SKELTON - IN - CLEVELAND
IN HISTORY
1876 to 1877
John Thomas Wharton of Skelton Castle borrowed £10,000 from George Andrew, [son of John Andrew the Smuggler] and Robert Stevenson.
Building of Stanghow Lane School.

Building of Belle View, Flowston.

14th Jan. Skelton Shaft Mine. Eli Mayer, George Purdy, Charles Hancock and John Patmore had warrants issued for them for causing a disturbance during which Mr Harbottle the manager was knocked down.

22nd Jan. John Fleming was charged with assault by Joseph White and David White, both miners.
The Whites were forcibly ejected after causing a disturbance.

1st Feb. London Gazette. Bankrupt.
In the Matter of a Special Resolution for Liquidation by Arrangement of the affairs of Samuel Asquith Rayner, of Skelton, in the county of York, Confectioner and Milliner. The creditors of the above-named Samuel Asquith Rayner who have not already proved their debts, are required,'on or before the 26th day of February, 1876, to send their names and addresses, and the particulars of their debts or claims, to me, the undersigned, Francis John Bellringer, 56, High-street, Stockton-on-Tees, the Trustee under the liquidation....

26th Feb. Inquest into the death of a child, John William Sharman of Skelton Green was held by the coroner, Mr W Robinson, at the New Inn. He was the son of an engineman of Skelton Green and had been 'found dead in his mother's arms'.

1st March. London Gazette. Bankrupt.
In the Matter of Proceedings for Liquidation by Arrangement or Composition with Creditors, instituted by George' Tiplady, of Skelton, in the county of York, Grocer and Draper. 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 Mr. J. H. Draper, in Finkle-street, Stockton-on-Tees, on the 17th day of March, 1876, at one o'clock in the afternoon precisely.....

2nd March. James Edwards and Frederick Norman went to a 'trouble' with a naked light and an explosion occurred, burning both men severely.
They were taken to their lodging at Skelton Green.
12 April. Skelton Park Pit. Edward Lewis aged 22 was killed by a fall of stone while 'baring'. He suffered a broken leg and other severe injuries. 'The accident occurred immediately after he started work in the morning. He had fired a shot the previous day and a loose biece of stone had fallen.'

13th May. John Davis had £3 5s stolen by Frederick Eva. They slept together in lodgings at N Skelton.

20th May. Francis Oxendale was fined 8s for being drunk and riotous at Skelton; after going to the miners demonstration he became maddened and conducted himself in an outrageous manner.

29th June. Jacob Seymour assaulted a boy, John Brown at some pits near North Skelton

22nd July. Micheal John Hedman was sentenced to 12 years penal servitude for assaulting a little girl under seven called Martin at N Skelton.
George Andrew and family outside the White House Farm.
12th Aug. Alexander Ellis, chemist of Skelton, was fined 1 shilling [5 new pence] for allowing his dog to be at large during past fortnight.

12th Aug. Lancelot Barker, veterinary surgeon of Skelton. Leaving employment. Examined all the horses in Boosbeck mines and found them in good order.

31st Aug. London Gazette. Mine Owner Bankrupt.
In the Matter of Proceedings for Liquidation by Arrangement or Composition with Creditors, instituted by Thomas Vaughan and George Neesham, both of Middlesborough, in the county of York, Iron Masters, Iron Manufacturers, and Ironstone and Coal Mine Owners, and Bolt and Nut Manufacturers, carrying on business as Thomas Vaughan and Company, at Middlesborough aforesaid, and at Clay-lane, South Bank, and South Skelton, all in the

The Tallest Man.
Harry Cooper. 1857 to 1886.
He is reputed to have stood 8ft 6ins tall, with 13 inch hands and 17 inch feet. In his early days he lived in North Skelton, Brotton and Rosedale, all N Yorks. He worked in the local ironstone mines, with some difficulty. Fable has it that he used to light his pipe from the street gas lamps. He was spotted by a Circus that was visiting Brotton and was immediateley signed up. He achieved greater fame when he joined the Barnum Circus and travelled to America. He died in Canada in 1886.

said county of York, and at Bishop Auckland, Whessoe, Woodhouse Close, and Soutb Medomsley, all in the county of Durham, and also carrying on business as the Cleveland Bolt and Nut Company, at No. 30, Bushlane, Cannon-street, in the city of London, and at Middlesborough aforesaid. Notice is hereby given, that a First General Meeting of the creditors of the above-named Thomas Vaughan has been summoned to be held at the offices of Messrs. Robert Fletcher and Company, No. 3, Lothbury, in the city of London, on the 21st day of September, 1876, at. four o'clock in the afternoon precisely....

29th Sep. John Thomas Wharton of Skelton Castle borrowed £10,000 from local farmers George Andrew [son of John Andrew the Smuggler] and Robert Stevenson of Guisborough. See page 23 of Contributed emails for more about this.

28th Oct. Jewett Hardy, a deputy in Park pit, was fined 6d for failing to place a danger board a sufficient distance from a place containing gas. He stated he had examined the workings with his Davy lamp and thought after the lapse of half an hour the air would have permeated but he went into the working and an explosion took place.

25th Nov. North Skelton Pit. Abraham Butcher, a labourer aged 43, was killed by being crushed between two wagons while lowering them into sidings.

16th Dec. Mr John Dixon, a merchant of Skelton, entertained a large number of the freeholders of Lingdale to dinner. Among those present were Messrs Joseph Toyn, Watson, Joseph Woodward, DT Petch and Robert Petch.

At Guisborough Petty Sessions men were charged with playing pitch and toss at N Skelton. 'On Sunday a shocking death occurred while the police were capturing the gang of up to 100 men playing the game. The police on account of the many complaints proceeded to North Skelton, the whole of them being in plain clothes. They saw the game was divided into three schools and behind a hedge got within 10 yards of them. Sgts Sivers and Hall and other constables jumped out while the coins were in the air'

1877 - A new Methodist Church was built in Skelton at the bottom of Green Road at a cost of £3,800.

Output of ironstone peaked in this year, but was followed by a depression in the iron industry and the lack of demand caused stock piling of the ore at the pit head Apart from the economic situation, iron had now to compete with steel and at first it was found that the local ore had a high phoshorus content which made it unsuitable for the steel making process.
Bolckow and Vaughan introduced a new process at their Cleveland Works by which the phosphorus was converted . The closure of N Skelton mine was considered and the future was in doubt for the next two to three years. 50 extra houses were nevertheless built in N Skelton.

13th Jan. Jesse Barker of N Skelton fined £2 for keeping a dog without a licence.


Skelton Methodist Chapel - Built 1877
3rd Feb. The following candidates stood for election to Skelton School Board. Board, which consisted of 7 members:-
John Atterton, a miner of Skelton.
Charles Broughton, a miner of N Skelton.
James Chisholm, Chief Engineer at N Skelton Mine, living at Wet Furrows.
John Dixon, merchant of Skelton.
Edward Bell Hamilton of Rigwood.
George Hobbs, engine-wright, of Skelton.
William Carter Longstaff, grocer and beer shop, of Skelton.
David Thomas Petch, gentleman, of Hobdale.
Thomas Petch of Barns Farm.
Thomas Taylor, grocer and draper, of Skelton.
Joel Whitburn, checkweighman, of N Skelton.

10th Feb. A new institute on Boosbeck Rd, Skelton was opened by the Rev John Lindsey.
The institute had been formed by a few working men and was under the management of Mr G Latimer of Skelton.
It was well supplied with newspapers and books.

3rd Mar. Arthur Newton of North Skelton was charged with stealing a pair of boots belonging to David Reeves, with whom he had lodged for about five weeks and worked the same 6 till 2 shift at the mine.

Skelton Methodist Chapel
Newton was apprehended at Leeds, wearing the said boots. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced by Guisborough Petty Sessions to six weeks in prison with hard labour.

21st April. George Fowler was fined 10s for hunting rabbits on land belonging to J T Wharton, in the occupation of Thomas Hall.

28th April. North Skelton Mine. John Burgess fined £2 or 2 months in prison for cruelly ill-treating a horse.

7th May. Skelton Park Pit. John Fincham, a miner aged 50 was killed when he was crushed between two tubs.

12th May. Skelton Park Pit. Frederick Dairson and John Wormsley were erecting timbers when the roof collapsed on them, injuring them severely.

7th June. London Gazette. Bankrupt.

In the Matter of Proceedings for Liquidation by Arrangement or Composition with Creditors, instituted by William McLean, of Skelton-in-Cleveland, in the county of York, Builder. Notice is hereby given, that a First General Meeting of the creditors of the above-named person has been summoned to be held at my offices, 36, Gosford-street, Middlesborougb aforesaid, on the 30th day of June, 1877, at one o'clock in the afternoon precisely......

9th June. William Dobson, landlord of Skelton was fined £2 10s for allowing drunks, namely William Dodgson and Robert Hardy,on his premises. One of these had dropped down in the passageway and was asleep. Since the offence was not of a serious character, Guisborough Petty Sessions only fined him the above amount with 13s 6d expenses. His license was not endorsed.

Skelton Methodist Chapel First Right.
[Picture kindly donated by Peter Appleton.]
14th June. Longacres Mine. Charles Roberts, a miner aged 35, was killed. "A shot had been fired which did not bring the stone down, he was preparing for another shot without first having set a prop or stay under the overhanging piece, when it suddenly fell."

30th June John Fleming, a young married man, was fined 40s for indecently assaulting Margaret Donnelly, a servant at Mr Moore's public house, Skelton.

14th July. Guisborough Petty Sessions. Alfred Brighton of 17 Vaughan St, N Skelton had his lettuce stolen.

14th July. Sarah Jane Taylor of N Skelton was charged with stealing a child's picture book from Redcar Railway Station. Apprehended and kept in the lock-up. Discharged by the Bench.

28th July. An inquest was held in N Skelton mines office into the death of Elizabeth Hall, age 2 and a half, who had fallen into a powder tub of water.

One of the top ten wettest years on record.
London Gazette. Bankrupts.
22nd August.
In the Matter of Proceedings for Liquidation by Arrangement or Composition with Creditors, instituted by James Moore, of Skelton, in the county of York, Beerhouse Keeper. Notice is hereby given, that a First General Meeting of the creditors of the above-named person has been summoned to be held at my offices, No. 1, Zetland-road, Middlesborough aforesaid, on the 10th day of September, 1877, at eleven o'clock in the forenoon precisely.....
4th Sep.
....John William Davison, of Skelton-in- Cleveland, in the county of York, Contractor....
5th Sept.
...William Carter Longstaff, of Skelton-in-Cleveland, in the North Riding of the county of York, Grocer and Provision Dealer.....
15th Sep.
...James Clarke Durham, of Skelton-in-Cleveland, in the North Riding of the county of York, and Thomas Wilson, of Pierce Bridge, in tbe county of Durham, Builders, trading at Skelton-in-Cleveland, under tbe style or firm of Durham and Wilson.....
 12th Oct.
....Matthew Wilson, of Skelton-in-Cieveland, in the North Riding of the county of York, Coal, Coke, Lime and Builders' Merchant, and Commission Agent.....
3rd Nov.
...Isaac Smales of Skelton-in-Cleveland, in the North Riding of the county of York, Slater......
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