SKELTON - IN - CLEVELAND IN HISTORY

Herbert "Bert" Willie Riddiough with his wife Annie Eliza. He is pictured here later in life with his Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes "Jewel".

Britain declared War on Germany and its Allies on the 4th August 1914. On the 7th August the Government requested local authorities to:- "form throughout the country representative local committees whose function it will be to consider the needs of the localities and co-ordinate the distribution of such relief as may be required, the proposal being that a local committee should be appointed in each Borough, comprising representatives of Local Authorities, including Board of Guardians, Distress Committees, Trade Unions and Philanthropic Organisations." The Prince of Wales then sent the authorities a telegram "requesting that they open a relief fund and collect money to this end." [This information kindly provided by Joanne Robson, Archive Officer for Oldham, Lancs.] Herbert Riddiough of 4 Hobdale Tce, Skelton wrote the words and was joint composer of the music for the following songs which he offered to the Prince's Distress Fund. Herbert had been born in Shipley, Yorks and came to this area about 1899. He would have been 39 in 1914. After the War, in 1920, he was a founder member of the RAOB in Skelton, an organisation which has similar philanthropic aims of helping one's fellow man. Herbert and Annie had at least 10 children and later moved to Brotton, N Yorks, where many of his descendants still live. [His Daughter, Doris "Dolly" Glover, preserved his work and these pictures have been kindly contributed by his Great Great Grand-daughter, Julie Riddiough.]