Friday 22 November 1918
It is fifty years since the Bethel Primitive Methodist
Church at Windhill was opened and to celebrate the event
and at the same time to liquidate the remaining debt of
£220, special services were held on Saturday, Sunday and
Monday.
A scheme had been organised whereby it was hoped to
obtain 1,760 half-crowns and success in this direction was
to be marked by the burning of the mortgages.
The proceedings on Saturday took the form of a bazaar
and a re-union to which all old scholars, friends and
helpers, past and present, were invited.
The response was all that could be desired and the
schoolroom where the bazaar was held was crowded.
100 half-crowns
During the evening the original trust deed of the church
property was exhibited and it was announced that Prof
Joseph Wright, D.C.L. LL.D. of Oxford University had
sent 100 half-crowns as an old scholar’s thanks offering
for ‘peace and victory.’
On Sunday, which was Communion Day, the Rev John
Morrison of Leeds was the special preacher. In the
afternoon Cllr T Hall presided at a musical service, Miss
Clara Baxendall being the soloist.
The bazaar was re-opened on Monday afternoon by Mrs H
Taylor who said that this was the greatest financial year in
the church’s history.
On Monday evening the thanksgiving meeting was
presided over by Mr John Cousin Ogden who had
generously given £100 on condition that the debt on the
premises was cleared.
He said he had watched their brave struggles and it was
because he admired their toil and was in fullest sympathy
with them that he had been led to open the way to the
clearing of the debt.
Committed to the flames
The treasurer, Mr B H Hall said that the effort up to that
point had made £203 of the £220 needed to redeem the
mortgages.
It was then decided to destroy a copy of the mortgage and
amid much excitement the chairman committed it to the
flames. As the flames died away the organ pealed forth the
Doxology and the congregation joined in with great
heartiness.
The chairman then handed the original title deeds to Mr
Thomas Hall, the oldest trustee who said that the toils of
his best days had been given to this church.
For years, while the financial burden had been so heavy,
they had looked forward in hope to this day.
To receive these deeds, free of all encumbrance, was one
of the most joyful moments of his life.
The treasurer announced at the close that they still needed
about £9 to complete the transaction and this was
subscribed by friends and members present so that with
the close of the jubilee the debt was completely liquidated.
Church celebrates 50 years by wiping out debt
The coroner, Mr E W Norris, returned a verdict of death due to influenza at an
inquest at the Shipley fire station on Monday morning on Albert Berry, aged
five months, who died on Sunday morning.
The child’s father, John Clifford Berry, of 24 Belmont Crescent, Shipley, stated
that it had been delicate from birth and Dr Emerson had attended it from that
time till 24th October.
The child did not appear to be very well on Friday but as it seemed quite all
right on Saturday the doctor was not called. On Sunday morning, about 4.40,
the witness woke and found that the child was very feverish and he thought it
was ill. He went for the doctor but the child was dead when he arrived
between 5 and 5.30 a.m.
His wife had had influenza but was nearly better.
Jessie Stephenson of 7 Taylor Terrace, Green Lane, Baildon, a nurse, said
she was present at the birth. The child was a twin and the other child, a girl,
was still alive.
Five-month old twin succumbs to flu
The influenza epidemic is still laying
many people aside from business and
causing numerous deaths.
It is singular, however, that the
districts of the Bradford Arms and the
Valley Road are comparatively free.
Fatal cases
In the early days of the epidemic it
was noticeable that deaths occurred
largely among children and young
people but there are several fatal
cases in Shipley this week among
adults from 50 to 60 years of age.
Undertakers, cab proprietors and
grave diggers are nearly run off their
feet and postponements of interments
are common.
In one case a victim to the disease on
Tuesday cannot, it is said, be buried
until tomorrow owing to the great
pressure on those who carry out the
funeral arrangements.
One day this week there were into the
teens of interments at Shipley.
At Idle and Thackley it is computed
that there are between thirty and forty
fresh cases.
Five in a house
In short there is an active adaptation
of the old saw that ‘prevention is
better than cure’ and in some of the
homes there are even three people
laid up. In one case at Greengates five
persons in a house are affected.
Particularly sad is the case of Mr and
Mrs George Mawson of Park Road,
Thackley, who have lost a child this
week and are themselves down with
the complaint.
There is also a case in Park Road of a
young woman and her brother, both
rather seriously affected.
Saturday matinee
The management regret that owing to
a restriction imposed by the health
authority, they must refuse admittance
to the Shipley Pavilion De Luxe to all
children of 14 years of age and under
but they will give notice to the public
as soon as the restriction is removed.
Owing to the influenza epidemic, the
usual Saturday children’s matinee
will not take place.
Influenza epidemic continues to hit area
Six-hour working day is
enough for England
The coal difficulty in Shipley became aggravated at the beginning of the week
and several poor families were without a supply for a day or two. In some cases
there was sickness in the house and in others the mothers had to keep the
children bed while they went to work.
However, the position is being relieved, though it is still very serious and all
consumers are urged to exercise the greatest care in the use of coal.
Few trucks of emergency coal
The supplies coming into the town are much restricted but Mr Reynolds, local
Fuel Overseer, has managed obtain a few trucks of emergency coal which has
been distributed by dealers and merchants to the most necessitous cases. Any
householders who are absolutely without fuel should let Mr Reynolds know so
that he can assist them to get a supply.
A letter has been received from headquarters with regard to the need for
economy and Mr Reynolds says he has confidence that the people of Shipley
will do their best to carry out the wishes of the Coal Controller.
Families hit by coal shortages
Last night the Rev R Roberts of
Bradford concluded his course of
three lectures on the Industrial
Revolution under the auspices of the
Shipley Education Association.
Mr Roberts said that under the
factory system congested towns
sprang up and men, women and
children were swept into industry.
Penalty
Their survivors were the miserable
subjects of a wage slavery system
which paid them as low a wage as
they could be induced to accept
under a penalty of unemployment.
In the regulation of wages the parties
were unequal. A refusal to accept led
to suffering and want on the
workman’s part though the employers
suffered nothing.
As it was then, so it was even still,
despite some progress in the
direction between labour and capital.
Unjust pay
Wages varied not with industry, skill
or fidelity but with the condition of the
market.
This compelled workers to accept
unjust pay and it resulted in industrial
and social unrest, in strikes and
lockouts.
He could not attempt to justify every
sort of strike or lockout but when all
other means failed and justice was
denied, what was the dissatisfied
wage earner to do?
The setting up of the apprenticeship
system was another injustice.
Regarding trade unionism, the
lecturer said that in its beginnings it
was not the well-defined and capably
led movement it was now.
Union Lord Mayor
Who would have thought thirty years
ago that they would ever see a great
trade union leader as Lord Mayor of
Bradford?
He was within the mark when he said
that the vision of Alderman Joseph
Hayhurst as Lord Mayor would have
seemed the dream of a madman.
The industrial legislation of today
would proceed along the lines laid
down in practice by Lord Leverhulme,
of Sunlight Soap fame. A six-hour day
would really produce all that Great
Britain required at the hands of its
workers.
In connection with the Shipley Branch of the British Workers’ League, a
meeting was held on Sunday evening when Mrs Rose Elsdom, women’s
organiser, spoke and held that the government that had brought the country
through the war was the government to carry the country through the period of
reconstruction.
She urged her hearers to see to it that the Germans never touched the British
key industries and also said that the Germans must be prevented dumping
goods at undercutting prices.
Solos were sung by Mrs Gardner, Miss Charnock playing the pianoforte
accompaniements.
Coalition should ‘carry on’
Money for prizes
A social gathering took place in the
Baildon Moravian School on
Saturday evening to raise money to
purchase prizes for the Sunday
School scholars.
Vocal and instrumental items were
given by Miss M Horsfield, Miss G
Winpenny, Miss M Taylor and Miss E
Mackway. Nursery rhymes were
given by the scholars of the primary
department.