md So \ AAA REQ SON TENOR RENE R UN SN SEN SR ERCUCRKNORERRENEN NS SN SE NNN Ne ere Cee eee Ce ECR ee Tee eer Cten nnn + aoe —eyY | = Was Ayes Ah fe 3s MORLEY: ANCIENT AND MODERN. CHAPTER I. HARLY HISTORY OF YORKSHIRE—HOMES OF THE BRITONS—THE ROMANS IN MORLEY—THE “ STREET ”—DISCOVERY OF BRONZE WEAPONS— WITH THE NORMANS—MORLEY IN DOMESDAY Book —THE PLANTAGENET PERIOD—SOCIAL CONDITION OF THE PHOPLE—POLL TAX LIST—SIGNIFICANCE OF NAMES—TRAITS OF CHARACTER—-THE SUBSIDY ROLL—PHASES OF VILLAGE LIFE—SIR JOHN SAVILE—THE COMMONWEALTH HRA—HEY- Wwoonp’s NOTICES OF MORLEY—THE HEARTH OR CHIMNEY TAX —MORLEY CONTRIBUTORS. T would be an interesting item of information if we could tell our readers who were the people living in and about Morley in the earliest known times. As, however, the _ early history of Yorkshire itself is surrounded by such a dense atmosphere of mystery that hitherto it has eluded the efforts of the historian to pierce it fully, we need not wonder that the records of such a small and insignificant part of the county as Morley would be before the Christian era, should be altogether missing. The earliest known inhabitants of the West Riding were the Brigantes, who possessed the northern part of the country from sea to sea. They were the most powerful and numerous of the forty Celtic tribes that were living in England at the time the Romans explored Britain, B.c.55. The Brigantes were fond of hilly 2 MORLEY : ANCIENT AND MODERN. localities, and the north and north-east of Yorkshire seems to have been the centre of their power. But Yorkshire, along with the rest of the country, presented at this time a very different appearance from what it does at the present day. There were no roads or enclosed fields, and immense forests covered the surface of the country. JuLIus Casar, in his Commentaries, thus speaks of the people and the country :— The inland part of Britain is inhabited by those who, according to the existing tradition, were the aborigines of the island; the sea-coast by those who, for the sake of plunder or in order to make war, had crossed over from among the Belge...... The population is very great, and the buildings are very numerous, closely resembling those of the Gauls; the quantity of cattle is considerable. For money they use copper or rings of iron of a certain weight. There is timber of every kind which is found in Gaul, except beech and fir. They deem it un- lawful to eat the hare, the hen, and the goose; these animals, however, they breed for amusement, The country has a more temperate climate than Gaul, the cold being less intense, etc. The homes of the Britons were of a very poor type of dwellings, being nothing more than circular huts made of wood or reeds; while for clothing they wore the skins of animals killed in the chase—hears, wolves, and beavers. When about to engage in war they stained their naked bodies with the juice of the woad, in order to make themselves. appear still more barbarous and curious in the eyes of the civilised Romans. When the last named had made good their position in the south of England, they endeavoured to force their way northward, but for a century the wild and savage Brigantes successfully defied their arms. When Ostorius Scapula came over with an army from Rome, A.D. 48, at the instance of the Emperor Claudius, to subjugate the north- men, he was so frequently repulsed by the brave Brigantes of York- shire that they have a special mention in the dirge sung at the funeral procession of the Emperor, in which they are styled ‘the azure-armed Brigantes.” In many of the other writings of the Roman historians witness is borne to the desperate resistance and invincible bravery of this tribe. The time came at length, however, when the Brigantes had to capitulate, being completely subdued by Petilius Cerealis, an able Roman commander, about a.p. 70, when, under their Roman masters, the Brigantes learned the arts of civilised life—they learnt the Latin language, and many were converted to Christianity by those Romans who had already embraced the new faith. For four hundred years the Romans remained masters of Britain, with York as the capital of Maxima Cesariensis, the great Roman province which comprised Yorkshire and all the country from the Tyne and the Kden on the north to the Humber and the Mersey on the south. “In the early part of the third century, York shone forth with great splendour, and it was there that the Emperor Severus held his court, while his son was in the north superintending the building of the great wall of stone from Solway Frith to the mouth of the river Tyne, a.p. 208. Severus struck coin at York, on which he designated himself THE ROMANS IN MORLEY. : 3 Britannicus Maximus.” Some of these coins have been found at places within a few miles from Morley, but none, so far as we are aware, have been met with in our village, and yet we have evidences that Morley was not unknown to the Romans. We are proud of the fact that we have a road, which was traversed nearly fifteen hundred years ago by the Roman legions ; and thus, without having to invent some fictitious story by which to make Morley a place of more than passing interest to the student of history and antiquity, we have indisputable evidence of the existence of one of those famous old highways which were at one time in direct communication with the capital of Rome, when she was Mistress of the world. Britannia Road, as it is called, was formerly known as the “Street,” and extended within the township of Morley, from Gildersome boundary of the Bradford and Wakefield Road to Tingley Bar. | In 1846, at the boundary between Morley and Churwell, an interesting discovery of bronze weapons was made. These consisted of two spear heads and five palstaves, one of the spear heads being very finely formed and well-proportioned, and measuring 102 inches in length, while the other was of a ruder form, though finely patinated, but want- ing the lower portion, and measuring 4 inches in length. There was a palstave 63 inches in length, rough from the mould, and 174 ounces in weight. A few years previous to this discovery a large bronze pal- stave was found in a garden at Morley, measuring 7 inches in length, and weighing 21? ounces. Various have been the opinions of antiquaries as to the period when bronze implements were in use, but the consensus of evidence goes to show that, whilst there is no doubt that the Romans did use certain bronze implements, as a rule stone and bronze weapons are pre-Roman and pre-historic. Be this as it may, of one fact we may be certain, that our ancient village was in existence at the time of the Roman occupation. The withdrawal of the Roman legions from Britain left Yorkshire at the mercy of the Picts and Scots. The Saxons were at this time a powerful people, had been long engaged in war, and, having formed a confederacy north of the Elbe, of the German tribes, they were ready for any encounter. The Britons forth- with asked them over to assist them against the Picts. ‘ They came, they saw, they conquered,” and became the masters of the people, and despoilers and possessors of the land which had so recently supported the Roman conquerors. From this time forward, for two hundred years, the whole country was in a state of ferment—severe battles being fought, and slaughter and rapine sweeping over the land. This lasted until the Christianity which had been preached by the Roman missionaries had become neglected and almost forgotten. The conquest of the West Riding by the Anglo-Saxons was very complete, and, in proof of this, we need only to refer to the names of places, and to the physique of the people who still inhabit this portion of Yorkshire. It is said that “the indomitable energy and the manners 4 MORLEY: ANCIENT AND MODERN. and customs of our yeomen, and ancient settled farmers, strongly remind us of the ever-enduring Saxon of former days. In the rural districts we are substantially the same to-day.” The greatest proof of our descent from these races is the names of places around us, having Saxon or Danish terminations. The termination ton, or village, is very common: as in Drighlington, Adwalton, Heaton, Bolton, Beeston, and many other places. The very complete occupation of the neighbourhood around Morley will be best shewn by selecting the termination Jey, which is clearly a sign of Anglo-Saxon settlement. Itis found in Mor- ley, Tingley, Ardsley, Batley, Farnley, Armley, Bramley, Pudsey, Stanningley, Dunningley, Wortley, and many other towns. field, which means a cleared space in a woody country, is found in Hudders- field, Sheffield, and Wakefield. SoaTcHERD connects Morley with the times of the Saxons by asserting that the Old Chapel of St. Mary’s in the Wood had been, under some form or other, a place of worship from the era of the Saxon Heptarchy down to the present period. We are left to conjecture as to the period of the Saxon occupation when the Old Chapel had its rise, for the building which was recently pulled down did in no wise help us to solve the difficulty, for no portion of that edifice could be assigned to so early a date. With the defeat of Harold at the Battle of Hastings, and the coronation of William, Duke of Normandy as King of England, in the year 1066, a new era began in Britain, and Yorkshire in the course of events suffered considerably by the change of government. What we have said about the country in relation to the Conquest of England by the Romans, will apply also to it for some time after the Norman invasion. Fora considerable period after the Conqueror’s power had been well established in the southern part of the country, Yorkshire, under its Saxon Governor, remained in its main characteristics a distinct kingdom. When at last a revolt was made against the rule of William, and the counties of York, Northumberland, etc., began to be very restless, the Conqueror swore “by the splendour of God,” his usual oath, that he would not leave a soul alive in these counties ; that he would strike the rebels through as one man; that he would destroy their habitations, their cattle, crops, and whatever would support human life. ‘These threats were almost instantly carried literally into effect ; and Simeon of Durham, an old historian, relates that “the country between York and Durham was so devastated that it lay waste for nine years ; and that the inhabitants who escaped ate rats, mice, and other vermin, to sustain life.” Some, when brought to the last extre- mity, sold themselves into slavery rather than die of starvation like thousands around them. No doubt the Saxons who inhabited our village at that time would suffer in the general decimation, for Domes- day Book confirms that supposition, and William of Malmesbury says that not fewer than a hundred thousand persons perished in Yorkshire MORLEY IN DOMESDAY BOOK. D at this time, and that the whole country was made into a desert. We have the most reliable testimony to the character of this massacre ‘in the pages of Domesday Book, compiled some twelve years after the scenes we have described had taken place. This book of survey was begun in 1080, and took six years in completion ; it is now kept in the Public Record Office, Chancery Lane, London. The passage in Domesday Book referring to Morley reads as follows :— In Moreleia habuit Dunstan VI. Car terre ad Geld, et VI. Car possunt ibi esse qui Ilbertus habuit sed weist est. bi est Ecclesia, Silva past. 1 leng. long et 1 late, T.R.E. Val. xl. Sol. The translation is as follows :— In Morley Dunstan held six carracutes of land, subject to taxes; and other six carracutes may be there which Ibert held, but it is waste. There is a Church. A native wood, one mile long and one broad, in the time of King Edward valued at forty shillings. In reference to the carracutes mentioned, we may explain the term as follows :—Carucate or carve of land, carnucata terre, a plough land; which, in a deed of 19 Ed. II., is declared to be 100 acres, by which the subjects have sometimes been taxed; whereupon the tribute so levied was called carvagium or carucagium.—Bract. lib. 2,c. 26. But SKENE Says it is as great a portion of land as may he tilled in a year and a day by one plough; which also is called hilda, or hida terre, a word used in the old British laws. And now, by stat. 7 and 8 W. IIL, ce. 29, a plough land, which may contain houses, mills, pasture, wood, etc., is worth £50 per annum. LirtLeron, in his chapter of tenure in socage, says that soca idem est quod carucata, a soke or ploughland are all one. We learn from the above extract what was the extent of the town- ship eight hundred years ago, Dunstan having six hundred acres of land here, and Ibert other six hundred in waste, and there being also a wood of about a mile in length and breadth, or 640 acres of forest. This esti- mate does not, however, agree with the area of the township at the present day, for we have now about 2,600 acres rated to the relief of the poor. Another passage in Domesday Book relating to Morley is thus rendered :— According to the verdict of the men of Morlege (Morley) Wapentake, con- cerning the Church of St. Mary, which is in Morley Wood, the King has a Moiety of the three Festivals of St. Mary’s, which belongs to Wakefield. Ilbert and the Priests who serve the Church have all the rest. We can well suppose, from the above extracts, how miserable the condition of the people hereabouts must have been ; this part of the county presenting one general aspect of wood and waste. Under the Saxon thanes the district had been cultivated and got into a prosperous condition, but now the reports conclude in nearly every case with the sad words, ‘‘It is waste.” Some considerable period of tiie elapsed before the land was once more brought into cultivation, and for many 6 MORLEY : ANCIENT AND MODERN. weary years the miserable serf often lacked the necessaries of life. The second notice in Domesday, however, would imply that Morley was not so much depopulated, or laid waste, as some of its neighbours, for the facts disclosed with regard to the Church point to the supposi- tion that the village was a place of some consequence ; and this may also be inferred from the circumstance that it had given its name to the Wapentake. Another reason for supposing that Morley had an important posi- tion amongst the towns of the West Riding at the time of the Domesday survey, and continued to increase in importance for the two centuries following, is given by ScarcHEeRD, who says that “it would be difficult to believe that so celebrated a church as that of St. Mary’s, and one so rich in offerings, should have flourished here without an adequate number of parishioners; and certainly not less so to fancy what else but its fine woods could have induced the Scots to settle at Morley during a whole winter.” The visit of these marauders, who came em meiio Svocyan De rma teal B-faxt’ Te fede Py Jon. yt hat aplaud oe rs, cay I dicto forme Hecays 7 oer cat 7 o¢ Worl cit are. cone! Lau goet.g. Quy ce serege Sune’ higamdemobtnan| bn Q. ferw Juno tow de a9 (st 7 oO xe po. Sduaoxl pope. oma e m payrco reo TRE pelt cat cou Ue Moder ocd Li Lit qaveerd pelXooulibas nenftt-\heceom Foc. (oli? Specimen of Domesday Book. down on this locality like a flock of Jocusts, stripping and ruining the whole district for miles around, was anything but a Godsend to our ancient village, for, in return for our hospitality, they destroyed both town and church, and left Ichabod written upon every stone in the place. The Ibert to whom reference is made as being the person to whom Morley was given, was of the family of Lacy, who occupied such a conspicuous position in Yorkshire, and were the Lacies, Earls of Pontefract. This Ibert was a chief amongst the bloodthirsty hordes who came over with the Conqueror, and for his exploits he was created Baron of Pontefract in 1070. He was the first to enter on the conquest of the West Riding of Yorkshire, where he met and put to rout the gallant but untrained Northumbrians. Here he destroyed the nation- ality and hopes of the Saxons, and subdued all the country between Pontefract and Blackburn in Lancashire. All this extent of country ie POLL TAX LIST. 7 afterwards became his barony, for his master gave him the whole, which included nearly two hundred manors, berewicks, and _sokes. This southern adventurer, ‘‘ whom the King delighted to honour,” had _ been, in his own country, Normandy, a baron of great importance. Ilbert de Lacy built the Castle of Pontefract for his residence, and it is said that it took twelve years in building; and here he lived in a degree of splendour, little, if anything, inferior to that of England’s greatest monarchs. He also formed the Seigniory or Honor of: Ponte- fract, a court still existing. Fifty-seven years after the visit of the Scots to Morley, the curtain is again uplifted, and we get our third glimpse of the ancient village, and learn some interesting particulars concerning the men and women who dwelt here more than five hundred years ago. Had this information been accessible to our worthy and learned historian, Mr. Scatcherd, it would have gratified his pride in his native village, and furnished him with much valuable matter for his entertaining History. He names as the jirst person whom he discovers as living in Morley, one Richard Webster, who was married in 1575; but had Mr. Scatcherd been living with us to-day, we could have placed in his hands a list of the names of every inhabitant in Morley above 16 years of age who was living here in 1379, or two hundred years before the time to which he refers. From this list we can gather, not only the names, but the status in life, of our ancestors in that remote period. We can also, by aid of this valuable document, contrast the Morley of 1379 with the Morley of 1879, and thus te enabled to judge of what the inter- vening five hundred years have done for our native village. It furnishes us also with data by which we can tell the number of the population in 1379, and it also enables us to compare its position with that of neighbouring villages. In the second year of King Richard the Second, his Majesty fell short of money wherewith to carry on his wars, and a subsidy was granted to him by his nobles. This subsidy was in reality a poll tax, and lists were made of all persons in each town and village of the West Riding above 16 years of age, and in these lists was entered the sum charged on each, according to their station in life. An esquire was charged 20s.; a merchant 10s., 68 8d., or 3s. 4d., Groat of Richard II. according to his position ; and the lowest sum—fourpence (iiijd.)—was paid by all persons who had no defined occupation. As none of the inhabitants of Morley are taxed at more than a groat, the lowest amount (a man and his wife counting as one), it is plain there was not within the village EY ey = ‘) a a 8 MORLEY: ANCIENT AND MODERN. at that time a single person above the grade of a peasant or labourer. The impost was in reality the income-tax of the fourteenth century, with this difference, that at the present day the tax is only paid on incomes above a certain amount, but in 13879 every one had to pay; and though 4d. may seem a small amount for a working-man to pay, it represented four days’ labour, and if our working-men of to-day were called upon to give up four days’ wages for income-tax, we should soon be having indignation meetings and petitions to Parliament for a removal of the obnoxious impost. In this list of those who were liable for the poll-tax, we find the names of 34 persons living in Morley, 19 of whom were married, and fifteen unmarried, the latter consisting of male and female members of the population above 16 years of age who had not entered the holy estate of matrimony.. If we take the 19 married couples, and give them each a household of five, which is the usual average, we find that the population of Morley 500 years ago was exactly 95 souls, as against the number of 18,000 in 1886. The following list of all who paid the tax at Morley cannot fail to prove interesting to every inhabitant of the town at the present time :— POLL TAX LIST FOR MORLAY. Robertus Milner & vx. ......... uij.d. Thomas Del Wode & vx...... ... ilij.d. Johannes de Thorp’ & vx. ..... ij.d. Adam de Bollyng & vx. ......... liij.d. Johannes filius Thorne & vx.... iij.d. Isabella relicta Alexandri ....., ilij.d. Robertus del Hill & vx...... ... iij.d. Johannes filius Thorne... ....... ilij.d. Johannes filius Rogeri & vx. ... iiij.d. Robertus filius Johannis...... .. iiij.d. Johannes Eliot & vx. ............ lij.d. Alicia filia Johannis............... ilij.d. Ricardus Whittacres & vx. ... itij.d. Matilda Milner’2 3c ilij.d. Willelmus de Thorp & vx....... 1iij.d. Willelmus de Morlay ......... iij.d. Johannes filius Roberti & vx..., wij.d. Agnes Hlys...:.:.c.-019) ee inj.d. Johannes Trope & vx. ..... ...... ij. d. Johanna Barnefadir ..... ........ iili.d. Robertus Suytill & vx. ......... iiij.d. Rogerus Alman 42)... 3seeeeee iiij.d. Johannes Ribchestre & vx... ... lij.d. Ricardus filius Rogeri.. ......... iij.d. Rogerus Jeffray & vx......... 0. iiij.d. Ricardus seruiens Ade............ iiij.d. Willelmus Schagh & vx... ...... iiij.d. Willelmus Bailit ~\7.0n see ilij.d. Johannes Spine & vx............. iiij.d. Hugo Gregson Sis: eee iiij.d. Johannes de Morlay & vx... ... itij.d. Johannes filius Hugonis ......... iiij.d. . Johannes Schryuen & vx. ...... liij.d. Willelmus Gretehed............... ilij.d. Summa—xj.s. ilij.d. The sum of eleven shillings and fourpence was thus sent to the King by the loyal inhabitants of Morley; and, though this sum may seem a very small one, we find that Dewsbury paid only 13s. 4d., Hunslet 17s., Soothill 3s. 4d., Drighlington 9s., Bradford 28s., Halifax 12s. 8d., Gomersal 17s., Heckmondwike 4s. 8d., and Batley 39s., but of this amount Alice Finchenden paid 20s., and John Copley, Esq., 6s. 8d., so that in respect of population Batley was little better than Morley. The town having the highest tax in the Riding was Pon- tefract: it paid £14 10s.; Doncaster paid £11 13s. 4d., Sheffield £6 11s. 2d., Selby £6 6s., and Wakefield £4 15s. 8d. These were the towns which were of paramount importance in the West Riding five hundred years ago; whilst the great manufacturing towns of to-day, SIGNIFICANCE OF NAMES. 9 Leeds, Huddersfield, Bradford, Dewsbury, and Halifax, were not even worthy to be called villages. This is further shown from the census of the towns at that time, for we find that Pontefract had 306 families of married persons, Doncaster 803, Selby 200, Sheffield 171, Rotherham 119, Leeds 50, or a population of 250, Bradford 26, and Dewsbury 18. And what was the mental condition of the mass of the population at this time? Deplorable in the extreme. Except the Christian name that the Church gave them they were nameless, a fact which points unmistakably to the unsociability of semi-civilization. And yet they Sometimes coined names for themselves ; and these were generally of a very simple or a very ridiculous character. Mostly, they were the simple designation of their occupation, or of the place where they re- sided. ‘Thus, in the Morley list, the very first name, Robert Milner, points out the daily calling of its owner. The old word for mill was ‘‘milne ;” hence came ‘“ Milnes” and “ Milner,’ and later on “ Mills” and ‘‘ Miller.” Robert would be the village miller, who, living beside the village streamlet (where is it now?), would grind the corn for his rustic neighbours. ‘Then we come upon a somewhat important function- ary, namely, William Bailiff, from whom have come our “ Baileys.” This person acted as deputy for some more influential person, who did not reside in the place; in fact, he answers to the “‘ steward” of to-day, except having a little more legal authority. There is also mentioned in our list one John Scriven, from “ Scrivener,” the one who did the writing that was required to carry on the business of the place. Another interesting name is that of William Schagh, or Shagher. This was the man who, when the wood-hewer had felled his trees and carried them to the saw-pit, cut the logs into beams, planks, or boards. William was the sagher, or, as we call him, the sawyer, and would no doubt be the village carpenter. In Gregson, we have the origin of those surnames which arose from designating a person, over and above his own Christian name, by that of his father, with the addition of “son.” We have many instances of these amongst us at the present day ; notably, Wil-son, John-son, Jack-son, Thom-gson, etc. Of those in the Morley list who represented the place more particularly, we have Robert of the Hill, the man who preferred the breezes of the elevated part of the village to the flat meadow land of the valley. Then we have John of Thorp,” otherwise “ John of the village,” who would have the surname given him to distinguish him from John of Bolling, John of Morley, and other Johns residing in the place. “Thomas of the Wood ” explains itself; and from this word we derive the surnames of a very prolific family, such as Woodall, Woodhouse, Woodhead, and more than twenty others. There are two more names in this list which deserve a passing notice, namely, John Elliott and Agnes Ellis. Both of these names have the same derivation, namely, from Elijah or Elias the prophet. The surname came to us through the Crusaders, whose im- aginations, when they beheld Mount Carmel from the Bay of Acre, 10 MORLEY: ANCIENT AND MODERN. were fired with enthusiasm to rival the deeds of the great prophet who had so valiantly vindicated the honour of Jehovah. One other feature in this list of Morleyites of the fourteenth century we will notice, and then take our leave of this most interesting chapter in our village history. Even in those remote times, and in their degraded condition, they had a certain rough humour among them, and put a little of it into the names they gave to each other. Hence we find such names as Roger Allman, one who no doubt would have fetched a good price at his own valuation; John Barnfather, whose transgressions were thus publicly paraded before his neighbours ; and William Greathead, whose nickname came from his skull development, In other portions of this Yorkshire list, we find such names as ‘ Adam yat Godmade,” ‘* Robert Slambihynd,” “ William Smalbyhind,” “Adam Blunder,” “Tom Nowt,” and ‘‘ Avice Hardwerd,” a female scold, no doubt. The next reference to Morley is to be found in a Subsidy Roll for the Wapentake of Agbrigg and Morley, which is preserved with all documents of this class in the Public Record Office, London. This Roll was written in 1523 and the year following, the fourteenth and fifteenth of Henry VIII. By a statute passed in 1523, an annual subsidy was granted to the King, when, as he declared, ‘in conse- quence of the ungodly dealing of the King of France,” he declared himself “hisenemy.” These rolls possess especial interest, serving as they do to give the names of the principal persons in each of the town- ships named, and the relative value of the property held by each and liable to assessment, with the sums collected in each place. The fol- lowing is the assessment for Morley :— Adam Harrop ... for 4£ guds, 2s. Robert Ellys ... for 2£ guds, 12d. Thomas Grethed do. do. William Tomson do. do. Sum 6 shillings. From this list we gather that Morley at this time contained only four persons of any consequence or position; and we can readily infer that the place could not boast of any group of dwellings worthy of the epithet of village or hamlet, but, scattered over an area of some two and a half miles, and rusticated by hedgerows and in narrow lanes, were a few farmers in their farmsteads, a few manufacturers in their home- steads, interspersed with a very few detached cottages, inhabited by people little better than serfs. Our next notice of Morley is given by ScarcuHerRD, who says,— The name of the first person whom I can discover living at Morley is Richard Webster, married in 1575—this name, like the name of Walker, arose from the trade or business which the first of the name followed. We are not aware how long cloth making had been carried on in Morley before this time, but the name of Webster is a sufficient guarantee that the manufacture was in existence here more than three hundred years ago. In further corroboration, we are told that some emigrant traders from Guelderland, whose occupation was that of PHASES OF VILLAGE LIFE. Li weavers, found an asylum in Gildersome, about the year 1571, or some time before it, and that the village took its name from this circum- stance ; and it is not unlikely that for some time after the settlement of these Brabants in Gildersome, that village was in a comparatively prosperous condition, for it is on record that early in the seventeenth century there were some very respectable and opulent families residing there. Morley, at that time, had not the monopoly of great men, whose names have been handed down to the present day ; for in the mansions that could be found in and about Gildersome, lived the Greatheads, the Smiths, the Crowthers, the Reyners, the Woods, the Scotts, and the Websters. Surely the historic village has sadly degenerated since the days when we are asked to believe that it ‘“‘contained many families whom it is not beneath the dignity of history to mention, since, owing to the generous efforts, the disinterested sacrifices, of such as they, the Parliamentary army out of weakness was made strong, waxed valiant in fight, and put to flight the armies of the aliens.” Bravo, Gilder- some! When thou shalt have fairly sheltered thyself under the wings -of some Corporation, may thy halcyon days return, and history be filled with the records of the sayings and doings of thy burgesses ! Soon after the period to which we are now referring, namely, the beginning of the seventeenth century, the woollen cloth manufacture was greatly extended throughout Yorkshire, and more especially in Leeds and the district. But could we get a glimpse of the manufacture as then carried on, what a contrast we should find to the same manufacture at the present day! Then the processes were characterised by the most primitive simplicity, and a degree of “‘ slowness” which in these days of telegraphs and telephones we can scarcely realise. The labour was entirely domestic, and yet the manufacturer could not stay at home and have all his material brought to his door; no! he had to travel on horseback to purchase his raw material from the farmers, or at the great fairs held in those old towns which were at that time privileged to hold exclusive markets, or, as they were called, ‘‘staples of wool.” When he had got his wool back after it had been spun on the old one- thread wheel, he gave it to the weavers, who returned it to him in the piece. And when he had his cloth ready for sale, he had to pack it and strap it on the back of the sturdy horse, and carry it to the other villages and towns to besold. These were the times over which our historian lamented, and looked back upon with regret, at the loss of domestic comfort (Heaven save the mark !), simple manners, and social happiness, which had, as he said, all been destroyed by the introduction of the factory system. He drew a sunny picture of the villages of Gildersome and Morley, when in summer weather on the village-green or hillsides might be seen the housewives plying their busy trade, and furnishing to the poet the vision of “Contentment spinning at the cottage door.” This picture is but a creation of the fancy—a fable, not a fact. All records of the trade and all traditions of the manufacture 12 MORLEY: ANCIENT AND MODERN. point to the certainty that the physical comforts of the Morley clothier have been vastly increased, and his social position elevated, by the introduction of the factory system and improved machinery. We have - no desire to be transported back to the “ good old times,” as they are very erroneously called ; when, as we sometimes read, we could have found, “‘ amidst the quiet scenes of nature, far away from the smoky town, and the clatter of machinery, the spinner and weaver following their honest calling in the bosom of their families ; not wasted in their physical strength by excessive toil, nor ground down to the dust by the rapacity of tyrannical masters, but earning a comfortable competency by moderate labour ; not a turbulent infidel and Chartist, but a contented, religious, and loyal peasantry.” In contrast to this over-drawn picture is the glimpse we get of the real condition of the woollen manufacture at the beginning of the seventeenth century, as given in a notice of Sir John Savile, of Howley, by Mr. Cartwricut, M.A, He says,— ‘The foremost Yorkshireman in the early part of the reign of James I. was undoubtedly Sir John Savile, who completed the building of his stately house at Howley about the year 1590, and shortly after took up his abode there. This worthy made commercial interests his study, and thus gained the good graces of the clothiers of Leeds, Wakefield, Halifax, and the intermediate towns and villages. In 1607, his eager- ness to protect his friends, the clothiers, brought him into collision with the most powerful man of the day, none other than Robert Cecil, Earl of Salisbury. On the 20th of May a debate arose in the House of Com- mons about a new patent for dyeing and dressing cloth, which led to numerous complaints of the staguation of the cloth trade by different members of the House. Sir John Savile helped the discussion with a few statistics of the trade in his own neighbourhood ; he told his hearers that some thousands of pounds worth of cloth remained upon the hands of the manufacturers in his county, the buyers being so few; that 13,000 men were occupied with this kind of work within ten miles of his house, 2,000 of whom were householders, and the value of whose respective stocks varied between £5 and £20; there were also 800 householders, makers of cotton, who were not worth 30s. each. He thought that state of the country could not endure a month.” Coming down to the era of the Commonwealth, we have evidence from Scatcherd and other writers that the clothiers of Morley were strongly on the side of the Parliament in the great Civil War, and several good soldiers in that notable army which revolutionised England hailed from this ancient village. Joseph Crowther, commonly called ‘‘ Corporal Crowther,” served in the Parliamentary Army, or under Cromwell; and, when the agitation which culminated in the Farnley Wood Plot was started, the ‘‘ Agitators” made Crowther’s house, on Banks’ Hill, their head-quarters. Samuel Ellis, of Morley, served as soldier and trumpeter in the army of the Parliament, and for his faithfulness to Puritan principles was subsequently hanged, drawn, and quartered. Of 4 ° mee = “\}- Lae eke : ie iy 6 \{\ WW fa \\ " 1 a exer 4 ; Corporal Crowther’s House, Banks’ Hill, Morley. 14 MORLEY: ANCIENT AND MODERN. others who served in the Parliamentary army, or under the Protectorate, we find Major Greathead and Captain Oates, the old Republican officer, who left the army to conduct a school in the “ Queer End” of the Old Chapel. "To this day the religious party which was so closely identified with the Parliamentarians maintains a preponderance of numbers in the village ; and, were this fact not sufficient to stamp Morley as a Puritan stronghold, there is another striking feature still observable amongst us, which, though not peculiar to this locality, is still quite as fully developed here as in any other part of the West Riding. We are told that ‘‘strangers from other parts of the country note that one seldom hears in this part of Yorkshire the plaintive thrilling ballads so common amongst the labouring population of other districts. The peasant at the plough never sings of the battles of his countrymen, and the factory weaver at the loom seldom tunes her voice to tell of the rural] court- ships, or of the mundane hopes or fears, which gladden or chequer her existence. It is not these, but the hymn of praise or the psalm of rejoicing which greets you everywhere in your walk with its full-toned melodious cadence, or falls upon the ear in faint intonations, dying softly away in the distance.” The love of music, as displayed in our Whitsun- tide festivities, services of song, choral societies, church and chapel choirs, and the hearty manner in which our villagers sing old familiar tunes, is the natural outcome of their traditions and associations. In further illustration of the Puritan character of the inhabitants of Morley at this period, we have many interesting notices in the Northowram Register, recently published by Mr. J. H. Turner. OLIVER Herywoop, who kept this Register mainly, was one of the ejected ministers, suffered much persecution, and was imprisoned in York Castle. Heywood often visited Morley, and in his Diary we have some most interesting glimpses of the sayings and doings of our forefathers. In the Register, under date July, 1689, we find that, in pursuance of | the provisions of the Toleration Act, the following certificate was eranted :—‘‘ To certify yt Joseph Dawson, of Morley, clerk, doth make choice of his own dwelling-house in Morley to assemble in for ye service of God according as is allowed by a late Act of Parliament, made,” etc. In addition to this house for worship, we learn that a ‘ publick place ” was secured for the same purpose, for in the same year is a certificate as follows:—‘‘These are to certify, etc. . . . that there is a congregation of Protestant Dissenters doe Assemble to worship God Publicly att a Public place built by ye inhabitants for that purpose at the Towne of Morley, In the parish of Batley. JoHn CoPpPpENDALE, Joun Lister.” Under date June 26, we have testimony borne to the worth of a Morley minister, in the following notice of his death :—‘ Mr, Joseph Dawson, minr. at Morley, died Lord’s Day night, June 26, 1709, aged abt 72, a precious Heavenly man ;” and three years afterwards occurs the entry, ‘“ Mrs. Dawson, of Morley, died Mar. 6, 1711, aged a : EXTRACTS FROM HEYWOOD’S DIARY. 15 abt: 74, had bin of great use in her place.” In 1717, Heywood has the following brief record in his Register, ‘‘ Mrs. Dorothy Waller, of Mor- ley, bur. Jan. 22.” There is evidently a mistake here, since the lady named was an unmarried daughter of the celebrated Edmund Waller, the poet. She was a dwarf, and was sent down to Morley for her health. She lived in the village for many years, at first at Yew Tree House, Banks’ Hill, and afterwards at the Old Parsonage. During her residence she was accustomed to be carried to St. Marys Chapel in a Sedan chair. We might continue our list of extracts from the Register, but the above will suffice to show the character of some of the early Puritans who dwelt in our ancient village. Mr. Herywoop, in his Diary, gives us some most delightful accounts of the people, and their peculiarities, who dwelt here more than two hundred years ago; and we are also treated to some knowledge of the services in which they engaged, and the earnestness with which they upheld the doctrines and principles of the church to which they belonged. We make no apology for giving the following extracts from this most fascinating record of the stirring times in which Heywood lived ; and we are sure our readers will feel a debt of gratitude owing to the memory of this good divine, for the opportunity we are thus afforded of making the acquaintance of some of our forefathers, whose influence and example are with us still. The following extracts from the diary speak for themselves :— On Saturday, June 26, 1669, I went to Mr. Smith’s at Gildersam, and preacht at Morley the day after, upon a solemne call, when I was in the pulpit singing a psalme comes up Mr. Broadhead vicar of Batley passing among the croud up the alley, and got with much adoe to the clark, bade him tell Mr. Hey- wood to come down, and let him haue his owne pulpit, and then hasted away he left his goune at an house, took horse and went to Batley, told Justice Copley what a multitude of people ther was at Morley hearing a Non-conformist, he took no notice of it, bad let us alone, and so through gods mercy we enjoyed the day quietly, and it was a good day, blessed be god. Dec. 27, 1676—Being to preach at Morley the remainder of Mr. Baylys funeral sermons, lodging all night at John Brooksbanks, the clerk came in the morning to consult about ringing, &c., they told me Mr. Root had given notice of his preaching on Monday being that called Chtmas Day, but neither Lords day nor Monday had given notice of my preaching on Wednesday, I was offended, thought they did it on purpose that I might have less company, here was one temptation, but wn I saw they flockt in abundantly, and a multitude came, more than ordinary, then I found my temptation to pride, vain glory, and wn I perceived none of Mr. Marsdens church coming, lest they should seem to countenance the keeping of this time, herein I had a temptation to be offended also tho they kept a private fast that day—oh wt adoe haue I with a naughty heart. Dec. 4, 1677—-After dinner, Mr. Dawson and I and my two sons went to Morley, lodged at John Brooksbanks, and the following day Mr. Dawson and I preacht in the meeting-place, god graciously helpt, it was a full assembly, blessed be god. June 5, 1678—Mr. Dawson, my son Eli and I rode to Morley, preacht there to a full assembly, god graciously assisted, lodged at John Brooksbanks. August, 1678—Mr. John Haliday of Morley dyed and was buryed——at whose funeral I was. He was an honest man and very usefull in his place, a pro- moter of good, had been Lord Savel of Hoolys Steward, great lamentation was made at his funeral. 16 MORLEY: ANCIENT AND MODERN I was at Morley Dec. 11, 1678, visiting Mr. Pickering there, preacher there. Mr. Dawson and I discoursing with him, he told us that he and some congrega- tional brethren meeting at Mr. Nobles (newly gone to house) they fell into dis- course, some of them said if the Presbiterians had power they would be as tyrannical and arbitrary as the Bps, with several other bitter taunting words, Mr. Pickering was concerned to defend them, sweat at it, but they overlaid him being too many for him, alas, alas, are we but here yet! Lord pitty us. And I have heard some of our censorious brethren say the independent ministers were little popes among their people. Lord, humble, pardon : its fitt we should all be under the hatches. July 22, 1679—Had several visitors in Morley baptised Mr. Sam Craisters child at Tong, called of Dinah Tetley. Nov. 5—-We had a solemn exercise at Morley meeting-place a very numerous assembly, Mr. Dawson’s text was Deut. 33, 19. None like the god of jesh, mine of mutual exhortat. from Heb. 19, 24, god graciously assisted. May 5, 1680—Mr. Dawson and I preacht an exercise to a very great assembly, god graciously assisted me on Phi. 1, 21, made it a good day. May 6—God helped at Morley in conference, prayer in forenoon at—a good work there. May 11, 1681—Mr. Craister of Morley an holy gentleman going to Leeds to Mr. Sharpes Lecture fel into an Apoplexy at Beeston, carried into Miles Daw- sons, dyed on Friday May 13, buryed at Morley May 16, aged 63. July 21, 1683—I went to Morley having an invitation to preach there, and though they incouraged me, yet I had apprehensions of danger, prayed to god before for direction and protection, god cleared my way, I was something more than ordinarily carryed out in prayer on that behalf. I went lodged at J. C. who being not ceartain of my coming, had given no notice, they sent about we ap- pointed to begin at 5 a clock in the morning. I rose before 4 we went to Churrel, found many people come, preacht in a barn of J.H., had 500 hearers, comfortable assistance no disturbance, continued from 5 till about III. in afternoon god helpt us in prayer repeating next day in a solemne day of prayer at J. D. and at my house on Wednesday in a solemne work—Ebenezer. Blessed be God. Matthew Scatcher, of Morley, an old man well and hearty on Saturday, dyed on Lords day, July 6, 1690, buryed on Tuesday, a rich man. In Heywood’s Diary frequent mention is made of Lady Rodes, who was the daughter of Sir Edward Rodes, High Sheriff of York- shire in the second year of Charles the Second. ‘This lady lived at Morley, and in the appendix to THorrsBy’s Ducatus, we gather some further extraordinary particulars respecting her. Mrs. Elizabeth Rhodes, eldest daughter living of Sir Edward Rodes, was in the year 1675 seized with a distemper that deprived her of her speech, as appears by a letter to her aunt, the Countess of Strafford; and though, by the assist- tance of Dr. Nathl. Johnson, of Pontefract, she was recovered for the present, yet it frequently returned, especially upon any sudden accident. But the wonder is not that a woman should lose her tongue, but that during the height of the dis- temper, when in common conversation she could not speak one word, yet 1f a Bible was opened to her she could read audibly, but as soon as it was closed she was mute as before: she is yet living at Morley, a truly pious lady, far from any design to impose upon any, but perhaps not wholly void of the /latus Hypochon- driacus. In the Rev. O. Heywood’s MS. of remarkable Providences I find it attested by the Rev. M. Chr. Richardson, who was an eye and ear witness, with this additional circumstance, that she could write sermons and repeat them audibly and distinctly, as well as chapters. But what was of secular concerns, she replied to by writing the answers she could not pronounce. From 1659 to 16738, during the time of the Commonwealth and the reign of Charles the Second, many special taxes and levies were made THE HEARTH TAX. 17 for State purposes; to be prepared in case of war, and for the King’s use. One of these imposts was a “subsidy granted to the King of tonnage and poundage and other sums of money payable upon merchan- dise exported and imported, on foreign wines, etc., for all goods im- ported or exported, 12d. per pound value for the English, and for strangers 2s. per pound value. For every piece of broad cloth ex- ported by English 3s. 4d., and by strangers 6s. 8d.” This last item would seriously affect Morley, seeing that it was largely engaged at that time in the manufacture of cloth. Another tax was levied under an ‘‘ Act for provision of money to pay off the armies and navy, by way of ‘poll,’” and hence came the payment known as “ poll money,” by ‘‘every single person above the age of sixteen years 12d., and every person not rated nor receiving alms above sixteen years of age 6d.” Though the working man was heavily mulcted by this tax, considering the value of money at the time, and the small payment for labour, yet the impost was keenly felt by the upper classes, who were very heavily taxed, according to their estates, benefices, or ncomes. We have it on good authority that ‘“ this was perhaps the greatest poll-tax and most particular that had been known, but the produce of it was chiefly for disbanding the army.” These and many other subsidies were granted to the King, and the people soon found that the change of govern- ment for which they had been clamouring in the latter days of the Protectorate, and over which they had gone wild with excitement, was turning out to be a delusion and a snare, and only proved to them how miserably deluded they had been in the anticipation of a settled and just government. In 1661 came “the unkindest cut of all” to the Puritans of Mor- ley and of Yorkshire generally, in the revival of a most objectionable tax, known as the “Hearth” or “Chimney ‘lax,” which was as dis- tasteful as the more modern ‘‘ Window Duty,” to whichit bore a strong resemblance. Our forefathers then, as we do now, objected to the taxing of any of the necessaries or conveniences of life. The money to be raised by the tax was voted for the King’s benefit, as an additional revenue for himself, his heirs and successors, and for the better support of their crown and dignity. It was a charge of two shillings per annum on every fire, hearth, or stove, on all houses rated above twenty shillings. Persons were appointed to go ‘view the hearthes,” and when these officials did not perform their duties satis- factorily, other commissioners went to obtain further satisfaction, and these latter invariably ran upa bill at the principal ale-house in the village, the ‘‘shot” having to be paid by the town’s officials out of the rates. In Ottver Heywoon’s Diary we find an allusion to this tax, as follows:—‘“Mr. Smith, of Gildersom (whose father was my dear friend a rich man)—imprisoned in Fleet, at London, for debt about hearth money died in Rodwel jail; was buryed July 20, 1689, at Rodwel, aged 50.” In ScatcHERD’s Morley we find that in 1662 the office of collector or receiver of the revenue from hearths and stoves 2 18 MORLEY: ANCIENT AND MODERN. within the city of York and the West Riding of the county was con- ferred upon Major Greathead, of Morley, along with Edward Copley, Hsq., of Batley, and William Batt, Esq., of Barkisland. So persistent were the protestations against the tax, that they resolved themselves into ‘‘one ground of endless clamours,”” and in April, 1688, the King gave the royal assent to the Act ‘‘ for taking away the duty of hearth money,” and the following year it was abolished. The principal contributors to the Hearth Tax in 1671-2 in Morley were as follows :— The Lord Brudenell .. 44 hearths , Mr. Thomas Crayter ... hearths Edward Birtby ... oa Le! St mys i Mr. Baley ... wer ee Ss Samuel Birtby = Pe ge Se ae; Robert Morley _... et Matthew Smurfitt ... ... 2 hearths There was a total of 105 contributors in Morley, who paid for 222 hearths, and four empty houses not contributing. The chief contributor to the tax in Morley in 1666 was “ The Countess of Sussex,” who paid for 43 hearths, P74) fF mil Ke 4 CHAPTER II. THE FARNLEY WooD PLOT-—MAJOR GREATHEAD AND THE MORLEY CONSPIRATORS—CAPTAIN THOMAS OATES—COLLAPSE OF THE PLOT—DEFENCE OF THE PLOTTERS—OBJECTS SOUGHT BY THE CONSPIRATORS—TRIAL AND CONDEMNATION OF THE PLOTTERS. le - OLED 1G OTF. Poilace\. ZZ - LEE | oe Mi Saye “i /] : / ee gee SS VW, “Ma SS \. _) Musketeer. 1715, in the 84th year of her age, and was the first of the family, we believe, who was interred in the family mausoleum within the grave- yard of St. Mary’s. The dress of a musketeer et? consisted of a steel morion, a SSr good combe-cap, a gorget for the neck, and a pike-proof cuirass. The musket barrel was four and a half feet long, and the stock of walnut or beech wood. In 1692-3, a Land Tax was collected in Morley, and the payment on the rateable value was £111 19s. 9d., while for other neighbouring townships the amounts were as follows :—West Ardsley, £81 12s.;~ Batley, £89 18s. 4d.; Dewsbury, £130 5s.; Soothill, £102 7s. 8d.; Drighlington and Gildersome, £96; and Wortley, £65. From this list we can form an idea of the relative importance of the different townships. So far, in our sketch of the history of our ancient village, we have been, as it were, wandering amongst the labyrinths and mists of TOWNSHIP RECORDS, 35 antiquity, with only here and there a few rays of light to guide our steps, and with scarce a finger-post to direct us on our way. But, bidding good-bye to the times of the Ancient Briton, the Roman, the Saxon, and the Dane, and reaching far into the rule of later days, we draw near to a period in the history of the place possessing more sub- stantial and trustworthy records, over which we can pace with firmer tread, and make a longer and more interesting acquaintance. From an old Town’s Book in our possession, we are enabled to trace the progress of. the village, and see who were its leading men in local matters, from the middle of the eighteenth to the early part of the present century. The volume contains the accounts of the Over- seers of the Poor, Surveyors of the Highways, Churchwardens, and Constables, as also the minutes of vestry meetings and other important transactions. These accounts are amongst the most valuable records we possess of the past History of Morley. Some of these are given in considerable detail, while others are, unfortunately, so brief as to convey but meagre information. It is much to be regretted that the volume in which they are contained dates no further back than the year 1751. The previous volumes, could they be found, would consti- tute a treasure over which we could pore with unmixed delight. It is but, however, too probable that these have long since perished. By their light, much that is obscure in the early history of our village would have been explained, and circumstances now altogether unknown revealed. Records having reference to past events which have transpired here are not so plentiful that we can afford to be deprived of even the least important, much less those of its chief public officials. The ‘* Morley Town’s Book, 1751,” is not, as we have said, so full of information as one might have expected it to be; but the village was not so thickly populated one hundred and forty years ago as it is to- day, nor were there so many candidates for public office, or so many public officials required to carry on the business of the place. And yet, the battered and shabby-looking book, brown with age, has been kept with great exactness, and it is a pleasure to turn over its musty leaves, and look over the various handwritings of those who have left their ‘‘ mark,” as well as those who have left specimens of caligraphy, of which a writing master need not to be ashamed. Some of the chirography is really beautiful, flowing, and full of freedom as well as distinctness, which are not always to be found in company. We cannot say that all the matter which the book contains is of great weight or value; but along with many brief, prosaic entries of financial and other every-day topics, are interspersed entries of great interest, and some which will afford us both amusement and information, as they contain references to social matters of a pleasant character, varied now and again by others, which soon dispel any lingering notion we have ever entertained that the days of our great-grandfuthers were really the “ good old times.” CO Lele? 17 00 i ae Tae eG ligrals hig oir fee / enc ond ode y) ee is t Mlew 4 Macon hha sd not Grvvded lo late x ci Page from Township Records, A.D. 1760. TOWNSHIP RECORDS. 37 The first official mentioned in the book is the Overseer of the Poor, and, as his office was an important one, we shall say something as to its origin. When parishes were but sparsely populated, the poor were provided for by voluntary contributions, which were distributed by the clergymen or other trustees. In the 27th of Henry VIII. (1536), it was enacted that the churchwardens, or two others, of every parish, were to make collections for the pooron Sunday. Fifteen years later it was enacted that the minister and churchwardens were annually to appoint two able persons or more to be collectors of alms for the poor. These were the first overseers, but churchwardens were, and still are, overseers of the poor. In the 5th of Hlizabeth (1563), the parishioners were authorised to choose the collectors, but, nine years later, the law was again altered, and Justices were authorised to appoint the overseers. It was not, however, until 1572 that the Jus- tices were empowered to lay a poor’s rate. In 1691, it was enacted that “the churchwardens and overseers of the poor in every parish shall raise, weekly or otherwise (by taxation of every inhabitant, par- son, vicar, and other, and of every occupier of lands, houses, tithes impropriate, propriation of tithes, coal mines, or saleable underwoods in the said parish), a convenient stock of flax, hemp, wool, thread, iron, and other ware and stuff to set the poor to work; and also competent sums for the necessary relief of the lame, impotent, old, blind, and such other among them being poor as are not able to work, and also for putting out poor children apprentices.” But at the same time it was provided that parents and children were to help each other :—‘“ The father and grandfather, mother and grandmother, and children, of every poor, old, blind, lame, or impotent person, or other poor person not able to work, being of sufficient ability, shall at their own charges relieve and maintain every such poor person as they shall be by Justices assessed.” The first date in the Town’s Book is 1751, in which year Robert Dixon (a very common surname in Morley at the present day) was, it appears, overseer of the poor for the township, and the entry of his accounts reads as follows :— May 27th, 1751. Accounted then with Robt. Dixon, overseer of the poor, for the year last past, and he has received Be Two Assessments re £54 2 OF And of Thomas Marshall — 3 ar a 20 0 And also of Mrs. Harris for Rent : 8 0 5610 02 Disburst as Casaly Bat the poe of his Accts.. 55 12 10 Rests due to the Town, which was imme- 17 2% diately pd. to Francis Moor. Allowed by us, SAML. SCATCHERD, Wm, LASTER, SAML, RAYNER. 38 ; MORLEY: ANCIENT AND MODERN. The overseers’ accounts for 1752-5 are but a repetition of the above, with altered names and amounts, but in 1756 we come upon entries of a more interesting character, The overseer was Mr. Samuel Clark, and the items in the accounts furnish us with an insight into matters respecting which there was evidently some difference of opinion, and about which we can readily conceive that there would be — some sharp words and angry recriminations. From the entry we give below it would appear that by Saml. Clark, the overseer, or, what is more likely, by a vote of the town’s meeting, some payments were made which were irregular and out of order, and which were sub- sequently disallowed. The entry is as follows :— pms AS June 8, 1756. Accounted then with S. Clark, overseer of the poor, for the year last past, and he has received two assessments............ 87 1 8 Received of preceding officer” <.....7..1,.:.- eee i Ae Also, Hannah Harris rent “:2...2..-:53 en ee 010 O £94 12 11 Disburst ..,: seuss scvseeseodesaant aosenleee Seeeae een 84 15 2} Remaining due to the towN...... ...........e0ee000-. £9 17 82 i See Which was disposed of as under (to wit)— By gates and stoops at the Parson’s house .. 419 2 For clothing John, Worseman ~..-...0. 230 see 2 2.5 For law charges concerning Neepshay Lane ...... 016 4 Paid to Mr. Scatcherd, concerning repairs of the Chappell: ..7.2.,.04.c.s.:teresnnen Lig 7 Spent the same time... 05...) svests.ssen conte ee O 1 23 £9 17 ° 84, Allowed by us, SAML. SCATCHERD, Jun., Wm LiIstTER, JOHN HEMSWORTH. When the next reckoning day arrived we find that several of the above payments were objected to, and, though there does not seem to have been any official auditor in those days, public opinion was evidently sufficient to interdict any payments which were not considered to be legal. The Thomas Hopkins, overseer, hereafter named, was an ancestor of our present respected town-clerk, and we can well imagine that his year of office would be a lively one, and that he would retire from the post with pleasure. ‘Of course it is well known that in those days the person selected for official life was bound to accept the office to which he was appointed, or pay a heavy fine. It would be interesting if we could know who had ultimately to pay the cost of the “ parson’s gates and stoops ” and the “repairs to the Chappell.” It does not, certainly, appear to us as the correct thing to charge these items of expenditure upon the rates, but we know that customs and precedents in these far away times were responsible for much that we cannot explain with our present day experiences, L THE OVERSEER OF THE POOR. 39 The balance sheet for 1757 is as follows, and we can easily understand that the audit would create much excitement amongst the officials :— no) ra Accounted then with Thos. Hopkins, overseer of the poor, for the year last past, and he has received by two assessments .............0005 0 87 6 0 Received also of Saml. Clark the preceding officer 4 19 2 [Which is specified in his accounts in the Town’s books to be paid for parson gates] Also for repairs to the Chappell....................5 2 LsLS a7 And for clothing John Worseman .. ................ 015 4 Received of Hannah Harris rent ................... 0 9 0 aiake Wee! Disburst as appears by the particulars of his PROM rt cada cu dics is a.s eh sed onset ereea sets 85 15 1 Remains due to the town...... Rr tee a cetei sot avi £9 -13-.0 Which was immediately paid to James Halstead. Allowed by us, Wm. LISTER, SAML. CLARK, GEORGE Hopason. It is worthy of remark that in the long catalogues of names of those who served the offices of overseer, churchwarden, surveyor, and constable for more than a century, we find ail the old names which exist amongst us at present. We have the Asquiths, the Rayners, the Scatcherds, the Kirks, the Ellises, along with others equally familiar, and only in very few instances do we come across names which have not at this time their representatives in the district. We have pored over the scores, if not hundre¢s, of names of Morley worthies which appear in this old town’s book with the greatest interest, for we are most of us ready to allow that it is desirable, if not in a sense honour- able, to be able to trace our ancestors back through the centuries, and recount the part they played in the social and public life of the times in which they lived, and at the same time unravel the intricacies of the days in which their lot was cast. In transcribing one or two of the yearly accounts of the overseers, we have done this in order to convey a clear idea of the manner in which they were kept, and also to show who were the leading parishioners who certified and passed the several items appended thereto. Some of the items are full of interest, affording us now and again a passing elimpse of some shady transactions, suggesting many curious reflec- tions, while they serve better than the most elaborate disquisition to illustrate the peculiar manners and customs of the times. In the year 1768, after the entry of the overseers’ accounts, appears a notice to the effect, that John Webster, freeholder and hireling under Sam]. Crowther, charg’d Three Shillings and 6d. for going to Cottingley being the first person who ever Acted in so scandalous a manner. From the overseer’s accounts we learn that the two medical gentlemen residing at Morley in the middle of last century, were THE APPRENTICESHIP SYSTEM. 41 Drs. Mann and Gisburn, both of whom received payments from the rates for professional services. In the accounts for 1769 we find an item in the receipts of 3s. 2d. for “old cards,” though how this waste ‘from the cloth manufacture came to be at the disposal of the overseers we cannot determine. Towards the close of the last and at the beginning of the present century the amount distributed for the relief of the poor rose to an enormous figure. In 1787 four separate assessments or ‘“leys ” were made in the year, and the sum of £267 1s. 5d. was paid in relief; in 1794 there were six ‘“leys,” and the amount paid for relief was £400 lis. 6d.; and in 1800 the amount raised by assessments was £320 o5. 4d. The eighteenth century closed gloomily enough in Morley, for the terrible French war had completely paralysed trade and exhausted our national resources. Wheat was at 119s. 6d. a quarter, and in 1812 it had risen to 126s. 5d. a quarter, and flour was sold at 8s. 6d. per stone. The rates were enormous, and the majority of the inhabitants of Morley must, when the present century opened, have been ina condition akin to beggary. Then it was that the overseers were called upon to furnish money for the following purposes :—Coals, shoes, clothing, oatmeal, corn, and rent ; also pay burial fees, apprentice fees, and fees for medical attendance. ‘The poor rate for 1801 amounted to £1,079, levied by several assessments, the total of which was 138s. 6d. in the pound, All the respectable inhabitants of Morley, a century and more ago, were compelled to take apprentices from the overseers. | Re as YQ aS ( A ee See y =x NW) ‘ : i | ==> \ \ i ——— | \ ay Ss 5 | i | iT Nes, Wes. P. ~N ls y =H i es a et IG er ae Se: ene ear aca o Roses Se ft ee eh ae \) yA) Shen ae Ne ifs cae or NUH \\ NN cdi OS™” NTE iw NY {\ ie i VT | Punishment of the Ducking Stool. into the ground close by the side of the pond, and arranged so as to allow of the chair or stool being raised or depressed, or swung: round in any direction. To the end of the plank the stool was attached by means of a pivot, which allowed it always to retain a_ horizontal position. In this the scold was securely fastened, and, being swung round over the water, the opposite end of the lever was raised, and down went the offender, and received the immersions—three being the usual number of dips. When the villagers wished to get up an excitement, to 46 MORLEY: ANCIENT AND MODERN. relieve the dull monotony of their lives, a “ ducking” was “as good as a show,” or a bull and bear baiting. Whenever the sport occurred, a crowd was gathered together to enjoy it—the greater the cruelty, the greater the zest with which it was enjoyed. It is well that the authorities dare not now enforce the law, for it is still lawful to order the scold to be ducked. The Ducking Stool. In connection with the Ducking Stool, a Tumbrel was sometimes used. Fraudulent bakers, brewers of bad ale, vendors of putrid meat, etc., as well as false swearers, were carted round the town on the tumbrel. This machine was the wheel-carriage on which culprits were taken to be ducked, or to be locked in the pillory. It consisted of a Tumbrel and Chair. pair of long shafts, with ropes attached, and a pair of wheels of three feet three inches in diameter, as shown in the engraving. When used, the delinquent was placed in the chair, and firmly tied in, and the machine on which she was mounted was then drawn to the pond, and pushed in backwards. The shafts were then let go, and the scold thus | tipped backwards into the water, the shafts flying up, and being recovered after the immersion by means of the ropes attached to them. The Ducking Stool, asa cure for scolding dames, was ultimately superseded 2 ‘ : 4“ : } : as She ee THE BRANK OR LADY'S BRIDLE. 47 _ by the Brank, or Lady’s Bridle, the original instrument being for some time in the possession of Mr. Scatcherd, who gave it, a short time before his death, to the Museum of the Leeds Philosophical and Literary Society. The Brank for the punish- ment of scolds and “slanderous gossips” was constructed of iron, having a collar which fitted round the neck, being hinged at the sides, to which were fastened four bands or hoops rising over the ears, and in front between the eyes, crossing each other on the crown of the head. The band passing down the back of the head was hinged at the crown so as easily to be raised when the instru- ment was applied to the culprit, and was then secured to the collar by a padlock at the back of the neck. On the band in front was welded a is : piece of steel, called the gag or Morley Brank. bridle-bit, about two inches long and one inch broad, projecting inwards, having its under side rasped or cut like a rough-file. This was inserted into the mouth of the noisy delinquent, and rested upon the tongue, thus effectually preventing her from exercising that peculiar faculty which had brought upon her the indignation of the law. Above the bit was an aperture for admitting the nose. During the whole of the eighteenth century, this was the popular mode of punishment for termagants and shrews. The Bridle was put upon the offender by order of a magistrate, and, having) been securely pad- locked, the culprit was led round the town by an officer, to her shame. Nor was it taken off till after the party began to show all external signs imaginable of humili- ation and amendment. We must not, however, indulge the idea that the weaker sex were the only members of society in Morley a century ago who required the attentions of the constable, for we find that the Stocks were often in requisition in our ancient village, to restrain the 48 MORLEY: ANCIENT AND MODERN. turbulence of the male portion of the inhabitants, and also to find a resting-place for “ tramps’’—a class of characters who were often in trouble, and to whom the Stocks of bygone times were familiar enough. This mode of punishment has now fallen into disuse, though in some rural districts, as Tong, near Bradford, for instance, the machine is still preserved as a relic of the past. On Monday, July 8th, 1872, the magistrates, sittine in Petty Sessions, at Bradford, sentenced William Davis and James Watson to sit six hours in the Stocks for drunkenness. The prisoners were locked up in the Stocks, in front of the Court-house, Hall Ings, and there they sat until five in the afternoon, exposed to the gaze of hundreds of spectators who flocked to the spot to witness the unusual spectacle. The Stocks, as we remember to have seen them, near the entrance to the Old Chapel grave- yard in Commercial Street, or ‘“‘ Back Lane,” as it was then called, consisted of two upright wooden posts, in which were fitted two horizontal planks, the lowest being a fixture, while the upper was made to slide verti- cally in a groove in the pulars. On the respective edges of the planks were cut to receive the arms and legs of the culprits, when the whole were bound together with iron fastenings, secured by a padlock. The offender was seated on a rude bench with his wi) Ze } if we s “aug Go. — >) SLa JS ee 2S * arms at liberty, his legs ; —\~WAE only being secured. Many expedients were resorted to by our ancestors to escape the public exposure to which the Stocks subjected them, and often with success ; but sad was the case of him, who, being found guilty, was too poor to find a bribe in the shape of a peace-offering. With, per- haps, a keen sense of his situation, and fully alive to the folly of his conduct, he was without any pity confined, publicly exhibited, and thus exposed to the taunts and sneers of the rabble, and to the serious reprobation of his conduct by his more respectable fellow-townsmen. 7, notches of different sizes - ree ne THE VILLAGE STOCKS. 49 This punishment was looked upon by our forefathers as most degrading, and as sure to entail upon the subject a stained character and permanent disgrace. It was no uncommon thing for an offender put into the Stocks for the first time, and that for some petty misdemeanour, to endeavour to hide his shame by a course of drunkenness, until at last he became an outcast from society, and gained a very unenviable but homely acquaintance with the Stocks. The use of the Stocks in Morley was abandoned long before their removal from Back Lane, and they were for a long time preserved as a memento of the erroneous methods once employed for the punishment and reformation of evil- doers. As we shall have occasion to show by-and-bye, Sabbath-breaking and profane language were crimes with which those in authority had to contend in the earlier years of the present century, and these objectionable features of village life our forefathers vigilantly endeavoured to suppress. It was the custom of the constable, along with the dog-whipper and sexton of the Old Chapel, after sermon had commenced on the Sabbath morning, each carrying his staff, the badge of office, to walk the highways and lanes in search of Sabbath desecrators. Instead of returning to service at St. Mary’s, they adjourned to the parlour of the “ Fleece,” where they found sundry members of the choir of the Chapel, who had slily made their way down the staircase of the gallery when the text had been given out. As the sermons were generally upwards of an hour in length, and the fireside of the ‘‘ Fleece” was cosier than the cold atmosphere of the Chapel, these jovial officials and guardians of the peace amused themselves until the cracked old bell struck the hour of twelve, when they marched as decorously as possible to their places in the ancient edifice. In 1756 it was found that undue liberties were being taken with the public money,-and that the officials were in the habit of making excessive charges for journeys on the business of the town, and also expending too much in “treats” and alehouse junketings, on every occasion which could by any possibility afford an excuse for that agree- able pastime. Our ancestors were able to carry under their belts, with dignity, more of the ‘‘creature comforts” of this life than the men of this generation ; and though they were a slow race, as we count slow- ness, and took matters with a nonchalance we know nothing about, they were plainly a jovial, sociable race, with strongly marked notions of equality, and not burdened with such a weight of self-consequentialism as some of their successors. But the line had to be drawn somewhere, and so the following resolution was agreed to :— Oct. 4, 1756. It is then at a Publick Town’s Meeting unanimously agreed that the present constable of Morley, and likewise every succeeding constable, and also every other officer in the Township of Morley, aforesaid, for the time to come, shall have one shilling every time they are occasionally called to go to Wakefield about the Town’s business. Signed, JosepH HALL, WILLIAM CromACcK, NATHL. WEBSTER, etc. D 50 MORLEY: ANCIENT AND MODERN. In the Constables’ accounts for 1761 we find that, on balancing up, William Watson was surcharged 12s. 6d, “ which was expended in treating the people who try the weights, which is disapproved of, and will not be allowed in future accounts.” This sum, which was expended at the merry bout at which our jovial forefathers entertained the “ weight testers,” was evidently considered to be far too excessive, and more than was usually appropriated to that purpose, and so may have scandalised some of the leading townsmen. On several subsequent occasions objections were raised to the amounts charged for “ treating ” and for ‘expenses in journeys to Wakefield and other places,” and ultimately the following rigid rule was laid down :—- May 13, 1799. This Memorial witnesseth that it was agreed at a Public Town’s Meeting held this day that the present Constable, and every succeeding Constable, and every other public officer, shall have allowed Two Shillings and Sixpence for every Time they are occasionally called to go to Wakefield upon the c i iv + dhe ai Business of the Township of Morley. Signed, Samu. H. Wuituey, J. W. MILNER, ~ NatTHL. SLACK, MICHAEL SHEARD, SAML. BLACKBURN. Highway robberies, burglaries, and general lawlessness were so prevalent in 1765 in Morley, that the inhabitants, in public meeting assembled, came to a determination to deal with the matter promptly, and passed the following resolution :— 27th May, 1765. This Memorial witnesseth that we whose names are underwritten assembled at a Public Town’s Meeting have agreed that all Thieves, — Rogues, and Vagabonds of what kind soever who shall in any wise injure any person within the Township of Morley shall be prosecuted and punished according to Law at the Public expense of the said Township and the Money to be paid by the Constable of the said Township. As witness our hands, Samu. CLarK, and one hundred other inhabitants. In accordance with this resolution, we find that in 1781 there was ‘paid to Thomas Hopkins the sum of £6 16s. 6d. for prosecuting Jno. © Gledhill and John Denton for a robbery.” Amongst other entries in the Constables’ accounts is the following : — Feby. 25, 1781, Gave to Two Passengers 0 0 64d. These would be destitute travellers passing through the village. Morley, being on the highway to Leeds from many other towns, seems to have been much troubled by members of the wandering tribes ; and whilst such as could show their respectability were most humanely treated, sturdy beggars were sometimes dealt with in a very harsh fashion. ne of the insignia of the Constable’s office was a “ vagrant whip,” which was kept for use and not for show. Another item in the Constables’ accounts reads somewhat strangely at the present day :— April 28. Going a Whindow Peeping 5s. 0d. This was one amongst many precautionary measures taken during the prevalence of war abroad, that no outbreak might take place at home, To prevent this, ‘‘Whindow Peeping” came into vogue. The ANCIENT VILLAGE CUSTOMS. 51 persons appointed to this office were required to go every night after dark to look into the windows of the homes of the people, that the _ assembling together of numbers to discuss the state of public affairs, or to hatch mischief against the Government, might be prevented. The repairing of bridges as well as the erection of the same have for many centuries devolved upon the county authorities, who charge the proportion of the cost upon each township comprised within their jurisdiction. Many laws relating to public bridges have been in force since A.D. 1531, but all consider them as a public convenience to be repaired from the county rate, and hence we find that in 1781 the contribution of Morley for this object to be as follows :— BEET ISTIOS MONCY.. s0.c5.sccanscs ses veces £7 2s. 4d. The custom of ‘‘ Blowing the Horn” was very common a century ago, and by it the apprentices and labourers were aroused at five o’clock in the morning in summer, and at six in winter. The practice of thus summoning persons to their labour was only discontinued at Wyke quite lately. The entry relating to this custom is as follows :— Sept. 21. Paid Ben Fosterd for Blowing the Horn........... 5s. Od. For many years previous to the French defeat at Waterloo the country generally was in a most unsettled condition, and the high price of provisions was a serious tax upon the working classes, who at last began to show signs of disaffection and uneasiness. The more respect- able of the inhabitants of Morley at once took measures to prevent any disturbance of the peace in the village ; and from the ‘Orderly Book” and “ Diary” of Captain WexsTER we learn what took place :— Orderly Book belonging to the Association formed in Morley, in the Division of Agbrigg, and County of York, for the Preservation of Public Peace. At the request and in compliance with the wishes of M. A. Taylor, Benjamin Dealtry, and Watson Scatcherd, Esquires, three of Her Majesty’s Justices of the Peace for the West Riding of the County of York, the following have been attested as special constables, and have also agreed to associate for the preservation of the public peace of our township and division upon the following plan :—I]st. That this Association shall consist of a committee of seven persons, a secretary, and assistant members, and that their duty shall be as follows. 2nd. The com- mittee formed by ballot, viz., Samuel! Ellis, Robert Smithies, William Marshall, William Nelson, Samuel Webster, Joseph Dixon, and William Myers, each committee man to be the head or chief of a division or class of twelve members formed in this neighbourhood, who shall be under his direction during the night they shall be called out. 8rd. That he shall on joining his brother members, connect himself with the military if any are appointed for his aid; that he shall assist in patrolling the township, or in such other measures as may be deemed necessary for the preservation of the public peace. 4th. That he shall make and ' deliver his report on the day following, after going his rounds, to John Webster, Captain A. L. M., secretary, of all events necessary to be communicated. 5th. That all proceedings shall be secret, on pain of expulsion by the decision of the magistrates on complaint being made to them. 6th. That the secretary shall keep this Orderly Book, in which he shall insert all correspondence with the Association, . and all communications with the magistrates of the district, the various reports of _ the chiefs, and all other matters relating to the Association. 7th. That he shall be designated the secretary of the Association for the Township of Morley for the 52 MORLEY: ANCIENT AND MODERN. Preservation of the Public Peace, using no name in his signature, and that he shall be addressed by that title only. 8th. That he shall by papers on the chapel doors solicit communications of any attempts against the public peace, promising the most solemn secrecy as to such communications, and also ample rewards for the same to be paid in such manner as the magistrates and Deputy Lieutenants shall direct. 9th. That he shall send a written order to each chief, when it is his turn to go out, in order that he may communicate to the members the time and place when and where they are to attend him. 10th. That the chief shall assemble his men at the school, which is appointed the guard room, at which place the arms are deposited, or at some other place, according to the order sent to him on the night he shall be ordered to go his rounds (with the military if any are appointed), and shall watch and patrol the township, or continue stationary at any place, according to the order he receives, to be ready on call by any of the Association, who may receive communications from the secretary where such place is fixed, and he must not dismiss them until the time has expired in the order sent to him. 11th. That he shall give his watch word. 12th. That this Association be divided into seven divisions or classes, consisting of one committee man, as chief, and eleven members, who were duly sworn at the general session at ‘the Moot Hall, Leeds, before M. A. Taylor and Benjamin Dealtry, Esquires, the 18th day of August, 1812. We, the undersigned, do agree to conform to the foregoing rules and orders, as witness our hands :— DIVISIONS. 1,—Samuel Ellis (chief), David Brown, Thomas Brown, Robert Dixon, and Peter Hepworth. 2. 3.—William Marshall (chief), Samuel Rayner, Samuel Middlebrook, Isaac sang Joseph Rhodes, and Joseph Thackray. 4.—William Nelson (chief), John Crowther, Wm. Clark, Joseph Dixon, John ce and Samuel Crowther. —Samuel Webster (chief), Joseph Asquith, John Holdsworth, Joseph Smith, W. Wilkinson, Isaac Dodgshun, Jno. Hollings, John Wetherill, and Nathaniel Webster. 6.—Jos. Dixon (chief), John Dixon, Thomas Gomers, Samuel Smith, John Garnett, John Fothergill, William Page, and John Dixon. 7.— William Myers (chief), Joseph Bolton, Arthur Lobley, and John Bywater. August 29th, 1812.—Chieftain Webster’s division, and August 30th, Chieftain Marshall’s division, ordered out; reported the town peaceable and quiet. The reports extend over from Sept. to Jan. 13th, 1813, and refer to several breaches of the peace, but the extracts are not of sufficient interest to be reproduced here. In 1815, the year of the French defeat at Waterloo, and the close of the protracted wars, the inhabitants of Morley were in a most piti- able condition, for corn was still at famine prices, and the poor suffered hardships which were long remembered. The very life blood of the nation had been drained, and, as a consequence, disaffection and disre- gard of the rights of their neighbours were rife amongst the labouring | classes, who were scarcely able to obtain sufficient food to keep soul and body together. The leading inhabitants in our village were alarmed, and passed resolutions in public meeting, with a view to the restoration of public order and security. The meeting was held in the Town’s School, on Wednesday, the 30th day of August, 1815, and resoluticns to the following effect were passed :— THE PUBLIC PEACE DISTURBED. 53 First, That all costs, charges, and expenses of detecting, apprehending, and prosecuting any person guilty or suspected of committing any Felony or Larceny ; committing Forgery ; assaulting, abusing, or ill-treating any person; throwing down or destroying any trees, hedges, walls, stiles, or other Fences, (except such _ part of the expenses as may be allowed out of the county stock) shall be paid and discharged out of the poor rates. Second, That the Constable and Six inhabitants form a Committee, to remain in office for three years, for the purpose of detecting and prosecuting all such offenders. Third,.That Messrs. John Webster, glue maker, Isaac Crowther, Samuel Webster, Joseph Dixon, John Bradley, and William Dixon, with the Constable, shall form such Committee. Fourth, The Committee to meet as required, to order Watches, offer and direct payment of Rewards for the detecting or apprehending of offenders. Fifth, The inhabitants to give notice to the Committee on the commission of any of the above offences. Sixth, No reward to he given unless proceedings have the concurrence and approval of the Committee, nor until the account for prosecutions has been audited. Seventh, These Resolutions to be printed and dispersed through the town. . Nathaniel Webster heads the signatures of the ratepayers to this report, and it is interesting to notice the diverse handwriting in the one hundred names which follow. There is the easy, flowing penman- ship of the squires and scholarly gentlemen, and the neat compact autograph of the leading manufacturers, accustomed to voluminous entries in their narrow ledgers; whilst other names bring to our imagination pictures of sturdy fingers taking a firm grip of the unfa- miliar pen, and with much toil and anxiety inscribing their signatures. In a few instances a X is used, but the average penmanship was, doubtless, equal to what could be found in other parts of the country at that period. Notwithstanding these precautionary measures, depredations still continued to be made, and some of the villagers resorted to other expedients,-as will be seen from the following hand- bill, which was issued by our historian :— To the Public at large. Notice is hereby given, that a Man Trap, Fierce Dogs, and Loaded Guns, are kept upon the premises of Norrisson Scatcherd, Esq., who will not be answerable for consequences happening to Persons trespassing upon his Gardens and Grounds at unreasonable hours, after this public warning which he has given. Morley, August 10th, 1816. A Town’s Meeting was held on the first day of December, 1817, called purposely To take into consideration the alarming state of the Township of Morley, respecting Depredators, assembling together in different parts of the Town, insulting the inhabitants and travellers peaceably passing on the public roads, and awfully profaning the Sabbath Day. It was unanimously resolved, First, that all Parents, Masters, and heads of families be requested to attend some place of Public Worship, and take with them all their families, or otherwise put them under the Government of the Committee and Teachers of the Sabbath Day Schools, in order to prevent the awful profanation of the Sabbath Day. Second, that the Churchwarden, Constable, and his Deputy, shall call to their assistance twenty persons to assist them to patrol the Township, in the morning, at noon, and in the evening ; and at such other times in the week-days as may lead to the discovery of all persons found in a disorderly state. Third, that all persons found wandering in the fields, or behaving disorderly in any part of the Township, their names will be taken and laid before a Magistrate, and punished as the Law directs, for Sabbath breaking or any other misdemeanour, Fourth, that if the 54 MORLEY: ANCIENT AND MODERN. above means prove ineffectual to restrain youths from breaking the Sabbath, and from collecting in companies in any part of the Township, to disturb the peace of any person or family in their Houses, or going to or returning from any place of Worship, the principal Inhabitants of this Township have unitedly come to the resolution to withhold employment, not only from the youths so found, but from all the Family in the house in which such disorderly persons reside. These Resolutions have been laid before the Magistrates; they have ap- proved the same, and further say that relief will be withheld from all applicants who neglect attending Places of Worship, or do not send their children to the nn. in <= —_ = ——— Zo SSS Sz FeO = TSS SSS MEN WA Nie +S eee SS i ( \ ie y M, DG Gi gr gym H HERE (a ne ea Our Village Watchman. Sabbath Day School. We, whose names are hereunto ascribed, approve the afore- sald resolutions, and are determined to act upon them. N. ScaTcHERD, JOHN WEBSTER and SONS, CROWTHER and Hupson, JoseerH Dixon, NATHL. DICKENSON. From the early part of the present century to the establishment of rural police, watch and ward had to be performed at various times by the inhabitants of Morley for self-protection, the services of the ordinary constable being insufficient. The mills in the town had each THE VILLAGE WATCHMAN. 55 its own watchman, who had more todo than merely look out for traces of burning, for then his chief duty was to look out for thieves, who prowled about during the winter months, on the look out for cloth, which they could carry away. In several cases they succeeded, and notably at the Rookery ; but on a later occasion, at Crowther’s Mill in Churwell Lane, their thievish intentions were frustrated by one of the thieves being shot. Watchmen in these days grew to a good age in the service, and it is reported that the blunderbusses, which all of them used, had become so perfect in their nightly exercises as to be able to go off “at ten o’clock,” by themselves if necessary. The watchmen were, after all, not a bad set of fellows, for when a wayfarer of the “ Billy Llingworth” or “Tommy Strap” or “Jerry Scott” type found his way to the mill yard, homeless and houseless, he would, without much difficulty, and with the watchman’s permission, find a warm corner, on a sheet of flocks, or dried piece of cloth, in the boiler- house, and get roused up in time in the morning to get away before work commenced, or before “ Maister John” rode into the mill yard, at six o’clock, to see how his workmen earned their wages. In our notice of the Constables of Morley, we must not omit men- tion of one who filled the office with credit to himself and much satis- faction to his employers. For many years, and until the West Riding police was established, John Hollings was an officer of some influence, and the threat to “fetch John Hollings” was sufficient to quell many an incipient “row,” and the approach of his robust person, stern countenance, and stout blackthorn stick, invariably caused young offenders to make “tracks.” In trivial cases of assault, or summons cases arising out of neighbours’ quarrels, John’s services were invalu- able. His practice was to smooth the troubled waters, by speaking kindly to the offended ones, and terrifying the wrongdoers into making amends, rather than to “‘make a case” for the magistrates, During the making of the Morley tunnel, the “ navvies” were too numerous for the village constable to grapple with, and Jonathan Hirst, with several other likely persons, were sworn in as “specials.” For two years (1846-7) stand-up fights were common in the streets, also in the yards of the Old Malt Shovel Inn, Fountain Inn, Boot and Shoe Inn, and many others. Men used to strip down to their waists, and go in for this brutal business in good earnest. Many of the townspeople joined in these degrading exhibitions, but when the instigators had all left the village, the natives began to feel ashamed of their former con- nection with such evil practices, CHAPTER IV. THE SURVEYOR OF HIGHWAYS—DRINKING CUSTOMS IN. THE OLDEN TIME—ANCIENT MODES OF LOCOMOTION—THE ‘ BELL- HORSES” IN MORLEY—ACCOMMODATION ROADS ~ ROLLER WaAGGONS—THE OLD COACHING DAYS—THE VILLAGE CARRIER—RAILWAY FACILITIES—THE PINDER AND BYE-LAW MAN—PERAMBULATION OF THE BOUNDARIES. CA PASASALA® HE accounts of the Surveyors of the Highways commence ‘in the Town’s Book in 1751, in which year the whole == amount expended upon the repair of the roads was y bie £11 7s. 10d. Ten years later the sum expended was only yet) £6 3s. 7d., whilst in 1771 it had risen to £63 38s. 4d; but in 1781 it fell to £21 0s. 4d; in 1791 the amount was £33 12s. 7d., and in 1801 it.-was £86 11s. 10d. What the condition of the roads would be under these circumstances may be more easily imagined than described. Streets and roads there were none worthy of the names, but rough crooked lanes and _ bridle- styes, with liquid mud up to the cart naves in the rainy seasons. In 1759, on the balancing of the accounts, we find that after the meeting the balance of 2s. was “immediately spent by the town.” The town was represented by Samuel Clark, Robert Dixon, Samuel Rayner, and Joseph Reyner. Our merry ancestors met at the “Fleece” for the settlement of the public accounts, and over a pipe and a glass were wont to discuss, at the expense of the ratepayers, the position of affairs and the prospects for the coming year. In these old war times drinking came much into fashion in country villages, such as Morley, for so eager were the local politicians, idlers, and those whose business was affected by the strife, that they could not wait until the end of the week for the news as contained in the Jntelligencer, but must needs go Se ee a THE HIGHWAY SURVEYOR. : 57 to the inn and learn from the coachman the latest information—a not very reliable source at all times, for in addition to lacking the reality of print, the coachman was in the habit of exaggerating or detracting according to his political bias. The coach passed through Morley, calling at old Michael Sheard’s in the early forenoon, when many would be waiting both inside and in front of the rustic hostelry. This habitual itch for gossip and news led to much drinking, for, though the news was generally very stale indeed, it was good enough to get drunk over, and create what was very erroneously called good fellowship. Asa further result of all this, the Easter vestries and other town’s meeting's were made the occasions for unlimited feasting, and it has been said that the wars were responsible indirectly for making strong drink an essential to all parochial gatherings. Our forefathers were doubtless a hardworking race, and would therefore require sufficient meat and drink to enable them to get com- fortably through their labours; but from the Town’s Book we learn that constant bickerings arose with regard to the proper amount which should be allowed to the servants as well as to the officials for “ drink- ings” and allowances. In 1760, we find that matters had reached a crisis, and it is recorded thus :— 15th Oct. 17€0.—Whereas the Accompts of John Milner and Saml. Morley, Overseers of the Highways for the Township of Morley, for the year fifty-nine, were passed at a Town’s Meeting, held on tke first day of this instant Oct., but upon a second inspection great frauds were discovered to have been Committed, and the Money Collected for the use of the said Highways greatly misapplyed. Enquiry was this day made into the Reasons, when John Milner, who hired a Deputy and had enquired more particularly into the affair, rade a Report to this effect, that he believes £4 or near that sum was Embezled and not converted to the proper use. It is now therefore Unanimously agreed by all present in order to prevent such frauds for the future that no Drink shall be allowed either to the Labourers or Carters at the Common Days work, as that appears to be an article which gives the greatest room for Imposition. Signed, J. Dawson, Wm. Lister, NaTHL, WEBSTER, etc., etc. This resolution seems to have had little or no effect, for, alas for feeble human nature, at the balancing of accounts in 1787 the same disreputable proceedings had to be complained of, and the usual “ reso- lution ” was agreed to, for in this matter they seem to have considered, as many Boards do in the present day, that provided a resolution finds a place in the ‘‘ minute book” the responsibility isatanend. A “ self- denying ordinance” to the following effect was passed :— Whereas, contrary to the memorial registered Oct. 15th, 1760, many of the Overseers of the Highways of the Township of Morley, have allowed Drinkings to Labourers and Carters (a Procedure which has been found by long Experience to give the greatest Room for Extravagance and Imposition), therefore, we whose Names are underwritten, being assembled at a Public Town’s Meeting, held at the School House, on the 26th day of December, 1787, have unanimously agreed, that the Overseer, or Overseers, of Highways of the said Township shall not allow any Drink to any Labourer or Carter whatever, and if in opposition to this Resolution 58 _ MORLEY: ANCIENT AND MODERN. any Overseer, or Overseers, shall, for the future, allow any Drink to the said Labourers or Carters, he or they shall bear it at his or their own proper expense. Signed, Ww. Lister, JoHN WHITELEY, JONATHAN FOTHERGILL. Our readers must bear in mind that in the last century a total abstainer was a rara avis, for unless a man did not relish the taste of alcohol, or found that it disagreed with him, he took it as a matter of course. The more orderly and respectable of the villagers saw no more harm in taking beer than in eating bread, and they drank an amount which would be deemed excessive at the present time. The ministers and professional men, as well as others in the higher ranks, although they hated drunkenness quite as much as we do, used to take their wine and beer daily; and it is said of the working-man that he would take two or three pints of home- brewed every day, and when he went home after his day’s work would take another pint as a “night cap” before he read his chapter and went to bed. It would appear, in regard to town’s affairs, and no doubt in private affairs too, that it was impossible for our ancestors to make a bargain of any kind without adjourning to a public-house to treat each other to some liquor. Until the early part of the present century drinking habits and customs kept their dominion over each successive generation of our people; but within the last thirty years, through the influence of temperance societies and from other causes, ~ there has arisen a healthier tone of public opinion in the working and middle classes. The result is that excessive drinking at lodge gatherings, treating, and drink payments, are gradually disappearing, while numbers of young people are growing up to do without stimulants of any kind. In 1773 the accounts contain a notice that £1 11s. 4d. was paid for “Commoning the Rawms Lane,” which was at that time part of the pack-horse road from York to Manchester. This ancient lane, second only in importance to the Roman “street” to which reference has already been made, still retains many of the features which it possessed in the days of pack-horses, and is a fair specimen of the roads that were to be found in Morley a century ago. In Rooms Lane a path still remains, beyond Mr. Holton’s resi- dence, similar to that on which the pack-horses used to travel, it being laid with flags on which the horses could obtain a firm footing. A century and a half ago all public travelling was equestrian, and the conveyance of goods and passengers was effected by carriage as dis- tinguished from draught. The burden was fitted to the animal’s back— though the back was not always fit for the burden, and with their load the animals went shambling along cross-roads, fording rivers, and climbing steeps, pursuing, day by day, their weary route. Sometimes tne train would amount to fifty in number, laden with manufactured goods, market stock—live and dead, grain and poultry. When all was ready the bells tinkled, and this was the signal for the living freight to make their appearance. These consisted of travellers and their friends, MEANS OF COMMUNICATION. 59 and soon were to be seen perched up aloft, amidst boxes and bundles, children and women, old men and maidens. SCATCHERD remembers them passing through Morley twice a week, on Mondays and Thursdays. In 1778 a notice appearsin the Town’s Book, having reference to the Rooms Lane, which is worth preserving. It is as follows :— Many and various are and have been the disputes relating to the repairs of the Rooms Lane, which have caused large expenses, and not only so, but have caused Contentions and Animosities which are by no means pleasant and agree- able. Notwithstanding this charge and the said lane being, tho’ at great expense, properly entered and recorded at York as no high way, Thomas Hopkins has in the year of his office laid out some money in repairing the said Lane contrary to the said Record at the Court at York, and also contrary to the will and pleasure of the principal Bearers. But in order to promote Love and Friendship, he volun- tarily submits to the will and pleasure of his well-wishing neighbours and is willing to return the money there expended, and he with the rest of his friends allow it to be chronicled in this Town’s book, and to stand there as a Terror and warning to all succeeding officers as it informs them that any Officer who shall at any time hereafter repair the said Rooms Lane as an high road, or any other road as an high road which is not really and properly such, they shall bear it at their own proper expense. In 1862, the supervision of the Highways was merged, with other public offices, in the Local Board, formed under the Local Govern- ment Act. The establishment of this authority witnessed the com- mencement of a new and more prosperous era in the history of Morley. We may be permitted to hint at some things which have greatly con- duced to our past prosperity. The first was the railway communication with the outer world afforded by the London and North Western Rail- way in 1848, which gave great facilities for the transmission of goods, and for travelling. The introduction of gas into the village was also a great boon; and well do we recollect attending a meeting in the old Town’s School when great opposition was raised to the lighting of the streets, but this was eventually overcome, and a new era dawned, nay, blazed, upon the village. Then, with the Local Board came a thorough system of drainage, an abundant supply of good and whole- some water, and miles of paved streets. In connection with the office of Surveyor of the Highways, we propose to say something as to the means of communication available for the inhabitants of Morley pre- vious to the introduction of railways. A pretty correct idea may be formed of the state of Morley before the brigantes came; for then it was one large forest, not so dense but that sheep and oxen might wander among the trees. As with many other places in Yorkshire this forest would be partly cleared, and a few husbandmen, with their families and labourers, would pursue their agricultural employment under the eye and iron hand of some superior. Of roads there would be none, except such as were necessary for their limited agricultural operations ; but when the Romans supplanted the Brigantes we find Morley to have been selected as the site for one of the Roman “ streets,” and the name of ‘‘Gildersome Street,” and ‘The Street,” mark the direction of one of these ancient highways. After the time 7 of the Roman occupation of Yorkshire, we may conclude that, with the exception of the “Street,” which was some distance from the Church and the village proper of Morley, there would be nothing but old lanes and roads of a most circuitous and out-of-the-way character. In early times the land, being employed for agricultural uses, was in the hands of the farmers, and they would not allow of paths being made over arable land, so that public roads to them were of no moment, and had to give way to circumstances. The general public were merely allowed to use them on sufferance, and they were termed ‘ accommodation roads.” One of these accommodation roads, which in process of time and by common usage became a public road, had its direction as follows. The Bridle Stile or Pack-horse Road from York to Manchester entered Morley at Middleton Wood, then along Wide Lane, Low Common, Chapel Hill, and Rooms Lane, to Manchester. This was one of the roads of which WHITAKER wrote as late as 1753, that “ the roads near Leeds consisted of a narrow hollow way, little wider than a ditch.” The Rooms Lane thoroughfare would be a wonder in its day, for the local roads which connected village with village were not worthy of the name, for every one rode or walked as he listed over the wide com- mon, or trudged through wastes and footpaths. It was not until the commons had been to a great extent enclosed, that a parish road was a convenience. The Enclosure Acts provided for the setting out ways, and Acts of Parliament required the parishes to keep them in order. No fewer than four hundred and fifty-two Acts were passed from 1763 to 1774 for making and repairing highways. Jn Morley, previous to the end of last century, we had many lanes, but few roads, so called. There were Neepshaw Lane, Wide Lane, Back Lane, Windmill Lane, Field Lane, and many others. Along these on Sunday mornings would the farmer and his wife on the pillioned horse travel to the Old Chapel. In this way the people had to come from Churwell, Gildersome, Tingley, and other hamlets, for at that time none of these places had churches or chapels, but the people were all united in one common fold under the Puritan pastor at Morley. The women sat sideways on the pillion, a kind of seat with cushion strapped to the horse’s body, with straps and support for the feet ; the yeoman riding at the front had a strap round his body, with handle which the lady could take hold of to secure herself. As this was also the way in which they went to market, to accommodate those who travelled in this fashion there were provided stone steps or ‘‘horsing mounts.” These were to be seen near all the village inns, and also in the farm- yards, The legislative enactments to which we have referred, which con- verted the ways or tracks into turnpike roads, would greatly improve them ; and the wants and requirements would supersede the old modes of conveyance by the vehicle of more modern days, which added greatly to the comfort of the travelling public. ‘Toll-bars in England originated 60 MORLEY: ANCIENT AND MODERN. wih ) aia MEANS OF COMMUNICATION. 61 in 1267, on the grant of one penny for every waggon that passed a certain manor. Turnpike gates for exacting tolls were set up in the reign of Charles II. in 1662. The extension of the turnpike system was not received with favour by the people, who regarded it as a grievous tax upon their freedom of movement from place to place. Before the introduction of stage-coaches, waggons were in use, some of which were called ‘‘roller waggons,” from the breadth of their wheels. These ponderous vehicles weighed 70 cwts., having wheels 15 inches broad, hooped with five tires of iron, carrying loads of eight to nine tons weight, and drawn by ten, twelve, or fourteen horses, accord- ing to the season, and as the state of the roads required. Subsequently, waggons with nine inch wheels came into general use. Farmer Robinson, of the farm now occupied by Thompson Dean, in Victoria Road, and J. Mitchell, of the Lodge, were amongst those who drove waggons made on the above principle from Morley and Leeds to Waggon, London. Others there were, but all of them have been driven off the road of life, and not even their names are left to remind us of the existence at one time in our village of these useful public servants. The trans- mission of goods and passengers by waggons was universal until the time of Cromwell, when stage coaches were established on all the great roads throughout the kingdom. For the convenience of these waggoners, in their long and wearisome journeys, houses of call were established in all the towns and villages. One of these in Morley was the Old White Cross at the Four Lane Ends—a white-washed building. It was just such a house as one would expect to find in a country place, such as Morley would be when the inn was built. It was low and long—of one storey, with many angles and two small bay windows; as unlike as possible to the ereat, staring, hotel-looking stone building which now stands in its stead. The old house was in keeping with the scenery amid which it stood ; the present one looks as if it had been removed from some town street. You entered the old-fashioned inn by a picturesque low door- way, and soon found yourself in front of a cheerful-looking fire, if it was winter time, whilst the landlady, a dame in keeping with her surroundings, would attend to your slightest wants with a cheerful alacrity. Her husband was generally to be found in Tom Oates’s black- smith’s shop hard by, during the day, but in the evening he was ready to crack a joke with his neighbours who dropped in to bear the news that had come by the waggoners who had been there during the day. Out- side the inn was the shed, near to the smith’s shop, the former being the constant resort of carts, waggons, and other vehicles, whilst the latter was the rendezvous for local politicians, and others who came to listen to the gossip which the smith was in the habit of retailing for the benefit of his patrons. In the parlour of the Old White Cross was the motto hung over the fireplace :— 62 MORLEY: ANCIENT AND MODERN. Since man to man is so unjust, One does not know what man to trust ; I’ve trusted many to my sorrow, So pay to-day, I’ll trust to-morrow. Jonas Hartley (grandfather of the late Mr. George Hartley), the jolly landlord of the inn about a century ago, was a character in his day. He died early in the present century, and a circumstance connected with his funeral was for a long time a topic of conversation in the cottage homes of Morley. It so happened that one Asquith, landlord of the Malt Shovel Inn, and Bywater, the host of the Cross Keys Inn, both died about the same time as Hartley, and the three were interred on the same day. The circumstance of three publicans, out of the few then living in the town, being interred all on one day, attracted an immense gathering of the villagers, and the event was a red-letter day in the calendar of the year. Mary, or ‘‘OQwd Mally,” the widow of Hartley, kept on the house for some time, but eventually went to reside at Cinderhill, where she died April the 14th, aged 102 years and nine months. On her hundredth birthday, Isaac Crowther, Esq., sent for the centenarian, and took her into his fields, where she cut a sheaf of corn in the presence of the villagers, who kept holiday in honour of the occasion. Another noted house, much frequented by the waggoners, was the Old White Swan, now the Dartmouth Arms, better known as ‘ Old Mikkel’s,” being kept by Michael Sheard, a public character in his day, who took a lively interest in all town’s affairs, and whose name is frequently met with in the Old Town’s Book. In the olden times, ere the railroad had penetrated through the very heart of the village, it was the meeting place of all the idlers in the neighbourhood. The interior of the Swan is worthy of notice. The kitchen, or principal room, was a large old-fashioned apartment, with the indispensable TRAVELLING IN THE OLDEN TIME. 63 *‘ long-settle,” which every evening was noticeable for the variety of its occupants. The travelling packman ; the regular tramp, having a home nowhere, and a home everywhere, whose life must have derived its peculiar attraction from its endless change of scene ; the farmer’s man, resting after his day’s toil; the operative, glad to find excitement anywhere ; the gamekeeper, and others we cannot stay to enumerate, all gathered around the cheerful hearth. In the afternoon of market day the various carriers belonging to the neighbouring villages draw up their teams at the door of the inn, as they return heavily laden from inarket ; and as they relate the ‘‘ news” to the assembled rustics, they are joined by “ old Mikkel,” the master of the house, who, having been to market himself, is very civil and communicative. The old inn has gone, and so has the jolly landlord—-never to return, and in their places we have the modern inn, with modern appliances, and a boniface of a later age. The ‘“ Dartmouth Arms” of the present day is noticeable as the inn where the Karl of Dartmouth holds half-yearly audit for the receipt of the rents due from the numerous tenantry on this portion of his lordship’s estates. A villager twenty years ago, having no reason of his own for remembering the “rent-day,”’ could tell of its near approach by seeing, for several market days previous, the farmers’ carts going heavily laden to market, and returning empty, the proceeds having found their way into the farmers’ pockets, in readiness for his lordship’s agent. After the heavy roller waggons came the lighter waggons, each drawn by six or eight powerful horses, and these in their journey from Leeds to London were four or five days on the road. These were principally employed in taking cloth and other manufactured goods to the city, and bringing wool to the manufacturing districts. Some of these waggons were not taken off the road until 1838. We now come to the times of the stage coach, and it is within living memory that the high roads of England resounded daily with the fanfare of the guard’s horn as the brightly-painted, long staze-coach went cantering on its glorious way. When the stage coach traffic was at the climax of its prosperity, twelve or more passed daily each way from Leeds and Huddersfield to Manchester. They. were well-horsed, well-manned, and gaily caparisoned. Several of these came by way of Morley, and, atter the long and hard pull up the Old Road at Churwell, were glad to make a halt at the Nelson’s Arms, where the passengers dismounted and swarmed into the inn like bees. Here, according to the drinking customs of the “ good old times,” they felt it necessary to fortify the inner man with strong drinks, but there was no time lost in unnecessary delay —‘“‘ quick” was the word. We have it on good authority that we, the children of a later generation, cannot compre- hend what an event the arrival of the coach was at that time; what pleased expectancy shone in the faces of the knot of loungers at the door of the Nelson when the horses were pulled up. We have heard our fathers tell of a coaching journey to London, taken more than fifty 64 MORLEY: ANCIENT AND MODERN. years ago, when, after all, there was another side to the pleasant picture of travelling by coach. There was wet weather occasionally, and cold weather, snow in drifts, and roads that needed repair, and the accommodation not always up to the mark ; but, taking italtogether, it was generally an experience to remember pleasantly, and one not now to be easily realised. MILLER tells us that “ formerly a journey of ten or twenty miles was considered a great event, a matter that was talked over long beforehand, and required no small preparation. ‘Ah! an’ it please (rod I shall sleep many a mile off to-morrow night,’ some old farmer would say as he stooped to unbutton his gaiters, and paused between every button wondering who and what he should see, and going to bed an hour or two earlier that he might be on his journey betimes.” The coaches were not of great service to the Morley manufacturer in his journeys to Leeds, and those of our elders whose means were very limited were glad to avail themselves of the carriers’ carts, which went occasionally to the town. We had, within our recollection, two rival omnibuses, and the ‘ Cuckoo” was daily crowded with the ‘“dashers” who were willing to save their legs, when it could be done for a small consideration. But the London and North Western Railway eventually drove the ’busses and coaches from off the road, and the coachman and guard, with the turnpike-gate keeper, have all become historical curiosities. We must not forget to include in our reminiscences of old time travelling, the carriers’ carts, which went two or three times weekly to Leeds, carrying two or three passengers seated amongst the parcels or on the top of the piles of cloth which were being taken to the market. Many a poor old woman was indebted to the kindness of the ‘‘ common carrier ” for a lift—though the journey was a somewhat tedious one— from the frequency with which it was found necessary to ‘‘bait” by the way. Old John Chappel, the carrier when the present century came in, was a “character” in the village, and was much respected for his honesty and sobriety. His passion for music was intense, especially if it belonged to Handel or other great masters in sacred music. He was an old bachelor, and it is said of him that ‘‘ when seated in his arm-chair with a number of fine fat tabby cats, his music books, and his violoncello, the king might have envied him his happiness.” SCATCHERD says of him,—“ Year after year, and Sabbath after Sabbath, morning and afternoon, in the coldest and most inclement weather, would old ‘Cheetham’ trudge with his violoncello, carrying it with all the care that a woman does her babe. To have heard him on his return from Leeds, with his heavy cart and old black horse, singing one of Dr. Boyce’s airs, ‘ Softly rise, O southern breeze,’ with a voice between a tenor and a counter-tenor, would have delighted even the Doctor himself.” John lived in the house opposite the entrance to the Old Chapel-yard, in Commercial street, where his mother kept a dame school, and taught the alphabet to our historian, Mr. SCATCHERD. THE PINDER AND BYE-LAW MAN, 65 Within fifty yards of the Valley Hotel in Station Road, is the Morley tunnel, which runs through the very heart of the village. This stupendous undertaking, in connection with the railway above-named, _ is in length 8379 yards, or nearly two miles. The extreme breadth is twenty-six feet, and the height twenty-six feet. The tunnel is nearly level throughout—the fall being only what is required for its proper drainage. In executing the works, twenty-three working shafts were used, besides four permanent shafts. At one time workmen were em- ployed at forty-eight different places. Eleven powerful steam engines were employed, fifteen double horse-gins, three hundred and thirty horses, and two thousand workmen. The Act for its construction was obtained in July,1845, and the tunnel was opened in about three years from that time. The first stone of this gigantic undertaking was laid on Monday, the 22nd of February, 1846, and was made the occasion of considerable festivity and display. In 1848, the keystone of the last arch of the tunnel, at the north or Morley entrance, was placed in position by the principal engineer. The line was opened to the public on the 18th day of September, 1848, but, owing to the high rate of charges, the public did not readily take advantage of the increased travelling accommodation. The goods as well as the passenger traffic is now very large; in the article of coal many thousands of tons are sent by rail weekly. The Great Northern Railway, passing along the western boundary of the town, has a station near Hungerhill, opened in 1858, and this line has placed many West Riding towns as well as more distant places within easy access of Morley. Another important public official, whose name appears in the Town’s Book, was the Pinder and Bye-law man. The office of Pinder is a very ancient one, for he was called by that name in the time of King Alfred, and the Saxon name for the enclosure in which he impounded the stray cattle was pinfold, the same as it is to-day. Our ancient village pinder went hunting about the old Saxon tything, or hundred of Morley, in search of stray cattle, just as old Wilkinson or Brook did about the lanes and roads of our ancient village in the first half of the present century. Some strange stories are told of this sly old official, to the effect that he was in the habit of getting up when his neighbours were all fast asleep, and throwing open the gates so that the cattle might get out upon the roads, and then be driven by him into the pinfold, in the early morning. When accused of this, he would laugh and say, ‘“‘ Tf you were to be up as early as I am, you would see what I did.” His greatest harvest was at Morley Feast, when the people were too busy feasting and drinking to fasten their gates. Many have been the differences and contentions with respect to the election of this official, who, having been chosen at a town’s meeting, had to obtain the confirmation of his election at the Court Leet, held at Bradford. The Court Leet was of Saxon origin, being granted by King Athelstane, about 920. Its functions are now usually per- formed by the magistracy and by Local Boards. For many centuries E 4 of aa « ‘ ig 7 ’ j 66 MORLEY: ANCIENT AND MODERN. the confirmation of the election of pinder and beliman was made at this Court. Formerly,any stray or waif cattle which had lost its owner was taken to the Manor House pinfold, and used by the Lord of the Manor until an owner turned up; if not claimed within a certain time, it became the lord’s property. The poundage charged was fourpence for each head of cattle, and no more could legally be enforced. Formerly, weights and measures were tested at the Court Leet, and the village constable sworn in, but all this business has been transferred to the West Riding police authorities. One of the duties of the pinder and bye-law official was to superin- tend the perambulation of the parish boundaries, an ancient custom often practised in the days of our forefathers, and which was made the occasion of considerable festivity. In January, 1859, this picturesque custom was revived in Morley, and created much excitement. The following resolutions respecting the matter were passed at a town’s meeting, held on January 14th, 1859:— First, that the expenses of perambulating the Township shall not be moré than twelve pounds. Second, that a Luncheon be provided, not to cost more than three pounds ten shillings. Third, that ten shillings shall be given to children, in copper, to be thrown amongst them. Fourth, that the following four persons have five shillings each to walk the boundary, viz:—John Middlebrook, Bye-law man; James Foster, Pinder ; John Johnson, Surveyor; and Richard Boulton, Pinder for Lord Cardigan. Early in the morning of the appointed day, notwithstanding the inclemency of the weather, a large number of the inhabitants, com- prising many of the boys of the village, met at the starting point, willing to take their chance of being soused in a boundary ditch, or thrashed at a boundary hedge, and counting upon some coppers after- wards. The Churwell boundary was first defined. Here some little difficulty had to be encountered. The dam connected with Crowther’s mill had to be passed through—by no means a pleasant task ; a person was at last found, however, who was venturesome enough to take a cold bath on a winter’s morning. At various points of the journey stakes were driven to mark the boundary. Much amusement was created by the custom of bumping. Numbers of people who were not previously acquainted with this ancient ceremonial, were highly tickled by the mirth and good feeling of those who were made to undergo the infliction. On arriving at the Dartmouth Arms, luncheon was partaken of by the authorities, and the youths were supplied with fruits, nuts, cakes, and other eatables, much to their gratification. At the conclusion of the day’s task, which was by no means an easy one, dinner was provided at the Fountain Inn, of which all the officers and a number of invited friends partook. The boundary as then defined was as follows:—Beginning at the south-east verge of the township, at Birks, Morley is separated from the township of Hast Ardsley by hedgerows, along ‘‘the Knolls” above Rods Mill, and the boundary line, taking an easterly direction, runs by Topcliffe Moor Beck to what was formerly the ford of Middleton Mill, PERAMBULATING THE BOUNDARIES. 67 a little beyond the Leeds and Dewsbury Road. From this point Morley is separated from the township of Middleton by the fringe of Middleton Wood; after recrossing the Leeds and Dewsbury turnpike, the line runs past the disused ironworks at Mary McCree’s, continuing through Broad Oaks Farm, from which point Morley is divided from the town- ship of Churwell by hedgerows and dykes until Churwell Lane is reached, a little below the residence of Miss Crowther. Crossing the Leeds and Elland Road, a little above Wellfield House, in a westerly direction,the boundary is right through the centre of Mr. Scarth’s milldam, and Morley continues to be divided from Churwell by a beck until Geldard Road is reached, about one hundred yards below the end of Rooms Lane. Crossing Geldard Road, Morley is separated from the township of Farnley by a stream, until the said road is recrossed opposite Rooms Farm ; from which point the course lies along Whin Hill, Clubbed Oaks, and Dean Wood, by the beck which separates Morley from Gildersome. From the west corner of Dean Wood, the boundary line runs through the ‘“‘stone pits” to the top of ‘“‘ Neepshaw Lane” in the Wakefield and Bradford Road ; then crossing the last-named, and passing through Crosby’s Farm, along Holden Clough beck, on to Holden Clough mill. Leaving this to the right, Morley is separated from the township of Birstal by a stream running along the foot of Birkby Brow and Cliffe Wood to Howley Bridge, where the township of Morley is separated from that of Batley by the said Bridge, erected at the joint expense of both townships. The boundary line is then along Alice Wood to Howley Old Mill, and, passing through Soothill Wood, near Lady Anne’s Well, runs along Howley and Jackie’s plantations, past America Moor to Stump Cross, from whence the starting point of the perambulation is only some three hundred yards distant. CHAPTER V. MORLEY FIFTY YEARS AGO—CURIOUS REMINISCENCES—ANTI- QUATED CUSTOMS---A RAMBLE ROUND AND ABOUT THE VILLAGE—THE NELSON’S ARMS INN, WITH NOTICES OF PUBLIC-HOUSE SIGNS AND TAVERN LIFE—ST. PETER’S CHURCH —THE LoDGE—COAL-MINING IN OLDEN TIMES—DEAN Woop AND ITS SWINISH ASSOCIATIONS—THE OLD WHITE SwAN— THE LORDS OF MORLEY—GORE WELL—QUAKERS’ BURIAL GROUND—THE CEMETERY—THE OLD ANGEL INN AND ITS BRAVE LANDLORD. | Sed ete ‘ J]; E now propuse to introduce our readers to the Morley of $ 2 < fifty years ago, with notices of some of the changes | “4; which have happened since that time. We wish to con- aye vey some idea of what Morley was like in its scenery, & its inhabitants, its manners, customs, and amusements, ; and give such later gleanings from its local history as shall enable our readers to form some conception of what progress we have made. Whether we succeed in giving such reminis- cences aS may prove both interesting and instructive, we must leave to the judgment of those of our readers who knew the Morley of which we are about to write, and who were acquainted with the Morley people whose characters and idiosyncrasies we shall endea- vour to describe. | We are proud of the ancient village in which we were born, and have lived for more years than it will perhaps be prudent to name, and in which it seems likely we shall have to end our days; and in order to excite interest in others, who may not feel so much at home in fi FIFTY YEARS AGO. 69 Morley as we do, we shall confine our remarks, for the most part, to facts and incidents which have come under our own observation, and describe places and persons aS we saw them, and not as they are depicted in books. We can carry our reminiscences back for close upon half a century, and can remember, most vividly, peculiarities attaching to the place and the people, their homes, their modes of living, their habits and haunts, which, at the present time, as we call them up, seem more like romance than reality. But Morley has stronger claims upon us than that of being cur birth-place, for, as every Englishman cherishes the memory of his fore- fathers, and loves his native land, so every Yorkshireman considers that no county can compare with hisown. We may be but an unit amongst the villages, towns, and cities which form this great county ; yet Morley, with its history dating back for nearly fifteen hundred years, can, in that history, both ‘“ point a moral and adorn a tale,” and can furnish lessons sufficient, within the comparatively brief space com- prised within the last fifty years, to teach us how rapid and varied have been the changes which have, in that time, transformed a rural and antique-looking village into a busy and prosperous manufacturing borough. Half acentury ago, Morley was as much of an agricultural as a manufacturing community, and wells, lanes, trees, and verdure, occupied the sites where now are upreared immense factories and tall, unbending chimney shafts—the crowning evidences of modern power and population. One feature of the Morley people of fifty years ago, as of their ancestors for many generations, was, that they had a well-defined cha- racter of their own, which in many respects would have done honour to the refinements of education. On a first acquaintance, a stranger might have thought them blunt and boorish, but that would be because he could not read their hearts through their manners. They certainly had not much bend in their neck, at least, those of the inhabitants who were not entirely dependent upon others; and their dialect was not overstocked with set phrases of courtesy, for they called a spade a spade, and not “ an implement of husbandry ;” and yet they were brave and true-hearted when necessity or opportunity called for the display of these traits of character, and underneath their uncouth demeanour théy had a touch of true chivalry. The poor were ever kind to the poor ; and amongst those who might be called the leaders of society in Morley fifty years ago—the Scatcherds, the Swindens, the Overends, the Websters, the Priestleys, and the Crowthers, both of Morley and Churwell—there could be found all the characteristics of true gentle- men, shewn in a sincere regard for the welfare and advancement of their workpeople and poorer neighbours. They were benevolent and upright men, these pioneers of the busy times in which we live ; and, could they revisit us, how astonished they would be to see that the rise and progress of the new manufacture, which had succeeded to that in which they were engaged, had been so rapid that it had given a new 5 > a » ol ‘ “ 70 MORLEY: ANCIENT AND MODERN. interest to Morley, which certainly does not belong to any beauty which the external appearance of the town at present possesses. A century ago, a few rural cottages, with perhaps a dozen better class residences for the gentry, were to be found upon this sparsely popu- lated speck of Yorkshire scenery; but neither mill nor factory was visible anywhere in the landscape ; and, even at the time of which we speak, namely, within our own recollection, Morley was but a small agricultural and manufacturing village, prettily situated in a picturesque and straggling combination of hill and valley, which is now nearly covered by the present smoky town. We cannot but express our regret that, with this rapid develop- ment of our village into a town, there has been swept away nearly every building which could be of interest to the admirer of those quaint and instructive relics of ancient architecture which could at one time be found in the nooks and corners and on the hill tops of the place, and which, although their condition and character would be perhaps unsuited to the fashions and requirements of modern manufacturing life, yet had power to please and instruct the thoughtful mind, breathing a kind of relieving historic interest and beauty among the great overgrowth of dull-looking modern buildings. We shall now sum up, in a brief manner, a few memories of fifty years ago, which will serve to show that such reminiscences possess . both interest and variety. We can well remember seeing the mail coaches in Leeds, one of which passed through Morley daily ; and, as many of our readers never saw one of these vehicles, we will attempt to describe it. The weight of it was one ton, painted red, with royal coat of arms painted on panel of door. They were built to carry only four passengers in and four out, with a bag or box for their luggage, the roof being reserved for large mail bags. A round seat behind, covered with skin, and a pocket on each side for pistols for the guard. The smaller country bags were put in the boot under his seat, which was opened by a trap door. A long box in front of the guard held a blunderbuss, whilst there was another box or bag for the brass horn, which was about thirty inches long. We can remember when the inhabitants of Morley had little communication with the outer world beyond what came with the coachman and guard of the coach which ran between Leeds and Huad- dersfield, and the common carriers who went to Leeds twice a week. True, there were the pedlars who came to the doors, and the manufac- turers who went occasionally to Leeds; yet the great bulk of the inhabitants were ina state of profound ignorance of what was going on in the great world which lay outside them. We can remember when newspapers were so heavily taxed that they were only to be found in the home of the squire, at the village inn, or, occasionally, in the home of the manufacturer, who held a share with half-a-dozen others, each paying their penny per week, and having a day’s use of the weekly Leeds Mercury or Intelligencer, as the case might be. FIFTY YEARS AGO. aL We can remember when shopkeepers sold their goods, weavers plied their looms, and ministers preached their sermons, by the light of tallow candles; when the lanes, ginnels, bridle styes, and roads generally, were utterly unlighted after dark; when gas was only just making its way into the large towns, and was a marvel to the country folk who saw it, when they went to market. We can remember when snuffers were indispensable to the burning of candles ; when our mothers and sisters wore pattens in bad weather, the ears of these useful articles being generally of a red colour, nicely bound, tied with coloured ribbon, according to taste ; when bonnets were in fashion made of a rich cream coloured straw, called Tuscan and Leghorn, the crown about six inches high, tied under the chin, covering the ears and the front from twelve to sixteen inches, which acted as a sunshade and fan. We can remember, too, another article of female dress—which we hope it will not be rude to mention—namely, good strong pockets, or panniers as they were called, worn for use and not for ornament, placed in a position of easy access, and not as far away from the hand as possible. These pockets were used instead of the spice and workboxes of the present day, and the contents, as we have marked them, consisted of a grater, ginger, nutmeg, scissors, keys, bodkin, needles, vins, tape, and many other household necessaries. We can remember when knee-breeches and leggings, with shoe buckles, formed an important part of the dress of the men, as did coal scuttle bonnets and blue-spotted bedgowns that of the women, of Mor- ley ; when salt was the dearest commodity the housekeeper had to deal with, it being fourpence-halfpenny per pound; and when the revenue from this common article of diet was upwards of six millions sterling. We can remember when “ havercake” and oatmeal in various forms constituted a major part of the diet of our forefathers, the white bread being reserved for Sundays and holidays ; when potatoes were far more plentiful at the dinner table than butchers’ meat; and when these natives of the Emerald Isle were really worthy of their name, and were sold for about fivepence per score, and of such a quality as is rarely to be met with now. We can remember when the goose quill was the only pen that man, woman, or child could write with, and pen mending was an art or accomplishment that employed much time and needed much patience on the part of the inexpert or hasty; when the postage of a letter to Leeds was fourpence, to London elevenpence, and to other places in like proportion ; when love letters, valentines, birthday and Christmas cards, were rarities; when sweethearting was at a disadvantage, so far as letter-writing was concerned, and yet somehow or other the ‘old, old story” got told, and marrying and giving in marriage were as common then as now, ini proportion to the number of inhabitants. In those days letters did not fly on the wings of the wind, and the postal system was open to vast improvement. 72 MORLEY: ANCIENT AND MODERN. We can remember when there was no Factory Act; no Saturday half-holiday ; no doctors or inspectors about; when children of seven or eight years of age had to turn out by six o’clock, and in the dark winter mornings walk long distances to the mill or mine, and then work under hard taskmasters; when the working hours generally were from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.,and 5 p.m. on Saturdays; when there were no ‘cotton warps,” no ‘‘twisters-in,” and no “tuners;” and when the workmen’s wages were much less and the labour was much harder than it is now; and yet we can also remember that there was quite as little grumbling as at present about the hardness of their lot. Lastly, we can remember when the sermons on Sunday were more than an hour in length; when no heat of any kind ever found its way into the chapel; when our teeth chattered in our heads as we tried, but in vain, to understand the preacher; when the ‘“‘ Amen” and the click of the Bible as it was closed by the minister were the most welcome sounds that met our ears on that longest and dreariest of days; when religious teaching was administered in strong and peppery language, being shorn of much of its sweeter and more consolatory aspects. Such are a few brief, summarised reminiscences of our boyish days, and we have no doubt that there are amongst our readers those who can call to mind similar features of the Morley life of half a century ago. In order to fully describe the Morley of that period, we will now ask our readers to perambulate the village with us, while we endeavour to realise the appearance it presented in 1836, to point out the resi- dences of the gentry of that day, and also have something to say about some of the old inhabitants who had rendered themselves notable. We shall also incorporate in our remarks notices of some of the changes which have happened since that time. Commencing where the traveller from Leeds to Huddersfield or Manchester first entered the village, we had nothing in the shape of buildings to the right or to the left of us until we reached the Nelson’s Arms. The aspect of Churwell Lane has been strangely altered during the last half century, for now we have numerous detached villas on either side of the highway, and, as the land hereabouts has been opened out for building purposes, we may expect this part of the village to still further merit the designation of the ‘“ West End,” which has already been bestowed upon it. The Nelson’s Arms, which has been built by the Scatcherd family, was in the occupation fifty years ago of Mr. William Stockwell, and, owing to its position and superior accommodation, was a noted house in the coaching days. Having good stabling accommodation, it was extensively patronised by commercial travellers, and private families journeying through the village. The sign, ‘“‘ Nelson’s Arms,” was adopted in honour of the ‘‘hero of the Nile.” ‘The house was also the headquarters for our magistrate, who held his court there, and dis- pensed justice to his neighbours. What is now known as Dewsbury THE VILLAGE COURT HOUSE. 738 Court Day was then termed “ Justice Day,” and was generally held once a fortnight in the parlour of the inn; but if the “case” could not wait so long, the parties interested went to Morley House, and in the Squire’s business room matters were entered upon without further delay. It was no unusual sight to see a number of unemployed weavers, and other lounging fellows, following the Justice along the Windmill Lane, accompanied by William Wilkinson, the village con- stable. There were generally a number of cases of drunkenness and petty larceny and neighbours’ quarrels to settle ; and no sooner had the magistrate taken his seat than the room was inconveniently filled with idlers and village gossips, anxious to look on and listen to the cases, many of which never failed to make their appearance time after time. The constable had a hard time of it, for the spectators were ofttimes inclined to look upon the matter as a good joke, whilst the justice was otherwise inclined, and ‘ Wilkinson” had to bawl himself hoarse in order to keep silence and the proper respect due to a court of law. The temper of Mr. Scatcherd was sorely tried at times, for the old constable had a happy knack of ferretting out poachers, unlicensed hawkers, and vagrants, and bringing up these, with sometimes far more trivial cases, much to the annoyance of his superior. For our village much resembled others of which we have heard, where the people could as soon live without food as without quarrelling, and often disagreed merely for an excuse to empty sundry jugs of ale over the pleasure of making matters up again; for, as they were wont to say, ‘It is so handy to step over to Justice——and have alittle law.” One commendable feature in the character of our Justice was that he had a dislike to committing persons to the sessions or the assizes, and dis- played great tact in reconciling parties who had set out with a full determination to “hev awl t’law ud giv ’em.” In this way he gained the respect aud esteem of the villagers, and had almost everybody’s good word while he lived ; and died, as we are told, and as we can well believe, amid the regrets and lamentations of his many friends and neighbours. Mr. Stockwell, who was the landlord of the Nelson’s Arms at this time, was very much respected, as in both manner and conduct he was a gentleman, and, in addition to the possession of good looks, had a pleasant smile and a kind word for all about him, and was very par- ticular in waiting upon his customers himself. The Nelson’s Arms was a favourite resort of the manufacturers aud tradesmen, for there was more sociableness amongst the two classes at that time than now, and the public-houses were so kept that respectable people could go to them without much injury to themselves or their reputations. It will be interesting at this point to notice the public-houses of the village with reference to the drinking customs of the period, and also the significance of the signs by which the houses were known. The Morley people of to-day have little conception of the extent to which tavern life influenced thought and manners half a century ago. ' | “7 an Every villager who could spare the time and money (and some who could spare neither) had his inn, where he spent some part of almost every day. Ale was the universal beverage at these ancient hostelries, but it was not then, as now, brought into the village by Tetley’s drays, nor by the railway companies from the colossal breweries of Allsop or Bass. It was entirely brewed upon the premises of those who retailed it, and some of the old landlords are still living who were their own brewers. The popularity of the houses depended in a great measure upon the skill of the landlord or his servant in the production of this beverage. If, as was sometimes the case, in addition to his skill as a brewer, and his liberality in the matter of malt, the landlord possessed agreeable manners, and was apt at conversation, he managed to secure a comfortable living, and to put by something for a rainy day. We must not be understood to imply that our villagers were a dissipated, unsober set, who spent their time principally at the public- house, and drank inordinately of the landlord’s home-brewed. But the inn was the mechanics’ institute, the newsroom, and the political battle- ground of that day, and the visits of the bagmen and others who came to dispose of their wares made the inn the centre of information. The inscription, ‘‘ Good entertainment for man and beast,” was to be found written up in front of the public houses of that day, and the motto was strictly applicable, for no man travelled far without his horse or with a carriage. In this way the inns were not like the modern gin palace or dram shop, mere places for drinking ; they were the temporary homes of people from a distance ; and when those who were travelling’ on business had finished their day’s work, they took their seats in the parlour of the inn, where they met and chatted sociably with the local politicians who came in to smoke their pipes and talk over the latest news. ‘The public-house was in fact the exchange and newsroom of the period, and as such many of the ‘‘ Morley Dashers” acquired the habit of spending most of their evenings at the Old White Cross, the White Swan, or the Boot and Shoe. The mention of the last-named reminds us that some of those inns, which were not in the line of the principal highways, had a very unpre- tending exterior, and were without much elegance in the “‘smoke rooms” themselves, or in their appointments. We remember a few such, and notably the Pheasant, which was recently pulled down in Queen Street, and stood on the site at the end of Little Lane where Hainsworth has his jeweller’s shop. These houses were noticeable for their low ceilings, small bow-windows, well-scrubbed but uncarpeted floors ; whilst an ordinary cooking grate, with two or three conical ale-warmers, long- settles round the room, two or three small round tables, a portrait in oil of the landlord, a few ‘ spill” cases, and a rack for pipes, made up the usual furniture. As night approached candles were lighted, and placed in tin sconces against the wall, and others were placed in iron candle- sticks upon the tables, with a pair of snuffers to each. 74 MORLEY: ANCIENT AND MODERN. ANCIENT INNS. 75 With the advent of cheap newspapers, and superior means of locomotion, tavern life has lost much of its charm. Fifty years ago our elders had little chance of knowing what was going on in the world, except by taking their pipe and glass where political and social subjects were under discussion. When the Leeds Mercury (then about the size of the Leeds Evening Express of to-day) cost sevenpence, there were few Morley manufacturers or tradesmen who indulged in the luxury of buying one for their own use. If the manufacturer wanted to see a paper or hear the news, he went to the tavern. There he met his neighbours, and compared notes, and formed life-long friendships. But, the dreamy quiet old days are over and gone for ever; for men now live, think, and work at express speed. They have their Mercury or Post laid on their breakfast table in the early morning, and if they are too hurried to snatch from it the news during that meal, they carry it off, to be sulkily read as they travel down to Leeds to their ware- houses, leaving them no time to talk with the friend who may share the compartment with them. In a similar way on their return, throw- ine their halfpenny on to Goodall’s stall, they snatch up the fourth edition of the “xpress, and devour its contents as they rattle homewards. We refer to this to note how the hurry and bustle of modern life, how- ever much wiser it may make us appear in the eyes of our fellows, lacks the quiet and repose of the period when our forefathers—the day’s work done—took ‘their ease” in some of the quaint old inns which could be found in Morley from fifty to a hundred years ago. In connection with the notice of our ancient inns, we are forcibly reminded how that which our local senators would call “ improvement” takes no heed of sentiment or of old associations. SCATCHERD tells us: —‘ The house at the Town end, now the ‘ Boot and Shoe’ alehouse, I refer to James the Ist’s reign,—if not before it.” The Old White Cross, the Old White Swan, the Pheasant, and some others, were all ‘‘ landmarks ;” but the exigencies of modern manufacturing life, and the requirements of a rapidly increasing population, have been so pressing, as to sweep them all from off the face of the earth. However pleasant or desirable it may be to retain a few ancient memorials of bygone generations, our Local Board and capitalists seem to have had no eye but for the present and future necessities, and could not indulge in retrospection. In a very short time the ruthless hand of “ improve- ment ” will have swept away every vestige of the Morley homes of a century ago ; and when the Old Manor House, the Old Parsonage, Mor- ley Hall, and a few others, have been pulled down, the historic buildings of the past will be lost to future generations. Some of these ancient walls have witnessed many a strange event, and have many times echoed the voices of men whose names are shrined in history or embalmed in literature. Another feature of the public-houses of Morley, which they had in common with other old English villages, was that you might gather from the signs who were the lords of the land. In the “ Dartmouth 76 MORLEY: ANCIENT AND MODERN. Arms” and the “Cardigan Arms” the traveller was reminded of these two ancient families, whose representatives owned nearly all the broad- acres of the village and immediate neighbourhood, Other signs point unmistakably to the antiquity of the place, such as the “ Angel” and the ‘‘Cross Keys,” both on the line of the ancient Roman Road. ‘The former of these is a very old sign, and is derived from the “ Salutation,” a sign formerly not at all uncommon. On early signs the “‘ Angel” was represented with a scroll in one hand and a trumpet in the other. The “ Cross Keys” is one of the very earliest of public-house signs. It is the arms of the Papal See—the emblem of St. Peter and his successors. The emblem is also borne in the arms of some of our bishoprics, and is altogether a common emblem. It is within the limits of probability that a place for refreshment and rest has existed on the site of the Cross Keys in Britannia Road for very many centuries. In the “ Fleece” on Troy Hill we have also a very old sign, and a most appropriate one | for its position, seeing that the ‘“‘ Fleece” was, and is, the insignia of the Woollen Trade, and hence no doubt its adoption by our forefathers for what is undoubtedly one of the very oldest public-houses in the district. The “ Old Malt Shovel” was one of the best frequented inns in the village. The sign is in honour and praise of ale. The ‘“ Malt Shovel ” depicted on the sign was a wooden shovel of large size used for turning the malt over and spreading the barley in the process of malting. The term “old” was a prefix added to shew that it was the “old original house,” and therefore had a stronger claim on the public than its modern rival. Certainly in Morley, if anywhere, alehouse signs were “ sions of the times” when properly interpreted. The “ Stump Cross” is of ancient date, and no doubt took its name from a boundary cross erected here, for so early as A.D. 807, and until the 17th century, ‘crosses of this character were put down as the boundaries of the precincts of authority of religious houses ; as boundaries within which the privilege of sanctuary availed; or where the ecclesiastial property had its limits. Sometimes they were called watch-crosses, but possibly for no other reason than that they were situated in places where in troublous times it was desirable to watch.” As to the “Old White Cross,” it is reasonable to assume that this may possibly represent a cross which formerly stood at the point where the roads diverge, for we have in that practice an explanation of the custom of burying suicides and others excluded from the rites of the Church ; prohibited from being placed in holy ground, the deceased was buried in the place rendered next in sanctity to the churchyard, by the presence of the sacred rood. We are informed by persons now living, that on one or two occa- sions human bodies have been discovered, which had been buried at the point where the roads meet, and this gives more force to our supposi- tion of a cross having stood here, of the character we have endeavoured to describe. We must, however, add that fifty years ago a wooden TAVERN LIFE. ry cross, or guide post, stood near to the inn, having four arms, with inscriptions naming the directions to Leeds, Dewsbury, Huddersfield, and Farnley. We cannot take leave of our old taverns and roadside houses (the real conveniences of the olden days, both to the gentlemen who halted to rest their horses and refresh themselves, and to the wayfarer who called to eat his crust and drink his pint of home-brewed ale) without placing on record one or two of their peculiarities, which came under our own observation when very young. A party of glee-singers, devoted lovers of music, were in the habit of meeting once a week in one of the roadside inns, and; embracing frequent opportunities to listen to their musical efforts, we had the chance of noting the character and habits of the public-house frequenters in the days before railways had found a place in our midst. In the roomy kitchen of the inn, cosily fenced in from the cold and from close observation by the high- backed long-settle, and in front of a ‘‘ rousing fire,” were seated a mis- cellaneous gathering of customers. Nearest the fire, in the warmest corner, are two or three of the neighbouring farmers, who have called in on their way from the far- close, to have a chat with the landlord ; whilst in close proximity to these is a jolly waggoner, eating his bread and cheese, his dog looking up attentively and watching every mouthful which he eats. Another waggoner, on his way from Leeds to Birstal or Huddersfield, dropping in, the two get into conversation, and talk over the steepness of Chur- well Hill, and “what hard work it is for the horses,” and then descant on the merits of the ale at the dif- ferent public-houses they have to ‘bait at” in their journeyings. Another farmer or two casually coming in, the price of corn becomes the: topic of conversation ; then, what good hay is itching a ton, and how such and such manure answers on certain lands. As the evening grows on, the regular village customers make their appearance, such as the smith, the carpenter, and two or three ne’er-do-weels, who come in, hoping to share without expense in the hilarity and good-fellowship ‘which is supreme. Now and again, the fun would be spoiled by the noisy gabble or musical efforts of an old soaker, who cared little for any other company than a full mug, and whose ‘psalm of life” consisted of scraps of old drinking songs, trolled forth at the top of his voice. At feast or holiday times, the ii ant Me, 4h atte eC N TD Vy Stn UE Rt dB a *. a us y SM We AY DS i 5 =| qQ 2 Ss Fix] (@) mn th 5 o Ay #3 a eh ie Sal == be ‘ ST. PETERS CHURCH. 79 kitchen of the inn was the place, above all others in the village, where could be seen a curious mixture of quaint, rough characters, presided over by a fiddler, and a lot of hearty farmers’ men, who, in heavy hob- nailed boots, battered the hearthstone of the kitchen to the music of the violin, until the whole house shook. We have dwelt on these old village customs, because they give us an idea of the notions of comfort and pleasure entertained by our an- cestors, and prove that, whilst we may not consider such practices very gentlemanly, to them it seemed the only chance for the man in indif- ferent circumstances to enjoy a social hour or two with his neighbours, and to learn something of what was going on in the great world of which he formed a part. Crossing the road opposite the Nelson’s Arms, we are at once in the graveyard attached to the then newly-erected church, dedicated to St. Peter, the first stone of which was laid with great rejoicings on the 29th day of June, 1829. The friends of the Established Church in Morley, though few in numbers half a century ago, were delighted that they could at last worship in a church of their own, in lieu of being compelled to attend the church at Batley, which necessitated .a walk every Sunday of six miles. The situation of the church is all that could be desired, for, standing on elevated ground, it commands a fine prospect, comprising the ornamental woods and grounds of Temple Newsam, also Great Almescliffe, Whitkirk, part of Harewood planta- tions, and of the Skipton hills, while in the vale below may be seen (when not obscured by smoke from the many tall chimneys) the spires, towers, and homesteads of Leeds, with the villages of Beeston and Churwell, which are between Leeds and Morley. The church is built on two acres of ground, given, with a donation of two hundred pounds, by the Earl of Dartmouth, lord of the manor, It was erected under the direction of the Honourable the Board of His Majesty’s Commis- sioners for building new churches, the Commissioners allowing the sum of three thousand pounds towards defraying the cost. The cere- mony of consecration was performed by the Archbishop of York on the 80th of August, 1830, and the arrangements were of the most admirable character, being carried out under the superintendence of three Morley “worthies,’ Dr. Swinden, Geo. Crowther, and Norrisson Scatcherd, Esqrs. The sermon was preached by the newly-appointed incumbent, the Rev. C. B. Cave, son of Sir Wilmot Cave, Bart. The church, externally or internally, was not of an attractive character, but steps were taken in 1885 to remedy some of the defects, and the church was re-opened on Sept. 14th, 1885, by the Lord Bishop of Ripon. The work of renovating the church has been carried out in a very satisfactory way, and is so complete that it will greatly add to the comfort of the worshippers. Internally, the contrast with its former state is very marked, for whereas the appearance of the edifice was most uninviting, it now presents a warm and cheerful appearance, A new chancel has been erected, in connection with which are an organ 80 MORLEY: ANCIENT AND MODERN. chamber and clergy and choir vestries. The stained glass east window has been removed tothree of the windows on the south side of the church, and a new window has been substituted, part of which is coloured glass. The organ has been removed from the west gallery, and re-erected in > the recess provided for it in the chancel. The capacity of the organ is increased by the addition of a choir organ by Messrs. Wordsworth and Maskell, of Leeds. One important feature in connection with the renovation is the removal of the north and south galleries, and the reconstruction of the west gallery. The old high-backed pews have disappeared, and in their places are comfortably-cusbioned open benches. All the wood-work is of pitch-pine varnished, and the style is uniform throughout. The pulpit is also new, and William Holton, Esq,, Hughenden, Morley, has given to the church a handsome brass eagle lectern. The altar-table is of brown oak, made from oak in the oldest part of St. Mary’s-in-the- Wood, and has been presented by Dr. J. C. Clarke, of Bank House. Mrs. Clarke (daughter of the late Vicar of Morley) has presented a new Caen stone font. Mrs. Jackson has presented the worked kneelers for the altar and altar rails, the work having been done by friends; and a ereen silk and plush embroidered altar frontal is the gift of Mrs. J. W. Hepworth, of Hill Crest, Churwell. A beautiful white silk embroidered altar frontal is the gift of Mrs. Rayner, Point House; and Mrs. T. Taylor, of Kirklands, has presented a set of embroidered altar linen. The Vicar (the Rev. H. Jackson, M.A.) has presented a set of Cathe- dral Psalters for the use of the choir. The beautiful brass altar desk is the gift of Mrs. J. H. Rayner, of Branksome, Morley. The con- tractors for the various works in connection with the reconstruction of the church were—Mr. J. H. Thorp, the chancel and organ-chamber ; Messrs. Taylor Brothers, Yeadon, re-pewing and joiners’ work in the first contract ; Messrs. Thomason and Sons, Manchester, for the altar rails ; and this firm also supplied the eagle-lectern ; Messrs. Barrett and Russell have supplied the gasaliers, and re-arranged the system of lighting throughout, and constructed a new patent warming apparatus. The cost of the whole of the work was £2,600, of which £400 remains to be raised. The architect for the alterations was Walter Hanstock, Esq., A.R.I.B.A., of Batley. To the list of ministers and curates which is to be found in the pervious histories of the village, must be added the name of the present highly-respected incumbent, the Rev. Henry Jackson, M.A., who suc- ceeded the Rev. A. M. Parkinson, M.A. Mr. Jackson commenced his duties on March 18th, 1877, and during his nine years’ ministry he has won for himself the respect and esteem, not only of the members of his own church and congregation, but of all who have been brought into contact with him. He is, indeed. a fit standard-bearer in a holy cause, for with him usefulness seems to be an instinct, and the work of the ministry the most congenial of all occupations. To Mr. Jackson belongs the credit of establishing Mission Churches at Churwell and ‘OSA ‘NOLIOH WVITTIM 40 SONSCISSY AHL ‘NAGNAHONH -NOONO1 ©2 @ BNOWHdS ‘OLOHA-ANI ~ ST. PETER’S CHURCH. 81 Bruntcliffe, both of which are in a flourishing condition. His efforts on behalf of the temperance movement and the education of the young are most praiseworthy, and, in consideration of his efforts in the direc- tion of education, his fellow-townsmen elected him in January, 1885, to a seat on the School Board. During the night of October 2nd, 1835, the church was broken into and robbed. It is supposed the sacrilegious thieves were disturbed, as they carried away only the pulpit candlesticks and the crimson altar cloth. The candlesticks had been presented by N. Scatcherd, Esq., and bore his name. Leaving the churchyard by the principal gateway, we enter Rooms Lane, and, carrying our thoughts back for half-a-century, indulge in a leisurely imaginary stroll as far as the knoll of the hill on which Mr. Holton has built his mansion. Standing for a moment to admire the landscape which surrounds us on every side, we are struck with the beauty of the scene. We are, indeed, out in the country, for there is only one small factory—known as “ Philadelphia Mill ”—and no colliery or foundry to be seen ; but in the back ground of the picture are Dean and Farnley Woods, while at our feet are green fields, beautiful hills sloping down into rich pasture lands, with a few cottages and a farm- house or two nestling in sweet shady spots. In the spring time, the tall hedges along the whole length of the lane are white over with the blossom of the hawthorn, and the air is full of their perfume. To our left, a path across the fields will take us, in a minute or two, to the brook which runs at the foot of Dean Wood; and on the bank to our right, if we follow the course of the stream, we shall find that thou- sands of bluebells are to be met with; indeed, we know no spot within many miles of Morley at the present day where they are to be found in such profusion. ‘They love moist and shady places, and in the lower parts of Dean Wood they seem perfectly at home. To our right, a little lower down the lane and across the fields, over rude stiles and pleasant footpaths, is the old rural pathway from Gildersome to the ancient village of Courlewell—Churl’s Well—or, as it is now called, Churwell. The only tenants of the lane, in addition to the birds, whose song scarcely ever ceases, and the fowls from the neighbouring farm yards, are “‘ Benny” Ward, ‘“‘Sammy” Lister, ‘“‘ Bobby” Slater, and a farmer’s man who occupies the one-storey cottage at the back of Ward's farm. As we saunter along to the end of the lane in Gelderd Road, no thought of the changes which the next fifty years will bring enters our head, but we are captivated by the stillness and tranquillity of the scene, and the beauty of the prospect. We are too young to ruminate on the appearance which the lane would present when Captain Oates, with his brother conspirators, made their way under cover of night down this rustic path to meet at the rendezvous in Farnley Wood, on the occasion of that unfortunate mission which was to bring the ‘Government of that day to their senses, but which, instead, brought F “ Cbsgy “1948q0.4 °00H) “spURTPOOM OUT oe mo 6 ~ X FROM A PHOTOGRAPH BY HESLOP WOQDS, KELSALL STREET, LEEDS, A COUNTRY LANE 83 death and disaster to those engaged in the insurrection. Nor are we able to realise the picturesque appearance which the string of pack- horses, or bell-horses, would present as they travelled up or down the lane with their heavy packs upon their backs, and their bells tinkling to the measured tread of the cavalcade. At the present day, in the winter time, it reminds those who chance to take it in a conveyance of the difficulties of travelling in the good old times. The old lane, like old opinions, is somewhat of the narrowest; and, like marriage, when the poet compared it to a “ Devonshire Lane : ”— However rough and dirty the road may be found, Drive forward you must, there is no turning round. The lane is, however, so singularly picturesque that it is worth an adventure. | In Robert Slater, who lived at the farm at the end of the lane, we had a fine specimen of the “ tillers of the soil” who lived hereabouts ; and when we name others, as Jerry Sharp, at Scholecroft; John Whitaker, at Howley; Tommy Bywater, at Bruntcliffe; Thomas Wordsworth, at Stump Cross; and Peter Hepworth, at Owlers; such of our readers as remember these natives will agree with us that, as a whole, they were fine specimens of the old Englishman. They were farmers of the old school, homely, kind-hearted, straightforward in their dealings, and much respected both at market and amongst their neighbours. Fifty years have changed the appearance of everything in Rooms Lane, save and except the width of the lane itself, and the indifferent manner in which it is kept. From the knoll, near Benjamin Ward’s farm, we have now lost the ancient farmer who ruled over the solitude, and in his place we have one of a race of self-made nobles— born of trade and commerce—whose pretty villa as it crowns the hill top is no disadvantage to the landscape, but rather a pleasant addition, Adorning the opposite hill, in the direction of Gildersome, is ‘‘ Wood- lands,” the large and ornate mansion of another of these nobles, whose factory is to be seen at the skirt of what was formerly Farnley Wood, on the Gelderd Road. Mr. Webster, whose taste in regard to the comforts of this life is shown in the home comforts by which he has surrounded himself, is a worthy representative of the old “ Morley Dashers,” who will not be forgotten for many years to come for the part they played in making Morley as well known as it is at present in the markets of the world. Looking towards the ‘‘ Bundocks” at the present time, our eye is arrested by the tall chimney and other buildings connected with Spring- field Mill ; and we soon find, in this and other additions of a similar character to the landscape, the reason why the footwalk down Rooms Lane has lost its sylvan charm. The smoke from the factory, and the sulphur from the coke ovens at some little distance, have during the last _.thirty years done their work; and, in addition to the loss of many patches of woodland, there is a diminution of trees in little clumps, 84 MORLEY: ANCIENT AND MODERN. and the trees also which used to be dotted here and there in the hedge- rows are withered and gone, blighted and destroyed by the noxious fumes. It is impossible at the present time to fully recall the aspect of Rooms Lane fifty years ago, and, though it is still used pretty freely by certain classes of our villagers, it is not so much enjoyed as it was when the trees and foliage were far more plentiful, when wild flowers bloomed abundantly and the birds sang merrily, and when, in the gathering twilight of a calm summer’s evening, it was all that the fancy could desire for a season of quiet and retirement. As we return to the village we are joined in our walk by ‘old Sammy Lister,” who lives in one of the cottages in the lane, and many are the stories which the old musician has to tell. He is one of the old school, and in pursuit of his favourite amusement—that of playing the violoncello— he would trudge off, after a hard day’s work, along with a musical comrade or two, to practise with the village choral society. At that time, besides bass players, the village could boast of some good performers on the violin, flute, clarionet, serpent, bassoon, and trombone, and a number of tenors and basses who could read oratorio music fairly well. Morley was a musical place, and its ‘“ Old Brass Band,” with George Scott as leader, was one of the best in the district. But our local musicians were sure to muster in force at the Whitsuntide ‘ potation,” the great musical event of the year; and it was then that Samuel Lister and his son James, each with his darling instrument, would be found at their posts. Another event to which great importance was attached, and which also commanded the services of our local musicians, was the ‘‘Charity Sermon,” as it was then called. The following is a copy of the placard announcing such an anniversary :— Cuarity SERMON. On Sunday June —, 1830, a Charity Sermon will he preached in the Old Chapel, Morley, for the support of the Sunday School of that place, by the Rev. ——. Service to begin at 2 30. Appropriate music will be sung, and pieces spoken by the scholars. Such was the popularity of these ‘Charity Sermons” of the olden time that “talent,” vocal and instrumental, came from all the neighbouring villages to assist on these festive occasions. And the sight on that Sunday afternoon was indeed one to be remembered, for as soon aS dinner was well over the youngsters dressed themselves for chapel, and at two o’clock, when the one small bell of St. Mary’s was going ‘“ding-dong, ding-dong,” numbers of clean, healthy children might be seen, in straggling companies, wending their way up the slopes of the village to that ancient sanctuary. As at Whitsuntide, the children were dressed in their best, clean as a new pin from top to toe, and with the good and gentle admonitions of their parents ringing in their ears, they went joyously along, looking fresh and glad, adding one more to the many evidences of the wisdom of the Sabbath rest— the poor man’s day, ‘the day of God and God of days.” Continuing our walk up Rooms Lane, we pass on our left the par- sonage, occupied by the Rev. Andrew Cassells, M.A., the incumbent THE NATIONAL SCHOOL. 85 of St. Peter’s. Mr. Cassells held the incumbency from 1831 until 1839 ; but, having had several disputes with his parishioners relative to Church rates and other vexed questions, he wisely accepted in the last- named year the vicarage of the mother Church at Batley. The par- sonage is a substantial stone edifice, and is surrounded by extensive gardens. At the south-west corner of the graveyard of St. Peter’s Church, stands the ‘‘ National School,” which was erected in 1828, and in which were held the meetings of the first association for mutual improvement, and also the first public library, in Morley, of which we have any record. The society was established in 1830, in a great measure through the exertions of Dr. Swinden, Norrisson Scatcherd, Esq., and some others. § pe = Sa e y, ee ‘s f- a Ge, pa te Hip [hE tye s Gees ee mee EE Ee er er ee EDs ti Ap et tof GE Sr ee tr 3Ghale Pea | : 1 r : td t WT = i i UES mt Fini St. Peter’s Day and'-Infant Schools. The Library was organized by men of varied shades of opinion in both politics and religion, and is the earliest instance we can find in Morley of the embodiment of the idea of voluntary association for literary purposes. Classes in chemistry and other branches of science were held in the National School for many years after its erection. In 1874 the managers of the Day School resolved to build a new Infant School, capable of accommodating 300 scholars. This good intention they succeeded in accomplishing at an expense of £1,100, and the school came into effective operation in 1875. The school is situate in. Victoria Road, adjoining the east side of the churchyard. Opposite the principal entrance to St. Peter’s Church is ‘The Lodge,” fomerly the residence of Mr. J. Mitchell, who was the principal carrier between Leeds and Manchester in the days when the ponderous waggons, with their eight or ten horses, had superseded the pack- horses. After Mr. Mitchell’s death, ‘“‘ The Lodge” was tenanted by Thomas Webster, Esq., one of the village worthies, whose name is stil 86. MORLEY: ANCIENT AND MODERN. held in great respect by those who knew him. He resided in London for many years, but, having acquired a competency, he returned to his native village, and spent the remainder of his days in works of charity and benevolence. Mr. Webster is buried in the Old Chapel graveyard, and his tombstone bears the following inscription :— Sacred to the memory of Thomas Webster, of Morley, formerly of London. A man in sincere piety and benevolent feeling scarcely inferior to any. His com- mercial career was marked by successful industry and undeviating integrity while he resided in London, and the latter years of his life were spent in this his native village, where, like his Divine Master, he went about doing good. He was born April 26th, 1779, and died October 19th, 1831. After Mr. Webster’s death ‘‘ The Lodge” was occupied by his widow, whose kindness to all with whom she came in contact, whose sympathy with the sorrowing, and whose large-hearted liberality to the poor, caused her to be revered by all the villagers, who mourned her death as a public calamity. ‘‘ The Lodge,” after her decease, was rented by Joseph Rhodes, Esq., who is well known for his untiring efforts in con- nection with the body of Methodists to which he has been attached for more than half a century, and for his sympathy with the movement in favour of the establishment of Board Schools in the village. Mr. Rhodes was elected in January, 1879, Chairman of the first School Board in Morley, but retired at the expiration of his term of office, on account of failing health. Leaving the Old White Cross on our left, and proceeding along the Back Lane, now Victoria Road, we pass on our right a lane which leads down to the ‘‘ Bundocks.” This bit of greenery was a favourite walk with our villagers, for, by it, access was obtained to Dean Wood, and it was more retired in its position than its neighbour, the Rooms Lane. We were one amongst the many juveniles who used to make free use of this outlet from the village, and, when opportunity offered, would spend most of the day in the wood and the fields adjoining. Our dreams of life were somewhat different then from what we have since proved its realities to be. But they were pleasant and invigorating. The trees in Dean Wood were then of much finer growth than at the present time, and the pasture lands were studded with buttercups and daisies. Returning along the lane to the village, we pass Springfield Mills, the property of Messrs. Hudson, Sykes, and Bousfield; this addition to the landscape has been made since our boyhood’s days. Nearer the village is Springfield House, a large and useful dwelling- house, evidently built with a view to comfort. ‘ Maister John Webster,” who built the house, was an extensive manufacturer, and employed a considerable number of the villagers, both at Rods Mill and in their own homes. He took great interest in public matters, did much good without making a noise about it, had a warm attachment to his native village, and was pleased to see its progress and improve- ment. As a business man, he was strict in his relations with those who served him, having no sympathy with the idle or careless, to whom he JA Z Het Y Beye: u E Sait fies = C oG J a [x] ay = : A ag SS #5) 7 = = Ss 5 [2] a Ne Se ; S pe fa : — fu : C eh : =a < C | = ; — ae \ WA x 1 Rie Cf 5 why WY UW a) me : tw fre a ear ’ \ : } ns a ——— ee ee ee ee a SPRINGFIELD HOUSE 87 set an example of punctuality and perseverance somewhat rare in the present day. Every morning for years he was in the habit of riding on horseback through the village, so as to be at the mill at six o’clock; and it was said that so punctual was he in his visits, that no public clock was required to tell the villagers the hour. Mr. Webster possessed a thorough knowledge of business, devoted himself most assiduously to it, and was rewarded with a large fortune. Springfield House passed in 1862 into the possession of Mr. Joseph Smith ; in 1868 it was bought by Messrs. Dixon, Nicholls, and Co., and in 1874 became the property of Messrs. Hudson, Sykes, and Bousfield. To this firm is due the credit of introducing the electric light into Morley. The system of lighting adopted is that known as the Edison-Swan system ; it was aS = SS Springfield House. fitted up by Messrs. Paterson and Cooper, electric light engineers and contractors, of London. There are exactly 358 lights, some 12-candle and some 20-candle power. Twenty-two lights of 20-candle power are provided in the beaming-shed ; three of the same power in the weft- room; two in the engine-room, and one in the dynamo-shed, also of 20-candle power each. In one of the weaving-sheds there are 170 lights of 12-candle power, and in the other 152 lights of the same power, and 16 of 20-candle power. Each loom is provided with two lights. To each lamp there is a safety fuse, so that if there is an excess of current inthe cables through short circuiting with the wires, the fuse breaks and the current to the lamp is stopped. There is the same 88 MORLEY: ANCIENT AND MODERN. provision made in the main, and a fuse to batches of lamps, and one main fuse to the main cable, so that if anything goes wrong the safety fuse breaks and there is no damage done. This system is provided to prevent firing. There is only one dynamo generating machine, and the motive power is obtained from the ordinary beam engine which runs the other machinery in the weaving-sheds and the mill, and it is estimated that it requires 34-horse power to drive the machine. The light given is beautifully clear and soft, and the change from gas is greatly appreciated by the workpeople. Resuming our walk along Back Lane, we have on our left the Prospect Mills, owned by Messrs. J. and S. Rhodes. To this firm is due the introduction of the telephone into the town in 1883; and con- nection between the mills in Morley and the warehouses at Leeds is now taken advantage of by several of our manufacturers. Opposite to the mills, and in the fields on our right-hand, Abraham Holliday, a well-known colliery proprietor, was fifty years ago getting coal in a somewhat primitive fashion. The coal trade was then in its infancy, and Abraham, having another pit in Neepshaw Lane, and one at Bruntcliffe, was a large ratepayer for the time, though the whole of his output would be comparatively few tons per day, just sufficient to supply the wants of the then sparsely-populated district. The coal was drawn from the pit bottom by means of a horse gin, in small corves, and was sold from the pit bank at a price per corve, when it was carted away by the farmers and coal-leaders over the almost impassable lines or roads which then prevailed. We have it on good authority that coal was at one time obtained in Morley by working into the out- cropping edges of the beds, after having thrown off the covering of soil or gravel. The coal was thus brought to the surface up an incline. ‘‘Dayholes,” ze. passages and mines, cut more or less horizontally, from which the coal was brought to the ‘day,’ were common. Evidences of ancient mining are to be found in the neighbourhood of Neepshaw Lane, and in other parts of the village. The cost of the conveyance of the coal was almost as much as that of the coal itself, and this is not to be wondered at, considering the difficulties of transit. ‘‘Old Abraham” was assisted in his business by his buxom wife, who came from Gildersome to Morley every Monday, and collected in the accounts for coal, many of which were paid by small weekly instalments. The value of minerals was then considered but of small account, but since that time the rent-roll of our Lord of the Manor has been considerably enriched by the increase in the value of the many important beds of coal and stone which are now being extensively worked. A similar change has taken place in the price of the coal itself as sold on the surface. In 1710, a load of coals cost 1s. 6d.; in 1800, 2s. 6d. per ton ; in 1835, 4s. 6d. per ton; and it has gone on increasing in price until we now pay 14s. per ton. It is to the coal and stone trades that Morley owes much of its prosperity, for,during the last twenty years, its hidden mineral treasures PROGRESS OF MORLEY. 89 have been scooped out of the earth, and brought to the surface, in an abundance that would have astonished our forefathers; and instead of the few tons of coal per day, sent out in Holliday’s time, the output is now many thousands of tons weekly, which is mainly despatched to different parts of the kingdom, the dual railway conveniences affording every facility for transit. One feature of the coal mining in past times was that the renters of coal-mines were not so particular in confining themselves to the getting only of the coal which they had leased, but, branching out without leave or licence, they helped themselves to that which could not be fairly said to belong to them. ‘The collieries at present in work are the Dean Hall, Farnley, Howley Park, Morley Main, Victoria, and West End; the coal is of good quality, comprising house, cannel, and engine coal. A remarkable instance of the growth of Morley since the develop- ment of its mineral treasures and the expansion of the staple trade of the village by the introduction of cotton warps, was given recently by the Earl of Dartmouth in an address to the members of the Conser- vative Association. His lordship said that, since 1853, he had effected in Morley 333 sales of land, of which 320 plots were of one acre or under, and nearly half of that number comprised plots of less than 500 yards each. On these plots had been erected one church, ten chapels and other places of worship, six schools, Local Board offices and Conservative rooms, a Liberal club, a Working Men’s club, Masonic hall, Odd-Fellows’ hall, Co-operative hail and stores, Police station, Market, two Banks, Coffee tavern, sixteen woollen and other mills, twenty warehouses and workshops, and about eighteen hundred dwelling- houses ; and a much larger number of buildings had been erected in Morley during the period of which he was speaking upon land not belonging to him, In the field beyond the site of Holliday’s pit is the pathway leading to Gildersome through Dean Wood, the last-named being of considerable extent, and would doubtless at the time of the Conquest include the smaller copses known as Daffield Wood, Clubbed Oakes, and Clark Springs, which extended east and west down to Beeston. The name Dean or Den (A.S.) is a very common one. BARDSLEY says that “a den was a sunken and wooded vale, where cattle might find alike covert and pasture.” In this way den came to be spoken of in connection with animal life ; and we find the ram in Ramsden, the swine in Swinden, the wolfin Wolfenden, and the hog in Ogden. At one time, Morley would possess, in common with many other Yorkshire villages, that important public official known as the ‘‘swine-ringer.” These men did not ring the pigs themselves, but the prerogative of the office was to see that no pig was allowed upon the common without one strong nail, at least, being firmly embedded in its nose. In those days there were no hedges, making separate enclosures of fields, but plenty of woods. Every foot of ground was not then marked out and held by individual freeholders. There was a common-right ; that is to say, every native householder 90 MORLEY: ANCIENT AND MODERN. had free range for his horse, or cow, or pig. The name “Dean” has many other significations, as Den (A.S.) a forest or outlying pasture in the woods; Den (Celtic) a small valley or dingle. Names of places ending in den (neuter) always denoted pasture, usually for swine. Another authority says that “the term dene or dean in its local acceptation indicates a narrow wooded valley, whose banks rise less abruptly than those of a cleft or clough, and which, besides a stream at the bottom, is fur- nished with a small strip of flat alluvialland lying on its margin.” In olden times it was the custom of our ancestors to feed their Swine on the acorns and beech nuts of the forest; and on the pay- ment of a small duethepoor of the village kept their pigsalmostentire- Dean Wood Bridge, A.D. 1840. ly in the woods. Tradition has connected Dean Wood with a ferocious sow, the terror of many youngsters, more than fifty years ago, who durst never go through the wood alone for fear of the ‘‘ Dean Sow,” as it was called. The styes, which were placed in unsavoury proximity to most of the cottages in Morley, were only used as sleeping places for the swine, which were driven to and fro, to Dean and other woods, by the Seniors or swineherds of former generations, and in later times by happy youngsters, who whiled away their time in bird-nesting or nutting. Passing the old farm-house known as “ Stubley’s,” we come to Neepshaw Lane on our right, a thoroughfare which retains nearly all the features of fifty years ago. In 1750, the turnpike road from Leeds to Manchester was as follows :—Leeds, through Beeston, up old road at Churwell, and on to Morley Hole ; then up Neepshaw Lane to the “ Street,” or Roman Road; next along this road to Adwalton; from thence over the moor to Gomersal, and forward to Manchester. Neepshaw Lane was once noted for being the resort of gipsies—now rarely seen in this neighbourhood. THE LORDS OF THE MANOR. 91 At the foot of Neepshaw Lane stands the Dartmouth Arms (formerly known as the Old White Swan), so named after the Lord of the Manor, whose predecessors in that office date back to the time of William the Conqueror. The first of the Lords of whom we have any account was Ilbert de Lacy, who was succeeded by his son Robert, who was follow- ed by his son, a second Ilbert de Lacy. Henry, a brother of Ilbert, was suc- ceded in the lordship by another Robert de Lacy, who, having no issue, was suc- ceeded by his heir, Albreda de Lisours. During the life of this lady the manor changed hands,‘and was held jointly by Ralph de Insula and Robert de Beeston. The connection of these magnates with Morley ceased in 1226, when the manor of Morley went into the family of Rotherfield, who kept it for more than a century and a half, when it passed into the Mirfield family, from whom it came into possession of the Saviles of Howley. From the Marquis of Halifax (Savile), the manor was bought in 1706 by Baron Dartmouth, in whose family : it has remained to the present time. For a full account of the lords of Morley, we must refer our readers to SMITH’S History of Morley, pp. 21-44. A little above the Dartmouth Arms, in Bruntcliffe Lane, was to be seen fifty years ago a well, known as “Gore Well,” situate in a bend of the lane called ‘‘ Gore Nook,” a name of high antiquity, and generallty signifying the lowest part of a place. The name “Gore,” says a writer in the Archeologia, vol. 17, p. 148, ‘‘is one of those words which occur in every country from the Ganges to the Shannon.” A beck or rivulet ran down this lane, which, passing through the Bottoms, took its course down to Middleton Wood. Adjoining the railway arch of the Great Northern Railway, which crosses Bruntcliffe Lane a little above Gore Well, is a square enclosure, forming an ancient burial ground, belonging to the Society of Friends, William Walter, Earl of Dartmouth, e esr . ‘aul ye8uy PIO & FROM A PHOTOGRAPH BY HESLOP WOODS, KEL SALL STREET, LEEDS. THE CEMETERY. 98 at one time a comparatively numerous body in Morley and Gildersome. The ground contains no memorials, but is planted over with trees, and has an air of neglect and desolation about it. A little beyond the railway arch is the new Cemetery (under the control of the Morley Burial Board, formed in 1883), and, for pic- turesqueness of situation, suitability of ground, and extent, it is all that can be desired. The area is eight acres, which is divided into unconse- crated and consecrated portions; in the former there are 4,379 grave spaces, and in the latter 2,017, making altogether 6,396 grave spaces. The buildings comprise chapel, with mortuary chapel and vestry, etc., of Gothic design, having handsome spire and other ornamentations The lodge at the entrance to the grounds contains living rooms for the registrar; also a large waiting room and a board-room. The ground, with tenant-right, etc., cost £2,225; the chapel, £1,100, and the lodge, board-room, and out-buildings, £1,060, or, altogether, £2,100 ; the fences, palisades, and gates, £510: laying out, planting, and draining, £554 ; grave marks and boundary-stones, £37 ; architect’s, surveyor’s, and solicitors’ charges, £227; furnishing, £97; the whole cost amounting to a little under £6,000. The members of the first Burial Board were Messrs. William Dodgshun (chairman), William Smith (vice-chairman), J. H. Rayner, 8. Stockdale, Chas. Dixon, John Clegg, A. Tomlinson, Isaac Bradley, and Isaac C. Watson; with Mr. Joseph Sykes as architect, and Mr. Edwin Butler as clerk. The ceme- tery was opened in November, 1884, and the ceremony of consecration was performed by Bishop Ryan, D.D., on May 27th, 1885. Adjoining the Cemetery is the large storage Reservoir, containing the water supply for the town, which is pumped up from the boundary of the borough of Leeds at Churwell. An ample supply of good water from the reservoirs of the Leeds Corporation is always available. The works have cost, up to the present time, close upon £20,000; they were inaugurated on the 12th of June, 1869. Prospect Mill, Bruntcliffe, stands on the site of the extensive malt-kilns, formerly in the occupation of the Bilboroughs, a name, like Crowther, indigenous to Bruntcliffe. The kilns were converted into a woollen mill about thirty years ago. We now arrive at the Old Ange] Inn, which is kept by two mem- bers of the Helliwell family, descendants of the landlord of fifty years ago, who, in his day, was spoken of as a ‘‘man of singular activity, courage, and sagacity.” These traits of character he displayed in a remarkable manner on one occasion, when (about four o’clock in the morning of February 7th, 1822) he and his family were alarmed by the cry of fire, and soon perceived that the stacks in the farmyard were in flames. The fire had burnt a stack of clover and one of corn, and had reached the threshold of a barn and mistal in which were thirteen head of cattle, when the neighbours arrived at this critical moment and saved the property from further destruction. A slight snow had just fallen on the ground, sufficient for tracing the footsteps of a man who 94 MORLEY: ANCIENTZAND MODERN. appeared to have worn remarkable shoes. One of them had evidently been repaired with a clumsy strip of leather on the sole, and both of them left the impression of their nails so perfect that not only the num- ber but the shape of them was manifest. The incendiary had clearly come up a field on the north-east side, had tried to enter the mistal, and had come into the fold by getting over the fence wall; no other footsteps were visible. Helliwell noticed all these peculiarities, and, rousing himself to almost superhuman energies, he flew from place to place to restrain the wanderings of those who he feared might obliterate the footmarks ; and, hunting the enemy backward to his house in Neepshaw Lane, and thence to Morley and Beeston, with the fleetness of a bloodhound he overtook and seized him, with the very shoes upon his feet, before eight o’clock on the same morning. John Vickers, the delinquent, was a fellow of the vilest and most dangerous description, and he had committed this atrocious act simply in revenge, because Helliwell had pointed out his dwelling to an officer who was instructed to make a distress for rent. Vickers was transported to Botany Bay, much to the annoyance of our historian, who deemed him worthy of a much more severe punishment. CHAPTER VI. A BIT oF OLD MorRLEY—HomeE Lire Firty YrEars AGo—A TYPICAL MORLEY HOME—DESCRIPTION OF EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR—FURNITURE AND FITTINGS—DECORATIONS— FARM HOUSES OF THE PERIOD—-THE DRESS OF THE PEOPLE. EARLY opposite the Old Angel Inn, Bruntcliffe, are two cottages which forcibly remind us of olden days, for these two straw-thatched one storey dwellings form “ a bit of old Morley,” which seems to have been altogether forgotten in the general march of improvement. They are almost unique at the present day, for though fifty years ago many : such homes were dotted about the hillsides of the village, we 4 question whether there are half-a-dozen others left to us at the present time, and these at Bruntcliffe look just as they would do in the good old times ‘“‘ when George the Third was King.” We can only conclude that, being out of the village proper, they have escaped destruction ; otherwise the mania for improvement and modern utility would have swept them away years ago. But the old cottages, with the dilapidated farm buildings close at hand, all help to carry us back to the country and farm life of half a century ago ; and hereabouts, if any- where in Morley, the conviction forces itself upon us that we have before us one of the few links which bind the past with the present. As we cannot hope to meet in our ramble with any better specimens of the homes which were occupied by the poorest class in Morley, we propose at this point to give our reminiscences of the home life of our ancestors, including, not only descriptions of their dwellings, but of their dress, amusements, customs, and manners. We have at the present moment before our mind’s eye one of the dwellings—a typical one—of the working men of Morley filty years A Bit of Old Morley. THE COTTAGE HOMES OF MORLEY. 97 ago. It stood upon one of the seven hills with which the village is favoured ; and the house, as we have said, may be taken as a fair sample of scores of others which were dotted about the hillsides and valleys of the place. Being a constant visitor to this rustic abode of honest and honourable poverty, we had every opportunity of noting the various peculiarities, not only of the place itself, but of the every- day life of its occupants. It was a one storey house of two rooms, the sole window of the living-room at the back of the house being elevated only a few inches above the level of the garden plot, the latter being kept filled with the old-fashioned, but ever beautiful flowers, which are, however, despised and forgotten at the present time. We, in our childish delight, would take a real pleasure in sitting on the window seat, looking out upon the miniature beds of mignonette, marigold, larkspur, London-pride, Sweet Williams, and the clumps of southern-wood, ‘ daffy-down-dillies,” with beds of peppermint, sage, pennyroyal, thyme, and other homely garden treasures— old-time favourites of an equally pleasant, fragrant, and useful character. The roof of the house was of thatch, with numberless creeping plants upon it, whilst the walls were of rough stones, built up in the most rude fashion. The door by which we gained an entrance was made of the plainest deal boards, fastened together by three cross bars of wood, without any panelling or other superfluous ornamentation. In the door was a round hole, into which the finger had to be thrust in order to lift up the rude wooden latch which kept the door secure. On entering, we found the house part, or living-room as it was called, to be open to the thatch, with no ceiling or under-drawing ; the only relief to the eye in looking up to the bareness and darkness being the oatcake “creel,” which was generally well filled with long, crisp, oval cakes, made from the oats after they had been ground. The walls, though rough and uneven, were scrupulously clean, being kept con- stantly ‘‘ whitewashed” as it was called, though generally the decoration was effected by means of colouring made of ochre or some other com- pound. The cleaner and whiter-looking whitewashing was reserved for the bedroom, beyond the living-room, as the white would last longer without getting soiled in that part of the house. You would have looked in vain in the homes of the artisans at that time for the handiwork of the paper-hanger, for that modern and universal method of hiding dirt was then a luxury out of the reach of the poor. And yet, long before papered walls had become as common in working men’s homes as pianos are now, an improvement had been made in the attempt at decoration ; for one day, on entering the cottage which we are endeavouring to describe, we were startled to find that a great, change had come over its appearance. The walls were figured with a curious combination of ornament, arranged in stripes, which we were informed was a specimen of the skill and taste of the “ slap-dasher,” as he was then fittingly designated, or the “stenciller,’ as we should now name him, G 98 MORLEY: ANCIENT AND MODERN, The floor of the house was destitute of carpet ; the only attempt at covering it was a strip of “ Botany bagging” near to the door, on which to wipe the feet, and another strip to serve as a hearth rug ; ‘the rest of the floor being scoured, after being washed clean with a brown stone called a ‘“scahring stoan.” Sometimes as a change, and on special occasions always, a narrow strip round the four sides near to the wall would be ornamented by designs suggested by the artistic taste of Martha, who, to bring out in full relief her genius, would use a ‘pottery mould.” This useful refuse of the potter’s art was also brought into requisition to impart a beautiful cleanly appearance to the hearthstone. To minimise the effect of the dirt, which every visitor to or occupant of the house could not fail to bring in from the dirty roads of the village, handfuls of yellow sand, crushed very fine, were scattered over the bare floor. It was no uncommon thing to compliment the mistress of a house of this cleanly character by saying that ‘‘ the floor was clean enough to eat one’s dinner from off it.” The hawking of sand for household purposes was then a recognised trade, and every Saturday morning the sand cart, heavily laden, duly made its appear- ance, drawn generally by a ‘‘many cornered ” horse of the Gothic style of equine architecture, and with a driver of the jovial brown-faced type of hawker common in those days. The last named was, as a rule, accompanied by his wife, who carried under her arm various wooden measures ready to fill the ‘ peck” or ‘“half-peck” vessel, as her customers required a ‘‘ hawporth ” or a ‘‘ pennorth ” of the commodity. The living-room was not overstocked with furniture, yet there could be found in it many useful and necessary articles. Opposite the fire stood au old-fashioned oak dresser, with a delfcase above it; and on the top of the dresser the tea tray and a few books, also some small ornaments. This was the only article, in addition to the clock, which stood right down to the floor; all the rest were of such a character that there was no difficulty in the way of the cleanly matron thoroughly scouring out every corner of the room. The firegrate was of the rudest description, and yet it admitted of sending forth a warmth and a glow of comfort through the room, which in the hard winters of those days were very acceptable, and assisted very materially to enliven the fireside talk, which even then helped to make life pass away more pleasantly, and with a personal comfort at one time unattainable. We have no record of any chimneys being built previous to the fourteenth century. Before that time, in the very best houses, it was the custom to make a fire in the middle of the room—a wood fire, not a coal fire, for coals were considered too dirty—and the smoke escaped by any aperture it could find. The early history of firegrates is buried in obscurity, but the primitive form and capacity of the earliest specimen of this useful household article could not have varied much from the firegrate in the straw-thatched cottage we are describing. It certainly would be reckoned a curiosity now-a-days, standing out as it would in marked con- trast to our polished patent registers. ‘ ‘ P oy ° THE TINDER BOX. "99 The ashes place beneath the fire, and which was covered by an iron grate, had no esthetic or other ashpan to hide the cinders or dust from view ; and yet under the firegrate, even when the fire was daily lit, was just “ as clean as hands could make it,” to use a common phrase for cleanliness. ‘the same remark will apply to the sink, the “ pot hoil” under the set-pot, and the other surroundings of the fireside. There were no doors to the set-pot fireplace, nor doors to cover the shelves which were both over and under the sink ; and. indeed, one could scarcely find any traces of joiner’s work in the household fittings ; and the consequence was that Martha, the presiding mistress as well as servant of the home, had, looking at it from a present day point of view, an extra amount of cleaning to do in order to make the pots and pans worthy of being looked at—seeing that they could not be hidden from sight, » me Flint, Steel, Damper, and Tinder Box. Above the fireplace was the mantel-shelf, as it was called, filled with a heterogeneous medley of useful articles, of which we may name a few. First, then, was an article of everyday use, which, to our youthful fancy, was almost as wonderful as the lamp of Aladdin. We allude to the humble, unpretending, but very important article, which afforded the only available means of procuring a light or a fire, unless by borrowing from a fire or a light already kindled. When tinder boxes were first used we cannot say. HOLLAND tells us, that of antique, medieval, and early English tinder boxes, no specimen is to be found in the British Museum or at South Kensington. 100 MORLEY: ANCIENT AND MODERN. The earliest possible allusion to their use is where Shakespeare says :— Strike on the tinder, oh! give me a taper. But our ancestors were doubtless familiar with the economical use of flint, steel, and tinder, long before the Elizabethan era ; and, until the end of the first decade of the present century, they were as surely to be found in every English dwelling-house, as that smoke came from its chimney. Our first illustration of this household requisite represents the tinder box and its contents. The box was made of tin, its form being circular, with a lid, having a socket to hold a candle. The contents comprised flint, steel, tinder, made by burning linen rag, and a damper. i! icc —< th ma oe WMT TT i tl = i i Mm il i = lh Di Re Flint, Steel, Tinder Box, and Matches, The last named article was used to prevent the rag from being consumed by fire. We well remember the time when an important advance was made upon the use of common tinder made of charred rags. This was effected by the adoption of soft paper, saturated with a solution of salt- petre, and well dried. This ‘‘touch-paper,” as we called it, could be carried in the pocket, for it had no tendency to spontaneous or frictional ignition. A useful and indeed indispensable companion to the tinder box was the ‘brimstone match.” These matches were sometimes home made, but, more commonly, were bought from gipsies, who sold them at “five bunches a penny.” They were made of light deal spells dipped in brimstone. i GETTING A LIGHT. 101 Our second illustration represents the mode of using the flint and steel, for the spark of fire was obtained by striking these together over the tinder. The match then took up the spark, and preserved the fire, securing a flame to light a candle. When we remember that less than half a century ago this was the only mode of producing fire in Morley for domestic purposes, it will be seen that the old and once familiar tinder box was of some importance in its day. We have heard many amusing stories told of the difficulties encountered at times in obtaining a light by means of the flint, steel, and tinder, for it was no unusual oe for the good man of the house ps to grope in the dark on a cold winter’s morning for the tin- der box, and, having found it, to suffer repeated failures in his attempt to get a spark to fall upon the tinder, and also 7 to get the rag sufficiently heated to set the brimstone match ablaze. When his patience became exhausted, he would call to his better- half that ‘there must be summat reng wit tinder,” and she was to blame, a compliment which did not minister comfort or harmony to the morning meal, Lucifer matches, vesuvians, electric and other modes of lighting, have supplanted the tinder box, and the change is indeed a marvellous one. We fancy that it would be all but impossible to find a specimen of this household drudge of fifty years ago, for tinder boxes are now about as scarce as Queen Anne’s far things. A friend of ours in Leeds tells us that in 1831 he was in Keswick, and was shown, as a very great curiosity, a box of matches. They were named ‘‘ Jones’s Prometheans,” and the price was 2s. 6d. Think of this fact, ye who buy your lucifers at twopence the dozen boxes! The matches of Jones were ignited by being dipped into a bottle containing a composition of some kind. Our first acquaintance with lucifer matches was made when they were sold in boxes containing about fifty, accompanied with a small slip of sandpaper loose, and the price was eightpence. It may be news to many of our readers to learn that Mr. Isaac Holden, M.P., of Oakworth, is credited with being the inventor of lucifer matches. A statement to this effect was made by Mr. Holden himself before a Select Committee of the House of Commons. - lt Getting a Light. 102 MORLEY: ANCIENT AND MODERN. appears that Mr. Holden, when about twenty-two years of age (in October, 1829), was a tutor in a large school at Reading. Not content to travel in the old beaten paths, he studied the science of chemistry, and once or twice a week gave the scholars the benefit of the same in experimental lectures. It shows the practical bent of Mr. Holden’s mind that, seeking to find some substitute for the old flint and steel, he stumbled upon the happy discovery that, by the use of chlorate of potash and sulphuret of antimony applied to a chip of wood, an instantaneous light might be produced by means of friction. To put it in the mildest form, the germinal thought was given in his next lecture. It so happened that one of the scholars in attendance was the son of a London chemist. The boy was deeply interested by the statement, and at once wrote to his father upon the subject. It appears that the gentleman seized upon the idea, for shortly after lucifer matches were issued to the world. As a companion to the tinder box, on the mantel-shelf, were the “snuffers and tray,” and there is perhaps no implement of domestic use that we are less acquainted with in its old form than snuffers. They shelf, but as an article of great necessity during the long winter evenings. There was also to be seen, hanging by two nails in the wall, easy of access, the circular shaped candle box in which were kept the ‘‘sixteens ” or “twelves” by which the cottage was illuminated inthe evenings. ‘'o hold the candles when lighted, the mantel-shelf wag again laid under contribu- tion, for, while a common iron candlestick was avail- able for ordinary use, noshelf wasconsidered complete in its adornment unless it held two .. tall candlesticks, resplendent in all their SA CS brazen glory, which were kept scrupulously ss § %=° clean, and never used, except on Sundays Tallow Candle. and holidays. These treasured specimens of the brassfounders’ art were generally a gift from the parents to the newly married couple, and, with a copper kettle, also a gift and never used, were prized as heirlooms, and handed down from generation to generation of the family. We must not forget, as connected with this matter of lighting, that no cottage, house, or mansion in Morley was complete in its furnishing, without a lantern, made sometimes of tin and glass, but oftener made of horn, and we can safely affirm that no more useful or necessary article had a place in the homes of fifty years azo. We well remember the astonishment of our grandfathers and grandmothers, when they learnt that it was proposed by a few daring innovators to light up the houses with gas; and when the “new-fangled system” came into operation, what with the prejudice of the older portion of the inhabitants and the high price per thousand feet of the new and were, however, not only kept as an ornament to the —_— =P Se eh .trtC OC A COTTAGE INTERIOR. 103 glaring light, a considerable length of time elapsed before candles were dispensed with and the use of gas became general. But when it was further proposed to light up the dark and dangerous streets of the village, stormy meetings were held in that arena of many a wordy war on matters of village government—the Old Town’s School ; and “Tommy Watter” (Bywater), Jerry Sharp, Peter Hepworth, and others, who lived in regions never likely to be reached either by gas or electricity, mustered in strong force and protested most loudly, and, strange to say, most successfully, against the extravagant and un- necessary expense of public lighting. Had these Conservative villagers continued to have their way, we should still be left slumbering on in our old darkness, and wandering about our streets with sticks, lanterns, and pattens. Could these worthies (for after all they had some good points about them) return to the village of their birth and home through life, they would be astonished as they compared the advantages to-day -with what they knew fifty years ago. How they would stare with undiseuised surprise on finding broad and well-paved streets brilliantly lit with gas, and on hearing that ere long that useful luminary was likely to have to make way for the electric light! How they would open their eyes in wonder when told that some friend was about to start after breakfast for London, and would be back to supper that evening ! What would they have to say, on sitting down to breakfast, and finding at their elbow the penny daily Post or Mercury, containing full reports of Egyptian, Russian, and American events, up to a late hour the previous night? Surely they would conclude that, in a very literal sense, they had lived their life in the ‘dark ages,” for in a hundred different ways would the astounding differences of then and now be forced upon them. Returning, after this digression, to the house we were describing, we note that, on the mantel-shelf, were two specimens of the Leeds potter’s art in the shape of highly coloured statuettes of Wellington | and Nelson, flanked by two lions in the same ware; and, though these ornaments were sadly deficient in workmanship and artistic excellence, the figures of England’s heroes were held in great veneration, in return for the signal services which the commanders had rendered to their country; more especially the Iron Duke, who had conquered “ Boney,” and this was sufficient to win for him an honoured place in every English home. Near the fire-place were the sink and set-pot, on the top of which were placed the “kits” and cans of various sizes and patterns; the “kit” being used for fetching the drinking water from the pump or well, and the cans for the milk, which had to be fetched from Dean Hall or other outlandish places. At that time pumps and wells were abundant in the village, and some of the latter were specially noted as supplying water that would ‘“ mak’ a sup o’ gooid tea;” and we can well remember when water was fetched from ‘“ “Tommy Wilson spring,” a distance of half a mile, on the occasion of a christening festivity, and 104 MORLEY: ANCIENT AND MODERN. we can further vouch for the fact, that generally the good qualities of this water were further enhanced by the addition of a drop of ‘real Jamaica,” which invariably set the tongues of the mothers and grand- mothers wagging at a tremendous pace. Occasionally, in summer, the wells of the village would fail, and we had often to wait our turn for two or three hours at a time with a score or two of other water-carriers ; and when we were privileged to get our ‘‘ kit” under the spout of the pump, it was only to find the supply so limited, that it would ofttimes take half an hour to fill the utensil. We came to be an adept in the art of “ priming” a pump, a branch of our early education which is now of no service to us. On a shelf near the sink were other household utensils of a useful character, notably the “iron footman” or toasting machine, for this article was really an elaborate piece of mechanism, standing on three legs, with a triangular shaped fork having six prongs, and made to turn round so as to enable the mistress to change or turn the slices of bread without being exposed to the heat. Then, there was the Italian iron, or ‘ tallion iron” asit was called, for at that time our mothers wore muslin or Irish cloth caps, which were fearfully and wonderfully made, the well-stiffened borders, formed into semicircles with the Italian iron, surrounding their heads like a halo. The decay of these old white- frilled caps of our foremothers has made the old “ tallion iron” a rarity, only to be met with at the brokers’ stalls in Vicar’s Croft, Leeds. Keeping company with the Italian iron was the “crimping machine,” which was employed in the decoration of the collars and cuffs worn by both male and female members of the household. Coming to the more substantial part of the furniture, we notice the oak dresser, or sideboard—a family heirloom. In this useful, and at first somewhat costly article, the chief ornament of the cottage, the house- wife had a special pride; and Martha kept it polished with bees’ wax until the reflection of the cheerful fire was thrown back from every curve and angle. ‘The top of the dresser was covered with green baize, and in the centre was surmounted by a tea tray—and such a wonderful tea board, with astately lady in a garden, herself o’ertopping every tree. We have seen many specimens of this household treasure in our day, and, though they varied in pattern and design, each and all were triumphs of the painter’s art. Sometimes the central figure was a ship in full sail, or a parrot with a bunch of cherries in its beak ; or if the housewife were a farmer’s daughter, the tray was decorated with a sheep, a cow, a milkmaid, andatree or two. This tea tray was never used except on rare occasions, such as feast or Christmas time, or when relations came on a visit, or some such holidays, when it was brought down from its post of honour, and the mended china was handed carefully from the corner cupboard, the blue glass sugar basin being also pressed into service. When all this took place, the visitor might feel assured that his or her welcome was of the heartiest. FURNITURE OF THE COTTAGE HOME. 105 Over the dresser was the delf-case, with its treasures of clean blue plates of the willow pattern, and other articles of crockery, the pigeon holes on one side being occupied by pitchers, generally without handles, in which were put scraps of letters, papers, rate notes, and other small memorandums which it was felt necessary to preserve; the corres- ponding holes being filled with sauce boats, also utilised for holding nails, screws, sealing wax, wafers, pens, and other small articles. A few tiny tea cups, also without handles, found a place on the shelves with a diminutive tea pot, the latter being rarely brought into requisition, There were, also, in those days, homes where even such common ware as we have named was absent, and in its place were wooden platters and bowls, with spoons of yellow, wood to go with them; whilst we remember to have seen in farm houses and in the homes of the well-to-do manufacturers pewter plates and dishes of various sizes, but all as bright as hands could make them, and as a centre piece there generally stood a silver tankard, from which at Christmas time the master of the house drank his spiced October ale, as he watched the yule log crackle and roar in the grate. If we were to omit notice of the corner cupboard we should be guilty of a grave omission, for this useful household treasure could be found in nearly every home in the village, the only difference in it being that the one in the workman’s cottage had an oaken door, whilst those in better class houses had a door made of glass principally. This triangular-shaped cupboard contained the old china, glass, and other similar treasures. When the door was open it had always an attractive look, for great taste was displayed in arranging the miscellaneous articles it contained, which were often old and valuable. Underneath this cupboard stood what our mothers were pleased to call the ‘‘stand,” a round hard-wood table, with three carved feet, above which sprang a pillar supporting a top that could be turned up, and which, when folded, stood nicely away in the corner. This also was reserved for holidays and great occasions, a larger round table which stood in the middle of the floor being used for every-day purposes. In one corner of the humble cottage stood the old clock, the veritable ‘‘ Grandfather’s clock,” with its sharp, clear click, and which, to judge from its appearance, had really stood in that corner for the ninety years of which we heard so much a few years ago, when the refrain of the “ Grandfather’s Clock” was the musical idol of all the street organs and peripatetic vocalists. Somehow, as we looked upon the old monitor, with its brass figures which ornamented the face, and the gilt balls which surmounted the clock head, and heard its mono- tonous “ tick, tick,” we fancied that it spoke in very solemn tones, as befitted a teacher whose duty it was to mark the flight of time. Of course, every home could not afford so expensive a luxury as an eight days’ clock, and in these instances the “ hair o’ thead” had to do duty, and it was in the latter case amusing to hear the clock chains slipping at intervals as if they could not keep pace with time. Interior of Morley Cottage, 1836. ES ‘ SN x INTERIOR OF COTTAGE. ‘107 The only other really substantial piece of furniture was the chest of drawers, with the clean white cover, on which the Family Bible, a | Life of Christ, the Pilgrim’s Progress, Baxter’s Saints’ Rest, and other books for Sunday reading, were placed ; also a few articles of crockery, and a small stone ink bottle—the ink generally dried up, and when replenished it was done with a spoonful of water. On the delf-case shelf were kept the quill pens, chewed and bitten at both ends so as to be useless, but in those days there was little work for pens to do, for not many letters were written or sent from the cottage homes of Morley. Near the chimney corner stood the old arm chair, or smoking stool, as it was generally called, a comfortable chair of primitive construction, which, with a low rocking chair for the mistress, four or five straight- backed and hard-bottomed chairs for visitors or the grown-up members of the family, and a few three-legged stools for the children, comprised the sitting accommodation in cottages, “long-setties”” being reservéd for houses of more pretensions. . Depending from the rafters overhead were various kinds of herbs, in process of drying, for the more thoughtful and industrious of our fore-elders had great faith in the virtues of these “ simples,” and it was a rare treat to hear their conversation on the wonderful cures which had keen effected by means of these common herbs. Agrimony, betony, camomile, eyebright, ground-ivy, and others “‘ too numerous to mention,” were all sought after and carefully preserved until they were required. The methods by which the herbs were obtained were almost as various as their names, for one was gathered by the light of the moon, another while the dew was still on the ground, a third in the full blaze of the sun, and so on, for the healing virtues of the plants might be lost if they were not gathered in these old-fashioned seasons. Through the round recurring seasons, they went by woods and fields, Gathering herbs of blessed uses, herbs that bounteous Nature yields ; Some were plucked beneath the gazing of the golden summer eye, Some when moonlight’s chequered shadows in the quiet meadows lie, ‘“‘ Cleat wine,” a pleasant, refreshing, and wholesome drink, was made from the coltsfoot ; while ‘elder-berry syrup” was the panacea for colds, and was made from the ripe berries of the elder. The modest cowslip furnished the cottage home with a pleasant wine; whilst the roots of dandelion and the young tops of nettles were extensively used in making beer and porridge. Horehound was a favourite herb, and its praises were loudly proclaimed by the cottagers, who ofttimes declared that no finer herb grew. Once set agoing on the virtues of the herbs, and you would have to listen to the whole catalogue of “all the ills that flesh is heir to,” and how this herb was good for a green wound, and that for rheumatism ; what would cure chilblains, and what was good for a burn; and, in order that they might assist you, they would enumerate every application and cure that had been practised since the days of their great great grandmothers. 108 MORLEY: ANCIENT AND MODERN. — The villagers generally knew something of local botany, and in almost every home would be hoarded up a stock of medicinal herbs for use throughout the year. ‘Culpeper’s Herbal” could be found along- side the “‘ Pilgrim’s Progress” in the slender library of the cottager; and for one person who could talk on literary, social, or political questions, you: might have found a score who could talk by the hour about the medicinal virtues of gentian, camomile, mountain flax, sanctuary, hyssop, and an endless catalogue of other herbs and plants, which were hung overhead or carefully put away in drawers, to be ready when required. In connection with the knowledge of herbs possessed by our villagers we may add, that most of the cottages had gardens attached, and the small plot of oround was always kept well supplied with herbs as well as flowers. Other villagers had an allotment garden, and it was no unusual thing on a summer evening to see the cottager return to his humble home laden with rural spoils, with which to enliven his home—a huge armful of lupines and sweet-williams, roses and pansies, and other good old English flowers, now rarely seen, because cast aside, in obedience to the ‘bedding-out” mania, for masses of scarlet geraniums and yellow calceolarias. Or, may be, he would bring pro- ducts of even a more modest kind—big-headed cauliflowers, juicy lettuces (known as ‘“sallet”), or large-hearted cabbages, or some other palatable form of the much-embracing ‘“ greens,” the latter a favourite dish in the Morley homes. Suspended from the rafters of the cottage was the indispensable bread creel, which has long ago been disbanded ; the wholesome oatcake having been superseded by white bread, tea-cakes, muffins, ham and egos, marmalade, jam, and other luxuries. Oatmeal porridge and ‘‘havver-bread ” entered largely into the diet of our elders, and formed the all-important elements of most of the meals in the Morley households of fifty years ago. These were the days of ‘‘ Bakstones ” and “ Havver Jannocks ;” and the common expression then, “ That’s noan Jannock,” applied to anything which was not what it ought to be. ‘The love for oatcake and porridge has now nearly disappeared, and we have lost sight of the old dame placing the great breakfast posnet on the table filled with hot, “ well-boiled thickens” or “lumpy dicks,” as they were called, with the remark, “‘ Thear, lads, pultice yer stumacks wi’ them.” We remember when the oats were bought of the farmers, and taken to the windmill to be ground, and the miller was in the habit of sending his carter round the village distributing the bags of meal to the cottagers. Previous to this time, the villagers had to grind the oats for themselves, paying a small acknowledgment to the miller for the privilege. We believe that a widow, residing on Chapel Hill, named Hannah Llinchliffe, was the last person in the village who had a back- stone and made oatcake; but hawkers of this article of diet visit the town at the present time. for there are a few who adhere steadily and constantly to the diet of goes erandfathers— oatmeal porridge and oatcake. THE DECORATION oF THE HOME. 109 We well remember. the days when we were sent to the oatcake baker, and with what deep interest we watched the adroit and clever manner in which the tidy old dame threw the soft oatmeal on to the ‘‘bakstone,” and otherwise carefully superintended the operation of baking. It was our delight when we reached home with the limp cakes, to have, as our reward for running the errand, one of the cakes rolled up in treacle, a treat which is unknown to the young- sters of the present day. But oatcake, like many of our juvenile pleasures and experiences, has sadly degenerated, for it does not now possess the peculiar roughness which acted the part of a tooth- brush, nor the flavour, which it did fifty years S ago, so that we, in com- mon 1a our al ae not that ibe for the oatmeal porridge or *‘havver-cake” that we once had. We have no desire to go back to the days of porridge and skim milk, aye, and sometimes porridge without the milk ; when the working man seldom saw any flesh meat on his table and oatmeal in some form was his principal article of food. In 1836, the people of England of all classes consumed 36 lbs. of flour per head ; in 1883, every man, woman, and child had a total of 146 lbs. Fifty years ago, 14 lbs. of tea was consumed per head ; in 1883, it had risen to 4lbs. per head. In 1836, the people had 3 lbs. of sugar each ; in 1883 they were able to purchase upwards of 50 Ibs. each. By these contrasts we are enabled to judge of the improved circumstances of those who have to earn their daily bread by the sweat of their brow. Having written at much length on the furniture of the cottage, we shall briefly refer to the attempts at decoration of the homes of fifty years ago. First and foremost was the Sampler, which always occupied a prominent position on the wall. We well remember how wonderful our mothers thought the accomplishment of bringing from school a well executed Sampler to grace the parlours of their unosten- tatious and peaceful homes. At school, a portion of time was set apart for teaching the art and mystery in Samplers, and it was a time always looked forward to with pleasure. Those were not the days of marking inks ; hence, Sampler work was a necessity. Before attempting the Sampler, the scholars were taught to mark the letters of the alphabet, and, when sufficiently advanced, they had the pleasure of working the Sampler. 110 MORLEY: ANCIENT AND MODERN. These curious and interesting examples of domestic industry and school training could be found in nearly every house in the village. Proud mothers caused these chef d’ euvres of their offspring to be framed and glazed; hence many of them have come down to us, hoarded up in old families, uninjured at the present time. Some of the verses and designs on these Samplers are very curious and interesting, as shewing the thoughts and feelings instilled into our mothers and grand- mothers. We have before us, as we write these lines, a very good specimen of the Samplers of half-a-century ago. Within a very elaborately wrought border is worked a front elevation of a residence of some pretensions, with a lawn, on which are to be seen stags, sheep, deer, dogs, and cats. Above the mansion is worked the following verse, — underneath which is the name of the artist, with the date when the Sampler was completed :— Religion prompts us to a future state, The last appeal from fortune and from fate, Where God’s all righteous ways will be declared, The bad meet punishment,—the good reward. Scattered about the Sampler are figures of angels with golden wings; birds of strange angular shapes, trees of a most peculiar growth, with most gorgeous flowers, and other minor embellishments. In many homes these quaint relics of a past generation were made heirlooms, and much care and attention were bestowed upon them. We are pleased to learn that in many Board Schools there is a renewal of this ancient industry; and we highly approve of this step, for the custom is a pretty one, and more sensible than much of the fancy work of our day. On the walls of the cottage, pictures of a very simple character. were hung, generally portraying Scripture scenes and incidents, but sometimes the “ Pilgrim’s Progress” would have furnished the artist with ample scope for his talents. A portrait or two of the ‘ silhouette” type, the black profile cut out with scissors, a glass walking stick, and a glass rolling pin, were also hung on the walls; and, in the better class houses, the large brass warming pan, which made bed feel so comfort- able on a winter morning, hung like a full-orbed sun, and, as the fire threw its blaze upon it, reflected back the birds and flowers which adorned its capacious lid. On the wall, just above the reach of the children’s hands, hung what might be called the housewife’s vade mecum,—a series of pockets, made of cloth, blue or yellow; a strip about eighteen inches long, and four or five inches wide, with a small pin-cushion at the top, and a few flannel bits for needles ; below, three or four pockets for thread, tape, buttons—all the little things so constantly in request. Of the inner sanctum—the sleeping apartment, we shall not say more than that the furnishing was of the plainest character, consisting of a shut-up bedstead, a chest of drawers, one or two boxes, with a few chairs, and other small articles. All were kept in a neat and orderly manner, and what the room lacked in splendour was made up in com- =), ANCIENT FARM HOUSES. tii fort. Ofcourse, it must be understood that the straw-thatched cottage we have been describing was occupied by a thrifty working man, and that, though his wages were small indeed, yet he had a careful and cleanly housewife who made the best of everything. We neéd scarcely add that, whilst there were not a few such homes, the great bulk of the working-men’s cottages were neitber so well furnished, nor yet so nicely kept, as this one in Bank Street, which has long since shared the fate of all its companions, namely, been pulled down to make room for — more substantial and showy erections. We have not space to speak of other dwelling-houses in Morley, of which there was a large number which were specially built for manufacturing purposes. These were intended to combine living and working rooms together, the chambers being for the looms, yet you might often find a bed standing between the looms. The parlour down stairs, in addition to a shut-up bed, would also have two or three large skeps or baskets of bobbins and other manufacturing material. Some- times the houses were of three storeys, examples of which may still be met with in various parts of the town. In many of these homes there was less of comfort than in the more humble cottages, for every- thing in the former had to make way for the conveniences of warping, sizing, and drying, and tbe patience of the mistress was often sorely tried. Some of the farmhouses were substantial erections of stone, roofed with grey slates; and one of these, yet standing, and which we often visited, presented a picture of cosiness and comfort which spoke of better times for the agriculturist than we have reason to believe he is enjoying at present. Dame Robinson presided over a well-furnished home—that is, solidly furnished, with good oaken drawers, presses, cupboards, tables, and chairs, in the parlour or best room, which also boasted a carpet, not too large, nor yet fastened down with the fur- niture so much as to prevent it being lifted frequently for sweeping and shaking. The chairs were certainly many-shaped, and some of them would not be considered easy enough for to-day, being tall and stiff- backed ; but ‘others of them were roomy and cushioned, to match a chintz-covered sofa of large dimensions. The best kitchen was a most commodious and comfortable living room, with a fireplace, oven, and grate made to cook for a large family, and seldom disengaged; whilst on the side overlooking the farmyard, outbuildings, and turnpike road, stood a large white sycamore table, on which all needful culinary operations were conducted, the tall and active widow, whilst superintending these, having an eye on the outdoor proceedings of the servants and apprentices. As atoken alike of hospitality and of the wants of a somewhat large family, from the ceiling of the kitchen hung bunches of dried herbs, strings of yellow onions, several hams, two or three flitches of bacon, and some tempting pieces of salted beef. . Over the hearth, where an iron fender of huge dimensions shone like steel, there was suspended the “bread fleyck,” or oatcake creel, crossed with Dress of Males A.D. 1836. e THE DRESS OF THE PEOPLE. 1138 parallel lines of cord or twine, over which fresh “havver bread” grew crisp in the air and warmth. Others of the farm houses of fifty years ago were more humble in appearance, but equally comfortable in their internal arrangements and fittings with their more showy con- temporaries. Leaving the homes of the people, we shall now say something about their dress, and we will first introduce the younger members of the family. These were not the days when lads were put into knicker- bockers and sailor suits at four or five years of age, for the parents could not afford so expensive a style of dress, there being then no * little boys’ tailors,” nor any ‘juvenile suits” at ten shillings and up- wards. The mother, who was almost always employed in making’ old clothes “ look amaist as weel as new,” was also the tailor who made the first new suit ; and we doubt whether even our best tailor could supply clothing that would fill with more pride a young lad’s breast than we have seen displayed by the koys of fifty years ago; and that, too, when the suit consisted of a pair of altered corduroy trousers, a home- made waistcoat, and a ‘chequer brat,” which was universally worn in order to cover the deficiencies in the fit of the underclothing, and also to protect them from dirt. It must be borne in mind that children went in those days twice as long in frocks as they do now. Seven years old was considered an early age to put a lad in breeches; and, then, the first pair were often those belonging to an elder brother, or “t’faither,” slightly lessened, and the legs shortened. We remember an old man who, in talking to a young friend on the altered times, especially in regard to dress, said how much the lad of to-day had to be thankful for, for he, himself, ‘‘ didn’t knaw whether he wor to be a lad or a lass wol he wur ten oreleven year owd.” ‘There are men yet living in Morley, who were even older than that before they put on their first suit. For Sundays, the boys’ dress consisted of a velveteen or cloth suit, composed of trousers and jacket only, buttoned together at the waist, with a frilled or crimped collar round the neck. Fustian and corduroy were the material for weekday wear for such as had passed the petticoat stage. The poorest of the lads of the village wore a ‘leather budge” in place of the ‘chequer brat.” This was such as is worn by the blacksmith at the present day, and with the “leather budge” also went out of fashion the buckskin breeches of the grand- fathers, for early in the present century these articles of attire were “common wear with the manufacturers. When the buckskin went out of fashion, the breeches did not ; for fifty years ago every male person above the grade of workman wore breeches and leggings, generally of drab cloth, the last person to discard them in Morley being “Old Mr. Gisburn,” father to the late Mr. Wm. Gisburn, surgeon, of Queen Street. The dress of the ‘‘ quality,’ or ‘upper ten,” of our villagers con- sisted of a swallow-tailed coat, of claret, green, blue, or other fancy coloured cloth, short in the waist, having a rather broad lapel collar, H 114 MORLEY: ANCIENT AND MODERN. and sleeves very close fitting. The coat buttons, including those at the waist behind, were richly gilt and chased. The vest was of claret or other fancy coloured velvet or plush, a degree brighter than the coat ; and the small clothes, or breeches, buckled below the knee, where they were met by leggings, the material being generally of coloured cloth or plush. From his watch-fob, and a broad satin ribbon, hung a massive bunch of seals, which the short waisted coat did not come low enough to cover. A broad-brimmed beaver hat, low in the crown, a shirt frill of fine cambric, an ample white necktie, and a pair of low shoes tied with bows of black silk, or fastened with silver buckles, composed —Male Costumes (Outdoor), A.D. 1836. a costume of great respectability. And very well did these old Morley manufacturers and professional men look in this picturesque costume. The Sunday suit for the master manufacturer was of the finest blue or black cloth, with the drab breeches and leggings, and a tall silk or beaver hat. Of course, when he returned from chapel, before sitting down to his meals, the coat was taken off and put carefully on one side, and the clean white linen shirt was then exposed to view; but this, as well as the rest of his clothing, was soon encased in a chequer smock and woolsey apron, to ‘‘ keep the clothes menseful,” as the mistress put it. The working man, whilst wearing similar clothing of a slightly in- oe ° FEMALE FASHIONS. 115 ferior quality, also wore the tall hat, but now the ‘‘chimney pot” has been discarded by him. Black cloth isnot now so much worn, and white shirts are the exception; and as substitutes we have felts, tweeds, and woollen shirts, which are changes advantageous to the Morley trade. The Sunday suit in those days would last from five to seven years, and an overcoat the same period; but the change to yearly suits is a step in advance, for there is now a greater variety in dress, improved taste, better fit, and an increased consumption, with a corresponding increase of wages to the working man. The week day clothing of the worker was of corduroy or fustian, with the “chequer brat” over-all in the case of the overlooker or fore- man ; whilst the clothier or weaver was distinguished by a blue apron, and the master by hischequer brat and woolsey apron, to preserve his cloth suit. i With regard to female dress, the attire of the women of to-day is as different from that of their ancestors as can well be imagined. Caps and bonnets, fifty years ago, were solid and tangible realities; in other words, they were what their names im- plied, and were as sub- stantial as they are flimsy now. The coal- scuttle and other bon- nets of the period fitted well on to the head, and protected the wearer both from sun and wind; they were, as one writer has described them, ‘“‘pasteboard tunnels of marvellous curve and sweep, which required considerable engineer- ing skill in their con- struction, and were the extreme opposite of the Dress in Morley, A.D., 1816, bunches of ribbons, fea- thers, flowers, and lace, that now do duty as headgear.” The young women wore Leghorn hats of a prodigious circumference, with Straw enough in them to make three or four hats such as are worn? at the present time. These were not changed every few months, but were worn year after year, being cleaned and — a 7 a aa Se f if we, oe 2 ) fi athe EM, ) One Gt ee My DZ 62: yr y Md y eo Up | . Yy | poy: y @ ny ee Y bE / i J % ,. Te Yy, i ) AN “a hF) \ MY, 34 ry Hy ADS, b_- j Hii)! yt fan |i Oy ‘ Sr 4 s | ; NAT 4 \K aD \) ‘ G . iy i ra ( ins Bel WANN SEA Female Costumes (Indoor), A.D. 1836. s FEMALE FASHIONS. i? altered a little at intervals until they were worn out. The servants and working girls, on week days, wore a small shawl or kerchief on their heads, for they did not stop, when starting on an errand, to cumber or adorn themselves with outer garments. The mothers, whilst attending to household duties, found the full-bordered white linen cap a sufficient covering for the head; and for extra occa- sions, they were content with dark caps which covered their heads more than bonnets do now, and frippery, finery, and ‘‘mob-caps” had not then come into fashion, for maids or mistresses. The dress of the dames of fifty years ago consisted of a linsey-woolsey checked or striped bedgown, a woollen or blue apron in front, and the plain cap Female Costumes (Outdoor) AD 1880 fitting close to the head. When “ dressed up” on Sundays, the gown, always dark and of good self-coloured material, went up to the throat and came down to the wrists, without superfluous plait or fold; the narrow skirt, as plain, descended to the instep, and revealed boots or shoes (not high-heeled monstrosities), which were adapted to the roads and the weather. Notwithstanding the protection afforded by these coverings for the feet, the outdoor costume was not complete without a pair of pattens to keep the dame out of the dirt ; and even with these on, she took care to hold her petticoais well up above her ancles, to prevent any possibility of their being “‘drabbled.” If we may venture to still further dilate 4 upon the dress of our grandmothers, it would be to say, that, fifty years ago, they were just discarding the old fashioned style of stays, called ‘“‘ jumps,” which had three or four buckles or straps in front, and were adopting the still more preposterous and inconvenient article that laced behind, which has long ago given place to the French corset, and other im- proved machinery for the so-called improvement of the figure. Staymaking was, at the time of which we are speaking, a recognised trade in the village, and a noted maker of this cumbersome article of dress carried on his profession in a house in Queen Street, near to the site of the Local Board Offices. A favourite costume with the females of the class above the poorest of our villagers was composed of closely-fitting black paramatta, with band and buckle at the waist; the sleeves, tight from the wrist to the elbow, widening out to the shoulder like balloons, and kept in shape by concealed cushions of down. The neck was covered delicately by a large muslin collar, the broad hem on which matched the closely-fitting cuffs. The skirt of the dress was moderately full, gathered in at the waist, and fell in pleasing folds as far as it could fall, for it was short enough to display the stocking and sandalled slipper which set off the foot. The poorest of the female villagers were generally dressed in a bedgown of blue spot print, with an expansive — checked apron reaching to the bottom of the dress, and with shoes on the feet of a much more clumsy make than are worn at the present day. In connection with dress, we must not omit mention of one important event, which marked a red letter day in our calendar, namely, the visit of the humble dressmaker, who came occasionally to do a day’s work, for which she received her sixpence or shilling. Her visit was welcomed by the children of the home, for on the ‘‘ dressmaker’s day ” there was always a special baked dinner, when the Yorkshire pudding had a few currants in it, and the meat was more plentiful and of a better cut than usual, and the presence of a stranger gave the youngsters a better chance of being liberally supplied. Of course, all the neighbourhood knew when the dressmaker was coming, because there was a little extra cleaning to be done, and the material about to be-made up had to be shown from house to house, to obtain opinions as to how it would wash or wear, and how it was likely to look when made up. Having dealt pretty fully with the homes, food, and dress of our ancient villagers, we shall in our next chapter proceed to speak of the leisure part of their social life. 118 MORLEY: ANCIENT AND MODERN. fea AA LAL AAPA SDS SA MALTA MILA ALT TAT AT TOFD CT SIT VEEP oP OF PRET DF, Ry ean ee —————— POUNASEVERSAKNS AEE SATA, y xe) K ; aCe UA j % c e. LLAMA MAMMA MAL ALOE MITA LAL ML: CHAPTER VII. AMUSEMENTS—AROCHERY, FOOTBALL, CRICKET, KNUR AND SPELL, ETC.—ANCIENT CUSTOMS CONNECTED WITH CHRISTMAS, NEW YEARS DAY, VALENTINE DAY, SHROVETIDE, MAY Day, WHITSUNTIDE, ETC.—MUSIC IN MORLEY—SOME MUSICAL ENTHUSIASTS—CURIOUS CUSTOMS—RIDING THE STANG— PACK-SHEETING—THE HENPECKED CLUB—FUNERAL CUSTOMS.. 3 OTWITHSTANDING the little leisure which fell to the lot of the Morley citizen of fifty years ago, he still found time to indulge himself with amusements of a somewhat rough and boisterous type. In addition to the opportunities of enjoying himself afforded by the visits of wandering mountebanks, strolling players, conjurors, and the like, who gave their entertainments and performances out-of-doors, in barns, or in the lodge rooms of the public-houses, he carved out for himself means of enjoyment which would not be tolerated in the least degree at the present day. If a stranger had visited our village during the day, when men, women, and most of the children were at work,—when nothing could be seen but the smoke from the chimneys of the houses, and nothing heard but the“ click, click” of the loom,—he would conclude that we were a most orderly and well conducted people, pursuing the even tenour of our way in a most commendable fashion. But had he paid another visit during the long winter’s nights, especially when the moon was bright, he would have seen some most unpoetical behaviour and heard some most unmusical sounds, for the exceeding roughness and rudeness of many of the young men of that day was a subject of great complaint amongst the more orderly of the inhabitants. These roysterers were thorough disturbers of the peace, a constant source of disquietude to the village constable, and a terror to those who had to traverse the unlit streets at night. Nothing pleased them 120 MORLEY: ANCIENT AND MODERN. more than to find their amusement in tying ‘door snecks” fast, upsetting water tubs, frightening aged persons, and otherwise indulging in freaks of wanton mischief. Their mental faculties were uncultivated, whilst their strength and animal spirits were fully developed ; and thus they were noisy and meddlesome from sheer want of something better by which to employ both mind and body. The question as to how these black sheep could be made better, and less of a nuisance to their neighbours, was forced upon the Scatcherds and Swindens of that day ; and various expedients were adopted, but, for a time, with no very satisfactory result. With the establishment of a Mechanics’ Institution, and evening classes, the introduction of gas into the streets, and a more efficient police supervision, came brighter days, or, more correctly speaking, more enjoyable nights. Before writing further respecting the amusements which may be reckoned as indigenous to the place, we shall notice the entertainments provided by those strolling vagabonds, the players, conjurers, and mountebanks, who now and again found their way to Morley. Our first aquaintance with the last-named was amongst the earliest of our experiences of the class of entertainers who found favour with the working classes of Morley fifty years ago. The mountebanks had pitched their tent and caravan in the Nelson’s Arms field, many years before that spot had become the arena for flower and agricultural shows, football and cricket. A sort of platform in front of the caravan served as a stage for their antics and performances. Their peculiar manners and curious dialectical speech, accompanied by the rudest music pro- duced from a shepherd’s pipe and the big drum, attracted to the field all the idlers and children of the village. The principal attraction to our childish fancy was the competition for a prize to be given to the person who could, with the greatest despatch, consume a basin or plate of hot “ hasty pudding,” or ‘‘ lumpy dicks,” as the case might be. This was to be done, without the use of spoons, by Nature’s own ladles—the hands alone to be used in the eating—-the dirtier the hands, the more amused and attracted were the onlookers. After this performance was over, came sack-racing and grinning through a horse collar, by volunteers from the audience. When these were concluded, the clown of the party, who acted as spokesman, introduced a lottery or lucky bag, with certain prizes, which he named, the chief of which was a silver watch. The greenhorns in the crowd, attracted by the specious manner of the Merry Andrew, poured in their shillings, and with few exceptions were rewarded with boxes of ointment and other quack medicines which formed part of the stock-in-trade of these wandering quack doctors. No one was fortunate enough to get the watch, and yet the clever way of being cheated out of their shillings seemed to give pleasure to the spectators who took part in the lottery. After this outside performance was at an end, the entertainment proper commenced, consisting of clumsy conjuring tricks, eating fire, and feats of agility, with grotesque dress and humourous stories, AMUSEMENTS OF THE PROPLE. 121 To the greater portion of the inhabitants, Morley Feast may be said to have been the principal event of the year in regard to their amuse- ments, for, beyond an occasional visit to Leeds, or to one of the neigh- bouring villages, the Morleyites were stay-at-home folks, and were seldom drawn away to other places in search of pleasure. The Feast to them was a great institution, for, beyond a few chapel tea-meetings, and the Whitsuntide ‘ potation,” they had very few holidays or opportunities for merry-making. During the last few years, when the Feast has sadly degenerated and become shorn of its former glory, it has been suggested that it should be altogether abolished; but had this proposal been made in our boyish days it would have been met with a determined and united opposition on the part of the working classes, Morley Feast to their minds was associated with so many circumstances of their life that to have hinted at the removal of such an ancient institution would have made them feel as if the seasons of the year had undergone a change, and September was not what it used to be. It was the month to which they looked forward with keen relish—a month when friendships were renewed and acquaintanceships formed. The lads and lasses of fifty years ago would count the days and months before they could visit the shows, walk round the menageries, and pay their respects to the fat women and learned pigs. They waited with impatience for the time when they could walk round the waxwork show, and see Daniel in the den of lions, the figures “as large as life and twice as natural ;” when they could listen, with mouths agape, to the stale jokes of the circus clown, or stare with wondering eyes at ‘Sam Wild” and his dramatic troupe of artistes, as those heroic figures trod with martial step along the stage, folding their arms, and looking unutterable things upon the country joskins, whose heads were jostling together in one compact mass below. ‘To add to the excitement of the anticipated treat, the fathers and mothers of that day would tell their children stories of the great things done at the shows, and the young men and women added lively memories of rollicking fun and merry hours. With childlike im- patience, when the Feast day arrived, we could not wait patiently for the advent of the showmen, but must needs go meet the caravans, and escort to the fair-ground the company of ragged strollers—which keeps a perpetual march through the highways and byeways of our land, to and from country fairs, village feasts, and* races—including dry land Sam Wild in private life. “bw MORLEY: ANCIENT AND MODERN. sailors, boxers, theatrical artistes, performing dogs, and all the .other members of the highway fraternity. Asa boy, they gave us many an hour’s amusement; and, as a man, we are inclined to think that, even at — the present time, a country fair is full of curious interest as an exhibition of quaint English character, and is not much more despisable than many amusements of so-called fashionable society. Before we attempt to describe the Morley Feast of fifty years ago, we would say that, of those who attended these annual gatherings, it could not be affirmed that their conduct was all that could be desired ; the pushing, driving, and crushing being of a kind neither pleasant nor at all profitable to those who had any regard for their clothes or corns. The sport of the merry-makers wanted restraining, and that very much ; and yet, apart from this drawback, the utmost good humour prevailed, — and enjoyment of a sort was to be had in abundance. To some visitors to the Feast the “ fun” was expressed in the investment of their spare coppers in dirty squirts, pea-shooters, and tiny trumpets ; whilst others displayed the remarkable playfulness of their disposition by the abandon: ment of themselves to unearthly howls and extremely rough behaviour. But-it was not upon the show ground that the real enjoyment of the Feast was to be found. It was in the fact that from far and wide would the stray members of a family converge towards their birthplace, to join the family circle at this festive season. We must not omit a notice of the preparations which were going on for weeks beforehand, for the full enjoyment of this festival. Great interest was manifested as to the number of fat beasts that would be sacrificed to do honour to the occasion, and small wagers were laid as to whether Jonathan Elirst, Sammy Rayner, Johnny Barron, or Tommy Middlebrook would kill the greatest number ; and it was with no little interest, and with some amount of pride, that the villagers watched for the return of. these important tradesmen from the market—driving before them their purchases in the shape of well-fed oxen. When the “ killine-day ” arrived, all the idlers and youngsters of the place gathered round the doors of the slaughter-houses, watching the interest- ing processes of felling the animal and afterwards cutting it up. To assist in holding the rope by which the stubborn and wilful beast was brought with its nose to the ring let into the floor, was a privilege and honour to be discussed for weeks afterwards. But with what pride would the butcher walk about his shop when all the joints had been ~ nicely hung in front of a white linen cloth ; and when the Websters and the Scatcherds, with others of “the quality,” called to make their purchases, with what pardonable glee would he expatiate upon the respective merits of this or that joint, and, when his customer had made choice, would help on the festivity of the time by sending to his patron double the quantity that had been ordered! The roasting of the joint was also an interesting operation in those days, and was watched with the greatest satisfaction by all the members of the family, who, in addition to the prospect of having ‘‘a good time” when the meat was served ee en ge ae ee PT MORLEY FEAST, 128 up, would wait with sparkling eyes and watering mouth for the dish of “ sops” which served as “ forenoon drinkin’.” These sops, made of oat- cake or “ havver bread,” dipped in the gravy which was coming from the joint during the process of roasting, were a luxury fully appreciated by the Morley people of that day. But with all this eating, there was eH of course ; and the mistress of the house was expected to have an extra supply of “‘ home brewed” beer, of a somewhat better flavour than was ordinarily in use. The process of fermentation was anxiously watched, and the tastings while the liquor was in the galker, or guilefoot, were fr equent, and often indulged in by means of a straw, so as not to disturb the operation. As the liquor was at this time in a full condition of ferment, the effect both upon the stomach and brain was potent. In those days the strong ales of Tetley, Bass, and Allsop, had not found their way to the village, and publicans as well as the cottagers brewed their own beer ; andas a rule, it would have been all but impossible to get drunk upon either of the brewings, for the beer was not strong enough. Itis related of one of the publicans that one Saturday afternoon he was overheard to say to his dame that he would have “to thraw a handful or two more malt inta’t next brewin’,” when the wife said, ‘‘ Ah’s that?” ‘* Wha, tha sees, them weivers it tap room hev been drinkin’ all day and arn’t drucken yet.” But the days of home-brewed are numbered, and with the necessity on the part of the cottager to take out a licence to make a ‘sup o’ drink,” the ‘‘liquor brigs, hop sieve, and brewing tub” have vanished, and are now not even thought worthy of being preserved as relics of the “ good old times.” But we must return to the Feast, which was held in the Bottoms, and as the Royal Hotel and the shops which adjoin it were not then in existence, there was ample room for the Feast to spread itself out, which it did by going down to the Pinfold, on the Low Common Road, up to Scatcherd’s trough on the way to Middlethorp—now Queen Street ; along Brunswick Street as far as the ‘‘ Leodus” pump, and up Chapel Hill to a point beyond Abraham Tetley’s confectioner’s shop— a landmark which all the schoolboys of that day will at once recognise. The chef d’euvres of the fair, the crowning glories of the carnival, how- ever, were only to be met with in the woodyard where Samuel Asquith had his sawpit, in Brunswick Street, and there you might have seen Sam Wild in all his glory, and Curly Joe in all his dirt and witchery, for Morley Feast in those days would have lacked its chief attractions if these well-known characters had been absent. The Feast is not seen to advantage during the day, and it is not until night when the ‘ fun of the fair ” really sets in, and the excitement of “ brandy-snap” buying, the fun of putting pennies into lotteries and getting nothing in return, are at their height. It is when the naphtha begins to blaze and splutter, and the noise from the “ shows” is deafening, that the Feast is in “full go.” Then it is quite invigorating to watch the fierce competition between the rival showmen, and yet 124 MORLEY: ANCIENT AND MODERN. one would have enjoyed it all the more if it had been accompanied with a little less noise. Another feature of the Feast which it is pleasant to look upon is that of the children, who are now leaving all the noise and glitter of the fair to their elders, and returning to their homes, struggling under their load of toys, blowing their trumpets, beating their drums, and besmearing their cheeks with toffee or brandy-snap. And now we will take a stroll through the Feast-ground, and see what is the character of the entertainment provided for the delectation of the Morley people fifty years ago. [First and foremost is the theatrical booth, with Sam Wild at its head ; and while we are listening to the vociferous calls of the clown and pantaloon to “ walk up, walk up, be in time,” we take stock of the heroes and heroines, the kings and queens, the warriors and murderers, who are parading the stage, and who will shortly be retiring within to play their mimic art in this temple of the drama—this home of tragedy. But to our childish vision there was a stern reality about it all, which may raise a smile within us as we think of it now, but those dresses were marvellous in our eyes, for at that time we had a firm conviction that all was gold that glittered—a fantasy long since dispelled. But those were happy days, for we saw and we believed, and the illusion was only dispelled when, in after years, we learnt more of what was going on behind the scenes ; or when, during the day, as we ventured to peer between the chinks in the boards at the rear of the canvas covered booth, we saw Hamlet in deshabillé patching his own coat, and Lady Macbeth bringing in a quart of ‘Old Tom” from the Old Malt Shovel. ‘‘ Owd Wild” was a “ character ” in his day, and many a local Hamlet strutted and fretted his hours upon the stage of Sam’s Thespian temple. Another theatrical man- ager who visited Morley some forty years ago was “Qld Templeton,’ who not only came in September, Sam Wild and his Dog in “ The Dog of the : : Wave.” but once or twice during the interval; and for fourpence to the pit, and twopence to the gallery, we were treated to dramatic performances, including a screaming farce, MORLEY FEAST. 125 which have no counterpart—not even at the Grand, in Leeds—at the present day. What was lacking in grace was amply compensated for in vigour of gesture and declamation. The popular plays were Jack Shephard ; Maria Marten, or the Murder in the Red Barn ; The Mirfield Murders ; and when a benefit night came round, Henry Loraine, the favourite Yorkshire tragedian, was engaged, and we had a Shakesperian revival on a small scale, or The Lady of Lyons, when Loraine, as Claude Melnotte, would cross the stage with a dignified air, telling of his ‘‘nalace lifting to eternal summer” to a scraggy and lean-faced Pauline who a few minutes previously had taken our fourpence at the side door, and who, when the first act was over, came amongst us with stale buns, oranges, and apples for sale. These days are gone, never to return. ‘Sea on Land,” whirligigs driven by steam power, half- penny swings, stereoscopic peep shows, pea saloons, shooting galleries, Aunt Sallys, and tests of skill and strength, with the rotary, legless horses on which children and their elders love to ride in a perpetual _ sickening circle, now make up a Morley Feast, which bears only a faint resemblance to the carnival of fifty years ago. But we are loitering in our survey of the Feast, and, leaving Wild’s troupe of artistes parading behind the row of blazing grease- pots which stand in front of the stage, we pass on to the spot where Old Joe Jowett has fixed up a ricketty booth, in front of which the seedy old conjuror is standing, bare-headed, and dressed in tawdry finery, inviting the gaping crowd to step in and “see the King of Conjurors.” ‘Curly Joe’’ was a favourite, partly because he was a native of Lee Fair, and more, because he was a really clever fellow in his profession. The apparatus with which Joe performed his mar- vellous sleight-of-hand tricks consisted of a table, a pack of cards, cups and balls, brass rings, and other paraphernalia of the wizard’s art ; and the wonderful manner in which he deceived the spectators fur- nished a topic for analysis and discussion during the long winter nights. Other specialities of the Feast we can only briefly allude to, though their name was legion, There was the lucky-bag—all prizes and no blanks ; and, when we did not get, for a penny, the rosewood work-box or four-bladed pocket-knife on which we had set our heart, we were encouraged to try again, the result being that for our coppers we lined our pockets with penny trumpets, staylaces, halfpenny whistles, and rows of pins. We were invited to try our luck at ‘red cocks and black cocks—give a turn on the table and make your fortune—black against red and red against black.” Then, to refresh us, we were asked to buy a “stick and a glass for a ha’p’ny ;” and, if not tempted by these, we had the succulent brandysnap and real « Bassalony nuts ” to fall back upon. To sum up in a few words: these were the days of strolling players, mountebanks, tight-rope dancers, jugglers, boxers, panoramas, peep-shows, waxwork exhibitions, swings and merry-go- rounds, fortune telling pigs and ponies, obese women, dwarfs and 126 MORLEY: ANCIENT AND MODERN. giants, eight-legzged sheep—anything and everything which could by any possibility have attraction enough to bring grist to the mill. Another holiday indulged in by our forefathers, and which was looked forward to with exceptional interest, was Lee Fair, held on the 24th day of August and the 17th day of September. This fair was one of the most important in Yorkshire, and was attended by all the paraphernalia that constitute a country fair, with the addition of alarge show of horses, cattle, sheep, goats, and other live stock. Fairs of this character are of very ancient date, and had their origin in the wants and necessities of the people; and of all the early English fairs, established by Royal charters and privileges, for the sale or interchange of goods and produce, and for the hiring of men and maid-servants, when towns, villages, and hamlets were scattered and far apart, and the roads few and unsafe, Lee Fair was one of the earliest and best known. Its charter dates back to King Henry I., who made the original grant, which was subsequently confirmed by Stephen. At Woodchurch, adjoining to Lee Fair, the monks represented “ mysteries ” or ‘“ miracle plays” to edify and keep from mischief the idle multitudes who came to the fair for sport, of which the more modern dramatic representations in booths is the outcome. Not to have been to Lee Fair, fifty years ago, was tantamount to one now-a-days who should say that he had never seen Harrogate or Scarborough. Once seen, the saturnalia could never be forgotten by old or young, for surely its counterpart could only be met with in the historic Donnybrook of the sister isle: What the importance of Lee Fair was, hundreds of years ago, it would be hard for us to say ; but we know that in the days of Edward the Second, it was reckoned amongst the most famous fairs held in the country, lasting for three weeks, during which time merchants from France, Spain, Florence, the Low Countries, and Germany, came with their wares and merchandise to sell, and for many miles round Lee Fair, every family of conse- quence, as well as the religious houses, laid in their stock of necessaries for a whole year. We wish we could paint for you the scene as we looked upon it for the first time some forty years ago, for, at no other period in the year, and at no other place in Yorkshire, could such a variety of characters be met with as was to be found at Lee Gap. There were present hundreds of farmers’ men, who had never had an idea in their heads beyond what enabled them to plough, sow, reap, and look after the cattle; who could neither read nor write; and whose greatest enjoyment, when not working, was to plant themselves before the kitchen fire and fall fast asleep. And yet, many of these country bumpkins were good-looking, ruddy-faced, harmless fellows, who, after all, could laugh at a merry jest, and derive intense satisfaction from the lively scene around them. They were not then dreaming that, in the dim future, the statesmen of their native land would spend six long months in wrangling about the best way to invest them with the full rights of citizenship ; and, indeed, they would not have appreciated any aa Ss HODGE AT LEE FAIR. 127 such movement at that time, for, beyond the routine of their daily life, they were buried in heathen ignorance. But Hodge at Lee Fair was looking his best ; for, when we saw him, he was dressed in a clean white smock frock, plaited in front, and the lower part drawn up through the holes which gave access to his breeches pockets. These were of substantial corduroy, and below them were ribbed worsted stockings, fitting tight to the legs, while his feet were shod with heavy hob-nailed boots, which glit-— tered with grease. Round his neck he had a red and yellow kerchief, the ends flying loose ; also a sleeved waistcoat of bright red plush, with mother-o’-pear] but- tons, and a beaver hat, with the nap rubbed the wrong way; while, to complete his equipment, he carried a thorn stick, the knob of which he was constantly putting into his mouth. He must use his tongue, and so he speaks and shouts as if he were in a forty-acre field. The day’s liberty and the Hodge at Lee Fair. sight of so many faces intoxicate him ; so he moves about, cracking rude rustic jokes, and when he comes across an old and well-known face the pair adjourn and chat, over a gill of whiskey the fortunes and failures of the year and the day. There were also present at the fair, in large numbers, the gentlemen farmers on horseback, who went in and out amongst the crowd with the most perfect good humour, evidently enjoying the fun quite as much as their domestics and poorer neighbours. Who, that has ever been to Lee Fair, will forget the smart fellows who lined the road in the neighbourhood of the Syke, and who tempted the unwary countryman to try his hand at pricking the garter, and though the man was good enough to let you see him roll the garter up, the unsuspecting victim always managed to lose. But, nothing daunted, he would again try his chance with the thimble and pea, only to leave the thimble-rigger master of the situation in every sense; and scores of visitors were in this way cleared of every penny they possessed long before they reached the fair. Only once did we venture to step into one of the drinking booths and public-houses which were everywhere to be met with, for so marked were the effects of the home-brewed ale upon the customers, that, when we saw a free fight going on, chairs and tables upset, and pitchers and glasses thrown out of doors, we beat a hasty retreat from one aspect of Lee Fair which possessed no attrac- tions for our youthful fancy. We have talked with many persons who are still amongst us, who have not missed this fair for the last half century, and who would conclude that the seasons had gone wrong if they were deprived of this very questionable method of enjoying them- selves. 128 MORLEY: ANCIENT AND MODERN. Archery was at one time practised in Morley, and the ground used for this purpose was on the Low Common, where could be seen, in the early part of the present century, several mounds or hillocks, about four or five feet high, and distant from each other about ten or twelve yards. An authority on the subject of ‘‘ Butts,” as these mounds were called, thus explains their use. ‘ Butts,’ he says, ‘‘ were mounds of earth erected for the purpose of a target, against which arrows were shot. They were also called ‘ rounds,” no doubt from their form. In the fifth year of Edward IV., an Act passed “that every English- man and Irishman dwelling with Englishmen should have an English bow of his own height, which was to be of yew, wych, hazel, ash, or accorne, and that butts should be made in every township, at which the inhabitants should shoot up and down every Feast-day, under the penalty of a halfpenny when they should omit this exercise.” The game of football is now very popular with our young men, and ab- sorbs too large a propor- tion of attention, having been elevated into a science. Fifty years ago, this pastime was only in- dulged in during the Christmas __ festivities, and was in no sense like Ai na ts Mg Aes AY: Bs the football playing of | . © ACh tf OUD Ali Ri to-day. It is not known when the game ori- Football in Morley, A.D. 1886. ginated ; but it appears among the popular exercises in the reign of Edward III. The pursuit of this and other pastimes, however, interfering with the pursuit of archery, it was prohibited by a public edict in 1349. MISSON says :— In winter football is a useful and charming exercise. It is a leather ball, about as big as one’s head, fill’d with wind. This is kick’d about from one to t? other in the streets, by him that can get at it, aud that is all the art of it. Amongst other amusements once popular in Morley, was a game called the ‘‘ Bear and Tenter,” an interesting account of which is given in Hone’s ‘Table Book,” by Mr. Scarcuerp. A boy is made to crawl as a bear upon his hands and knees, round whose neck is tied a rope, which the keeper holds at a few yards’ distance. The bystanders then buffet the bear, who is protected only by his keeper, who, by touching any of the assailants, becomes liberated; the other is then the bear, and the buffeted bear becomes the keeper, and so on. If the ‘“‘ tenter” is sluggish or negligent in defence of his charge, it is then that the bear growls, and the blows are turned upon the guardians, wholly or partially, as the bear-baiters elect. ScarcHEerD’s conjecture of the ee ee ee ee ee ee ee ee ee ee AMUSEMENTS. 129 origin of the game is as follows :—“ Our English youths and their tutors, or companions, were formerly distinguished in foreign countries by the name of the bear and the bear leader, from the absurd custom of sending out the former (a boisterous, ungovernable set), and putting them under the care of persons unfit to accompany them. ‘These bears were at first generally sprigs of royalty or nobility, as headstrong as needs be ; and the tutor was often some needy scholar, or a courtier, who knew little more of the world than his pupil, and both returned, bringing home a stock of exotic follies, sufficient to render them com- pletely preposterous characters in the eyes of their own countrymen. But as complaints would, at least, be unavailing when such persons as Cricket in Morley, A.D. 186. ‘Baby Charles’ and ‘Stenny Buckingham’ happened to be the ‘bear and tenter,’ the people revenged themselves, as far as they dared, by the institution of this game.” The manly game of cricket has been played in Morley for more than a century, but not in the same way, or to the same extent, as at the present day. Fifty years ago, cricket was played on the highways and commons, and the way of settling the priority of innings, in the absence of a coin for the purpose, was by tossing. A flat stone was chosen, and one side of it was spat upon, and then wet and dry became equivalent to head and tail. Cricket was played, too, with very different I 130 MORLEY: ANCIENT AND MODERN. implements to those which we find in use at the present time. The bat, if it could be called such, was without form and clumsy, and in shape was more like a sickle than anything else. It was of little use except for the purpose of hitting, for blocking or other scientific play was not then indulged in by the youth of the village. The bowling was what is known as underhand, and the mysteries as well as the swiftness of roundhand bowling were then unknown. The great point of the game was to hit, without any thought of defence. The ball, a ‘‘crewelled” one, was bowled from each end in turn without any regard to “overs.” To-day, cricket has been elevated into a science, and become a power in the town, and the ambition of our young men is centred upon becoming prominent cricketers or footballists. Whilst we consider recreation to be both necessary and desirable, we should be pleased to find that our youth had a nobler idea of life than can be obtained in the cricket or football field. Business, the improvement of the mind, and the claims of home and society, are all sacrificed at the shrine of pleasure ; and, if the present rage for amusement is kept up, we fear that as years roll on, and our youth reach the age when the pleasures of youth begin to pall, they will find that the taste for higher and more solid entertainment has been so much neglected that the evening of their life will prove a curse and not a blessing. ‘¢ Knur and spell” was a much more popular game in Morley fifty years ago than cricket or football. The commonest method of playing ~ the game, by the smaller boys of the village, was with a ‘‘sendstick,” or pommel, and a wooden spell with a hole in one end to place the knur, which, when struck “ tip-cat” like at the other end, threw the knur up to be struck at. The boys divided themselves into parties or ‘‘ sides,” the priority of striking the knur being decided by ‘footing ” it,a common process of settling claims and differences in those days. With grown up men the game was followed with as much zest as cricket is now, and we have seen quite as much excitement at a knur and spell match as could be produced by a match at cricket with the All England Eleven. It was, indeed, an interesting sight when two noted plyaers met in a great pasture, with the ‘‘score bobs” out, and a crowd of enthusiastic onlookers about them. The “score bobs” were little boughs stuck into the ground at a score yards distance from each other to mark by ; each strike was called a ‘‘rise,’ and the matches were generally thirty rises a-side. We will now briefly describe the game as we knew it and have seen it practised. The ‘“ gelstick,’ or short and broad bat, which is shewn in the accompanying engraving, was in use in Morley fifty years ago, and was a very different implement to the modern article which is used for striking the knur, and which consists of two parts—the stick and _ the pommel. The former is made of ash or lancewood, as combining stiffness with elasticity, and is about four feet in length. The pommel is made of any hard, heavy wood, that will not easily split. As it seems OLD YORKSHIRE GAMES. 131 likely that even the modern implement will become obsolete ere long, we give sketches of the “genuine article” and its degenerate name- il Hi) | | Writ 1) fa Wut ty J Pommel and Gelstick. sake. The knur used in the game was made of four different materials, and may be thus represented ;— 1.—The one most in favour, about the size of a large walnut, was carved with a knife out of holly, and our village hedges and plantations were resorted to for a supply of this material, as one of the heaviest and hardest of woods. We well remember, when a boy, watching men whittling for hours ata knur, the surface of which was intentionally left rough, resembling the so-called “flint imple- ments” of pre-historic times. 2.—The knur was engine-turned out of lignum vite, or other hard wood, and tooled all over with concentric circular lines. 3.—Was made of white Wedgwood material, hence called a ‘‘pottie.” The trip, an old fashioned conical knur, and which was “raised” by striking it like the cat, was generally of this material. It has long been out of use. 4.—For those who played a scientific game, the knur, : which was smaller than the others, was carefully filed out of hard stag-horn; then bored through and through, and weighted with lead. The spell in olden times was made of wood, and of very rude workmanship; but the more exact re- quirements of the modern game brought into use the spring spell. This consisted of a piece of wood twenty-four inches long, seven inches broad, and one inch thick; on its under side it held three iron spikes about six inches in length, which held the spell firm inthe ground. On the upper side of the board, at one end, was fixed by a fast screw one end of astraight steel plate, about twenty inches long and one inch wide. This was called the spring, and had at its other end a fixed cup which held the knur; near the cup was a catch to hold the spring when pressed down ; this catch was then struck with the pommel, and the spring being regulated by a screw over it, always lifted the knur to exactly the same height, thus greatly increasing the certainty of the player hitting it. When the knur was thus thrown into the air, it was struck by the player, who sometimes would send it a distance of twelve scores, or two hundred and forty yards. 132 MORLEY: ANCIENT AND MODERN. It was no unusual thing on the occasion of a great match to keep the players wrapped up in a sheet when not playing, the friends of the players also standing round the spell to keep the wind from blowing the knur by even an hair’s breadth. It would be difficult to say how many times the player would measure his distance from the spell before releasing the knur, and it would be still more difficult to reproduce the noise from hun- dreds of throats as they cheered theplayer if a good stroke was made. It was a game requiring steady nerve and pluck, and it’ was absolutely necessary for the players in the midst of all the ex- citement to keep per- fectly cool. Our forefathers had other amusements ss which we cannot de- nur and Spell in Morley, A.D. 1840. scribe in detail. When Ike Rodgers, who kept a beerhouse in Low Town End, turned out with his dogs and sounded his horn on the top of Troy Hill, as the signal for a day’s sport, then the weavers found the loom seat board to be too warm, and throwing down their ‘picking sticks,” and rolling up their “ chequer brats” round their waists, they followed the chase afoot with all the keen relish of the foxhunter of modern days, returning hungry, footsore, tired, and yet pleased, during the evening, to relate the adventures of the day. At other times they would meet at the White Swan, or Malt Shovel, to spend the evening in grumbling at bad warps and low wages, discuss politics, and settle the affairs of the nation over a pint or two of home-brewed beer. Every evening, except Sunday, the Leeds Mercury, which came only on the Saturday, was read aloud to the customers, and ofttimes excited keen and angry discussion. In connection with amusements, we must not omit mention of those more immediately connected with our school days; and many of our readers will remember that in playing school games, the word “ Barley” was in frequent use. This was used when we were hard pressed in games where swiftness of foot was a great consideration ; and when we wished to stop to tie our shoe laces, or to speak to a companion, etc., we had but to cry “ Barley,” when we were entitled to these privileges ; OLD YORKSHIRE GAMES. 133 and when we had taken advantage of this relief, we could resume our position in the game by shouting “ Off,’ which was the signal. The schoolboys of fifty years ago willremember the game known as “Hi, cocko- lorum, jig, jig, jig!” when the players were divided into two separate sides, the one to act as nags, and the other as riders. In the case of the former, the first player stood erect with his face to a wall, while the next of the side formed ‘‘down,” in leap-frog style, with his head in the back of the first support near the wall, and the others followed his example; each taking hold of the one in front to preserve the steadiness of the line. All the nags being down, the first rider took a long run and leapt over the backs of the players nearest, trying, if possible, to reach the man at the wall, so as to leave room for those who had to follow. The rest followed until all were seated, no player being allowed to move after he had once taken his seat. Thus safely mounted, they repeated the nomony thrice, while the nags tried to unseat them, and if the foot or any part touched the ground, it was couuted in favour of the nags. If they did not succeed in the attempt to unhorse, they had another term of riding to give to their opponents, If there was no place for any of the riders on any of the nag’s, or any of the riders failed to get his seat without falling, then the nags became the riders. “«Spy-Why” was a game very common in Morley fifty years ago, and was one in which sides were chosen; one side hiding separately within certain pre-arranged limits, when at a signal the other side started cautiously to track them. When one was discovered, “I spy ”—-—(naming him) was shouted, when the whole of the tracking party ran back to their station and spat on the wall. If this was not done, the discovered one could take him to the place from whence he started, and claim to be ridden upon his back down to the station or original place of rendezvous. After this, the ‘‘spied” ones, and others who have not been tracked, rush out of their place of concealment im- mediately, and if they are fortunate enough to lay hold of one before the goal is reached, and can retain their hold till their “nomony” is said (which consists in repeating the figures “two, four, six, eight, ten,” and spitting over the head of the captured), the ride is claimed in due course. One or two were always stationed to guard the prisoners, as, if one on the side of those “out” could steal out of his hiding place, and, by stratagem, reach the station and cross the line, shouting ‘‘ Relevo” (Relief O!), the prisoners were at liberty to make their escape, and once without the limits of confinement those counts went for nothing, and if no rides were obtained, ultimately the winning side went in again, and had their ‘‘ seccy outing.” *« Leap-Frog” was a favourite pastime, and could be played by any number of boys. The boy who played first back having got him- self into position—not a very graceful attitude—had to get his head well down, or the player might not clear it when taking his leap. When the cry of “Tuck in your tuppeuny” was heard, the boy who S OP eat oe 134 MORLEY: ANCIENT AND MODERN. was down knew to keep his head well under his body to avoid a con. cussion. With his hands firmly placed on his knees as a support, his head down, and his shoulders up, he awaited the leaping of the players ; and when all had gone over him, number one himself formed down to present in turn his back for those that followed, until all had undergone the operation, and there were no more leapers left to com- plete the first round. The process was repeated, and the sport went on merrily, for it was self-supporting, until the time was expired or the players were completely tired out. ‘‘Crawden” was another schoolboy pastime, and signified a chal- lenge to perform a dangerous feat. A ‘‘crawdening match” consisted of an attempt to climb a high tree, walking without support upon a Leap-Frog, rail or the ‘‘toppins” of a wall; and he who could climb the highest, or walk the greatest distance upon the rail, was said to be the “ craw- dener.” “Mot” was a game in which what was called a ‘*mot” was set up, or fixed in the ground, which served as the thrower’s goal. The mot was generally some small object, as a copper placed upon the head of a nail or piece of wood fixed in the ground. Where these were not to be obtained, a piece of white pot was sought for, and sunk flat into the ground till it was even with the surface, and this was the mot.” ‘‘Taws,” or “ Marbles,” was a favourite game. Games of “ taws” were played in a variety of ways, and we well remember how often we were indebted to our playmates for their kindness in the matter of BOYISH AMUSEMENTS. 185 “ dubs,” or, as it was sometimes called, ‘‘ shubs.” This favour was a discount in the matter of marbles, for, after we had been cleared out, and our pockets were entirely empty, one out of every three we had lost was counted back into our hand and given to us. If we Jost them all a second time, then ‘dubs out o’ dubs” were given back in the preportion of one to every six we had lost, and so on, until we were fairly ‘ dubbed up,” when we generally got a single marble back for ‘ood luck.” When we did not wish to return any marbles, we made a special agreement that we ‘lake at sets an’ noa dubs.” “ Fullock,” in playing at marbles, was a term well understood by boys, as it meant an unfair motion with the arm, instead of “tawing” the marble with the thumb and finger only. The most popular game at marbles was “Ring Taw,” played as follows. . 156 MORLEY: ANCIENT AND MODERN. thrice in the summer time we had the company of gipsies, who pitched their tents on the vacant ground in front of the ‘“ Needless Inn,” and many were the happy hours we spent in the society of this wandering tribe. The camp was all alive during the day, and many were the savoury-looking dishes concocted over the faggot fire in the open air ; and certainly we seldom saw any appearance of want amongst the tribe so far as the victualling department was concerned. Leaving Howley Beck on the right, we wander along the side of the stream until we reach Parr’s Mill, where Old Betty of that ilk was wont to manufacture listing for the clothiers of Morley and Batley fifty years ago, and, by aid of the water-wheel, was enabled to compete most successfully with the hand-spun listing makers at Morley. The old mill was a picturesque object in the landscape, and we have every reason for supposing that on this spot stood the ancient corn mill be- longing to the Saviles of Howley, mentioned in the following lease :— The said Susan Brook and William Askwith shall and will do suit and service to the Court Baron of the said Lord Marquess (Halifax) to be holden for his Manor of Morley, when and so often as the said Court shall be summoned to be there held and kept. And also, they shall and will do suit to the mills of the said Lord Marquess, situate in Howley Park, by grinding all such corn, grain, and malt, as they the said Susan Brook and William Askwith shall from time to time use and expend in or about the said leased premises, or turn into oatmeal shilling, and shall and will pay for the grinding thereof all such toll and mulcture as is usually paid by others the tenants and suitors to the said mills. These mills for grinding corn became common about the close of the Saxon period. They invariably belonged to the lords of the manors, and the tenants were permitted to grind only at these mills. Almost every township in England possessed one of these mills, worked by a water wheel, which was a great step in advance, seeing that pre- viously to their introduction each family ground its own flour in hand- mills. The people being poor had to rely upon wealthy persons erecting the water-driven mills, and the whole district took their produce to erind there, subject to the reservation of such a proportion as was agreed upon in return for the labour. In very poor districts, where no one was found able to build the mills, the King was asked to supply the want, which he invariably did on condition that the inhabitants would bind themselves and their heirs for ever to grind at such mills on such terms as were arranged. Parr’s Mill at Howley will ever be remembered in connection with the Union trade of Morley, for it was within its walls that ‘“*mungo” was first manufactured. This useful article, we may explain for the benefit of those who are not “ Yorkshire,” is a compound of tailors’ cloth clippings, old clothes, rags, etc., which, having once served not only nature’s purpose but that of clothing humanity as well, are care- fully gathered, sorted, broken up by the rag machine, transformed into raw material afresh, spun, woven, dyed, and finished, and presented again for the purpose of being made into garments but little inferior to their original state in either quality or appearance. The discovery ORIGIN OF MUNGO. 157 of “mungo” was made by George Parr, of Howley Mills. On seeing some old clothes being torn up by rag machines for the purpose of being used as flocks, the idea occurred to him that the material was capable of being used for more important purposes. He determined to purchase a quantity and have it made into cloth. Having bought his material, he persuaded Mr. John Watson, manufacturer, of Hungerhill, Morley, to try its properties, and the trial proved the possibility of its being ultimately utilised. The cloth was, however, spoiled by the presence of cotton, from the seams of the garments, but this was remedied by- the employment of women to sort and seam the rags previous to their being ground. The experiment was renewed, and with perfect success. This occurred about the year 1834, and it is noteworthy that the article derives its name from two vernacular words, which, translated into English, mean “must go.” It originated from a remark made by Samuel Parr, brother of the discoverer, who, on being unable to per- suade a manufacturer to buy some of the material, wrapped up his samples with the remark that “ it man go,” meaning that it must go. From Howley Mill to Lady Anne’s Well, in Soothill Wood, is but a short walk, and we arrive at the scene of the legend, that here “the Lady Anne, of Howley, whilst having a morning bath in the stream, was worried by a lion or a wolf.” The *‘ Lady Anne” referred to was Lady Anna Villiers, who in her widowhood was married to Savile, Earl of Sussex, resident at Howley Hall, where she was known to have been living in 1663. What gave rise to the superstition is not known, though the well is said to have been a favourite resort of hers. One writer says that the probabilities are that the lustre of her family name and splendid acquirements did not outshine her charitable deeds ; and the precincts of the well, which was at a distance from the Hall, and in a declivity, being a favourite haunt of hers, it was thus named after- wards by her dependents, to whom her memory was sacred. It is very possible, too, that it may have been, as has been said, “a place of annual resort for ages before.” To this well annually, on Palm Sunday, the surrounding villagers have forages been wont to resort, to drink its waters on account of their supposed preternatural efficacy ; for at six o’clock on that morning it was believed that they assumed different colours. By SCATCHERD it is thought that the well was near to a chapel, for in very early times in the vicinity of Howley Hall there were two religious edifices—the Kirk of Batley, and the Chapel or Field-Kirk at Howley. This latter was a mere Oratory or Chapel of Ease, so-called, not from its situation in the country, but from its lying unenclosed, and open to the adjoining fields. It had no right or place of sepulchre, and no bell could be rung at such a chapel. From Lady Anne’s Well we climb the hill which brings us to the ruins of the once famous Howley Hall, the grounds of which at the present day are the constant resort of thousands of pleasure-seekers, who go there for a day’s relaxation and enjoyment, and for the benefit of the pure and invigorating air which is to be obtained. During the 158 MORLEY: ANCIENT AND MODERN. summer months the hill top is the scene of animated life of the most active and boisterous character. Picnic parties, day and Sunday school gatherings, athletic festivals, band contests, public meetings, and other assemblages, keep up a constant round of festivities. This feature of the ruins at Howley has been well versified by our York- shire poet, BEN PRESTON :— Hail, Howley Hall! dear rural ruin, hail ! Hail! mouldering walls which overlook the vale ; Where first the animating cuckoo sings, And where the virgin primrose soonest springs ; Where happy hearts enjoy delightful hours, Among the woods, or sit among the flowers. With mirth or music sweet the moments pass, While summer parties pic-nic on the grass ; The jocund jest and joyous laugh are here, And all these charming scenes are very dear To every heart that seeks to banish care By coming here for pleasure—and fresh air. ‘In this Township ” (7.e., Morley), says Dr. WHITAKER, ‘“‘is Howley (the Field on the Hill),which,for several generations, was the magnifi- cent seat of an illegitimate branch of the Saviles, though, by address, and by Court favour, they outstript the heads of the family, for a time, in honour. It was built upon a fine commanding situation, by Sir John Savile, afterwards Baron of Pontefract, and finished in the year 1590, but received considerable additions from his son, the first Earl of Sussex of that time.” CAMDEN, who saw the house when new, calls it ‘‘ Gides elegantissimus.” Of the appearance of the Hall in 1643, we have the following account :—On the West side of the Hall was a fine bowling- green; on the North, and, probably, North Hast, was the parlour garden. On the Woodchurch side there was a cherry orchard, and many of the trees were there a century ago. The kitchen garden —strange to tell !—was on the South; and still more singular it is that the kitchens even were on this most pleasant side of the mansion. The only idea of what the Hall was like, is to be got from engravings presented by the late Earl of Cardigan to a few of his tenants, and taken, it is said; from an ancient painting in the family collection. From this view, it appears to have been a fine ancient halled house, constructed with strict regard to proportion and regularity, with a projecting centre on the south side, ornamented with columns, capitals, and mouldings. The whole seems crowned with battlements, and the cupolas, surmounted by weathercocks, rise among the chimneys with Eastern grandeur. The Hall was sixty yards square, with an interior court and two gateways. One cannot indeed behold even this poor sketch, and the beautiful wrought stone now dispersed through Morley, Birstal, Batley, and all the neighbouring hamlets, without a feeling of melancholy, mingled with sincere regret, at the destruction of an object most interesting to posterity, from a large association of ideas. HOWLEY HALL. 159 Sir John Savile, who built Howley Hall, was the first Alderman or Mayor of the Borough of Leeds, which was incorporated by Charles I., in 1626. In all probability he came into Yorkshire, when in his doth year, and took possession of Howley Hall on its completion. Sir John was keeper of the rolls for the West Riding; high steward of Pontefract, Wakefield, and Bradford; six times M.P. for the county. He was a Trustee for the Batley Free School, as well as a Governor of the Wakefield Grammar School. It is reputed that the celebrated Rubens visited Lord Saville at Howley Hall, and painted for him a view of Pontefract ; also, that Archbishop Usher was staying at Howley, when he assumed the disguise of a Jesuit, in order to try the contro- versial talents of Robert Cooke, the learned Vicar of Leeds. Howley Hall, A.D. 1600. Howley Hall had a flat top, something like the Tower of York Minster, and was covered with lead. The following facts will give additional credibility to this statement, and may not be without interest. A person named Johnny Cowling (great grandfather of the brothers Cowling, of Batley), who lived and died at Batley, and was skilful in the diseases which dogs are subject to, especially Hydrophobia, had the management of the dogs at Howley Hall. It being only about 70 years since he died, there were persons living in Batley a few years avo who knew him, and could bear testimony to the fact that he had played at football on the top of the Hall. From the date of his death, and from the fact that he was close upon 100 years of age when he died, it is clear that the Hall was blown down when he was about 30 years of age. From all the accounts we can gather, it seems evident that the privilege of going on to the top of the Hall was granted to many ; °° an DECREE RTA AN Cellar at Howley. FIREPLACE AT HOWLEY. 161 and a privilege it would be to stand on such a noble structure, and scan so vast an extent of country. Among the persons favoured to visit the Hall were the following women from Batley—Susan Watson Martha Standidge, Dinah Preston, and J. Grimshaw. Of the first, Susan Watson, it is stated that she earned her living by plaiting straw and making the same into bonnets, called Slouches; and that she so enjoyed the roof of this building that she frequently spent the whole of the day on it. Her work she took with her, and as she plaited the straw it descended outside the building till the ground was reached, the which she considered a day’s work, and rolling up her straw she trudged home to Batley to rest. It would be a praiseworthy act if the present owners of the ruins would give orders for the rubbish to be cleared out of the cellars, and a thorough investigation made of their extent, and thus ascertain the truth or otherwise of the story that “a subterranean passage in the cellars extends to Leeds, and in one portion of this is an immense chest of gold, guarded by a ‘ clocking hen.” The cellars are in a state of good preservation, as will be seen from the sketch of one of them, which we give. In connection with the ruins, etc., at Howley, we are enabled to present our readers with some interesting sketches (taken on the spot), which have not been published hitherto. _ The fireplace, as shewn in the sketch, can be seen in the largest portion of the ruins 3 lett standing, on the tad floor level. It is the only = specimen of anything which can be called ornamental to be found in the few fragments of the Hall which are left to us. A tradition still lingers in the neighbourhood of the hall, to the effect that the mortar with which it was built was mixed with strong ale, which is. said to account for the great strength of the walls. It is likely that there is some truth in this tradition, for Mr. W. An- DREWS tells us that malt liquor in the days of yore was believed to add to the durability of mortar, and items bearing on this matter occur in parish accounts, The Paine eaivics are extracted from the parish books of Ecclesfield, South Yorkshire :— 1619. Itm. 7 metts [i.e. bushels] of lyme for poynting some placesin the church wall, and on the leades ijs. iiijd. Itm. For 11 gallands of strong liquor for the blending of the lyme lijs. viijd. = is i}; Tuas SS eee mt « 1} YR i : { Pe Ve tea Sy ays I HU fy | 2 { even | | + ] 4 ft. } 5 2 : | — |b at , Hl =— = a i4 nf | | | | Ma ee aR aa. Y | we CE 4 4 ee < 3 at I é : i) iy ly 1 ‘ : } f Former Entrance to Court-yard, Howley. < fl THE MIRFIELD MANSION, HOWLEY. 163 Two years later we find mention of “ strong liquor” for pointing, and ale for drinking :— 1621. Fora secke of malt for pointing steeple viljs. To Boy wyfe for Brewing itt vjd. For xvij gallons of strong Lycker vijs. ivd. For sixe gallons of ale wch. we besttowed of the workmen whilst they was pointing steeple ijs. For egges for pointing church ijs. Many of the old parish accounts contain items similar to the foregoing. Near to the ruins, is a building now used as a dwelling-house, and for the supply of refreshments to visitors. This was formerly the ancient gateway to the court-yard of the Hall, and above the entrance will be found what remains of two lions, and to these guardians a legend still clings, to the effect, that ‘‘they always come down from their position over the doorway, to dinner, on hearing the clock strike twelve.” On the opposite side of the building, two lions placed in a similar position guard the former entrance to the court-yard from the north, but the arch has been removed and a chimney built where formerly the entrance gates would be hung. The ancient mansion of the Mirfields, situate about two hundred yards to the north-west of Howley Hall, was in existence prior to the erection of the latter, and was no doubt abandoned for the bolder and more commanding situation. The Mirfield mansion, which is yet in existence, became the residence of the chief bailiff, and will be best remembered as having been, fifty years ago, in the occupation of Mr. John Whitaker, who took a prominent part in Morley township affairs. - Once we were privileged to enter the kitchen of this farm-house, and found it a comfortable-looking place, for there were great hams and flitches of bacon suspended from hooks in the ceiling; the bread creel was stored with dozens of crisp oat-cakes ; while in one corner hung strings of onions, and behind the door stood the old “ meal-kist,” evidently a relic handed down from father to son, for many generations. No signs of starvation or bad times, but, on the contrary, the place looked the very picture of comfort and good living. The quaint old “long settle” was a curiosity in itself, and, if it could have found a voice, it would have been able to tell many queer tales and stories, to which it had been accessory. Then there was the “ delf case,” with its highly polished pewter dishes, and their visions of “fat doings” in the olden time ; but they had now nothing better to do than dose away the time with the old tea cups and wassail cup, which were in close proximity. We have pleasure in presenting our readers with an illustration of the panelling of one of the rooms in this ancient homestead. And ancient it may well be called, for one part, which is supposed to have been the Chapel, “exhibits some appearances of antiquity,” says Dr. WHITAKER, ‘“ greater than I have ever observed in a domestic building, and probably not later than a.p, 1200.” The panelling ! | i i = dooed || | —— || 7 : Panelling in Bailifi’s House, Howley. THE MIRFIELD MANSION, HOWLEY. 165 above the mantel-piece, shewn in the engraving, is carried throughout the room from floor to ceiling, and is English oak, as is also the carved frieze which surmounts the panelling. A door, in the same room, with the unusual number of sixteen panels, is shewn in the sketch. It is more than probable that the whole of this wainscotting at one time adorned the walls at Howley Hall, and was only removed to the bailiff’s house when the Hall was abandoned. Much greater interest is felt in the present day in the ancient mansion of the Mirfields than in the ruins which recall but feebly the grandeur of the splendid home of the Saviles. SCATCHERD says that ‘the seat of the Mirfields consisted of a large square court, well defined by the site of the outbuildings in the present farm-yard, where we still see the entrance to the Chapel and part of an open gallery, once extending through a great part of the square. Behind this have been unquestionably the bedrooms. Bnt to form a more correct notion, the reader must imagine the roof of what now looks like a porch taken off, and the wall run up two storeys high above the round arch of the doorway ; for the Whitleys, whose family for some generations lived at the farm house, informed me that they could recollect the pulling down this part of the building, and putting on of the present roof. From them I know that there was a chamber and belfry, as it was called, above the Chapel, now so like a porch, and that the way thereto from it was through a doorway on the right side and up a winding staircase, the traces of all which are distinctly visible. Mr. King says, with reference to his plan of Haddon Hall, ‘K and L are what I call the Lady’s apartments, from whence is a steep staircase near the arch leading to the Lady’s Chapel. Now I think with these hints, an attention to Mr. King’s plan, and a minute examination of what is perceptible, the curious visitor may easily discover the Chapel, the entrance thereto from the court,the lady’s apartments, and the entrance to the Chapel therefrom. “There is one thing very curious and striking upon entering the porch-like structure, which is a large arch directly facing you, and more like a window than a doorway. This, however, it certainly has been, but the masonry being far from strong, and the mansion easily entered by this way, the outshot or projection with its superincumbent storeys may have been an addition for better security. ‘Two things rather incline me to this opinion. One is, that the architecture seems not so ancient as the rest of the building. And the other is a manifest contrivance to protect the doorway by spears. I am quite surprised how any person having the eye of an antiquary could overlook so palpable a design as this. Dr. WHITAKER has favoured the public with an engraving of this entrance, in which the very holes for the pike or Spear are shown, and yet he makes no mention of them, or indeed of some other curiosities which I shall notice.. But whoever will examine ze slanting direction of these holes, will at once discover the reason or it. “e M7, STR IR TR 4 My ne 2 eel hi =—J = Ny Pal BS LS NY MM rhe fe { fe! Wyss 04) i} Wess 7 peblaketel 1 aetna an Ny Mite th Piet APRA en et as, BMESeyhi hats <= ie" [ul ERROR” ‘ll . a - 2 —— ibalae ele a3 ee iN ‘i Ae ye a A %6,/ aa ; sya SEs) ; x soe SNS zh 7 SRS : I: S _ rare —- Sha! | | AT Fa 2 Py gis oi Bi Wout ae at a ry » Pat The Bailiff's House, Howley. THE BAILIFF’S HOUSE, HOWLEY. 167 “As to the parts where we perceive the Saxon zigzag, or early Norman arch, this I take to be the most ancient part of what remains of the house. = D5 aig ae: ys METHODISM IN MORLEY. 197 Every attention has been given to the heating and ventilation of the entire building, advantage being taken of the best systems extant. The finished wood-work inside is of pitch pine, well got up and varnished, No wood-work is seen in the ceiling over the assembly room, but is finished in plaster, with enrichments of a somewhat elaborate character. The schools have cost £3,468 3s. 11d., and were opened by a grand bazaar, held in October, 1884, at which Henry Mitchell, Esq., J.P., of Bradford, performed the initiatory ceremony. The proceeds of the bazaar amounted to £1,300. Of the earliest introduction of Methodism into Morley we have no authentic record, but the founder of the movement paid Morley a visit in the early years of his ministry, for he writes in his Journal :— 1747. April 22nd. I preached at Morley and Birstal. This visit took place three years after the first Conference was held, which met at the Foundry, London, June 25th, 1744, and was attended by the brothers Wesley, four clergymen, and four lay preachers. It was not, however, until the third Conference that the country was divided into circuits—Morley being included in the Birstal circuit, which also embraced many of the surrounding villages. The chapel at Birstal was erected in 1751, towards the cost of which ‘all the Methodists of the neighbouring societies ” contributed, and the trustees were selected from Birstal, Morley, Gomersal, Gildersome, and many other places. Previous to the erection of this chapel, Wesley, with his able coadjutor John Nelson, visited all the villages in the circuit, and, after preaching, Wesley either formed, or if one had previously existed, regulated the society. In the early days of Methodism in Morley, the friends met in each others’ houses, and held services when circumstances favoured in the open air. These were the days of ‘‘ small things,” but as the interest progressed and the society became more numerous, steps were taken for obtaining a chapel. In 1763 the first “ meeting-house ” was built on the site now occupied by the new schools. It was not an imposing structure, but, small and humble as it was, it met all requirements for a few years, until in 1769 a new loft was put in, as we learn from the chapel accounts. The interior of the chapel was fitted up in a very primitive style, the seats were little better than benches, and the ‘ lofts” were of the plainest character. The fittings were simple, and for lighting purposes candles were used which were fixed in sconces against the wall. The item for ‘“‘ Candles” appears regularly in the chapel accounts ; and also the victualling of the preachers, who, at that day, came long distances, and generally on horseback; and for their convenience a stable was attached to the meeting-house, the chamber over which was used as a dining-room by members of the congregation who lived too far away to go home between the services. The stable was afterwards converted into a residence for the chapel keeper, and was only recently pulled down. 198 MORLEY: ANCIENT AND MODERN. The subscription to Birstal, as head of the circuit, was fixed at 42s. per quarter, and, with expenses of preachers and horses, the quarterly expenditure amounted to about £3 11s. In 1802 a burial ground was provided in connection with the chapel, and the entries of burials appear in the book under the heading of “A Book of Mortality.” The first interment took place on the 12th of May, and the entry is as follows :— Elizabeth Watson, the wife of Joseph Watson, of Morley, was inter’d in the Methodist Chapel yard, May 12th. In 1806, in consequence of an increase in the congregation, the Old Chapel was enlarged. The leading members at this time consisted of Saml. Crowther, James Bradley, Isaac Crowther, Joseph Scarth, John Haigh, Jos. Watson, and Isaac Watson. In connection with the enlargement we find that there was ‘‘paid to Mr. Da. Salt’s for Oil when chapel was buildin, 5s. 3d.” This Daniel Salt carried on the business of a drysalter at the Manor House, and was father to the late Sir Titus Salt, Bart. An interesting item appears relative to the chapel keeper, who it seems received, in addition to his yearly salary of six pounds, an outfit, for, under the head of ‘ Robt. Garnett’s Clothes,” there is paid “J. Lobley, taylor note £3 1s., J. Smith, note 19s, 9d., Shoes 10s., Stockings 3s. 9d.” No item is too small to be omitted from these chapél accounts. Before the enlargement of the chapel, a special meeting was held to devise ‘“‘ ways and means,” and the following document was drawn up and signed :— Morley, August Ist, 1806. As it apears Needful that our Chapil shud be Inlargd, Wee the Leaders, Stewards, Members and Seate Olders, Do unanimously Agre to Re-build And Inlarge the same. In concequence of wich wee Expect after oure Subscription is Expended that part money wil be wanted to Discharge the Det that may Remain and of corse Secuaratys to give. We the under sined have Agreed with each other to Enter our Selves as Trustees for the said Methodist Chapil In Order to meete and manage the conditions of the Same as far as Lays in our power and are Willing to give Joint Secuaratay for money Borrowed or Lend on the same terms. Also we Agre and promise In the presance of God and Each other that wee wil hould, if posoble, the said Chapil for the Methodist preachers and our Selves In connection with the Late Mr. John Wesley. Allso we Recomend that at our Disolution others may be Ellected so that there may Ence forward be a Body to manage and soport the same Cause. Witness our hands, IsAAc CROWTHER, JOSEPH RHODES, JOSEPH WADE, JOHN WEBSTER, JOSEPH WEBSTER, JAMES BRADLEY, ISAAC WATSON, THOS SCARTH. In the chapel accounts for 1833 there are entries which are note- worthy, as for instance, ‘‘for Bell Ringinge Hold Chaple, 7s.” This amount was paid half-yearly to Ben Foster, for his services in ringing the bell of St. Mary’s, previous to the commencement of the Sunday services. A ‘quire of paper, 1s.,” affords a striking contrast to the “5 quires for a shilling” of to-day. ‘Paid to Geo. Webster for Double Bass Mending, 12s. 6d.” This was paid in anticipation of the Whitsuntide schoo] festival, when the instrument would be in request. ‘Paid for oil, £1 4s. 2d.,” the first entry denoting the change from “ pare | Aye _ Gs METHODISM IN MORLEY. 199 candles to oil in the lighting of the chapel. Arrangements were made for the comfort of the preachers, for in 1839 we find that 11s. were spent in a ‘Tin Safe and Spiting Box.” The choir were also well looked after, or, at least, the instrumental portion, for in one year we find entries as follows:—To Bass and Strings, £1 14s. Trombone Bag, 2s. Clarionett Mouthpiece, 3s. 6d. Single Bass Strings, 2s. 11d. We have not a list of the first Trustees of the chapel, which was erected in 1763, but in the document given above we find the names of the Trustees in 1806, when the chapel was enlarged or rebuilt. In 1823 the Trustees were as follows :—Jonathan Brook, Isaac Crowther, Isaac Watson, Joseph Rhodes, James Overend, Thomas Wilson, Thomas Scarth, John Webster, Joseph Webster, John Gillgrass, Miles Hall, and James Bradley. In 1832 a new trust was formed, consisting of Josh. Rhodes, Benjn. Saville, Cornelius Rhodes, William Gisburn, Isaac Crowther, John Illingworth, and Joseph Robinson. ‘This trust was dissolved in 1840, and a new one formed, in which five of the last- named were included, but the two others are not named. The ‘‘ Preaching House,” as it was called, as we remember it in 1840, was a plain and unpretending building, and a stranger could not have failed to be struck with the dwarfish appearance of the chapel. It had one of the plainest of fronts, bearing unmistakable evidence that the good people who built it had no money to spend in ornamentation. It had two doors in the front, which admitted you almost directly into the body of the building, and to the stone steps leading very abruptly into the galleries. The pulpit was a plain structure, but was in those days graced with many of the leading lights of Methodism ; and it. was an interesting sight to see the chapel packed with hearers when Joan Preston, James Everett, Dr. Beaumont, Dr. Bunting, Dr. Newton, and others equally talented, came io the village. “ Billy Dawson” was a frequent visitor to Morley, and attracted large audiences. His pulpit ministrations excited as much interest and attention as those of the preachers just named. Many of the ablest ministers the Wesleyan Society has ever had felt it a great privilege to preach in that old sanctuary. From the account book we have drawn extracts from, we learn that the people here, as in most other places, had seasons of trial and depression ; for, in 1832, a meeting of the Trustees was held “ to consult the best measure to be taken for the restoration of a lost Union and Peace owing to the change of their Local Preachers taking place;” but, notwithstanding this and other dark clouds which occasionally gathered over the place and the people, the cause never looked back, but maintained a steady onward course. The people were in earnest, and passed through the clouds in safety, until at the present time they may be said to be in the full blaze of the ‘“‘ sunshine of prosperity.” Between the chapel and the Sunday school was the graveyard, in which was gathered up the dust of many pious pilgrims who, in days gone by, had worshipped in this house of peace. A movement in favour of more adequate provision for the increasing 200 MORLEY: ANCIENT AND MODERN. congregation began in 1859, when a meeting of the society was called ‘to consider the propriety of erecting a large new chapel,” and at the close of the meeting twelve hundred pounds was subscribed towards the cost of a new building. The old chapel, with a considerable extent of land in close proximity, was purchased from the Karl of Dartmouth, and the foundation stone of the new structure was laid on September 20th, 1860, by the Rev. 8. D. Waddy, President of the Conference. In 1861, the building was opened by the Revs. Dr. Dixon and G. B. Mac- donald. The contributions at these services reached the liberal sum of £525. The chapel, situate in Wesley street, is an imposing and i WA i ui Wesleyan Chapel. elegant structure, in the Italian style of architecture, and was designed by Mr. Simpson, of Leeds. The front has pilasters and pediment, and two door-ways, with a small vestibule. Here are the staircases lead- ing to the galleries, as well as the two door-ways leading into the aisles, which extend the whole length of the chapel. At the opposite end of the chapel the pulpit is placed, with the communion table in front of it. There is a gallery along the sides and at one end of the chapel, a recess behind the pulpit being occupied by the organ and singers’ pew. The building is warmed with hot water, and lighted by sunlights in the ceiling and underneath the galleries. The chapel will accommodate one thousand people, and cost, exclusive of the BETHEL FREE CHURCH, 201 organ, about £2,500. The organ, built by Mr. Booth, of Wake- field, was put into the chapel in 1863, and cost, with the case, about £500. Opposite the New Wesleyan Schools is Peel Street, alias Andrew Lane, alias Overend Lane, the last name being given to the thorough- fare in honour of Mr. James Overend, a well-to-do manufacturer, who resided here forty years ago, and carried on a large and _ profitable trade. Beyond Mr. Overend’s house were green fields with no signs of the ‘‘ City,” which now gives the name to the many houses, chapels, schools, mills, etc., which have been erected here within the last fifteen years. At the corner of Peel and Commercial Streets is the United Methodist Free Church, or ‘“ Reform Chapel” as it was at first designated. This body worshipped in the first instance in the Town’s School, Troy Hill; but, in 18538, they built the present chapel, which was opened in August of that year by the Rev. James Everett and others. The chapel, which has been enlarged during the last few years, is a neat structure, and is approached by a flight of steps. In the vestibule are the doors leading to the body of the chapel; on the left is the vestry, and on the right the staircase leading to the gallery, which occupies one end of the chapel, the other being appropriated for the pulpit platform and the seats for the choir. A small organ is fixed behind the pulpit platform. The chapel will accommodate about 500 persons. Underneath is a residence for the chapel keeper and a commodious schoolroom. In 1878, the congregation spent £400 in enlarging and improving the chapel, and in the erection of a vestry. A little beyond the chapel in Peel Street are the handsome Peel Street Board Schools, a description of which has already been given. Returning along Peel Street, we find that, nearly fifty years ago, in a little square falling back from the road, at the junction of Queen Street, lived John Barrowclough, better known as “Doctor J ohn,” who practised the healing art in a somewhat primitive fashion, John had been a soldier and had served in several campaigns, and he had marvellous stories to tell of hairbreadth escapes and dangerous adventures through which he had passed. The “ Doctor” was a fairly intelligent man, a great politician and village oracle, and his company was much sought after, as he was fond of imparting to others the information he had gathered in his reading and travels. At the opposite corner, in Queen Street, was a wright’s shop occupied by J. Marshall; while in the fields above was the pleasant homestead of Joseph Rhodes, a farmer and manufacturer of “ healds and slays,” used in the woollen trade. In this house was born Mr. Manoah Rhodes, who, leaving Morley in 1822, went to Bradford to learn the trade of a silversmith. In 1836 he commenced business on his own account, and prospered greatly. In 1873 he was elected Mayor of the borough, and in 1876 was placed upon the commission of the peace. After a lingering and painful ill- 202 MORLEY : ANCIENT AND MODERN, ness, Mr. Rhodes died a few years ago, leaving six sons and two daughters. Mr. Rhodes was married in 1836 to Ann, daughter of Joseph Watson, and niece of the late Isaac Crowther, Esq., of Croft House, Morley. Passing the Queen’s Hotel, the property of Mr. B. H. Worrall, we again reach Commercial Street, and the Masonic Hall, the founda- tion stone of which was laid May 5th, 1869, with full masonic honours. A little beyond the Hall, in Albion Street, is the Baptist Taber- nacle. In April, 1871, the Yorkshire Association of Baptist Churches — resolved to form a church in Morley, and rented the Oddfellows’ Hall for that purpose. In 1872 the Rev. James Wolfenden accepted a call Re LL Ge Bi NY Ni ff W\' BPTI \ Ni . NN NN \ N N , \ wal, btm Ha tt ith bal Baptist Tabernacle, to the pastorate, when a church was formed, consisting of twenty-four persons. In afew years the Hall became inconveniently crowded, and it was found necessary to build. The foundation stone of the Taber- nacle was laid on Easter Tuesday, 1874, The building is in the Italian style, from the designs of Mr. John Simpson, of Leeds. The principal room is 72 feet long, by 386 feet wide, and 19 feet 6 inches high, and will accommodate 500 adults. It is used as a preaching room as well as for day and Sunday schools. At each end of the building are commodious class-rooms. The external walls are built with best double-dressed Morley wall stones, lined inside with brick. The whole of the ashlar dressings to the doors, windows, and cornice are from the best selected Morley _ ® ; ZION INDEPENDENT CHAPEL. 203 stone, with cleansed labour. In June, 1875, Mr. Wolfenden resigned the pastorate, and accepted an appointment in Melbourne, but has since that time settled in America. In September, 1875, the Rev. Richard Davies accepted a call to the pastorate, and remained nine years. In Hope Street is the large and commodious Market Hall, and also the Victoria Baths, both the property of Mr. B. H. Worrall, who has also provided the town with a recreation ground, known as Queen’s Park. The Market Hall is capable of accommodating a large number of retail tradesmen, and the scene both within and without the building ona Friday evening is of the most lively character. The Park issituate - between Field Lane and the fields beyond Scatcherd’s Lane, in the direction of Cross Hall. A bicycle track runs round the ground, three lawn-tennis courts are provided, a capital cricket and football ground is laid out, and a covered grand stand erected, capable of seating more than 800 persons. The Park is used for political and other gatherings, athletic sports, band contests, cricket and football matches, etc, and is extensively patronised, Opposite the Market Hall is the entrance that leads to Zion School and Chapel. The school is a handsome erection of brick and stone, having on the ground floor a lecture hall, used for a day school, two class-rooms, and a kitchen. On the first floor is a large school-room capable of accommodating 500 scholars; also five commodious class- rooms, The foundation stone was laid on Good Friday, 1866, by Joshua Taylor, Esq., J.P., of Batley. The history of the body of Independents worshipping in Zion Chapel is not without interest. In the latter part of the last century, during the pastorate of the Rev. Thomas Clough at the Old New Chapel, a section of the worshippers at that place resolved to withdraw from it, and betook themselves to the house of one Margeson, at Chur- well. For a time this small room answered its purpose, but, as the number of hearers rapidly increased, a resolution was passed to build a chapel, each member of the society engaging to exert himself to the utmost of his ability. In the year 1804 they purchased a plot of land near the top of Churwell Hill, and erected thereon a chapel at a cost of little more than £300. From its proximity to Daffil or Daffield Wood, it was called Daffil Chapel. The first and only stated minister who ever occupied the pulpit was Mr. Nathaniel Dickinson, a native of Morley, and one of their own number. He was a man of eminent piety, and, though lacking in scholarly attainments, he was dis- tinguished by a strong and active mind. He occupied the pulpit for forty years with great acceptance, and his labours both in connection with his own place, and also as week evening lecturer at the Old Chapel, were rewarded with success. He was never ordained to the pastoral office, the ministers in the district refusing him the rite, on the ground that he was self-taught, and would not hold on in the work of preaching for more than a year or two. Mr. Dickinson departed this life on the 16th day of May, 1846, in the 73rd year of his age. After his death, 204 MORLEY: ANCIENT AND MODERN. the pulpit was supplied by the Leeds Town Mission. In 1856 the con- erection, chiefly residing at Morley, determined to leave the old place and build a new chapel at Morley ; and to this end they bought an eligible plot of land in the centre of the village, on which they erected the present chapel and laid out a burial ground. The opening services took place in 1857, and for about four years the pulpit was supplied by ‘‘itinerants,” when a call was given to the Rev. Richard Harris, of Westbury, who accepted it, and remained as pastor for about five years. In 1862, the Rev. D. W. Rowe, of Gainsborough, became the stated minister, but he resigned the office in 1865, when for several years the pastorate was vacant In January, 1872, the Rev. William Frost be- came the minister, and remained until his death, which took place on the 8th of May, 1877, at Luton. The Rev. John Dickenson subse- quently held the office, but resigned about three years ago, and the vacancy has not yet been filled. The chapel is a neat brick edifice, and is entered by a flight of ten steps, and a small vestibule with two entrances to the body of the chapel. On one side of the vestibule is a vestry, and on the other a staircase leading to the gallery. In May, 1885, re-opening services were held in connection with the renovation of the chapel. The edifice had been closed some weeks, during which it had been painted; a new organ put in by Messrs. Wordsworth and Maskell, of Leeds; and and a new and improved system of gas lighting introduced. The specifications of the organ are as follows :— GREAT ORGAN C.C. To G. Open Diapason... ... ... ... ... 8ft. | Wald Flute.:.>” \n een Open Diapason... ... 9... ... .. 8ft. | Principal 1...) 2) Stopped Diapason ...-... ... «. 8ft. | Twelfth —... (yas eee ee Gamba ok. ane nee vee SEE. | Fifteenthe ..- 0.0 eee Dulciana .., ... 4. .. .. «. Sit. | Cremonag® 22>). ee nen SWELL ORGAN C.C. To G. Lieblich Bourdon ... ..°... ...16ft | Principal’ <7.” Glaeser Open Diapason... ... ... «. «. Sft. | Fifteenth ...” (2) pugs Lieblich Gedact ... «... «4. as. Oft,'| Mixture (.5 Se Keraulophon .:. .... ... « | .. Sf,.) Cormopean 2. 2) iets Vox Celeste ... 0... acs wee eee SFG. | Oboe...) 5. PEDAL OrGAN C.C.C. To F. Open Diapason... «=... ...0.. 4,16f6. | Soft Bags. Bourdon 307° snc SE eee tore CouUPLERS. Great to Pedals. Swell to Great Octave. Swell to Pedals. Pedal Octave. Swell to Great. The instrument possesses great power, and is also very sweet in the soft stops. The front is of selected pitch pine, French polished, and is sur- mounted with highly-illuminated speaking pipes, in front of which is . TadVHD LNAGNAdAGNI'NOIZ 4O YOINZLNI NOQONO1 °9 ¥ 3NOVYdS ‘OCLOHd-YN] Seen Ee G8 > THE MANOR HOUSE. 205 some well-executed ironwork, made by Mr. Dougill, of Great George Street, Leeds. Mr. H. J. Dodgshun, architect, East Parade, Leeds, designed the case. The accommodation in the chapel is for 600 per- sons, and the cost of erection was £1,000. Returning into Queen Street, a few steps bring us to the Old Manor House, standing back from the street a few yards. No more interesting building is left to us, whether we consider its connection with the former lords of Morley, or with men of eminence of more recent date. ‘The Rev. R. Balgarnie, in his Life of Sir Titus Salt, says of this house :— It is well designated ‘‘ old,” for it was built about three hundred years ago, and was evidently not ‘built to sell,” but to last. The walls are in some places three feet thick ; the roof is low, and covered with slabs instead of slates. In front the ivy throws its green mantle over the old walls ; behind a contemporary South View of Manor House, pear tree stands, still bringing forth ‘‘ fruit in its season” (?) If a “ Manor” was _ attached to the house in olden times it is not so now, for it is surrounded by dwelling-houses and warehouses. ‘The old house has been subject to various changes, both within and without, since Titus Salt lived init. When he after- wards paid a visit to it with his children, he could hardly identify the old place. The front entrance had been removed to the south end. Old windows had been built up and new ones made. ‘The rooms on the ground floor, which were originally about six feet high, had been sunk a couple of feet, and were now entered by steps downwards. ‘The room where Daniel Salt, the father, kept his drysalting stores, was transformed into a drawing room. The kitchen with its stone flags ; the ceiling with its bare wooden beams where the oatcakes were sus- pended to harden, and the hams to dry ; the wide stone staircase leading to the floor above; many of these remained much the same, but all other marks of identity were effaced. Of the house in ancient times we know but little, except that in 1663 it was in the occupation of Captain Thomas Oates, the Farnley Wood Plotter and schoolmaster. In 1800 the house was in the occupa- Manor House, ee ee EE SIR TITUS SALT, BART. 207 tion of Isaac Smithies, a local worthy, who took a prominent part in township affairs, and was in a thriving way of business as a drysalter. When he died in the beginning of the present century, he left no one to carry on his business, which ultimately came into the hands of Daniel Salt, who had married, in 1802, Grace, the daughter of Mr. Smithies, Mr. Salt was living in Hunslet previous to his marriage, and carried on an ironfounding trade; and after his removal to the Manor House he kept on for some time the business at Hunslet and also that at Morley. Ina while the former was abandoned, and Mr. Salt was after- wards known as “Daniel Salt, white cloth merchant and drysalter.” He was a man of strong individuality—a plain, blunt Yorkshireman in manner andspeech. He was tall in size, strong in bone and muscle, and had an impediment in his speech. § He was industrious and energetic in business, and his sayings, quaint and original, were long remembered after their author had passed away. Titus Salt, the son of Daniel, was born at the Manor House on the 20th of September, 1803. He was the first of a large family, all of whom are gone. When at a proper age, Titus was sent to a dame school, kept by Mrs. Nicholls, and afterwards went to one of the day schools, probably the one kept by Mr. Trenholme, in the Town’s School, Troy Hill. At nine years of age he was transferred to the Batley Grammar School, then taught by the Rev. J. Sedgwick, curate of the Parish Church. After attending this school for twelve months he left, on account of the removal of his father from Morley to Crofton, near Wakefield. When seventeen years of age, Titus was placed with Mr. Jackson, of Wakefield, to learn the woolstapling busi- ness ; but in 1822 he accompanied his parents to Bradford, and again followed the woolstapling until he jomed his father in that business, and the firm was known as ‘‘Daniel Salt and Son.” The connection lasted until 1833, when the father retired, and left the business to his son. At this time the firm had commenced to deal in Donskoi wool, which was imported from Russia and largely used in the woollen manufacture ; and Mr. Salt determined to ascertain if the wool could not be used with equal advantage in the worsted business. He endeavoured to overcome the prejudices of the customers of the firm, who objected to use the new material, and, being unsuccessful, he Arms of Salt, 208 MORLEY: ANCIENT AND MODERN. commenced the manufacture on his own account with great success. The goods produced were such as to convince the most sceptical of the commercial value of the wool, and in a few months Mr. Salt had three mills fully employed in the manufacture, and a new staple was thus in- troduced into the Bradford trade. He married about this time, and settled down in a home near to his parents; and the father was full of pride at the remarkable success of his son, and spoke of “ Our Titus” with affectionate familiarity. — The next discovery made by Mr. Salt was that of the alpaca, as a fibre calculated to be of great service in his trade. This material came under his notice in 1836, in Liverpool, and the story of its purchase has been amusingly narrated in Household Words. When he had pur- chased the alpaca wool, he had no machinery adapted for manufacturmg it into dress goods; but, nothing daunted, he purchased what was necessary, and in the course of a few months he had the satisfaction of seeing, as a result of his labours, that beautiful fabric which is now worn by rich and poor in all parts of the civilised world. And whilst Mr. Salt himself profited largely by his venture, the Bradford trade received a stimulus which found employment for thousands of work- people. In the month of November, 1848, Mr. Salt was elected Mayor of Bradford; in November, 1850, he formed the plan of Saltaire; and on the 20th of September, 1853, the inauguration of the works in that town took place, the occasion being also his fiftieth birthday. In 1859, Mr. Salt was elected M.P. for Bradford, in the Liberal interest, but in 1861 the state of his health compelled him to resign the seat. He was at this time residing at Methley Park, from whence he dispensed his wealth with no niggardly hand, giving large sums to various charitable objects, notably £5,000 to the Sailors’ Orphanage, Hull; £5,000 to the Bi-centenary Memorial ; £2,500 to the South Cliff Church, Scarborough, etc., etc. In 1867, he was honoured by being made a Chevalier of the Legion of Honour of France; and in 1869 a baronetcy was conferred upon him by Her Majesty, through Mr. Glad- stone. His gifts were still bestowed with no slackness, for at this time we find him giving a donation of £5,000 to the Northern Counties Lunatic Asylum, and a similar amount to the Bradford Infirmary. In 1871, he presented to the town the beautiful Park, which serves as a recreation ground for his workpeople and large numbers of visitors ; and one of his latest benefactions was the sum of £11,000, to provide two scholarships for boys, of £120 each, at the Bradford Grammar School, and two, of £100 each, available for girls. In August, 1874, a marble statue of Sir Titus was erected near the Town Hall, Bradford, at a cost of £3,000. On the 29th of December, 1876, Sir Titus passed away to his rest ; and on the 5th of January, 1877, the funeral took place, which, it is said, was attended by more than a hundred thousand persons ; and it was remarked that ‘ it seemed as if the entire population of Bradford, Shipley, and Saltaire had assembled as mourners.” “"S3NO0LS IVYLNA9Q SALBIOOS JAILVEId0-09 IWINLSNAGN] AaTYOW $1004 ONIHSINUNA ~ SNOISIAOUA 9ANI9 HTD HY i i WH) mM Hi | , | i H CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETY. 209 Sir Titus was to literature and literary men ever a steadfast friend ; indeed, his help was ever ready to encourage whatever was good and useful. In all his acts, public and private, it was manifest that neither the accumulation of wealth nor the desire of worldly posi- tion was the actuating motive in his character. He ever manifested a deep interest in the town in which he was born, and his sympathy and help were cheerfully rendered when an appeal was made to him on behalf of the religious or the literary institutions of Morley. Behind the Manor House, in Albion Street, are the barracks belonging to the Salvation Army. The building is of wood, and will accommodate about 500 persons. This body have had an existence in Morley for about four years. Opposite the Salvation Army barracks are the extensive stores of the Morley Industrial Co-operative Society. During the last twenty years Morley has borne a conspicuous part in furthering the Co-opera- tive movement, and in the future the efforts in this direction will form an important factor in any history of the place. Thirty years ago, a few earnest working men, principally total abstainers, rented a shop in the Hungerhill, and, for their mutual benefit, carried on the trade of butchers, and for some time with a fair measure of success; but, ulti- mately, the venture had to be abandoned, the members having had to encounter many difficulties arising from popular prejudice and from dis- honest servants. Several attempts of a co-operative nature were made at subsequent periods, but each had to succumb to the ignorance and prejudice of the class for whose especial benefit the efforts had been put forth. In 1866, another and a more successful attempt to improve their social position was made by a number of working men. A meeting was held in the Town’s School, and a Society was formed, consisting of forty-five members, with a subscribed capital to the amount of £35. Commencing with the butchering business, they soon began to realise a profit, which furnished the promoters with a practical argument in favour of their venture, and a desire to enlarge the sphere of their operations. A grocery business was commenced in a shop in Bruns- wick Street, and, at the end of the year 1866, the Committee issued their first half-yearly report and balance-sheet. Init they stated that they had 174 members enrolled, with a capital of £84 3s. 6d., interest £4, and loans to the amount of £10. The profits amounted to £41 19s. The business continued steadily to grow, and other working men became alive to the advantages of trading’ with the Society. In 1870 the first portion of the present handsome and extensive stores was built and opened for business. The share and loan capital of the Society amounted in December, 1885, to £31,205; the number of mem- bers at the same time was 3,354. The profit for the twelve months ending December 31st was £9,499, the actual cash sales during the year amounting to £75,444. The Society has branches at Bruntcliffe, Ardsley, Tingley, Gildersome, and, in Morley, in Great Northern Street, O 210 MORLEY: ANCIENT AND MODERN. High Street, and Church Street. The Society possesses a news and reading room, well supplied with newspapers and magazines; a circu- lating library, with upwards of one thousand volumes, both free to members ; and two lecture rooms, the smaller one to accommodate 200 persons, and the large room capable of seating 600 persons. A little beyond the stores, in Commercial Street, is the Old Par- sonage, to which reference will be made hereafter; and in close proximity is the Zoar Particular Baptist Chapel. The principles of this section of the religious community were occasionally preached in Morley previous to 1870, but it was in that year when a preaching room was expressly set apart for the use of this body of Christians. The room had been used for manufacturing purposes, but was painted and renovated, and opened in June, 1870, by Mr. J. Thornton, of: Accrington. At the end of three years more room was required, and a site was obtained in Commercial Street, on which was erected a neat structure of stone. The corner stone was laid on the 4th of March, 1873. The chapel, which is small, has underneath it a residence for the chapel keeper. A stone panel, inscribed, ‘‘ Zoar Particular Baptists, 1873,” is inserted in the entrance gable, which is pierced by two win- dows on each side of the building. The interior is well lighted and tastefully furnished. |The chapel was opened on Sunday, July 27th, 1873, when three sermons were preached by Mr. T. Walsh and Mr. Mogson. Behind the chapel is the “Gospel Hall,” a building erected about five years ago, for ‘‘the promotion of Scriptural Holiness.” The edifice is a substantially-built stone structure, is well lighted, and is fitted up with much taste. | Passing along Little Lane, we re-enter Queen Street, and find ourselves at the Local Board Offices, the seat of our local Parliament. Previous to the year 1862, the supervision of the highways, as well as other responsible duties connected with the general management of the town’s business, were conducted by surveyors, overseers, assistant overseers, guardians, etc.; but the sanitary condition of the town being found to be very defective, and the general management of affairs in an unsatisfactory condition, the townspeople elected a Board, under the Local Government Act. This was not accomplished without much opposition, for at an uproarious parish meeting, held on the 7th day of February, 1862, it was proposed ‘That the Public Health Act be adopted ;” but the proposal was rejected, only sixteen hands bein held up in its favour. Nothing daunted, the friends of the Act de- manded a poll, and worked so hard to achieve success that at the close of the poll the number of votes in favour of the Act was 633, whilst against it there were 480, leaving a majority in favour of its adoption of 153. At the election of the first Board, great efforts were made by the opponents of a Board to return men pledged to a standstill policy, but in this they were defeated. The successful candidates, all in favour of the Act, were:—Messrs. Daniel Hinchcliff, Andrew Cowburn, CHARTER OF INCORPORATION, 211 Samuel Scatcherd, Joseph Webster, N. Dixon, Edward Jackson, Joseph Rhodes, Joshua Asquith, Thomas Garnett, William Dixon, Thomas Watson, and Joseph A. Haigh. Mr. Nathaniel Dixon was appointed chairman, and Mr. T. A. Watson clerk. During the twenty-four years the Local Board has been in exist- ence, there has been spent in drainage, sewerage, street improvements, and other works of a public character, upwards of £32,000, and for private works of drainage, paving, and flagging, the sum of £14,152. The initiatory step which led to a direct application for a Charter of Incorporation, was taken at a meeting held in 1884, when it was resolved that in order to secure better police supervision, and other ~ reforms in local government, the Local Board should be invited to make application to the Privy Council for a Charter. The next step was taken on Dec. 13th, 1884, when voting papers were delivered to every ratepayer, and the result of the voting was as follows :—For Incorpora- tion, 1,689 ; against, 207 ; neutral, 61. The rateable value represented by the votes was—In favour of Incorporation, £20,531 ; against, £7,483 ; neutral, £744. Application was now made to the Privy Council, and on the 24th of July, 1885, the Hon. T. W. Pelham, barrister-at-law, attended at the Local Board Offices and took evidence in reference to the petition. The inquiry was largely attended, and the evidence given most encouraging to the promoters, whilst only one ratepayer was present to oppose the application. The Charter was granted at a Privy Council, held at Windsor, on the 12th day of December, 1885; and, on the decision being telegraphed to Morley, on the 14th of December, a demonstration took place, when a torchlight procession, headed by the Brass Band, paraded the streets, and an outdoor meeting was held in the square in front of the Market lace. It is but a fitting tribute to our excellent town clerk, R. B. Hopkins, Esq., solicitor, to state that the success of the movement was largely owing to the zeal and industry displayed by him on the occasion. The Charter, dated December 31st, 1885, was received in Morley on January 5th, 1886. The corporate body was to consist of a mayor, six aldermen, and eighteen councillors. The qualification for the office of councillor was to be the possession of property to the amount of £500 or a rating of £15 per annum, not being a parson, but being a resident householder within seven miles of the borough, and occupying . house, warehouse, counting-house, or shop, within the borough. The qualification of a voter was to consist in the fact of his occupying a ‘‘ house, warehouse, or shop,” and of his being an “ inhabitant householder.” EH Tindal Atkinson, Esq., barrister-at-law, revised the first burgess list, which comprised 2,726 names, viz. :—South Ward, 884; North Ward, 857 ; Central Ward, 985. 212 MORLEY: ANCIENT AND MODERN. Mr. Thomas Clough, who was named in the Charter as returning officer, officiated in tbat capacity at the first election of the Town Council, and the following is a list of the gentlemen returned, viz.:— South Ward.—Messrs. James Barker, Tom Barron, Benjamin Hirst, David Pawson, Edward Fletcher Scholes, and J ohn Henry Smith. North Ward.—Messrs. William Holton, Charles Scarth, Oliver Scatcherd, John Wilson, Matthew Riley, and Samuel Rhodes. Central Ward.—Messrs. John Clegg, George Johnson, William Sunderland Rhodes, Samuel Stockdale, John Hartley, and Henry Barker. The first meeting of the Council was held on the ninth day of April, 1886, when the following gentlemen were elected as Aldermen of the borough, Viz. :— South Ward.—Messrs. John Dixon and Thomas Clough. North Ward.—Messrs. John Hill and Edward Stockwell. Central Ward.—Messrs. Joseph Schofield and David Thackray. Mr. Hopkins, solicitor, was appointed Town Clerk, an office for which he possessed considerable aptitude, and to the possession of which he had established a claim by the valuable services rendered by him in the endeavour to obtain a Charter of Incorporation. Only one gentleman was proposed for the office of Mayor, viz., Mr. Joseph Schofield, Windsor House, and he was unanimously elected. Mr. Schofield is a self-made man, a native of the borough, and was engaged for many years in the staple trade of the district, but retired from business in 1876, and has, since that time, taken great interest in township affairs. He has served the ratepayers as a member of the Local Board for twenty years, and as a Guardian of the Poor for three years. It was determined that the Committees of the Council should com- prise Finance, Waterworks, Building Clauses and Lighting, Highway, Street and Sewerage, Sanitary, and General Purposes; and that each Committee should include two Aldermen and nine Councillors. ] Noodbur OF MORLEY. CHAPTER XI. ST. MARY’S IN THE WOOD—NOTICE IN DOMESDAY BooK—THE CHAPEL OF ST. NICHOLAS—THE NORMAN CHURCH—THE ‘QUEER END”—SAXON CROSS—ANCIENT SCROLLS ON THE WALLS—COPIES OF INSCRIPTIONS—THE NEW CONGREGA- TIONAL CHURCH. .\i Y | ETURNING into Commercial Street, and leaving the Gas TRAY Company’s offices on our left, we reach the gateway which gives entrance to the graveyard of St. Mary’s in the Wood; and in writing of this church it is not our intention to go over the ground which has already been traversed in the published histories of our borough. We shall only use the existing narratives sufficiently to give cohesion to the additional information which we wish to convey regarding the Registers of St. Mary’s, and other matters which have not as yet received much attention. When the first church was erected on the site of the St. Mary’s of to-day, who were the founders, or what were the peculiar views held by those who first planted a place of worship on the summit of Troy Hill, it is difficult to determine, for the exact date of its foundation is not known. In all probability some devout recluse first erected a small baptistery and altar on the site, after the primitive custom of those days, when churches were hard to raise, and persecution frequently drove the Christians of Ancient Britain to seek a refuge among the mountains or forest solitudes, and in ‘‘ dens and caves of the earth.” The site being in the thickest part of a densely-wooded portion of the district would seem to favour this idea ; and after a while we can well imagine that a small church would be erected, as was usually the case in those times of fervent faith, for the use of the pious 214 MORLEY: ANCIENT AND MODERN. who resorted to the hermitage of the saint ; and we have no hesitation in hazarding our belief that the present structure occupies the site of some such oratory, although, by reason of innumerable changes since that time, no traces of that early building are discoverable. It is not unlikely that on this hill the Druid priests, amidst the incantations of their mysterious circles, invoked the patriotism of courageous barbarism in defence of their altars and their homes. Here, on this very spot, probably, in the primitive days of superstitious ignorance, our forefathers offered worship, like that of ancient Athens, to the ‘unknown God.” Though we have no positive proofs of the existence of a building for worship until A.p. 1086, when a church is mentioned in Domesday, we have every reason to believe that a place for worship stood on the site of St. Mary’s in the days of the Saxon Heptarchy. PARSONS, in his History cf Leeds, speaking of Rothwell, says that it was a place of importance in the times of the Saxons is demonstrated by the fact that it became a parish separated from the original one at Morley. BATTY, in his History of Rothwell, says that “Morley, which had the first church, was of this kind (of wood), and in Anglo-Saxon times served as the parish for the whole district. Rothwell eventually became separated from Morley and had a parish church of itsown.” It is more than probable that there has been a succession of ecclesiastical edifices on this spot from the time of St. Dunstan, the famous minister of the powerful Saxon King Edgar—a time in comparison with which the murder of the Princes in the Tower, the martyrdom of Ridley and Latimer, and Cranmer and Hooper, and the incidents of the Common- wealth, are recent events. We sometimes try to picture what the earliest church which stood on the site of St. Mary’s would be like. If not in the times of the Heptarchy, at least very soon after, it would be that the Saxons cleared a small space in the forest and erected a modest house of prayer ; for no doubt one of their first thoughts would be, after having effected a settlement on the land, to erect some place which they might set apart for the worship of God. Of one thing we may be certain, that this primitive erection would be no grand stone edifice with towers, spires, and arches; with buttresses, pinnacles, and other architectural adornments. They were not masters in architecture. The forest by which the site of the church was surrounded would furnish the rough logs which constituted their building material, and no doubt the size of the church would be the sole feature distinguishing it from the huts in which the Morleyites of that day lived. This Saxon church, like hundreds of others in the country, being of wood, was doubtless destroyed in the wholesale devastation of this part of England by William the Conqueror. As we have endeavoured to picture the church of these early times, we may be excused if we try also to realise the aspect of the neighbourhood around it, for the scenery embraced in a view of the ST, MARY’S IN THE WOOD. 215 landscape was widely different from that which its present prospect comprehends. Where now the London and North-Western Railway passes through the vale below the Common, awakening the echoes with the shrieking whistle, until the iron monster has fairly entered the darkness of the tunnel, which pierces the earth for nearly two miles ; where coal mines and manufactories are in full work; and where the homes of the people may be counted by the hundred,—then, the glossy coat of the antlered deer, as it flashed across the glade to thicker covert, or frisked on the declivities, was the chief moving attraction that arrested the eye. Where, now, the tall chimney and the lurid flames of the brick-kilns send forth their dense volumes of smoke, the forester’s fire, as it consumed the brushwood of the previous winter, sent up into the clear air of spring its gauzy wreaths of thin blue vapour. And, instead of a landscape stretching from St. Mary’s to Middleton Wood, and up to Dunningley, and along the Rods to the Townend, dotted with farms and manufactories, collieries and iron- works, and marked with long rows of substantial dwellings, their vicinity alive with the hum of youthful voices just returning from school, or the merry, ringing laughter of mill girls, relieved from their daily toil, a very few solitary homesteads, buried in the woods, were all that gave signs of human habitation. In what would no doubt be a quiet and pleasant spot in the wood (which, we are told, was one mile long and one mile broad), overlooking the valley, was erected a house or chapel for the purpose of religious worship. By whom founded, however, and by whom first used, no records, we believe, exist to determine. In writing of the various churches or chapels which have occupied the honoured site on Troy Hill for so many centuries, we may fairly admit that their history, for nearly all these ages, has been the history of the village itself; and we cheerfully grant that “an old parish church, weather beaten with the storms of centuries, is always an interesting and, locally, an important building, even when, as is some- times the case, it has not been associated with great events in history.” But when, asin the case of St. Mary’s and its predecessors, the most important of the facts of our local history have gathered around and are interwoven with the life of the sacred edifice, it is then that with a pardonable pride we take pleasure in recounting some passages in the records of its eventful past. After the Normans had come and dispossessed the Saxons, then a stone building, with more of architectural adornment, would supplant the old wooden church. When the Old Chapel was pulled down in 1875, to make way for the St. Mary’s of to-day, there were found, embedded in the foundations, portions of two Norman arches and the keystone of one of them. The Norman decorations on these stones are similar to those which have been found in several other churches in Yorkshire. These stones are unerring evidences of a Norman church having existed at Morley soon after the Conquest. This Norman SARS: MORLEY: ANCIENT AND MODERN. church, in our opinion, would be, architecturally, very much superior to the St. Mary’s of our early days. In those far off times, it was customary to employ the most strenuous energies that could be ex- pended, in order to make the parish church, in structure and design, the pest building in the place. Whilst we admit the existence of a Saxon church in 1086, we must bear in mind that shortly after the Conquest the Morley church was made a dependent chapel, and was conveyed as such to Nostel by the gift of the then parent church of Batley. After this time we believe that the chapel at Morley declined, and probably scon feil into decay, for there remains a notice which goes very far indeed to prove that no such building existed here, even when Henry III. ascended the throne in 1216. Some parts of the manor of Morley had been given to the priory of St. Oswald, of Nostel, by Ralph de Insula and William his son, and also by Robert Beeston. Both these families were mag- nates in the Norman period, and both were immense possessors of land in Morley for a considerable space of time. There is an account of Morley in the Harleian MSS., 797, which shews the connection of these families therewith, and for a full account of which we must refer our readers to SMITH’S History of Morley, page 128. In folio 85 of the Nostel Coucher we find a notice respecting the CHAPEL OF ST. NICHOLAS of Morley, wherein we are told that ‘‘ John the prior and Convent of St. Oswald, of Nostel, grant to Nicholas de Rotherfield and Euphemia his wife, and to their heirs, a license that they may have for ever a Chaplain in the Chapel of St. Nicholas of Morley, celebrating every day divine offices at their salary, and the aforesaid Nicholas and Euphemia for this grant have given unto us one oxgang of land in Morley.” ‘This, then, in all probability, is the origin of the Old Chapel of Morley whose chancel is said to have been ‘‘ apparently of higher antiquity than even Edward II.’s reign.” This Church of St. Nicholas, in all likelihood, remained in existence until the fourteenth century, when, as history informs us, a large division of the Scottish army, after ravaging the country far and wide, laying waste all the towns and villages from Carlisle to York, came to spend the winter in our ancient town, and in return for our hospitality it is thought that they destroyed both the town and some portion if not allof the church. That the church was destroyed by the Scots is assured in a great measure by the discovery in 1875 of wall stones in the chancel end of the chapel, which had all the appearances of having been subjected to great heat. And to the chancel end of St. Mary’s of ten years ago we must look for the link which connected us with the times of the St. Nicholas Church of the fourteenth century. What scenes these old walls had witnessed! They had stood through the times of the Norman feudal lords, when men were treated as so many cattle. Here pious worshippers would come to the Romish mass, for within the chancel there was a singularly formed projecting stone, evidently of Catholic origin, intended, as some think, to contain holy water, or, as ST, MARY’S IN THE WOOD. VA of others surmise, to support a crucifix. This insignificant building, as it would doubtless be, was, after all, one of the monuments of the ancient British Church—valueless, perhaps, in itself, for any architectural _ beauty, but of no small importance as a proof and tangible illustration of early ecclesiastical history. There is perhaps no more safe criterion, under ordinary circum- stances, of the state of religion in any country, than the condition of those primitive edifices which were solemnly dedicated by the free will offerings and prayers of our forefathers exclusively to the service of God. The Norman church of St. Mary, judging from what is left of it to our day, was perhaps as good in its architecture as many of its contemporaries ; but at that remote period few churches in England were costly, for, as was the case at Morley, they were built in times when wealth did not abound. The Morleyites of the 14th century were poor, and yet of one thing we may be certain, that in this matter of church building they ‘“ did what they could ;’ and mean and simple as the *‘ queer end” of the Old Chapel might look to us in this day of commercial affluence and ostentatious rivalry in school and chapel building, yet we have no doubt that the St. Mary’s of the 14th century was the best and not the meanest structure in the town, and that in the arched and carved doorways and windows there was something of a distinctive character which would remind men that there was a differ- ence, and ought to be a difference, between their ordinary habitations and the house of the “ King of Kings.” There is one feature connected with these ancient churches which was highly commendable. We are told on reliable authority that in those primitive times the men who had zeal enough to build these sanctuaries were impelled by the same Christian influences to frequent them, and not to desert them, however difficult of access they might be, or however inconveniently they might be placed. We cannot but feel a real pride in the fact that on this hill top there arose, so many centuries ago, a witness of the truth, which has lived on through suc- ceeding ages, and that there is still on that honoured site a place for worship, where thousands who have not yet entered upon their mortal life may have occasion to rejoice over its existence. We cannot at this point take leave of the Old Chapel, the one with the ‘queer end,” as it was called, without saying, in passing, that however pleasant it may be to see new churches and chapels springing up around us—however grateful to the eye may be the new and noble building which we call St. Mary’s Congregational Church— it was to us areal grief to see the old place demolished. To see a building reared long ages ago by our Norman forefathers, and in which they and many succeeding generations had successively worshipped— in which, tens upon tens of generations had received baptismal, nuptial, and sepulchral rites, and with which every event of importance in Morley was connected—to see this ancient monument pulled down and destroyed was a source of regret to us, as it was to many others, who had a taste for that which is aged and venerable. 215 MORLEY: ANCIENT AND MODERN. Another evidence of the antiquity of St. Mary’s as a place for worship is to be found in the pedestal of what has undoubtedly been a Saxon cross, which may yet be seen on the south side of the Chapel. SCATCHERD tells us that the old people of his day assured him that it was formerly a sun-dial, but this account is hardly tenable, seeing that when the foundations of the New Chapel were dug out, in 1875, a stone dial was found, which had evidently done good service in past ages, but had most certainly a position in the exterior walls of the Chapel, and not upon the shaft of this cross. SCATCHERD endeavours, in ten pages of his gossiping History, to prove by analogy and in other ways that an ancient churchyard cross once appeared upon the base of this column. We agree in the main with his reasoning, and would wh al ll I, Morley Old Chapel, a. pb. 1830, further add that it is on record that ‘ with the advent of Christianity the whole field of mystic symbolism shone out with another light, the cross partaking with the rest of emblematic devices in the great change. We find Christian crosses everywhere. They were erected at the heads of graves before A.D. 450; and before 1050 every churchyard had its central cross to impress the sacredness of the spot.” Other writers in- form us that the cross originally marked out the hallowed spots where Christianity was first preached to our forefathers, and near to which the church was usually erected. From the like sources we learn that these crosses were in many cases removed from our churchyards at the time of the Reformation, or were afterwards destroyed or defaced by the Puritans in their great zeal for uprooting everything good or bad which, as they thought, savoured of Romanism. STONE, in his “ God’s ANCIENT INSCRIPTIONS. 219- Acre,” informs us that ‘one especial symbol of the consecration of a churchyard was the erection of a cross, to remind us of the benefits vouchsafed to us by the cross of Christ.” At the present day in Corn- wall almost every churchyard has one at least on the south side of the church, usually raised on a mound or step similar to that in St. Mary’s graveyard. Returning to the St. Mary’s of fifty years ago, we shall now pro- ceed to speak of its appearance as we remember it at that tine. The chancel, or east end, was the oldest part, and was built in the thirteenth century; but some portion of that erection itis supposed was destroyed by fire about the year A.D. 1322, when the village and church were set fire to by the ravaging Scots. The materials of this chancel were nothing more than cobble stones which had never been coursed or even tooled with the pickaxe ; the rafters of the roof were placed on corbels or projections of stone. The nave or body of the chapel, while it lacked the age of the chancel portion, had many interesting tales to tell. The removal of the plaster, in 1865, revealed to view many carved stones of a zigzag pattern, set in courses, and mostly in the south wall, probably a portion of the Church of St. Nicholas. As nearly as can be ascertained, some portions of the nave were erected about the year 1560, and it was for some time used as the tithe barn for the lord of the manor. When the tithes began to be compounded for, it became useless for that purpose, and was, no doubt, converted into a place of worship about the time of James or Charles I. It was, however, soon after the times of the Commonwealth that its greatest improvement took place. SCATCHERD says that this is accounted for by ‘“ the discovery made in 1825 of several ancient scrolls on the walls of the chapel, whose inscriptions indicate with unerring certainty the time when they were written.” These inscriptions were as follows :— fily gon, fear thou the DLord and the Hing, and meddle not with them that are given to change. Blessed are the peace-makers, for they shall be called the children of @ovd. Lemember now thy Creator tn the days of thy vouth, while the cbil Days come not, nor the years Draw nigh, when thou shalt say, J Habe no pleasure in them. He hath shelwcd thee, @ man, what ig good and what doth the Lord require of thee but to Vo justice, to lobe mercy, and walk humbly {ith thy God. Lord, k habe lobed the Habitation of thy House, and the place where thine Honour divelleth. Near to the one we have first-named, was the Royal Coat of Arms, with the letters ‘“‘C.R.” on each side of the crown, and also above the lion’s head, and the date 1664 underneath the whole. Near to the last- named text, was once the Lord’s Prayer; and on the other side of the 220 MORLEY: ANCIENT AND MODERN. King’s Arms it was discovered that there had formerly been the Apostles’ Creed ; and over the whole there had once been the Command- ments. At that time it was common to affix upon walls, passages from Scripture calculated to keep up a feeling of loyalty, and to inculcate a spirit of submission to the restored dynasty. STOWE, in his Chronicles, thus explains the origin of this custom :—‘ The practice of pulling down images and crucifixes began in the reign of Edward VI., and, as these symptoms of a defunct religion disappeared, the walls of the churches became decorated with inscriptions, consisting of appropriate passages of Scripture.” SCATCHERD, in his History, gives itas his opinion that the inscriptions in the Old Chapel were levelled at Major Greathead, Captain Oates, and all those who had been privy to the Farnley Wood Plot in the year 1663, and also as a rebuke to the Republicans through- out the land. We must here take exception to Scatcherd’s theory as to the time when the inscriptions to which he refers were put up in the Chapel, unless, indeed, these were but copies of some which had been in another part of the edifice. On pulling down the Chapel, in 1875, it was proved beyond doubt that the walls on which several of these texts were found were not built before 1710, or fifty years later than the period assigned to them by SCATCHERD. This was gathered from the discovery, on the north side of the Chapel and within it, of a number of gravestones evidently put over graves that were enclosed when the enlargement of the Chapel by two side aisles took place. Four of these slabs had upon them brass plates with inscriptions dating from 1691 to 1704. With respect to the inscriptions on the scrolls, we believe that they were reproductions of others that were put up soon after the times of the Commonwealth. In the first instance, St. Mary’s could not have been of very exten- sive dimensions, but the addition of the nave, and other alterations as the population increased, rendered it, when we attended the services fifty years ago, acommodious place, though by no means an ornamental one. From outward evidences we could see that it had been built at three or four different periods. First, the chancel end, in the thirteenth century, or perhaps after the destruction by fire of St. Nicholas Church in the early part of the fourteenth century. Then the nave, in the sixteenth century; and the gallery or ‘‘cock-loft,” in the latter part of the seventeenth century. There were no “long-drawn aisles,” no ‘‘ storied urn” or “animated bust,” but only the humble simplicity of a pure and unadulterated taste, mingled with the gloomy solemnity which, to some minds, befits the Temple of the living God. When we made our first acquaintance with the Chapel, it was one of the most cold, cheerless, gloomy, irregularly-pewed places of worship we have ever seen. ‘There were no means of warming the place in winter, and the high-backed black oaken pews were as cold to the touch as an iceberg. As to the pewing, it seemed as if after the work had com- menced every person who chose had formed a pew after his own taste, ST, MARY’S IN THE WOOD. 224 and to suit his own size, height, shape, and position in society, The pew of the squire, close to the pulpit, but raised two steps above the level of the body of the Chapel, was to all intents and purposes framed after the model of the four-post bedstead, and was a most gloomy structure. Like many others in the place, it was lined with faded green serge and hung round with curtains, so as to completely hide the occupants from the gaze of the congregation. In the winter days, we were delighted when the service was over ; when pattens began to clatter, and we could hasten to a place where the chills of the physical and spiritual atmospheres could both be averted. A singular feature of worship was presented when the con- gregation, on rising to sing the hymns, turned round in their pews, Morley Old Chapel, A.D. 1870. and, facing the organ and choir gallery, turned their backs upon the minister. The nave of the Chapel, even after the improvements to which we have referred, was anything but a comfortable or respectable looking place of worship. At this timeit was a separate building, the chancel being used as aschool and vestry, and it was not till 1688 that the nave of the chapel was underdrawn and the chancel thrown into the main body of the edifice. From this time, until 1865, the appearance of the Chapel was only altered as occasional circumstances required, and these altera- tions were of minor importance, such as the addition of a gallery and the erection of an organ. These alterations were made about ninety years ago. When the old clock was put up we cannot say, but 222 MORLEY : ANCIENT AND MODERN. its ponderous mechanism proved it to be of a very early date. As we entered the porch which gave admittance to the side aisles and organ gallery of the Chapel, we could not fail to notice the pendulum solemnly and mysteriously moving from side to side, with a loud head- piercing tick or tack at each vibration. We have no doubt that the clock was first placed in its conspicuous position, at the west end of the Chapel, to supply a want which had long been felt in the village. This piece of mechanism, though of great service as the parochial time keeper, was, in one respect, an intolerable nuisance. The works, in- cluding the bell, were placed over the singers’ gallery, and when giving warning to strike the hour, it was sure to call the attention of the con- gregation, more especially any strangers, to its noisy performance. ‘The bell on which the hour was struck is dated 1683, and the motto, ‘Soli Deo Gloria”-——Glory to God alone—shows that when cast it was intended for the service of the sanctuary. Of the source from whence it came we have no authentic record. Tradition says, it once served an useful purpose at Kirkstall Abbey, from whence it was transferred to Morley. We have now briefly recapitulated the principal points in the history of the Old Chapel, where generations of our fathers were baptized and buried. We have traced its history from its earliest stage, when it was but a rude wooden erection, until it had become what is erroneously called in our day a “‘restored place of worship ” of commodious proportions, and, finally, after arriving at a good old age, we saw it die, and be amongst the things that were. So passed away this ancient relic, some portions of it having survived through five centuries of English history ; and | men had no doubt on many occasions during that long period hurried to pray there when in deadly peril from the blackdeath, or plague, or small-pox ; the Roman ritual, the Reformed liturgy, and Puritan prayers and sermons, had sounded within its walls. The work of destruction commenced in 1875, and that and the two following years were occupied in the erection of the present beautiful structure. The building of the new St Mary’s extended several feet in every direction beyond the limits of the Old Chapel, thus cutting through many graves, and in some cases—as at the east end, where a large depth of soil had to be removed to form the chancel—removing whole bodies from their graves one after the other. These remains were mostly buried in one deep grave, without “one frail memorial” erected to mark where their disturbed ashes repose. Many of the grave-stones were removed to other parts of the grave-yard, and future historians must not read too literally the headings, ‘“‘ Here rest the remains of ——” or, ‘‘ Here lyeth ”——for such is not really the fact. The new church is one hundred feet long by forty-five feet wide, consisting of nave, side aisles, and transept, and will accommodate 850 persons. The walls are of Northowram stone, with ashlar dressings. At the west end a nicely-proportioned tower rises to a height of one hundred and forty feet. Ata height of seventy feet an elegant clock, gational Church, e Mary’s Congr St 224 MORLEY: ANCIENT AND MODERN. with four dials, has been fixed, which can be seen for a considerable distance. Entrances are provided on the principal front leading into a vestibule ; staircases communicating with the galleries. The nave is wider than is usually seen, by which increased height and a better appearance is obtained. The centre bays of the nave are higher than the other arches, and the windows on each side are so disposed as to shed a flood of light into the church. A circular window is placed in the east gable, and a four-light traceried window surmounts the principal west entrance. The staircase opposite the tower is covered with an octagonal roof, and, combined with the principal gables and those of the transepts and central bays, produces a picturesque and harmonious effect. The roof is open timbered. The organ recess is behind the pulpit, and is filled in with a fine-toned organ, built by James Conacher & Sons, of Huddersfield. The organ was the gift of three members of the congregation, and a brass plate above the key- board contains the following inscription relating thereto :— To the Glory of God, This Organ is presented to the Church of S. Mary in the Wood by Messrs. Tom Oakes, Charles Scarth, and John Wilson, as a Memorial to the late Emmanuel Bradley, Esq., who generously and liberally contributed towards the erection and support of this church; and also as a Memorial of the late Rev. George Southey, B.A., a learned and faithful Minister of the Old Chapel which stood on this ground. Morley, January 4th, 1883. The tone of the organ is very rich indeed, and the list of stops is as follows :— GREAT ORGAN.—Compass CC to G in Alto. Open Diapason (large) ...- ... —... 8ft. {| Principal.) 2g nee Open Diapason (small) ... ... ... 8ft..| Fifteenth 7.7 /:7aevems cena Stopped pee Ss vse ae ‘eee gee SFE. | Piccolo 1.5 eee Dulciana ... ves ae eee wee SFE. | Clarionet: 1. 225 sn nes Harmonic Flute 8ft. SwELL OrGAan.—CC to G in Alto. Double Diapason ... ... ...16ft.tqne | Gemshorn—.. 3.) see Horn Diapason... ... ... ... ... 8ft. | Fifteenth <7 appease nena Rohr Flute... ... 0... %. «2. +. Sft. | Mixture 205 ermnes geen ees Saleional 2... «105 c+ 0s soe ae Of. | Horm 2.2) Sipe eee Voix Celeste ... .... .. ... «.. Sft. | Hauthoy —.. “icy egeeee enn PEDAL ORGAN. Open Diapason... «...\ ... _.. ...16ft. | Violoncello ~ (220523. ese eee Witolones) osc... Ate oe ce notte CoUPLERS. Great to Pedals Swell to Pedals Swell to Great The bellows are blown by one of Duncan’s patent double-cylinder hydraulic engines. The pedals are novel in arrangement; the pedal board is radiating and concave, the key fittings of walnut, and draw- knobs of rosewood, bushed with scarlet cloth. The case is made of pitch pine, with front pipes decorated with gold and colours, and is admirably suited for the chamber, The cost was about £500. Swell Super-octave Swell Sub-octave NEW CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH. 995 The cost-of the church was about £9,000, which has been fully met, and the place is now free from debt. The foundation stones were laid on January 18th, 1876, by the late Alderman James Law, of Brad- ford, and Miss Webster, of Roundhay. The church was opened September 5th, 1878, by the Revs. Dr. Parker and Dr. Mellor, the resident pastor being the Rev. W. E. Anderton, M.A. In the vestibule of the church is a white marble monument on a black ground, bearing the following inscription to a munificent patron of the church, he having subscribed upwards of two thousand pounds towards the erection : — I.H.S. SACRED TO THE MeEmory OF EMMANUEL BRADLErs, Born March 11th, 1829 ; Died January 8th, 1882. His children rise up and call him blessed. The spirit shall return unto God who gave it. I have loved the habitation of thine house, and the place where thine honour dwelleth. Notwithstanding the increased accommodation and comfort pro- vided by the new structure, we cannot part company with the ‘Old Chapel” without expressing great regret that our plea for the conser- vation of the old village church was not heeded. In the old building generation after generation of the villagers had knelt in pious adoration of the Most High, and their ashes reposed in silence beneath the shadow of the primitive temple, in some part of which holy piace the priests in ages gone by had chanted their songs of praise and thanksgiving to their God. We did not wish to see disturbed The old grey church that crown’d the long green hill, The old churchyard’s innumerable graves, O’er which the long dark grass luxuriant waves, The tombstones rude, in uncouth types that show The name and years of those who sleep below ; The homely rhymes by which fond love is fain Those names to rescue from oblivion’s reign. HN Se SOLU hah tes CHAPTER XII. THE RELIGIOUS AND LEGAL CHANGES AT St. MARY’S—SERVICES OF THE ROMISH CHURCH—THE PURITAN FoRM OF WORSHIP —LEASE OF CHAPEL TO THE PRESBYTERIANS—NOTICES OF TRUSTEES—MAJOR GREATHEAD, CAPTAIN OATES, AND OTHERS —MINISTERS AT ST. MARY’S—THE REGISTERS—INTERESTING EXTRACTS THEREFROM — STUDIES IN ETYMOLOGY — ST. MARY’S GRAVEYARD. EAVING the history of the structure, we shall proceed to sketch the various religious and legal changes connected with St. Mary’s. Previously to the early part of the six- teenth century, Roman Catholicism was the established religion of this country, and remained so till 1584, when the Papal power was abrogated. In the reign of Elizabeth, the Puritans made an attempt to introduce a purer form of wor- ship than that countenanced by the Anglican Bishops, and some of them began to contend also for a form of church government to be framed on the Apostolic model. When the services of the Romish Church at the Old Chapel were exchanged for the Puritan form of worship, we cannot determine ; but the first minister of whom there is any record was the Rev. Samuel Wales, of whom SCATCHERD says :— It may be fairly assumed that such as was Mr. Wales in point of sentiment, such also were his immediate predecessors here. They were what the Papists and Semi-Papists of Elizabeth, James, and Charles, affected to sneer at under the appellation of “ Puritan ”—a name, however, to which they were well entitled from the piety and morality of their lives, the more scriptural tenour of their doctrines, and the conscientious motives from which these tenets were inculcated. After the times of Mr. Wales, a Presbyterian ministry occupied the pulpit, and during this period the congregation increased rapidly ; MAJOR JOSHUA GREATHEAD. 227 and the influence of its pastors and chief members obtained such countenance, that Thomas, Viscount Savile, Earl of Sussex, then living at Howley Hall, was pleased to grant a lease of the chapel and premises to certain trustees of the Presbyterian denomination. The full text of this lease will be found on pages 137-141 of SMITH’s Rambles About Morley. We give the names of the persons to whom the lease was granted, because some of them were celebrated characters in their day, and all of them were men of much consequence in this vicinity :—Edward Birtby, of Scholecroft ; Thomas Otes, John Reyner, William Ward, John Crowther, and Thomas Greathead, of Morley ; John Smith, William Barber, and Joshua Greathead, of Gildersome ; and Robert Paulden, and William Burnhill, of Churwell. Joshua Greathead was a gentleman of small estate, but of high character for patriotism and bravery. He resided near to where Gildersome Church now stands, and the house in which he lived yet remains ; and a ghost story, that he “ came again” in a neighbouring plantation, with an attendant chain, which, of course, rattled, is not yet forgotten. Many have declared that they have seen him. It is said that many a dreadful blow did this intrepid warrior deal out upon the Royalists at the Battle of Adwalton Moor. He was twenty-eight years of age at the time of the fight, and upon that historic field he laid the foundation of his fortune, his military reputation, and his rank. He is, however, but one of many who, in the Gildersome of the past, have shed lustre upon the place of their birth ; and we believe that no village in this district could furnish a longer or more illustrious list of village worthies, famous in deeds of heroism, philanthropy, and good- ness, than this small spot; and the writer will do an honourable and a praiseworthy work who shall rescue from oblivion the records of the lives of these heroes of past generations. Whilst we deplore the dis- grace which Major Greathead brought upon himself in after days in connection with the Farnley Wood Plot, there is no doubt that, up to the time of which we have just been writing, and for many years afterwards, he was the embodiment of honour, and for his bravery was promoted to high rank and almost unlimited authority. CLEMENTS MARKHAM, in his Life of Fairfax, refers to the Young warriors who flocked to the standard of Sir Thomas Fairfax, and dis- played their prowess on Adwalton Moor. One of these was Joshua Greathead, then aged twenty-eight, who behaved with extraordinary gallantry. Wherever the work was hottest on that fateful day, there was young Greathead’s sword gleaming in the sunlight ; and, when at last he was forced down Warren’s Lane in the press of fugitives, he took away with him more than one honourable wound. His hat, pierced with two bullets, and with the brim literally cut into shreds by cavalry swords, was long preserved by his family. Captain Thomas Otes or Oates, was also an old Republican officer, and was, no doubt, with Greathead at Adwalton Moor, and served his country honourably when thus called upon. After the Restoration, it appears that he laid down his sword and took up the pen, for he be- came the village schoolmaster, and he taught his scholars in the ‘‘ queer 228 MORLEY: ANCIENT AND MODERN. end ” of the Old Chapel. When he had been mixed up with the rising at Farnley, it would seem that he was in dread of the vengeance of the law, for upon his boys giving warning of the approach of the military, he fled, and was seen no more at Morley. This is not improbable, as the Chapel yard of St. Mary’s would at this time command an uninter- rupted view of the road from Leeds, and it is certain that he was taken and executed. Oates lived at the Manor House, now occupied by Dr. Steele ; and he was spoken of by his contemporaries as having an excellent character, both as a teacher and as a neighbour, and there was general lamentation at his death. That Oates was possessed of pluck of no ordinary character may be inferred from the evidence given at his trial, when it was proved against him that he drew his sword at going out, and, flinging away the scabbard, said that he would either return victor or be hanged, Another person in the first set of trustees who is worthy of mention is John Smith, another Gildersome worthy, who lived at a Hall like a baronial mansion, at the entrance into Gildersome from Morley by the footpath. Smith was a gentleman of some fortune and consideration in this neighbourhood, as will be seen when we state that he was summoned by Charles the First to London to be knighted. Had he complied with this request, another honour would have been conferred upon the ancient village, which would have taken the pride out of its neighbour, Morley, for we are not aware that any such dignity was ever offered to any of its inhabitants. But Smith, honour- able man as he must have been, notwithstanding the temptation to agerandisement which was offered, refused to agree to such an obnoxious request. These offers were made, not so much to give honour to the individual, as to obtain money from those who refused attendance, to probe their principles, and to gratify the malevolence of the ‘‘ Cavaliers.” We are proud of this namesake of ours, who proved himself an honour to his race, since of the two evils laid before him he chose the less, which was the payment of a fine, and taking a receipt of Lord Strafford. This receipt is still in existence, and should be placed in some conspicuous position in the village which had the honour of the company of so sturdy and zealous a Republican. OLIVER HEYWOOD, in his Hvent Book, thus refers to the death of this worthy :— Mr. John Smith, of Gildersome, having an unruly bull, his man came to him and told him he must not come near him, desired him to sell or feed him, he ans. the bull is quiet enough he went to him got him on his hornes and killed him, on thursday July 8, 69 he was buryed on Saturday a good man, rich and very useful, Another of the first trustees, Mr. John Crowther, was in all pro- bability a native of Gildersome, for, though he is entered as of Morley, it is certain that ‘“‘he was an eminent merchant, and related to the Crowthers of Gildersome,” a family who seem indigenous to the place, and whose long connection with it, so far as we can gather, has ever TRUST DEEDS OF ST. MARY’S. 229 been of a most praiseworthy and honourable character. Crowther was a person of some Consequence, as it is on record that his name was affixed to a petition to Oliver Cromwell, praying for a convoy to protect certain ships homeward bound, and in danger from the Spaniards. The second trust deed bears date May 7th, 1687, and by it the surviving trustee, Robert Paulden, of Newel in Bowlin, assigns the Old Chapel premises to John Snowden, of Scholecroft ; Thomas Dawson, Thomas Craister, James Janson, John Copendale, Thomas Scatcherd, Samuel Ward, William Roebuck, and John Crowther, of Morley ; Jere Boulton, John Dickenson, and John Birkhead, of Gildersome; and Joshua Ianson, and Daniel Pickering, of Churwell. As the date and some of the names here given differ from SCATCHERD’S account, as given at page 129 of his History of Morley, we may say in explanation that the above particulars have been copied from the Register belonging to the Old Chapel. Of the above-named trustees there is little to relate, as they lived, for the most part, in times very different to those of their pre- decessors. Thomas Dawson seems to have been a son of Abraham Dawson, of Morley, who died the 19th of November, 1671, aged 61 years. HEYWOOD, referring to a visit paid to Mr. Dawson, the ejected minister, also a son of Abraham Dawson, writes :— Friday, Nov. 24, 71. We hada solemn day of fasting and prayer at Mr. Dawson’s upon occasion of his father’s death and affaires of the family. We cannot pass over this notice of Abraham Dawson without recording the fact that he it was who lent his servant, John Fozzard (who had been a cavalry soldier under Fairfax), a horse, to carry him to the place of meeting at Farnley, in connection with the insurrection. _ There is no doubt that the servant was induced to join the conspirators at the instigation of his master; and to his honour let it be handed down to posterity that he might have saved his own life by the sacrifice of his master’s ; but he disdained the thought; and, in gratitude for his constancy, his widow and children were almost wholly supported by the Dawsons. Thomas Dawson, the trustee, was one of the leaders of the Puri- tans at Morley in his day. He built Morley Hall, on Dawson’s Hill, a building, says ScatcHERD, “ well situated, but wretchedly planned.” Under date, Dec. 11, 1678, Hrywoop writes :— Thursday mornlng we visited Mr. Craist [Craister], Thomas Dawson, Wid. Halliday, Mr. Pickering, etc.; dined at Ch. Watson’s. In connection with this visit, we find the name of Widow Halli- day, which, along with that of her husband, appears constantly in Heywoop’s Diary as extending their hospitality to the persecuted ministers of that day. Their names should ever be held in fragrant Aen: fateh | Juhinen |, a GF ALD O72 key Sees we he . r % TRUST DEEDS OF ST. MARY’S. 951 remembrance by those who are now reaping the fruit of their Chris- tian example and generosity. Under date, October 26, HEYWooD writes :— : Friday, Mr. Dawson and I rode to Morley, to attend the funeral of Mr. John Halliday, and returned in safety. Thomas Scatcherd, another of the trustees, was great-great-grand- father to our historian, and eldest son of Matthew Scatcherd, an opulent merchant in Morley. Thomas married Miss Jane Smurthwaite in 1687, and died in 1700; his wife having previously left him a widower on the 4th of September, 1691, when ‘“ she was cut off in the bloom of life.” John Dickenson was related to William Dickenson, the Farnley Wood Plotter. John built Gildersome ‘Old Hall,” now the property and in the occupation of Messrs. Joseph Webster and Son. He turned Quaker at the close of his life, and was buried within the Old Chapel, at the west corner. The next Trust Deed bears date June 22nd, 1721, and by it the property was assigned, by Birkhead Janson, to Samuel Scatcherd, John Dawson, William Lister, John Crooker, Benjamin Dixon, Nathaniel Slack, Thomas Hemsworth, Jonathan Fothergill, John Ellis the younger, John Webster the younger, Samuel Greathead, William Clarke, Joseph Rayner, Samuel Webster, and Jeremy Swift, of Mor- ley ; William Leathley, of Churwell; and Samuel Birkhead, and John Milner, of Gildersome. Samuel Scatcherd was the eldest son of Thomas Scatcherd, and married Miss Mary Greathead, granddaughter to the Major, previously to which happy event he bore the character of a boisterous country gentleman ; but, says his biographer and relative, “by his marriage he was converted into a decent, rational, and sober man.” Well would it be if the matrimonial ceremony were always so efficacious in the work of reformation! John Dawson was most probably father to the Thomas Dawson before mentioned as a trustee, but we have no record of anything that he said or did which entitles him to a niche amongst the worthies of the place. By an assignment, dated August 25th, 1763, Samuel Scatcherd the elder, Samuel Webster the elder, and Jeremy Swift, conveyed the property to John Dawson, Samuel Scatcherd the younger, Robert Dixon, Joseph Ellis, William Reyner, Nathaniel Webster, Joseph Hemsworth, Thomas Reyner, Samuel Webster the younger, and Joseph Webster the elder, all of Morley; George Alred, John Reyner, and Samuel Leathley, all of Churwell; Joseph Asquith, and Henry Scatcherd, of Gildersome ; Wm. Leathley, of New-hall; and Samuel Dawson, of Topcliffe. John Dawson was the father-in-law of Alexander Wedderburn, afterwards Lord Loughborough, Lord High Chancellor of England. While a barrister upon the Northern Circuit, he found his way to Sve tiahchum Gilet Bi Ya Yrlh-n um | TRUSTEES OF ST, MARY’S. 233 Morley, and to the ‘‘ Rookery,” where he became acquainted with Miss Dawson, and, after repeated visits, married her. Of her father, our historian has not much that is pleasant to say. “ He did little good to the village, and, as a neighbour, his room, when dead, was worth quite as much as his society when living.” Let us hope that our Norrisson was rather too severe in his criticism, and that, after all, our trustee was not quite so black as he is painted. The other Morley trustees abovenamed were gentlemen who were the leaders of society in Morley in their day, for we gather from the Town’s Book that most of them were in office as Churchwarden, Overseer, or in some way connected with town’s affairs, for a great number of years. The last deed of appointment of new trustees in the last century bears date the 3rd September, 1793, by which Joseph Webster and Samuel Webster assign to Watson Scatcherd, John Gisburn, John Wetherill, John Webster the younger, John Garnett, and Thomas Crowther, of Morley ; Samuel Wetherill, of Millshaw; John Reyner, of Leeds ; John Boyle, of Haigh Moor; Miles Shirtcliffe, of Churwell ; Abm. Dawson, of Topcliffe; and Joseph Asquith, Robert Ellis, John Hollings, Samuel Gaunt, John Wormald, William Asquith, John Jackson, and Daniel Slack, of Morley. Watson Scatcherd, father to our historian, was educated in the law, under Warren, an eminent special pleader. For thirty years he practised as a barrister, but he was best remembered by our elders as the magistrate who held his Court in a parlour at the Nelson’s Arms. Here did Wm. Wilkinson, the village constable, bring before his “Worship” the refractory drunkard, the ne’er-do-weel of the village, the poacher, and the incorrigible of every class ; and here did the magistrate dispense his even-handed justice, tempering it with mercy, to the law-breaking neighbours amongst whom it was his lot to dwell. He was a native of whom we have reason to be proud,—ever kind to the poor, generous to a fault, and, as his son says of him, “never guilty of an immoral action or even an improper,expression. Of immorality in every form he was a severe censor, but he never forgave the man who offended his delicacy.” Mr. Gisburn, the next upon the list, was for many years the only surgeon and apothecary inthe neighbourhood. He was a facetious man, and skilful in his profession; whatever were his failings, they hurt nobody but himself, and his loss was generally lamented. Other members of the family succeeded Mr. Gisburn in his profession, but the race became extinct in Morley a few years ago by the death of Mr. William Gisburn, of Queen Street. Samuel Wetherill, another trustee, was one of a family of that name who lived many years at Millshaw. He was a well-informed man, remarkably conversant in the ecclesiastical history of the seven- teenth century, with a taste for antiquities and an excellent memory, which caused his society to be much sought after. He was the beau- 234 MORLEY: ANCIENT AND MODERN. ideal of a genuine antiquary, for it was no unusual thing for him to spend a great portion of the night poring over manuscripts, copying old parish registers or copies of documents that had been lent to him, _or entering up his collection of facts relating to the ecclesiastical history of the county. Nor did he, miser-like, keep his acquisitions to himself, for he was ever ready with the most kindly good nature to answer all énquiries, and, as our historian informs us, he, as well as other antiquarian students, perpetually made use of Mr. Wetherill’s useful advice and counsel, and to one and all he was alike ready to tell what he knew, and in return to accept. any small contributions of information his visitors might be able to impart. Unlike some modern enthusiastic lovers of antiquity, he was scrupulous in preserving and returning everything that was lent to him ; and had he possessed the faculty for collecting, arranging, and editing his materials, he would, no doubt, have left to posterity many volumes of most interesting matter. A friend says of him that “he was still more distinguished for the equality and sweetness of his temper, and the propriety and consistency of his conduct.” By Indenture dated July 24th, 1822, John Wetherill, John Webster, John Garnett, and Samuel Wetherill, assigned the trust premises to Norrisson Scatcherd, Nathaniel Webster, Samuel Webster, John Webster, John Hollings, John Rayner, Samuel Rayner, Thomas Middlebrook, John Garnett, of Morley ; and John Ellis, of London. The next Trust-deed bears date April 14th, 1856, by which John Hollings, Thomas Middlebrook, and Samuel Rayner, assign to Joseph Webster, Samuel Webster, John Webster, William Middlebrook, James Theaker, Robert Barron, John Garnett, Emmanuel Bradley, James Asquith, Joseph Myers, Thomas Oakes, of Morley ; and Richard Webster, of Newark. Seven of these trustees have departed this life. The last Trust-deed bears date 1886, by which Samuel Webster, William Middlebrook, James D. Asquith, John Garnett, and James Theaker, assign the trust premises to Joshua Asquith, J.P., John W. Appleyard, Tom Barron, John H. Booth, Philip Bradley, William Bradley, Humphrey Bradley, Henry Dykes, William 8B. Foster, Albert Glover, John Hemsley, Joseph Kirk, Tom Oakes, William Smith, Charles Scarth, George Terry, John Taylor, jun., Robert J. Teale, David Thackray, and John Wilson. It was only, as we have said, when Presbyterianism had asserted its supremacy, in the ninth year of Charles I., 1647, that the chapel, together with the glebe and the Old Parsonage, were leased by Sussex, Strafford’s unrelenting opponent, “ for the use and benefit of a preach- ing minister,” that term marking a distinction between those who preached and those who merely read prayers and homilies. At the Restoration, St. Mary’s was claimed by the Established Church, whose members, for a time, used it for worship ; but the Trustees still kept possession of the house and adjoining land, and maintained their right to the chapel itself. oD) » ir er aie = . ' j . ee o : ’ THE OLD PARSONAGE. 235 After the Toleration Act passed in 1689, the people celebrated worship for a time in the parsonage house, which was licensed as a meeting-house. In the meantime, there was no pecuniary provision for a clergyman at St. Mary’s, and, as the attendance was nearly nil, the arrangement for worship according to forms “by law established” wore itself out, and, between 1693 and 1698, the building fell again into the hands of its former Presbyterian owners. It is a pleasure to learn that the Nonconformist ministers of the times to which we are now referring were held in the greatest veneration by their flocks. The influence of their purity was heightened by the fact that the smell of fire had passed over them. They were consulted, not only in what are termed cases of conscience, but in the ordinary affairs of life, and their prayers, both public and private, were regarded as invaluable. It was deemed an honour to have their acquaintance, to protect them in their adversities, and to learn from them how to act and suffer. Before proceeding to speak of the ministers who have officiated at St. Mary’s for the past two centuries, we will add a few sentences respecting the Old Parsonage, which is still left to us. This house was built in 1688 by the Dissenters, who had not at this time regained possession of the chapel itself. A certificate of license to perform wor- ship in this house was obtained by virtue of the Toleration Act in 1689 ; and it is clear that at this time they had so little expectation of the chapel ever being restored to them, that, in erecting the Parsonage on a piece of land which they held on a lease, they provided a room for their religious meetings under the same roof, as the construction of the building at the present day, as well as tradition, sufficiently proves. The Old Parsonage had two frontages ; that on the south being the pastor’s residence, and that on the west the meeting place. The latter has been repeatedly altered, to suit the conveniences of the various ministers who have occupied it ; but, even within our own recollection, ~ the window mullions and jambs, and the thin wainscotted partitions separating the parlour, showed plainly enough that it was formerly but one apartment. It is more than probable that the Parsonage itself was built in 1688, when Mr. Dawson was invited to settle at Morley, and the Meeting-place was not added until 1689, when the license was granted. We have more than once in these pages alluded to the fact that the West Riding clothiers, of whom this district had a fair proportion, formed at the time of the Civil War the very backbone of the Parlia- mentary army in these parts ; and, down to the present time, the senti- ments which actuated our ancestors in these far-off days, remain in our midst. It¢ is likely that it will remain for ever unknown how and when, and by whom, the original Presbyterian congregation at St. Mary’s was formed ; but we learn from HEYWOOD'S Diary, and other sources, that there was preaching here sooner perhaps than at most other places in the locality. As some of our readers may not understand the meaning of the term Presbyterian, we note, that it ‘signifies a body governed by the View of Old Parsonage. (See previous page.) ie MINISTERS OF ST. MARY’S. 237 united presbyters, or elders of the churches. Presbyterians differ, on the one hand, from those who plead for the distinct order of diocesan bishops, with authority to rule both elders and people ; and on the other, from such as maintain the right of every Christian congregation to regulate its own affairs, by the voice of the brethren.” The first Presbyterian minister at the Old Chapel of whom we have any account is the Rev. SAMUEL WALES, who officiated here in the early part of the seventeenth century. Of the early church over which this good man presided, we have no records. He was an earnest and zealous Puritan, and one of those who led the way to the Noncon- formity of later times. Why or when he left the Old Chapel we cannot ascertain, but no mention is made of any other minister till 1662. Respecting any others (if any) who filled the sacred office after Mr. Wales, we are without any trustworthy information. Mr. ETHERINGTON.— The only information regarding this person is thus briefly summed up :—‘‘ One Mr. Etherington, who had conformed, left Morley (1662), and succeeded one Mr. Bovil at Bramley.” This description, brief as it is, does not give us any exalted idea of the character of the man. The next pastor at Morley was the Rev. Christopher Nesse, M.A., of Cambridge; but in what place he preached we cannot say. It is more than likely that he preached in private. We are sorry that no church book of this period is available, for, had it been handed down to us, it would, like other such books of that period, have been full of interest. Doubtless, many of its entries would have been brief and simple enough; but such terms would not in all cases apply to their meaning, for many of the records would tell of the time when the faith- ful band of worshippers had to meet in the dead of night, and even then they durst not sing the psalm of praise, for fear the sound should bring down upon them the unrelenting persecutor, for in those times the gaols were full to overflowing with prisoners whose only crime was their fidelity to their God. We should have been well assured that the little congregations who met at Topcliffe, and in private houses in Morley, had, like their brethren in many other places, their share of troubles and dangers ; but no positive evidence has been handed down, though few gatherings of the kind escaped during the reign of the second Charles, however secret they may have been kept. Morley, in these times of persecution, was in a somewhat unfor- tunate position, for when the Five Mile Act came into operation, it was within the prescribed limits, so far as Leeds was concerned; and Mr. Nesse, having been ejected from the Parish Church at Leeds, was, therefore, acting unlawfully in coming to preach at Morley. The Five Mile Act was intended to prevent the dissemination of schism and rebellion in the centres of population; and it enacted that Noncon- formist ministers should not “ come or be within five miles of any city or town, corporate or borough, sending burgesses to Parliament, in which they had acted as ministers, unless they would take oath that 238 MORLEY: ANCIENT AND MODERN they would not at any time endeavour any alteration of the Govern- ment, either in Church or State.” That such a severe enactment should be complied with by men who had their consciences left to them could not be expected, and the operations of these enactments, and the man- ner in which they were enforced, remain an ineffaceable and damning blot upon the pages of British legislation. Let our modern Indepen- dents, who can worship under their own vine and fig tree without fear of molestation, think, for a moment, of the treatment to which their forefathers were subjected. Every magistrate was expected to become a persecutor. Bailiffs scoured the county in search of suspected men ; and one Fannell, of Morley, was amongst the most industrious of this class, and, from the villages round about Morley halecé men to prison in the most outrageous fashion. Informers were as plentiful as flowers in May. Letters were intercepted, and families were broken up; and, indeed, no Nonconformist felt himself safe in his own house —the boasted Englishman’s castle. Gaols were crowded with the best men in the country ; but, as in many historical instances, the severity of the Act neutralised its force, and the men, thus pursued for that which was good in them, were welcomed in many quarters where they had hitherto received no recognition. We could have wished that some lasting memorial had been erected to the memory of the ‘religious worthies” of the seventeenth century in Morley ; but, as such is not the case, we can only say of them, that they surely have attained to a higher distinction, for their witness and their record are on high. They have left to us an imperish- able example of heroic endurance, of untiring zeal, of distinguished usefulness ; and so long as St. Mary’s-in-the-Wood shall point its spire heavenward, so long will their memories be honourably associated with — this sacred spot. The Rev. CHRISTOPHER NESSE, M.A., was born in the East Riding, and educated at Cambridge. He was appointed lecturer at the Parish Church, Leeds, under Dr. Lake, with whose High Church opinions Nesse had no sympathy. He was avowedly an Independent in principle, having joined the Congregational Church at Topcliffe in 1661; and the difference between his own teaching and that of Dr. Lake became very marked. The Duke of Buckingham endea- voured to flatter Nesse into Conformity, after 1662, but did not succeed. After preaching for some time at Morley, he took the oversight of a church in Water Lane, Leeds; but, being greatly persecuted, he The Rev. C. Nesse, M.A. removed to London in the year 1675, when he preached to a congregation in Salisbury Court, Fleet Street. He MINISTERS AT ST, MARY’S. 939 was tne author of several important works. Mr. Nesse died in London, December 26th, 1705, aged 84, and was buried in Bunhill Fields Burying Ground. He was succeeded in his office at Morley by The Rev. SAMUEL BAILEY, who is described upon his tombstone at Morley as “ Minister of the Gospel at Morley and Topcliffe.” In 1674 he was elected pastor of the church at Topcliffe, though he preached much at Morley, where he originated a monthly exercise. He was a wealthy man, and extended his hospitality freely to his less favoured brethren. The Rev. THomMAS SHARP, M.A., commenced his ministry at the Old Chapel in 1675. He was a member ofan old Puritan family, his father, John Sharp, having received a medal from Sir Thomas Fairfax for services rendered during the Civil Wars. Mr. Sharp had been educated at Cambridge, and subse- quently obtained the living of Adel, near Leeds. After the Restoration he was ejected, and retired into private life, and followed his studies closely in his father’s house. When Mr. Sharp officiated at Morley, he was in the habit of riding over, from his home at Horton Hall, near Bradford, on the Sunday morning, preach- ing twice, and returning in the evening. He left Morley after a two years’ pastorate, and went to Leeds, where he became minister of the Presby- The Rev. T. Sharp, M.A. terian Church at Mill Hill. His character has been summed up as follows:—“ He was very studious, and, having a capacious soul, of admirable natural parts, which, being cultivated by external advan- tages, and his own more than ordinary in- dustry, he became an universal scholar, comprehending a whole Encyclopedia of all profitable literature—a solid Logician, a good Linguist, a fluent Rhetorician, a pro- found Philosopher, and a very skilful Mathematician.” Mr. Sharp died on the 27th day of August, 1693, and was interred in the chancel of the New Church in Leeds, near the remains of good Mr. Wales, as he himself had desired. His death and funeral Arms of Sharp. are recorded by his friend and executor, THORESBY, who spoke of Mr. Sharp in his ministerial work and gifts as ‘‘incomparable.” The next resident minister at Morley was the Rev. ROBERT PICKERING, M.A., of Cambridge, who was also one of the ejected tm | D -———F l 240 MORLEY: ANCIENT AND MODERN. ministers. He was born at Kippax, near Leeds, and was ejected from Barley Chapel, Selby. It is said that ‘he bore himself during the times of persecution with dignified resignation and a meek fortitude. He was a modest, humble, and pious man, courageous in fighting the good fight.” His tombstone records his death in the following terms :— Here lyeth interred the body of RoBertT PICKERINGE, Preacher of the Gospell att Morley, who accounted himselfe the meanest servant in the work of Christ, ~ who departed this life October the 11th, 1680. Master of Art, Sidney Colledge, Cambridge. Mr. Pickering was succeeded by the Rev. JOSEPH DAWSON, son of Abraham Dawson, of Morley. He was ordained at the first Noncon- formist ordination at Manchester, and was the intimate friend and companion of the Rev. OLIVER HEYWOOD, who in his Diary makes frequent allusions to his “ good friend Mr. Dawson,” with whom he travelled thousands of miles and spent many blessed seasons in Christian fellowship. It was during the period of Mr. Dawson’s ministry that the scattered flock was once more gathered together under the roof of the ancient sanctuary. The Established Church authorities had grown weary of the burden of sustaining the services, for there was no fund for the curate’s salary, except the small pittance from baptismal and burial fees, and whatever the Vicar of Batley felt disposed to contribute ; and as the congregation had dwindled down to about a dozen persons, the time for abdication had come, and with as good a grace as possible the Church authorities made way for the rightful owners, who were nothing loth to return to the old home. Mr. Dawson was eminently fitted for the task of resuscitating the work, for he was universally respected and esteemed for his piety, learning, integrity, meekness, and discretion. He was a profound scholar, a powerful preacher, untiring in his labours and ministrations, zealous, earnest, and of venerable aspect. He travelled with unwearied alacrity long distances to preach to the poor, watching over them with apostolic care, all this without hope of reward ; and, though a great sufferer from poverty, never complaining, nor regretting his choice of Nonconformity. The Scales MSS. contain an autograph letter, once in the possession of the late Mr. Upcott, from John Coppendale (Morley) to Mr. Stretton. It is a plea for relief to Mr. Dawson, who was desirous, it appears, to settle wholly at Morley, being old and infirm. He was then preaching once a fortnight at Birstal. He had received an invitation to take alternate services at Halifax with Mr. Priestley, then very young, but had no desire to leave Morley. Yet his people could only raise £24 per annum, Jan. 4, 1696. Mr. Dawson had six sons, four of whom he brought up for the ministry, Abraham, Joseph, Samuel, and Eli.. The last named had seven sons, of whom six were Dissenting ministers, but they all left that profession. Five of them conformed, to the disgust of the family and friends ; and it does not appear that one of the family, though so OLD CHAPEL MINISTERS. 241 many of them were preachers, bore any comparison with their pious ancestor, whose devotion to the work of Christ marked him out as the intimate friend of Lady Hewley, whose work of faith and labour of love entitle her to the veneration of posterity. Providence spared the life of Joseph Dawson to a long term, for he died June 26th, 1709, aged 73 years, and THORESBY refers to his funeral :— Walked to Morley (took account of the monumental inscriptions) to the funeral of good old Mr. Dawson—one of the latest survivors of the ministers who left the church in 1662. The next minister was the Rev. TIMOTHY ALDRED, a divine who devoted much time to his studies, He was an accomplished Latin scholar and an erudite Biblical critic, as well as a most estimable and worthy pastor. He was a recipient of the Hewley fund. It is much to be regretted that one whose manuscripts consisted of sermons, critical essays, and some Latin compositions, has not left us some memorials of the ancient church with which he was so long connected, and with the history of which there is reason to believe he was well acquainted. Mr. Aldred was energetic in opposition to Wesley’s doctrine of Christian perfection. He departed this life August 21st, 1773, and was buried in the Old Chapel graveyard, where a stone was erected over his grave bearing the following inscription :— Here lyeth interred the Rev. Mr. Timothy Aldred, pastor of the congrega- tion of Protestant Dissenters at Morley 54 years, who departed this life, August 21st, 1773, Atatis, 88th. Mr. Aldred had resigned his pastorate in 1763. NEAL describes him as having 450 hearers in 1715. His successor was The Rev. THOMAS MORGAN, who came from Delph in 1763. He appears to have left this charge because his people thought that he was not fully Evangelical (it may be presumed he was a Baxterian), and he created the same feeling among some of his flock at the Old Chapel. He was under no suspicion of heterodoxy as it regards the Atonement, for among other tracts he wrote “An Appeal to the Common Sense of Plain and Common Christians on behalf of the Old Christianity of the Gospel,” which drew the famous Dr. Priestley, then at Leeds, into the conflict through the columns of the Leeds Intelligencer. The entrance upon his work at Morley, as well as much of his subsequent career, was beset with many difficulties and harassing anxieties. Some of the trustees, who were not favourable to his coming, took the unmanly and cowardly course of sending to Mr. Morgan anonymous letters, hostile in feeling and discourteous in tone and language, with a view to deter him from entering upon the ministry at Morley. When Mr. Morgan had fairly settled down to his work, it was soon found out that the new Minister had no intention of succumbing to the clamour and disturbance ; therefore those who differed from him ultimately withdrew from his ministry and formed a new congregation Q LLIB. LETVE ONS 2 AB | sian beateEh» teceseiy Loire naw wee Bg Dare aie | + A eget oa ayo 2 feats is Ls eis fee Denese; onal Fn Calpe beg soa saath ae Page of MS. Sermon by the Rev. A. Hudsweil. OLD CHAPEL MINISTERS. 248 in the village. We shall write further as to this in connection with our notice of Rehoboth Congregational Church. ‘‘Mr. Morgan died July 22nd, 1799, aged 80 years; after having faithfully discharged the office of pastor here, from Oct. 28rd, 1763, to September 28th, 1794, when it pleased God to suffer his power of speech and active useful- ness to be destroyed by a paralytic stroke.” Mr. Morgan’s son, the Rey. Thomas Morgan, LL.D., and a daughter, the late Mrs. John Wetherill, his only children, long survived their worthy parent. The Rev. SAMUEL LUCAS, who succeeded Mr. Morgan, came from the Academy at Daventry, and brought with him no bias towards Calvinism or Trinitarianism, though he did not push his opinions to extremity. He subsequently became an Arian, and his opinions and preaching did very serious injury, many of his hearers becoming avowed Arians or Socinians. He remained at Morley twelve years, leaving in 1806, on an invitation from Pontefract to become Chaplain in the family of Mr. Milnes, of Ferry Frystone, who had once lived at the Hall at Great Houghton. At prayer one morning, in January, 1822, about the time of service, he suddenly fell from his:chair and expired. A tomb was raised to his memory in the burial-ground attached to Mill Hill Chapel, at Leeds, where his remains were deposited. With Mr. Lucas terminated the Presbyterian interest at the Old Chapel. Our _business will now be with the ministers of the Zndependent denomina- tion, who have since the time of Mr. Lucas occupied the pulpit at St. Mary’s. Soon after Mr. Lucas resigned, the Rev. Mr. SPENCER, of Sheffield, was invited to the pastorate, but he only remained for six months, when he resigned. Shortly after, the church and congregation invited a Mr. Patoun, a minister resident in Scotland, to supply the pulpit for a month, with a view to the pastorate. He came to Morley and created a great sensation by the exposition of his views, which were Hyper-Calvinistic. Finding that some of the more respectable portion of the congregation, including the Wetherills of Millshaw, and others, did not look with favour upon his services, he returned to Scotland, and sent, by request of some of the people, one Mr. Duncan. This minister, after an unsuccessful pastorate, partly caused by the Unitarian senti- ments prevalent in the now small congregation, retired in 1815, and settled as a surgeon at Adwalton, where he practised many years, but it is said that he never attempted to preach after he left the Old Chapel. The Rev. ABRAHAM HUDSWELL, whose name and teachings are still remembered with affection by some of the older inhabitants of the village, commenced his stated ministry at the Old Chapel on the first Sunday in January, 1817. His congregation was small, and yet it contained diverse elements, ‘‘the poor members being the most evan- gelical, the richer holding very doubtful sentiments.” In the prime of life, and with great mental and physical energy, full of activity, with a great love for his work, he determined, if possible, to win over the whole people to decided evangelical sentiments. As a preacher, it has ‘244 MORLEY : ANCIENT AND MODERN. been said of him that “he was a most pious and gifted man, a zealous and able preacher of the pure faith, deeply read in theology, orthodox in his views, eloquent and impressive in his delivery, with a clear meta- physical mind, capable of nice discernment.” His plain, earnest, effective ministry rallied the congregation, and re-established evangelical sentiments, bringing the church once more into union with other bodies of the Congregational order. During the ministry of Mr. Hudswell and some of the previous - ministers, and before Sunday schools had an existence, a strict systematic training of the young was practised. As the children grew up they were periodically catechised in the chapel in the presence of the congregation on the great verities of the Christian faith. In addition to preaching, the pastor generally indulged in a long exposition of the lesson, which often reached the dimensions of a sermon. Mr. Hudswell, we are told, generally devoted twenty minutes to this duty, both morning and afternoon,—in this way he went over all the books of Scripture in their regular order during his ministry at the Old Chapel. Another interesting feature of the ministry of this good man was, that meetings for conversation and prayer were of frequent occurrence, and separate meetings were held at regular intervals with much success. At the latter part of his ministry the congregation had greatly improved, for there was one thing the bulk of the people of Morley were remarkable for, namely, the extreme strictness with which they kept the Lord’s day. It was considered very wrong to “go for a walk” for mere recreation or pleasure on that day ; and, like their predecessors the Puritans, they did.as little housework as possible, and cooked no victuals, the whole time being devoted to meditation and prayer. We are glad to find that Mr. Hudswell confined his sermons within thirty- five minutes, for this is much shorter than was the case the century previous, when we are told that seven hours, with a quarter of an hour’s interval, was no uncommon time! HEYWoop, in his Diary, speaks of an ‘‘exercise extending over six hours, and adds that ‘‘he did not feel weary.” He wisely refrains from saying how his hearers felt, and we can readily imagine that to children and young persons the services must have been seasons of torture altogether intolerable. Mr. Hudswell died on the 27th of February, 1838, aged 68 years. His funeral sermon was preached by the late Rev. Dr. Hamilton, of Leeds. During Mr. Hudswell’s ministry, the Rev. RICHARD KNILL, the eminent missionary, paid a visit to the Old Chapel. Under date, October, 1815, he writes in his Diary :— On Monday a missionary meeting was held at a village called Morley, three miles from Leeds. I walked among the tombs of the pious dead. Some of the dear ministers of Christ sleep here, who were ejected from their livings for conscience sake. Before the meeting for business commenced, I preached a short sermon to a chapelful, and as many as could hear outside, for numbers stood at the doors and windows. The inhabitants of this village gave £40 last year to the Society (London Missionary), and this year is expected greatly to exceed the last. Mr. Hudswell was succeeded in the ministry at St. Mary’s by The Rey. Joseph Fox. In 1842, the Rev. JOHN MorRIs, then a young and promising Professor pare D.D. things, the latter gave the minister credit for sincerity of purpose and OLD CHAPEL MINISTERS. 245 The Rev. J OSEPH Fox.—This gentleman, previously to his settlement at Morley, had been minister at Hull, Sheffield, and Leeds. During the time he was minister at the Old Chapel, he resided at Leeds, thus being deprived of the opportunity of pastoral visitation and watchful- ness over his flock. He was, as a preacher, a man of good abilities. He possessed a clear understanding, and evinced an accurate knowledge of the doctrines of the Gospel. Whilst he laboured here the congre- gation increased considerably, and when he resigned the charge in 1841 he left behind hima name that hasbeen (ever since that time) mentioned with great respect. Mr. Fox retired to Manchester, where he died in 1873. Mr. Fox was the author of a popular tract entitled, ‘‘ Christianity ; or, the Government of Christ ; a Discourse on John xviii. 36.” Published in 1861. minister amongst the Independents, came from Saddleworth to Morley to take charge of the church and congregation at St. Mary’s. He exercised his ministry with great dili- gence, faithfulness, and success for twelve years, and not only for the benefit of his own people, but for the welfare of all to whom he could be of assistance. We need only refer to the services whick he rendered during the awful visitation of cholera in 1849, and to the constant interest which he took in the Mechanics’ Institution, and any other movement to benefit the young. He possessed a happy method of ingratiating him- self with young men, whose interests he ever studied. During his ministry, certain differences arose in the church ; and while pastor and people could not see eye to eye in all 246 MORLEY: ANCIENT AND MODERN. a desire to serve the Master; and time, which tries all things, has vindicated the course which was taken by Mr. Morris. In 1854 he was honoured with an invitation to become president of Brecon College, South Wales, where he is now professor of theology. In 1880 the honorary degree of Doctor of Divinity was conferred upon the pro- fessor by one of the American colleges. Mrs. Morris died June, 1879. On the 8th of September, 1880, Dr. Morris was honoured with a pre- sentation on the occasion of the completion of his twenty-fifth year as principal of Brecon College, during which time 154 students (exclusive of 42 then in the house) had had the great privilege of attending his lectures ; of these, 107 had devoted themselves to the ministry in Wales Autographs of Ministers of St. Mary’s, A.D. 1£40-86. and 34 to the English ministry ; seven were in America and the Colonies, and six in the missionary field. The presentation consisted of a portrait in oil, to be hung in the dining-room of the College; a handsome address on vellum, illuminated and encased in a gilt frame ; and a purse containing £338 16s. 8d. The gifts were handed to Dr. Morris by the Rev. Dr, Kennedy, of London, who spoke in high terms of the long and efficient services which Dr. Morris had rendered to the denomination to which he belongs. During the pastorate of Mr. Morris, the handsome and commodious school on Troy Hill was erected. Mr. Morris was succeeded in the pastorate by Cheese ‘2 \ " . ——— OLD CHAPEL MINISTERS. 247 The Rev. JAMES WONNACOTT, who was educated for the ministry at The Rev. James Wonnacott. a Wesleyan Institution, and was or- dained to the ministry at the Old Chapel on the 30th day of June, 1854. He remained six years at Morley, during which period the church doubled the number of its members. He subsequently became settled at Hertford, and other places. Mr. Wonnacott, during his residence at Morley, published a History of the Old Chapel, compiled from various sources, but which added no new | facts to what was already in exist- ence, but perpetuated inaccuracies with reference to so-called entries in the Old Chapel Register, which entries did not appear in such Register, He also edited a magazine, entitled, ‘The Morley and Churwell Maga. zine.” ‘The latter had only a brief existence, but the former had a con- siderable sale. The Rev. FREDERICK BARNES, B.A., who succeeded Mr. Wonna- The Rey. F. Barnes, B.A. an invitation was given to cott, was born at Southwell, in Suf- folk, on the 2nd of November, 1837. After about seven years’ residence in Suffolk, his family re- moved to Epping, near London, where he was partially educated. He entered upon _ academical studies at Spring Hill College, Birmingham, in 1856; matriculated at the London University in July, 1858; and took the B.A. degree in 1861. He entered upon the pastoral office at the Old Chapel, September, 1862. During Mr. Barnes’s ministry he had the satis- faction of seeing many additions to the church. In December, 1865, he received and accepted a call to Birkenhead, from whence he removed to Chester, where he is now labouring. Soon after Mr. Barnes left the Old Chapel, 248 MORLEY ; ANCIENT AND MODERN. The Rev. GEORGE SOUTHEY, B.A., he was a native of Warce He received his education at Spring six years. He matriculated the first year he entered college, and B.A. degree, first-class, and also passed two Scriptural examinations in Hebrew, for which he received two prizes. In May, 1866, he accepted the call to the pastorate at the Old Chapel. His pulpit minis- trations were very acceptable, and his sermons were characterised by earnestness of faith with the lan- guage of a scholar, To the great regret of his people, his earthly career was cut short by death on the 17th of February, 1875, in the forty- first year of his age, and the ninth year of his ministry here. A monu- ment to his memory is in the grave- The Rev. George Southey, B.A. yard. Mr. Southey was succeeded by The Rev. WILLIAM E, ANDERTON, M.A., of Cleckheaton, who com- menced his labours as ‘pastor on Sunday, June 17th, 1877. Mr. Anderton began his studies at Lancashire College, and Owen’s Col- lege, Manchester, obtaining at the last-named, prizes for Latin and English. In 18738, he obtained a first-class in the annual college examination in classics and mathe- matics. In 1874, he obtained the prize (open to second year men only) for the best English essay. In 1875, he was first in the first class in the inter-collegiate examina- tion in moral science, and was, in consequence, elected an LExhi- bitioner of his college. In the same year he took his degree of B.A, moral science tripos, the subjects Be of which are moral philosophy, The Rey, William E. Anderton, M.A. mental philosophy, and _ political economy. In 1876, he obtained the Bachelors’ moral philosophy Hill College, and remained there in the second year he obtained his being second in the first class in the - Noodburytype THE REV. AMBROSE SHEPHERD. 249 _ prize at St. John’s College. In 1878, he obtained his M.A. degree. The labours of Mr. Anderton were greatly blessed, for his gentle and courteous manners, his edifying visits, and his profitable preaching endeared him to his people. During the time of his ministry at Morley he suffered much from ill-health, and was laid aside for many months ; but when he accepted a call to Woodford, in Essex, in 1884, believing that a change to the south would be beneficial, it was to the great grief of his attached people. The Rey. AMBROSE SHEPHERD, the present minister of St. Mary’s, was born near Rochdale, in January, 1853, and is a nephew of the late John Ashworth, author of “Strange Tales,” ‘Walks in Canaan,” etc. Intended for business, Mr. Shepherd was sent at an early age to learn the woollen manufacture; but, developing literary tastes and consider- able fluency in speech, he was urged by ministers and other friends to devote himself to the work of the Christian ministry. Having decided to follow this advice, he spent some time in private study, and was then admitted a student of Rotherham College, where he passed five years in the study of philosophy and theology, and in both subjects took a distinguished place. At the close of his college course, he accepted, out of a number of invitations, the one to Newton Congregational Church, Leeds, where for nearly five years he laboured with growing accept- ance. Receiving an invitation to St. Mary’s, he accepted it, and com- menced his ministry in Morley on the second Sunday in July, 1884. Mr. Shepherd is a man of broad views and wide sympathies, and is deeply interested in all movements of a public character which have for their object the uplifting of the people. In January, 1885, he was elected a member of the Morley School Board; and during the brief period he has been settled in the town, he has taken a prominent part in the Sunday Closing question, the work of the Bible Society, and Christian Missions. Mr. Shepherd in politics is an ardent Liberal, and an uncompromising advocate of civil and religious liberty. He is a vigorous and original thinker, an able and effective preacher, who, while holding firmly the cardinal doctrines of Christianity, yet seeks to present them as living and reasonable truths to the minds and hearts of men who know how increase of knowledge has affected, and does con- stantly affect, the formulated theology of an earlier time. He has no sympathy with the bare profession of a creed, but strongly demands that the life shall bear truthful witness to the creed. We shall now proceed to notice the Registers of St. Mary’s, which commence in 16538, and are continued to the present time. The perusal of ancient registers is of immense value and importance to students of genealogy, and to those who care to trace out the careers of the members of our English families, We are aware that there is a prejudice against this study, it being spoken of as a pastime,’an amusement, without any real bearing upon any matter of importance ; but we are not a believer in that view of the matter, for we hold that a correct and exact knowledge of family history is the first step to a 250 MORLEY: ANCIENT AND MODERN. true knowledge of the history of a country. And the same is true, in a lesser degree, of the history of a town or village; and though the old families of such an insignificant place as Morley was, two centuries ago, may not have all become famous in the history of England, yet many of them did good work in their day and generation, and took their share—a modest one, comparatively, but not an unimportant one —in forming the character, and habits, and reputation of the Morley of the past. We look upon it, therefore, as a matter of much interest to pry into this old register, and to notice what families now amongst us had representatives settled here two hundred years ago. When we come to mention the names of these families, it must not be taken for granted that, in every instance, the modern holders of the name are descendants from their namesakes of the seventeenth century ; but it may safely be said that it is the case in most of the examples. We shall also have occasion to make reference to the residence here of other families who have now altogether disappeared—families, too, of some consequence in their day. It is to be deplored that the original register of St. Mary’s (of which the present volume is only a copy) was not kept, for, after a careful examination of the copy, we have come to the conclusion that the work of transcribing has been very slovenly done. From evidence taken from the book itself, we find that the copy of the register book would be made between the years 1834 and 1840, The entries in the ori- ginal register commence in 1653, and would continue to the date of transcription, with some slight intervals to be accounted for. The copying has been done by several different writers, and, in some instances, without any regard to order or regularity, and, we are afraid, without much regard to veracity. In many parishes, the Register served as a kind of note- book for the minister ; and, in addition to the ordinary prosaic chronicles of the living and the dead, it often contained memoranda of local interest, brief and pithy notes on passing events and the ever-varying circum- stances of parochial life, recallnmg past scenes and incidents with a vividness that required only the warm heart to give the actual throb of life. In the Register of St. Mary’s, however, little beyond the short tale of baptism and burial is told. In one or two instances, mention is made when a death has been caused by accident or violence, or some poor homeless wanderer has met his or her death while passing through the village. In 1759, itis recorded that ‘‘ A travelling Man Unknown where he came from Died at Matthew Ellis house at Morley, Died, Nov. 22nd, 1759.” Another entry reads as follows :—‘ Joseph Buckley, of Morley, died August 13th, 1763 ; he was slain by a cart near Ardsley.” In 1768, we are told that ‘‘ A poor travelling woman died at John Gammells, of Churwell, Nov. 16, her name unknown.” Jn a few instances, in the list of baptisms, the exact time of the birth is recorded, probably to give facility to the astrologer who might after- Re ST. MARY’S REGISTERS. 251 wards wish to ‘cast the nativity ” or tell the fortune of the child. In 1679, we are told of ‘Elisha, son of Mr. Joseph Sykes, born 4th March, about two in the morning, and baptised 15th of the same month.” This Mr. Joseph Sykes had, doubtless, satisfactory reasons for being so particular as to the moment of birth, for we find that on one page of the register, and from the year 1675 to i693, he had no less than twelve children baptised, to each of which entry is added the time of birth. The principal families in Morley at the present day whose names occur in the Register for more than two centuries, are the Scatcherds, Rayners, Brooks, : Bradleys, Tetleys, Sykes’s, Marshalls, Jacksons, Asquiths, Brooksbanks, Rhodes’s, Baxters, Dawsons, Clarks, Pickles’s, and some few others. By far the greater number of names which appear from 1656 to 1700 have disappeared, and are unrepre- sented at the present time. We may name a few chosen at random : Linley, Smallwood, Pickering, Riddlesden, Angrom, Wadsworth, Holdsworth, Cloudesley, Heald, Balme, Gargrave, Arundel, Storey, Barras, and many others. From these lists we learn how some family names endure in the same place for centuries, whilst others becomes extinct or worn out in a much shorter period. The names of Rayner, Webster, and Asquith have been connected with Morley from time immemorial, we may almost venture to say. Mr. SCATCHERD says, ‘The name of the first person whom I can discover living at Morley is Richard Webster, married in 1575 to Johan Watson.” In 1600 was born in Morley Mr. Edward Reyner, who became a University M.A., and a most distin- guished preacher and author. About 1640, he was settled at Lincoln, but was invited to Leeds by the magistrates and principal inhabitants, who pressed him with the consideration of its being his native county which needed his help. The first entry of the name of Reyner is in 1657, three years after the register commences ; and, strange to say, the name is spelt with the a, as at the present day, though the Edward Reyner of whom we have been speaking spelt his name *¢ Reyner.” For a century the a remained in the name, until, in 1753, it changes back to e, and also to a variety of spellings, such as Renor, Reynor, Reynar, Rener, and one or two others. We shall now proceed to notice the Christian names which appear in the early entries of St. Mary’s Register; and we at once see the influence of the stern Puritanism of the times in the Christian names which are found in the first ten or twenty pages of the book. In these pages there are about 150 entries, and the names run as fol- lows :—Bathshua, eight times ; Lydia, six times; Elyezer, five times ; Jacob, five times; Mehelabal, four times; and of those which appear twice or more are Abigail, Dorcas, Deborah, Mercy, Tamar, Defience, Ruth, Naomi, Rachel, Bethiah, Hannah, Rebekah, Sarah, in the female tist ; and Ichabod, Japheth, Ephraim, Moses, Benjamin, Jacob, David, Joshua, Samuel, Isaac, Jeremiah, Josiah, Caleb, Timothy, 25 MORLEY: ANCIENT AND MODERN. Abraham, Barriah, Jabesh, Stephen, Noah, and Gamaliel. This, to our mind, is a most interesting feature of the registers, as showing the character of the people who dwelt in this place at that period in our history. Another feature in these registers is the absence of double Chris- tian names, for, with two exceptions, a double Christian name does not occur until the year 1800. Previous to this date, John, Thomas, James, and William; Mary, Sarah, Ann, and Jane, were found to be amply sufficient for all practical purposes. The custom of giving double Christian names came from France, and there, as in England, it wasfor — a long time confined to the royal and aristocratic circles. It was not until the end of the 17th century that names of this character came into general use amongst the well-to-do people; and in our register the first instance is that of our esteemed historian, the entry reading as follows :—“‘1779, July 2nd, Norrisson Cavendish, son of Watson Seatcherd; Esq., of Morley, was born, and baptised July 25th by the Rev. M. Fountain, his grandfather.” The second instance is in 1782, and refers to a member of the same family, namely, “Watson Samuel, son of Watson Scatcherd, Esq., was born and baptised July 8th.” It was not until some years later that any member of the lower classes dreamt of aspiring to such a daring innovation. The first entry in the register relating to the adoption of a double Christian name by people in the humbler walks of life is in 1816, and refers to the baptism of ‘Sarah Ann, daughter of John and Ellen Knightson, of Morley.” The entries in the Register from 1653 to 1736, a period of 86 years, refer to baptisms and burials at Topcliffe. This Congregational Church was the first established in the West Riding, and the congrega- tion was, for the most part, made up from those who worshipped at the Old Chapel when the Act of Uniformity became law ; and though our ancestors, the Presbyterians, kept possession of the lease of the chapel, they had to leave the premises, and for twenty years they worshipped at Topcliffe Chape}, until, in 1689, they built the Old Parsonage, and obtained a licence to perform worship therein. SCATCHERD gives it as his opinion that the Old Chapel was restored to the Nonconformists in 1698 ; but if this be correct, it is somewhat singular that the Register contains no entries referring to the Old Chapel, between 1698 and 1736, when the Topcliffe Chapel was given up and the services there discontinued. But remembering that the Topcliffe Chapel and St. Mary’s were as one, this gives additional interest to the Register. The earliest entries refer to the family of the Rev. Christopher Marshall, who was the first minister, and preached for nine years, from 1653 to 1662, in Topcliffe Hall, until, in 1662, he was ejected, and afterwards preached to his little flock, in secret, at his own house. Then came the Five Mile Act, which drove him to Horbury ; but, with a zeal which cannot be too highly commended, he still met his society at Topcliffe. During Mr. Marshall’s ministry there were received into his church three persons whose names will ever stand out prominently in the annals of Yorkshire Nonconformity. ein tr eee we ay = ’ ‘ wy ' e- - > i y ST. MARY’S REGISTERS, 958 First, the Rev. Christopher Nesse, M.A., whose name frequently appears in the Register. He was an eminent divine, had been educated at Cambridge, and came to Leeds in 1656, and was for some time lecturer to Dr. Lake, afterwards Bishop of Chichester. He joined the church at Topcliffe in 1661, and after the passing of the Five Mile Act came to reside at Morley, where, it is thought, he preached in private. The second notable person who connected himself with the church at Topcliffe, April 8th, 1688, was David Noble, M.A., a very learned man, to whom the youth of Morley, as well as of many other places, were indebted for a thoroughly sound education. He had two of the sons of the Rev. Oliver Heywood under his care, and that celebrated minister makes frequent reference in his Diary to visits paid to Mr. Noble at Morley. This village schoolmaster was also a minister of the gospel, and often preached at Topcliffe and Kipping. He was spoken of in both capacities as a “diligent, faithful man.” The third person whose connection with Topcliffe gave additional lustre to Yorkshire Nonconformity, was Mr. Gamaliel Marsden, whose burial is recorded in the Register. He had been twice ejected, and when he joined the church at Topcliffe he was engaged by them as “teacher,” his work being to educate young men for the ministry. He, too, was a man of sound learning, and THORESBY, the historian of Leeds, says in his Diary, under date, May 25, 1681:— Rid to visit honest Mr. Marsden, a learned and judicious Nonconformist, but, beyond Morley, met the man with the sad tidings of his death ; stayed there most of the afternoon with poor Mrs. Marsden, very weak and dangerously sick. THORESBY attended the funeral of his friend, and says of him :— May 27. Rid to Tingley to the funeral of that holy man, Mr. Gamaliel Marsden, whose death was much bewailed, not by relations only, but many good people and godly ministers, as a public loss. Two months afterwards Thoresby again “ rode to Mrs. Marsden’s to view the library,” and he bought a few of the books. In HEYWooD’s Note Book, we are told that— J. LIsTER, minister at Tingley or Topcliffe, died April 11, 1707, of a very short sickness, and was buried there. He was ordained at Alverthorpe, Sept. 4, 1689, by Heywood and others. He was minister at Elland, 1691 There were in the congregation at Tingley sixty persons who had votes for the County members. No mention of the death of this minister appears in the Register, for the only other minister at Topcliffe mentioned is the Rev. John Riley, who officiated from 1714 till 1727, when he died. From the fact that the congregation only numbered sixty during his ministry, we may reasonably conclude that those members whose home was at St. Mary’s had got back to that ancient place of worship. We shall now briefly allude to some noteworthy individuals whose burials are recorded in the Register. In 1769, Samuel Clark was buried, and Morley lost a worthy citizen. Samuel, when living, was a drysalter, and accumulated money, and he was of some importance as a town’s official in days when 254 MORLEY: ANCIENT AND MODERN. incorporation was not in the reckoning. He was chief constable in 1760, and those who remember John Hollings will know what an important personage the constable was in ancient times. He was, indeed, a terror to evil-doers, and the mere mention of his name was sufficient to cower the youth of the village. Samuel was churchwarden in 1766, though we are at a loss to know in what his official duties consisted, seeing that Morley had no church until 1830. He was also overseer of the poor in 1768, long before the Union House at Stain- cliffe had an existence, and in the days when the poor were kept in their own township and were looked after by those who best knew their necessities. Samuel had also been surveyor of the highways, and, tc - give our readers some idea of what the duties of a town’s official were, we have a Rate-book for 1794, thirty years after the time when Samuel Clark was surveyor, and we learn from this insignificant little book that there were only 160 ratepayers, and that the rate at one shilling in the pound realised £66 15s. 3d. ; the rateable value being £1,333, as against £58,000 in 1886. When we remember that in 1794 there were — close upon 400 inhabited houses in Morley, we can scarcely understand why the ratepayers should only number 160. Samuel Clark was aman whose opinion had weight with his neighbours ; he was given to hospitality, and no doubt left this world amid the regrets and lamenta- tions of his many friends. Among the entries for 1773 in the Register, we find the “ burial” of the Rev. Timothy Aldred, a minister who was universally respected. He was an accomplished’ Latin scholar, and an erudite Biblical critic. He was pastor at the Old Chapel for 54 years, and during all that time was only once absent from his pulpit. It is said that in 1715 his hearers amounted to 450, a number which puts to shame the attendance in 1886, especially when we consider the increase in population. During his ministry, the chapel was underdrawn and otherwise “restored,” and we can well understand how the hard-headed Puritans who lived in Morley nearly two centuries ago would flock to listen to this worthy divine, of whom it is said that he ‘‘ approved himself in polemical debate to be no less a polished gentleman than an elegant scholar and a profound theologian.” During Mr, Aldred’s ministry, Joseph Haigh was appointed clerk, and, following the example set him by his superior in office, he kept to his post for half a century, though we have no record to show that he attended to his duties with the same regularity as his pastor. His burial took place, as the Register testifies, in 1776. In the time of Mr. Haigh, and until the year 1847, the ministers at St. Mary’s retained the services of a clerk, who occupied a seat below the pulpit, and who acted as precentor, and gave out public and other notices. Besides giving out the psalms and hymns, the clerk made public many secular matters, in which the congregation were expected to take an interest. It was no unusual thing to hear the clerk drawl out a notice as follows in his sing-song style :—“ I am desired to give notice — ST. MARY’S REGISTERS. 255 that a rate of one shilling in the pound for the township of Morley has been allowed by Thomas Blank and John Blank, two of His Majesty’s justices of the peace for the county of York, one whereof is of the quorum.” In a similar way sales by auction, acts of trespass, and town’s meetings were duly made known. In 1781 we find the following entry in the Register of Burials :— “Feby. 14th. Lady Loughborough, daughter of John Dawson, Esq., aged 36.” This lady, whose maiden name was Betty Anne Dawson, became the wife of Alexander Wedderburn, who was born in 1733 ; was Solicitor-General in 1771 ; Attorney-General, 1778; Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas, 1781 ; created Baron Loughborough 14th June, 1780. The tombstone of Lady Loughborough is on the south side of the chapel, but the inscription upon it is illegible ; and it is desirable that steps should be taken to have the letters recut, so that this memorial of a member of a family to whom Morley was greatly indebted should not perish altogether. The last of the notabilities, whose names are in the Register, that we shall notice, is Ben Foster, who died in 1841, and not in 1833 as stated by Mr. WONNACOTT in his History of the Old Chapel. Having had many a chat with this eccentric official, in his room under- neath the vestry, we can vouch that he did not die in 1833. Ben was the sexton and chapel-keeper, and the son of one who held office as ‘‘ dog-whipper ” at St. Mary’s—a term applied to one whose office was to keep the chapel clear of stray dogs, which at times succeeded in gain- ing an entrance, and would join in the responses in a way calculated to upset the gravity and decorum of the worshippers, Many amusing stories are told of the eccentricities of this, the last of the resident sextons ; but space will not admit of our repeating them. From a study of the Register, we think we may learn one or two useful lessons. In reading over the bare catalogue of the names of those who for the last two hundred years occupied a place in Morley in much the same manner and for much the same purpose as we do, we are reminded of the vanity of human ambition ; for, whatever they may have been or done, except in a very few instances, all knowledge of them individually has gone; all their acts of generosity and benevolence have borne their fruit and have passed away; those whom they helped in their sad hour of trial are gone also; nothing material is left to us concerning them, and there is no living witness to sing their praises. Some, indeed, to whom we have alluded, and others who might have been named, who have been benefactors both to St. Mary’s and to the town, we cannot willingly forget. If their bones have long since crumbled to dust, they have been laid in the God’s Acre which sur- rounds the chapel ; and the dear old stones which testify to their worth remind us of them, their deeds, their hopes, and their fears. The history of bygone times, as read in our Chapel Register, furnishes us with many illustrations of talent, and piety, and self denial, all of which might advantageously be imitated now. Of St. Mary’s IDERTH: OF THE CISANTS-INTHE TES: OF: THE. © |LORD- PSLNG ||| U e the da.y se yee of hs Ag eat iS & Alsd Martha the OF MORLEY: WH A IDEPARTED-THI 2) LIFE” THE (OOF |S) DECEMBER-INTHE| 4: (G2) YERR-OF HISACE|| IN-THE YEAR: OF OVA LORD PS & bg hie Qa’ 3 . q , IT: Me! C3 = = = vr, 9; 2 LA Es Ancient Tombstones in St. Mary’s Graveyard, £ a e ro ST. MARY’S GRAVEYARD. 257 and its graveyard, which contain all that remains of many generations of the men, women, and children of this ancient town, we can say with the poet :— Where soars that spire, our rude forefathers prayed: Thither they came, from many a thick-leaved dell, Year after year, and o’er those footpaths strayed, When summoned by the sounding Sabbath- bell,— For in those walls they deemed that God did dwell. And still they sleep within that bell’s deep sound. Yon spire doth here of no distinction tell : O’er rich and poor, marble and earthly mound, The Monument of all—it marks one common ground. And now, when Morley has got—not a day too soon—a cemetery, and we may reasonably expect that ere long, as they get filled, our grave- yards will be closed, let us put in a plea for the careful preservation of our ancient and time-honoured graveyard at St. Mary’s. In our youthful days it was no unusual thing to find the grave- yard on a Sunday morning and afternoon, for fully half-an-hour before the service, dotted over with the forms of those who came to meditate amongst the graves ; and, as the living lingered near their buried dead, their eye could trace beyond the confines of the graveyard many an old familiar scene, footpath and winding road, which they had traversed with those who now slept at their feet. We confess to a strong feel- ing as to the respect that is due to the dead. We do not think that the remains of mother and father, sister and brother, relation and friend, are such every day commodities that, when they have ceased to delight, and serve, and comfort us, aye, and even scold us, that they should be buried without feeling, and as soon as possible be forgot. No; rather with THOMAS MILLER we would say, ‘“‘ We will not think so meanly of poor human nature as to believe that any one living cares not for the dead, or sets no more store upon the two yards of common earth that cover the remains once dear-to others than he would upon the same space of ground in his kitchen garden or on some desolate moor.” It is to our mind a satisfaction that we have in Morley come at last to make better provision for our dead, by the laying out of a cemetery where there can be peace and rest for the departed. It has pained us beyond measure, on very many occasions, when watching John Taylor and others dig the graves in St. Mary’s graveyard, to see them throwing up with the earth the remains of former tenants of the ground. ' There was something revolting in the thought that the grave was made into a common lodging-house where guest succeeded guest, and where those who had rested but for a little while were cast on one side to make room for new comers. We trust that ere long the older portion of the burial ground at St. Mary’s will be permanently closed, and that in our new cemetery we shall “ not begrudge that common allotment which will allow six feet of earth for the dead; that even they who never had a freehold whilst living may at last inherit one undisturbed, nor be called upon to resign their claim until they have mingled clay with clay.” R CHAPTER XIII. MECHANICS’ INSTITUTION—LIBERAL CLUB—NORRISSON SCATCHERD. F.5.A.—NATHANIEL DIXon, ESQ.—LOW COMMON—THE BUTTS —BRUNSWICK CHAPEL—PINFOLD—CONSERVATIVE CLUB— BIBLIOGRAPHY OF MORLEY LITERATURE—THE VISITATION OF CHOLERA—MorLEY HALL—REHOBOTH CHAPEL—YEW TREE HovusE—Post OFFICE—WESLEYAN CHAPEL—OLD HOUSE AND GATEWAY—CONCLUDING REMARKS. _ FEW yards below the Municipal Offices, and in the building now occupied by Mr. Beck, was the first home of the “Young Men’s Improvement Society,” which after- wards developed into the “ Mechanics’ Institute.” The “Society” commenced its career in 1844, and the “Tnstitute” ceased to exist in 1874, after a fitful life, extending over thirty years. The meeting to form the society was held in the Town’s School, in March, 1844, and was nirended by the Revs. John Morris, John Calvert, Messrs. N. Scatcherd, Samuel Mitchell, Joshua Asquith, W. Stansfield, and other gentlemen earnest in their endeavours to promote education amongst the artizans. A considerable number of members was obtained, and a library formed, also classes of an elementary character, and willing students availed themselves of its offered advantages. For a few years it received hearty support, and its power for good was felt and appreciated. Many men, now advanced in years, have gratefully acknowledged their indebtedness to the institution for intellectual impulses which materially affected their prospects in life. Opposite to Morley House, the Liberal Club has its home in the build- ing formerly occupied by Mr. Scatcherd, solicitor. The accommodation provided for the purposes of the Club comprises a large billiard room, with two tables, reading room, committee room, honorary members’ is ee! = rt ‘ NORRISSON SCATCHERD, F.S.A. 259 room, smoke room, store rooms, caretaker’s apartments, and other conveniences. The rooms are furnished in an elegant manner, and every comfort has been provided for those who have to use the Club. The Club was formed in 1880, and was located for some time in Crowther’s Buildings, removing to its present home in December, 1883. The formal opening took place in January, 1884, when Charles Milnes Gaskell, Hsq., addressed the members and declared the Club open for their use. Morley House, the home of the Scatcherds for upwards of two centuries, occupies a commanding position in proximity to the Club. It is a great, plain house, old-fashioned, unornamented, and rather commonplace of external aspect in this country of picturesque structures, but large in dimensions, solid, and roomy enough for a moderate sized ladies’ school. The house is surrounded with gardens and pleasure grounds, and on the north side is bounded by Scatcherd’s lane, a favourite walk with the villagers from time immemorial. Norrisson Cavendish Scatcherd was born at Morley House, on the 29th of February, 1780, and was the son of Watson Scatcherd, who for thirty years practised as a barrister, and served the public as a magistrate. Young Norrisson was educated at Marylebone and Hipperholme schools, and, graduating at Cambridge, was called to the bar on the 28th of November, 1806. He practised only for a very short time, and then betook himself to literature and antiquarian pursuits. It was not his social position that gave Mr. Scatcherd a name and a place in the annals of his native village; nor the humble simplicity and goodness of his private life ; but his marvellous industry and care as a topographical and historical collector. His History of Morley contains many most noteworthy facts concerning a district which has always been interesting, and is now of considerable importance. To the compilation of this work Mr. Scatcherd brought a large amount of assiduous research and patient enquiry, extending even to the legendary recollections of “oldest inhabitants,” who related to him what they knew of the history of the village and district. In addition to these sources of information, he hunted up all the facts he could obtain from authors and from neighbours, and in this way the History became a labour of life, and a labour of love. Our historian also wrote “ Memoirs of the celebrated Eugene Aram, who was executed for the murder of Daniel Clark, at Knaresborough, 1759; with some account of his family, and other particulars, collected for the most part above thirty years ago,” two editions ; Gleanings after Eugene Aram ; and “‘ A Treatise on Bridge Chapels, including the history of the chapel upon Wakefield Bridge.” Mr. Scatcherd’s two pamphlets on Eugene Aram were favourably reviewed in the leading periodicals and news- papers of the period, much to the satisfaction of the author. Mr. Scatcherd was also a contributor to The Gentleman’s Magazine; to Hone’s Year and Table Books, and the local newspapers. Of Mr. Scatcherd’s ‘esnoy AaTIOJT JO MOTA Yoeg MORLEY HOUSE. 261 zeal in his literary work, we have heard many testimonials, and we may be pardoned for giving a quotation from a letter written by James Crossley, Esq., F'.S.A., an antiquary recently deceased. 2, Cavendish Place, Manchester, June 6th, 1876. * Between fifty and sixty years ago, I used regularly to meet with Norrisson Scatcherd at Harrogate, and whenever we met there ensued a fierce battle on three points—the architecture of Fountain’s Abbey, Eugene Aram, and politics generally, for he was emphatically what Dr. Johnson would call ‘‘a vile Whig,” and I, on the other hand, an uncompromising and intolerant young Tory. We had, however, one common ground on which we could shake hands, and that was a genuine love for antiquarianism and the researches connected with it, and which made us always glad to meet each other again and go over the old Dear Sir, * e 8 ra Gc Boossgty ae aed = ne at ‘ "12 be Aah’ ty 5 << eR Pu ENS oe aS aC a NS EO 06 See 4 Ne & Pts UW Vonity rx OY \\ Sb) ‘ Soh B ac > + j = E 1 " ie Brae aes ai P ea Mi Ase iz t \e at Ei =, fe ye re Lae Bae = TNT A TONGAN aga eae TRS Tene eee «ai Wty 1}}5! He i ifs] WV) ’ ca) tt NA yo ji oe uit itt rdf eee ieee U2 i ee i 2 ame —= SSS Front View of Morley House. ground with unabated vigour. His last communication to me was an imploring request to me to shake off my dreadful heresy as to Eugene Aram, without which he seemed to think there was no chance of my being saved hereafter. I look back to Norrisson Scatcherd as one of the most amusing characters that I met with at that period of life when everything leaves behind it a marked and decided im- pression. Faithfully yours, William Smith, Esq. JAMES CROSSLEY. Mr. Scatcherd was a good specimen of the “fine old English gentleman.” In 1851, he had the gratification to be elected a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries. He died at Morley House, on the 16th of February, 1853, leaving a widow and six children to mourn his loss Opposite to Morley House, an ancient landmark, in the shape of ‘The Three Steps,” has been removed ; but in close proximity to the house, Scatcherd’s Lane, a favourite walk with our villagers, is yet left tO US, il 262 MORLEY: ANCIENT AND MODERN. A few steps from Morley House brings us to Troy Hill, and the Catholic Apostolic Church, formerly the Town’s School, the arena of many a wordy war and village squabble. In this building the govern- ment of the village was carried on for more than a century ; and were the history of all the vestry meetings held here chronicled, we should have revealed to us phases of village life, both curious and interesting. In 1867, a lease of the school was granted by Samuel Scatcherd, Esq., to the people who worshipped under the designation of the ‘‘ Catholic Apostolic Church.” The school was renovated and adapted for the purposes of public worship. Me NN . Tig Ww \\ % | oT ye ans ey ili a Ho @ Me Catholic Apostolic Church. In close proximity to this church, is the large and handsome edifice known as the NEW SCHOOL, built in 1844 for the use of the congrega- tion worshipping in the Old Chapel, and used by them as a Sunday School since that time. In 1864, two class-rooms were added, and in 1886, five additional class rooms were built, a new gallery added to the School, and other improvements effected. Continuing our walk along Troy Road, we pass a building now occupied as dwelling-houses, but which was erected nearly sixty years ago for the purposes of public worship. The Primitive Methodists built the chapel, but in 1826, dissension sprang up amongst them, and the building was sold to Isaac Crowther, Esq., and was subsequently used NATHANIEL DIXON, ESQ. 263 by the Wesleyan Methodists, the pulpit being supplied by local preachers connected with the Birstal Circuit. A little beyond Mount Pleasant, which is on our right, is Point House, at one time thé residence of Nathaniel Dixon, Esq., a village worthy, whose name deserves to be held in grateful remembrance. Mr. Dixon was for many years one of the most useful and active men in Morley. In all philanthropic movements he was a pioneer. He was one of the chief promoters of the Gas Company, and was its chairman for many years. Previously to the formation of the Local Board, he had served the offices of overseer, surveyor of highways, etc.; and when the _ Local Government Act was adopted, he was chair- man of the Board,when important work had to bedone. He took a very lively interest in Airedale College, andsupportedliberally the voluntary system of education long be- fore the National School system became law. The Bible So- ciety had in him a valuable helper; as deacon of a Christian church, his labours were abundant; and he had a passionate love for the Sunday School, where he was for many years a superintendent. Late in life, Mr Dixon left Morley and settled in Drighlington, where he spent his days in devising and executing schemes for the improvement of the social and spiritual condition of his neighbours. The new Congregational Church in that village is associated with the finish of his life’s work, and within its walls a tablet of white marble bears the following inscription :— In memory of NATHANIEL Dixon, Esq. (through whose efforts and beneficence this church was formed), who departed this life Oct. 30th, in the 60th year of his age, and was interred at Rehoboth Chapel, Morley, November 4th, 1865. ‘‘The memory of the just is blessed.” \ \ NS XQ YY 264 MORLEY : ANCIENT AND MODERN. We are now on the ‘‘ Low Common,” which, previously to the year 1817, consisted of unenclosed and all but useless common land, stretch- ing from the Bottoms to the Owlers. Seventy years ago, whin-bushes, brambles, and a bridle-road, were the principal features of this part of the village, but at the present time the land is all but covered with mills, collieries, and dwelling houses. Previously to the date we have given, there could be seen on the common several mounds, or hillocks, about four or five feet high, and situate from each other about ten or twenty yards. ‘These mounds were the ‘‘ Butts ” of long ago, erected for the purpose of targets, against which arrows were shot. The Brunswick Primitive Methodist Chapel is situate on the Com- mon, or the Albert Road as it is now called. The foundation stone was Brunswick Chapel. laid in April, 1874, by William Ackroyd, Esq., of Birkenshaw, and a memorial stone was laid by Richard Schofield, Esq., of Leeds. The style of the building is an adaptation of the Italian. The size of the chapel is 52 feet by 42 feet, with schoolroom in the basement, 38 feet by 28 feet, also an infant school and three class rooms. The interior of the chapel is commodious and agreeable, though characterised by simplicity of arrangement. It is built so as to admit of the introduction of a gallery at some futuretime. Atthe front of the chapel are a vestry and two entrance porches, provided with swing doors. The west end of the chapel is occupied by the singers’ pew, in front of which is a plat- form pulpit of chaste design. Accommodation is afforded for 400 persons, and the cost of building and land was over £2,000. a - MORLEY MAIN COLLIERIES. 265 Beyond the chapel, and on the same side of the road, are the Morley Main Collieries, belonging to Messrs. William Ackroyd and Brothers. Three working shafts have been sunk to a depth of one hundred and fifty yards, and a large body of workmen are employed, who send to the pit’s mouth several thousand tons of coal weekly. The pits were opened in 1855. On the 7th day of Oct., 1872, a disastrous explosion occurred in the mine, by which thirty-four miners lost their lives. Turning to the left, we descend the long flight of steps leading to the passenger station of the London and North-Western Railway, and to the Gas Works. The Act for lighting Morley with gas received the Royal assent on the 9th day of June, 1848. It was not, however, until six years after that time, that steps were taken to carry out the lighting of the streets ; then a public meeting was held, and a strenuous opposition organized; and, on a poll being taken, a large majority of the ratepayers decided against the introduction of gas into the streets. For several years the attempt was repeated, and as often failed ; and not until fifteen years after gas was supplied to the private consumer were the prejudices of the villagers overcome, and the highways made passable with comfort after dark. The original capital of the Company was £5,000, which has been increased as the necessity arose. Proceeding up Station Road, we pass on our left Crank Mill, to which we shall allude hereafter. The chimney of this mill, we may observe, is erected at a considerable distance from the mill itself, and has often been subject for remark. The reason for building it where it now stands was to avoid the disastrous consequences which befel the mill on the 3rd of January, 1823, when a storm of wind blew down the first chimney on to the top of the dyehouse, entailing a loss of three hundred pounds to the owners. The Station Road follows the narrow valley watered by the old beck, once a clear and sparkling brook, which invited sport ; but, shorn of all its poetry and purity, its waters now resemble a mixture of soap- suds, dish-water, and the most opaque of peggy-tub decoctions, all combining to emit such a rank compound of villainous smells as might have regaled the nostrils of the amorous Falstaff on his memorable introduction to Mrs. Ford’s buck-basket. But notwithstanding, on the margin of this defilement of a once pleasant and healthful stream, the botanist will be pleased to notice two or three luxuriant tufts of white flowered comfrey, a plant common in some districts but rare about here. As we approach the Bottoms, we pass on our right a large open space, which was formerly the site on which stood four straw-thatched one-storey cottages, occupied for more than a century by the ‘‘ Maud family.” At the back of these cottages was the town’s quarry, where stone was got, which, after being burnt in kilns, was used for the repair of the highways. A few yards from the cottages above-named, was the ‘ Pinfold,” or Common Pound, whilst another of these useful receptacles was 266 MORLEY: ANCIENT AND MODERN. situate on the line of the “Street,” leading from Stump Cross to the Birks. The site on which the Pinfold stood was previously covered with water; and here was used the Ducking Stool for the reformation of scolding dames, and also for the punishment of bakers and brewers, who, either in the one case made bad bread or short weight, or in the other sold ale in short measures or of bad quality. Adjoining the Pinfold stood an old cottage, shewn in the engraving, built by one William Ellis. At the time when this mud hut was put up, the ground was waste or common land, and by an old statute then in force, if any person could erect a dwelling house during the twelve hours of night, the land on which it stood became freehold. This house was built in compliance with the requirements of that law, having been begun and completed throughout within twelve hours. Old Houses and Pinfold. We are now in the Bottoms, so-called from its low situation, and uowhere in the village has there been a greater transformation than in this locality. All the old houses, laiths, and other tumble down build- ings, have given place to handsome shops, hotel, dwelling-houses, and the Conservative Club house. The last-named occupies a commanding position, and is a convenient and useful meeting place for the members of the political party to which it belongs. The provision comprises reading room, billiard room, caretaker’s house, and other conveniences. The club was opened in 1885, by Viscount Lewisham, M.P. William Holton, Esq., is the president of the Conservative Association, and Messrs. E. Butler and John H. Rayner are the secretaries. On our left, and on the site of ‘‘ Wood’s Laith,” stands a shop occupied by Mr. Teale, which possesses a special interest, as being the building in which the first printing press in Morley was set to work by INTRODUCTION OF PRINTING. 267 Mr. S. Stead, now proprietor of The Morley Observer. This was in the year 1854, when Europe was at fever heat, agitated with a warlike enthusiasm that seemed the final flash of the spirit arising from the Peninsular campaign. The advertisement duty had just been abolished, but there was still a heavy tax on paper, and provincial newspapers were subject to the penny stamp. Morley had to wait for its news until the Saturday, when the Leeds Times was, in every sense, the family paper, having acquired a great popularity by reason of the energy and soul which had been put into it by Robert Nicol, the gifted poet and litterateur. The Mercury was then, as it is now, the paper for business men, and, as it has been well said, “was glowing with the genius of Edward Baines, the Nestor of the Yorkshire Press.” The more Conservative of the villagers patronised the Leeds Intelligencer; whilst the Chartist and Radical villagers read the Leeds Times, at that time under the editorship of Dr. Smiles, the author of ‘‘ Self-Help.” The first number of The Morley Observer appeared in 1871, and enlargements have been made from time to time, until, at the present day, it is a six-page journal, having a large circulation, not only in the borough, but in the surrounding villages. Mr. Stead has also printed and published several of the works of Morley authors. Zhe Morley Times is an eight-page, smaller sized paper, under the management of Mr. Thomas Sykes. 268 MORLEY: ANCIENT AND MODERN. The bibliography of Morley literature is somewhat extensive, as the following list of books, pamphlets, sermons, essays, etc., will prove. The list is not given as being complete, and notices of omissions will be thankfully received. The catalogue includes books, etc., by natives or residents of Morley ; also books written by strangers having reference to Morley or its people. The list also includes books issued from the Morley press. ANDERTON, Mrs. Grorcs H. (née Laura Asquith), Howden. Born at Morley. Weary WEALTH. A Novel. By Mrs. Herbert Lea (a nom de plume). Crown 8vo., 176 pp. Manchester: Brook and Chrystal, 1885. ANDERTON, Rev. Wiii1am Epwarp, M.A., Ambleside, Woodford, Essex. St. Mary’s QUARTERLY Magazine. S. Stead, Morley, 1881-2. 16pp. THe Cup or Circe. A Temperance Sermon. Preached at St. Mary’s. 16pp. BALGARNIE, Rey. Ropert, Congregational Minister, Scarborough. Sir Tirus Saut, Bart. (born at Morley): his Life and its Lessons. With portrait and photographic illustrations. London : Hodder and Stoughton, 1877. Crown 8vo., 318pp. BosanquEt, Mary, Cross Hall (married to Rev. John Fletcher, Madeley). An Avunt’s ADVICE To A NIECE; also, account of a Correspondence with Dr, Dodd. Leeds: J. Bowling, 1710. 12mo., 64pp. Crook, Rev. JAmus, Vicar of St. Paul’s Church, Morley. St. Paul’s Monthly. 4pp. First No. published, July, 1874. Cave, Rev. Witmor B., Minister at St. Peter’s, 1830-3. A SELECTION oF Hymns, for the use of St. Peter’s Church, Morley. Leeds: Hobson, 1830. 162pp., 18mo. Dixon, THomas Henry, Morley. Tue THEATRE. An Essay. By the late Thomas Henry Dixon, of Morley. London: William Wileman, 34, Bouverie Street, 1885. Crown 8vo., Spp. Fox, Rev. JosrPu, Minister at the Old Chapel, 1837-41. CHrIsTocrRacy; or, The Government of Christ. A Discourse on John xviii. 36. J. Snow, London, 1861. Post 8vo., 32pp. GriFFiTHs, Rey. Witt1AM, Wesleyan Minister, Morley, 1881-4. PRECEPTS FOR PREACHERS, in the Pulpit and out of it. Compiled from many authors. London: T. Woolmer, City Road, 1884. Crown 8vo., 240pp. Hotroyp, ABRAHAM, Poet, Author, and Antiquary, Shipley. Tue Lord oF SALTAIRE (Sir Titus Salt, bornat Morley). A song. (On a broad side), royal 8vo. 1853. Lire oF Sir Titus SAt, Bart. ; with an account of Saltaire. 1871. 8vo., 40pp. SALTAIRE AND ITS FounpDER, Sir Titus Salt, Bart. T. Brear, 1872. Post 8vo., 92pp. JACKSON, Rev. Henry, M.A., Vicar of St. Peter’s Church, Morley, 1877-86. Home Words. Monthly Magazine, 16pp. First No. published, 1879. Morris, Professor Jonn, D.D., Minister at the Old Chapel, 1842-54. PROTESTANTISM AND THE MopERN Pu.pit. Address when Chairman of the Welsh Congregational Union. 1879. Printed in Welsh and English. A Review of Baldwin Brown’s ‘ Fatherhood of God,” in the British Quar- terly Review. THe SUPPLY oF THE WELSH PULPIT, a Controversy between Dr. Morris and the Dean of Bangor. Printed in The Liverpool Mercury. MAn’s RESPONSIBILITY FOR HIS BELIEF. A Sermon. A Review of Dr. Dale’s Lectures on the Atonement, in the British Quar- terly Review. BIBLIOGRAPHY OF MORLEY LITERATURE. 269 Pessimism. An Article in Welsh in Cened Hedd Magazine. THE Jewish Saceirices. An Article in The Homiletic Magazine, February, 1883. Tae SCRIPTURE AS A REVELATION FROM Gop. An Article in The Dys-gedydd. A Review of Dr, Edwards’s Book on the Atonement. Printed in Welsh. A Tour In IRELAND, among the Roman Catholics. In The Leeds Mercury. THE CONNECTION BETWEEN GODLINESS AND USEFULNESS. A Sermon. Pub- lished in America, 1867. THE Otp Man oF Ninety. Tract No. 253 of The Monthly Messenger. THE SPIRITS IN PRISON ; or, The Question of Future Probation. 1878. 18pp. LorD, WHAT wILt THOU HAVE ME DO? A Sermon. Bristol, 1878. 16pp. NeEssE, Rey. Curisropuer, M.A., Minister at the Old Chapel, 1665-71. AN ANTIDOTE AGAINST ARMINIANISM, or a Treatise to enervate and confute all the Five Pointsthereof. Recommended by Dr. Owen and published for public good. By Christopher Ness, London. Printed in the year 1700. 12mo. History AND MysTERy OF THE OLD AND New TzstAMEnts, logically discussed and theologically improved. 4 vols., folio. London, 1690-6. A PROTESTANT ANTIDOTE AGAINST THE PoIsON oF PopERY. 8vo. 1679. THE CROWN AND GLORY OF A CHRISTIAN. 12mo. 1631. A Cuourcu History rrom ApAmM. 8vo. 1681. LirE OF Pore INNOCENT THE ELEVENTH. THE CHRISTIAN’s WALK AND WorkK oN EARTH, until he comes to Heaven. 8vo. 1677. THE Crystat Mirror, showing the treachery of the Heart. S8vo. 1679. Nose, Rey. Danret, M.A., Minister at the Old Chapel, 1673-4. ' THE VISIONS AND PROPHECIES OF DANIEL EXPLAINED. 1700. PRIESTLEY, Rev. JosHua, Wesleyan Minister. Born at Morley. - Memoirs oF THE Rev. JOHN HESSEL. Crown 8vo. 1848. REYNER, Rey. Epwarp, M.A. Born at Morley, a.p. 1600, ‘RULES FoR THE GOVERNMENT OF THE TonGuE, with Directions in Six par- ticular Cases. By Edward Reyner, Minister of the Gospel in Lincolne. London: Printed by R. J. for Thomas Newberry, and are to be sold at his shop, at the Three Lions, near the Exchange. 1656. PRECEPTS FOR CHRISTIAN PRACTICE. CONSIDERATIONS CONCERNING MARRIAGE; the Honour, Duties, Benefits, and Troubles of it. A VINDICATION oF HumMAN LEARNING AND UNIVERSITIES. THE BEING AND WELL-BEING OF A CHRISTIAN, in three Treatises. ScaTcHeRD, Norrisson, F.S.A. Born Feb. 29th,1780. Died Feb. 16th, 1853. Tut History oF Mor ey, in the Parish of Batley and West Riding of York- shire ; and especially of the Old Chapel in that village. Leeds: Printed and Published by J. Heaton, 7, Briggate. mdcccxxx. Demy 8vo., 342pp. THE CHAPEL OF KiNG Epwarp III. oN WAKEFIELD BRIDGE; or an improved Essay on this and other Ancient Bridge Chantries ; including an Account of the Battle of Wakefield, and much Antiquarian Remark on the whole. London: Simpkin, Marshall, and Co. mdcccxliii. 34pp. MEMOIRS OF THE CELEBRATED EUGENE ARAM, who was executed for the murder of Daniel Clark, in 1759; with some account of his Family, and other particulars, collected for the most part above thirty years ago. London: Simpkin, Marshall and Co. 1838. 64pp. GLEANINGS AFTER EUGENE ARAM. By NoRRISSON SCATCHERD. 64pp. 1840. Mr. Scatcherd was a contributor to the Gentleman's Magazine, Hone’s Year and Table Books, and the Local Newspapers. SHEPHERD, Rey. AmBrosE, Minister at the Old Chapel, 1885. DISESTABLISHMENT. A Sermon preached in St. Mary’s Church, Morley, on November 14th, 1885. Leeds: McCorquodale and Co. Post 8vo., 16pp. 1885. 270 MORLEY: ANCIENT AND MODERN. Situ, Wii11a4M, F.8.A.8., Morley. ADVENTURES WITH My ALPEN-STOCK AND CARPET-BAG; or, a Three Weeks’ Trip to France and Switzerland. London: F. Pitman, Paternoster Row. mdecelxili. 110pp., Post 8vo. A YoORKSHIREMAN’S TRIP TO RoME IN 1866. London: Longmans, 1866. Post 8vo., 120pp. MoRLEY IN 1868; Reviewed in its Moral Aspects, Social State, and Sanitary Condition. T. Sykes, Morley, 1868. Crown 8vo., 48pp. A Monts witH SMEDLEY’s Lunatics; or, Life at the Matlock Bank Hydro- pathic Establishment. T. Sykes, Morley, 1870. Crown 8vo., pp. 8. THE Risk AND PROGRESS OF YORKSHIRE LITERATURE. Paper contributed to The Yorkshire Magazine, vol.1.,p.15. 1871. RAMBLES ABOUT Morey, with Descriptive and Historic Sketches. Also, an Account of the Rise and Progress of the Woollen Manufacture in this place. Illustrated with a plan of Morley and numerous engravings. London: J. R. Smith, 36, Soho Square. mdccclxvi. Crown 8vo., 194 pages. Tur History AND ANTIQUITIES OF MORLEY, in the West Riding of the County of York. With upwards of one hundred illustrations. Longmans, Green, and Co., London, 1876. Demy 8vo., 300pp. Oup YorRKSHIRE, with Introduction by Dr. Robert Collyer. Vol. I. Demy 8vo. 320pp. 1881. OLtp YorKsuHIRE, with Introduction by Canon Raine, M.A., Vol. Il. Demy 8vo. 330pp. 1881. OLD YORKSHIRE, with Introduction by W. Wheater, C.E. VolIII. Demy 8vo. 330pp. 1882. OLD YORKSHIRE, with Introduction by Fred. Ross, F.R.H.S. Vol. IV. Demy 8vo. 340pp. 1883. OLp YORKSHIRE, With Introduction by F. J. Falding, D.D. Vol. V. Demy 8vo. 364pp. 1884. SourHey, Rev. Grorcz, B.A., Minister at the Old Chapel, 1866-75. Cities oF Reruce. Sermon preached Oct. Ist, 1871. 8. Stead, Morley. 1871. THE Crown oF THorNS. Do. yoo Oblis oars do 56 ih THE HIDDEN PounpD. Do. joa Obn, ee do. iS 5, THE GLORY OF THE Cross. Do. 59 ooTCL megs do. _ oy STEAD, SAMUEL, Editor, Morley. The Morley Observer. Weekly. First No. published, 1871. SwInvDEN, JoHN, Esq., Surgeon, Morley. An ATTEMPT TO PROVE THAT LORD CHATHAM WAS JUNIUS. Longmans, 1830. Demy 8vo., 80pp. Junius Lorp CHATHAM, and the ‘‘ Miscellaneous Letters” proved to be Spurious. Longmans, London, 1833. Demy 8vo., 84pp. Syxss, THomas, Lditor, Morley. The Morley Times. Weekly. First No. published, 1877. Tyson, Rev. WrttiAm, Wesleyan Minister, Morley. The Circuit Methodist Messenger. Morley, 1871. ‘Ten Numbers published. Wass, Rev. SAmuxEL, Minister at the Old Chapel, 1627. Totum Hominis ; or, the whole duty of a Christian, consisting of faith and a good life, by the late Reverend and Worthy Mr. Samuel Wales, Minister of the Gospel at Morley, 1627. Dedicated to Philip, Lord Wharton. WALKER, J. BRADSHAWE, of Leeds. THE Morey PAPERS ; comprising some few remarks on the past history and the living manners of that locality, biographical notices, etc. Edited by Octavius Hungrill. No. 1. A Local and Biographical Sketch. No. 2. The Flemish Girl ; a tale of the Times of Charles I. No. 3. Sorrows, Sayings, and Sympathies—from the Autobiography of Octavius Hungrill No. 4. Things that have been and Things that are. Lines IN Memory oF JOHN SWINDEN, Esq., Surgeon, of Morley, near Leeds. | Ee » fees ge nies s BIBLIOGRAPHY OF MORLEY LITERATURE. 271 WessTeER, THomas. Bornat Morley, April 26th, 1779. Died Oct. 19th, 1831. AN ADDRESS TO THE INHABITANTS OF MORLEY ON THE DUE OBSERVANCE OF THE SappaTH. Leeds: EH. Bainesand Sons, 1828. Crown 8vo., 32pp. Warrttaker, Rey. W., Minister of a Chapel at Leeds. Two Discourses at Morley, near Leeds; the last he ever preached. 8vo. 1770. Woopncocr, Rev. Henry, Primitive Methodist Minister, Morley, 1884-6. Porery UNMASKED: being Thirty Conversations between Mr. Daylight and . Mr. Twilight. London: R. Davies, 1862. Post 8vo,, 350pp. THE Gypsizs ; being a brief account of their History, Origin, Capabilities, Manners, and Customs. London: W. Lister, 1865. Post 8vo., 178pp. THE HERo oF THE HuMBER; or the History of John Ellerthorpe. London: Elliot Stock, 1868. Post 8vo., 182pp. Fact STRANGER THAN Ficrion. London: G. Lamb, 1870. Crown 8vo., 216pp. THE STUDENT'S HANDBOOK TO ScripTURE Doctrines. London: F, H. Hurd, 1875. Crown 8vo., 764pp. Tar TyYNEwypp Cotiiery Disaster. A Sermon. Driffield, 1877. Crown 8vo.,20pp. WonbDeERS oF GRACE. London: S. W. Partridge and Co., 1879. 12mo., 432pp. INCREASING THE FLock. London, 1885. Demy 8vo., 16pp. Wownnacort, Rey. JAmEs, Minister at the Old Chapel, 1854-60. THE History or Moriey OL_p CHAPEL AND ITS MItnNistERS, from the Earliest Times. Morley: S. Stead, 1859. The Morley and Churwell Magazine. Only a few Numbers issued, _WoopHeaD, JosepH, M.P., Editor. The Morley Reporter and Guardian. Weekly. February, 1868. The Old Malt Shovel Inn was a conspicuous object in the Bottoms fifty years ago, and was one of the old-fashioned “ publics,” where “ good accommodation for man and beast” was to be met with. It had a lively history, for fine stories of revelry and jokes that shook its walls in the olden times were told by those who frequented it in the time of that ‘jolly landlord,” Ward Woodhouse. From the Bottoms, we ascend Dawson’s Hill, and, passing through Hirst’s Yard, are forcibly reminded that here occurred the first fatal case in connection with the visitation of thirty-seven years ago—the terrible cholera of 1849. Soon after the disease had made its appear- ance in the village, cases multiplied, and a great fear came upon the inhabitants which weakened bodies as well as minds, and made them all the more susceptible to receive the poison which was circu- lating in the atmosphere around. By the second week in August, there had been upwards of twenty deaths; and the whole village seemed covered with the shadow of death. There was the frequent carrying of coffins and passage of funerals through the streets; and we well remember watching the burial of several of the victims in the south corner of the churchyard, where lime was shovelled on to the coffins, and the faces of the few attendants and the white robes of the clergy- man looked ghostlike in the flickering glare of the huge pan of pitch which had accompanied the mournful procession. Many of the funerals took place after the long summer day had faded into darkness. The villagers, in their great alarm, were afraid to strip their dead ; hence, numbers were buried in their clothes. All the old funeral customs were set aside, for the last breath was hardly gasped out before the coffin 272 MORLEY: ANCIENT AND MODERN. was sent for, and in a few hours the corpse was on its way to the graveyard. Sufficient bearers could seldom be found to carry it in the old decorous fashion ; and the coffin was, in most instances, placed in a cart, behind which a pan of boiling pitch formed part of the funeral cortege. As the cases of cholera increased, and the fear and peril grew from day to day, the means to counteract them grew also. A committee was formed, and a fund of £60 subscribed, which was ex- pended in alleviating the misery of the sufferers, and affording aid where human help was possible. Clergy and laity met daily, to plan fresh precautions, and to grant relief in the most abundant measure. The Earl of Dartmouth, with a commendable liberality, sent several sub- scriptions to the fund, besides contributing £15 to be expended in clothing and bedding for the sufferers, and also placing £4 per week for three months at the disposal of the committee to be paid to the widows, orphans, and others, who stood in the greatest need. We cannot record the sad account of those fearful weeks during which the pestilence was in our midst, without mentioning the valuable services rendered by the Rev. John Morris, at that time minister of the Old Chapel. During the fearful visitation, he went at all hours into the miserable cottage rooms of the sick and dying. One can hardly tell. how great was the benefit of such courage, how it lifted the friends and relatives of the stricken ones from the depths of gloom and misery, to find that there was one who came from pure kindliness to help them, and passed unhurt through the worst dangers. And from our own observation of the symptoms, we know that it needed no common courage to brave the disease then, when its strangeness doubled its terrors. Throughout the whole period of the visitation, the disease was of the most malignant character, horrible in its symptoms, and rapid in its destruction; and, though the deaths were not so numerous, in proportion to the population, as at Hunslet and many other places, yet it was probably more keenly felt, for each case was known through- out the village, and each death was more or less a grief to numbers of old friends, or neighbours, or relations. It may be mentioned, as a sign of the alarm which was felt, that the grass grew on the footpaths, through the avoidance of the more infected districts by those who lived in more favoured parts of the village. Services were held every evening in several of the chapels in the village, and these exercises were often prolonged to midnight, and were attended by crowded con- gregations. At the summit of Dawson’s Hill, we can see, through the trees, Morley Hall, which has lately been renovated and restored, and is now in the occupation of Oliver Scatcherd, Esq., solicitor, and son of our historian. The house, in its original state, was not very remarkable. It had a low central portion, flanked by several gabled erections, and at one end a new wing, which, not having the weather-stains of the rest of the building, presented a somewhat incongruous appearance. The Hall was built in 1683 by Thomas Dawson, Esq., who chose taste- MORLEY HALL. 273 fully the site. It stands on the knoll of the hill, with a broad green meadow in front, and is surrounded at the back and sides by trees. One peculiarity of these trees we cannot omit to mention. Thirty years ago, quite a colony of rooks inhabited them, and the evenings’ proceed- ings and playful manceuvres of this feathered tribe were a constant source of amusement to the children of that day. In the autumn time, just before dusk, the rooks came in long strings from their day’s wan- derings, and, wheeling round and round in the air, they made a loud cawing preparatory to settling down to their rest. These visitants have now altogether disappeared, and the name of *‘The Rookery,” once given to the Hall, has fallen into disuse. From the Dawson family, the Hall passed into the possession of the Wetherills, and after- RR ea MAS is Raa yee TAN Morley Hall, A.D. 1870. wards was purchased by Joseph Dixon, at the time a large manufac- turer, and best known amongst his neighbours by the name of ‘ Great Joe Dixon,” in contra-distinction to another Joseph Dixon, then living in Morley. As an employer of labour, he was highly respected, and left, at his death, children whose descendants are still numerous in the village. Mr. Jos. Priestley, an extensive manufacturer of cloth, next occupied the Hall, and for the better carrying on of his business erected the large factory at the rear of the house. The property subsequently became the property of Joseph Webster, Esq., who died in 1882; and the Hall was afterwards tenanted by his widow, until her death, in 1884. In close proximity to the Hall, is Rehoboth Chapel and _ burial ground. In the year 1763, when Morley was a small village, and when 8 274 MORLEY : ANCIENT AND MODERN the Old Presbyterian Chapel was the only place of public worship, the Rey. Thomas Morgan, a native of Carmarthen, in Wales, and known there as the “ Welsh Cicero,” was invited to the vacant pulpit at the Old Chapel. After considerable hesitation on his part, and not a little pressure from a part of the church, he accepted their invitation, and came to reside in Morley. The cause of Christianity in Morley at that time was in a languishing condition, and the congregation at the Old Chapel much divided in their opinions of the truth. But amongst them there was a small number who took the opportunity of Mr. Morgan’s settlement to leave the place, and began to assemble together for worship in a hired room on Banks’ Hill. In this licensed house did that body of Congregational Dissenters worship until the following year, when the second Harl of Dartmouth gave to them ‘‘a rood of waste land, for the purpose of building thereon an Independent Chapel, and making a burial ground.” On that piece of land the people erected the ‘‘Old New Chapel,” as it was called, and a small dwelling-house for the minister. No account is ~ preserved of the opening services; but they took place in 1765, when the church was formed, and in 1766 the Rev. Mr. Parish was invited to the pastorate. He continued to preach in the New Chapel until his death, which took place in 1782. Inthe year following, he was suc- ceeded by the Rev. Joseph Sowden, who remained until the year 1798, when he removed to Booth, in the parish of Halifax. In the same year, the Rev. Thomas Clough, a most worthy and excellent minister, was ordained pastor, and he occupied the pulpit for thirty-one years, until his death, which took place on the 16th day of February, 1820. During Mr. Clough’s ministry, a new gallery was erected in the chapel. The Rey. John Cones, in 1820, became the minister ; but he left in 1822, and the pastorate was vacant until 1825, when a call was given to Mr. John Heselton, then a student in Airedale College. Mr. Heselton accepted the call, but was only permitted to remain with his people for one year and a half, and for three or four months of that time he was unable to take part in any public service. He departed this life, much lamented, on the 12th of January, 1827, in the twenty- sixth year of his age. During his short pastorate, the congregation expended nearly three hundred pounds in repairing the chapel, and enlarging the house of the minister. In the month of July, 1833, the ministers and trustees received a notice from the Earl of Dartmouth to quit the premises, and when the former waited upon his lordship’s steward, they were told that they must pay a rent of £50 per annum if they continued to occupy the chapel. To this request they demurred, and resolved to build a new chapel on Dawson’s Hill. The foundation stone was laid on the 26th of February, 1835, by the Rev. J. Calvert, the minister. During the erection of the chapel the use of the Old Chapel was granted to the people; the services on the Sabbath commencing at nine o’clock in the morning, and one in the afternoon, so as not to interfere with the REHOBOTH INDEPENDENT CHAPEL. 275 ordinary services in connection with the place. The new chapel was opened on the 8th of October, 1835, when sermons were preached by the Revs. Dr. Hamilton and John Ely, of Leeds. The following de- scription of the New Chapel and premises was written soon after the opening by the minister: “ The exiles erected a spacious chapel, vestry, and Sabbath schoolroom on Dawson Hill, and they also purchased a dwelling house for the minister. The chapel is forty-four feet wide, The Rev. Edward Goodall (See page 277). and sixty-four feet long, within the walls, and will accommodate eight hundred people. The cost of the freehold, chapel, and dwelling house, is near £3,000.” The Rey. J. Calvert continued to labour here until his death in Oct., 1847 ; having for twenty years filled the pastoral office in connection with this church and congregation. After his death, the pulpit at Rehoboth was vacant until the year 1849, when a call was given to the Rev. Jonah Reeve, of Saddleworth, who came and settled in Yew Tree House. © YEW TREE HOUSE. 277 Morley, and continued his labours until November, 1858, when he accepted an invitation to Stowmarket. In June, 1861, the Rev. William Orgar, of Bingley, became the pastor, and continued until 1864, when he resigned. Soon after he left, the church and congregation put into the chapel a neat and excellent organ, at a cost of about £400. In the month of December, 1864, a call was given to the Rev. John James, of Hinckley, who accepted the invitation, and commenced his labours in the February of the following year. During Mr. James’s ministry, in 1870, the chapel underwent a thorough renovation, the whole of the interior being taken out and replaced by more commodious pews, a platform pulpit, and a recess for the organ. Two class-rooms and a minister’s vestry were also added. The cost of the alterations amounted to £1,600. Mr. James resigned the pastorate on December 21st, 1879, and afterwards settled at Middlesborough. In June, 1881, a call was given to the Rev. Edward Goodall, of Howden, in the East Riding, who accepted the invitation and commenced his ministry on the first Sunday in August, 1881. Mr. Goodall had been settled in Howden for seven years previous to his coming to Morley. During that time the chapel was renovated, and the number of members of the church - greatly increased. Mr. Goodall published a small book on “ Howden Nonconformity,” which gave a lucid and charitable view of the religious life in Howden during the previous fifty years. Facing Morley Hall, and on the opposite hill, stands Yew Tree House, supposed to have been built about the middle of the seventeenth century, by one Richard Huntington, from whom it was purchased by Miss Waller. This lady lies buried in the Old Chapel-yard; and a tombstone erected over her remains bears the following inscription :— In Memory of Dorotuy, daughter of the celebrated Edmund Waller, of Beaconsfield, in the county of Bucks, who died Jan. 18th, 1717, in the 61st year of her age. Miss Waller bequeathed Yew Tree House to the Rev. T. Aldred, at whose death it was purchased by one of the Rayner family, and subse- quently passed into the possession of Dr. Swinden, a “disciple of Galen” who was held in high and deserved respect in his day. His advice was at all times freely at the command of the sick and suffering poor, to whom he was ever kind during his practice in Morley ; no pecuniary motive could ever induce him to forget their claims upon him. His good deeds were more abundant in those times of privation and distress which the operatives of the village were called to pass through, and which he endeavoured to alleviate in every way that he could; and these are still remembered by those who profited by his advice, and who also were the recipients of his private bounty. He suggested and carried out the formation in the village of a society for the mutual improvement of adults; and, possessing a thorough knowledge of chemistry, he was never happier than when endeavouring to make himself understood by the humblest capacity. ioe MORLEY: ANCIENT AND MODERN. Proceeding along Bank Street, and passing Bank House, the residence of Dr. Clark, we come to the homestead of Dr. Hirst, and this house stands intimately associated with the times when ‘ good broad cloth” was manufactured in Morley. Here lived for many years Mr. John Webster, or ‘“ Maister John” as the villagers called him, who in his day was the principal employer of labour in the village, and for along time was almost the only manufacturer of “ superfine cloths” in the district. At his death he left behind him four sons, Thomas, Nathaniel, Samuel, and John, who, inheriting their father’s business habits, each acquired a competency, and at the same time contributed, in no small degree, to the prosperity of their native village. Passing Jackson’s Lane end, we come upon a house, built upon the site formerly occupied by a humble one-storey cottage in which one Betty Hartley acted as post-mistress for many years. The letters at this time were called for every night and morning by John Cowburn, who, coming from Adwalton, collected them from all the villages on his way to and from Leeds. In the times preceding these, it was the custom for them to be collected from every house by a person called the ‘“ Foot Postman,’ who, walking through the village, blew a horn, the sounds of which, when heard, brought forth the people to him with their letters, or prepared them to be on the look-out for some communication. Mr. Andrew Cowburn commenced as foot-post between Leeds and Drighlington in the year 1824, taking Morley in his route; and in 1829 he received an appointment to the post office at Morley, still distributing letters to West Ardsley, Churwell, Gildersome, Adwalton, Drighlington, and Tong. In 1869, Mr. Cowburn retired from the office of postmaster, after forty- five years’ service, when he was presented by the inhabitants with a valuable gold watch and chain. Our village postman, fifty years ago, was an important personage in the place. No postman’s knock in those - days, for the welcome messenger was in the habit of lifting the “sneck” or latch, and walking in with his civil ‘Good day ;” and oft- times had to render still further service by reading the letters for his more illiterate neighbours. For nearly half a century was Mr. sorrowful tidings, carrying to and fro records of marriage, birth, and burial, “‘ and all those changes which make up the shifting scenery of Cowburn the bearer of sweet and a THE VILLAGE POSTMAN, 279 busy life.” It would be.difficult to say how many times our postman had to decipher that old familiar commencement to three-fourths of the letters which passed through our village post-office fifty years ago. This introduction ran as follows:—‘‘ Deer John, I sit down toe rite theas few Lines which hop to find yu well, ass they leeve us Hall middeling At present,” and so on. Our postman knew every person in his postal district, was respected alike by rich and poor, and, as he went his daily round of some twenty miles, was everywhere received with a kindly nod and a friendly recognition. Mr. Cowburn is yet with us, and enjoys the distinction of being one of the oldest inhabitants in the borough. On Mr.Cowburn’s retirement, Mr. R. F. Sleigh was appointed postmaster ; and, after several changes, the postal business is now transacted in suitable offices in Queen Street. The cottage in which Betty Hartley lived is also worthy of note as having been the dwelling-place of two Morley centenarians, viz :— Tamar Wood, who died here in the early part of the present century, at the age of one hundred and four, and Mally Hartley, who died at Cinderhill, on the twenty-fifth of February, 1825, in her hundred and third year. These are not the only cases of longevity in Morley, for in 1716 Widow Foss died, aged one hundred and fourteen years ; and in 1857 Widow Smith, grandmother to the author, died, aged ninety- three, having lived for sixty years on Banks Hill, in the same house in which she died. In a local paper of 1825 we find the following :— In the ancient and romantic village of Morley, and upon a spot called immemorially Troy Hill, there are a few cottages, chiefly occupied by twelve persons, whose ages, united, make eight hundred and ninety-eight years. But the wonder was fgreater, till lately, when two persons died, one of whom was ninety-four or ninety-five and the other ninety or so. Three persons, however, have lived thereabouts who have more than attained their hundredth year. On Saturday, Nov. 12th, 1859, William Chappell died in his eighty- fifth year; in his youthful days he served in Egypt under Sir Ralph Abercrombie, from 1797 to 1861, and in the following year obtained his discharge. We are now in close proximity to the ‘‘ Old New Chapel Yard.” It is now rarely used as a place of burial ; it is in the possession of the Anglican Church, but formerly belonged to the Dissenters; and the graves are the resting places of men who little dreamt of the change that awaited this—to them—hallowed ground. This quiet spot—the place of graves, or “‘ God’s Acre” as the Germans beautifully term it— in the centre of activity, has no claim upon notice arising from quaint inscriptions or heraldic bearings. For some years, the Wesleyans held services in an “ upper room ” on Banks Hill, but in 1876, through the efforts of Messrs. I. C. Wat- son and E. Jackson, they erected an iron chapel on Bank Top, at acost of £700. Accommodation is provided for 800 persons, and the opening services were held on December 14th, 1876, when a sermon was preached by the Rev. Samuel Coley. 280 MORLEY: ANCIENT AND MODERN. At the foot of Church Street, where a branch store of the Co- operative Society stands, was formerly an ancient house, of some importance in its day. On the gateway leading to this house, there was, until a few years ago, the following inscription :—Porta, patens esto, Nulli claudaris honesto,—O Gate, be thou open; thou mayest be shut to no honest man. The first half of the inscription was upon the pillar of the gateway to the left, and the remainder on the pillar to the right. Tradition says that Mr. Pickering, at one time minister at St. Mary’s, lived here ; and after him, and probably until 1695, when he died, one Wyther, an attorney, who lies buried at Batley. Next, probably one Rothwell, a schoolmaster, and after him some of the Rayner family, and since that time, one Trenholme, a schoolmaster, Mr. Overend, manufacturer, Mr. David King, and others. aN - hart ie ;e oe Le ee ~—. € me aH] i> i Old House and Gateway. Beyond this ancient dwelling-house, and standing back from the main thoroughfare, is Croft House, the residence of Mr. Edward Stockwell, whose public services entitle him to rank amongst the bene- factors of the place. To the young men of Morley, Mr. Stockwell’s success in life furnishes an encouraging instance of what economy and industry, when directed by intelligence, are capable of achieving. As a member of the Local Board for nearly twenty years, he has rendered important service to the town; and his indomitable energy and self- reliance, his plain, straightforward common sense, and the business manner which he has brought to bear on important subjects, are amongst the leading features of his long career as a public servant. In all matters of sanitary and social reform, and in politics, Mr. Stockwell has shown himself a man of independent mind, and a faithful disciple of progress. In other departments of public work, he has ~ - 9 proved himself to be an excellent specimen of that class of commercial men who can, and do, combine ability in private business with an apti- tude for the management of public trusts. He has devoted a large portion of his time to the good of the community, with an honesty and inflexibility of purpose, an independence of character, and a compre- hensiveness of information, which those who know him best are the most willing to acknowledge. A little beyond Croft House stood the Windmill, which gave its name to the lane. The mill was used for grinding corn, but had previously been used for manufacturing purposes. Its position upon this breezy height, with a long stretch of open country before it, would be highly advantageous to the miller; but steam, which has revolutionised many things, has swept the old windmills out of exist- ence, in this part of the country at least. It seems but the other day, that.the old smithy, the Old White Cross Inn, in Windmill Lane, and the church close by, were pleasantly surrounded by green fields and hedgerows, but the building mania of the last thirty years has stretched itself in this direction of our borough, as in nearly all others, and the fields that, in our youthful days, stretched from Banks’ Hill to the old inn at the Four Lane Ends, exist only as a pleasant remembrance. We confess that we felt reluctant to part with the old inn, and the windmill with its creaking sails, for both had come to be regarded as landmarks in the village. And now, my readers, our journey is at an end. We have endeavoured to give you, what is necessarily but an imperfect account, of localities hallowed by memories of days now almost forgotten ; of men and women associated with them ; and of some features of Morley life, which have either yielded to the influence of time, or have been Swept away by the advance of modern tastes. We are glad if we have been enabled to rescue from oblivion anything of interest connected with the past history of our borough ; and our pursuits in this direction have been of a most pleasant character, as we have attempted to forge some links which might strengthen the chain binding the old times with the new. THE WINDMILL. 281 CHAPTER XIV. THE MANUFACTURING LIFE OF MorLEY—THE OLD MORLEY ¢¢ D ASHER ”—-PROCESSES OF MANUFACTURE—WOOL SORTING, WooL SCOURING, BLENDING, SCRIBBLING, CONDENSING, SPINNING, BURLING, WEAVING, MILLING, DYEING, AND FINISHING—PROGRESS OF THE TRADE—PRESENT POSITION © AND PROSPECTS— THE PLUG DRAWING RIOTS—THE CHARTIST MoOVEMENT—PROGRESS OF THE WORKING CLASSES—CHAMBER OF COMMERCE—TECHNICAL SCHOOL—FIRE INSURANCE COM- PANY. N writing of the manufacturing life of Morley as we knew it (fifty years ago, we have a wide field for our memory to wander in, for of the many great changes which those of us have witnessed who have lived during the past half-century, - few are greater than those which have come over our work- a-day life. In scarcely any particular does the manufacturing life e of 1886 compare with that of 1836, and it shall be our business to point out wherein they differ. In 1836, all the inhabitants of our romantic, and at that time pleasant village, knew each other, and seemed as though they were but members of one great family, and whatever concerned the well-being and well-doing of any single member of that family had an interest for the rest ; but in these later times of railways, telegraphs, telephones, electric light, and other so-called marks of civilization, we are divided into classes, with much of caste in our midst. Who that knew Morley fifty years ago can see the least resemblance between the manufacturer of that day and the full-blown millowner and manufacturer of 1886% In 1836, the ‘‘ Morley Dasher,” as he was called, was in nearly all respects on an equality with his THE MANUFACTURING LIFE OF MORLEY. 283 servant, or if there was any distinction it was that the master when his day’s work was finished would don the clean woolsey apron, and on the Sunday appear at chapel or church in knee breeches and leggings of a Superior quality to those worn by his workman. But in the matter of the work itself the master was a long way the superior in point of application and continuity, for the master had generally to be his own warper, weaver, and salesman. For those were not the days when the warp was brought into the town ready for the “‘ winder on,” but on the contrary, the warp had to be spun as well as the weft; and if the master could afford to run two or three looms he would spin the warp, whilst the good wife—often as hardworked as any person engaged in the manufacture—-was winding or spinning the weft; and so they managed by their joint efforts to provide employment for their work- people, not yet known as “ hands.” ‘These workpeople would comprise two or three hand-loom weavers, for the loom was then worked by means of the strong arms of men and women, the days of steam being applied to minimise their labour not having become an established fact. What, may we ask, has become of the ‘checker brat,” which was universally worn by our manufacturer of fifty years ago, and which he was in the habit of twisting round his waist with no small degree of pride, and which was only taken off to be superseded by the woolsey apron, or when he went to market at Leeds? And, by the way, what a@ weary journey to Leeds and back it must have been, along roads of which we can give no adequate description ! This part of the manu- facturer’s work was by no means easy, for, having trudged to Leeds, through slush and mud, he had to shoulder one or two ends of cloth, each weighing from sixty to seventy pounds, and carry them from warehouse to warehouse, ofttimes walking several miles in the course of his peregrinations, sometimes without effecting a sale, and at other times perhaps clearing out his stock of six or eight ends as the case might be. If he had a sale, then he would be required to carry the remainder of the goods from their place of deposit—-at the Rodney, the _ Saddle, or the George; and eventually we should find our manufacturer, with tired limbs, and yet with a sense of satisfaction that there had been ‘‘ something attempted, something done,” plodding his weary way along the Leeds and Elland Road, calling occasionally at the Waggon and Horses, the New Peacock, or the Drysalters’ Arms, just as tired nature felt the want of a restorative. If we look at the various stages in the manufacture of cloth, as then in existence, with passing allusions to the materials employed, we shall be enabled to see what great changes have taken place in this department of our social life. To begin with the raw material—wool, for that commodity was at that time in considerable demand, though it is now in a fair way for becoming extinct as an ingredient in the manu- facture of cloth. A great proportion of the union cloths manufactured in Morley at the present time are utterly innocent of having in them the smallest contribution from the sheep’s back. And yet, within our 284. MORLEY : ANCIENT AND MODERN. own recollection, wool, and that of a very superior quality, was the principal factor in the manufacture of cloth; and many a time and oft have we watched with pleasure the interesting process of wool-sorting, as carried on at the Rookery, Rods Mill, and elsewhere. This preli- minary operation in the manufacture was then a recognised branch of the trade of the cloth-maker ; and the master woolsorter (represented in our youthful days by Mr. James Yates, and later still by Mr. William Wilson) was in the habit of taking apprentices, from whom he received premiums, and when a sorter proved himself a proficient at his work he could command avery good wage. But woolsorting, asa separate and dis- tinct branch of the woollen manufacture, has long been a thing of the past, so far as Morley is concerned. For the information of those who never saw the operation of sorting, we may say that it consisted of opening out the fleece of wool, with a nice tact and discrimination only acquired by great experience, for if the sheep had been care- fully shorn, the fleece would still hang together as if attached to the skin. Having spread an open fleece before him, the sorter would pick it to pieces, lock by lock, and throw each lock, according to its quality (and this was dependent upon the position it occupied upon the animal), into a basket, or a separate heap, on his wire ‘“‘ hurl” or hurdle, which ~ stood before him. If we inquired as to the merits of the various heaps, we soon learnt that the first selection was the ‘“ picklock,” the second “prime,” the third “ choice,” and the fourth “super,” with other desig- nations for the inferior qualities. Who ever hears now of “ picklock,” a word lost to our Morley vocabulary? and, indeed, both “ picklock ” and ‘woolsorter” are terms no longer applicable to the Morley trade. The woolsorter had not long left our ranks before he was followed by the woolstapler, who was an important person in our youthful eyes, for was he not in the habit of periodically visiting the wool marts of the continent, in order to supply our manufacturers with the superior kinds of wool then in use? The woolstapler has become extinct, and we hear no more in the Morley trade of the Asquiths, the Dixons, the Dodgshuns and the Dickensons, who fifty years ago carried on this special and profitable branch of the woollen trade. Though we must bid good-bye to the “staplers” of half-a-century ago, we cannot do so without testifying to the great and valuable services they rendered in . their day towards the development of the Morley trade. The process of wool-scouring, which followed upon that of sorting, was a necessity, when we remember that all the wool came in the fleece direct from the sheep’s back, with all the grease attached to it, and the wool-scourer was required to cleanse it from all its impurities, and pre- pare it for subsequent operations. The scouring was done, in those unscientific times, by means of an alkali obtained from tubs which could be seen standing near every cottage door in the village, and the copper payment for the necessary solvent was pin-money for the mis- tress. This perquisite has long been a thing of the past, and now the THE SHAKE-WILLEY. 285 operation of scouring the wool is all but done away with, the wool coming to the manufacturer, as a rule, in the scoured state. _The wool being scoured, we will follow it into the willey house, where, meeting with other raw material, it must undergo the process of blending. This was an important part of the manufacturer’s work, as the profit and loss question was very much dependent upon the skill and ability brought to bear upon the nice admixture of the various classes of material. Another important factor in the blending process, which was very much neglected, was that skill was required on the part of the workman ; and, for want of tbis, barry, and broken-bottomed, yi ) = 5 MN By! ; a ¢ | { } ceeeest tee HIV IMN Wil g . = uf i HITT NG?) \) areas i ie \\e HH} { a i if e Lee aT | = 1 om | ati |S TT Shake-willey. and otherwise faulty goods, were not uncommon. The “ teazer” only was in use for some considerable time, and then the ‘ shake-willey ” was introduced. This was a stronger and coarser-toothed machine, for rough cleaning the fud and other material by shaking out the dust and dirt, and also giving them a preparatory mixing prior to their being oiled and passed through the teazer. The teazer was also greatly im- proved by having the swift and workers more rankly toothed, and thus better adapted for the finer classes of work. We do not think that, as yet, this important part of the cloth manufacture is done in anything like so careful, complete, and scientific a manner as is necessary ; but there is a great improvement upon the system of blending in vogue 286 MORLEY: ANCIENT AND MODERN. fifty years ago, when the hand-loom weaver and the spinner were called — from their proper occupations to assist in the willey-house, and to do so without any payment, and we can easily imagine that their interest in the operation would not be so great as to induce them to give special attention to the work. In no branch of the cloth manufacture has there been, in our opinion, so little improvement as in the important operation of blending. Our engraving represents the shake-willey in its front view. The wool is thrown, an armful at a time, on the grating, D, which is then raised, so as to bring the wool against the teethed swift inside, which revolves at the rate of 300 or 400 revolutions a minute. Three spiked workers, C, above the swift, revolve above the swift in an opposite direction ; and as the wool is carried up by the swift, it gets shaken and torn; and as it falls again, it is beaten against the grating, and the dirt falls under the machine. A chimney at the back of the machine, with a circular fan driven rapidly, takes away the dust; and, to prevent the latter from coming out in front, a curtain is attached to the front bar of the grating, D, which covers the mouth when the wool is being cleaned. The teazer, or “mixing-willey,” is here shewn, The feeding - apron is at G, from whence the wool is taken by the feed rollers to - the swift, which is covered with strong __ tenter- hook teeth, and revolves rapidly, carrying the wool to the workers, BB, by which it is caught and i) drawn out. The strippers, OC, take it from the workers, both of _ these revolving 2a = SU Ne = In a contrar EE —k— EE EE = direction to thet = = of the swift, and —= a the latter again Teazer. catches it, and takes it on to a hollow drum, F, with straight teeth, which draws the wool off the swift and throws it on the floor. Coming now to the processes of scribbling and carding, we find that experience has very materially improved upon the methods in operation fifty years ago. Then the machines were of a very insignifi- cant size.and character, as compared with the large machines now in use. The area of working power has been very much increased, the THE SLUBBING BILLEY. 287 - cards are better adapted for the work they have to do, and the art— no mean one—of using them is more perfectly understood. That there . is yet room for great improvement we must admit, but we are slow to abandon old and tried methods for new and experimental inventions. Yet the Hopper feed for the scribbler, and the Blamires and Scotch feeds for the condensor, are steps far in advance of hand-feeding ; and the substitution of the condensor for the “ Billey ” and hand-piecing has worked quite a revolution in our factory life. The ‘slubber” and the ‘ piecer,” or ‘“ piecener,” as he or she was sometimes called, have vanished from the scene; and, with regard to the last-named, it is a merciful arrangement that the place which once knew them should know them no more for ever. It was formerly no unusual thing for children of eight years of age to have to rise by five in the morning and work till eight in the evening, and be all the time at the mercy of an unprincipled and tyrannical slubber, who, “ drest in a little brief authority,” to increase his own earnings, would make the lives of his piecers worse than that of a galley slave. These were the days of “ straps,” other than those which sent the wheels twirling around, for it would have been difficult at that time to find a slubber who did not have a strap—and a heavy one too—within his reach, or else the “top roller” of his billey, wherewith to chastise the child who happened to let down a carding or otherwise come under his displeasure. It has been said that this blot on our factory life, this utter disregard of the feelings, health, and morality of the children employed, was the cause of the introduction of the Factory Act; and certainly the shameful con- _ duct of the overlookers and superior workmen in our factories at this time called for some sharp and effective legislation to deal with the intolerable evil. The phrase, ‘“‘ wake as acairding,” is now an expression with little or no meaning, but to the factory child of fifty years ago it was a saying suggestive of trouble and sorrow for him, for when the slubber was annoyed by the cardings refusing to hang together he took his revenge out of the unoffending piecer, instead of taking it out of the manufacturer, who had put on a blend that could only be made into ‘‘ wake cairdings.” We suppose there are not many persons now left who suffered in childhood all the indignities which the top roller of the “ slubbing billey ” and the strap could inflict. It does not come within our province that we should describe the processes of scribbling and carding in detail, but we give drawings of the scribbler and condensor as in use in Morley. Our object is to notice the changes which have taken place within our own recollection in the methods of manufacture; and, in connection with scribbling, we may refer to the process of feeding the scribbler. The old-fashioned way was to spread the wool by hand on the apron at the back of the feeding rollers. A pair of scales was fixed near the apron, and the minder had to weigh each lot of wool before spreading it over the feed sheet. The apron, as it was called, was marked into spaces of equal length, and each weigh of wool was to occupy one of these spaces. 288 MORLEY: ANCIENT AND MODERN. This was an operation requiring much care and practice to enable the minder to accurately and evenly spread the wool within the prescribed limit, that there might be no unevenness in the delivery at the other end of the machine. But this careful attention and rigid adherence to rule was not always forthcoming, hence the feeding was ofttimes very irregular, and the delivery at the other end equally so, to the detriment of the cloth at subsequent stages of the manufacture. This difficulty has been met in some measure by the Hopper feed, which has dispensed with hand-feeding ; and, though this wonderful automatic machine is in oO all but general use, it is far from perfect and reliable in its action. Scribbler. The Scribbler itself is composed of many parts, nearly all of which have been in use since the machine was first invented, though modifica- tions and alterations in its working parts have been made from time to time. The working parts are known as the feed rollers; the lickers- in, a very expressive term; the angle strippers; the swifts, so-called from the velocity with which they work ; the workers, the fancies, and the doffers, all terms full of meaning ; and each part of the huge machine having its own clearly defined work to do. An important part of the Condensor. duty of the scribbling overlooker is to see to the setting of the rollers, so that the action of the card wires may be true and correct. The method formerly in vogue, and which is yet not totally abandoned, was to judge by the eye whether the rollers were near enough to each other ; but there is no doubt that whilst the eye and the ear may both be of service in this delicate operation, it does appear to us that a guage is the proper article to use if damage to the cards and unnecessary wear and tear are to be avoided, and accuracy in the working of the wool is to be thoroughly attained. In connection with the scribbling is the important operation of grinding the cards, which THE GRINDING FRAME. cover the machine from end to end. Grinding Frame, for Spinning, and for this purpose another machine is em fcotch Feed. 289 The grinding frame consists of arollercovered with emery pow- der, which, fixed in a stand, re- volves at a great speed. The pow- der is glued on, and the roller re- quires to be made with great care, that no lumps projecting should damage thecards. The wool having passed the scrib- bler, it is neces- sary thatitshould be levelled, so as to make rovings ployed for supply- ing the second card and conden- sor. The most popular machine is known as the Blamires feed, but in many instances the Scotch feed is preferred. In our illustration the doffer is not shown, but the wool is laid from it on to a lattice travelling across the width of the card, andisdrawn off in a flat sliver by the rollers, A. This is carried up to the rollers, BO, which are always revolving, and down again to D. The rollers, D, travel across the feed lattice, E, and deposit the slivers He 290 MORLEY ;: ANCIENT AND MODERN. in layers on it. The lattice, E, travels at such a speed that one layer of sliver just overlaps half the layer which has gone before it, and it is thus made two-fold. Another feed once extensively used in Morley was the Apperley feed, by which the sliver is drawn off by side-drawing, and twisted in the process. It then falls on to a travelling strap near the ground, which conveys it to the carder. The carding engine has an important work to perform, for it has not only to disentangle every knot, but to lay all the fibres straight between the cards, and afterwards by means of the “ doffer ” to remove them in a continuous film of fibres, or a series of films. Each of these passes between the “ rubbers,” or endless bands of leather, running on small rollers, which “ condense” them by a slightly lateral as well as forward motion. The wool is then gathered into a small compass by being made to go through a small groove, which, by the motion of the small rollers of the condensor, is rubbed into a round but as yet un- twisted cord. The condensors in use at Morley give off as many as fifty of these round slivers, which, as they leave the condensor, are collected on bobbins, into four sets of twelve each, the two outer ones being rejected as uneven and imperfect. The bobbins when full are removed and transferred to the spinning mule, a mechanical contrivance of an ingenious and beautiful kind. Before the introduction of the carding engine or condensor, the wool was converted into yarn by means of the spinning wheel. ‘The mothers and daughters, and ofttimes the servants, might all be seen busily engaged in this necessary employ- ment. Spinning wheels were then as common in Morley homes as chairs and tables are at the present time ; and beyond the work done for hire, a marriageable female : PI \ was expected to possess, as Lom = part of her marriage outfit, oN a stock of linen for clothing and house use, of her own : spinning,—hence theorigin of the word SPINSTER. We venture to say that a spinning wheel is not now to be found in the village ; its distaff, Spinning Wheel. spindle, flyer, spool, and treadle, are still and mute, for the spinning jenny of Arkwright, and the mule of Crompton, have silenced the hum of the spinning wheel for ever. Fifty years ago, it was no unusual sight to see the “ maister ” coming from the mill with a “skep” of “slubbing coppins” on his THE SPINNING MULE. | 291 shoulder, and, soon after his arrival at home, to find the weavers stand- ing by the side of the jenny waiting for the “ set of bobbins” to be doffed, as they had probably been “ laiking for weft” for some con- siderable time, and weavers’ wages were not, at that time, of so extravagant a character as to admit of any unnecessary “ laiking.”’ Spinning Mule. A= > ae —= — SS SS = SS =; z qos" SSS a ———— = 3—_— ss sSS==—- — — EN ae = = = oe — ore <—. 8 // 4 aN Nire We \ - \y alll ase : uy J fei U U 1 a In course of time, the jenny had to make way for the “ mule,” invented and introduced in 1779; but more than sixty years had elapsed when the first hand-mule came into Morley, and many more years went by before the self-acting mule came into general use in the union manu- 7 292 MORLEY: ANCIENT AND MODERN. facture. With what astonishment would the old jenny spinner open his eyes, could he come back and see a self-acting mule of 500 spindles, well-managed by a comparative youth, turning out as much work in one day as he could compass in a week ! The drawing of the mule we give is one of Tatham’s woollen mules. The condensor bobbins from the card are set on the upright stands at the back, which are shown empty in the drawing. The roving is passed through the rollers, and the ends fastened tothe spindles, and then to the bobbins, which are used for weft. As soon as the rollers begin to revolve, the carriage starts and travels on the rails, as shown, away from the rollers, at such a speed as to keep the carding nicely stretched, but without drafting it. The spindles also begin to turn comparatively slowly, putting a little twist for the first time into the carding. When the carriage has gone half its journey, z.e., about a yard, the rollers cease to deliver any more of the carding, but the carriage proceeds, nevertheless, to the end. The one yard delivered by the rollers is thus drawn out to two, and it is being twisted exactly the same time that itis being drawn. When the carriage stops, the yarn is spun, but, if extra twist is necessary, the spindles continue to revolve, and at a greatly increased rate to save time. Yet, as with the jenny, so with the mule. It was first introduced to the world by its inventor, Samuel Crompton, a poor dreamy weaver, then dwelling in a dilapidated corner of a very quaint old Lancashire Hall, called “Th’ Hall ? th’ Wood,” near the town of Bolton. In connection with the spinning as with the weaving of cloth fifty years ago, we would here allude to a custom then in vogue, but which happily has passed away, never to be revived. The spinner, the warper, and the weaver, when they had toiled the live-long week, would then, in many cases, have to spend the afternoon of Saturday waiting the “\ coming of the “ maister” “) from Leeds, where he had = gone to procure the wages ; iB and as the employer not un- frequently came back with but scant cash, compared with what was required to pay the wages, the work- people with their families were often put to great in- convenience. The result was Samuel Crompton. that, instead of receiving a fair week’s wages for a fair week’s work, one of the men would receive ce, SEY IN Di [[Nes 1 f WARP DRYING. 293 a five-pound note to be divided amongst ten or a dozen of the work- people; and this was sometimes accompanied by tickets for the “ truck shop,” where they were supplied with goods in lieu of cash, generally at exorbitant prices, for in some cases the master had a large discount on the goods supplied. Wages were paid in many instances at public houses, where the workpeople were kept waiting, sometimes for hours, and were expected to spend something for ‘‘the good of the house.” This system was productive of much drunkenness and many other evils, of which the female portion of the community were not slow to complain. What would our modern artisan say to these features of the “ good old times,” and yet not so very old either? Warping, which followed next after the spinning of the warp, was the process by which the spun material was formed into webs ready for the loom ; and this was done by means of “ bartrees and creel,” terms which will be as Greek to most of those engaged in the cloth manu- facture at the present day. The work, which was not of a very arduous nature, was generally performed by the young or adult females of the family of the master. The introduction of cotton warps into the Morley trade has completely extinguished the warper of fifty years ago, and the “ bartrees and creel” have now no place in the vocabulary of the union manufacture. With the exit of the warper from the scene, also went the “sizing boiler,’ at one time a very essential factor in the trade. The work of sizing the warp in order to strengthen the threads was ofttimes a tedious process, for, when the warp had been sized and placed on the ‘‘ web-stretch” to dry, the weaver had to depend upon the weather for a satisfactory ending to his labour ; and, if the “ druft” was not good, he had to carry his warp iadoors, and hang it before the fire in his dwelling-house, and wait patiently for it to be thoroughly dried for the loom. ‘This indoor process was far from palatable to the mistress of the house, for, in addition to the noxious effluvia emitted from the size, the long lengths of the warp, asthey hung from ceiling to floor, completely put a stop to domestic labour, in addition to monopolising the heat of the fire, and destroying the comfort of the home. For out- door drying of the warps, the hill-sides, lanes, and fields, were called into requisition ; and with wooden stakes on his shoulder, and a ‘‘maul” or wooden hammer in his hand, the weaver would resort to one of these retreats, and proceed to fix the ‘ web-stretch,” which was done by inserting one end of the “‘ ovver-liggers” in the crevices of a fence wall, in a horizontal position, supported at the other end by upright stakes. He would then return for the warp, and proceed to spread it out, and, after having used the “ raddle” to separate the threads, would leave it for some hours to dry. A visitor to the village would have had his attention arrested at many points by these long wavy wreaths of various colours, as they might be seen motionless in the still air, or blown about by the wind that found its way among the hills and valleys. We now come to one of the principal features of the woollen and union manufactures, namely, weaving. How long the ancient art has 294 MORLEY : ANCIENT AND MODERN, been carried on in our village it is impossible to determine, but the time may certainly be reckoned by centuries. One hundred years ago the hand-loom was in use here, and the shuttle was then thrown by the weaver from one hand to be caught by the other, and when the cloth was more than a yard in width, two weavers were required, one at each end of the loom. Slight improvements were occasionally made in the working of the loom, but to the end it remained a lumbering, ungainly piece of mechanism, and it was not displaced one day too soon, by its powerful rival, the power-loom. In Morley, as elsewhere, there was a strong disinclination on the part of the hand-loom weaver to take to the power-loom ; and, though for a time he suffered from the change, he ultimately found more remunerative employment in other branches of the manufacture. With the banishment of the hand-loom, might have been sung the requiem of the old system of domestic and village mapu- facture ; and this had also been hastened by the erection, a few years before the time of which we are writing, of Gillroyd Mills, a joint stock enterprise of considerable magnitude. The mill was ostensibly intended for the use of shareholders, ‘‘ who must reside within two and a half miles of the mill.” To this mill the shareholder sent his wool and other material, and had it willeyed, scribbled, and slubbed, and then, taking the slubbings to his own house or workshop, had it spun on the jenny, and woven on the hand-loom, often by the members of his own family. With the introduction of the self-acting mule and the power-loom, came not only a wonderful facility of production, but a proportionate decrease of the cost ; whence followed an increase of demand and an increase of employment, completely upsetting the prophecies of our local historian and others, who professed to see in the introduction of labour- saving machinery nothing but poverty and misery for the operatives. Not only has an increase of employment followed the adoption of machinery in every department of the woollen manufacture, but as a consequence of more labour has come an increase of population, and the 3000 of 1836 has now risen to 18,000, a six-fold increase in the fifty years. With the importation of ‘new blood,” and the influx of strangers, there has been the breaking up of old associations, the abandonment of old habits of which we shall have something to say anon, the giving up of old customs, new modes of living have been adopted, new modes of dress have become common, the speech of the people has been much modified, and the old dialect is fast disappearing, and we may hope to live and see the last-named, with many of the old customs and old fashions, recede still more quickly towards oblivion. Weaving is now exclusively carried on in our factories, and, indeed, so are all the branches of the cloth manufacture, with the exception of dyeing the cloth. It will be worth our while perhaps to enquire what has been the result of this absorption of labour into one focus, aS con- trasted with the “ domestic manufacture” of fifty years ago. With the introduction of the condensor, the services of children of tender age, who were formerly the suffering slaves of the slubber, have been ~ POWER-LOOM WEAVING. 295 dispensed with, and the “feeding” is now generally done by young women and boys. The “scribbling room” is now in all its features a department to which the severest critic of the factory system could take but little exception. The wages are good, the room is perfectly lighted by day or night, the work is healthy and easy, and the employé— thanks to the improvements in the arrangements of present-day factories—is in a much more enviable position than his prototype of our early days. ‘There are now no cakes of grease upon the floor several inches thick, no lamps or candles to work by, no standing of engines for want of coal, no top roller, no weighing skeps of slubbing twice over, no chance of making more weft out of a blend than there was wool in it; in fact, none of the old tricks which were once so common. The spinning room is also better conducted, and there is far more order in its management than formerly, when the spinner, ‘“ drest in a little brief authority,” would march about from morn till night with the air of a man placed ina very responsible position, and, when not pleased with his “ piecers,”” would act on the maxim of “ box their ears or strap them first and examine into the fault afterwards ;” giving them an additional ‘‘ leathering ” if guilty, and a sharp lecture if innocent. As we advance a step further into the weaving room, we find ourselves in the midst of the “‘nickety-nackety” of the shuttle, and can see bright and healthy looking faces on every side. The assemblage con- sists of young women, varying in age from eighteen to thirty, with a sprinkling of men and married women. The weavers as a class are moderately well-informed ; and, notwithstanding that one may sometimes hear rude and impudent remarks, and see illustrations of coarse and ill-bred manners, in the streets, yet in the weaving room you will generally hear them singing beautiful Sunday-school hymns, or snatches of some of the many sweet melodies in the ‘‘Services of Song” which are now so popular. From these factory workers our institutions, Sunday-schools, churches, and chapels draw their vital blood ; from these our working youth select their wives; nay, further, some of our manufacturers’ “ better-halves” can boast of having had their training in the weaving shed. The power-loom tuner, a person of no mean importance in his own estimation, is expected to look well after his looms, keep his weavers well supplied with all the necessaries of their craft, keep their pieces well up in quality, weight, and make, and walk about amongst his weavers to see that all is going on properly. It would be well if this programme were always adhered to; but it is no unusual thing for the tuner to be a young man whose character and conduct are not all that they should be, and it is to be regretted that men of this stamp should be placed where, morally speaking, we ought to have the greatest possible care taken of both the health and conduct of the young women under their control. Before we bid good-bye to the hand-loom weaver, we would say a few more words respecting both the man and his occupation. Fifty years ago, the weaving of woollen cloth in Morley was by far the most 296 MORLEY: ANCIENT AND MODERN. wide spread of any of the industries of the place. Though the work was very heavy, and but ill-paid, many women and elderly men might be seen from early morn to late at night plying the shuttle in order to earn their daily bread. Sixteen or seventeen shillings a week was the sum which ~ an able-bodied weaver could earn, so it is evident that it was by no means a lucrative occupation. We suppose that now it would be almost useless to try to discover an old hand-loom in our town ; and, with the departure of the looms, the men who owned them, and the men who used them, have likewise all but vanished from the scene. The past and the present have but little in common, for the factory system has completely changed the social manufacturing life of Morley, and the masters and men who were the commercial pioneers of half-a-century ago have gone, and left no successors who can fairly claim to represent them. As we have already intimated, the “little maker,” in the days of the domestic manufacture, who aspired high enoughto find employment for a few of his neighbours, did not therefore cease to labour with his own hands, but on the contrary worked as hard or harder than any of his servants. And the industry was not all on his part either, for we could give many instances where the stirring dames of those days worked late and soon at the spinning jenny, the hand-loom, the warping frame, or the burling table, and were in the truest sense helpmeets to their toiling husbands. And of these toilful days we may further say that the ‘‘maisters,’” as a body, did not make immense fortunes by a few years’ labour ; they were content with a slow and steady progress ; and when they had saved up something for a rainy day, it was carefully guarded from wasting away, and not spent in useless luxuries, but generally invested in a “ bit of property,” so as to be available in the time of old age. As a competence it would hardly now-a-days be thought worthy of the name, and yet it sufficed to meet all the simple wants of the men of fifty years ago. A writer in the Pall Mall Gazette has given us a faithful picture of the old hand-loom weavers, and as the description is singularly applicable to our village, as we remember it in the days of the domestic manufacture, we transcribe it, for the benefit of our readers. Not often, in these days, is heard through the open cottage door the click- clack of the shuttle and the rattleof the ‘‘yelds,” or the soft thud of the beam closing up the weft. Seldom will the traveller, in the dark afternoons and long evenings of winter, be puzzled by the quick and regular glancing of candle gleam through the blindless casements, as the to-and-fro motion of the weaver’s beam alternately hides and reveals the light within, reminding the beholder of the revolving ray of a lighthouse in its sudden appearing and disappearing, except ‘that the alternation is much more rapid. In the former times, when, with the dark days of winter, ‘‘waking and water porridge ”’ began—a local phrase which expresses more than can be concisely explained—on many a hillside there might be seen these lights of the loom flashing and fading in quick exchange like the dancing of Jack o’ Lanterns in the valley below; here for a few momentsa steady gleam, while the weaver refilled his shuttle, or ‘‘took up” a broken thread, and then again the quick exchange of gloom and gleam. Now-a-days we do not, without some surprise, meet man or woman, lad or lass, with the donkey, carrying to the weaver’s home the warp and weft to be woven, and again carrying back the completed piece of cloth. THE HAND-LOOM WEAVER. 297 Very, very rarely is aman or woman seen with the leathern strap across the fore- head and the huge burden—bigger far and heavier than any illustrator has ever eet to place on the poor Pilgrim’s back—weighting the step and bending the ack. Now, there is quickly growing up a generation quite strange to these sounds and sights, which were as familiar as the day and night a few years ago in the hamlets and villages of the West Riding. That was the age of the hand-loom weaver. The period has left its mark on the humble architecture of the district. For the hand-loom weavers were built those curious dwellings with the whole upper story one long line of windows, separated by narrow stone mullions, so arranged for the purpose of affording the most light for the weavers’ task. These buildings mark a period in the industrial development of the woollen trade as distinct—and, may I not add, as interesting ?—as any change in Gothic architec- ture, marked by transition from round to lancet, or from lancet to geometric windows. ‘There are no such houses built now, and it is long since the building ofthem ceased. Their place is taken by huge weaving sheds filled with the rattle of scores of the loud-roaring power-looms. The hand-loom weaver himself is _ becoming extinct, and only in out-of-the-way corners is he to be met with ; many a room which has been filled with the sound of the loom and the cheery song of the worker, with his wife whirling the wheel and rocking the cradle near by, now is silent and desolate, a place of lumber, and inhabited by rats. Not without suffering has the old industry perished, not without leaving scars has the grievous breach of continuity been healed over. Surely there are few objects more pathetic than the last lingering survivors of a vanished race, whose vomrades have all perished in the struggle for existence, where the battle is for the strong, and the fittest—not necessarily, alas ! the best—survive. We have now, in our survey of the manufacture, arrived at the point where the weft and warp have assumed the character of cloth. The cloth is now ready for the milling or fulling process, which is an operation upon which much depends, and to secure its being done well much skill and care are required. Half-a-century ago the fulling stock was the only machine employed to felt or mill the cloth, but that heavy, lumbering, noisy piece of machinery has made way for. the milling machine. The fulling stock is supposed to stand in point of antiquity next to the corn or flour mill. The milling was formerly done at places where water power was plentiful, and the Morley makers had to take their goods to Hunslet, Dewsbury, and other places. If you could have watched the “‘ maister”’ preparing his cloth for the milling process, it would have amused you very much, for in his grease-soiled clothes he might have been seen imparting to the raw pieces asolution of pigs’ _ dung and ammonia, the latter in its natural state, and these solvents were drawn from receptacles disposed about the homestead, with no precise reference to artistic or sanitary principles. This was a phase of the manufacture more necessary than agreeable, for the effluvia caused by the operation was far from pleasant to the olfactory nerves. What tales our old clothiers could tell of the milling days of yore! How they were accustomed to have to remain for several days waiting their turn, the interval being spent with some boon companion, in the vain endeavour to impart some pleasure into what otherwise was a great hardship. The last-named consisted in the absence of the comforts of. home, the uncertain character of the victualling department, and the expense of remaining for two or three nights in indifferent lodgings, 298 MORLEY : ANCIENT AND MODERN. Milling now requires much more skill than in those primitive times to enable the cloth miller to deal with the varied character of the goods, differing as they do as much as is possible with respect to their milling properties. The finishing of the cloth, after it comes from the fulling, has been carried on in Morley for many generations. In 1845, Thomas Clark, RANMA Ben Cook, David King (EY iy, Steet | | i | i i f / Mi} y i) | r | | much of it being done by hand. When a piece of cloth came from the “cloth miller,” it was given to the - hand raiser, when, by means of cards nailed to a board or handle, A\\ it was raised at the b “nelly.” It was then given to the cutter or ~ ‘‘ cropper,” and the nap raised at the nelly was cut by shears on the shear-board,worked by = hand ; the shears were Hand Raising. driven across the frame by the thigh or leg of the workman. To supersede this, the raising gig was introduced into Morley about the year 1845, when the work was far more efficiently and economically performed than by hand raising; though in special cases the latter process, in the shape of nellying and cross raising, is yet performed. The old cropper was an important institution in his day; his business was one of the most remunerative in the trade ; and, in addition to his wages, he was allowed a plentiful supply of ‘“ home-brewed ” beer to enable him to get through his arduous duties. The raising of the nap of the cloth on the gig, with teazles, as at present carried on, is a very delicate operation, and the excellence of the finish of the cloth depends upon its being well performed. After having been raised, and boiled, the latter process being necessary to give a ‘“‘ face” or lustre to the piece, the cloth is sent to the dyehouse, where modern appliances, such as mechanical power, steam cisterns, improved washing machines, and, even more important than these, greater skill, knowledge, and experience on the part of the dyer, com- bine to produce work of a much superior character to what was turned out fifty years ago, when dyeing was performed very much by rule of thumb. Some of our readers will remember the old dyehouse, known as the “ Leodus,” or leadhouse, worked by a horse-gin. All the vats in i gaged in this work, = SASS CLOTH FINISHING. 299 this dyehouse were made of lead, and the tops of the vats were on a level with the floor of the room, and the grates for the fires. were much below the level of the floor. - The way to the firing-up place was down some steps, and led between the vats. These firing-places were termed *‘ below the leads,” and in winter time were a favourite resort of the youngsters, for the fires were seldom allowed to go out entirely. The most noticeable improvement in the art of dyeing at the present time, in the Morley trade, consists in what is known as “ burl-dyeing,” a process whereby the cotton and other objectionable materials are com- pletely covered, and the cloth thereby made neater and more handsome in appearance. The application of this discovery has proved to be a great boon to the union trade, doing away with the tedious and expen- sive process of burling with ink by means of the hand. The art of dyeing, however, is capable of still further development, and when our technical schools and colleges have had time to exert their influence, we may hope to find in our dyehouses both master and workmen pos- sessing a more thorough acquaintance with the principles and practice of their art. The cloth, after being sent home by the dyer, is passed through the tentering machine. Fifty years ago, there were numerous tenter- fields in Morley—large open spaces of ground containing rows of poles and rails studded with tenter-hooks, on which the cloth was stretched while drying. ‘The occupation of the out-door tenterer is gone, and in its stead the cloth was, for many years, dried in fire or steam-heated rooms ; but this method has also been discarded for the “ tentering machine,” a valuable invention, which not only dries the cloth, but stretches it to the proper width. The invention is due to Mr. William Whiteley, of Lockwood, Yorkshire, and the saving of labour by its use was so great that manufacturers readily adopted it. The machine is a huge mass of iron work, weighing about twenty tons, and yet, in its working, it is both simple and highly efficacious. The attendant, when minding the machine, stands in a cool atmosphere, whilst the cloth is being carried through the hot room on chains, having fine steel or brass hooks, which keep the cloth out to the required width. The machine will dry and tenter 2,500 yards of cloth per day of ten hours. After being dried, the cloth is cut a second time by means of the ‘ perpetual,” and is then brushed and steamed in the “ brushing mill,” after which it is pressed. The first pressing is given to the cloth before the roller boiling, after it has been brushed by revolving brushes. For this pur- pose the cloth is folded up in regular lengths, with glazed paper between the folds to prevent the surfaces of the cloth from coming into contact. Hot iron plates are then introduced between each folded end or piece, and, when a sufficient thickness or height is made up, the whole is subjected to the action of a powerful hydraulic press. When the cloth is taken out of the press, it is folded again in such a way that the creases of former folds may come opposite the flat faces of the press papers, and be removed at the second pressure. Hot-pressing gives a 300 MORLEY : ANCIENT AND MODERN. lustre and smoothness to the face of the cloth, which is further improved by the brushing machine, consisting of a series of brushes attached to a cylinder. In passing through this machine, the face of the cloth is softened by being slightly damped by exposure to steam, which escapes in minute jets from pipes enclosed in a wooden box, extending the whole length of the machine. After pressing, the cloth is made up for the market in bales, by means of hydraulic pressure. Having described the manner in which the cloth is got ready for the market, we shall now proceed to refer to the improvements in the social position of the Morley manufacturer during the past fifty years. He is no longer his own spinner, weaver, burler, bookkeeper, and ‘‘ Jack of all trades ;’ and even the hours he spends at business are short compared with those in which his grandfather worked. A horse and trap, with a liveried footman, takes the manufacturer from his cosy and well- furnished home, and leaves him at his office door, and afterwards takes him to Leeds, and brings him back again when the day’s work is over. The merchant at Leeds and Bradford saves him the trouble and labour of carrying his goods from warehouse to warehouse, and comes instead to the manufacturer’s place of business to give his orders, see what is fresh, or what is in stock. The goods are then sent by finisher’s van or Bradford wherry to their destination ; and at the expiration of a ‘clear month,” which, translated, means close upon three months’ credit, the manufacturer receives payment for his cloth in twenty-one days’ draft, or four months’ acceptance, as the case may be. Fifty years ago, these modes of payment were unknown ; it was left to the keen-sightedness of a later age to invent these most objectionable sub- stitutes for the current coin of the realm. With the improvements in machinery and in the social position of the manufacturer, the ‘checker brat” and ‘ woolsey apron” have been replaced by broad cloth; and the living, as well as the style which is kept up, are fully as advanced as is the machinery which has given them being. We have been pleased to see, within the last few years, that many of our well-to-do manufacturers have left their homely resi- dences near the mill, for one or other of the many handsome villas scattered round and about the town; bidding good-bye—after a, hard struggle ofttimes—to their five-roomed house, for one of palatial dimensions and appearance, in which we hope they may live to find all the happiness and comfort which a life of labour and self-sacrifice should bring in its train. As we look upon these homes, we are led to the conclusion that the days of slow but steady progress have gone—it is the man with money who makes money quickly now; and, in order that the spending may keep pace with the making, our manufacturer seeks relaxation for himself, and pleasure for his family, by frequent visits to Ilkley, Harrogate, and Scarborough ; and. we have it on good authority that the spending money of the unmarried son amounts now to a deal more annually than did the household expenses of his father’s house and family a generation ago. THE SPINSTER. 301 The Websters, the Crowthers, the Hirsts, the Garnetts, and others of the ‘‘ older end” have passed away, and there are but few of their descendants left; yet we would not willingly forget these pioneers of the Morley trade, or the part they played in making Morley known as it is to-day in the markets of the world. In a Directory published in 1841, we have the names of the manufacturers then living in Morley ; and as the list occupies very little space, we will give it here, so that our young and rising manufacturers may learn to whom they are indebted for the beginning of brighter and more profitable times in the cloth trade :— Joseph Asquith George Garnett Matthew Smith John Barron John Garnett Thomas Smith John Butterworth David Hirst William Smith Samuel Cliff Henry Hirst John Stones Jobn Dixon William Mortimer David Wade Thomas Dixon James Overend Joseph Webster Wm. Dixon and Sons James Sharp N. Webster and Sons Of the twenty-one persons here enumerated, only one is left, namely, Mr. Joseph Webster, who is now living in retirement in the romantic village of Ilkley. Many amusing accounts of the sayings and doings of the old Morleyites have we heard from the lips of this worthy representative of the old “ dasher” days; and to him, with some others, are we indebted for many of the reminiscences of the trade of Morley in the days before we made personal acquaintance with it. About a century ago in Morley, the first machinery—which was of a very simple character—for carding wool was to be found in a room in the Windmill, in Church Street, then known as Windmill Lane ; and also in a building connected with Asquith alas Sparling’s Farm, in the Low Townend. Themachinery was, in the first-named, driven by the wind, and in the second instance propelled by means of a horse-gin, and the joint production of the two manufactories was not very great. The cloth makers might be seen daily bringing their bags of wool on the backs of mules, or on their own backs, to be scribbled and carded, for they were ready to welcome any improvement on the rude fashion of carding then in existence. Previously to this time, the father carded the wool, sitting astride a rude trestle, something in form like a shoe- maker’s seat. Here he continued working a movable card across ano- ther which was fixed on the block, thus gradually opening a few fibres of the wool. After being carded, the fleecy mass was handed over to ~ the good dame or daughter to be spun, for the spinning wheel was then to be met with in almost every house in the village. When the house- hold duties were done, the rosy lass would turn to her wheel, and to the rapid whirring motion making a ceaseless hum, would add her own melodious treble ; thus pleasantly, if not very profitably, whilng away the time, and finding her in employment—a sure antidote against idleness. The merit of being a good spimster was esteemed an excel- lent qualification for marriage, and it is a singular circumstance that 302 MORLEY: ANCIENT AND MODERN. the name should be retained so long after the occupation has been well-nigh forgotten. When the weft and warp were ready, the father would take them from the spinster, and, setting a young child to wind the bobbins, would proceed to weave the “piece” by means of the handloom, a piece of mechanism well-known to many of our readers. We must here note that the wool, before being put into work, had to be washed, which was often done at the town’s well, near to which was the “ Leodus,” or dyehouse. Within our own recollection one of these ‘¢ Leoduses” was in existence where the Victoria Mill in Brunswick Street now stands, and the “ Leodus” pump stood within a few yards of the dyehouse. The ‘ Leodus,” when we knew it, was used for dyeing purposes, the ‘‘ winches” being driven by a horse-gin. The pans were of iron, heated by fires underneath them; but a century ago, when used for wool washing and wool dyeing, the pans were made of lead—hence the derivation of the term ‘“leadhouse,” or ‘‘Leodus.” Sometimes the wool was chopped up in a very rude fashion, in order to make it into shorts. After being washed, the wool was laid on a hill side, beaten with sticks, and then put into a “ fleyk,” to tease it and open the fibre. Then came the oiling and blending, and the journey to the Townend or Windmill, for the scribbling and carding, and afterwards the spinning and weaving, as already described. After the weaving came the scouring and the seeking up ef ‘“‘wesh,” an occupation now fallen into disuse. Then to Kirkstall, Dewsbury, or Hunslet with the cloth to be milled, returning with it in the early morning to be tentered—that is, if weather permitted ; if not, it was repeatedly turned to keep it from rotting—awaiting finer weather. The long rows of tenters which formerly stood on the hill sides of the village have gone, and in their stead we have the compact and useful tentering machine. In 1790, the first real step in advance in the introduction of machinery into the woollen manufacture was made by the erection of Crank Mill, which was the first of its kind in the neighbourhood. This was one of the earliest factories to which steam power was applied, and no doubt the mill derived its name from the crank engine, which was put in ten years only after the patents of Wasbrough and Pickard had been secured ; and the mill was worked with this quaint old motor until 1875. Previously to this date, the engine was a con- spicuous object to the passing traveller on the way to and from Leeds, via Station Road in Morley. The mill is on the line of this road, and is a three-storey building of seven windows in length of the ori- ginal part. A section had been subsequently added of about half the length of the first built portion, with the same number of floorings, but somewhat loftier, giving the structure that patchwork appearance ofttimes seen in our old mills. The engine-house stood at one end of the mill, against a portion of the gable. The engine beam, of heavy timber, projected through a loop-hole, and, by means of the connecting- rod and crank, was attached to the flywheel, which was fixed to the CRANK MILL. 303 outside of the gable. A small raised platform gave access to the projecting head of the beam for all necessary purposes. Its power was about fifteen horse nominal. The dimensions of Crank Mill were large for the time; it contained three or four “ billies” having twenty-four spindles each, with scribblers and carders to correspond, and a ‘ willey ” which was an innovation on the processes carried on at the Windmill. Crank Mill was built by Lord Dartmouth, in 1790, for a Mr. Webster, one of a family who were at that time, and up to a recent date, thoroughly representative of that plodding species of industry so eminently characteristic of York- shire dalesmen. They worked hard themselves and saw that others aN My a Ws Rae Sitar e Bg ee J = : ras , ‘eo at Vie ae RR : : iis ko Nir 2 y Sen ie Ly eg », Court Leet, Court, The Hundred, 31, 32. » Court, The Sheriff’s ‘Tourne, 29, 30. op Cricket in, 129, 130. 3» Division, Parliamentary, 177-180, » Feast, 120-125. » Fifty Years Ago, 68-150. » Footballin, 128. 39. ELall, 75.229 ai. House, 72, 248, 259. » tole; 188: >». Homes, 95-97. 33 SDL ON ae »» in Domesday Book, 5, 6. ; in Norman times, 4, »5 in Roman times, 2, 3. » in Saxon times, 3, 4. » Incorporation of, 211, 212. » Longevity in, 279. » Main Collieries, 265. » Manor of, 91, 156. » Manor House, 19, 75, 199, 209, 228. 3 Mayor of, 212 », Newspapers, 269. Observer, The, 267, 270. », Old Modes of Punishment in, 44-49, »» Political Life in, 177. » Population in 1879, 8; in 1886, 8. » Progress of, 89. Puritan stronghold, 14. » Puritans of, 17, 23. » Robert, 18,193; Samuel, 57. » Wapentake, 6, 26, 27. Morris, Rev. John, 245, 246, 258, 268, 272 ; Mrs., 246, Mortimer, Wm,, 301. Motes, Folk, 31. Mountebanks, The, 120. Mountgrace, 24. MSS., Harleian, 216 ; Hudswell, 242. Mule, The Spinning, 291. Mungo, Origin of, 157. Museum, The British, 99. Musketeer, Dress of, 34, Mystery Plays, 180. N Neepshaw Lane, 60, 67, 88, 90, 91, 94, 189. Nelson, Jobn, 197; Miss, 195 ; William, 51, 52, Nesse, Rev. C., 237, 238, 239, 252, 269. Nettleton, John. 24. Nevison the Highwayman, 1€8, 180, Newcastle, 21. New-house, 24, 181. GENERAL INDEX. Newsam, Temple, 79. New School, The, 262, Newton, Dr., 199. New Year’s Day. 141. Nicholls, Mrs., 172, 207. Noble, David, M. A, 16, 253, 269, Nonconformists, 252. Normandy, 6. Normans, The, 215. Normanton, 27. Northowram, 27. Northumbrians, The, 6, Nostel, 216. O Oakes, Tom, 224, 234, Oatcake, The Days of, 108, 109. Oates, Captain, 14, 20, 21, 24, 81, 171, 208, 220 ; Tom, 62, 227. Old Chapel, The, 49, 60, 84, 142, 145, 171, 193, 198, 203, 215, 217, 220, "902, 224, Old Fold, The, 278. Old New Chapel, The, 203, 274. Old Parsonage, The, 75, 210, 234, 235, 252, Oldroyd, Robert, 24; Richard, 24, Order Books, Sessions, 32. Organ, St. Mary’s, 224 ; Zion Chapel, 204. Orgar, Rev. William, 277, Oswald, St, 216, Ovendon, 27. Overend, James, 199, 201, 280, 301. P Pack-sheeting Custom, 149. Page, William, 52, 153. Pall Mall Gazette, Kxtract from, 296, Palm Sunday, 142, 157. Park, Howley, 88; Methley, 208 ; Queen’s, 203. Parkinson, Rev. A. M., 80, 199. Parish, Rev. Mr., 274. Parliament, Acts of, 60, Parr, Betty, 156 ; George, 157; Samuel, 157. Parsonage, The Old, 75, 210, 234, 235, 252. Parsons, Extract from, 214. Paulden, Robert, 227, 229, Pawson, 168; David, 212. Peace, Clerk of tire, 29, 32. Pelham, Hon. T, W., 211. Perkin, John Scott, 153. Pettitt, Rev. J., 190. Pickering, Rev. J., 16; Danl., 229, 280. Pickles, William, 182. Pilkington, George, 138. Pinder and Bye Law Man, The, 65. Pinfold, The, 266. Plantagenets, The, 189. Plays, Mystery, 180. Plot, The Farnley Wood, 12, 19, 21, 23, 81, 83, 205, 220, 227 ; Gunpowder, 148. Pontefract, 7, 8, 16, 21, 30,161, 243; Baron of, 158 ; Earls of, 6 ; Honor of, 7, 9. Poll Tax List, 8. Poor Law Union, Dewsbury, 43. Poor, Overseers of the, 35-37. Portsmouth, Earl of, 179. Power Loom Weaving, 295. Preaching House, The, 199. Presbyterians, 193, 235, 252. Presbyterianism, 19, 234. Preston Ben, 158 ; Dinah, 159; Joan, 199. Priestley, J oseph, 273; Rev, J oshua, 269. Primitive Methodists, The, 262. Priory, Thicket, 179. Provident Societies, 175, 176. Rev. B., 239, 240; 313 Public House Signs, 78-76. Pudsey, 4, 27, 304. Puritans in Morley, 17, 23, 229, 234. Q Quarry, Hembrigg, 169 ; Town’s, 169. Queen’s Park, 2°3, Howley Park, 169 ; R Railway, L. & N.W., 59, 64, 215; G.N., Raine, Canon, Extracts from, 23, 270. Raistrick, 27. Rayner, John, 227,234 ; Mrs. John H., 80; John H., 93, 266 ; Joseph, "44, 56, 231; Samuel, 37, 44, 52, 56, 122, 234, Reading, 102. Record Office, The pee 10. Records, Township. Redistribution Bill, The, 178. Reeve, Rev. Jonah, 275. Reform Bill, The, 178, Reformation, The, 218. Register, The Northowram, 14, Registers, St. Mary’s, 247-255. Rehoboth Independent Chapel, 243, Reresby, Extracts from, 20, 21. Restoration, The, 23, 227, 234, 239. Review, The Saturday, 19. Reyner, Rev. Edward, 251, 269. Rhodes, Cornelius, 199; J. and 8., 88; Joseph, 52, 86, 174, 175, 199, 901, mikes Manoah, 201, 202; Samuel, 212; William Sa "212, Richard ibes King, 7 Richmond, 21, Riding, East, 277; West, 161, 176, 177, 178, 180, 252, 269. Ridley, 214. Riley, Kev. John, 258. Ringer, The Swine, 82. Ripon, 24; Bishop of, 79, 190. Rishworth, 27. Road, Gelderd, 81, 83 ; Victoria, 61, 86. Robinson, Joseph, 199. Rodes, Sir Edward, 16 ; Eliz., 16. Rodley, Thomas, 182. Rods Mill, The, 183. Roebuck, William, 187, 229. Roll, The Subsidy, 10. Rolls, The Sessions, 29, 31, 44. Romans in Britain, 3; in Morley, 3, 59. Rome, 270. Rookery, The, 233, 273, 284. Rooms Lane, The, 59, 81, 83, 84, Rose, Thomas, 139, Ross, Fred, 270. Rotherfield, Huphemia, 216 ; Nicholas de, 216, Rotherham, 9. Rothwell, 17, 18, 27, 213. Rowe, Rev. David W., 204 Royalists, The, 123. Row, Muster, 27 ; Rotten, 27. Rubens, 161. Russia, 207. Ryan, Bishop, 93. Rymer, Ralph, 24, 65, 91. 8 Saddleworth, 245, 275, Salisbury, Earl of, 12. Salt, Daniel, 198, 207 ; 208, 268. Saltaire, 208, 268. Salvation Army, The, 209 Sampler, The, 109, 110, Sir Titus, 173, 198, 205, 814 GENERAL INDEX. Savile, Sir John, 12, 15, 29, 158, 159, 161, 167, Southowram, 27. 169 ; Philip Yorke, 189. Sowden, Joseph, 274, Saville, Benjamin, 144, 199. Sowerby, 27. Saxons, The Anglo-, 3, 6, 80, 215. Spain, 126. Saxton, Christopher, 180, 181. Spencer, Rev. Mr., 243. Scarborough, 126, 208, 268, 300. Spinniog Mill, The, 291. Scarth, D., 22; Chas., 212, 224, 234. Spinning Wheel, The, 290, Scatcherd, Matthew, 16, 34, 231 ; Norrisson, Spinster, The, 291, 301. 47, 538, 54, 59, 79, 81, 85, 147, 157, 167,177, 191, St. Mary’s-in-the-Wood, 84, 182, 199, 213, 222-5, 218, 229, 252, 258-261, 269; Oliver, 34, 212, 238, 252. 272; Samuel, 37, 38,171, 231, 262; Thomas. St. Nicholas, Chapel of, 216. 229, 281 ; Watson, 51, 73, 177, 233, 259; St. Paul’s, Parish of, 189 ; Church, 190. William, 188. St. Peter’s Church, 79, 80, 85, 152, 189. Scatcherd, N., Extracts from, 6, 10, 18, 20, 64, St. Swithin’s Day, 148. 75, 165, 169, 189, Stage Coach, The, 63. Scatcherd’s Lane, 203. Staincliffe, 254, ; School, Board, 86, 171; Dames’, 172, 173; Stainland, 97. National, 85, 182, 189 ; New Wesleyan, 179, Stang, Riding ee 149. 196, 201 ; old’ Town's School, 59, 178, 201, 207, Stanningley, 4 209, 258: Old Wesleyan School, 193, 195; Stansfield, 27; William, 258, Primitive Methodist, 191; St, Paul’s, 191; State Papers, Calendar of, Extract from, 20, Technical, 307 ; Troy Hill, 246 ; Zion, 203. Stead, Samuel, 43, 267, 270, biel. Schofield, Joseph, 43, 191, 212 ; - Thos., 144, 181, Steele, Dr,, 228, Scholecroft, 227. Stephen, King, 126. Scholes, Amos, 138; E. F., 212. Stephenson, James, 182 Scold to be ducked, 79. Steckdale, Samuel, 93, 191, 212. Scolds, Punishment of, 47. Stocks, The Village, 47, 48, Scotchman Lane, 168, 169. Stockwell, Edward, 212, 280; William, 72. Scotland, 20, 243. Stokesley, 24. Scott, David, 139 ; George, 84, 188 ; Robt., 24. Stone Trade, The, 168, Scottish Army, The, 216, Stones, John, 301. Scribbler, The, 288. Stool, The Ducking, 44, 45, 46. 188. Scribbling Process, The, 288. Stowmarket, 276. Scriven, John, 9. Strafford, Countess of, 16. Scurr, Leonard, 20. “ Street,’ The, 3, 59, 60, 90, 151, 175. Sedgwick, Rev. J., 207. Sunderland, Mrs., 148. Selby, 8 9, 240. Surnames, Curious, 9, 10. Senior, Job, 194. Sussex, Countess of, 18. Sermons, Charity, 84. Swainson, William, 171. Sessions, Quarter, 29, 32, 179. Swan Inn, The Old White, 62, 74, 91, 132, Severus, Emperor, at York, 2. Swinden, Dr., 79, 85, 182, 191, 270, 277. Shackleton, Jonathan, 21, Switzerland, 270. Shake-willey, The, 285. Syke, 180, Sheffield, 4, 8, 9, 24, 245, Sykes, Thomas, 270. Shenstone, William, 183. Shepherd, Rev. Ambrose, 249, 269. ny Sharp, James, 301 ; Jeremiah, 83, 103; John, 239 ; Joseph, 186 ; Rev. Thomas, 239. Tabernacle, Baptist, 202. Sheard, Michael, 50, 57, 62, 193. Table Book, Hone’s, 128. Sheriff, Derivation of term, 30; Office of, 33. Tadcaster, 21, 139. Shipley, 27, 208. Tavern Life, 77. Shrovetide, 142. Tax, Hearth, 17, 18, 23: Land, 34; Poll, 8; Simpson, Mr., 200, 202. Poll, List, 8. Skipton, 24, 79. Taylor, John, 145, 234, 257 ; Joshua, 203. Skircoat, 27. Teale, Robert J., 234, Siddall, Little, 24, Teare, James, 182. Slater, Robert, 83. Teazer, The, 286, Sleigh, R. F., 279. Technical School, The, 307, Slack, N athaniel, 50, 231. Temple, Inner, 180, Slubbip g Billey, The, 287, Tentering Process, 299. Smeeth, Mrs. T.§&., 198. Terry, George, 234. Smiles, ’Dr., 267. Tetley, Abraham, 152, Smith, John, 15, 17, 24, 227, 228; Joseph, 52 Thackray, David, 212, 234; Joseph, 52, 87; Matthew, 301 ‘Samuel, 52; Thomas, Theaker, James, 234. 301 ; William, 93, 216, 234, 270, 301. Thoresby, Ralph, 21, 181, 253. Smithies, Isaac, 42, 207 ; Robert, 51. Thornhill, 180. Smithson, Colonel, 21. Thornton, 27 ; J., 210. Smurthwaite, Jane, 231. Thorpe, 180. Snowden, John, 24. Three Steps, The, 261. Snuffers and Tray, The, 102, Times, The Leeds, 178, 267; The Morley, 270. Societies, Floral, 191; Provident, 175, 176; Times, Saxon, 28. Temperance, 182 ; Wesleyan, 193, Tinder Box, The, 99,109. Soothill, 8, 27, 34, 180. Tingley, 4, 60, 176, 180. 209. Southcott, Joanna, 189. Tolson, William, 24 Southey, Mrs., 174; Rev. George, 224, 248,270. Tomlinson, A., 93. Southampton, Lord Treasurer, 22. Tomson, William, 10. GENERAL INDEX. Tong, 27, 48, 278. Topcliffe, 66, 180, 237, 238, 239, 252, 253; Sir John, 180. Tournes, Sheriff's, 30, 32. Tower, Princes in the, 214. é Catt dia The, 182, 183, 184, 186, 188, 192, 215, 301. Trade, The Union, 156; The Stone, 168. Travelling, Old Time, 63. Trenholme, John, 207. Troy H1ll, 142, 172, 188, 201, 207. Tunnel, The Morley, 64. chee J. Horsfall, 14, 44; Sir C,, 24; Richard, Twelfth Night, 140. Tyson, Rev. Wiiliam, 270, U Uniformity, Act of, 252. Usher, Archbishop, 161, V Valentine Day, 142. Villiers, Lady Anna, 157. W Waddy, Rev. S. D., 200. Wade, David, 301 ; Joseph, 199; Samuel, 139, Wadsworth, 27. Wages, Rate of, in 1703, 32, 33, Waggons, Roller, 61. Waits, The, 136. Wakefield, 4, 5, 8, 12, 29, 32, 33, 50, 161, 176, 178, 179, 207, 269. Wales, 273 ; Rev. Samuel, 237, 270. Walker, J. Bradshawe, 270; John, 29. Waller, Dorothy, 14,277: Edmund, 277. Wapentake, The Morley, 6,26, 27. Wapentakes, Agbrigg and Morley, 6, 26, 27, abo Benjamin, 83; Samuel, 229; William, “ vf . Warley, 27. Warming Pan, The, 110. Warping process, 293. Warwick, 248. Watchman, The, 55. Waterloo, 51, 52. Watson, Elizabeth, 198 ; Henry, 24; Isaac C,, 93; Mrs, I. C., 195; Isaac, 198, 199, 303; John, 157, 305 ; Joseph, 198, 200, 201 ; Thomas, 211, 303 ; Thomas Adam, 211; William, 50. Weaving, Process of, 292-4. Webster, Captain, 51; George, 83,191,199, 307; John, 39, 52, 53, 138, 148, 171, 231, 234, 278; Joseph, 211, 231, 234, 273, 301; Nathaniel, 49, 52, 53, 57, 231, 234, 278; Richard, 7, 10, 234; Samuel, 42, 44, 51, 52, 53, 148, 171, 231, 234, 278; Thomas, 85, 271. Wedderburn, Alexander, 231. Well, Gore, 91; Lady Anne’s, 142% Wellington, 103. Wentworth, Sir Michael, 34. Wesley, Rev. John, 169, 170, 197. Westbury, 204, Westerman, Joseph, 138: John, 139. 315 Westerton, 180. Westmoreland, 20, 174. Weston, William de, 26, West Riding, 161, 176,177, 178, 180, 252, 269 ; Conquest of, 3. Wetherill, John, 52, 234, 241; Samuel, 233, 234. Wheater, Hxtracts from, 20, 43, 270. Wheel, The Spinning, 290. Whitaker, Dr., Extracts from, 24, 60, 158, 163, 165 ; John, 83, 163. Whitby, Rev. T,, 153, Whitehead, Mrs. J., 193. Whiteley, John, 58; William, 299, Whitkirk, 79. Whitley, Lower, 180; Samuel, 50. Whit Monday, 143, 144. Whitsuntide, 181, 199. Whittaker, Rev. William, 271. Wilberforce, 178. Wild, Samuel, 121, 123, 124, Wilkinson, William, 52, 73, 233. Willey, The Shake, 285. Williamson, Miss, 195, Wilson, John, 212, 224, 234; Richard, 24; Thomas, 199 ; William, 204. Windsor, 211. Windmill, ‘I he, 281, 301, 302. Wolfenden, Rev, J., 202, 203. Wonnacott, Rev. James, 247, 255, 271. Wood, Duffield, 203; Dean, 81, 86, 89, 90; Farnley, 21, 81, 83, 205, 220, 227 ; Middleton, 60, 91, 215 ; Soothill, 67; Tamar, 274; Tom, 144, Woodlands, The, 8?, 33, 307. Woodchurch, 24, 29, 126, 136, 180. Woodcock, Rev. Henry, 193, 271. Woodford, 2 9, 268. Woodhead, Joseph, M.P., 271. Woollen Manufacturing, 12. Woollen Trade, The, 76. Wool Scouring, 284. W oolsorting, 284. Worcester, 143. Wordsworth, Thomas, 83. Wordsworth and Maskell, 80, 204. Wormald, John, 42. Worrall, Benjamin Hale, 202, 203. Wortley, 4, 27, 34. Wright, Miss, 174 ; Thomas, 170. Wyke, 27, 51. Y Yarm, 21. Yates, James, 284. York, 2, 18, 20, 21, 22, 24, 26, 58, 59, 60, 139, 177, 179, 180, 186, 216, 270, York, Archbishop of, 79. Yorkshire, 22, 59, 126, 147, 148, 159, 178,215, 299. Yorkshire, Coalfields of, 27; High Sheriff, 22 ; Nonconformists of, 19 ; Romans in, 60. Yorkshire Magazine, The, 270. Yorkshire, Old, 168, 270. Yule Log, The, 137, 140. Z Zoar Particular Baptist Chapel, 210. LIST OF SUBSCRIEBe LARGE -PAPHRSCOEE ARMITAGE, CAPTAIN GODFREY, J.P., The Court, Ackworth, Pontefract. Asquith, Joshua, J.P., Wool Merchant, Morley Grange, Churwell, near Leeds. Atkinson, Samuel, Gentleman, Moor-Allerton Lodge, Leeds. Anderton, George Herbert, Kilpin Lodge, Howden. Brook, THomas, F.S.A., Woollen Merchant, Armitage Bridge, Huddersfield. Bradbury, Dr., M.R.C.S , Wesley Terrace, Queen Street, Morley. Bradley, Mrs. Emmanuel, New House, High Street, Morley. Baines, William, Manufacturer, Britannia House, Morley. Brown, Thomas, Woollen Manufacturer, Mount Cross House, Bramley. Beaumont, Professor John, Textile Instructor, Yorkshire College, Leeds. CoLtyER, Rev. Ropert, D.D., 137, East Thirty-ninth Street, New York. Calvert, Rev. Joseph Mason, Oak Lodge, Nelson-in-Marsden. Cantrell, William, Chemist and Druggist, Queen Street, Morley. DartmovuiH, THe Ricut Hon. Ear or, Patshull, Albrighton, Wolverhampton. Dodgson, Joseph, Bookseller and Publisher, 31, Park Row, Leeds. (40 copies) Dodgshun, William, Merchant, Highfield House, Victoria Road, Morley. Dean, Willian Frankland, Accountant, 1, Bond Street, Leeds. EMBLETON, THoMAs WILLIAM, C.E., The Cedars, Methley. Edmondson, William Wood, Johnson's Terrace, Ackroyd Street, Morley. Fox, ALDERMAN THomas Bartsson, J.P, Mayor of Dewsbury. Ford, J. Rawlinson, F.R.H.S., Solicitor, 28, Albion Street, Leeds. Farrar, John, Crescent Road, Low Harrogate. Fothergill, John, Cloth Miller, 8, Albert Road, Morley. GREEN, JOSEPH JoHN, Gentleman, Stansted Montfitchet, Bishop Stortford. Gaskell, C. Milnes, M.P., Thornes House, Wakefield. Gray, Henry, Antiquarian Bookseller, 25, Cathedral Yard, Manchester. Gaunt, Leonard, Manufacturer, Cape Mills, Farsley. Hoventon, THe Ricut Hon. Lorp, Fryston Hall, Ferrybridge. Hopkins, Richard Burrough, Solicitor, 62, Albion Street, Leeds, and Morley. Hepworth, Benjamin Peel, Manufacturer, Providence Mill, Morley. (2 copies) Holton, Councillor William, Manufacturer, Hughenden, Morley. (2 copies) Holdich, C. M., Bookseller, 14, Queen Street, Hull. Hartley, William, 125, Commercial Row, Landport, Portsmouth. Hanstock, Walter, A.R.I.B.A., Architect, Branch Road, Batley. Hainsworth, Lewis, 118, Bowling Old Lane, Bradford. JEWITT, LLEWFLLYNN, F.S A., The Hollies, Duffield, near Derby. Jackson, William, Gentleman, Thorntield House, Bruntcliffe, Morley. SUBSCRIBERS, 317 Kiya, Miss, Milliner, Regent House, Queen Street, Morley. LiBRARY, THE CoRPORATION, Guildhall, London (W. H. Overall, Librarian). Library, The Literary Society, Gildersome (Samuel Sharpe, Secretary). Lister, John, M.A., Shibden Hall, Halifax. Lawson, Joseph Stephenson, Solicitor, 73, Albion Street, Leeds. Leathley, Miss, High Street, Morley. Lassey, Edwin, 60, Lillian Terrace, Ackroyd Street, Morley. Mason, CuHarues Latcu, Bank Manager, 4, Woodhouse Square, Leeds. Navtor, BensAmin, Cloth Merchant, Scarborough Buildings, Leeds, Pixs, ALBERT, City of Washington, D.C., America. Ruopsgs, JostaAn, Manufacturer, Queen Street, Morley. Rhodes, Sam, Manufacturer, Prospect House, Bank Street, Morley. Richardson, Percy, Brunswick Street, Morley. Simpson, THomas, J.P., Solicitor, Weetwood, and 20, Albion Street, Leeds. Sikes, Sir Charles William, Knt., J.P., Birkby Lodge, Huddersfield. Swithinbank, George E., LL.D., Ormleigh, Mowbray Road, Upper Norwood. Stapleton, Frank, West End Cottage, Ravensthorpe, Mirfield. (2 copies) Smith, James Stapylton, Rookwood, Rotherham. Scott, Joseph, Solicitor, 27, Albion Street, Leeds. Scales, William Dibb, Gentleman, Grove House, Pudsey. Stockwell, Alderman Edward, Manufacturer, Croft House, Morley. Sowrey, T. A., Pawnbroker, 22, Bridge Road, Holbeck. Sykes, Arthur Stanley, Fountain Street Mills, Morley. Shepherd, Rev. Ambrose, The Old Parsonage, Commercial Street, Morley. Spark, Alderman Fredk. R., Newspaper Proprietor, Hicpress Office, Leeds. Spencer, James, Wesley Street, Morley. Scarth, Councillor Charles, Manufacturer, Churwell Mills, and Morley. Suddick, George, Printer, Cookridge Street and Boar Lane, Leeds Smith, Sydney, Confectioner, Brunswick Street, Morley. Swindells, George H., Heaton Moor, Stockport. Turner, J. HorsFauu, Author of ‘‘ Ilkley,” etc., Cavendish Road, Idle. Todd, William Arthur, 15, Peel Street, Spring Bank, Hull. WoopDHEAD, JosEPH, M.P., Newspaper Proprietor, Longdenholme, Huddersfield. Webster, Charles James, The Woodlands, Gildersome, near Leeds. Webster, Joseph, Gentleman, 31, The Grove, Ilkley, near Leeds. Wurtzburgh, J. H., The Towers, Armley, near Leeds. Waterhouse, David, 21, Coleridge Place, Bradford. Ward, Joseph, Hairdresser, Queen Street, Morley. Walsh, Alfred, 70, Lillian Terrace, Ackroyd Street, Morley. pee PAPER -GOPIES, APPLETON, JOHN Reep, F.S.A., Lon. and Edin., Western Hill, Durham. Ackroyd, George, J.P., Gentleman, 5, North Park Villas, Manningham (2 copies) Anderton, Rev. William Edward, M.A., Ambleside, Woodford, Essex. Anderton, William, J.P., Elm Bank, Cleckheaton, vid Normanton. Armitage, George J., F.S.A., Clifton Woodhead, Brighouse. Andrews, William, F.R.H.S., Secretary of Literary Club, Hopwood Street, Hull. Appleton, G. W., Lecture Bureau, 10, Clifford’s Inn, London, E.C. Atkinson, D.H., Author of “ Life of Thoresby,” ‘Old Leeds,” Grove Cottage, Starbeck Andrew, John, Agent to Liberation Society, 28, Sunny Bank Terrace, Leeds. Armitage, Henry, Painter, Albion Street, Morley. Armitage, Jacob, Engineman, Princess Street, Morley. Adams, Mrs. Ellen, Fairfield, Cartmel, North Lancashire. Ainley, Richard, Cloth Finisher, Rooms Lane, Morley. 318 SUBSCRIBERS. Asquith, James Dixon, Millwright, Queen’s Mill, Wellington Street, Morley. Adshead, G. H., Bolton Road, Pendleton, near Manchester. Asquith, John Thomas, 28, Wesley Street, Morley. Brassey, Lapy, Normanhurst Court, Battle, Sussex. Brooke, Thomas, F.S.A., Armitage Bridge, Huddersfield. Beer, J. T., F.S.A. Edin., F.R.S.L., Threaplands House, Fulneck. Bruce, Samuel, J.P., LL.B., Barrister-at-Law, Warenne House, Wakefield. (2 copies) Briggs, Arthur, J.P., Cragg Royd, Rawdon, near Leeds. Bolland, Rev. Arthur, M.A., 12, St. Mary’s Terrace, Scarborough. Binks, John, Corn Factor, Burton Street, Wakefield. Boothman, David, Gentleman, Headingley, near Leeds. Banks, Mrs. George Linnzeus, Authoress, 34, Fassett Square, Dalston, N. Brigg, William, Woodville, Far Headingley, Leeds. Booth, Edwin, 24, Wortley Lane, Leeds. —-—~ Brown, James, Commission Agent, Morley. Baine8, Edwin, Manufacturer, Britannia House, Morley. Brooksbank, George, Rate Collector, Town Hall, Morley. Broadbent, Henry, Card Nailor, Ackroyd Street, Morley. (2 copies) Batty, James, Inspector of Fire Risks, Gillroyd Parade, Morley. Brammall, John Holland, Sale Hill House, Sheffield. Bradley, David, Manufacturer, Denshaw House, Owlers, Morley. Brown, James, Builder and Contractor, Church Street, Morley. Bottomley, Thomas, Crosshills, near Leeds. Brook, John, Manufacturer, Gladstone Terrace, New Brighton, Morley. Bousfield, Charles E., Woollen Merchant, St. Mary’s Mt., Clarendon Rd., Leeds. Blackburn, John, Gentleman, The Valley, Scarborough. Birdman, George, 25, Little Fountain Street, Morley. Beckwith, Thomas R., 21, Salop Street, Bridgnorth. Barker, Henry, Butcher, Queen Street, Morley. Brook, David, Manufacturer, Marlborough House, Morley. Butler, Edwin, Schoolmaster, Victoria Road, Morley. Bent, Peter, Yorkshire Penny Bank, 2, Hast Parade, Leeds. Bowling, John, Official Receiver in Bankruptcy, Leeds. CoLLyErR, Rev. Rosert, D.D., 137, East Thirty-ninth Street, New York. Crowther, D. H., D.M., M.D.T., 1, Bond Street, St. John’s, Wakefield. Collins, Mrs,, Kirkburton Vicarage, Huddersfield. Chadwick, S. J., Solicitor, Knowl, Dewsbury. Childe, Rowland, Calder Grove, Wakefield. y Carleton, Will, Author of “ Farm Ballads,” etc., 420, Greene Avenue, Brooklyn. Crowther, Herbert, Gildersome, near Leeds. Cliff, Thomas, Grocer, Bright and Co-operative Streets, Morley. Child, James, Manager, New Brighton, Morley. Chew, Walter, Assistant Overseer, Town Hall, Morley. Cole, William, 268, Manchester Road, Bradford. Crawshaw, Walter, Architect, Dewsbury. Clapham, John, Medical Botanist, Oak House, Meanwood Road, Leeds. Clapham, John W., Oakdale House, Meanwood Road, Leeds. Cordingley, John R., 10, Melbourne Place, Bradford. Collins, G. C.; Supt. Goods Dept., Demerara Railway, Georgetown, West Indies. Davis, JAmEs W., F.S.A., F.G.S., F.L.8., etc., Chevinedge, Halifax. Dodgshun, Joseph, Merchant, Flinders Lane East, Melbourne, Australia. Dodgshun, James, Merchant, Ex-Mayor of Melbourne, Australia. Dodgshun, Charles, Merchant, Dunedin, New Zealand. Dodgshun, John E., Merchant, 8, Fountayne Road, Stoke Newington, London. Dodgshun, William Henry, Gladstone Terrace, New Brighton, Morley. Dodgshun, Ebenezer, Manufacturer, Highfield House, Victoria Road, Morley. Dodgshun, William, Merchant, Highfield House, Morley. ae SUBSCRIBERS, 319 Davies, Rev. Richard, Baptist Minister, Wesley Street, Morley. Dickenson, J. N:, South Market, Meadow Lane, Leeds. Dixon, Mrs. Elizabeth, 17, Parish Ghyll Road, Ilkley. (3 copies) Dawson, Samuel, Bookseller, Market Place, Dewsbury. (2 copies) Dodgson, Jonathan, Dyer, Bank Bottom, Elland, near Halifax. Drew, Sabara, Bright Street, New Brighton, Morley. Dransfield, Gwynne, Bookkeeper, Memel House, Albion Street, Morley. Dransfield, Lewis, Timber Merchant, Memel House, Albion St., Morley. (4 copies) Day, John, High Street, Morley. Dixon, F. Ellis, Compositor, Co-operative Street, New Brighton, Morley. Dodgshun, James, Gentleman, Hamburgh Villa, Leeds. Dance, William Anthony, 6, Hanover View, Hanover Square, Leeds. Deane, J. Arthur, Solicitor and Town Clerk, Batley. Dixon, Charles, Manufacturer, Bruntcliffe Lodge, Morley. Dyson, George, Draper, Bethel Street, Brighouse. EsHELBy, Henry D., 24, Park Road South, Birkenhead, Cheshire. Karnshaw, John, 1, Forster Street, New Brighton, Morley. FALDING, Proressor F. J.. M.A., D.D., Independent College, Rotherham. Firth, Thomas Freeman, J.P., The Flush, Heckmondwike, via Normanton. Firth, Joséph, Photographer, Queen Street, Morley. Foster, Oliver, Manufacturer, Jackson Terrace, Ackroyd Street, Morley. Foster, William B., Bank Street, Morley. Fearnside, Edwin, Manufacturer, 35, Cliff Mount, Leeds. Farrar, Thomas H., 45, Savile Park, Halifax. Fernandez, J. L., Lupset Lodge, near Wakefield. Fawcett, John W., Secretary, Co-operative Society, Albion Street, Leeds. GrirFitus, Rev, WiLLtAM, Woodford Villa, Stoneycroft, Liverpool. Glossop, William, Accountant, 33, Kirkgate, Bradford. Gardiner, Henry, Newspaper Proprietor, Times Office, Goole. Guest, W. H., 78, Cross Street, Manchester. Groves, Henry, Schoolmaster, Arkingarthdale, Richmond. Greenwood, Walter, 17, Peel Street, Morley. Glover, Jonas, Manufacturer, Queen Mills, Albion Street, Morley. Glover, J. Senior, Overlooker, Church Street, Morley. Greenwood, John, Gentleman, Maitland House, Morley. Galloway, Fred. C., 120, Bowling Old Lane, Bradford. Glover, George, Insurance Agent, 9, Church Street, Morley. Gaunt, Leonard, Manufacturer, Cape Mills, Farsley. HoimeEs, PRoressor OLIVER WENDELL, 296, Beacon Street, Boston, U.S.A. Hirst, John, J.P., Ladecastle, Dobcross, Saddleworth. Hutchinson, John, Manager, Gas Works, Barnsley. Hall, Joseph, Manufacturer, 2, Tanfield Terrace, Springfield Place, Leeds. Hall, John,-Photographer and Jeweller, 26, Westgate, Wakefield. Hewitt, John, 92, Harris Street, Leeds Road, Bradford. Hirst, Henry Edward, M.A., B.C.L., Barrister, 1, Essex Street, Temple, London. Hill, John, Manager, Victoria Road, Morley. Hincheliff, John, Wool Merchant, Sydney, New South Wales. Holdich, C: M., Bookseller., 14, Queen Street, Hull. Hardcastle, Joseph, Dyer, Ackroyd Street, Morley. (2 copies) Hirst, Councillor Benjamin, High Street, Morley. Harrison, J., Hairdresser, Lowerhead Row, Leeds. Hardy,-Henry, Power Loom Tuner, Morley. Heaton, Rev. William, 33, Sholebroke Avenue, Leeds, Hepworth, Mrs. George Church Street, Morley. Hulbert, Canon, M.A., The Vicarage, Almondbury, Huddersfield. Hincheliff, Daniel, Gentleman, Wellfield House,’Churwell, near Leeds. Henderson, Jane, 3, North Parade, Townend, Morley. 320 SUBSCRIBERS. Hemsley, John, Commission Agent, Victoria Road, Morley. Hustler, Benjamin, Cloth Finisher, New Brighton, Morley. Hainsworth, Lewis, 118, Bowling Old Lane, Bradford. Hutton, Mrs. Sarah, 17, Marshall Street, Morley, Hemingway, James, Secretary, Gas Co., Commercial Street, Morley. Hurd, Mrs. Jane, High Street, Morley. : Hardy, C. J., Tailor and Outfitter, 1, Boar Lane, Leeds. Howitt, John, 12, Whiston Grove, Rotherham. Hill, William, Bookkeeper, 3, Springfield View, Morley. Hancock, J., Bookkeeper, Springfield Cottage, Victoria Road, Morley. Jackson, Epwarp, Manufacturer, Peel Villa, Peel Street, Morley. (2 copies) Jackson, Rev. William, Crowle, near Doncaster. James, Philip, Postmaster, Brough, East Yorkshire. Jackson, William, Gentleman, Thornfield, Morley. Jowett, George, Builder and Contractor, High Street, Morley. Johnson, Councillor George, Builder and Contractor, Ackroyd Street, Morley. Kine, Councinttor WILLIAM, Silver Royd House, Wortley, & 9, Park Place, Leeds. King, James, Manager, Silver Royd Mill, Wortley, near Leeds. King, John, Cloth Miller, Bank Street, Morley. King, Miss Elizabeth, Milliner, Regent House, Queen Street, Morley. Kirkwood, Stephen, Stanningley, near Leeds. Kirkby, Joseph, Treasurer, Co-operative Society, Commercial Street, Morley. Kenyon, John, Grocer, Ackroyd Street, Morley. Keyworth, Cecil F., Wellington, New Zealand. Layton, C. M1uuer, Shortlands, Castle Hill Avenue, Folkestone, Kent. Library, British Museum, Russell Street, Bloomsbury, London. Library, The Bodleian, Oxford. Library, The University, Cambridge. Library, Trinity College, Dublin. Library, Faculty of Advocates, Edinburgh. Library, Mechanics’ Institution and Literary Society, Leeds. Library, The Old, Commercial Street, Leeds (J. Y. McAlister, Librarian). Library, Public, Plymouth (W. H. K. Wright, F.R.H.S., Librarian). Library, Borough Free, Doncaster (W. E. Williams, Librarian). Library, Atkinson Free, Southport (Thomas Newman, Librarian). Library, Chetham’s, Hunt’s Bank, Manchester. Library, Mechanics’ Institute, Pudsey (D. Lawson, Secretary). Library, Dartmouth College, Hanover, America (C. F, Richardson), Lomax, Francis, Albion Street, Morley. Lee, William, 29, Hanover Square, Bradford. Lamplough, Edward, Emporium Buildings, Spring Bank, Hull. Lee, Robert, Insurance Secretary, 50, Victoria Terrace, Ackroyd Street, Morley. Longley, George Canning, Prescot, Ontario, Canada. Lassey. Edwin, Bookkeeper, Victoria Road, Morley. Lawton, Edwin W., Rag Merchant, Wesley Street, Morley. Morets, Proressor Joun, D.D., Memorial College, Brecon, South Wales. Marriott, Charles Henry, J.P., Land Surveyor, Manor Lawa, Dewsbury. Mellor, James W., Lydgate View, New Mill, Huddersfield. Morley, J.C., 1, Devonshire Street, Portland Road, London, W. Middleton, George, Prestwich, near Manchester. (2 copies) Myers, William, Rag Merchant, Forster Street, New Brighton, Morley. Mitchell, John, Millowner, Church Street, Morley. Mason, Anthony, Arkingarth Dale, Richmond, Yorkshire. Mortimer, F. G., Draper, 28, Chapel Hiil, Morley. , Mortimer, Charles, 791, Franklin Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, America. * Middlebrook, John, Editor, Pudsey News, Pudsey, near Leeds. SUBSCRIBERS, 321 Nrxon, Epwarp, Methley, near Leeds. Naylor, James C., Dentist, Woodhouse,Square, Leeds, and Ilkley. Nevin, Mrs. Hannah, Brooklyn, Mirfield. — Ox ey, Henry, J.P., Banker, Weetwood and Commercial Street, Leeds. Ormerod, Thomas, Woodfield, Brighouse, near Halifax. PEARSON, Rev. WILLIAM, B.D., The Vicarage, Shipley, near Bradford. Perris, Rev. H. W., Windsor Street, Park Road, Hull. Park, John, Appleton Wiske, Northallerton, East Riding. Procter, Richard, Solicitor, Oak Mount, Burnley, Lancashire. Price, Mrs., The Runniss, Knighton, Radnorshire, Wales. Pashley, J. W., Morton Hall, Gainsborough. Pollard, Mrs, Grace, 31, Sefton Street, Southport, Lancashire. (2 copies) Pettler, John Thomas, Reporter, Parliament Street, New Brighton, Morley. Peel, Frank, Draper, Market Place, Heckmondwike, vid Normanton. Peel, James, Cloth Miller, 36, Queen Street, Morley. Peel, Solomon, The Restaurant, Oakworth, near Keighley. RoBINSON, JAMES, Chairman of School Board, Queen Street, Morley. Rayner, John, 264, York Street, Manchester. Reid, C. J., 14, Park Row, Leeds and Roundhay, near Leeds. Reid, James, 14, Park Row, Leeds, and 5, Westhill Terrace, Chapel-Allerton. Robinson, J. B., The Inner Hey, Marsden. Rayner, Simeon, Draper, Chapeltown, Pudsey. Rhodes, Joseph, Machine Maker, The Lodge, Morley. Robinson, John, junr., 12, Fitzarthur Street, Tong Road, Armley, near Leeds. Raywood, Henry Boys, 4, Jermyn Street, Leeds. Roberts, George, Author of ‘‘ History of Lofthouse,” Lofthouse. Rayner, Samuel, Gentleman, Point House, Albert Road, Morley. Robinson, W. P., care of Triibner and Co., Ludgate Hill, London. Rhodes, W. Venables, Northgate, Heckmondwike. Randall, Joseph, Bank Chambers, George Street, Sheffield. SHarp, Canon Joun, M.A., The Vicarage, Horbury, near Wakefield. Sykes, John, M.D., Hall Gate, Doncaster. Scatcherd, Mrs. Sarah, 3, Queen’s Road, Harrogate. Schofield, William Henry, 50, Willow Street, Huddersfield. Stead, John, 14, Bank Street, Morley. (2 copies) Stansfield, Charles, Forster Street, New Brighton, Morley. Sheard, Michael, Land Agent and Surveyor, St. Alban’s, High Harrogate. Sykes, Percival, 25, Broad Street, Ludlow, Salop. Sowden, John, A.M., 1, Blenheim Road, Manningham, Bradford. Scruton, William, 35, Clough Street, West Bowling, Bradford. Stanhope, Nathaniel, Galloway Place, Calverley, near Leeds. Smith, Joseph, Timber Merchant, Westwood Lodge, Ilkley and Bradford. Spofforth, Markham, 3, Porchester Terrace, London, W. Stockwell, Alderman Edward, Manufacturer, Croft House, Morley. Stockwell, Joseph, Manufacturer, Victoria Road, Morley. Stead, Samuel, Newspaper Proprietor, Observer Office, Queen Street, Morley. Schofield, Samuel, Gentleman, Church Street, Morley. Schofield, Alderman Joseph, Gentleman, Windsor House, Morley. Scholes, David William, Manufacturer, New Brighton, Morley. Smith, Alfred, Commission Agent, 54, Camp Road, Leeds. Sykes, Arthur Stanley, Manufacturer, Fountain Street Mills, Morley. Slack, William, Rag Merchant, Townend, Morley. Sykes, Matthew, Music Seller, Music Warehouse, Queen Street, Morley. Sharp, William, 80, Town End, Morley. Smith, J. B., Registrar, Bank Top, Morley. Stanhope, William, Rag and Mungo Merchant, Low Wortley, Leeds. Squire, Henry, Green Terrace, Mirfield. 322 SUBSCRIBERS. Sykes, Fred. W., F.C.O., Organist, The Abbey Church, Selby. Stockdale, Albert, Woodhouse Hill, Huddersfield. Stockdale, John, Manufacturer, Kirkfields, Morley. Stead, John James, Albert Cottage, Heckmondwike. Shaw, Rev. George, Primitive Methodist Minister, Dewsbury. Stead, Ada, Victoria Road, Morley. Stead, George H., Printing House Square, Queen Street, Morley. Stead, Walter, Bookkeeper, 4, Beecroft Grove, Leopold Street, Leeds. Stephenson, C. H., Crichton Club, Adelphi Terrace, London. Smith, Mrs. John, Ryecroft, Holmfirth. Southey, Mrs. Geo., Parliament Street, New Brighton, Morley. Stephenson, Alfred, Cloth Finisher, Victoria Road, Morley. Tomuinson, G. W., F.S.A., The Elms, New North Road, Huddersfield. Taylor, Thomas, J.P., Oakwell House, Birstal, near Leeds. Tinkler, Rev. John, M.A., Arkengarthdale Vicarage, Richmond. Terry, D. C. Birkbeck, M.A., The College, Dumfries Place, Cardiff, South Wales Tweedale, John, A.R.I.B.A., Architect, 12, South Parade, Leeds. Turner, J. Horsfall, Cavendish Road, Ilkley. Tomlinson, John, Polton Toft, Thorne Road, Doncaster. Thackray, Fred, Town Hall, Queen Street, Morley. Tetley, Mrs., Confectioner, Queen Street, Morley. Turner, Joseph, 11, Great Northern Street, Morley. Turner, William, $, Wood Street, Sunfield, Stanningley, near Leeds. Thornburn, William H., 61. Christopher Street, Burley Road, Leeds. Thackray, Charles William, 1, Mannheim Road, Manningham, Bradford. Thackray, Francis, Whitesmith, Henry Street, Morley. Tillotson, Miss E. H., 12, Whiston Grove, Rotherham. Theaker, Samuel, Victoria House, Outwood, near Wakefield. Teal, J., Bookseller, 16, Southgate, Halifax. Teale, Robt. J., Butcher, The Bottoms, Morley. Vasey, J., Printer and Stationer, Northallerton. Woopcock, Rev. Henry, Primitive Methodist Minister, King Street, Morley. Wright, Samuel, Solicitor, 2, Manor Row, Bradford. Wilson, Councillor John, Manufacturer, Mount Pleasant, Morley, and Gildersome. Webster, George, The Woodlands, Gildersome, near Leeds. Waterhouse, David, 21, Coleridge Place, Hillhouse Villas, Bradford. Watson, Isaac Crowther, Manufacturer, Milton House, Queen Street, Morley. Watson, Thomas Crowther, Manufacturer, Field House, Morley. (2 copies) Whitaker, Arthur Walter, Land and Mineral Surveyor, Morley. Webster, Samuel, Forster Street, New Brighton, Morley. Wilson, Edward, Plasterer, 59, Hungerhill, Morley. Wade, Ezra, 5, Ilford Street, Morley. Webster, James, Manufacturer, Silver Royd Hill, Wortley. Whitley, Samuel, Mount Ebenezer, Branch Road, Gildersome. Walker and Laycock, Booksellers, 37, Briggate, Leeds. (3 copies) Whitehead, Mrs. J., South Queen Street, Morley. Ward, John, Townend, Lofthouse, near Wakefield. Yates, W. W., Journalist, Reporter Office, Dewsbury. Young, John and Son, Tailors, Wade Lane, Leeds. Complete, in Five Handsome Volumes, Demy 8vo. (also in Demy 4to.), 1700 pages, extra cloth, gilt ; profusely illustrated with Hundreds of Steel and Wood Engravings, Photographs, Plain and Coloured Lithographs, Ink-Photos, Emblazoned Arms ; includ- ing Portraits, Views of Public Buildings, Brasses, Monuments, Crosses, &c., &c. MLD YORKSHIRE, EDITED BY WILLIAM SMITH, F.S.A.S. OPINIONS OF THE PRESS ON VOL, IV. The Reliquary, January, 1884. “The fourth volume of this all-important and most valuable work is not only a worthy successor of those which have preceded it, but even surpasses and far outstrips them in the interest and variety of its literary contents, and the number and admirable character of the engravings by which it is profusely illustrated. . .. . . These are buta rough indication of scarce a tithe of the contents of this remarkably well thought out and excellently prepared volume, which, from first page to last, is all thatit could be desired tobe. . . .. =. We trust Mr. Smith may be spared to continue his annual to its fiftieth year of issue, He will not even then have exhausted the matters of interest connected with the county he so worthily illustrates in ‘Old Yorkshire,’ ” Liverpool Courier. ‘** This is certainly one of the most remarkable volumes that have passed through our hands oflate. . . . . The illustrations are all admirably executed, and contribute to make a most beautiful volume. ... . The writers of the 40 articles embrace some excellent names, well Known in the ranks of archzology. We need hardly express an opinion of the contents of the volume. They would be out of character with all the circumstances if they were not of a high class. Some of the heraldic ilJustrations are exquisitely printed in colours ; but we will pay the book a compliment that we have never paid to another—we will despatch payment for a second copy, to be presented to a Yorkshire friend, whois an invalid, as cheering medicine worth all the contents of a druggist’s shop.” Pudsey and Stanningley News, “This volume will bear comparison with any of its valuable and interesting predecessors, both as regards its historical, biographical, and literary articles, or its artistic illustrations, The book contains many carefully selected articles, many of them being specially written for the work. It is beautifully got up, fit for any gentleman’s,table, and is published at a remark- ably cheap price.” Manchester Courier. ‘‘This volume is a storehouse of archaic fact, and contains a mass of eminently readable matter on the history, archzology, ecclesiology, and bibliology of the great northern province, contributed by writers of eminence and acknowledged ability. The Editor has succeeded in bringing together an amount of really useful information not easily to be found elsewhere, but which will be of undoubted service to the student of local antiquities.” Morley Observer. “The fourth volume of this most acceptable work is to hand, and we can fully endorse the remarks of a writer in the Saturday Review, when he says that ‘Mr. William Smith may almost be said to be himself an antiquarian institute, and we begin to look for his yearly pro- ceedings as for the transactions of some solemn archeological fraternity.’ In the four volumes of ‘Old Yorkshire’ already published, Mr. Smith has rendered important service, not only to antiquarians generally, and to Yorkshiremen in particular, but to those gentlernen who will have to undertake the Herculean task of writing the proposed ‘ History of Yorkshire.’ Col. Brooke, F.S.A., at the annual dinner of the Yorkshire Archzological and Topographical Society, said ‘that the aid rendered by ‘ Old Yorkshire’ to the future historian would be incalculable, and the _ people of this county owed a debt of gratitude to Mr. Smith for the important work he was doing,’ Coming to the volume before us, we have never seen a book devoted to so useful a purpose as the gathering up of the remnants of the past so thoroughiy well done, and so entirely ‘after one’s own heart,’ and we desire at the outset to return our thanks for thisimportant and intensely interesting addition to Yorkshire literature. The volume contains a vast amount of information ; in the main culled from hitherto unexplored records, or obtained from the pens of competent writers on matters of general interest, told in a pleasing manner, and carefully arranged by the editor. We close our notice in the words of the Academy, ‘ All lovers of what shew calls ‘the test shire of England’ will be grateful for another volume of this pleasant medley.’” LONDON : Lonemans, GREEN AND Co., PATERNOSTER Row. G@Aorks of UAilliam Smith, F.S.4.S. —_<0——_ A TRIP TO FRANCE AND SWITZERLAND. Post 8vo, TOO PP». 1864 eoneseoeseacovses vocecn cansabengvoewas svesenennecetaueee ment! SamnaeE Do. Do. Do. 2nd Edition. Demy 8vo, 80 pp- 1865 000000 000 000 008000000 100 000 000858 B08 HHe 10800 000 C0000 008 SMITH & Son. A YORKSHIREMAN’S TRIP TO ROME. Post 8vo, ZOD PP: 1866 -.scccsccsssonseces soscssccocscacocovasesesvespsscsoese L/ONGRENES Do. Do, Do. end Edition. Post 8vo, 200 pp. 1868 POO CER CORO EOE HORSE OER SOE VES EEE EHS EOR EOE CEH HOR EOE EED Do. RAMBLES ABOUT MORLEY. Illustrated. Crown 8vo, ZOO PP LOG cocceasse coecarnes sos vossccusecssensaseevesasessespacs iit) tne tmns amrmaaE HISTORY OF MORLEY. Illustrated. Demy 8vo, 300 pp. 1876 00000 FOO OCT EOO COE EEE OOF COR OE OOH HEE HHH EHS FHOCER HEE OOD LoONGMANS OLD YORKSHIRE. Vol. x. Illustrated. | Demy 8vo, 330 pp. 1881 000926000 000000 200000 00 OOO SEO COSCO OEE NOSED CEO CES Ee Do. DO. Do. Vol. 2. Illustrated. Demy 8vo, 330 PP. 1881 ssseccesscerecerseseessececeseresssscssscescscsesveces Do. DO. DO. Woolies: Illustrated. Demy 8vo, 3390 pp. 1882 COHCO SOR OHOH SEH THER SHEH EER HHH HOR SHH HHE OER HOA HHEOCEOEE COO Do. Do. Do. Vol. 4. Illustrated. Demy 8vo, SAOMPD AUNT OOS) seccacccsessareess seescoucugescaciestecacsscaetesenene Do, Do. Do. Vol. 5. — Illustrated. Demy 8vo, 360 pp. 1884 COOH SEH HOT SHE THO OHR HEHEHE HOETEOHEER OEREHOOOE SOL EEE EOE Do. Also in Demy 4to. Complete in Five Volumes, All the above named Works are out of print. MORLEY: ANCIENT AND MODERN. Illustrated. Demy 8vo. 340 pp. 1886. Price 85. Od. «. ssseserseees Do. we meedtOs os a 3p EGSsmOCe eancomeanecsons Do. WILLIAM SMITH, Ossporne House, MORLEY, nr. LEEDS. THE BIRTHPLACE OF CHARLOTTE BRONTE. By WILLIAM ScruToN. Very chastely printed, in royal 32mo, with two Etchings by the Author. Post free 6d. Address—Mr, W. Scruton, West Bowling, Bradford. AY \\ DRO : ACK « ~~ \\ SSS = WAV WQVq“ SAN SS AK AS SS = \ SN SS : SS NII A RAV nee MRAM CEXNEES NY SANS