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1898 - 15th April. Skelton Park Pit. Charles Scupham, a horse leader aged 17 was killed. "When coming out-bye with a set of full tubs,
down a gradient of 1 in 36, he either slipped or caught his foot against a sleeper and fell in front of the tubs, and three of them passed over him
crushing him so severely that he was killed instantly."
The Church Rooms were built at the bottom of Green Road. |
![]() [Picture of Miss M Tippet donated by Owen Rooks, native of New Skelton.] |
The Green and Skelton Mother's Meetings have an amalgamated mothers' meeting on Wednesday afternoons - entrance by the
North door out of the Infant's School. The Boys' Sunday School meets here at 9.45 and 1.45.
A Primitive Methodist Chapel was built in New Skelton.
1899 -
28th July. North Skelton Mine. William Allanby, a driver aged 19, died as a result of injuries received on the 7th July. |
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"He was riding in-bye on his horse, against the rules and was crushed between the timber supporting the roof and
the horse, causing very severe injury to his back." 17th October. Longacres Mine. . Ralph Johnson, a miner aged 31 was killed. "He was turning away a place, the roof of which was supported by timber, and had fired a shot, which knocked out the piece of stone and punch prop supporting the baulk. He went into the place and did not notice this, and the top suddenly fell upon and killed him." The railway viaduct over Skelton Beck had been completed in 1872 and a passenger service started in 1875 But the train did not stop in Skelton, as this timetable shows.
The local populace campaigned loudly way into the next century, before they obtained their own station at Hollybush.[1902]. |
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To travel from Boosbeck to Darlington return, about 80 miles, took 2 hours each way and cost 3 shillings and eleven pence,
and must have been far beyond the average ironstone miner's family means.
11th October - Beginning of the Boer War in South Africa.
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The school leaving age was raised to 12. Notable drought with extended heat waves in the summer of this year.
4th November - Skelton Literary Institute was opened. |
![]() The Rooks brothers of 8 Thomas St, Skelton in 1899, Probably at the Confirmation of the youngest Allan. Thomas, left, served throughout the First War and survived. James, right, was medically discharged with TB and took his own life in 1919. Alan, in front, was killed on the 14th September 1916 during the Battle of the Somme. |
2 Methodists, 2 Conservatives, 2 Liberals, 2 farmers, 2 tradesmen, 2 miners - one half of whom are to
be elected annually. The names to be laid first before the Squire. A goodly crowd gathered round to witness the ceremony. The Chairman, the Rev R J Ellis proposed a vote of thanks to the Squire and read a letter from Mrs Wharton, expressing her disappointment at not being able to open the Institute being forbidden to leave her room and saying she trusted it would be a lasting means of establishing sociability and good feeling among our friends and neighbours, adding, "will you tell the miners from me how great and earnest is our wish to sympathize with them in their joys and sorrows". The letter ended with a touching appeal to all to help a subscription she was starting for the wives and children of those gone to fight for our Queen and Country.[Boer War]. The Squire replied to the votes of thanks and spoke very strongly against gambling and bad language, which he regretted was so very common in our villages. A tea was held in the Drill Hall at which something over 500 sat down.
19th November - Sunday.
Collections were made in aid of the wives and children of our soldiers [including reservists] and sailors who are
called out on account of the war in South Africa in all our churches.
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