| 15
September is a date of national, personal
and potential days to remember. A hundred
years ago, Lancashire was stricken by yet
another 'cotton crisis' and mills were set
to close. Sixty years ago, the Battle of
Britain raged. 143 years to the day, my
wife's gg-grandfather landed in New York
(having left her g-grandfather behind in
the England) And future generations might
recall today as either the end of the UK's
fuel crisis, or more likely, the opening
of the Sydney Olympics. I'm sure the latter
was spectacular, but some of us were at
work - nine in the morning was deuced inconvenient
timing for an opening ceremony :o))
But
it is on a suitably sporting note that I
begin this week's Yesterdays, a summary
of the news from a century ago, taken from
the Ashton-under-Lyne Reporter.
An international
wrestling match was held at the Snipe Inn,
Audenshaw when James MELLOR of Stalybridge
pitted himself against Howard Hamilton PARKER
of America. Three thousand people gathered
to watch the bout, although the contestants
were anything but the glistening, muscled
stars of today's WWF stars. PARKER was 38
years old, was five feet and three and three
quarter inches tall and weighed just seven
stone and two pounds. Even so, he had a
weight advantage on MELLOR who was just
six stone and twelve pounds, was five foot
five and aged 32.
"The
articles stipulated that the men should
meet at catch-weight in the Lancashire style,
for £25 aside, and that PARKER in order
to be successful was to secure two throws
in 75 minutes of actual wrestling time to
win, or in the event of MELLOR gaining one
fall in any time, the Englishman should
be declared the winner." Apparently, this
ensured that the bout would not end in a
draw, but you would need a rules expert
to explain why.
PARKER
had arrived in the country several months
earlier and had fought Sam MOORES of Pendleton.
The Reporter said "he is well proportioned
and looks all over an athlete." It was said
that had never lost a match at equal weight,
but even so, MELLOR, trained by Bill CARTER,
was the bookies 6 to 4 favourite.
"PARKER
was the first to show advantage and got
his rival's head in chancery, but MELLOR
speedily got out." After 23 minutes and
24 seconds "he placed MELLOR on his back
by the aid of half nelson and wrist."
"MELLOR
by quick movement caught PARKER by both
elbows. The Yankee formed a bridge, but
try as he would, he failed to extricate
himself from his rival's grasp and MELLOR
gained a fall and won the match. . It afterwards
transpired that PARKER had dislocated his
right shoulder."
For
me, this brought back memories of Saturday
afternoons with my Nana - Kendo Nagasaki,
Jackie Pallo and the superb Les Kellett.'Hey
ho'! |
15 September 1900
ASHTON ELECTRIC CARMEN AND
THEIR RIGHTS
Allegations of Intimidation and Victimisation
"During the past week the electric
carmen have been in a ferment of excitement in
consequence of the action of Mr E E MOTTRAM, superintendent,
in giving a week's notice of dismissal to twelve
carmen."
It seems that Mr MOTTRAM had decided
that a leaner workforce was needed, but the men
were none too pleased. They pointed out that 'learners'
had been taken on and that 'eleven of the twelve
under notice were all belonging to the higher
grade who get the maximum wages.. More damning
was the notice he posted but a week before: "It
appears that a number of our employees have been
pressed to join the Horsemen's Society and have
been called 'blacklegs'. This sort of thing must
cease. I am of the opinion that it will be to
the benefit of the men to cease to be members
of the society."
In fact, most were members of the
Tramway, Hackney Carriage Employees and Horsemen
in General Association and 200 gathered at the
Co-operative Hall, Denton at 12.45 (after midnight)',
traditionally the best turn out time, to discuss
the situation. Many speeches were made, but the
upshot was that all but one of the men present
(union or not) agreed that the various trade councils
should take up the matter. Who the one objector
was or the basis of his objection was not detailed.
Samuel JAMISSON of Muslin Street,
Newton, was summoned to Hyde Borough Police Court
'for selling camphorated oil deficient in camphor
to the extent of 53 per cent.' The diligent inspector
had gone into the shop where he saw the bottle.
He asked the defendants wife how she sold it and
she replied "2d an ounce" which was the usual price
for pure oil. He bought five ounces and then told
her he was sending it to the public analyst (can't
you seeyourself not liking this person?)
In court, Mrs JAMISSON said that
she had had the oil for some time and had not
contaminated it. But she did not have a warranty
from the supplier. She was fined two and six,
plus costs of seventeen and six (nice round sum),
the chairman adding that "when people buy goods,
they were entitled to a warranty as to the quality
and strength of the articles. Such a warrant would
save shopkeepers a lot of trouble."
Frederick SMITH, son of Robert,
a greengrocer of market Street, Hyde, died on 27
August 1900 in Loss Angellos (sic), California having
been advised to go there 'to strengthen his constitution.'
The LA Herald reported: "The sad
death occurred of a young Englishman who succumbed
to the dread disease consumption. He had come
to this country from Manchester, England, together
with his brother Henry, in the hope of recovery
from the disease which he believed had not gained
too strong a hold to be cured.
I've often been baffled at how
easy it is to be labelled as an 'ist' when filing
these reports. You know - racist, sexist, socialist,
no-petrolist etc. No offence is ever intended, but
you never know in a PC world. Then my good friend,
Jenny, told me to stop being a 'prat' and to get
on with it, so here goes!
A COLOURED PREACHER AT MOTTRAM
The service at the Independent Chapel
at Mottram was conducted by "the Evangelical coloured
preacher, Mr B W BROWN. Special singing formed
part of the service, including one or two solos
by Mr BROWN and his son Tamatao. "On Monday evening,
Mr BROWN delivered a lecture on 'Scenes in Slaveland',
the syllabus including his birth, early days and
cabin home in Slaveland, a slave market, war,
escape, proclamation of Abraham Lincoln, home
again, the dark continent of the coloured races
and destiny thereto."
And finally, is this one of mine?
Schoolboy, John RHODES of Broadbottom, was charged
with 'attempting to feloniously steal a sum of one
pound and ten shillings in money, the property of
Samuel WHYATT. Apparently, he had been caught with
his hand in the till of said grocer on Broadbottom
Road. The boy's guardian, Arthur CALLADINE stated
that the defendant had not had a 'very good bringing
up'. His father had absconded and the boy was taken
in out of sympathy. There it ended - penalty, six
strokes of the birch for this offence. |
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