to send their names and addresses, and tbe particulars of their debts or claims, to me, the undersigned, George Edmund Pybus, of Stockton-on-Tees, Chartered Accountant, the Trustee under the liquidation, or in default thereof they will be excluded from the benefit of the Dividend proposed to be declared.....
25th March -
SALLY ANN.
The members of the Salvation Army in Cleveland are extending their operations.
At Brotton they have taken over the old Primitive Methodist Chapel. Stations have also been opened at Lingdale, Skelton Green, Skelton and on Sunday a place will be opened at Saltburn.
A large number of "rough diamonds" have joined the Army.

7th April -
PINCHED HALF A CROWN. [12.5p]
William Bower, age 16, a labourer, was charged at Northallerton Quarter Sessions with stealing half-a-crown from William George Tate, at Skelton-in-Cleveland, ou the 30th March.
He pleaded guilty, and was sentenced to four months' imprisonment with hard labour.

16th April -
NORTH SKELTON READING ROOM.
A Concert was given in Mr Horn's Assembly Room in aid of the above institution which has recently been established.
Glees, duets,songs and readings were efficiently rendered by a fairly good audience.

18th April -
FATAL ACCIDENT AT MINE.
John [George] Bringloe, a Miner, aged 36, at Bell Bros Park Pit Mines, Skelton met with a shocking accident on Saturday last.
The poor fellow was in the act of "barring" some stone, when by some means the timber overhead fell upon him.
He was immediately taken up and restoratives administered to him, but he died before they could get him out of the pit.
He leaves a wife and family.

20th April -
TEMPLE DAMAGE.
Hannah Temple, a married woman, was yesterday at the Guisborough Petty Sessions, ordered to pay 1 shilling and the costs for wilfully damaging a door belonging to Joseph Wright, at Skelton on the 18th.
21st April -
NATIONAL CENSUS.
The Marske Registration district was divided into 23 enumeration districts.
Returns for the 7 civil parishes within the district were.:-
Skelton Parish, 7821 - increase since 1871 5,260.
Marske [including Saltburn which has a population of 1646] 5113 - increase of 1182.
Kirkleatham, 3898 - increase 1969.
Redcar, 2297 - increase 561.
Wilton, 1292 - increase 164.
Stanghow, 1162 - increase 561.
Upleatham, 488 - decrease 42.
The total population of the district was 22071 - increase of 10130.
The national population was estimated at 26 million.
Skelton's 7821 [including Lingdale, Boosbeck, N Skelton] was made up of 4224 males and 3596 females.
There were 1433 inhabited houses with 263 being built or vacant.
Guisborough Workhouse had some 120 inmates including two people registered from Skelton.
John Elcoat, widower, Agricultural Labourer, imbecile, age 58.
and Thomas Hepton, General Labourer, age 64.
At the other end of the social scale 'The Mount Girls Boarding School' at Darlington registered "Martha Petch, Boarder under 15,Skelton, York, England."
In the last ten years the number of houses and people had trebled and in last 40 years had multiplied tenfold.
The total population of Skelton, Skelton Green, North Skelton and New Skelton was 4791,
Of these 955 worked in the Ironstone mines.
These 955 miners included 48 boys aged 15 or under and 10 of them aged just 13.
One 10 year old was working as a "trapper boy".
300 gave Durham as their place of birth, 234 Norfolk, 129 Devon Cornwall, 106 Lincolnshire, 65 Northumberland and 64 Suffolk.
There were only 4 people aged over 80.
The oldest woman was Anne Steel, age 87.
The oldest man was retired Plumber, William Gowland aged 80.
21 men gave their occupation as boot/shoe maker or cordwainer [the old name for the trade.]
25 people were registered as school teachers/pupil teachers.
There were 34 dressmakers/seamstresses.
Somewhere near present day Elliot Street there was an Albert Hall and a Brewery with 18 houses in Brewery Terrace.

30th April -
SWINDLER.
John Woodward, a miner of Lingdale and employed as a back overman at South Skelton Mine was charged with obtaining £2 15s 3d from his employers.
He was suspected of carrying on a system of swindling by making out pay notes for men who did not exist.
Remanded and bailed on two sureties of £100.

7th May -
CURATE.
Henry Reginald Nichols M.A. was appointed to the Curacy of Skelton in Cleveland.

25th May. -
FIRST MINERS DEMONSTRATION.
A local miner records that there was a - "First demonstration held at Boosbeck, speakers were Mr.A.McDonald, M.P., F. Burt, M.P., Charles Bradlaugh, M.P."

3rd June -
EXPENSIVE BRIDGE.
The Surveyor recommended that the Home Beck footbridge, which was swept away during last winter should be replaced.
It would be greatly utilised when the Board Schools were opened.
He suggested a more substantial bridge at a cost of £7, but the Local Board opted to replace the one destroyed for £2.

3rd June -
WELL UNWELL.
The Medical Officer reported to the local board that Well Number 20 on Boosbeck Rd, Skelton Green had water that was turbid and had an unpleasant smell.
The total solids were in excess and the albuminoid ammonia more than should exist in a passable water.
It was undoubtedly subject to sewage contamination and unsafe.
Orders were made for its closure.

8th June. -
ROAD AND BRIDGE MAINTENANCE.
At the Guisborough Highways Board it was resolved to ask for £8 for the repair of the bridges at Waupley, Skelton Ellars and Upleatham.
A letter had been sent to Lord Zetland asking him to present it to a Highways Committee that was then sitting in the House of Lords.:-
"That whereas under the present Poor Laws, Rural Districts are compelled to contribute towards a common fund for the maintenance of paupers, most of whom belong to the towns and larger villages in the Unions and whereas in the ending March 25th 1880, upwards of �9,000 was expended from this said common fund in this Union of Guisborough______
Highways can be more economically maintained under Highways Boards instead of under parochial management."


15th June -
PARENTS FINED.
Thomas Laws, John Simpson, William Somhouse, Cuthbert Taylor, John Pinkney, Joseph Codd and William Lowe, all of Skelton and North Skelton were prosecuted for not sending their children to school.
Mr Marshall, the Warden to the School Board said that each one had been served with 2 notices in accordance with the Education Act. 6 defendants were fined 5 shillings and another 2s 6d.

17th June -
TRAMP DEAD.
An unknown tramp aged about 48 was buried in Skelton Churchyard. He had been found in a field at Moorsholm.
There were no marks of violence and he had several pawn tickets in his pockets for articles pledged in the name of a woman called Thompson.

18th June -
TRUANTS.
Letter to local Gazette. "In the Skelton and Stanghow district one quarter of the children do not attend school and in some parts of this locality fully one half are absentees. Boys from 10 to 13 years of age are wandering about doing endless mischief to the ratepayers when these unfortunate individuals have to contribute nearly one shilling in the pound to uphold the law for the education of the people."

20th June -
RIFLE VOLUNTEERS ANNUAL CAMP.
The 1st North York Rifle Volunteers arrived at Redcar on Saturday for 8 days training and are encamped on the race-course.
They have come in from Northallerton, Richmond, Bedale, Catterick, Wensleydale, Reeth, Guisbrough, Skelton and Stokesley.
There are 700 men altogether in Camp.
On Sunday the marched from the race-course to Christ Church, Coatham.

21st June -
DAMAGE BY BOYS AT PIT.
At Guisborough Police Court 5 boys from Skelton, Thomas Smith, James Baxter, William Baxter, Arthur Cole and William Ceall were summoned for damaging a lock and certain cartridge cases at Skelton Park Pit.
William Barker, a gamekeeper for Skelton Castle said he knew all the lads, who ran off.
He found a pointed stake and a piece of slag that had been used to force the door to a disused powder magazine.
It appears the boys were after birds nests.
The lads admitted entering the building, but denied smashing the door. Case dismissed.

28th June -
PINCHING CLOTHES.
Mary Ann Cawes was remanded on the 23rd on a charge of stealing a quantity of wearing apparel, the property of Jane Anderson, a widow who lives in Dixon's Yard, Skelton.
The Police have recovered a good part of the property.

1st July -
VOLUNTEERS - The Local Volunteers name was changed to the 1st Yorkshire North Riding Rifle Volunteer Corps.

12th July -
PRIMITIVE METHODIST CHAPEL, NORTH SKELTON.
The foundation stone of the new chapel was laid on Monday by the Manager of North Skelton Mine, Mr George Robinson.
Memorial bricks were laid by other people, who placed a donation on them.
This was situated on the corner opposite where the C of E Church would be built and now converted into dwellings.
The Loftus Advertiser reported that this "iron chapel" was paid for by the local mine owners Bolckow and Vaughan.
The building will be of galvanised iron on brick and constructed by Messrs Sanderson of London.
It will cost about £350 and seat about 250.
The ceremony was followed by tea in a tent provided by the Society to which about 300 sat down.

North Skelton Primitive Methodist Chapel
Built 1881.



North Skelton from 1894 OS Map.
Note water tap stands outside the houses.

14th July -
PRIVATE SCHOOL.
It was suggested at the School Board that a private school that had been opened by a Mr Carr, late of Guisborough, could be affecting the attendance at the Board schools.

15th July. -
GENERAL DEALER BANKRUPT.
In the Matter of Proceedings for Liquidation by Arrangement or Composition with Creditors, instituted by William Stokoe, of North Skelton, in the county of York,General Dealer. Notice is hereby given, that a First General Meeting of the creditors of the above-named person has been summoned to be held at the offices of the South Durham and North Yorkshire Wholesale Traders' Association Limited, 134, High-street, Stockton-on-Tees, in the county of Durham, on the 30th day of July, 1881, at eleven o'clock in the forenoon precisely......

18th July -
NEW ROAD GIFT.
On Saturday last Mr John Thomas Wharton of Skelton Castle gave to the Skelton Local Board the very handsome sum of £2,000 for the purpose of making a new road from New to North Skelton.
The present road is in a most deplorable condition and debatable whether it could have been made much better with repairs. It will be a great boon to the whole Cleveland district.

20th July. -
SKELTON AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY'S SHOW.
The fifth annual show of the above Society was held on Tuesday in a field pleasantly situated at Skelton belonging to J T Wharton Esq, Skelton Castle.
The weather in the morning, although favourable to agriculturists, was unfavourable for the show, for until noon there was an almost continual downpour of rain, which kept away a large number of intending visitors.
The number of entries was about the same as last year, but the quality of the various animals exhibited was considered to be a great deal better, especially in the class for cart mares, for which there were 16 splendid entries.
The foals were also an excellent class; indeed the horse department we have never seen better representated at shows of much larger pretensions.
There was not a large entry of cattle, but those shown were all of very good quality. The poultry was also exceedingly good and an improvement on past years.
Dairy produce was thoroughly in keeping with the other exhibits and although there was not a great show the exhibits were exceedingly fine, especially the tray of fancy devices.

30th July -
STREET IMPROVEMENTS AND SEWERAGE ON TICK FOR 10 YEARS.
Major Tulloch, a Local Government Board Inspector held an inquiry at Skelton yesterday with respect to the application of the Local Board of Health for sanction to borrow £1,500 for works of sewerage and £3,300 for works of general street improvements.
Mr Tuck of Boosbeck, on behalf of the property owners said that they considered that the proposed outlay was entirely unnecessary.
There were grave doubts whether there would not be subsidence of the land on which the houses stood, as the ironstone was being taken out.
Mr E Hamilton asked to allow the Board to repay the loan over a space of 10 years.
2nd August -
SPEEDING ON THE BEACH.
John Cummings of North Skelton was charged with furiously driving a pony upon a certain highway - the sands at Redcar.
The Magistrates did not consider the sands proved to be a highway within the meaning of the Act.

5th August -
VANDALISM.
The Surveyor, Mr Downie, reported to the Local Board that great damage was continually being done by boys and others to the property of the Board throughout the District.
It was agreen to issue notices calling attention to the destruction and setting forth that the police had instructions to prosecute any offender.

12th August -
OLD MAWERS SCHOOL SOLD.
Thomas Mawer, who died in 1773, left 20 pounds for the education of the poor of Skelton.
4 to 6 Green Road had been purchased for this purpose. See plaque in old Church on page for this year.
Tenders for the purchase of the old School were laid before the School Board and Mr Martin Robinson's £81 was accepted, subject to the approval of the Education Department.

17th August. -
CHILD KILLED AT PIT.
Anthony William Harwood, age 8, was buried in Skelton Churchyard.
Killed in Fogga, North Skelton pit by being crushed between the buffers of some mineral trucks.

2nd September -
NO TELEGRAPH.
Mr Edward Hamilton called the attention of the Local Board to inconvenience to the inhabitants caused by the fact of their being no telegraphic communication at Skelton and moved to memorialise the Postmaster General at an early date.

8th September -
NORTH SKELTON INFANT SCHOOL 50 YR MORTGAGE.
At a meeting of the Skelton School Board the Clerk, Mr Bradley, reported that the plans had been approved for the North Skelton Infant School and that application had been made to the Loan Society to borrow the sum of £580.
The usual questions being read, it was resolved as in previous cases that the payment of the loan extend over 50 years.

13th September -
DRUNKS TRAP INJURED.
George Chippenton was charged by PC Edwards with being drunk whilst in charge of a horse at Skelton on the 30th.
He observed the defendant with 2 others drunk in charge of a horse and trap.
He allowed them to proceed on their journey, but shortly after his attention was called to a trap which had been upset on the road side.
At the spot he found the occupants, Chippenton, his brother and a young woman lying on the road drunk and seriously injured.
Fined 5 shillings and costs and James Chippenton and E Saunders fined the same for being drunk.
17th September -
ENGINEERS AT PARK PIT.
At the invitation of Messrs Bell Bros the members of the Institute of Mining and Mechanical Engineers, Newcastle visited the ironstone mines of the firm in Cleveland.
Little more than 2 hours run brought the party from Newcastle via Darlington, Middlesbrough and Guisborough to Skelton Park Pit.
They were shown the method in operation for winning ironstone by Mr W Walker's patent rotatory drill.
There are 2 or 3 kinds of drills in use in the Cleveland mines and Mr Walker's is a rotatory spiral drill driven by a pair of small engines worked by compressed air.
They saw the drill make a hole 4 feet 6 inches into the ironstone in 2 and a half minutes whilst the air pressure amounted to 40lbs per sq inch.
The party then proceeded to Lumpsey where 2 shafts of nearly 600 feet are being sunk.

20th September -
MINE ACCIDENT - ARM OFF.
On Monday John Husband, aged 19, employed at Messrs Bell Bros Skelton Park Pit met with a serious accident.
He was driving some waggons in the Mines when he slipped and fell in front of them.
The wheels passed over his arm, nearly severing it.
He was removed to the Miners Hospital, Guisborough and attended by Dr Merryweather.

21st September -
RIFLE VOLUNTEERS.
On Tuesday the 1st North Riding of Yorkshire Rifle Volunteers held their Annual competition for the cup and money prizes at the Park Range, Skelton.
Wimbledon targets and regulations.
5 shots at each target with distances of 200, 500 and 600 yards.
After the prize giving the men sat down to a substantial dinner at the Wharton Arms Hotel, Skelton.
11th October -
W. H. A. WHARTON COMING OF AGE.
The coming of age of Mr William Henry Anthony Wharton, heir to the Skelton and Gilling Estates, was celebrated with much rejoicing on Monday afternoon and evening at Skelton.
It was the Rent day of the tenantry and to mark the liberality they had shown in the shape of gifts to his son on the occasion of his coming of age Mr J T Wharton gave a recherche dinner to all the subscribers.
The dinner was held in the Concert Hall of the Wharton Arms Hotel and the repast reflected the greatest credit on the host, Mr William Maughan.
The room was beautifully decorated with stars and festoons of evergreens, relieved with bannerets and at the head of the table the various presents to the young squire were exhibited.
These consisted of a charmingly designed silver cup, valued at £100, the gift of the tenants of the Skelton Estate, purchased from Messrs Dobson and Sons, Piccadilly, London; Silver flask, spurs and hunting whip, by the tenants of the Gilling Estate; Sword in silver scabbard by the G Company [Skelton] 1st North York Rifle Volunteers; four in hand whip, silver mounted, by the servants of Skelton Castle; Silver hunting horn by the workpeople on the Skelton Estate; Carved inkstand made of oak grown near Skelton Castle, silver mounted by Mr Geo Harrison of Guisborough.

30th October -
BLOODY POACHING AFFRAY.
At Guisborough Police Court 5 miners, George Hardy, Clay Purdy, William Baxter, Charles Mayes and Charles Bright belonging to Charltons Houses and Boosbeck were charged with night poaching on land owned by Squire Wharton at Skelton.
William Pennington, gamekeeper was watching with the under gamekeeper and PC Brough.
Shortly after 8 o'clock and they saw the prisoners prowling about in a suspicious manner and going through 'Park Wood'.
Mayes who was in the rear turned and attempted to hit him with a bludgeon.
He warded off the blow and caught hold of him to recognise later.
On getting out of the wood he saw the under keeper and PC Brough being attacked with stones and bludgeons.
He ran to assist and the prisoners made off leaving the policeman seriously injured.
Next morning he found stones covered in blood, bludgeons and nets.
William Barker the under-keeper corroborated and showed his arm which had been shockingly injured.
Supt Clarkson said PC Brough would not be fit to appear for a week and the prisoners were remanded until then.

19th November -
SKELTON MANOR COURT.
The Court Leet and Court Baron of Mr J T Wharton, Lord of the Manor of Skelton, was held yesterday at the Wharton Arms Hotel, Skelton, before Mr W C Trevor of Guisbrough, the steward of the Manor.
Mr D T Petch, who for some years has been the foreman of the jury was prevented from attending.
After the jury were sworn, the court rolls were called over and the usual business was transacted.
By this time the Court had lost many of its powers, but right up to the early 1800s it had been responsible for administering justice in Skelton, until this function was taken over by the Police Courts.
See Page 72 of Skelton Stories for a scan of a document showing the fines still imposed in 1823.
From ancient times it had been the means by which the Lord of the Manor managed his lands in every respect to his advantage.
On Page 5 of Skelton Stories a family researcher is trying to find where the records, the "rolls", of this ancient Skelton Court are presently located.

19th November -
A THANK-YOU QUILT.
The children attending the Skelton and Stanghow Lane Board Schools have presented Mrs Wharton of Skelton Castle with a beautifully worked patchwork quilt, in consideration of her kindness to them during the sever winter of 1879.
The majority of the children subscribed to purchase the material and the work has been done in the Girls Department of the Stanghow Lane Schools.

19th November -
NO FREE SHOTS.
Letter to the Whitby Gazette.
Sir - Will you kindly allow me a small space in your next issue, by way of giving advice to my fellow tenants respecting the new Ground Game Act.
As there appears to be no difference made betwixt the Tenant and Landowner, in this neighbourhood, and seeing that the old custom continues of inviting a friend or two for a day's sport - which according to the Act is not lawful, and where we see people brought up daily and fined for being in error of the Law, I wish to point out one case close at home, where Mr Wharton of Skelton Castle, has tried a test case, in which certain tenants had invited their friends for a day's sport, but were brought up and fined.
Proving, as the law states that it must be only the tenant or his duly appointed agent, and seeing that the old custome is still continued in this place it would be advisable to take notice, that such practices are not according to the law.
I am, Sir, yours most respectfully,
A LOVER OF THE OLD CUSTOM.


29th November -
NORTH SKELTON MINES SUCCESS.
At the technological examination in practical mine surveying held at Peases West Collieries in July last, T Prest of North Skelton Mines has obtained a first class certificate together with a prize of £3 and bronze medal.
North Skelton Ironstone Mine. Wooden Pithead.

13th December -
RIOTOUS NIGHT AT THE LITERARY CLUB.
The annual soiree of this Club was held at the Wharton Arms on Tuesday.
Several novel features were introduced into the programme, which was designed by Mr Douglas and was an artistic production.
Tea was provided at 7, after which the annual presidential address was delivered by Mr Downie.
A miscellaneous concert was given, in which Mrs Downie, Mrs Conyers, Misses Tallantyre, Emmerson and Massey and Messrs Taylor and the evergreen Sgt Treen took part.
The playing of Miss Nellie Wheater on the piano was much admired. After which a dramatic sketch entitled "The Irish Tutor" was given, the title role being taken by Mr Harland who entered thoroughly into the humour of the sketch and gave a finished rendering of the part of "Jerry O'Rourke", the Irish tutor.
Sgt Treen as Tilwell and Dr Flail by Mr Marshall were successful impersonations, Miss Massey played with intelligence and piquancy as Mary and was ably supported by Miss Armstrong as "Miss Rosa". Mr King as the Beadle and Mr Elliott as Miss Tabitha Jenkins executed a brilliant pas de deux at the Village Fair.
The piece was produced under the management of Mr Marshall.
A prologue by Mr Douglas referring to the doings of the Literary Club and introducing the Sketch was read by Mr Marshall.
Dancing was commenced at 10 with Mr Kidson as MC and was continued with much spirit till 1 a.m.

Next Page - Census for Skelton,1881.
Previous Page - 1880.
Contents Page