SKELTON - IN - CLEVELAND
IN HISTORY
1937 ~ 1938

Vaughan St, North Skelton.
New Skelton - Methodist Chapel
New Skelton - Salvation Army Hall.
Hollybush Farm - Martin Hicks.
Woodlands Nurseries - Allan Hill.

North Skelton

Bull's Head, Vaughan St - Robert Addison, landlord.
4Vaughan St - Isaac Smith, Coal Dealer.
6 Vaughan St - Jack Boothby, Fried fish.
11 Vaughan St - Henrietta Bennett, District Nurse.
13 Vaughan St - Florence Harben, Shopkeeper.
17 Vaughan St - Confectioner.
22 Vaughan St - R and W Armstrong, Hauliers.
27 and 28 Vaughan St - Gordon Dowson, Grocer, Draper and Boots.
East Cleveland Co-operative Society.
Ministry of Labour Employment Exchange.
Working Men's Club.
Garage - Harold Patton.

Horsedriver, North Skelton Ironstone Mine.
11 Richard St - John Burluraux.
12 Richard St - John Chapman, Hairdresser.
31 Richard St - Thomas Wilson, Shopkeeper.
Matthew Theaker, Electrical engineer.

4 Wharton St - George Wilks, Shopkeeper.
10 Wharton St - Elizabeth Young, Confectioner.
47 Wharton St. - John Dunn, Fried fish.

5 Bolckow St - David Carver, Insurance agent.
Literary Institute - E W Templeman, Secretary.
North Skelton Pit - Dorman Long Co, Thomas E Slater, Manager.

Greenhills Farm - William Hutchinson.
Newbrook Farm - John Kidson.
East Pastures - Thomas Robinson.
Wet Furrows - Matthew Scott, Bailiff to Bolckow Vaughan.
Hagg Farm - Matthew Scott, Bailiff to Bolckow Vaughan.
Trout Hall Farm - Robert Stevenson


September 30th. - Herbert Ward, aged 32, of 29 Yeoman St, Skelton was killed in Brotton High Street.
While travelling on his cycle at night he tried to avoid a pedestrian and was unseated.
He was a member of the local Fire Brigade and his funeral was attended by:-
A very large company of mourners. The coffin, draped with the Union Jack and borne on the fire engine of the local Council, was headed by representatives of the Fire Brigades of Middlesbrough, Redcar, Marske, Saltburn, Guisborough, Loftus and Eston under Chief Officer A R Cranmer of Skelton. The deceased's firmeman's helmet was placed on the coffin. The Rev R W Wheatley officiated at the Skelton Parish Church and at the graveside.

Burial of Herbert Ward in New Skelton Cemetery,
4th October 1937.
[Photograph and information kindly contributed by his nephew, Alan Ward.]
A great number of local notables were present.

1938 - 12th March - Germany invaded Austria.

24th August - In fear of Hitler's military build up the Defence Act was passed by Parliament enabling protective measures.

26th September - In response to the fear of poison gas attacks, Gas masks were issued to the public and law passed penalising failure to carry them with you.
By 1940 Air Raid Wardens were checking only that a person possessed one.

29th September - Hitler and Chamberlain signed the Munich agreement.

15th October - German troops occupied Czech Sudetenland.

21st October. London Gazette.
Steele, Stanley, residing at 144, Oxford Road, Middlesbrough, in the county of York, Dock Foreman, formerly residing and carrying on business


Gas masks issued to everyone.
at the Duke William Inn, Skelton-in-Cleveland, in the North Riding of the county of York. Innkeeper. Court—Middlesbrough.....

29th September - Hitler and Chamberlain signed the Munich agreement.

15th October - German troops occupied Czech Sudetenland.

November - Sir John Anderson was put in charge of Air Raid Precautions.
Between now and the start of the War people could obtain an "Anderson" shelter, a six feet by four, steel plated box.
This was for home construction and used in the garden, covered with earth.
More substantial shelters were built of brick and covered with re-inforced concrete.
Stanghow Lane Secondary Modern School had one in each of the play-yards.
Also a Skelton Green Junior School pupil of the time remembers:-

Between now and the start of the War people could obtain an "Anderson" shelter, a six feet by four, steel plated box.
This was for home construction and used in the garden, covered with earth. More substantial shelters were built of brick and covered with re-inforced concrete. Stanghow Lane Secondary Modern School had one in each of the play-yards. Also a Skelton Green Junior School pupil of the time remembers:-

"There were two long shelters at the bottom end of the school in the girls’ playground.
We used to sit in them and tell stories, as we couldn't have a light on to read.
It was gloomy and damp with the general smell of the great unwashed.
And of course those poor souls who couldn't get out to the toilet."

Death of William Henry Anthony Wharton. He was buried in the family plot near the old church.
He was succeeded by Margaret Winsome Wharton.


Margaret Winsome Wharton of Skelton Castle.
She married Captain Christopher Hilyard Ringrose, who, on marriage, changed his name to Ringrose-Wharton.

The under-manager at Skelton Park was M Readman and 172 men were employed below with 69 on the surface.

At Longacres the manager was T E Slater.
The under-manager was H Garbutt and there were only 82 miners below ground with 9 on the surface.
The manager at South Skelton was J Clement. The under-manager was J Crombie. 498 men worked below ground and 109 on the surface.

The managers of North Skelton mine were T E Slater and F Weels.
There were 541 men employed below and 110 on the surface.
November - an explosion of gas at N Skelton mine caused the death of one man and injured four others.
It was closed down until the following March for testing and improvements to ventilation.

The closure of Skelton Park Mine and Skelton Shaft.
At the time of the closure the manager of both mines was J Clement.
The under-manager at Shaft was J Forbes and there were only 67 men working underground and 14 on the surface.


Skelton Park Pit closed 1938.
Park Pit chimney demolished.
Next Page - 1939 TO 1941
Previous Page - 1937
Contents Page