The Skelton sanitary authority combined with those of Guisborough, Loftus and Brotton into a Board of Public Health and a Dr Keith of Kirkleatham was appointed as medical officer. This dealt with matters like pollution of water supplies, insanitary accommodation, epidemics etc. There were outbreaks of scarlet fever, smallpox, typhoid at these times.

South Skelton mine is acquired by Clay Lane Iron Company.

3 January. - FATAL ACCIDENT AT SKELTON PARK PIT.
Henry Grainger, a miner, aged 21, was killed by a fall of ironstone after a shot had been fired. He was taken to the Miner's Hospital at Guisborough, but died of shock.

28th January - NORTH SKELTON ROBBERY WITH VIOLENCE.

4th February. SCHOOL REPORT.
Letter from Thomas Taylor, School Board member.

24th February.- BUILDER BANKRUPT.
In the Matter of Proceedings tor Liquidation by Arrangement or Composition with Creditors, instituted by George Lamb, of Skelton, 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 Messrs. Jackson and Jackson's offices, 42, Albert-road, Middlesbrough, on the 12th day of March, 1879, at eleven o'clock in the forenoon precisely.....

27th February - SOUP KITCHEN CONCERT.
A grand evening concert was given in the Free Gardeners' Hall, Skelton on Saturday in aid of the North Skelton Soup Kitchen.
Mr Noah House gave the use of the hall and piano and Mr Robert Bell, church organist, acted as conductor. Close on 200 people could not get in and a repeat was arranged.
The entertainers were the Misses Morgan, Emmerson, Massey and Lark; Messrs Rushton, Ranson,Robinson and the Skelton Glee and Choral Society.

6 March. - DEATH AT NORTH SKELTON MINE.
Benjamin Bell, a Deputy overman was killed by a fall of stone. In company with another deputy called Paine they went to a part of the mine which required some timber putting in and ordered the miners to leave the place. While engaged in this job part of the roof fell in badly, injuring the deceased. He was conveyed to his lodging and afterwards to the Brotton Miners Hospital, but his internal injuries were beyond the skill of Dr Merryweather and Dr Kennedy. He gradually sank and died. He was aged 47 and a single man.

31st March - MINE RE-OPENED.
The South Skelton Ironstone Mines, the closing of which a few weeks ago threw some 300 men and boys out of employment, were re-opened today. Most to the stone will be sent to the furnaces recently purchased by Messrs Bolckow and Vaughan at Clay Lane. There are hopes of active operations for some time to come.

3rd April - LOCAL BOARD ELECTION.
The result of Wednesday's Election was:-
Elected. Thomas Petch 592 - E Hamilton, jun 577 - Robert Gill, solicitor,560 - Thomas Bell, jun [Bell Bros] 544.
Not Elected. - James Chisholm 467 - R P Petch 308 - R Wilson 69.

18th April - MINES CLOSING.
Owing to the Durham Coal Miners Strike the whole of the Cleveland blast furnaces have been put on slack blast. Messrs Bolckow have damped three down and more likely to follow.
Less ironstone being required operations at the South Skelton and the Kirkleatham mines have been suspended.

26 April. - METHANE FINE.
Joseph Harker was fined a shilling for taking a naked light beyond a board warning of a place containing gas in Park Mine.

28th April - PRAYER FOR DISRAELI.
At the Skelton new Wesleyan Chapel on Sunday Mr Harker of Bishop Auckland prayed as follows:- "If we go to war, O Lord, put awd Dizzy 'et front o' the battle. Amen."

17th May. - CORNED BEEF GIFT.
John Dixon of Skelton gave six 10lb tins of compressed corned beef to the Miners Relief Committee of Boosbeck and Lingdale. They were distributed impartially amongst the worst cases in the district.
"South Skelton mines had been idle two to three months and others on short time which caused a great amount of distress in the district."

24th May - SAW-MILL DEATH.
A sawyer named Charles Lowe, aged 20, living at Skelton, met with an accident at Mr J T Wharton's saw-mill which terminated fatally on Thursday night.
On Wednesday he was sawing wood with a circular saw, when a piece of wood accidentally came in contact with the saw and he was knocked down and seriously injured in the stomach.

4th June - DISTRESS - POOR RELIEF.
In this portion of the Cleveland mining district the distress amongst the unemployed still prevails to a great extent. At the ordinary meeting of the Guisbrough Guardians it was reported that during the past fortnight 364 families [embracing 1,052 children] in the Skelton neighbourhood had been relieved at a cost of £86 4s, which was covered by private subscription. Mr J T Wharton had engaged between 50 and 60 men to work on his estate.

6th June - TRADE CHARITY.
A letter to the paper said the tradesmen of Skelton should be remembered for the relief of the recent distress at North Skelton. Some had supplied families for 2 months with goods and never received one shilling.

7th June - SKELTON BOARD OF HEALTH.
At the monthly meeting Mr Downie was re-appointed Surveyor and Inspector of Nuisances for the next 3 years.
A great improvement was reported to have been made by Mr Wharton in the widening of the highway at the West end of Skelton, but a new drain was required and the Surveyor was order to lay it and to metal the new portion of the roadway.
The Surveyor stated that a number of trucks of unbroken slag and whinstone had been ordered since the last meeting of the Board and the material was being broken by the men selected by the Relieving Officer at 2s per ton.
Notice is to be served upon the owner of the house occupied by "Jack Andrew", a well-known character at New Skelton, which is reported to be in a filthy condition.

10th June - MINE BACK TO WORK.
The North Skelton and Longacres Mines were started this morning. The iron trade was still slack and this was blamed on a lessening in the export of pig iron to Germany, which had recently imposed protection measures.

23rd June - RUNAWAY PRAM.
A serious accident occurred at the East End of Skelton last Friday. A little girl had been sent out with a perambulator with 2 children in it, the youngest being about 8 months old. She left the pram for a while standing unattended, wnen by some means it set off down a hill and ran into a miller's waggon which was coming from the opposite direction.
Both children were carried under the horses' feet. The oldest had its thigh broken. The youngest had its skull fractured and very little hope is entertained for it.

24th June - AGRI-CULTURAL CONCERT.
On Monday an excellent concert was given in the new Concert Rooms, Skelton under the auspices of the Cleveland Agricultural Society. The room, which is a new one, is well adapted and was tastefully decorated with banners, flags and evergreens whilst appropriate mottoes adorned the walls.

2nd July - APPEAL TO REDUCE RATES TURNED DOWN.
At the North Riding Quarter Sessions the Rating Committee had before them representatives of the Guardians of the Guisborough Union, who claimed a further reduction in the rates in consequence of the depression in trade having caused many of the mining villages to be unoccupied. The committee felt it could not allow temporary causes of depression to make any reduction in the fixed rateable value of houses that were empty.
After some debate about the legality they heard an appeal from Mr Buchannan, solicitor of Guisborough and Clerk to the Skelton and Brotton Local Board on behalf of the ratepayers of Kirkleatham, Marske, Brotton, Skelton and Moorsholm, who alleged that they would be most unjustly burdened if the new basis of the County rate was adopted.
He referred to the unparalleled depression in trade throughout the Cleveland district which had resulted in a great depreciation in the value of all assessable property, which was divided into 4 classes - ironstone mine, house property, blast furnaces and agricultural land.
The mines were rated on an assessment made in 1875 when the letting value was 5 shilling per ton. This had now fallen to 3 shillings per ton and he submitted the assessment of mines should therefore be reduced by two fifths.
A similar reduction, he contended, should be made in the assessable value of cottages, shops etc, which fluctuated in value with the state of the iron trade and the actual reduction that had taken place was one third.
In respect of Skelton, agricultural land made up just about one twelfth of the total rateable value. If it were necessary to make appeal ad misericordiam, no case could be made stronger than that of the Skelton township, in which very recently in one week upwards of 1,700, out of a total population of 7,000, were in receipt of parochial relief, and those people were clearly suffering from distress of an unparalleled character. The working classes were not now in a position to take the description of houses they used to do, as the great majority of them were on the brink of starvation.
The Court decided that no further reduction could be entertained or allowed and as a new return of the property tax would be made in the present year, no alteration be made in the present County rate basis.

7th July. - PRIMITIVE METHODISTS MONSTER CAMP.
The Primitive Methodists of the Guisborough Circuit held a "monster" camp on Sunday at Boosbeck Rd, Skelton Green.
Redcar, New Marske, Marske,Upleatham and Saltburn societies met in Marske Lane about 200 yards out of Skelton at 8.30 a.m.
Brotton and North Skelton friends met at the lane end leading to Saltburn.
Stanghow, Lingdale, Moorsholm, Boosbeck and Margrove met at Skelton Green.
Kildale, Newton, Upsal, Guisborough, Mount Pleasant and Dunsdale met at Guisborough Cemetery.
The whole of the societies sang popular hymns in passing through the various villages. By the time Skelton Market place was reached there was a large army.
At 9 a.m Bro. Renton Bowers preached in the Market place, after which they all sang through the streets to the camp field.
There was much preaching and hymn singing and at 5 p.m Bro J Dack of Loftus preached a sermon, after which a love-feast was held with about 5,000 persons present. A large boiler had been procured and tea was provided but most had brought their meat with them.

9th July - THIRD CLASS RAILWAY FRAUD.
John Smith, a shoemaker residing at Skelton, was charged with travelling on the Redcar and Saltburn Branch of the North Eastern Railway in a second class carriage with a third class ticket on 21st June.
He admitted the charge, but said he got into the carriage at Middlesbrough in a hurry and did not realise his mistake until he got to Saltburn. He offered to pay the difference but the ticket collector refused to accept.
Fined 1s and costs as some doubt about intention to defraud the Company.

15th July - DRUNK POLICE ASSAULT.
Charles Broughton, a deputy at the Park Pit mines was charged with being drunk, disorderly and assaulting the police at Skelton.
PC Brough found the defendant in the High Street in an intoxicated state. He was shouting, swearing and challenging persons passing by to fight him.
As he would not go home quietly the constable was obliged to take him into custody. He became exceedingly violent and struck the officer on the head and breast.
He was escorted to Skelton Police Station with great difficulty and resisted all efforts to search him until Sergeant Haw came to assist.
Defendant said he had been to his "rent dinner" and taken too much punch. He could not remember the assault and asked for leniency. Admiral Chaloner on the Bench said he could be fined £20 or 6 months prison. In the circumstances he was fined £1 for the assault and 10s for drunk and disorderly conduct.

16th July - ALLELUIAH.
This remote part of Cleveland has been somewhat enlivened during the last 3 weeks by the preaching of a young lady named Cantrill. She was born at Redcar and about 22 years of age. She joined the Salvation Army and her methods resemble those of Mr Booth.
She left Mr Booth's Army and joined the "Evangelists". She is now home on a visit to her mother, who lives at Skelton.
She has been conducting services in the Wesleyan Chapel, Boosbeck and from 80 to 90 persons have been converted, some of whom were the roughest the Cleveland mines can produce. On Monday many were unable to get in.

19th July. - DRUNK AND RIOTOUS.
Charles Broughton, a deputy at Park Pit, was charged with drunk and riotous and assaulting PC Brough. His wife complained that the publican had got her husband drunk. He was fined 10 shillings for being drunk and one pound for the assault.

5th August - TEA FROM THE COOP.
The Skelton Co-operative Society held its anniversary on Friday. An excellent tea was provided at the Wharton Arms Hotel to which about 600 sat down. Songs were rendered in capital style.

8th August - CLEVELAND WATER COMPANY.
At the half yearly meeting held at the offices at Saltburn the chairman, Mr J T Wharton reported that the reservoir at Skelton might be expected to be completed in 3 months time.

13th August - WOODEN-LEGGED SCRAPPER BEATS UP POLICE.

22nd August - WAGES CUT.
A meeting was held at Skelton Green to consider the claim by Messrs Bell Bros, who seek to take one halfpenny per ton off the men working at Park mines. It appears the halfpenny was put on in 1876 by Messrs Forster and Allinson, arbirtators, and the owners say the causes for this no longer exist. The miners state that this is not so and their wages are as low as they can possibly go.

28th Aug. - MINER KILLED, SOUTH SKELTON MINE.
Joseph Barker, a miner aged 24, was killed. "A fall of ironstone while he was drilling a hole, a piece of stone which had been shattered by a previous shot fell without warning."

GROCER BANKRUPT.
In the Matter of a Bankruptcy Petition against Christopher Lawson, of 13, Boosbeck-road, Skelton Green, in the parish of Skelton, in the North Riding of the county of York, Engineer, Grocer, Provision Dealer, and Beer Retailer. Upon the hearing of this Petition this day, and upon proof satisfactory to the Court of the debt of the Petitioner, and of the trading, and of the act of Bankruptcy alleged to have been committed by tbe said Christopher Lawson having been given, it is ordered that the said Christopher Lawson be, and he is hereby, adjudged bankrupt....

2nd September - BEER TO DRUNKS.
John Breckon of Skelton Green was charged with selling beer to drunken persons. Fined £2 10 and 10s costs.

8th September - SKELTONER DEATH IN USA.
A man named Nicholas Baker, who left North Skelton some few months since for America, has lost his life through an accident in one of the mines there.
Baker and a man named Guest, who was killed at Huntcliffe Mines last week were "mates" and fast friends in Cleveland.
On Thursday, the day that Guest met his death a letter was received from America announcing the death of Baker.
A messenger was despatched from North Skelton to Brotton to inform Guest of the melancholy news from America. At the same time a messenger was sent from Brotton to North Skelton with the sad tidings that Guest had been killed. The messengers met on the road.
The deceased leaves a wife and 6 children to grieve his loss.

16th September - CHILD ASSAULT.
A middle aged man named Stephen Oliver, a miner at North Skelton pit, appeared on a charge of assaulting a little boy named John William Emerson, aged no more than 8
It was stated that the child was playing in his Grandfather's garden at North Skelton on Friday last, when it happened to drop a piece of iron near one of the plants in defendants garden.
The defendant immediately ran after the child and struck him upon the head with a garden implement commonly known as a "gripe". The blow caused two serious wounds and he had to be carried home.
Defence said the child had annoyed him by pulling up cabbages in his garden. Magistrates severely censured him for his cowardly act and imposed a fine of £1 and costs.

16th September - NIGHT POACHERS.
Two rough looking fellows named Henry Long and John Whittleton were charged with having taken 10 rabbits on land in the occupation of Thomas Petch at Skelton.
Squire Wharton's head gamekeeper, Mr Pennington, was going his rounds with a couple of keepers, between 3 and 4 o'clock in the morning, when they found the 2 prisoners on the land with all the necessary implements for night poaching.
After a slight resistance they were captured. Both were armed with bludgeons and had stones in their pockets.
Whittleton said that he had been accused of striking one of the keepers.
"I did not strike him, but I wish to ******* I had, I can tell you."
They were sent to gaol for 3 month's hard labour and ordered to find sureties for good behaviour for 12 months.

1st October - LATE NIGHT FISH HAWKER.
A fish hawker, named George Bulman or Bulmer of Lingdale Lane, was yesterday charged with being drunk and disorderly at North Skelton on the previous Tuesday evening.
PC Calvert said he found the defendant in Richard St about 10 p.m. shouting at the top of his voice "Fresh herrings" and as he was not effecting a very good sale, he broke out in occasional curses, loud and deep, and kicked violently at several doors.
The Officer asked him what he meant by his conduct, when he showed fight, and it was with the greatest difficulty that he could be induced to go away.
Bulman, in defence, said the officer turned his light on him suddenly and dazzled him. [Laughter in court.]
Everything was quiet until then and he supposed he gave the officer a bit of his mind. The Bench considered the case proved and ordered him to pay a find of 5 shillings and costs.

8th October - CRICKET.
An exciting match was played at North Skelton Cricket Ground between the miners of North Skelton selected by Harrison and the Miners of Longacres selected by Reed.
The sides batted twice and the bowlers were always on top. N Skelton 36 and 46 beat Longacres 19 and 54.

25th October - SKELTON LITERARY CLUB.
The old and well tried club held their usual weekly meeting on Thursday night, in the commodious and comfortable room of Mr J T Wood, High Street, which has recently been obtained for the purpose of holding their ensuing winter's session therein.
Mr Alex Ellis ably presided. The evening was spent profitably in the hearing of "brilliant recitations and impromptu orations".

27th October - MINERS DEMONSTRATION.
A large meeting of the lodges of the Skelton and Brotton district took place in a field provided by Mr G Robinson, manager of North Skelton mine.
The various lodges displayed their banners and were headed by brass bands. Over 2,500 people with a good sprinkling of the fair sex attended.
Mr Joseph Toyn, miners agent, addressed them and said what a change had come over the district since the Miners Association began.
To start with only the kindness of their esteemed friend, Mr Emmerson of Hollybush Farm provided them with a field.
They had not got the 2d extra per ton but furnaces were being re-lighted and prospects were better.
They should be thoroughly organised and "the time was come when all should be closely allied together and thoroughly federated throughout the land and when such was the case they would obtain their rights." [Cheers].

31st October - DISAPPEARED.
A man named William Todd left his home at North Skelton apparently for a walk. On Wednesday his wife received a letter from him to the effect that by the time she received it "he would be no more".
It was written from Newcastle. He was a steady respectable man, but for some time low-spirited. Nothing further has been heard of his whereabouts.

1st November - MINERS THREATEN STRIKE.
Notice has been given by the 200 men working at South Skelton mines, owned by the Yorkshire Bank and which belonged to the late T Vaughan and Co that they will come out on strike unless they receive an advance of 1d per ton. They allege the 1d was taken off them in March last on the understanding that they would receive it again when trade improved.

6th November - REGISTRAR OF BIRTHS AND DEATHS.
At the fortnightly meeting of the Guisborough Board of Guardians the principal matter was the appointment of a Registrar of Births and Deaths for the Marske district in the place of Mr Charles King of Marske.
The district is an important one and embraces among other places Redcar, Coatham, Warrenby, Marske, New Marske, Saltburn, Skelton, Boosbeck and Lingdale, the aggregrate population being something like 20,000.
Of the 48 applicants the Chairman thought that Mr E Ellis, Chemist of Skelton, had some claim. He was the present vaccination officer, whose post was an unremunerative, but onerous one and he had performed it satisfactorily for some time. Mr Ellis and Mr Farthing of Marske were proposed and Ellis was elected only by the casting vote of the Chairman.
In the following years there were complaints from the people who lived some distance from Skelton having to travel 6 or more miles to visit the Registrar.

17th November - MINERS FEET CRUSHED.
At North Skelton Mines on Friday an accident occurred to a miner name Hughill. The poor fellow had finished his day's work and had got to the pit bottom to come up the pit.
It being leaving time, there were a good many men at the pit bottom waiting to ascent. Many of them had no patience to wait their turn to rid, but crushed to get in and through this Hughill is probably maimed for life.
Both of his feet got under the heavy cage and were very seriously injured.

17th November - RIGHT OF WAY DISPUTE.
A meeting was held at North Skelton to consider the actions of Mr Hamilton of Rigwood, agent to Skelton Castle who for a considerable time had been trying to prevent the public travelling across the fields by Hagga Farm to Saltburn.
He had put up a fence near Holly Farm, the residence of Stephen Emmerson and his sister Hannah, "the Miners' friend".
70 year old, Hannah, on being blocked, ordered her servant to tie the horse to the fence and pulled it down.
Consequently she and her servant had been served with a writ.
Mr A Brighton roused the meeting. It was a battle for the ratepayers to keep the long-trodden way open.
Did they intend to allow honourable old people to be put upon in this way ? Cries of "No No Never."
Mr Emmerson said he had been that way uninterrupted for 70 years and cement, lime and other commodities had been brought by that route in carts.
A deputation headed by Mr Toyn was appointed to see the Squire on the matter.

17th November - TRAIN CRASH AT LONGACRES.
A collision between 2 mineral trains occurred on the Brotton branch of the North Eastern Railway on Friday afternoon.
A laden train of ironstone was coming out of the Longacres Mine siding belonging to Messrs Bolckow, Vaughan and Co, for Middlesbrough.
At the same time a similar train from Messrs Bell Bros "Cliffe Mines" [Huntcliffe] for the West was proceeding down the main line, the gradient at this point being rather strong.
The signals were against the Cliffe train, it is said and were not observed.
The Longacress train engineman, seeing the danger, put on full steam with a view of joining the main line before he was overtaken, but his efforts were not quite successful.
The Cliffe train struck 5 wagons in the rear, causing considerable damage and injuring the permanent way. Neither engine was thrown off the rails, nor was any one hurt seriously, but the traffic was delayed for several hours, both ways being blocked.
The passengers from Loftus and Guisborough to Saltburn and vice versa had to change trains near the scene and walk over the damaged portion of the railway.

3rd December - HARE POACHED.
3 young men named William King, Moses Windross and Thomas Carter were yesterday before the magistrates on a charge of trespassing on the estate of Mr J T Wharton at Skelton. They were seen pursuing a hare with their dogs by Barker, an under-keeper. Windross, who had been 3 times previously convicted, was ordered to pay a fine of £1 and the other two 10s. The magistrates declined to hear a charge of refusing to give their names.

17th December - SCHOOL FEES TEST CASE.
George Baldwin, a miner, was summoned by the Skelton and Stanghow School Board for the non-attendance of his child, James, aged 8, at the Lingdale School on the 17th.
It was a test case to settle the vexed question of the pre-payment of weekly fees. The boy had been sent to school but was refused admission as he he did not have his payment. A letter from the Government Education Department was read out giving guidance on the matter and justifying the Board in their action. Fined 5s and costs.

19th Dec. - GROCER AND BEER RETAILER BANKRUPT.
In the Matter of Proceedings for Liquidation by Arrangement or Composition with Creditors, instituted by John Cook, of Skelton Green, in the parish of Skelton, in the county of York, Grocer and Beer Retailer, and of the Havelock Inn, Page-street, New Hendon, in the county of Durham, 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 the offices of Mr. Thomas M. Barren, Solicitor, 20, High-row, Darlington, in the county of Durham, on the 6th day of December, 1879, at eleven o'clock in the forenoon precisely....

23rd December - MERRY CHRISTMAS.
12 months ago the mines were almost at a standstill. Soup kitchens were established and the Guardians were relieving the people.
Already most of the mines are working full time and no doubt others will start again. At Skelton we paid a visit to Mr T Taylor and Son. Their windows are profusely decorated with all kinds of Christmas cheer. On the opposite side of the street Mr Bearpark has a nice display, as can be said of Mr Wood.
Mr Clift, the stationer, has an excellent display of toys. Foremost among the butchers we notice Mr Wilkinson, who has some good "Skelton Beef", his beast having been fed by Squire Wharton. Mr Harker also has a good show.
Mr Wilson of Saltburn who has a branch at Skelton has a fine show of pork. At North Skelton Mr Stokoe's establishment is worthy of note.

30th December - RIGHT OF WAY DISPUTE.
The inhabitants met at the Bull's Head and were informed by "mine host" that they could not use his premises for a meeting on that subject.
They held it in the open air at the back of William St. There was a threat that the miners would be deprived of their gardens if they continued with the protest.
Mr Emmerson had spoken to Mr Hamilton and told him he could trace the right of way back 114 years.
Mr Hamilton told him the houses at North Skelton belonged to Mr Wharton and he could turn the occupants out at a fortnight's notice.
He was going to send Hannah Emmerson a writ for pulling down the fence a second time.