# A History of Cawthorne/Parish Vestry Books

CHAPTER X.
PARISH VESTRY BOOKS.
The following are some extracts from the old Parish accounts, made by the late Rev. C. S. Stanhope: the book from which they were taken I have not been able to recover. They begin in 1681, in which year "mending the Church and School Hous" cost 16s. 6d.; "Paid in Epiphany for a Dish for Bread at Communion, 6d."
1682: "For mossing and pointing the Church, 16s. 6d." In 1683 and 84 there was considerable work done at the Church. 1685: "Given to the Ringers on Crownation Day, 4s.; For a plate for the yew and rails mending, 10s. 1687: York Castle money, £2 2s. Given to a woman of Sandal to help her on a journey to the king for a touch, 5s. For mossing Church and School, £1 5s. 1688: For the King's Declaration, 5s. For a Book for the Prince of Wales, 1s. For ringing for the Prince of Wales, 1s. For a Book for the Prince of Orange, 1s. For ringing on the Day of Thanksgiving, 5s. 1689: Paid to Sir Thomas Wentworth for Parish Houses, 4d." This occurs as a yearly charge, and would seem to be an acknowledgment paid to the Lord of the Manor for the Poor Houses which the Parish had recently built on the lord's waste, soon after Mr. Green's legacy of £10, in 1672, "for the use of the Poor." 1690: "For pulling it and fetching it and mossing the Church, 11s. 6d. 1691: For being sworn concerning Popish recusants, 2d. For ringing for the reduction of Ireland, 2s. For a casement for the school chamber window, 1s. 3d. Parish house, Rents received. 1692: For a Book for the monthly Fast, 1s. For ringing for a victory at sea; for do. for 5 Nov. and for king's return, 6s. For an otter head, 1s. 1693: Spent at the perambulation, 10s. 1695: For a brocke head, 6d. Lead for the steeple, £6 2s. 8d. Load of Lime, £1. Spent on the School, £8 9s. 6½d. 1697: Spent on procession time, 17s. 2d. Ditto, 11s. 10d. 1700: Moss as usual for Church and School, 19s. 1701: Mending Leads, £4 10s. ​Mending Bell Wheel, £2 10. 1702: When the Minister was chosen, 5s. 1704: For a brockhead, 1s. Wheel for little bell, 17s. 6d. 1707: Chief Rent for Cottages, 4d. 1713: Perambulation, 5s. Boards for Reading Pew, £1 15s. Church Clock and Dial, £6. 1715: For altering the King's Arms, £2 10s. 2d. 1732: Great Repairs, £59 0s. 8d. 1733: King's Arms, Tables writing, Font lid, £12 17s.10d. 1734: Rebuilding Parish Houses, £30 0s.9d. 1744: School, £6 15s. 1749: Repairing Vicarage House, £1 13s. 1750: For an Act of Parliament about Distempered Cattle, 5d. New Doors to Belfry, £3 6s."
The annual "mossing" of the Church among these payments was probably a later substitute for the original strewing of the Church-floor with rushes, which still survives as a Parochial Feast at Ripponden and other places in the West Riding, and at several places in Lancashire, Cheshire, and Westmoreland (Ambleside, Grasmere, Warcop, and Musgrave). In his Popular Antiquities, Brand gives an extract from the old accounts of his own Parish of St. Mary-at-hill, London: "1493: For 3 burdens of rushes for the new pews, 3d." It is an item commonly found in old parochial accounts. The annual "Rush-bearing" was made into a kind of religious festival. As it generally took place between the haytime and harvest, it is not at all improbable that it is from this ancient custom of Rushbearing that our own village "Feast" has come to be held on the third Sunday in July—a time which seems to have no connection, as the Feast-time of old Parishes so generally has, with the Dedication of the Parish Church, whether its Dedication to God be in the name of "All Saints" or of "St. Michael and all Angels."
The entry of 5s, to the poor "woman of Sandal, to help her on a journey to the king for a touch," recalls an entry in that same year of 1687 in the Camden Society's Diary of Bishop Cartwright, in which he speaks of "attending His Majesty [James II.] into the "closet, where he healed 350 persons." Indeed, in the first four years after his restoration, Charles II. is said to have touched for the king's evil no less than 24,000 persons, and a Form of Prayer to be used at this ceremony was printed with the Book of Common Prayer in 1684.
​The "Perambulation" or "Procession-time" payments show the ancient custom of beating the bounds of the Parish which took place on one of the "Rogation Days," as the three days before our Lord's Ascension are called.
The late Vestry Book begins in 1826: the following are extracts from it: The Surveyors of the Highway are ordered to set the unemployed to work at breaking stones. Frequent mention is made of loans to the poor "towards the payment of their rent." The meetings were held every fortnight for the transaction of Parish business of every kind. In Sept., 1826, a resolution is passed discontinuing "the allowances for liquors at Township Meetings or for any other purpose, unless allowed by the Select Vestry" A Committee was appointed to examine the Highways with the view of "giving work to the unemployed poor." The Committee's Report in November advises "the widening of that part of the Norcroft lane which joins the Silkstone road by removing the Pit Hill: also the widening of Woolstocks lane from Banks gate to Hillhouse gate." There is an order given to the surveyor to require the Trustees of the Turnpike road which was then being made to fence off securely those parts of the road where they are making excavations.
On July 5th, 1827, the Rev. C. S. Stanhope in the chair, the following not very enthusiastic resolution was passed: "That the Parish have no objection to the proposed enlargement of the Church being carried on, provided it be by voluntary contribution."
June 26, 1828: "That the state of the old Vicarage be examined and report made next vestry;" and "that the Rents be demanded of those persons who occupy the Town Houses." At "a Parish Meeting duly called for the purpose, July 17, 1828, Resolved that it appears to this Meeting that the Chancel is unsafe, and that it would be desirable that it should be repaired whilst the other work is in progress." "That Mr. Whitworth be instructed to make the necessary specifications for this work." "That the state of the Chancel be reported to the Steward of the Manor of Pontefract as receiver of the modus of the great tithes, and that he be requested to state whether an allowance would be made by the Duchy of Lancaster for the repairs of the same. Present, J. Spencer Stanhope, ​Chairman; Mr. West; J. E. Nichols, Churchwarden; Thomas Wilson, Joseph Moseley."
"Vestry Room, October 16th, 1828. At a General Vestry called only for the purpose of considering of the propriety of raising the Chancel and enlarging the East Window, it was unanimously agreed, That the proposed alterations be carried into effect, and the work be let to John Taylor for the sum of £17, agreeably to the plans produced." At the same meeting Messrs. Rowley and Nichols, Churchwardens, have their accounts approved.
The accounts of this enlargement are given as follows in the architect's receipt and other papers: "Mason's account, £200 9s. 6d. Carpentry and Joinery, £146 12s. 2½d.; Plasterers, £30 14s.; Plumbing and Glazing, £29 10s.; J. Whitworth's account, Plans, &c., and 5 p.c. commission on work, £21 17s. 3d.: Total, £428 13s. 11d."
Jan. 22, 1829: A Rate of 1s. in the £1 is passed for the Relief of the Poor. In Oct., the overseers are "empowered to purchase a quantity of yarn for the purpose of employing widows and others in knitting." A man and his wife are "allowed 2s. a week, she being also allowed to be put on the proposed knitting list, and that the old Vicarage occupied by widow Moakson be allowed for their residence."
1831. 3 March. "That the Town's-house called the Sexton's house be let to the Sexton at the low rent of one guinea per annum, in consideration of his office. N.B.—The fixtures the property of the Parish."
1832. May 4. "That a Board of Health be established in the Township of Cawthorne, with power to adopt and enforce such measures with regard to the Cholera as may be deemed necessary, in the event of that disease reaching this neighbourhood; and that the following gentlemen constitute such Board: viz., Mr. Potts, Mr. Shirt, Mr. Batley, Mr. Wilson, Mr. Dransfield, Mr. Nichols, Mr. Kaye, Mr. Shaw, Mr. West, Thos. Milnes, Richard Charlesworth, Rev. J. Jaques."
​"Meeting on the Cholera." Sept. 3rd, 1832. A Board of Health is appointed, and Mr. Jaques "requested to provide medicines according to a prescription of Mr. Hey of Leeds," and "a certain quantity is entrusted to the following gentlemen for a supply in their respective districts—till medical aid in any case can be procured." Mr. Long is "appointed Medical Practitioner."
1832. Sept. 22. A Church Rate of 4d. in the Pound is laid.
1834. July 4. Paid for letters to and from Holbeck, 1s. 2d.
Letter from London, 9d. Paid coach fare from Leeds to Barnsley, 4s.
1835. "John Batley fee for his apprentice, £10. Mrs. Long one year's salary, £10 10s."
1835. Postage of a letter from Rochdale, 10d. Church Rate of 2d.
1836. "John Charlesworth, Assistant Surveyor, salary, £40 a year."
1836. Tenpence per cubic yard per mile to be paid for 'leading' road materials.
1838. "The four guineas which has been allowed for the Singers to be continued to whom the Rev. A. M. Parkinson appoints to sing in Church."
Among sundry Parish Papers at the Vicarage, there is one dated December, 1838, in which William Stayton, George Ashton, George Greenwood, Thomas Stayton, and John Cooke sign their names to an agreement with the Minister and Congregation that they "will faithfully observe the following Rules" After Rules about their constant and regular attendance, and their never all absenting themselves at once without permission, it is stated that "the singers are to endeavour as much as possible to select the easiest and most simple tunes, in order that the Congregation may join in the singing." These singers here mentioned would be official successors of the well-known "Cawthorne Musicians" at the end of the last century, of whom a man called Jacob Scarf sang, "and how they go on." Billey Clegg played the fiddle, George Schofield the Bass, Jont ​Hinchliffe the hautboy: while John Allott, Ned Greenwood, Dave Roberts, Joe Jubb, Dickey Taylor, Wil Hutchinson, Jim Wigglesworth, John Harrison, Joe Bates, Joe Ibbetson, George Chapple, Billy English, Tommy Rhodes, Tommy Holling, Judah Hinchliffe, seem to have formed the Choir, till, as the old song says, "Mr.Phipps would let them sing no more."
1838: George Shirt and John Emanuel Nichols, Churchwardens.
1839. The Churchwardens "allowed a Rate or Assessment of 4d. in the Pound" "for the necessary repairs of the Church."
1839. Mr. Parkinson makes an arrangement with Mr. Backhouse about the School.
1839. Oct. 13. Benj. Pashley appointed Constable; Thomas Shaw, Deputy; John Charlesworth, Pinder and By-Law Man.
1840. Oct. 13th. "Agreed that Charles Turner, as Churchwarden, pay for the head of every old sparrow one penny each, and for the head of every young one, one halfpenny."
1840. Nov. 26. A declaration respecting the exchange of certain pews in the Body of the Church in lieu of certain Pews in the Gallery, in consequence of the erection of an organ, was unanimously agreed to and signed, which declaration is kept with the Terrier and other documents of the Church.
1841. "Threepence in the Pound granted to pay the arrears of Bills due and the Expences for the Church."
1841. 6th Dec. "Resolved, that John Cook be paid two guineas for singing and playing the organ up to this date, and Wm. Hinchliffe have one guinea for blowing the organ," to be paid by the Churchwardens annually, at Christmas.
1842. Sept. 26th. "That John Milner junr. be Constable of Cawthorne; proposed by George Shaw and seconded by Thomas Heeley." "John Milner," it is added, "is a Cavalry man," George Shaw, Butcher; Robert Broadhead, Farmer; George Greenwood, Farmer; Benjamin Armitage, Carpenter; Benjamin Wilkinson, Blacksmith; and Henry Ibbotson, Tailor, are all the same year elected Constables: "Served one year, 1842." The same year it was resolved that "the Constable have no Salary."
​1843. "Jan. 16th. That ——— be relieved with the Communion Money."
1843 "That Joseph Armitage, of Holling Royd, be Assistant Overseer at a Salary of £20." The list of Constables "for the Magistrates' sanction" is "George Greenwood, Farmer, Town; Thomas Milnes, Farmer and Saddler, Tivydale; William Wormald, Farmer, South Lanes; Benjamin Armitage, Farmer and Carpenter, South Lanes; Robert Broadhead, Lane Head; James Barlow, Farmer and Joiner, South Lanes; Isaac Wadsworth, Farmer, Deacon Brook; William Kidd, Farmer and Miller, Low Mill; Giles Shaw, Farmer, Barmby Green; Elkanah Clegg, Woodman, Beet House; John Crowther, Agent, Basin; Alexander Wilson, Gardener, Cannon Hall; George Shirt, Farmer, Jowett House; Henry Ibbetson, Tailor, Town; J. E. Nichols, Chairman."
From the present Vestry Book, which was begun in 1860, the following extracts are made:
In 1860, Mr. W. S. Stanhope and Mr. Chas. Turner were elected Churchwardens, and Mr. Wemyss and Mr. Joshua Kaye Sidesmen, and a Church Rate of 2d. in the pound laid. The same Churchwardens were re-elected in 1861, with Mr. William Pickford and Mr. Joseph Hinchliffe, of Clough Green, as "the Churchwardens' Assistants, or Sidesmen," "Sidesmen" being the modern form of Synod's-men."
In 1862, the following names are found in the Minutes of the Parish Vestry and are given here to show what changes the last twenty years have made in Parish life: B. Armitage, John Milner, James Allatt, Elkanah Clegg, George Shaw, Thomas Longthorne, Charles Stones, Benjamin Wilkinson, Walter Moxon, Michael Fisher, James Barlow, T. Heslop, J. Nichols, George Terry, George Bell, Joseph Armitage, William Johnson, Giles Shaw, Robert Broadhead.
In 1864, a Vestry Meeting was called to consider "the best means of improving the public supply of water to the Township of Cawthorne," and a Committee appointed, consisting of Messrs. Joshua Barraclough, George Shaw, Edwin Wilcock, Chas. Turner, and B. Wilkinson, to collect subscriptions; and another Committee—​Mr. Stanhope, and Messrs. E. Wilcock, C. Turner, T. Longthorne, and B. Wilkinson—for carrying out such works "as they may consider best."
March 25, 1865. The latter Committee reports that the amount at first collected was £28 4s.; that they decide to bring water from a spring in Margery Wood in pipes to the Maypole Hill in Cawthorne; that Mr. Beaumont agrees to accept an acknowledgment of 2s. 6d. a year for his permission; that they have received further subscriptions of £24 0s. 7d.; that Mr. W. S. Stanhope has guaranteed to raise the remainder from his family, and that the Misses Stanhope, of Banks Hall, have promised to put up a Fountain on Maypole Hill; that the works will be finished in a week from Margery Wood to Mr. George Bell's yard; that the cost so far has been, for pipes, £121 11s. 8d.; for lead, £18 9s. 2d.; cutting and filling, £8 5s. 5d.; jointing, £11 9s. 8d.: total, £159 15s. 11d; the tanks, filter, and crossing of brooks, having been done by Mr. Stanhope's workmen. The Committee further "hope that Mr. Edwin Wilcock, who has taken an active part in carrying out the scheme, will be re-appointed surveyor."
In the Sept. of this year (1865), a notice of meeting is given, signed by the Rev. H. Sandwith, "to take into consideration how the Parishioners can best mark, in a public manner, by some suitable testimonial, their grateful sense of the services rendered to the Parish by Mr. W. S. Stanhope." "Mr. Sandwith drew special attention at the meeting to Mr. Stanhope's constant aim in improving the condition of the cottages; to his improving and beautifying the Parish Church, and his munificent assistance in procuring the water supply." "Others alluded to his payment of the rates of the poor, the erection of the Tivydale School, and the gift of the Church Bells."
This Testimonial was presented in the shape of a Silver Salver at the Harvest Thanksgiving Tea, on Oct. 5th in the same year.
Mr. and Mrs. Sandwith received tokens of the Parishioners' kind feeling and good wishes on their leaving the Parish at the Thanksgiving Evening Meeting on Oct. 4th, 1866.
​In August, 1866, a meeting of the Local Authority under the "Nuisances Removal and Diseases Prevention Act 1848 and 1849" was held, at which a committee was appointed to watch the health of the Parish and procure "disinfectants and medicines to he kept at the Parsonage for the use of any proper applicants, free of charge," a notice being ordered to he left at every house that the provisions of the above Act would be stringently enforced.
On Jan. 28th, 1873, a meeting was held "for the purpose of endeavouring to obtain, by legal means, the extinction of the Toll-bars on the Barnsley and Shepley Lane Head Turnpike Road." Mr. William Pickford took the chair, and a committee was appointed "to confer with Mr. Beaumont and Mr. Stanhope, to solicit their co-operation."
A Meeting of the Ratepayers was held on Jan. 12th, 1880, to consider the Report of the Medical Officer of Health (Dr. Watson) to the Penistone Rural Sanitary Authority, showing the necessity for additional Burial Ground at Cawthorne, and also the Resolution of the Sanitary Authority desiring a local committee to be formed here, to he approved and appointed by the Board, for the provision of such burial ground. Mr. Stanhope, M.P., submitted a proposal to give an acre of land for this object, which was "gratefully acknowledged by the meeting."
At a Vestry Meeting held Feb. 24, 1877, Mr. C. Wemyss proposed and Mr. H. Child seconded "That a Church Rate of 1½d. in the pound he laid for the ensuing year." After the passing of "The Compulsory Church Rates Abolition Act" in 1868, a Voluntary Rate was laid each year: the above is the last one that has been so far proposed in succession to the old Church-shot we read of being annually paid, even twelve hundred years ago, for the building and repairing of Churches.
The present Parish officers are as follows: Churchwardens, Messrs. W. T. W. Spencer Stanhope and George Swift; Sidesmen, C. Wemyss, H. Child, T. Midgley, S. Barraclough: Surveyors of the Highways, W. T. W. S. Stanhope and Charles Marsh (Clough Green), the latter in place of J. W. Shaw; Overseers of the Poor, C. Wemyss and ​Herbert Turner, Barnby Green, (in place of George Shaw, resigned); Guardians of the Poor, Benjamin Fish (Hazel-house) and Joseph Hoyland (Barnby Hall) (in place of Robert Richmond, of Norcroft); Assistant Overseer, with a salary, Edward Lawson (Cinder Hill), in place of William Moxon, retired.
The following extracts are made from a private Book of "Parish Notes:" 1867: A public Reading Room was opened on Jan. 15, the village Library of about 500 volumes being at the same time removed to the new reading room. £14 17s. 1d. was collected in Church on March 17, for the widows and orphans from the Oaks Colliery Explosion on Dec. 12, 1866 (364 lives lost). The number of children on the School Registers: Boys, 86, average attendance, 64; girls, 93 (including infants), average, 65. Total Government Grant (to boys' school only) £36 3s.; Inspector, Rev. F. Watkins (now Archdeacon of York). The Bishop of Ripon laid the foundation stone of Hoyland-Swaine Church, Nov. 13th, to be erected principally through the exertions and munificence of the Stanhope family. The Parsonage at Hoyland-Swaine is being roofed in. The site for Church and Parsonage was given by Mr. Vernon Wentworth, of Wentworth Castle, who also gave £100; K, C. Clarke, Noblethorpe, £200; Lord Wharncliffe, £100; T. E. Taylor, Dodworth Hall, £100. Architect of the Church, Mr. Crossland; of the Parsonage, Mr. W. S. Stanhope.
1868. The corn harvest was begun in the Parish in Cawthorne Feast-week, wheat on July 23rd. Carrying quite general in the last week of July. No rain—scarcely a shower—from the middle of May till Aug. 11th. Very little corn out in the Parish on Aug. 12th. The pastures have been burnt up: the least possible supply of water in the Quarry Well, and the Village Fountain running very slowly indeed. Water is being brought from the Jowett-house Bore-hole. The moors have been burning in many parts, and the peat is still on fire in places (15th). The wheat crop is the finest remembered: oats and barley are very short in straw, and on poorer lands, there is a very poor crop indeed. The hay crop has been light all over the country. Old people are comparing this drought with that of 1826, when bread was used at Cawthorne Feast (the third Sunday in July) ​made from the flour of that year's wheat. The price of wheat on Jan. 4, 1868, was 67s. 10d, advancing to 74s. 7d. in May, decreasing to 55s. on Aug 14th. The average for the year to the end of August was 68s. 4¾d.; in 1867, 60s. 8¼d.; in 1866, 46s. 5d.; in 1865, 40s. 2¾d.; in 1864, 40s. 10¾d. The lowest price in the last five years was 37s. 10d. on Dec. 28, 1864. After the change of weather on Aug. 11th, the fields were very quickly green with abundant grass. Fruits of every kind were unusually abundant. The stream through Tivydale was dry for several weeks, and that through the park almost dry. During the autumn of this year several shocks of earthquake were felt in England.
1869. The Bishop held a Confirmation in Cawthorne Church, July 29. The following day, the Bishop consecrated the new Church at Hoyland-Swaine, and instituted the Rev. W. C. Barwis, M.A., as first Incumbent, on the presentation of Mr. J. S. Stanhope. The Pulpit is the gift of the Dowager Lady Buxton, Mrs. W. S. Stanhope's mother; the Communion Plate, of the Misses Spencer Stanhope, of Banks Hall; the Font, the gift of one who anonymously sent an offering to be made for it in Cawthorne Church, Easter Day, April 21, 1867; the Altar Frontal, the gift and work of [the present] Lady Welby. A lecture on Australia was given Nov. 2nd by Bishop Marsden of Bathurst, a grandson of that Samuel Marsden, once a blacksmith at Horsforth and afterwords the Apostle of New Zealand, who was sent out on the recommendation of Mr. Wm. Wilberforce and Mr. W. Stanhope as chaplain to the convicts in Australia, and who sent home to his nephew in Leeds, in 1808, the first bag of Australian wool ever received in England. Mr. John Stanhope reminded the Bishop, at Cannon Hall, of his own father's interest in the Bishop's grandfather.
1870. A very dry spring: along drought about July: hay crop very light: Barley cut at Dean Hill and Raw Royd, July 22nd. On that same day, three men from Denby went with a naked light into the unused workings of a small day-hole pit on the Darton Road, in a field belonging to Barnby Hall, and were so fearfully burnt by an explosion that two of them shortly after died. On Sept. 24 and 25 ​was one of the most brilliant displays of the Aurora Borealis ever seen: it was visible in England and on the Continent as far south as Italy.
1871. March 17th: A slight shock of earthquake was felt here and throughout the North of England at about 11.30 p.m. The Hay harvest was the best known for years: no corn cut till about Aug. 12, when the weather became excessively hot: all corn in by Sept. 20.
1872. The Rev. W. H. Butler, D.C.L., took charge of the Parish for three months from May 1st, during [his son in law's] absence abroad. The summer was characterised by terrific thunderstorms: there was a waterspout over Silkstone. Hay still being gathered in on Aug. 29th, whilst corn is being rapidly cut. Two poplars near Cannon Hall Lodge gates—106 and 100 feet high—were blown down by a gale early in Nov. The Coal Trade has been unprecedently active, and colliers' wages are now higher than ever known; coal 16s. to 19s. a ton at the Collieries.
1873. Miners' wages have continued very high: 57½ percent. higher than in 1871.
1874. Very little rain for several months after Easter. Corn rapidly carried in fine weather: some cut by July 17 or 18: nearly all carried by Sept 1.
The winter of 1874-5 was the severest known for many years. The Rev. George Shirt, C.M.S. Missionary in India, preached at a special Farewell Service held on Tuesday Jan. 12. All Saints' Church, Clayton West, was consecrated on the Thursday in Easter week. The offertory for the year ending May 23, 1875, was £222 3s. 4¾d.
1877. The autumn and winter of last year and the spring of this have been remarkable for rain and dulness of weather. Hay crops were exceedingly good and well got: no corn cut till late in August.
The winter of 1877-8, after a wet season, was very mild—no skating—scarcely frost or snow. Miners' wages are now reduced below what they were before the rise of 1871: work very scarce; wages very low.
​1878-9. Winter very severe: from Nov. 9, when the first great snow-storm came, to nearly the end of February, scarcely anything but snow and frost: skating for months together on the Park "Cascades." Trade of every kind greatly depressed. The harvest of 1879 was very poor generally, 3-5ths of an average: the corn not so bad in this Parish as in many districts. Harvest very late: beans out till Christmas. Skating towards the end of Nov. and beginning of Dec., again just before Christmas. Terrific gales, in one of which the Tay Bridge (Scotland) was destroyed, Sunday Evening Dec. 28th.
1880. The harvest again was generally a poor one. Mrs. Stanhope arranged a course of Lessons in Cookery for women and for the School in the winter 1879-80, in connection with the Yorkshire School of Cookery. During Mrs. Stanhope's illness at Bournemouth in September, a Parochial Address of sympathy was prepared, but too late for her to receive it, in the following words:
"To Mrs. Spencer-Stanhope, Cannon Hall: Dear Madam, Having heard with much sorrow that you have been obliged to leave home on account of your health, we are anxious to assure you of our kindest and best wishes. It must, we know, be a great trial to Mr. Stanhope and yourself to thus leave your happy home at Cannon Hall and all the interests around it. The cheerful happiness you have always shown in coming among us; your kindly sympathy with the sick and troubled; your goodness to the poor, and your constant interest in the welfare of the Parish will, we assure you, be affectionately remembered, and will make your absence more deeply and universally regretted by us. We, who have signed our names below, or have desired them to be signed for us, are only making known to you the anxious prayers and wishes of the whole Parish, when we express our most earnest hope that God may indeed comfort, strengthen, and bless you in your sickness, as He alone is able, and that He may in His mercy grant you (if it be His gracious will) to recover your bodily health. With all kind sympathy with yourself, Mr. Stanhope, and all those dear to you, believe us, dear Madam, your friends and neighbours" (signed by 239 of the female heads of houses of Cawthorne).
​[The Church's Re-opening on Dec. 21st, 1880, has been described above, page 96.]
1881. Agriculture is still generally depressed through the continuance of bad seasons. The Rural Sanitary Authority have issued their Rules, &c., for the new Cemetery, of which the following is a digest: 1. All charges of every kind must be paid when the order is given; 2, Thirty-six hours' previous notice of any Burial must be given: if the Burial is to be on a Monday, notice is to be given not later than Friday, under a penalty of 5s. extra charge; 3, Burials are to be at 4 p.m. from the 1st of March to the 31 of Oct., and at 3.30 from Nov. 1 to the last of Feb.; 4, No Burial can be before 9 a.m. or after 4 p.m. without special permission; 5, The selection of burial-place is to be subject to the Parochial Committee's approval; 6, All designs for headstones must be submitted to the Committee; 7, The Register is to be kept by the Clerk, Mr. Samuel Barraclough being now appointed to that office. Fee for ordinary grave, 12s.; under 12 years, 10s. bricked grave, £1 8s. Purchase of a grave space £2 2s.; but if selected by the Board, £1 1s. Placing a Headstone, 10s. 6d. Searching the Burial Register, 1s for one year; 3d. for each year after. For certified copy of entry 2s. 7d.
On the last day of 1881, Mr. John Montague Stanhope came of age. There was a Parochial Tea and Gathering on Jan. 5th in connection with it, at which Archdeacon Badnall was among those present. The Archdeacon preached on the following Sunday and again on March 26th: his former visit was in August, 1876.
A new Railway has been proposed this autumn which would have passed by Cawthorne a little to the West of Barnby Hall on its way from Barnsley to Halifax and the Midland main line. The Midland Railway's Bill for a line from Barnsley through Cawthorne to Kirkburton passed the House of Commons in 1865, but was thrown out by the Committee of the Upper House.
1882. The Cawthorne Branch of the Yorkshire Penny Bank, opened on Feb. 13, 1875, has 116 open accounts on Dec. 31, 1881, with £1431 19s. 7d. to their credit. The winter has been remarkably open and mild: no skating. The health of the Parish generally has ​been unusually good. For the eleven months ending July 18, 1882, there have only been five burials of those belonging to the Parish. At the Government Inspection by the Rev. H. Sandford on Aug. 8 and 9, the Schools had 204 children on the Registers: 67 Boys, 63 Girls, 74 Infants; the average attendance for the year ending July 31st was 146.5. The Expenditure of the Schools has been £311 13s. 1d., the various Salaries of Teachers being £265 13s. 2d. The Income included £134 11s. 0d., the Grant for the previous year, £84 8s. 6d. Subscriptions, and £87 2s. 7d. School-pence. In the first year of all the Schools being under Inspection—1873—the Grant was £99 4s. The hay harvest of the Parish has been very abundant and generally well won: the corn promises very well and has been most of it carried in fine weather before the middle of September.
The Rainfall at Barnsley in 1881 (see page 65) is given by Dr. Sadler as 25.81 inches, with 181 days on which .01 inch or more fell; Dunford Reservoir, 53.81, 236 days; Holmbridge (Batley Waterworks) 61.50; Wakefield, 29.32, 189 days; Goole, 22.12, 164 days; Huddersfield, 33.15, 177 days; Manchester, Ardwick, 39.49, 187 days; Appleby (Lincs.) 26.86; Ambleside, 82.77, 205 days; Scafell Pike, 95.60; The Stye, 172.56. (British Rainfall, 1881: G. J. Symons, F.R.S.)
The following have been the preachers at the annual Harvest Thanksgiving Service: 1865, Rev. Dr. Gatty, Vicar of Ecclesfield; 1866, W. F. Wilberforce, Vicar of Roystone; 1867, W. C. Barwis, Curate of Hoyland-Swaine; 1868, A. D. Wilkins, Vicar of Dewsbury; 1869, Canon Hulbert, Vicar of Almondbury; 1870, J. Bandinel, Rector of Elmley; 1871, J. Sharp, Vicar of Horbury; 1872, C. Sangster, Vicar of Darton; 1873, T. R. W. Pearson, Vicar of Horsforth; 1874, E. W. Isaac, Vicar of Dewshury; 1875, in Tivydale School and on a Sunday, C. T. Pratt, Vicar of Cawthorne; 1876, in School, W. S. Turnbull, Vicar of Penistone; 1877, in Nave, J. E. Cross, Vicar of Appleby, Lincs.; 1878, H. Sandwith, Rector of Thorpe Salvin; 1879, J. Ingham Brooke, Rector of Thornhill; 1880, C. T. Pratt; 1881, C. L. M. Hinde, Vicar of Flockton.
Since the description of the Church was written (Chapter VII), the mural decoration has been begun and is still in progress under the ​special direction of Mr. G. F. Bodley, A.R.A., the work being executed as before by Mr. Parr and his assistant from Mr. Leach of Cambridge. The alabaster Reredos has had its rich sculpture relieved by more gold and colour, and a delicate cresting of carved alabaster is being made to give finish to the top. The stonework of the Chancel—the windows, arches, sedilia, &c.—has all been decorated in a rich mulberry red, sage-green, and gold, while the upper part of the walls below the red and gold cornice have a yellow decoration of conventional foliage on a lighter ground, and, as a hanging below, a darker green diaper upon a lighter shade of the same colour. The whole decoration of the Chancel is in that subdued peaceful pleasing harmony which gratifies without at all distracting. The outer walls of the North and South Aisles have for some distance from the floor a lighter blue ground with darker pattern, the upper part of the wall having a lighter ground with much the same decoration as the upper part of the Chancel walls. The wall over the Chancel arch to the Nave is also now being decorated. A carved oak screen, stained the same dark colour as the rest of the oak work, is being made, to fill the small arch leading from the North aisle into the North Chancel Aisle or Chapel.
No description of the Church, it may be remarked, could give any adequate idea of the beauty and harmony which pervades the whole of Mr. Bodley's work to the smallest details of decorative art and architecture. ***** Corrections, &c. The correction may here be made of a statement on page 70 referring to the woodwork of the Church: the Roofs of the Chancel and two Chancel Aisles were the work of Mr. Wade, of Horsforth.
The date of Mr. Daniel Wilson's death on page 102 ought to be given as 1825.
An oversight has caused the learned Dr. Whitaker's name on page 4 to remain wrongly spelt.
Walter Spencer Stanhope, given on page 36 as Lieut 4th Batt. West Yorks. Regt., has since been gazetted as Lieut. 19th Huzzars.
​In the 6th line of page 85 the inscription which was on the former memorial window to Miss Louisa Stanhope is erroneously given as being on the new window to the West containing Moses and David.
Since the Act in 1812 "for the better Regulating and preserving of "Parish Registers," there have been three burials of persons above 90 years of age: Sarah Roberts, 91, in 1854; Joseph Fish, 96, in 1863; Elizabeth Healey, 96, in 1875.
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