SKELTON - IN - CLEVELAND
IN HISTORY
1894

 1894 - January - Parish Magazine -
Cottage services are being held by the Rev.H.R.Walker every Tuesday evening at 7 o'clock in houses kindly lent for the occasion on the High Green and Park St.
The aged and infirm who find a difficulty in getting as far as the Parish Church will be specially welcome.
"The time is short" "Prepare to meet thy God".

We regret that we are still unable to congratulate ourselves upon the possession of a railway station at Skelton.
Since our last note upon the subject, the North Eastern Board of Directors have spent months in facing the slight difficulty of arranging with Messrs Bolckow and Vaughan [North Skelton Ironstone Mine] as to leaving sufficient "pillars" [of ironstone] to prop up the station buildings.

6th April - At the Drill Hall the children of the Band of Hope met for the last time this season to hear and see the amusing nonsense of Mr Punch and his staff, under the leadership of Mr Candler of Harrogate, who was brought over for the occasion by Mrs Wharton.

21st April - A well known figure has disappeared from our midst
Mr John Dixon, widely known in Cleveland as a seed merchant; Closely connected with the rise of Skelton and its fortunes as an agricultural district, before its iron days.
He was for forty years a churchwarden.
A large number of farmers from the district and others were present to testify thier respect to the deceased gentleman.
A muffled peal was rung as his remains were borne from the Parish Church to the cemetery.

Parish Magazine Advertisement.
June - The Volunteers had their Annual Church Parade.
The day being fine, a good many spectators were grouped on the Hills and in High St to witness the march up the village.
We understand the place chosen for their annual week of training under canvas is Redcar and that they will march off from Skelton on Saturday, June 9th.
Sergeant Treen, who has been drill instructor to the Corps for the last fifteen years has retired on a pension and his place is taken by Sergeant Wright, who has lately been employed as recruiting officer at Thornaby.

9th June, Skelton Park Pit, John Chambers, aged 30, machineman was killed.

North Skelton Miners about this time.
"While assisting to remove a drilling machine to another place it got off the way and tilted over."

16th June - The children of our Church Sunday Schools had their Annual Treat on Saturday.
Wagons to convey the party, which consisted of 412 children with 44 teachers were kindly lent by Messrs. Allison, Bell Bros, Bolckow and Vaughan, Catron, Davidson, Emmerson, Graham, Maughan, R P Petch, T Petch, Ramshaw, Smith, Stevenson, Wharton and Young.
They were fitted with seats by Mr Varty, Manager of Park Mines and Mr Brown, engineer of North Skelton.
The ride to Saltburn was very much enjoyed by the young people.
At 4 o'clock the youngsters sat down on the grass in front of Mr Ridsdale's house, at the foot of Cat Nab in two large circles and proceeded to make a vigourous attack upon the good things provided.

19th July - The Skelton Agricultural Society held their Annual Show in the large field, at the corner of Saltburn Lane, between Stanghow Road and Hollybush Lane.

North Skelton Shops.
The number of entries was about the same as last year, one or two short of 600, made up as follows -
Horses 271; Poultry, pigeons, rabbits and dairy produce 250; cattle and sheep 72.
The North Eastern Railway Company ran some excursions, but as they carried their passengers past the field to Saltburn or Brotton Stations, leaving them to walk thence a couple of miles to the show ground, the advantage to intending visitors was somewhat neutralised.
After the leaping, the Show closed with the novelty of a race between a bicyclist and a horseman, over a distance of three miles - the horseman changing his horse at the half distance.

Home-made Bread.
24th July - A local miner records that there was a "Second political demonstration at Boosbeck, speakers were Mr Sam Wood, M.P., Mr Tom Mann, Rev. J.F.Cox."

August - Parish Magazine -
The resources of civilisation are being by degrees supplied to the Parish,
The latest thing takes the form of a steam fire engine, which has speedily followed the purchase of a steam roller.
Perhaps if we cannot be allowed a railway station at Skelton, we may next in time get an electrical tramway between the Old Market Place, on the Cross Green and our sea-side suburb and railway terminus, Saltburn.
The present cars, running between these two points hardly meet the requirements of the public as regards accommodation, comfort, convenience and frequency, while doubts are sometimes expressed as to their safety.
Meantime, we have a new steam fire engine and a very good one it seems to be, capable, we are informed of discharging from 200 to 250 gallons of water a minute, when working at average speed.
It was brought to Skelton on Monday, July 16th, and on Friday was taken to the Castle Grounds and exhibited by Mr Harper, engineer of the makers, Messrs Merryweather.
Steam was got up in nine minutes and in another minute or two a jet of water was being discharged some 150 feet in the air.
Afterwards more jets were added, so that four or more were playing at the same time.
The hose was run out from the engine as it stood by the moat to the Castle and water was thrown on the top and over all the buildings.

Sir Lowthian Bell - Ironmaster.
Great interest was felt in the display and a large number of people were present to witness the trial.
We understand a Fire Brigade is being organised, but while we hope the members will take pains to be thoroughly efficient in the management of the apparatus and will every now and then take it out and exhibit their dexterity in its use, that their services at a real fire may rarely be required.

3rd August - Parish Magazine -
An interesting event took place at Skelton Park Pit on Friday, namely, the celebration of the Jubilee of Bell Brothers.
It is just 50 years since the firm first commenced the manufacture of iron at Wylam.
Nine years later they laid the foundation of the Clarence Works, where 20 million tons of Cleveland ironstone have since been converted into "Clarence Iron".
The celebration took the form of a tea, which was provided by Sir Lowthian Bell, Bart for all the workmen at Park Pit and Skelton [Shaft] Mine.
The arrangements were carried out by a committee elected by the workmen and some idea of the work to be performed may be gathered from the fact that it took 74 stones of hams, beef and tongues, along with 86 stones of white bread, 41 stones of spice bread, and 253 gallons of tea with the necessary adjuncts to provide for the assembled guests.

The tea was set out in two large tents, in a field near to Park Pit, kindly lent for the occasion by Mr Thos Petch and was presided by the wives of the committee.
On the platform were Sir Lowthian, Mrs Hugh Bell, Miss Bell, Mr Charles Lowthian Bell, Mr Maurice Bell, Mr Steavenson and Mr [Tommy] Varty, manager of the pits, who was just recovering from a serious illness.
Sir Lowthian was thanked by Messrs S Loftus, W Jackson, Chas Jackson and J W Johnson on behalf of the employees. [spelt employes with a French accented "e"]
Sir Lowthian, in reply, gave a short resume of the vicissitudes of the firm, shewing that, like other people, they had their ups and downs, but he hoped that they might be able to continue to find steady employment for them all.
The after proceedings consisted of running and skipping for prizes, distribution of sweets and nuts and a small present was given to each of the 500 younger children.
The Skelton and Guisbro Bands were in attendance and played till darkness drew to a close.
A day that will be long be remembered by the employees of Park Pit and Skelton Mines.

Walker, Undertakers Boosbeck Road.
October - It is proposed to hold Mother's Meetings during the winter season on Monday afternoons at the Mission Room, Richard St, North Skelton and on Wednesday afternoons at Mrs Emery's, 46 Park St and on Thursday afternoons at the Local Bard Room, Green Road, Skelton.

11th October - Death of Harriet Emily Wharton, the wife of W H A Wharton of Skelton Castle.
She was aged 34 and died five days after giving birth to Margaret Winsome Wharton.
She was the first to be buried in the private cemetery near the church in the castle grounds.
Next day the whole Parish was shocked to hear that Mrs William Wharton, with whom everyone was rejoicing at the birth of a daughter on the previous Wednesday, was dangerously ill.
On Thursday the bells were ringing merrily all day, testifying that the Parish rejoiced with her on the birth of a child and heir to Skelton Castle.
The following Thursday the same bells "weirdly" rung out their muffled peal as we laid her to rest under the trees of the old Churchyard, our hearts filled with pitiful thoughts of her motherless babe and with sad and silent sympathy for her bereaved husband.

6th November. Skelton Shaft.
Charles Tubby, deputy aged 40, was killed.
The inquest stated -'He along with another deputy, was putting of timber. They lifted one end of it into a hole, which had been prepared for it, and deceased wedged the other end into its place; he then put some packing on to the top of it, and while knocking this in, he moved the wedging end of the baulk and it fell upon his chest, and he fell with it a distance of 10 feet on to the edge of an empty tub. He was killed instantly. The baulk cannot have been very well wedged to commence with, but I understand he was a careful and well experienced man, and I am, therefore, compelled to conclude that he thought he had securely fastened it, and that the occurrence was purely accidental.'

December - A Local Government Act was passed. Skelton and Brotton Urban District Council was constituted.
Considerable interest was shewn in the Election of Councillors and Guardians under the new District Councils Act.
As we had a Local Board before, the change will not be so great for us as for those which had no Local Parliament.
The new Council has in some respect increased powers.
For the North Ward, Skelton 15 gentlemen went to the poll for the six seats.
Those elected were - William West 240, William Jackson 231, Thomas Petch 221, W H A Wharton 218, William Carter 217 and T Varty 179.
For the Board of Guardians there was more change in the constitution and competition was again keen in the Skelton Township.
Those elected were - Walker 332, T Petch 290, G Whitbread 275 and Jackson 271.

Contributions to the Skelton Needlework Guild have been received.
80 articles in all have been distributed to the poor.

Our Church Almanack, price one penny, is now ready.

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