In his day it appears that he was an important man, and lived in some interesting places. It is conjecture but a case could be made that he is responsible for the rumour that there was a tunnel between Saville Hall Farm and Stainborough Castle - or that the rumour was based on something that he did.
He was a senior member of the Wentworth staff, perhaps a land agent of some sort, who sometime lived at Saville Hall Farm then at Needlewood - the substantial house on the left as one ascends Keresforth Hill.
Apparently it was his habit to turn up unannounced in the gardens or grounds of the Castle - to the dismay of employees - to whom his manner and comments caused concern - it was said that he was inevitably on horseback when he made his surprise visitations.
Was he in the habit of travelling from Saville Hall Farm - perhaps during the time that he lived there -by horse - and entering the Castle grounds through the under road tunnel between Steeple Lodge and Steeple Cottage? The under road tunnel collapsed - possibly in the 1970's - and the opening to the Castle grounds was obscured by landscaping in the 1980's. But - the opening on the Lowe Wood side of the road - still existed recently. Was this the origin of the 'tunnel story'?
Was he the first to occupy Needlewood when it was first built? - and was it built as a replacement for Saville Hall Farm at the time the latter was reduced in size by the demolition of one of the, until then, two wings? When did the demolition occur and what necessitated it?
He was known to periodically engage in shooting in the rookery at the top of Pilley Hill, and to be in the company of Captain Bruce Wentworth at such times.
His name is known but has been withheld for reason of confidentiality.
Thursday 14 December 2017
Wednesday 13 December 2017
A hard life - in Dodworth Bottom
This is about Silver Street in Dodworth Bottom.
Incidentally my researches have shown that Dodworth Bottom was a separate community to the rest of Dodworth as far back as the 1600's - when it was 'given' as a wedding gift.
Amongst the many stories which I have gathered over the years is a recollection told me by my grandmother who lived in Silver Street - the story is regarding the purchase of meat.
In those far off days they were to say the least 'poor'. So poor in fact that on a Saturday night she and her husband; my grandfather, used to walk to Barnsley to buy the cheapest cuts of meat and bring them back home, to feed the enormous family they looked after. Their purchases would fill 4 shopping bags, and with 2 bags each they would walk back to Silver Street.
She said the butchers were selling the meat 'cheap' at that time as it would not keep well over the remainder of the weekend.
The butchers were on market stalls which at the time were at the upper end of 'Market Hill'.
The 'enormous' family that they looked after included 5 children; from 2 families, whom they had 'taken in' when their parents died or were killed - they had 3 children of their own.
For anyone interested - the events above took place in the 1920's
The Editor
Incidentally my researches have shown that Dodworth Bottom was a separate community to the rest of Dodworth as far back as the 1600's - when it was 'given' as a wedding gift.
Amongst the many stories which I have gathered over the years is a recollection told me by my grandmother who lived in Silver Street - the story is regarding the purchase of meat.
In those far off days they were to say the least 'poor'. So poor in fact that on a Saturday night she and her husband; my grandfather, used to walk to Barnsley to buy the cheapest cuts of meat and bring them back home, to feed the enormous family they looked after. Their purchases would fill 4 shopping bags, and with 2 bags each they would walk back to Silver Street.
She said the butchers were selling the meat 'cheap' at that time as it would not keep well over the remainder of the weekend.
The butchers were on market stalls which at the time were at the upper end of 'Market Hill'.
The 'enormous' family that they looked after included 5 children; from 2 families, whom they had 'taken in' when their parents died or were killed - they had 3 children of their own.
For anyone interested - the events above took place in the 1920's
The Editor
Steeple Lodge - a regular shopping trip - and a tragedy
The regular shopping trip was an event that took place at least once a week. In the 1920's - if not before and after - the lady of the house would walk there and back to Dodworth Bottom to buy vegetables, from the green grocers at the bottom of Pilley Hill - the shop is still standing but it is now a house. During her shopping trips the lady would visit my grandmother in the nearby Silver Street and during one visit she taught my mother how to bake bread - in a fire oven probably.
Names of each of the above parties are known and have been withheld in the interests of confidentiality - they could be made available - contact the Editor if interested.
The tragedy was the suicide many years ago of a seriously depressed lady whose self inflicted death was by hanging. To its immeasurable credit, the Barnsley Chronicle in an extensive report on the incident, treated the matter with compassion and dignity. We often think of days gone by as being 'rough and ready' times - but those privileged to read the account will I imagine be suitably impressed. Many years ago I knew the nephew of the unfortunate lady concerned and all his words about his aunt were warm and tender.
Names of each of the above parties are known and have been withheld in the interests of confidentiality - they will not be made available - except to provable family members
The Editor.
Names of each of the above parties are known and have been withheld in the interests of confidentiality - they could be made available - contact the Editor if interested.
The tragedy was the suicide many years ago of a seriously depressed lady whose self inflicted death was by hanging. To its immeasurable credit, the Barnsley Chronicle in an extensive report on the incident, treated the matter with compassion and dignity. We often think of days gone by as being 'rough and ready' times - but those privileged to read the account will I imagine be suitably impressed. Many years ago I knew the nephew of the unfortunate lady concerned and all his words about his aunt were warm and tender.
Names of each of the above parties are known and have been withheld in the interests of confidentiality - they will not be made available - except to provable family members
The Editor.
Steeple Lodge - a one time garden ornament
Adjacent to Steeple Lodge was - until WW2 - a gate controlling access to the Wentworth estate. The gate is long gone - but remnants of the gatepost are still in existence.
For a time until about 1995 a pyramidal carved stone was in use as a garden ornament - it had an earlier life as the stylish 'top' of the east gatepost.
The west gatepost; or rather remnants of it, were found in the nearby Lowe Wood - where they had been discarded after apparently being damaged.
Photographic evidence exists to support some of the above assertions.
The Editor
For a time until about 1995 a pyramidal carved stone was in use as a garden ornament - it had an earlier life as the stylish 'top' of the east gatepost.
The west gatepost; or rather remnants of it, were found in the nearby Lowe Wood - where they had been discarded after apparently being damaged.
Photographic evidence exists to support some of the above assertions.
The Editor
Thursday 7 December 2017
The plank bridge over Bagger Wood Dike - located between the Water Pit and the Cattle-bridge.
Close by the bridge is a rare junction between 4 or 5 footpaths; the remains of a square structure; a stile over an animal proof fence; some concrete fence posts; and 2 or 3 of the mysterious and iconic 'B 1' stones. Here is what they each are.
The concrete fence posts were put there by contractors - who restored the field that they enclosed - after 'outcropping' work was done about 1940 to 1950. They are unique to the area.
The track / footpath leading from where the cattle-bridge once stood [it has been gone since soon after the nearby 'Levy Pit' closed down.] once led to a ford of the dyke used by tractors and cattle.
The overgrown square structure well above the level of the dyke is all that remains of a very simple cottage, vacated by the elderly female occupant around the time that the Gilroyd Old Peoples community was built [in the late 1960's]. The lady's name was Mrs Yates. There was no mains water to the property, so Mrs Yates collected her daily supply from a cold water tap that was located in the corner of a prominent field close to Lowe Wood. The site of her cottage is now protected by Hawthorne bushes.
The B1 stones are dealt with elsewhere in this blog.
The main footpath from Hood Green to Dodworth ran by the cottage, then over the Huskar Stream / River Dove via the footbridge [built when there was a reservoir in the area]. This is probably a very old footpath.
More information is available from the Editor for interested parties.
Saturday 10 June 2017
CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE DODWORTH CHRONICLE BLOG
Hello fellow blog reader,
This blog has to date had nearly 12000 'hits' - but nearly all of the contributions are from The Editor - so - just in case you have something to contribute but have not done so...
HERE IS AN INVITATION!
Write something for others to read and maybe talk about.
The Editor
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)