A HISTORY OF FEATHERSTONE
1993
THE COUNCILS
JANUARY Miller Mining wanted to start a new opencast mine next to the cemetery on Cutsyke Road. Cr Charles Keith told the town council Miller Mining had given assurances that transport problems would be kept to a minimum. He didn't believe it could be done on that site. Cr Peter Wroe said "I don't think this is a site that should even be considered and I shall be objecting strongly in the planning meetings". Cr Roy Beckett said "There are two million tons of coal sitting at Sharlston Colliery, so what is the necessity of opencasting this particular field".
FEBRUARY Steve Cottrell of Miller Mining said "Our operations at Ackton have recently come to an end and 42 of our own men have had to be laid off. Miller Mining takes its responsibilities very seriously, hence our application seeking to maintain the jobs of our employees". He said the site could be worked with minimum disturbance to the public, and two or three lorries an hour leaving the site would not create any extra traffic. The coal was needed to blend with colliery coal for the power stations.
St Wilfrid's Convent had been empty for a year, and the council gave permission for it to be converted into a home for autistic people and those with severe learning difficulties.
MAY Cr Steve Vickers took over from Cr Dick Belfield as Mayor of Featherstone.
JUNE A local government ombudsman looked into the complaints about the £400,000 hockey and five-a-side football pitch at Featherstone Sports Centre. His conclusion was "I see no cause to criticise the council's actions in choosing the site. I am satisfied the council has taken action to mitigate disturbance resulting from activity on the pitch. The proper steps for dealing with the application for planning permission had also been followed by the authority".
The district council turned down the application for opencast mining next to the cemetery after huge opposition form Featherstone, Glass Houghton and Normanton. Miller Mining said they may appeal.
The town council was hoping to raise £2,000 to replace the floodlights and fitting that illuminated the sculptures at the bottom of Station Lane which were stolen in March. Wakefield District Council said it was the town's responsibility.
JULY Featherstone Swimming Pool, originally the Lister Baths, was opened by Featherstone Mayor Steve Vickers. The official ceremony marked the end of a joint £60,000 scheme between Featherstone Town Council and Wakefield District Council. It included improved facilities for disabled swimmers, schoolchildren and townsfolk. For Wakefield Council Jim Walkden said "Two years ago the baths were in dire trouble and it was very much on the cards that it would close. The partnership between Wakefield and Featherstone has really built it up from nothing to quite a thriving centre".
The district council sent out 2,250 questionnaires to Featherstone households seeking views on the proposed bypass. Only 52 replied. There were 31 in favour, 18 against and three non-committed.
AUGUST Final approval was given by the district council for the bypass. It would now go to the Government for approval. Cr Graham Isherwood said he was a lot happier after talks with highway chiefs would save a number of public footpaths. They had eventually got what they asked for, which was a full bypass of Featherstone. Work was not expected to start until 1997.
OCTOBER Cameras were to be set up at North Featherstone crossroads to catch drivers who jumped the red traffic light. There had been five accidents in the past five years. A similar scheme proposed three years ago failed for lack of money. It would cost £35,000.
THE ROVERS
Katherine Hey age 22 of Garforth was selected as Featherstone Rovers Queen in March. She also won the Miss Yorkshire Rugby League Queen title. Photo - The Express.
A national lottery was proposed for next year and a Government Bill would mean the Rovers would have to register the cashline scheme with the Gaming Board instead of the district council at a cost of £500 a year plus a weekly fee of about £70. For the Rovers Terry Mullaney said "Our cashline lottery is absolutely vital to us. Without it we would be sunk".
Cyril Kellett age 55 of Eastbourne Avenue, a successful well liked Featherstone Rovers player, died in Hightown Hospital, Castleford, from Alzheimer's Disease. A minutes silence was observed at the next home game as a mark of respect. Photo - The Express.
In August a profit on the season of £68,120 was reported at the annual meeting, mainly due to a profit on transfer fees of £213,000. The club had reduced the bank overdraft by £30,000 to £82,161 and loans by £20,000 to £50,015. Commercial manager Terry Mullaney appealed for more agents for the Cashline lottery. Income had reduced from £117,034 in the previous season to £98,247. Secretary Terry Jones said the season in the second division was not the nightmare he had envisaged. The club had set itself the targets of promotion, the championship and the divisional premiership and had achieved all three.
CAKE MAKER
Michelle Beardsmore of Market Street said she was chucked out of domestic science classes seven years ago. Now she was a specialist cake sculptor baking her own cakes and turning them into anything the customer wanted. She was featured by the Express in July. She started by helping her mother with cake decoration and moved on to baking her own cakes. She said she changed to sculpting in sponge by accident. She just wanted to do something different. She had now clocked up over 2,800 celebration cakes. She said it's amazing what people ask her to bake - Tutankhamun, a tankard full of beer, an old boot, or a pair of boxing gloves. Photos - The Express.
THE GALA
The Gala was again run over an extended period in July and began with the Teddy Bears' Picnic. The Express photos show Lyndsey and Amanda Whitehouse, and Ian Jefferson with his bear housed in his plaster cast and Marie Mosley.
The main event, the Gala in Purston Park, began with a procession from St Wilfrid's Catholic School in North Featherstone. There were eight floats compared with 13 last year. Mayor Steve Vickers opened the event and crowned the Gala Queen Nicola Davidson. The Express photos show the Featherstone Queen on the left playing host to the Knottingley Queen; Marion Wedge (left) and Wendy Rowlinson with Postman Pat; Ugly Sisters Thomas Dibb and John Bate; and Featherstone Rovers Junior Blue and White Club.
1993 NEWS ITEMS
JANUARY Featherstone Miners Welfare Amateur Rugby League Club held a 24-hour sponsored pool marathon at the Railway Hotel in aid of Pontefract Infirmary's CAT scanner appeal. That, plus taking a bucket collection around local pubs, raised £1,000. Landlady Tracy Smith said "The lads did great and were well supported by our customers". Photo - The Express.
Tom Murray of Priordale Road took on the most bullseyes in 24 hours record held by Jockey Wilson at 850. he beat it easily with 1,177 at the Lin Pac Sports and Social Club. He said "I was absolutely exhausted when I finished. I thought my arm was going to drop off" He raised over £400 for the Lin Pac charity fund. Photo - The Express.
Ann Hill of Ackton Wood Villas was appalled when she saw a video of herself on her television taken by her son with his camcorder. She weighed 18st 5lb, and promptly joined Featherstone Weight Watchers. In 18 months she shed 7st 2lb and was down from size 26 to size 12. Photo - The Express.
Simon Guest, age 20 and the youngest licensee in the district, took over the Sun Inn in December and was now refurbishing it with his fiancée Shelley Pattison. The work included putting in a piano to entertain the regulars and he added "We want to keep the image. It's a very friendly pub and we've got a good bunch of regulars, but we want to smarten it up and make it more comfortable". Photo - The Express.
Each year a Featherstone school was invited to suggest a design for the cover of the Gala programme. This year is was St Wilfrid's Catholic High School and Heather Macron age 13 was the winner. Only two colours could be used and the design had to be effective but simple. The photos of Heather and Cr Charles Keith with her design are from the Express.
MARCH Chesney's Youth and Community Centre were making a video based on the film The Hope of his Side. Chesney's youth worker John Hirst said they were anxious for anyone who remembered the filming taking place in the town to come forward to help. The Express photo shows John Hirst with cameraman Shane Townend.
Vandals caused about £2,500 of damage to the changing rooms on the Welfare Ground. The secretary of Featherstone Miners Welfare ARLFC, Steve Brumby, said they might have to postpone their next game. The Express photo show club vice-president Arthur Crossfield outside the changing rooms.
Ackton Hospital closed, and five doctors and six nurses were transferred to Pontefract General Infirmary. Sister Elizabeth Love, who had worked at Ackton for 26 years, said "This is a lovely site and it is sad to leave. When I first came here there were two adult wards, a children's ward and a nursing college. This has always been a friendly hospital and it is a great shame it is closing down". Photo - The Express.
Nancy Jackson age 14 of Featherstone High School broke the national swimming records for 100m breaststroke and the 100m and 50m backstroke in the British Sports Association for the Disabled Championships in Darlington. She also won the 50m freestyle event. Photo - The Express.
APRIL Featherstone community based theatre group Off-The-Shelf put on Expressions in the community centre. Artistic director said it is bizarre, colourful and unusual and quite spectacular to watch. Two Featherstone lads provide the music and there are lots of dance routines.
The Pontefract and Castleford Express ran a competition to find the perfect postie. The winner was Nigel Harper of Bedford Close. He said I didn't think I would win because there are so many good postmen and women. I really enjoy my job. It is so easy to help people and I was delighted when I heard I had won". He was nominated by Agnes and George Hirst of Leatham Park Road, and they won a hamper. Photo - The Express.
MAY A £30,000 pelican crossing in Station Lane between the library and Dransfields was declared open by Cr Peter Wroe.
Five girls from Featherstone Gymnastics Club came away with medals and cups in the Intermediate and Pre-Federation of International Gymnasts Championships at Barnsley Metrodome. They trained at the Sports Centre. The Express photo shows clockwise from bottom left, Emma Preece, Rebecca Benson, Gemma Mortimore, Samantha Dear and Carly Fox.
JUNE Eight workers from Argos on Whitwood Industrial Estate led by Purston man Bill Roebuck were planning to walk from Bridlington to Featherstone for children's charity Candlelighters and Martin House Children's Hospice near Wetherby. They intended it to be non-stop but had no idea how long it would take. Wives and friends would back up with food and water from cars. Mr Roebuck said it was because of help when his three year old daughter was in the hospice with a brain tumour. They hoped to raise £2,000. Photo - The Express.
The Royal British Legion was seeking people interested in re-opening a branch of the ex-servicemen's organisation in Featherstone. The organisation closed down in Featherstone in 1987 because there were only five members left and they were too old to carry on. The annual poppy collection was carried out by volunteers from outside the area until 1991 but then ceased. Ralph Denby, Wakefield district welfare officer said Featherstone is the only town in Wakefield district which is not covered by a branch of the British Legion.
JULY The Argos charity walkers led by Bill Roebuck of Purston did their non-stop walk from Bridlington to Featherstone in 20 hours and 40 minutes including breaks. Three dropped out after completing 40 miles. The actual walking time was 17 hours and 50 minutes. They raised over £1,000.
Art students from St Wilfrid's Catholic High School created a work of art out of gas pipes. The pipes had been painted in bright colours and it was proposed they would be a permanent feature in the school grounds. Photo - The Express.
AUGUST Vandals smashed their way into the premises on the Welfare football and cricket ground and stole portable floodlighting equipment belonging to Featherstone Miners Welfare ARLFC. Club secretary Steve Brumby said they would be struggling to hold training sessions as the longer nights started drawing in.
SEPTEMBER Ever since Lin Pac Plastics factory opened it gave an award to its workers after ten years service which included a meal and an engraved watch. Now because of the recession it was stopped. An anonymous caller to the Express said "We are all livid. More than a dozen workers were soon to be eligible but now they are told they can't have them". Colin Southall, the union secretary, said he sympathised with the workers but it was not really a union matter because it was a treat and not connected to terms or conditions of pay.
Melanie Gates of Moor Road went into an asthma attack Her three year old daughter Keeley went to the cupboard for her nebuliser equipment and then ran for a neighbour. Melanie was in intensive care for a week and on a ventilator. When she recovered she said I owe my life to my little girl. Photo - The Express.
Ian Clayton's book When Push Comes to Shove was published by Yorkshire Art Circus. It was a compilation of Rugby League anecdotes and stories from the fans, with pictures by Michael Steele, a winner of Sports Photographer of the Year. The photo of Ian Cayton and Michael Steele at a book signing is from the Express.
The Central WMC closed after stewards Clifford and Mary Walker of Appletree Road could not afford to pay the £3,000 business rates. Mr Walker said he entered into an agreement last January to buy the club from the brewery Wards of Sheffield for £71,000 over ten years, but he needed to extend the loan after sustaining unexpected expenses.
After getting the rates bill they asked the brewery to give them more time to pay, but they refused and closed the club down. He said they had about 500 members with 200 regulars, and had lots of events planned to get more people into the club. The billiards. snooker and pool teams would lose their places in the local leagues and all the players were very disappointed.
OCTOBER North Featherstone Junior and Infants School put on an exhibition of paintings by David Banks age nine of Mount Pleasant Street, Headmaster Terry Hall said "He's only been painting for seven months but you wouldn't believe the way he has come on". Photo - The Express.
Methodist minister Revd John McCarthy asked Featherstone Rovers and Castleford to change the kick-off time for the Boxing Day game from Sunday morning at 11.30 because it would leave churchgoers with a difficult decision. Featherstone Rovers chairman Steve Wagner said they would prefer playing on the Monday because there would be a better attendance, but Castleford's chairman Charles Ashton said his committee's decision to stick with the existing fixture time was final.
NOVEMBER George Holt of Priory Road, chairman of the local hospital radio, retired after more than 25 years with Radio Ackton. In 1988 he was presented with the National Association of Hospital Broadcasting Organisation's certificate of dedicated service for 25 years. He said "On a Friday I used to go round Ackton Hospital collecting requests from patients which I would play on Sunday. One matron told me she couldn't do her ward round because everyone was listening to the radio". The Express photo shows George with the new chairman, Joan Gilyead and volunteer John Elsey.
Off-The-Shelf, a contemporary theatre group bases at the Community Centre, were invited to perform at the Festival of Youth at Wakefield's Theatre and Opera House. The director Paul Davies said "We are becoming a recognised theatre group, and it is an achievement for all 22 members to be invited to the Opera House. Everybody will remember the experience for a long time to come".
Body-builder Mick Rayner of Wakefield Road competed in the European Body-Building Federation Championships held at Castleford Civic Centre and won first place in the intermediate category. The Express photo shows Mike on the right with Stephen Ward of Pontefract.
For Remembrance Sunday there was a parade from Green Lane to the War Memorial where there was a two-minutes silence and the Last Post played. There were also two services in St Thomas's Church, one at 10am for those not taking part in the parade, and one at 10.50am for the parade. Free refreshments and a tot of rum or whisky was available for veterans at the B and S Sports Social Club.
Mrs Ruth Edwards reopened the defunct Central WMC as a pub and renamed it the New Central. Her husband Mike would remain as landlord of the King William IV in Cutsyke. She said "We have opened the New Central with a full on-licence and will have snooker, pool, darts and dominoes. It's a pub with a social club atmosphere but there is no committee and no bingo". photo - The Express.
DECEMBER When Push Comes to Shove, the book published by Yorkshire Art Circus and compiled by Ian Clayton, was set to be one of the biggest selling Rugby League books of all time. Ian said "The Art Circus can normally expect to sell between 1,000 and 1,500 community books. Now we are up to 9,000 - I wish I was on commission".
David Oxley of Katrina Grove had an exhibition of his paintings entitled A Portrait of Featherstone at the library and community centre. He said "Local people are interested in local things and I got the idea to paint Featherstone from an article I read in Leisure Painting magazine". His display was part of a larger selection to display the arts and crafts of local artists. Photo - The Express.
A mobile planetarium run by astronomer Dennis Ashton visited Purston Infants School. Teachers and pupils were enchanted by stars and planets which shone overhead. Headteacher Mrs Janet Young said "It all appeared like magic to the children. One of my staff said it was an unbelievable experience". The Express photo shows Dennis Ashton with Jason Dutton, Michael Bates and Pheadra Gillogley.
The New Central Pub wasn't a success and after Christmas it closed down again for the second time.
Tony Lumb published a novel about Sherlock Holmes solving a case in Featherstone.
