Narrow Escape - On Sunday evening, a little child living near Cloughfold Post office narrowly escaped being run over. It was in the road opposite Irwell terrace, when a horse and trap proceeding towards Rawtenstall came along, and before the child could get away it was knocked down. Fortunately, the driver had seen the youngster's danger, and pulled up sharply, so that the wheels of the trap did not go over the child, which escaped uninjured.

At Rawtenstall Police Court on Monday, Samuel Foulds, of Alma Cottages, Cloughfold, a sub-overlooker at Hall Carr Milll, was brought up under warrant, and fined 20s and costs, with the alternative of one month's hard labour, for having brutally assaulted Ada Rebecca Bruce, a spinner employed at the same mill, on Thursday the 18th inst.


On Thursday at the same court, the sitting magistrates were asked to issue a warrant for the arrest of john Standard, a cloughfold weaver employed at Irwell Mill, failing his answer to a summons for waylaying and assaulting J.W. Crook, a man whose duty it was to report defendant's defective work. Stagnant waylaid Crook on his way home, and without provocation or warning, struck him on the head and kicked him. Mr. Whiittaker, who appeared for Crook, asked for heavy punishment, on the ground that all men should be protected in the performance of duty. The warrant was granted.

In 1858, the estimated population was 19,256,516 and the total number of paupers was 940.552, or 48.5 per thousand of the estimated population. OnJanuary 1st last, the estimated population was 28,628,604 and the total number of paupers 817,045, or 28.5 per thousand of the population…Taking the districts themselves…the north-western district, embracing Lancashire and Cheshire, was the lowest in all England…[being] 19.9 per thousand…Lancashire as a county stock in a meter position than any other part of the country, the average number of paupers being 19.3 per 1000…There was only one Union in Lancashire that stood better than Haslingden, and that was Prestwich, where the number of paupers was one in 9 of the population, whilst at Haslingden it was one in 95.

Homing Pigeon Protection Society. This society are offering a reward to any person who will give information leading to the conviction of anyone who as feloniously shot, injured or stolen any homing pigeons, the property of members of this society. Birds belonging to members are sometimes set free at a considerable distance away from home, and it is supposed that some which have flown over this district have been hereabouts shot or stolen. The secretary (Mr. Taylor, Oldham) would be glad to receive any information of the same.

Dog Beyond Control - For this offence Enoch Tattersall, farmer, Waingate, was mulcted in 5s including costs.

Rawtenstall 151-7 v Heywood, rain stopped play.

Newchurch Grammar School: Laying of the Foundation Stone of the New Buildings by Colonel Le Gendre N. Starkie (R.W.P.G.M. of East Lancashire, & P.G.W. of England) with Full Masonic Honours on Saturday, August 3rd 1889 at 2.30 for 3 pm prompt…All 'Old Boys' are particularly invited to attend and join in the procession, and thus mark their appreciation of this important event in the history of their old school.

The tram line from Waterfoot to Bacup was completed at the close of last week, and was unofficially inspected on Monday last by a Board of Trade Inspector (Major General Hutchinson). The leading officials of the Rawtenstall and Bacup local governing authorities accompanied him. The gallant gentleman - ahem - suggested certain alterations and has intimated that he will come again (in his real official capacity) in a week or so, to formally inspect the ine. It will therefore not be opened for traffic for a week or two.

Rawtenstall has long needed a mid-day delivery of letters, and it is now about to get one. The new arrangement will come into force on Monday next. It will, however, only affect the town proper; the suburbs will only have a morning and evening delivery as heretofore.

Dobbs on the Spree: On Monday at Rawtenstall Police Court, before Messers J.B. Whitehead and H.H. Bolton, George Dobbs (not Blobbs), labourer, Bridleway, Newchurch, was charged at the instance of P.C. Lawtie with having been drunk and disorderly at Cloughfold on Saturday night. Fined 5s and costs.

Rawtenstall 149 for 8, Bacup 25 for 2

To be sold by Private Treaty, the capital Confectionary Business now being successfully carried on at 28 King Street, Rawtenstall (opposite the Cemetery gates; an excellent stand for supplying funeral teas &c). For particulars as to prices, apply on the premises.

Bank-street has suffered mostly, on account of the incessant traffic which converges to it even at the quietest seasons of the year. For the last week there has been only room for a single conveyance up one side of the street, and thus those coming in opposite directions have had to wait their turn before they could continue the journey. The complaints of Bank-street tradesmen are not without foundation. There is an element of truth in the assertion of the man who, on returning to Rawtenstall last week said: " When I left here seven years ago they had Bank-street wrong end up, and I see they're still at it." What with laying down the main sewer, making connections with the shops and dwellings on each side, and laying the tram lines, the street has been for the last twelve months practically impassable. When the tram track is finished, the old setts will be replaces, and, after a lull, the street will then have to be paved!

The Season in Rossendale - The hot, dry weather has much affected the crops in rossendale, as elsewhere. We are calling for rain, and the water supplies are getting speedily exhausted. Some of the moorland farmers have to carry their household utensils and seek water for considerable distances. We had a sharp shower or two on Sunday morning, and considerable rain fell on Wednesday and cooled and revived the vegetation; but two or three day's rain will much improve the pastures and meadows, as well as the foliage of the trees. The birds, as a rule are large. Things have been going well, but this spell of dry weather has not improved the root crops, especially turnips and worsels.

Assault at Newchurch - A charge of assault was preferred against Hugh Crane, labourer, of Bridleway. David Caygill, the complainant, said he was in the Volunteer Inn, Newchurch, on the 1st inst., when Crane, without any cause whatever, struck him a violent blow over the eye, cutting him severely. This statement was corroborated by Fred Crabtree, and Crane in excuse admitted striking Caygill, but only, he said, in self-defence. The e magistrates took another view, and imposed a fine of 5s and costs.

Rawtenstall 162-7, Padiham 77 all out.

The Rawtenstall Annual Fair was held annually in late June. It is immortalised in the rather bawdry song but there are more contemporary, if not necessarily more accurate descriptions available.

The first is from the reminiscences of Louisa Hamer, 'Reminiscences of Rawtenstall', written in the 1960s. The document is in the Whitaker museum (thank you). she is describing events in 1884.

'Rawtenstall Fair was held at the end of June and here let me tell you of my last visit there.

I was eleven years old and I was happy and enthralled. I was alone. I liked to be alone, but I had a rasping time; once on the dry land sailors and once on the swings, twice on the hobby horse; with a quarter of a pound of snaps and half a pound of nuts, and I still had fourpence out of the bright shining shilling my Mother had given me.

I stood before the 'great show' where a fine buxom lass was singing. An orchestra of two blared away on big brass instruments, some old band had thrown away. Today I would love to stand by Fred Tomlinson of the Male Voice Choir and hear him say in his quiet voice, "what is it they are playing?". For it certainly was not an accompaniment, but they blared away and the girl kept on singing:-

"Oh! Harry, Yes, Harry,
There you are then Harry,
Oh! I say Harry by jove you are a bon,
Oh! Harry, yes Harry,
There you are Harry,
There you are then Harry,
Oh! Where you're going on Sunday Harry now
You've got 'EM' on."

She wore white silk tights, beautiful high shoes with little golden tassels; a black velvet bodice, a beautiful Duchess of Devonshire hat with three white feathers, lots of spangles on her bodice and grand looking white kid gloves with deep gauntlets. She kept on singing, in spite of the orchestra, and slapped her leg when a fancy came on now and again.

A great board of scarlet and gold was at the top of the splendid front with 'Baileys' on it, and the people were thronging up the wooden steps to go to the show. I looked at the fourpence that I had left but I said "No" to myself. I had other notions for that money, so I stepped off passed (sic) all the stall of coconuts, and snaps and different kinds of nuts; I passed the blown up balloons and got outside Tup-Meadow; now passed the horse trough opposite the Rams Head Hotel and up the white stone steps of George Cunliffe's. I passed the little counter at the door, sat down on a well scrubbed form and gave my order with pride, :a twopenny pie and a bottle of pop."

Dear readers, in a long lifetime I have given many orders to waiters of many nationalities but never have I felt so proud as I did that day. A twopenny pie was a proper order, you weren't bothered thinking (as you did with a penny one) that you were giving a lot of trouble - dirty saucer, dirty spoon! No a twopenny pie and a bottle of pop was a right and proper order!

I looked at the fireplace as bright and shiny as silver with the topping fire and I felt glad I had not paid 4d. to go into the show.

I still had a penny left, and I asked at the little counter for a pennyworth of Fry's chocolate cream. There were four bars, and I stepped out to walk the mile home, I felt happy and free, for I had no more money to bother about or what to get for it.

There is a quiet sort of happiness when contentment is yours in what you possess, and no money is left - it just doesn't matter. As my Mother so often said, "Be content with what you have." So I ate my share of the chocolate, and left the remaining three for my Mother and my two sisters who always went to the Fair together."

The second is an editorial comment in the Rossendale Free Press of 29 June 1889 commenting on the fair, and the impact of its being close to the Whitsuntide holiday.

'Rawtenstall Fair closes to-night. The weather during the week has been delightfully fine, and the attendance large. As prophesied last week, however, the amount of money which has changed hands has been very unsatisfactory to the showmen, who one and all deplore the conflict of the Whitsuntide holidays with fair time. The pot market is strained; customers are shy at shooting galleries, which bullet-ined a decline of two-and-a-half per cent at the close of yesterday's proceedings, and an expectant and very uneasy feeling prevails in hobby-horse circles. The tendency in ice cream is still downwards, and swinging boats are the only things that may safely be relied upon to go up.'

To Let: "The Friendship Inn," opposite the Union Works, Cloughfold, Apply to Mr John Kenyon, Rossendale Brewery, Cloughfold.

[Laying the foundation stone of Waterfoot Conservative Club]
'…that hypothetical monstrosity the Conservative working man, of whom we hear so much but see so little, was conspicuous by his absence.
At the afternoon meeting, Colonel T. Mitchel declared seriously that he did not know whether the Primrose League was a political institution or not. Captain Partick, at the evening meeting, said he didn't know much about the Primrose League, but at any rate he knew that its great principle was to support Conservative candidates at elections. From this we find that the man who knew very little about it, knew more than the one who pretends to have the think at his finger ends or, in other words, that one told John Bull fashion, what he knew to be the truth, and the other didn't. It is ausing to find at this late day men like Colonel Mitchell striving to cram such balderdash as this down the throats of intelligent people. There was not a person present who believed it.

Sion Baptist School Treat - The scholars connected with Sion Baptist SundaySchool, Cloughfold, had their annual treat last Saturday afternoon. They assembled at the school about two o'clock, to the number of about 300, and walked in procession to an adjoining field which Capt. Patrick had kindly placed at their disposal. On leaving the school, each scholar was presented with an orange. In the field games of various kinds were engaged in, and at five o'clock an adjournment was made to the school, when coffee and buns were partaken of. Afterwards, the returned to the field, and remained there enjoying themselves until dusk. During the evening, a couple of paper balloons made by Mr Geo. Hardman, were sent up. A very pleasant afternoon was spent by all.

"Feeling that the cause of law and order in Ireland is not sufficiently understood in Rossendale, and that local Unionists are not adequately represented by the existing newspapers, it has been decided to form a company for the publication, at an early date, of a journal to be named the Rossendale Liberal Unionist. It will consist of eight pages (fifty-six columns) and be published weekly at one penny…The Rev W.R. Banks (Under the sign of the Union Jack) will probably be the editor, and its motto will be, "Up with Balfour, down with Gladstone, God bless Salisbury, and crush Home Rule." NB "All subscribers will be presented with a goose at Christmas, as a delicate tribute to their stomachs and their understandings."*

Teacher's Preferment - Miss Coldwell, who has been assistant mistress at St John's National school, Cloughfold, for nearly three years, has received an appointment as second certificated mistress at Habergham Eaves National School, near Burnley, and will shortly commence duties at that place.

Haslingden 174, Rawtenstall 157.

Electric Lighting for the Borough. the Clerk read letters from two electric lighting companies stating that applications were to be made by them to the Board of Trade for provisional orders, to be confirmed by Parliament in the session 1890, authorising them to supply electricity for public and private purposes within the borough of Bacup for such period as the Board of Trade may think proper. The communications were referred to the General Works Committee.

*A satirical response to the perceived delay in the publication of a Liberal Unionist newsletter. "The editor of the Bacup Tory organ sent up a particularly pathetic wail when the suggestion [of a Unionist paper] was first made."