SKELTON - IN - CLEVELAND
IN HISTORY
1922 ~ 1926

St John Ambulance accident at Skelton Ellers.
1922
The BBC began broadcasting as a private company.

The Lady chapel was added to Skelton church.

Feb 4th - Miners diary - "Old Cud Taylor, aged 84, of Skelton Green was buried."

Nov 15th - GENERAL ELECTION.
Bonar-Law's Conservatives won with 344 seats.
Labour with 142 for the first time had more than the Liberals.
This Party were split between Lloyd-George's National Liberals with 53 and Asquith's Liberals with 62.
It was the first election held after the Irish Counties left the United Kingdom to form the Irish Free State.
In Cleveland the seat was held by Sir Park Goff with 13,369.
But here it was now more of a 3 way fight, as he was closely followed by-
Sir Charles Starmer, Liberal, 11,648.
Harry Dack, Labour, 10,483.
NORTH RIDING COUNCIL.
John Thomas Allison was elected for Skelton South as North Riding of Yorks councillor. He served until 1925.
William Mansfield was elected for Skelton North and served until 1938.

The Police station was purchased by North Riding Constabulary from Skelton estate.

Dec 13th - "First batch went into South Skelton Mines after nearly two years stoppage."

1923

North Skelton Ironstone Mine.

Fashion for women changed to short skirts and bobbed hair, to the dismay of many with older values.

First Football Pools instituted.

Dorman Long Co took over Skelton Park, Skelton Shaft and South Skelton mines.
Skelton Shaft was then abandoned.

April 16th - "North Skelton started work again."

May 8th - Addison Tate, painter of Skelton, died suddenly in High St.

Sept 19th - "Samuel Parker was killed at South Skelton Mines."

Dec 6th - GENERAL ELECTION.
Stanley Baldwin became Conservative Prime Minister, replacing Bonar Law who was diagnosed with cancer.
He made the mistake of going to the Country for a mandate and although the Conservatives gained the most seats with 258, the election produced a hung Parliament, with Ramsay MacDonald's Labour on 191 and Asquith's United Liberals on 158.
In Cleveland the Conservative, Sir Park Goff, [11,855] lost his seat to the Liberal, Sir Charles Starmer [13,326], with R Dennison, Labour, [9,683] in third place.
Labour formed a minority Government, which lasted only 10 months.

Dec 7th - "South Skelton Mines stopped to put new headgear up."

1924
League against Cruel Sports formed.

Jan 21st - "South Skelton Mines started working again after headgear put up."

Feb 1st - "Over 100 got their notices at South Skelton Mines and all men at North Skelton Mines."

Feb 14th. London Gazette. Bankruptcy.
Boustead, Frank, residing and carrying on business at 105, High-street, Skelton-in-Cleveland, in the county of York. Grocer. Court Stockton on Tees. No. of Matter—33 of 1922. Trustee's Name, Address and Description Townsend, Charles Lucas, Official Receiver, 80, High-street, Stockton-on-Tees...

March 28th - H Palmer, of North Skelton took over managership of South Skelton Mines.

May 4th - Mrs Readman of 55, Boosbeck Road Skelton, cut her throat.

Locals were shocked to hear that on the 7th May 1924 the Schooner "Ovenbeg" was driven onto the beach at Saltburn and by the 8th it had smashed through the Pier.

Mary Ann Rooks. 1851-1930. Outside her home at 8 Thomas St, New Skelton in the 1920's. Victorian dress still the mode for older ladies and note her strong, knarled, arthritic hands from a lifetime of hard work.
 [Kindly contributed by her Grandson, Owen Rooks.]
 8th July. London Gazette. Bankruptcy. COX, Randolph, residing at 47, Wharton-street, North Skelton, and carrying on business as a General Dealer at that address, and also as a Hairdresser, at 10, Queen-street, Redcar, both in the county of York. Court at Stockton on Tees. No. of Matter—26 of 1923. Amount per £—10d. First or Final, or otherwise—First and Final. When Payable—July 8, 1924. Where Payable—80, High-street, Stockton-on-Tees.

Oct 4th - "A number of men finished work at Park Pit Skelton."

Harry Dack was elected to North Riding of Yorkshire County Council and served until 1954 for Skelton North.

29th October - GENERAL ELECTION.
This was the third general election to be held in less than 2 years. Stanley Baldwin's Conservatives with 412 seats gained a large majority over Ramsay MacDonald's Labour with 151 and Asquith's Liberals with just 40.
It was thought the fear of Socialism caused Labour's loss of 40 seats and persuaded many Liberal voters to defect to the Conservatives.
In Cleveland the Conservative, Sir Park Goff regained his seat from the Liberal, Sir Charles Walter Starmer. who now came third behind Labour.
1925
January 24th - "Wm. Simpson of Hobdale, got knocked down by an engine on the line at Priestcrofts under the bridge."

Feb 28th - Geo. Smith of Trout Hall Lane was taken to Guisborough Union Workhouse.

March 4th - Walter Simons was injured at South Skelton Mines.

24th June. London Gazette. Bankruptcy.
No. 2,468. Balls, Charles Oswald, residing at 121, High-street, Skelton, in the county of York, and

North Skelton Silver Band about this time.
The picture appears to have been taken at Skelton Castle, with Squire W H A Wharton and his wife Elizabeth.
Georgeson, William, residing at 51, Boosbeck-road, Skelton aforesaid, and carrying on business together under the firm or style of "Georgeson and Balls" at The East Cleveland Bakery, in Boosbeck-road, Skelton aforesaid. Bakers and Confectioners. Court— Stockton on Tees. Date of Filing Petition — June 24. 1925. Whether Debtor's or Creditor's Petition - Debtor's.

November. Conservatives re-elected under Baldwin.

Pensions Act [ W Churchill] starts contributory pension scheme.

John Logie Baird televises an image of the human face.

The Charleston dance craze took Britain by storm.

North Skelton mine was shut down from May until end of 1926.
The general world depression had caused the demand for iron and steel to fall away and work was hard to get. It is said miners for some time living within earshot of the pit listened out for a hooter.

1920's Poss Tub.
Latest Single Tub Washing Machine, as used by Elizabeth Harrison at 16 Trout Hall Lane, Skelton Green about this time.

1920's Flapper.
Back Lane, Skelton home made style.

1920's Ironstone Miner.
Andrew Ward in Skelton Park Pit.
If it was sounded once they could go to work and if twice stop at home.
Squire Wharton of Skelton Castle marked certain trees on his estate for felling, which the local people could use as fire wood.

A petrol pump was opened in Holmbeck Rd, N Skelton by Mr Harold Patton, who, as seen by the gramophone needle tin shown here, had diversified into the wind-up, home entertainment of the day with a shop at 74 High St.

Thomas Coatsworth was elected to the North Riding of Yorkshire County Council for Skelton South and served until 1928.

December - Death of Jack Appleton. A muffled peal remembered a devoted bell-ringer of over 20 years service at Skelton and Saltburn.

1926
May. There was a General Strike in Britain which lasted for nine days.
This had originated in a miners protest about cuts in pay and escalated when the TUC supported them.
Miners did not gain anything and the Union movement was left with a bad public reputation. Death of Elizabeth S Wharton, the second wife of W H A Wharton of Skelton Castle. She was buried in the family cemetery behind the old church.
The medal shown here was awarded to Richard Wright of 21 Charlotte Street, New Skelton. He was born about 1891 in Lingdale and lived there at 22 High St before moving to Skelton.
Many of his descendants still live in the area. But no one knows what the Wharton Shield was awarded for.
[Photograph kindly donated by his Great Granddaughter Louise Wright of Guisborough, N Yorks.]

Silver Medal won by players of Skelton Church Football Club.
[Photograph kindly donated by Alan Ward, son of F Ward

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