The busy housewife of the time kept her coal-fired
range black leaded and the hearth whitened.
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13th January -
MINERS ON THE SCHOOL BOARD ?.
A combined meeting of No 4 Skelton Park and No 18 North Skelton Lodges of the Cleveland Miners Association was held last night in the Lodge room, Skelton Green to select candidates for the forthcoming Skelton and Stanghow School Board elections.
Mr Walter Tibble, miner of North Skelton and Mr Samuel Loftus, engineman of Skelton were selected.
27th January -
TURKEY TAKEN FROM KENNELS.
At Guisbrough Police Court yesterday a youth named Francis Carter, aged 16, of Skelton, pleaded guilty to stealing a turkey, value £1, from the foxhound kennels of Mr W H A Wharton of Skelton Castle. Fined 30 shillings.
4th February -
SCHOOL BOARD ELECTION.
Elected:-
Mr Thomas Petch, farmer, 1,028 - Mr Thomas Ranson, Mines Manager, 972 - Mr James Milligan, Draper, - 834 - Mr William Charlton, Mining Engineer, 824 - Rev William Hughes, Clerk in holy orders, 652 - Mr Thomas Shepherdson, Miner 582 - Mr Isaac Scarth, gentleman, 505.
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Not elected:-
Mr John Wood, Tailor and Draper, 426 - Mr Joseph Crouch, Stationer, 425 - Mr William Carter, Ironmonger, 408 - Mr Samuel Loftus, Engineman, 283 - Rev T H Heap, Congregational Minister 243 - Mr Walter Tibble, Miner, 189.
5th February -
SKELTON FOOTBALLERS TOO SLOW TO TRAIN.
The Cleveland Amateur League was in its first year and at a meeting on the 28th January the Skelton Club was asked for an explanation of its failure to keep an engagement with the Whitby Club on the 16th ult.
It transpired that the team got to the railway station just in time to see the train leave for Whitby.
The meeting ordered the Skelton Club to pay Whitby out of pocket expenses and fixed February 13th for the match to be played at Whitby.
They probably had to walk over a mile to Boosbeck station at the time and they did finish up bottom of the league.
North Skelton were the Champions.
10th February -
DESERTED WIFE.
Joseph Shaw of North Skelton was charged with deserting his wife. The parties lived unhappily together for some time and complainant had to leave her husband through as she said, his ill usage.
Defendant through his solicitor said he was willing to give his a wife a home if she would come back to home.
The case was adjourned for a month in order to give defendant an opportunity of taking his wife back again.
4th March -
COUNTY COUNCIL ELECTION.
The result for Skelton was William Henry Anthony Wharton, Conservative, 494. George Bernal Hobbs, Labour, 263.
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9th March -
WOMEN SHOULD NOT RUN PUBS - BUT THIS ONE CAN.
Mr W Richardson, solicitor, applied for the transfer of the license of a public house in Skelton from Michael Catron, deceased to his widow. Captain J G Swan, Chairman, said the Bench had a decided objection to granting licenses to females, no matter how excellent their character might be.
They did not consider a woman should be responsible for the conduct of a house which a number of rough miners frequented. Mr Richardson said that Mrs Catron had conducted the house for some time before her husband's death and had continued to do so up to the present without any complaint being made against her. The Magistrates granted the license.
16th March -
MINES GRINDING TO HALT.
In only one single instance is it likely that the work of winning ironstone can be continued for 1 month and that is at the South Skelton mine where the Clay Lane Iron Co has obtained sufficient coke to keep their furnaces going.
Park Pit and Skelton Shaft will probably work only 2 days this week and by no means certain that anything will be done next week.
Long Acres mines are working 2 or 3 days, but here work may cease at any moment.
23rd March -
DESERTED WIFE.
Owen Thomas, a miners' deputy of North Skelton was charged with having wilfully neglected and deserted his wife.
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For 13 weeks he left his home, but sent her money each week.
He had put his eldest daughter in charge of the house.
An order was made for the defendant to pay 7 shillings a week towards his wife's support.
24th March -
COAL MINERS' STRIKE CAUSES IRONSTONE MINERS' DISTRESS.
York Herald -
The Durham coal miners strike is causing great distress in the ironstone mining districts of Cleveland, nearly every mine being closed.
Soup kitchens have had to be opened and much private charity has been bestowed.
Mr J T Wharton of Skelton Castle has come forward as a lessor, with the practical object in view of providing partial employment for the men in all the Mines where he receives royalty rents.
He has written to all the lessees, asking them to re-open their Mines for 3 days a week and suggested that the ironstone won should be stacked on the surface until required.
During this period he will withdraw all claim to royalty rents.
1st April -
DISTRESSED MINER FAMILIES.
Mr Joseph Toyn, Miners agent, went round with cash to be distributed among families.
At Skelton Green, Mr Thomas Varty, Manager of Skelton Shaft and Park Pit, said a strong committee had been formed and a house to house canvass had disclosed much suffering and destitution.
The Relief Committee had £14 in hand which would soon be used. A sack of flour had baked some 200 loaves and soup had been distributed.
There was a want of coal and it was intended to dole some out especially to houses where sickness existed.
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Joseph Toyn J.P.
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JOSEPH TOYN. J.P.
He was the President and Agent for the Cleveland Miners'Association for 40 years from 1876, without a strike.
A staunch Primitive Methodist, he was made a local Justice of the Peace and figures often in these pages of Skelton's History.
The following is a sketch of his life taken from the "Christian Messenger" -
Joseph was born at Tattershall, Lincolnshire, in the year 1838.
His parents were of humble circumstances and at the tender age of six and a half years, our friend was engaged at 3d. per day "scaring birds" in the cornfields.
At fourteen years he was employed as an agricultural labourer at 7d. per day.
Mr. Toyn's advent to the Cleveland district of Yorkshire was in 1855.
Here he worked in the ironstone mines for twenty years, never seeing daylight only at week-ends.
Then a few years of apostasy occurred. This period is to Mr. Toyn a very regrettable one.
However, a serious illness supervened, and under its chastening influence he was drawn back to spiritual things.
His second conversion took place under his son, Rev. Joseph Toyn.
[See the murder of Dan Chilvers in 1909.]
Since this time, our brother has filled the offices of local preacher, class-leader, and he is a trustee of the handsome new church in process of erection at Saltburn.
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As a preacher he is intelligent, fervent and sincere. He emphasises the positive sides of truth and the facts of religious experience.
In public life our brother has been the recipient of many honours.
He was appointed miners' agent for the Cleveland miners in 1876.
He has attended conferences of workers and trade congresses for thirty-five years.
He has attended great demonstrations in France, Belgium and Austria.
On industrial problems he has waited on four Home Secretaries and once interviewed Mr. Gladstone.
He has been requisitioned to give evidence before several Royal Commissions on economic questions.
Family and other information-
Joseph was born on 28 September 1838.
Joseph was baptised on 11 October 1838 at Tattershall, Lincolnshire.
The baptism register names only his mother, Eliza.
In 1851, Joseph was living with an uncle.
Census returns identify the following occupations for Joseph-
1861 Ironstone miner.
1871 Deputy in Ironstone mine and Rifle Volunteer.
At this time he was living in "Main Street" [house number not shown in census of this year], Skelton in Cleveland, age 32.
1881 to 1911 Agent, Cleveland Miners Association.
Joseph married Mary Jane (1836-1914) circa 1861.
Census returns identify five of six children.
Samuel Henry (1861-1861)
Caleb (abt1864-1903), a telegraph clerk (Post Office).
William (b1865) - a junior clerk, land agent office (1881)
Jane Elizabeth (1867-1936)
Joseph (1870-1938) - a Primitive Minister.
Joseph Toyn died in January 1924 at Saltburn by the Sea, N Yorkshire.
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20 Trout Hall Lane,
Richardson, Blacksmith family.
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1st April -
DO NOT TOUCH MY SON - OR ELSE.
At the Guisborough Police Court Thomas Wood of Skelton pleaded guilty to assaulting a boy named Robert Wilkinson.
Some difference had arisen between Robert and his brothers and Thomas Wood's son.
Wood struck the lad in the face and made his nose bleed.
1st April -
ANNUAL VESTRY MEETING.
The retiring Overseers, Thomas Petch, [Skelton], Mr W Wilks, [Boosbeck] and Mr H Cook [Lingdale] were renominated.
The sum of £1 5s 1d had been spent on repairing the old churchyard in addition to £70 by Mr J T Wharton.
A deputation consisting of Messrs T Petch, R W Stevenson, T B Forster and W Morgan had waited upon Mr Wharton with the object of obtaining an Institute for Skelton and reported that he was willing to give it his favourable consideration.
It would perhaps consist of a Concert room, reading room, library etc and be erected on the piece of ground where the old Wharton Arms used to be located, this being very central.
[It was eventually built and opened in the year 1900]
11th April -
CHARLOTTE WHARTON DEATH.
Wife of John Thomas Wharton of Skelton Castle. She has been in failing health for the past 3 or 4 years and died on Wednesday evening in her 74th year.
She was the daughter of Mr and Lady Margaret Yeoman of Marske Hall.
The burial was in New Skelton cemetery. The village street is named after her.
Parish Magazine - All the shops were closed and blinds drawn in token of respect as Mrs Wharton of Skelton Castle was
laid to rest.
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8th April -
LOCAL FOXES CELEBRATE.
Owing to the death of Mrs J T Wharton of Skelton Castle, the Cleveland Hounds will not meet any more this season.
29th April -
UNEMPLOYED MINERS GIVEN WORK AT RUSHPOOL.
Mr A J Dorman, Rushpool Hall, Saltburn, has given employment to a number of Miners. This gesture was at the suggestion of Sir Lowthian Bell and repeated by other large estate owners in the East Cleveland area.
May -
NO STATION.
Parish Magazine
Many of us have been looking out now for a long time for signs of a start at Holly Bush on the proposed railway station for Skelton.
We hoped that it might afford some work for men who have been some many weeks compelled to be idle, though anxious to be at work.
We have to thank the County Council for a piece of flagged footpath along part of the front of North Terrace.
5th May -
SKELTON GREEN DISTRESS.
At Skelton Green a large number of families who have been suffering through the mine stoppage caused by the deadlock in the Durham coal trade, have been relieved during the past 6 weeks.
Great privation was suffered from want of bread and coals. The Skelton Green Relief Committee have enquired into and relieved 660 families, representing 4,093 persons.
They bought 193 stones of flour and with the help of a few friends who baked the bread for them the committee have been able to distribute 2,100 loaves of bread.
They have also distributed 102lbs of tea, 60lbs of coffee, 650lbs of sugar and 118cwt of coals. Messrs Bell Bros have generously given a truck load of coal and 7 tons have been distributed to the most needy cases.
130 families of 822 persons are being relieved weekly and cases are increasing so that the funds will be exhausted in about a fortnight.
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6th May -
FOOTBALL, FIRST CLEVELAND AMATEUR LEAGUE.
This combination has been fairly successful for a first attempt and great praise is due to the several clubs for faithfully endeavouring to carry out the principle of the
League - fixity of fixtures.
The weather on several occasions prevented the fixtures being carried out and the supension of Marske Club's ground caused them to abandon their closing games.
North Skelton came out at the head of the table with a splendid record, but unfortunately for them, owing to the low state of the finances of the clubs connected with the League they will not probably receive any trophy.
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7th May. -
FEVER.
The Medical Officer reported to the Local Board of Health 4 cases of Scarlet Fever at Boosbeck, 3 at Skelton, 2 at North Skelton and 1 at Lingdale.
There was one cast of typhoid at Skelton and 1 at Lingdale. The usual steps had been taken to stop the disease spreading.
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10th May -
CLEVELAND MINERS DISTRESS FUND.
The "Yorkshire Post" sent £100, Messrs Pease and Wilson MPs £75, A Ramsden Leeds £50, a Charity Ball at Saltburn raised £20.
Many other contributions added up to a total of £535 15s 1d.
Most of this had been distributed to the Relief Committee for soup kitchens, free breakfasts etc.
Special thanks were given to people who contribute weekly.
Messrs W D Petch and R Horn had given a bullock to North and New Skelton.
It was hoped the generosity would continue for as long as the Durham miners remain on strike -
12th May -
SUNDAY MORNING BREAKFAST FOR HUNGRY CHILDREN.
The Sunday Morning Breakfast Committee are deeply grateful for the following subscriptions to assist them in providing a free breakfast for the children at North Skelton.
Mr E Humble of Leeds, £1. Mr Chisholm £1 2s 6d. Miss Hall 10s. Messrs W D Petch, Horn and Cross 10s each. Messrs Toyn and Hobbs £2 15s.
Mr Thomas Petch 5s.
Milk kindly supplied by Messrs W D Petch, Thomas Petch and R W Stevenson.
Over 350 children sat down on Sunday morning last in rooms kindly provided by Messrs Horn and Cross.
Further subscriptions will be thankfully received by Messrs Thomas Ranson and J Brown of North Skelton R.S.O.
13th May -
NO MEANS OF OBTAINING A LIVING.
Whitby Gazette -
"The prospect of an early termination of the Durham strike is giving immense satisfaction in Cleveland, as the re-opening of the Durham collieries will be followed by the re-starting of the Cleveland mines and ironworks and the employment of most of the 13,000 or 14,000 hands who have now been idle for the past 8 or 9 weeks.
[The prolonged Coal miner's strike - March 12th to 14th July - was caused by a proposed 15% cut in Miners' wages. During a good period 1890/91 wages had risen by some 30 percent. As the price declined
the Mineowners demanded a reduction. The strike ended with an agreement to accept a 10% cut.]
The distress continues severe and it is to be regretted that some of the relief committees, whose funds are nearly exhausted, have had to curtail their relief.
Some liberal subscriptions have been received by the Cleveland Miners' Association during the past few days, but in a statement issued on Tuesday by Messrs Toyn and Hobbs, the President and Secretary of the association, they state that as the distress is still increasing they sincerely hope that their kind friends will not grow weary in well doing, because as long as the unhappy dispute in Durham continues the workpeople of this district will have no means of obtaining a living, but must remain dependent upon charity for their support.
Further aid is being afforded this week in the Skelton district, owing to the Miners at Park Pit being given 3 days employment in stocking stone."
To the Editor of the Whitby Gazette.
Sir- I shall be glad if you will allow me through the Gazette to thank those people in the neighbourhood of Whitby who gave £8 5s 3d to the collector, Mr J W Hanson, towards the relief of the distress amongst the ironstone miners who live in the villages of North Skelton and New Skelton.
The money will be expended in free breakfasts for the children.
Will you all me to add that any further contributions towards the relief of the distress in this parish of over 8,000 souls will be thankfully received.
It is divided into 3 districts, of which North and New Skeltons form one.
Yours faithfully,
R J ELLIS. M.A.
Rector of Skelton and Chairman of North and New Skeltons Relief Committee.
The Rectory, Skelton in Cleveland, 23rd May 1892.
20th May -
DISTRESS RELIEF BY ARTHUR DORMAN, RESIDENT OF RUSHPOOL HALL.
London Daily News -
Mr Dorman of Messrs Dorman and Long, the well known steel girder makers, of Middlesbrough, gives away every day at his house Rushpool Hall, a bread loaf and a pound of bacon to every applicant supplied with a ticket.
170 persons are relieved in this way at Rushpool.
In order to prevent cheating, each recipient must have their name written on a paper stamped with the local Miners' Lodge, although the relief is for both Union and Non-Union people.
On Thursday night a poor woman and her little boy tramped down from North Skelton to Saltburn to ask for some help at the Miners' Offices.
She said that they had refrained from asking for charity as long as possible, but now they were literally starving.
Mr Toyn said that relief was being distributed through the local Lodges, but gave her half a crown [2s 6d or 12.5 new pence]
Early next morning the woman's husband appeared at Mr Toyn's house to hand back the money as they had been left 4 shillings and did not wish to keep both for fear that others would have to go without.
Mr Toyn gave the man the half crown for his honesty and an Alderman of Middlesbrough, named Weighell, sent him another.
When the distress began Mr Dorman sent the Miners' President and Agent a cheque for 10 pounds and this contribution has been continued and is given by him regularly every week since then.
A considerable number of destitute people called at the Miners' Office today and got their tickets and took them to Rushpool.
When Mr Dorman saw what the distress was coming to he gave up his Summer holiday in order that his unfortunate fellow citizens should be properly looked after.
He employs between 30 and 40 men on his grounds at Rushpool, paying them 3 shillings per day, though probably his regular gardeners could all the work he requires.
23rd May -
DISTRESS.
Mr Thomas H Herring of 69 Boosbeck Road, Skelton, writes expressing thanks for the timely help afforded in the past and earnestly appealing for further subscriptions, the local committee's efforts being now taxed to their fullest extent.
A few shoes or boots for distribution amongst the children would also be gladly welcomed.
Gifts in money and kind may be sent to Mr Thomas Varty, Manager of Park Mines, Skelton.
26th May -
FAMINE STRICKEN CLEVELAND - REPORTER'S DESCRIPTION OF PARK PIT UNDERGROUND.
An article in the London Daily News describing our Mines.
Skelton Park Ironstone Mine, owned by Messrs. Bell Brothers, the well-known iron and steel workers, is situated near the three Skeltons mining villages by the Cleveland hills.
The villages of Brotton, Lingdale, and Upleatham are in its neighbourhood.
The ascents above the mine command one of the finest views of hill, valley, woodland, and the sea to be found in northern England.
However, my destination was the under-world.
Skelton Park mine, near to which by the way was sunk the first ironstone Mine shaft in the region some half a century ago is the only Mine in Cleveland in which work has been continued during this period of distress, and I was desirous of seeing the Miners at work.
After a walk around the workshops, engine room and offices 'at bank', that is to say on the surface of mother earth and having exchanged our hats for thick leather helmets, shaped somewhat like a skullcap, with a peak behind, and having provided ourselves each with a lantern and a staff, we -the Manager of the Mine, the general secretary of the Miners� association, and myself � walking into the iron cage that was suspended with its steel rope over the pit's mouth.
Nine miners came in after us, each with his lantern.
'All Clear?' 'Aye' - a click, a thud, and off we go through 384 feet of shale, clay and rock in twenty-one seconds.
Our cage touches with the lightness of a feather on the floor of the under-world.
Here we stand in a sort of Oxford-circus.
Not, of course, that there is a roar and turmoil of an Oxford-circus of the upper world or a ray of its light for there are only a few people about, and these few might pass for will-o-the-wisps.
We see nothing of them but their lanterns flitting about.
I compare the spot to a circus of the upper world because long roads branch off from it.
A walk along the road of which this spot is the centre is as long a walk from Holborn-viaduct to Marble-arch, but as yet I cannot see ten yards either way.
I must wait awhile to get my eyesightas the miners have it; and we rest a few minutes in a recess of the main road.
Now let us set forth on our walk through these mile-long pitch dark streets.
Airy streets and wide they are in this part, at least.
The air is purer than you get in many a quarter of London, for it is pumped in here through all these miles of main roads and side alleys at the rate of 132,000 cubic feet every minute.
For floor to ceiling there is a distance of about 10 feet.
The width of the road is almost the same.
Floors, walls, and ceilings are solid stone ironstone.
It looks greenish grey under the light of our lanterns.
On examining it carefully will distinguish minute shining specs of metal.
A sudden loud roar comes thundering out of nothing.
We stand aside in a recess and in a few seconds a long train of trucks laden with the ore rushes past.
Of course there are street-railways here below.
They branch off in twenty different directions.
By and by we hear the voice of a small boy screaming out of nothing.
Then came the heavy thud that of horses feet; then the horse himself, a chestnut Goliath, upon whose shiny coat a lamp shimmered as he stamped past.
Goliath was drawing a string of wagons.
There are fifty horses below here, all of them stout and strong as the finest beasts ever seen with Pickfords vans or brewers drays.
Their stables are models of order and comfort.
As the Skelton Park mine is working only half or third time, the horses, like their two legged mates, are idle most of their time.
Some of them have been sent out for a day or two into the open air, down to the seaside at Saltburn.
Now as far as food, liquor and lodgings are concerned, the Skelton horse may well feel content with his life in the under-world.
But if he were a colt, lively, sensible and fond of fun, one might imagine his surprised delight at finding himself all of a sudden, on a bright summers day, on those four or five miles of glorious compact sand between the Saltburn cliffs and Redcar.
It ought to take some time to recapture that colt if he were at all a shrewd colt, and a colt of spirit.
But let us proceed on our way.
Here we are, I reflect, inside a Banbury cheese of ironstone a cheese measuring 1,200 acres by the Messrs Bell Brothers map, and we human beings are the microscopic mites crawling through the passages which swarms of mites before our day bored their way through with infinite labour.
There are it is said , miles of main streets, side streets and alleys inside this twelve hundred acre cheese of ironstone the outer crust whereof is hundreds of feet thick.
Streets branch off to Right of us and to the Left.
The beam of my lantern turning around like the spoke of a horizontal wheel, penetrates a little distance down this or that road and beyond there is nothing but pitch darkness.
There are inside this 1,200 acre cheese of ironstone great colonnades of wooden pillars, often with the most curious of decorative draperies.
The wooden pillars and cross-beams over their tops have been put in wherever there has been a risk of the roof giving way.
In some places the pillars are closer together than the poles of young trees in the most closely packed plantation.
The decorative drapery, what is it?
I am not enough of a naturalist to be able to tell you, but one of my companions tell me it is a kind of fungus gradually deposited from the moisture which oozes through the rock.
It is as white as snow.
Hanging in large sweeping folds from the roof beams or draping the pillars, it produces under the light of our lamps the most strangely beautiful effects.
I wonder where we are now, I remarked, after we had walked about and talked and lounged through another half mile.
I'll soon tell you that replied one of our guides, and we presently were stopped by him at a street crossing.
Taking his bearings north, south, east and west and pointing over his head with his forefinger, 'We are', said he 'right under the gateway of Skelton Castle.'
Skelton Castle is the residence of rich old Squire Wharton, the Lord of the soil and of all that is beneath it.
Over our heads is that stupendous crust of rock, and upon that again squats Skelton Castle, and inside Skelton Castle is the fortunate gentleman who levies fat toll upon all that the human mites grub out of the 1,200-acre cheese.
But it is time to see the grubbers at work.
We reach 'the face' - that is to say, the part where the hewers and blasters of rock are at work.
In some places the holes for the blasting powder are drilled by hand, an extremely slow process.
For others the boring is done by drills which are set in motion by compressed air 'for the transmission of this air there are seven miles of pipes down here.
How shall I describe this ferocious implement?
Imagine a three, four or five foot spiral or screw-shaped steel tooth ending in two sharp fangs.
This spiral tooth does not bite precisely in the same way as the tooth of a beast or a man does.
It turns about in a screw fashion, with inconceivable velocity.
When one sees its twin fangs applied to the solid rock one almost fancies that the thing is alive.
Why does it as dart out a snaky, flickering tongue to lick its victim coaxingly, appetisingly, before beginning business? Ye spirits of this under-world, what a fiendish screech!
The glittering little fangs that, as it were, trifled with their food, have in the twinkling of an eye disappeared into solid rock, and round with the inconceivable speed spins the spiral tooth, snarling, screaming and screeching like to split ones ears.
In sixty seconds that devils tooth runs a four-foot hole into the hard ironstone.
After it has driven six holes into the face of the rock over a space of about ten feet from floor to ceiling, the steel fiend is dragged off somewhere.
Then the miner begins to charge the six holes.
Into each he thrust with a long ramrod a number of cartridges.
Then he applies a fuse into each hole.
The fuse is a thin pencil-shaped and short preparation of paper, ending in a thin fibre coated with sulphur.
The miner prepares to light the sulphur fibre.
And what do we do?
We bolt around into the next street round the corner and the miner runs after us.
'Ho'Ho-Ho-Hoy!' he calls out in a loud sing-song note.
That is the warning cry, and whosoever being within the distance hears it makes himself scarce, as the saying is.
Have you ever heard a hundred-ton Woolwich infant clearing its throat?
If you have, then, you can imagine what the boom and long echoing growl was like when charge number one exploding shivered ten tons of solid ironstone, and tossed the fragments over the path.
Five more explosions followed.
Each time the miner came running round our corner; each time he uttered his warning 'Ho'Ho-Ho-Hoy!'and each time it felt as if the 1,200 acres of rock shook and trembled with each successive explosion.
The powder grew denser in the roadway, so that when the miner came running up after his last shot, all I could make out of him was his lantern.
And now goodbye to the blasting miner, and to that diabolical thing with the shining fangs.
The Messrs. Bell still find work for about four hundred of their miners, but only on two or three days a week.
Until the time of distressful idleness began they used to pay 5,150 shillings [£257.10s.0d] every week in wages.
They now pay only 1,043 shillings [£52 3s 0d].
So that, in round numbers, four thousands pounds a week have been withdrawn from the circulation of these mining villages.
At the Skelton Park Mine there is an excellent system of relief for the workmen's families.
In this, the tenth week of the distress 5,365 persons have been helped.
Soup, bread, coffee, tea, coals and beef are among the things distributed.
At the present moment the Managers list shows that 146 families, representing 874 persons are relieved every day at the mine.
Only a balance of twenty pounds remains, and now those persons who have held out during the ten weeks are coming in reluctantly asking for help.
They are doing it in every mining village in Cleveland, and indeed, over the whole distressed region, including Stockton, Hartlepool, Darlington, and Middlesbrough.
11th June -
VOLUNTEERS.
Our Volunteers will go into Camp at Whitby for a week's training with the rest of their Battalion.
23rd June -
GENERAL ELECTION MEETING.
A public meeting was held in the Drill Hall, Skelton on Wednesday night, which was largely attended, to ascertain whether it was the wish of the electors to have a contest by nominating a Labour candidate, or to petition Mr A J Dorman to contest the Division against the sitting member. A good number was found to be in favour of Mr Dorman.
27th June -
VOLUNTEERS SHOOTING.
The members of the Skelton, G Company of the 1st Volunteer Battalion [P.W.O] Yorkshire Regiment Shooting Club held their competition at Skelton on Saturday to decide the representatives of the Company at the Battalion shooting.
5 shots at 200 and 500 yard distances.
Principal scores were - Sgt Richards 38. Col-Sgt Wardman 38. Pte Ayre 35. Pte J Peacock 34. Sgt Instructor Treen 33. Cpl Wilson 30. Pte Boynton 27. L/Cpl Harker 27. Pte Thornton 27. Pte Mossom 26. L/Sgt Judson 25.
28th June -
MINE DEATH, ROOF FALL.
An inquest was held at Skelton on the body of Frederick Lobb of Skelton Green, who was injured in Skelton Old Shaft mine on Friday last by a fall of roof. He died of shock and his injuries on Saturday morning.
Fred and his mate Isaac Norminton were back-bye deputies and were putting in some balks of timber to secure the roof in a water level drift, when a portion of the roof came down injuring his chest and broke his shoulder blade.
There were 3 fatal mine accidents in Cleveland last week.
4 July -
GENERAL ELECTION RESULT.
To 26 July 1892. The Cleveland division was held by the Liberal, Mr Henry Fell Pease, with 4,397 to Mr A J Dorman, Conservative, 4,049.
Nationally Lord Salisbury's Conservatives had the most seats, but not a majority and suffered a vote of no confidence on 11th August.
Mr W E Gladstone then formed a Government with Irish Nationalist support.
11th July -
BODY FOUND.
On Saturday the dead body of a man was found between Marske and Upleatham Hill. The discovery was made by Mr James Harker of Horse Close Farm and was removed to the Zetland Hotel, Marske. The deceased has been identified as James Wright belonging to Skelton.
On Wednesday 2 boys and a gamekeeper noticed the body lying, but it never occurred to them that the man was dead and they took no further notice. It is believed he was subject to fits and died while taking one on Tuesday night.
24th July -
CLUB CHURCH PARADE.
The United Club Service at Skelton Church was held, the weather being exceedingly fine.
The procession of the various Orders in the district having been publicly announced, a large concourse of people lined High Street on both sides to see the members on their way to Church.
The Clubs formed in the following order - Free Gardeners' Band, Lodge of Sharon Free Gardeners [Skelton], the United Order of Oddfellows [Skelton], the Free Gardeners [Boosbeck], the Order of Shepherds [Lingdale], and the Lodge of Sharon Juvenile Free Gardeners brought up the rear.
1st August -
THE WEST YORKSHIRE BRIGADE AT SKELTON.
If an enemy were just now to land on the North Eastern corner of Yorkshire, he would not have things entirely his own way.
The Durham Militia, a thousand strong, are undergoing their period of training on Redcar Race Course and nearly 2,000 West Riding Volunteers are encamped at Skelton.
Red coats are visible on every hand, intermingled with the dark dress of the Leeds Rifles, whose uniform is like that of that crack rifle corps, the 60th Rifles.
The York, Leeds and Halifax Battalions of the West Yorks Brigade went into Camp together for Brigade work at Skelton on Saturday last.
Squire Wharton of Skelton Castle had declared his willingness to allow the troops the free run of his extensive estate, affording unrestricted operations in a bracing country in one of the most picturesque spots on the Yorkshire coastline.
The Camp itself has been pitched on a gentle declivity in an enormous piece of pasture land, known as 'Fish Pond Field', nestling under the wooded confines of Skelton Park and rising towards the village of the same name, from the ridge above which the white canvas town forms a striking feature, in a far reaching landscape, sweeping from Rosebery Topping to the sea and hemmed in to the North by the sylvan domain of Upleatham and the massive bank of Marske beyond.
The Leeds Rifles had reason to be thankful that they ever succeeded in arriving in Camp at all, in view of the collision which completely disorganised the traffic at the New Station at Saltburn.
On Sunday morning the Archbishop of York conducted the drum-head service. As the men were assembling the different bands played selections of music and the event drew together a large number of people from the surrounding district. The service was held on the Dog Kennel Field, a parade ground even more extensive than Fish Pond Field.
Though standing at a considerable elevation above the sea, the immediate neighbourhood of the encampment is situated as in the bottom of a bowl and the hymn singing was distinctly heard by spectators on the tops of the hills far away.
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The Cleveland Bay. Englands oldest known breed of horse.
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VOLUNTEERS DEFEND SKELTON.
Parish Magazine.
It will make rather a stir in the village when we have the Leeds Rifles, under General Wilkinson in camp in the Fishpond field.
They are expected to march in on July 30th to the number of 3,000 foot and horse.
Already tenders are invited to supply beef, bread, tea, coffee etc. There is to be a sham fight on the moors, when the approaches to Skelton will be held against all comers.
An ironclad ought to be anchored off Saltburn and then our defences would be complete.
August - Parish Magazine. The visit of the Leeds Rifles cheered our drooping spirits very much, which had been down at zero for the past four months in consequence of the long stoppage of work in the district.
The drumhead service in the field, with His Grace the Archbishop of York as preacher, the spiritual and instructive sermon at the Parish Church in the evening by the Chief Pastor of the Northern Province, the music of the three massive bands, the attractive uniforms of the men, the picturesque and instructive movements in the field of drill, the sham fight on the moors, the inspection of the battalions, the sports and torchlight procession are scenes and events which we shall long remember with profit and pleasure.
And we are only echoing the general feeling of the Parish when we say that we hope our worthy squire and his soldier-like son, Major Wharton, will be spared to give us a similar treat on some future occasion.
19th August -
SHOT FOR PINCHING APPLES.
At the Guisborough Petty Sessions John Alex Lince, market gardener, of Saltburn by Sea was charged with unlawfully shooting at John Morgan, ironstone miner, North Skelton.
The garden of Lince had been several times robbed of late and on the 10th inst, Lince found a party of young men amongst his fruit trees and fired a gun in the direction in which they were, wounding Morgan.
Several shot-corns were subsequently extracted from Morgan's legs by Dr Merryweather.
Lince in reply to the charge, said the gun was loaded with sparrow-shot and he only fired it to frighten the men away.
He was committed for trial at the next Quarter Sessions at Northallerton, bail being accepted.
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John Morgan, Frank Thompson, Ernest Burt, Walter Jackson, Charles W Brougham, John Abbot, and William Harris, all of North Skelton were charged with stealing apples from the garden of J A Lince. Brougham, Jackson and Morgan, having been previously convicted were fined 10s each and 7s 6d costs. The case against the others was dismissed.
21st August. -
MINE DEATH.
Alf Robinson, aged 36 died from injuries that he had suffered in February 1881, when a fall of stone damaged his spine. As he had survived more than 18 months, no inquest was held.
14th November -
CHEESE WAS BIG BUSINESS IN THESE PARTS.
CASTLETON CHEESE FAIR.
To the Editor of the Whitby Gazette.
Sir - My first impression was to treat "Wellwisher's" remarks as to the judges [at Castleton Cheese Fair] with the contempt they deserve, but as he [or she] appears to know a good deal with which he wants to enlighten others, and as I am pretty well known to most of your farmer readers, I may be expected to have a word to say on the subject.
Now, sir, one word as to cheese making in this country - what it was, and is - and what I know about it.
In the early part of this century almost every farmer made cheese from Yarm to Whitby, "but not the Dales, firkin butter being principally produced then".
As instances of the extent of the trade, my father used to send annually to Leith alone 100 tons to his agent Mr Alex MacNair, whilst the Heseltines of Cargo Fleet, sent 120 tons to their agents, Messrs Woods and what with Yarm Fair and the shipments and sales by the the various dealers to London, Newcastle and the north generally, some idea may be formed as the extent of the trade.
What is made now "principally in the dales" will not equal what was made in this Parish alone and in the Dales it has very much declined say since the fair was held at Whitby.
It is to be hoped there will be a revival in this, as it is clearly in the interests of the farmers there should be.
....I think the committee are not to blame in asking me to be one of their judges of cheese, supposing I had some knowledge of the matter founded on a 60 years' experience, during the early part of it more than 100 dairies passing through my hands yearly.
I hope your correspondent will unmask himself, as when he undertakes to lecture others it is only fair he should show his face.
Yours very truly,
JOHN DIXON,
Skelton, Nov 14th, 1892.
26th November -
LITERARY SOCIETY CONCERT.
An interesting entertainment and concert was held in the assembly rooms of the Wharton Arms, Skelton with duets, violin solos, songs and a lecture by Mr Tom Henderson on the "Humorous Songs of England" with illustrations including "My Daughter Fan".
The other artistes were Miss Graves of Yarm soprano, Mrs Bower of Darlington contralto, Mater J Walker of Northallerton and Mr A Wilson of Middlesbrough on the violin.
30th November -
DID NOT GIVE A BEAN FOR WIFE IN THE WORKHOUSE.
At the Guisborough Police Court on Tuesday, Robert Bean, a gardener of North Skelton was summoned for £4, being 20 weeks arrears at 4 shillings per week, due toward the maintenance of his wife.
Mr Richardson, solicitor appeared on behalf of the Guisborough Guardians and the case was proved by Mr J H Clarkson, the relieving officer. An order was made for the full amount plus costs.
5th December -
OWNERS SQUEEZE THE MINERS FOR RENTS.
Mr Hobbs and 4 other Cleveland Miners' Representatives from Messrs Bolckow, Vaughan and Co's Eston, Chaloner and North Skelton Mines waited upon Colonel Davies the other day asking that gentleman to write off some portion of the arrears of rent owing by the Miners which had accumulated during the stoppage of work in Durham and Cleveland.
The deputation pointed out that other firms had made concessions of one half of the arrears. Colonel Davies stated that the Company could not see their way clear to write off any part of the arrears whatever. The workmen are greatly disappointed.
28th December -
WORKHOUSE TRAINER.
At Tuesday's meeting of the Guisbrough Guardians, Miss Shepherd of Skelton was appointed industrial trainer at the Workhouse.
The Workhouse Master's report showed that the daily average number of inmates during the past fortnight had been 96 compared with 98 for the corresponding period last year.
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