A HISTORY OF FEATHERSTONE
1986
THE ROVERS
In January the chairman, Bob Ashby, said supporters who chanted obscenities at games could be banned, but admitted there were difficulties in identification. He said if we can get the names of these fans who constantly chant abuse we will definitely ban them.
The half-yearly meeting was held in February. The chairman said work would commence soon on the new stand, and about £20,000 would be spent on other ground improvements during the close season. Secretary Terry Jones said the closure of Ackton Hall Colliery could have a far reaching effect on the club. With miners now working outside Featherstone he wondered what this could do to the already thin support in future years.
In the last game of the season at Halifax in April the result was a draw, which meant the Rovers avoided relegation to the second division. There were claims the game ended three minutes early, but the Rugby League said both timekeepers were satisfied and the league did not intend to consider a replay.
In June the magazine Open Rugby voted the Rovers match programme the best in the league.
At the annual general meeting in August the secretary said the last season had been one of the most trying in the club's history. There was a loss on the season of £70,000, and the club would have to spend £136,000 to improve the ground to comply with the Safety of Sports Grounds Act. The club was looking for substantial assistance from Wakefield District Council to help meet the cost.
Chairman Bob Ashby said the cost was far more than expected and the club was so short of money work on the new clubhouse had been suspended. Improvements to terracing, gates and fences, and provision of emergency lighting had to be completed by the end of August. Wakefield Council later agreed to pay the interest on a loan taken by the Rovers to cover the safety costs. The Express photo shows the new stand completed and work on the clubhouse halted after the foundations were laid.
THE COUNCILS
JANUARY A pelican crossing was to be built where pupils from St Thomas's Middle School and Featherstone High School crossed the road. Mr Harry Livesey, secretary of Featherstone Road Safety Committee, said "We are very pleased to have got the crossing. There is no doubt children were being put in danger. The committee is very proud that pressure from members has got this action. The future of the committee is in the balance due to the abolition of the county council.
FEBRUARY Wakefield Metropolitan District Council's planning implementation sub-committee decided in February to oppose the proposed extension to the Springfield opencast site. Other objectors were Alec Woodall MP, NUM officials, Featherstone town councillors and four nearby residents. The planning decision rested with the West Yorkshire County Council which would make a decision in March, just before it was due to be abolished. The scheme included a bypass for Ackton, but if the county council did not make a decision before it was abolished then Wakefield District Council would decide, and were currently against it, and the bypass could be lost.
Former district council leader, Roy Widdowson, quit the Labour Party after more than 25 years as a member. He did not seek re-election for the district council elections to be held in May. He blamed militant and extremist infiltration of the local party for his decision.
The assessors for the Wakefield Council designer label of approval said of the new library "It is imaginative and interesting in a town centre sadly lacking in new good buildings".
MARCH A public meeting was held in the community centre to discuss the proposed extension to the Springfield opencast workings. A petition against the proposal had been signed by 900 people. The total output would be 2,000,000 tons of coal over eight years. Residents affected by the proposed workings objected to the noise of blasting, vibration and dust. They also said the value of their houses would fall while the work was in progress. Photo - The Express.
Cr Keith Wilson, for the county council, said if they turned the scheme down the NCB would appeal to the Government with a 98% chance of success. There was also the advantage of the Ackton bypass being built. The West Yorkshire County Council later approved the extension.
Motorist complained the traffic lights at North Featherstone crossroads were too far from from the junction, and they didn't have time to get from the lights and round the tight turn before they changed. Featherstone Road Safety Committee agreed and proposed the lights should be set nearer the junction.
The West Yorkshire County Council was abolished on 31 March, and its duties were taken over by the metropolitan councils.
MAY The voting for the Featherstone seat on Wakefield District Council was :
Keith Wilson (Labour) 2,981
L Morgan (SDP/Alliance) 378
L Archbold (Conservative) 229
Cr Terence Ward of Streethouse was elected Town Mayor to succeed Cr Bob Smith. He said" It is a great honour to be elected as mayor and I am looking forward to my year in the post. I hope to see a few changes in the town, especially new industry". Photo - The Express.
AUGUST British Rail announced a plan to operate the Station Lane level crossing from a Wakefield signal box, using a television screen to ensure no one was trapped inside the gates. The town council put forward the idea of using the redundant Ackton Hall Colliery railway bridge and getting rid of the level crossing.
Even after the Ackton Hall Colliery railway bridge had been removed the town council were still in favour of a bridge instead of a level crossing in Station Lane. British Rail replied in December the cost of the original proposal was £1million and would now be much more. If the council could get someone to finance a new bridge they would consider the proposal again.
PRINCE CHARLES' VISIT
Prince Charles visited Castleford, Knottingley, South Elmsall and Featherstone in July to meet organisers of the Five Towns Plus Hospice Fund. He arrived at the Library and Community Centre to meet members of the Pontefract, Featherstone and Normanton support groups. All eight members of the Featherstone group were present and were spoken to by the Prince. Before leaving he conversed with some of the hundreds of school children waiting outside.
The Express reported the biggest crowd of the day was that in Station Lane with hundreds of town folk and school children present. He left behind him scenes in Featherstone only reserved for Royal visits - or when the Rovers won the Rugby League Challenge Cup.
The photo of Prince Charles arriving in Ackworth Road is a personal one, and that of him leaving the library is by Dr J Gatecliff.
A CLADDING PROBLEM?
A fire broke out in August at the Alexander Crescent council house occupied by Miss Karen Anderson. It caused extensive damage and also spread to the roof of the house next door occupied by Mrs Muriel Guest.
Miss Anderson and her 18 months old daughter were in the kitchen when the fire started in the living room soon after she had lit the gas fire. Her partner Gary Glassell was upstairs. She dashed next door to ask the neighbour to call the fire brigade. Mrs Guest said the whole thing was made worse because neither of us was insured.
Other residents on the Crescent said they were going to contact the council about replacing the plastic panels. Mrs Guest said "I think these panels are a fire risk and should be replaced. Only half of each house is brick and I am sure the damage from the fire would have been less if the plastic had not been there". Photo - The Express.
EDUCATION CHANGES
Falling school rolls led to changes in the school system in September. North Featherstone First, Regent Street First and St Thomas Middle Schools closed. Purston First and Girnhill Lane First became infants schools for children up to seven years old. Streethouse First and North Featherstone Middle became junior and infants schools. George Street Middle was named St Thomas Junior School for 7 to 11's. All Saints' C of E First School became a junior and infants school, and Featherstone High School changed from 13's to 16's to 11's to 16's.
1986 NEWS ITEMS
JANUARY The demand for books at the new library was three times greater than expected, and the existing five full-time and part-time staff was to be increased by two.
Jack Evans, who rah a greengrocery shop in Station Lane, decided to retire. His father set up the business in 1937, and Jack took over in 1966. He said his son Timothy ran a pub in Spalding Moor so there was no way of keeping the business in the family. "I have had some great years in Featherstone, but my wife, Kathleen, and I want to see a bit more of England now". Photo - The Express.
The supermarket chain Kwik Save announced they would be opening a store on the site of the former bus depot in Wilson Street. It would have a full range of groceries and sections for frozen foods and wines and spirits.
An Express review of local businesses showed Gaunsons employed 320 in its Featherstone Lane clothing factory and it had its own training scheme to replace those females who left each year, mainly through pregnancy. Grantwear, also in Featherstone Lane, started eight years ago with a workforce of ten and now had nearly 100 following a £250,000 expansion programme.
FEBRUARY Paul Fowler and Steven Mullaney, both age ten, played for Travellers Saints and were in the provisional 18 strong Wakefield Schools squad to play in the curtain raiser to the Rugby League Cup Final at Wembley Stadium. They were hoping to be in the 15 who played. Photo - The Express.
MARCH Glue sniffing children children were terrifying residents at Brentwood House on Verner Street, an old people's residential home. Nina Hall, residential care officer, said they were running along the roof, shouting abuse, knocking on windows and scrawling obscene graffiti on the windows. The police said they were aware of the problem and were doing everything possible to improve the situation.
Access engineering was one of five winners of the Export Award for Small Business. Company chairman John Garton, received the award from Prince Charles at the Savoy Hotel in London. In three years the firm's exports rose from £80,000 to £3.5million. Mr Garton said "Over 300 firms from all over the country took part in this competition and we were the only company in Yorkshire to win a prize". The photo of Mr Garton is from the Express.
Members of the Miners' Welfare Club football, rugby league, cricket and bowls sections had a joint meeting to try and combat vandalism. Windows and doors had been smashed and the roof damaged at the changing rooms. There were problems with youngsters riding motorbikes across the pitches, and knocking lumps out of the turf by practicing golf shots. The council was responsible for the upkeep, and guards with Alsatian dogs were briefed to try and catch future culprits.
Former scrap metal dealer Ossie Wilkes died age 76. He set up his business in Green Lane in 1935, and in 1936 he walked from Featherstone to Wakefield with a 13 stones sack of corn (said to be his own weight) on his back to win a bet.
Lin Pac Corrugated Cases factory produced 109,962 metres of corrugated fibreboard in one eight hour shift - a world record.
APRIL The Hale triplets, Mark, Carl and Darren, all played for Travellers Saints Rugby League Football Club. "It is very difficult deciding who is who" said team coach Peter Bell. Photo - The Express.
MAY Castleford cycle shop owners Ken Cowdell and Gary Proud were both members of Featherstone Road Club. They had obtained a revolutionary new bike with a price tag of £2,500 which was said to be capable of shaving seconds off the riders time in competitions. It was the intention to give every member the chance to try it out. The Express photo shows club member Andy Chapman having a go.
JUNE Mrs Betty Knappy of Huntwick Avenue retired after 37 years at the Marks and Spencer store in Pontefract. She was given a send-off with a champagne store party at the Pontefract branch. Photo - The Express.
Mrs Susan Fox of Ivy Street was in bed when she heard a noise downstairs. She went to investigate and found the bottom floor thick with smoke. She raced back upstairs and threw a mattress out of the window so her daughters Jenny, ten, Julie ,seven, niece Janice Hill and her friend, Donna Moss, could leap to safety. The two youngest were caught by neighbours. The only injury was to Janice who broke an ankle. Fire station officer Ian Dransfield praised her efforts to get everyone out of the house. Photo - The Express.
JULY There was a procession of seven floats from Cressey's Corner for the Gala. Also the Sharlston Colliery Band, the Carlton Main Frickley Colliery Youth Band, and Kellingley Falcons majorettes More than 3,000 people attended the Gala in Purston Park. The Gala Queen, Miss Diane Hollis of Ashcroft Avenue was crowned by her predecessor Alison Jean Sharp. Photo - The Express.
Kirsty Perry (Queen of Hearts) and Helen Millward (Polly) were two young contestants for the fancy dress competition. Photo - The Express.
Some traders in Station Lane said business had not returned to pre-strike levels, and some feared they would be forced to quit if things did not improve. On the plus side some small businesses had moved into buildings in the pit yard.
AUGUST Purston No.1 Club applied to the Pontefract licensing justices to turn the premises into a public house. The application was refused because the Featherstone Hotel was just across the road.
James Brear of Leatham Crescent won the award for the council competition for the best run allotment. Photo - The Express.
SEPTEMBER The Victoria Street Mothers' Club celebrated their 25th anniversary. It was founded at the Victoria Street Health Clinic where they met for 24 years before moving to the community centre.
The Corra Follies presented a cheque for £2,500 to the Five Towns Plus Hospice Fund. The group, based at the Girnhill Lane WMC had raised the money by their shows and summer fair. It was hoped the fair would become an annual event. It was said at the Prince of Wales visit that they were the highest contributors to the fund having raised £6,000.
OCTOBER Miss Eleanor (Nellie) Alexander died age 104. She was born in 1882 and was said to be the last one who could remember the 1893 riot at Ackton Hall Colliery. Photo - The Express.
NOVEMBER A fireworks rocket smashed through the bedroom window on Basil Simpson's house in Lea Lane when he and his wife were out. Fortunately it did not ignite the carpet on which it landed.
The Featherstone Ladies Circle of Friends passed the £1,000 mark with their efforts in 1986 for the Five Towns Plus Hospice Fund.
Work commenced on the Ackton bypass to be funded by British Coal to give industrial traffic a more direct route to the motorway. Wakefield Council's direct labour organisation won the contract for the work.
Featherstone Local History Group published their book A Glimpse of the Past. It had been delayed a considerable time because they though the miners strike and its aftermath would have a bad influence on sales.
A deal between Wakefield District Council and five building societies for residents of those who wished to buy their British Coal house would allow them to get a loan on the full value rather than the 50% they paid. This would enable the buyer to make essential repairs. The Council would advise prospective buyers about the structural needs of their property.
DECEMBER The Ackton Hall Colliery sidings bridge across Station Lane was taken down. The road was closed for two days to allow the bridge to be cut into strips which were then lifted out by a crane. This is a personal photo.
George Holt of Priory Road decided to retire from commentating on Featherstone Rovers games for Ackton Radio to broadcast to Pontefract General Infirmary, Ackton Hospital and Hightown Hospital. He said after 24 years he felt he had had enough, but he had enjoyed every game.
Featherstone Road Safety Committee were annoyed about the state of the footpath in Priory Road which was crossed by lorries to and from the Allied Soft Drinks factory. Mr Tony Scott, the operations director, said the company would like to provide a new exit on Wakefield Road but could not afford it.