Timeline of 20th Century History in the Penistone Area

Index of Topics
In sections on this page below the timeline table.

• Trends from 1860
• Andrew Carnegie - The great philanthropist and steel magnate.
• Penistone Market Cross - In the church yard.
• The Biltcliffe Brothers - See also Mr Lavender's 'Story from the Stones 6'
• Local Telephones - We were early in the game.
• St Saviour's Church - A bequest by the Bray sisters.
• Penistone War Memorial - Unveiled in August 1924.
• Vehicle Registrations, 1963 to 1982 - Until it became complicated.
• The Queen's Coronation - Queen Elizabeth II acceeds to the throne.
• The 20th Century - Local changes over the years.
• The Monarchy from the 1830s - Starting with Queen Victoria who died in 1901.
• References - Used in the Table.

The 20th Century - AD 1900 - AD 2000
Quick Links:		Timelines: 1000 - 1600 - 1700 - 1800 - 1900 (1950s, 1970s) - 2000 - Refs - English calendar for year: Time & Date
Year	Date	Events
1900		An Authoritive Statement - An inquisitive gentleman wrote to Mr. Christie, the Astronomer Royal at Greenwich, on the subject of the commencement of the 20th century. He received the following reply: "I am requested by the Astronomer Royal to inform you that the next century will begin on January 1st, 1901, the last year of the present century being 1900."   Ref 23
		Wharnecliffe Lodge No. 1162 Freemasons - Meeting at the Rose and Crown Hotel Penistone. List of officers published in 1900, Ref 23: Officers: Bro. WJ Askwith, WM; Bro. F Dunstan, IPM; Bro. JA Gandy, SW; Bro. JH Morton, JW; Bro. HS Jessop, Secretary; Bro. WT Beanland, PM, PPG, Std B, Treasurer; Bro. E Billington, PM, PPGP, DC; Bro. A Jubb, SD; Bro. A Whitham, JD; Bro. ER Taylor, LG; Bros. S Wheatley and GH Butler, Stewards.
		Electric Lighting. A report was drawn up for the proposed scheme for electric lighting in Penistone and Thurlstone. No details on this other than the remark in Barnsley Archive that it had taken place. We might presume that it relates to street lighting, which was gas lighting at this time.
		Penistone Agricultural and Horticultural Society. List published in 1900, Ref 23: President, HS Tomasson, Esq.; Vice-Presidents: Samuel Cooper, Esq.; John Ness Dransfield, Esq.; HH Alport, Esq.; J Chapman, Esq.; John Hinchliffe, Esq., JP; James Durrans, Esq. Hon. Auditors, Messrs J Moorcroft and RA Goddard. Hon. Treasurer, TW Stones, Esq. Secretary, Mr JH Wood.
		Police Station, Bridge Street - Names listed for Penistone, Thurlstone, Hoylandswaine, Langsett and Carlecotes. Superintendent, J Kane, Barnsley; Local Officer, Inspector Pearson and six other officers. Ref 23
		The Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffalos (RAOB) - Meeting every Tuesday, 6pm at the Spread Eagle Hotel. Primos: Messrs. W Harrison, L Broadhead and W Thomas. Secretary, Mr Lot Broadhead. Treasurer, Mr John Moorcroft. Ref 23
		Penistone Hunt - Master and Hon. Huntsman, John Chapman Esq., Carlecotes Hall; Treasurer, Mr TW Stones; Secretary, Mr J Moorcroft; Sub-Committee: Messrs. Jas. Durrans, G Hoyland, H Hanwell and F Bailey. Ref 23
		Inland Revenue Office, 23 Unwin Street. Mr Dobson is resident officer. 'Licences issued at the Post office'. Ref 23
		1900 and 1901 interior of Denby church nave almost entirely rebuilt. Gallery removed, stone pillars and arches raised to divide the centre aisle from the north and south portions. A barrel roof put over the central aisle with new chancel and crossed rafter roof. This made the church into a copy of one that the Vicar had seen in north Italy.
		Building Society. Monthly subscription meetings in the National Schoolroom (now used by 'Busy Bees'), Church Street, on the first Saturday in each month, 7pm to 8.30pm. List published in 1900, Ref 23: President, Rev. Canon Turnbull; Secretary, Mr Herbert Jordan; Solicitors, Messrs. Dransfield and Hodgkinson; Bankers, Sheffield Union Bank.
1901	22nd Jan	Queen Victoria Dies - She was born Wednesday 29th May 1819 and acceded to the throne on Sunday 20th June 1837. Upon Victoria's death, the 'Edwardian period' started. King Edward II reigned only for for a short time until when he died in 1910. See Wiki.
		Census - 3,073 population for Penistone.
		Telephones. By this year, Penistone's telephone system had only six subscribers listed by the National Telephone Company. These were: W Gittus Coach Works, Spring Vale (No. 2), Hepworth Iron Co., Hazlehead (No. 1), Penistone Electrical Co., Eagle Works (No. 8), Dr James Ross (No. 5) and Dr ACJ Wilson, Willow House, Ward Street (No. 4). In the same year, the Eagle Works and Don Villa were both up for sale, situated near Penistone Bridge (see Chapel Books). Penistone had been on the telephone system from the 1880s because of its location midway between Sheffield and Huddersfield. It was also a central connection point between Sheffield, Manchester and Barnsley. Details from the 1994 Almanack Telephone Supplement. See Local Telephones at the page bottom.
	10th Feb	Methodist New Connexion Sunday School (Now Penistone Clinic) - Opened at the bottom of Church Hill/Shrewsbury Road. Previous to the chapel being opened, New Connexion Methodist services were held in the Assembly Rooms (off St Mary's Street), which had not yet become a cinema and was probably still the Gas showroom. From the Penistone Express, Friday 15th Feb 1901: 'Foundation stone was laid 'Sunday Last' (10th Feb).' One side would be on the main road and the other on a side street to an as-yet unnamed road (Shrewsbury Road). It was a grand stone-laying ceremony for a new Sunday School building to be built for this branch of Methodism. Proceedings were opened by Thurlstone Brass Band. The estimated building cost would be £1,500, including lighting, ventilation and heating and it was intended to be a Sunday School and place of weekly worship. A sealed bottle (Time Capsule) was also laid in a cavity over which the principal stone was laid. Its contents were: a 1900 coin of the realm; a current plan of the circuit; a programme of the ceremony; a lithograph of the building; a 'Penistone Express' newspaper; the Connexial magazine for January 1901; a ticket for the tea that day; the Queen's memorial card (Victoria had died on 22nd January); a description of the building and the names of the trustees. The building was of Cumberworth stone, Architect John W Firth of Oldham. It would have a basement kitchen and heat store with coke, and a kitchen hoist to the larger schoolroom. Toilets would be in a rear yard. A year on and the New Connexion project was doing well, with its adherents having arrived in Penistone from the Huddersfield direction. Advertised as 'Christ Church (Methodist New Connexion) Penistone' with 'Bright singing, solos and choruses' their Sunday evening services were well-attended and their main pastor, Rev F Townsend, was well-liked. He came to Penistone to support the project and stayed until 1903 before moving on. There is little evidence that the chapel had continued for long and it was not included as a place of worship in the 1914 Penistone Almanac. However, it was listed as a place of worship around the middle part of this century in another source, which was probably in error or listed thus until a new use could be found for the building. The building is now used as Penistone Clinic and much of the building's 'chapel' appearance has become obscured. See 1906 below for the Green Moor New Connexion chapel.
		Methodist Chapel opened in Penistone. Ref 8.
		Drought hits the region. An old packhorse bridge at Ingbirchworth Reservoir drew some interest as it became visible with the low water level. 'Summerford Bridge' had been part of a highway which was diverted when the reservoir was built between 1862 and 1868. The bridge re-appeared in 1995 under similar conditions of low water and made it to the Barnsley Chronicle, in an article by Carolyn Thorpe.
		Denby Cricket Club founded around this time, although not confirmed. It was certainly fulfilling some fixtures in this year on Falledge Lane, under the name of Denby United. The club moved to Denby Lane around 1920, where it remained until going 'into hibernation' in 1958. It was minuted as having been disbanded in 1958 but re-formed in 1960 and continues to play in the present day (as of 2014). See DCC for links to several sources of the club's history.
	16th June	Newly-restored Denby Church - Opened and re-consecrated.
		David Brown Dies - Mr David Brown, patternmaker and gear cutter who founded the famous industry, passed away at the age of 59. The company continued under the name of David Brown and Sons. Founded in 1860, David Brown & Sons (Huddersfield), Ltd. was a general manufacturing company and known for making wooden gear patterns for the textile industry. Although it was named after the company's founder, the company became more closely associated with his grandson, Sir David Brown. From 1873 it focussed production on gear-cutting. See the David Brown page.
		Population of the Penistone Parish - 11,160. Penistone 3,073 and Thurlstone 2,992. In this year, there were 1,953 inhabited houses within the Rural District (1,342) and Urban District (611) areas. The population a decade earlier was: Penistone 2,553 and Thurlstone 2,735. This suggests that Penistone's population in that decade grew at the expense of Thurlstone. The population of England and Wales was counted as 32,527,843 (given as 41 million here), up by about 3½ million in the previous decade. In 1801 the population of England and Wales had been over 9 million. This was a huge increase over the last century, despite the fact that many people emigrated to North America and Australia to escape poverty. About 15 million people left Britain between 1815 and 1914. In the 1840s, Irish immigrants came in large numbers to flee the potato famine and find work and Russian Jews came in the 1880s (mostly to London) to escape persecution by the Tsar. Details from: Ref 11, Ref 16 and A Vision of Britain.
		Staff at Penistone Workhouse were: Master - George Broadbent, Matron - Mrs Ann Broadbent, Medical Officer - Benjamin Chaston Gowing and School Mistress - Miss Annie Vaughan. Ref 27. Penistone Workhouse.
	12th Dec	Heavy snowstorm in Penistone, four foot deep. Ref 26.
1902	6th Mar.	Eleven cases of smallpox notified in Penistone and Thurlstone. Ref 13.
		Netherfield Chapel - A kitchen and church parlour was added to this building. For a time in the 1960s, a hall in the building was used by Penistone Grammar School as a drama classroom. It was closed in 1981 and its congregation merged with that of St Paul's and incorporated into St Andrew's. The building was then converted into a dwelling house. Part of its churchyard was cleared and paved at the same time but other parts were left to go wild, while prohibiting access by relatives as private land. Ref 17 p39.
	29th Sept.	Penistone Library. Public meeting in the Girls' National School to consider if Mr Andrew Carnegie's kind offer of £1,000 for a Public Free Library in Penistone should be accepted. The following resolution was unanimously accepted: 'We, the inhabitants of Penistone, in public meeting assembled, thank Mr Carnegie for his generous offer, and pledge ourselves to use our utmost efforts to raise the necessary £500 in order to take advantage of such offer.' It was proposed by Dr ACJ Wilson JP CC and seconded by Mr GAB Lockley. Ref 13 p.109. See 1913, next item and the Town Hall and Library History Page. NB. Penistone LHG erroneously ascribes this event to 1904.
	24th Oct.	Preparing for a Library - Poll taken to decide if the Public Free Libraries Act 1892 should be adopted. For the adoption: 192 against 88. Majority 104. Ref 13 p.109 and Ref 26. See the Town Hall and Library History Page.
	17 Nov	Rev. C. S. Richardson, M.A. - Appointed Curate-in-charge of Thurlstone under Canon Turnbull, Vicar of Penistone, and full services were commenced in Town End School, Thurlstone.
1903		Industrial Changes - Charles Cammel takes over the Birkenhead shipbuilding yards of Laird Brothers, to form Cammell, Laird and Co.
	10th Jan	New School Opened - Dunford Bridge. From 1945 Almanack.
	Feb.	Cattle Fair held in Penistone. Ref 13.
	Feb - Mar.	Smallpox Outbreak. This had started in various parts of the country during the early Spring of 1903. There was great consternation when the first local case was found on 17th February. Mr James Knight of Attercliffe was thought to have picked it up on an overnight stay in a Barnsley lodging house while looking for work. He found work at Penistone steelworks and stayed in the Lodging House at Bridge End (near the current crossing). After a few days, spots had spread considerably when he sought admission to Penistone Workhouse, which had facilities for isolation. Doctors JA Ross and ACJ Wilson quickly took steps to isolate the case. On 2nd March, two more cases were found in the Lodging House and they were sent up to the Workhouse. Then two more. A Mr Harrison  died at Penistone Workhouse on 9th March and was buried the same day. Thus far, the cases were from the Lodging House but a signalman living in Wentworth Road was found to be infected on 20th March. Another case arose on 23rd March to a man lodging in Spring Vale and he was sent off to Barnsley Smallpox Hospital. A Thurlstone steelworker also became infected but was strictly isolated (presumably at home) and the disease contained. In total, there were about fourteen cases, with just one fatality. Ref 13.
	19th May	Planning of St Saviour's Church, Thurlstone. A meeting was held in Penistone with the Bishop of the Diocese (Wakefield) attending, when it was announced that the late Sir Waiter Spencer Stanhope, K.C.B., had promised £1,000 to the building and endowment fund (of the new church). A committee was then formed for the building of the church. Mr. H. S. Tomasson, of Plumpton, gave the site; plans were prepared by Mr. C. Hodgson Fowler, F.S.A., and the building of the Church was commenced on June 13th, 1904.
	25th Jun	Midhope Reservoir opened. Ref 26.
1904		The Bridge Inn, Thurgoland and five adjoining cottages for sale, tenanted by Joseph Hanson, James Thompson, William Thompson and Reuben Green. From Chapel Books.
		Penistone Church Restoration begins. Two of the original eight pinnacles on the tower were removed to the church yard, presumably for safety reasons. A 1906 photo in the 1944 Penistone Almanack shows that the main entrance in Market Place was a double metal gate. See Penistone Church History.
		Joshua Biltcliffe & Sons - Penistone's photography family set up a studio in Skelmanthorpe. This shop was mainly run by Frederick Biltcliffe until it closed in 1937. See the Biltcliffe story below. See also the biographies of John Thomas Biltcliffe and Joshua Biltcliffe.
		Penistone, Stocksbridge and Hoyland Express - This was the continuation of an exisitng local newspaper which started in 1898. It was on sale every Friday and published from High St., Mexborough. Mr JH Wood of Don Press was the local agent and Mr JW Duckett the local reporter. This paper came from the same publisher as the South Yorkshire Times (est. 1877) which later covered our district under its own title. According to the British Newspaper Archive it continued until 1940 but it might have merged with the South Yorkshire Times at an earlier date. The example shown for 8th March 1919 had cost twopence and featured advertisements for 'demob' suits. A box in Penistone Library's Dransfield Cabinet is marked as containing one of the papers but it is not there. See South Yorkshire Times history.
		Penistone and Thurlstone Golf Club founded this year. The club had its 40-acre ground at Royd Moor Farm, which would have been rather exposed to the elements. The club finished in 1913. Details of the club at Golf's Missing Links has a note about it being 'in one of the prettiest valleys for miles' and that it started with a membership of just five people. This entry in the history timeline had originally said that it started with a membership of 36 but the reference source has gone missing, so five might be correct. Royd Moor is at the top of a hill and it is not easy to see why it would be described as a pretty valley.
	1st Oct	Silver Cup for Thurlstone Band - A great achievement for Thurlstone Brass Band while competing at the Crystal Palace, London.
	5th Nov	St Saviour's Church - Foundation stone laid by Sir W. Spencer-Stanhope, K.C.B. as the start of Thurlstone's new church, built to the design of Hodgson Fowler of Durham and largely funded by the generosity of two local sisters, Mary and Hannah Bray (who died in 1895 and 1897). UK Grid Reference: SE 229 034. See Heritage Inspired.
1905	20th April	Ale and Cake Day - The Maundy Thursday tradition where poor children are given ale and cake comes to an end. Maundy Thursday commemorates the day when Jesus had the Last Supper with twelve disciples before his crucifixion on Good Friday.
	19th Aug	Isolation Hospital for Penistone opened. Ref 26.
		St Saviour's Church, Thurlstone. A new bell weighing about 5 cwt was cast by bell founders John Taylor & Co, Loughborough for the new church. The inscription on the bell reads 'Presented by James Durrans Watch Hill House, Thurlstone 1905.'
	9th Dec	St Saviour's Church - Consecrated by the Bishop of Wakefield on Saturday this day.
1906	Jan	New Thurlstone Parish - By Order in Council on this day. On Monday, March 19th 1906, the Bishop instituted the Rev. C. S. Richardson to the living of Thurlstone as first Vicar. The patronage of the living was vested in the Bishop.
		Penistone Sewerage Works opened. Ref 1.
	March	Penistone Hunt held its annual dinner in the Spread Eagle Hotel, with Mr James B Durrans as the Master of the Hunt. The hunt held 63 meets during the season, with 82 hares killed. Penistone Hunt was one of the oldest in the country, having started in 1206 in the time of Elias de Midhope.
		Penistone Church Football Club founded this year. According to their Wikipedia, 'Formed ... after the merger of Penistone Choirboys and Penistone Juniors, Penistone Church initially played in the Sheffield Amateur League and Penistone League.'
	23rd July	Thurlstone Vicarage begun.
	31st Aug	A Phenomenally Hot Day - 42 °C (108 °F) in the sun and 36 °C (97 °F) in shade. Ref 26.
		St Saviour's Church Completed - Thurlstone's new St Saviour's Church was built by Hodgson Fowler and completed after a £6,000 was received from the bequests of Misses Bray. Part of its west end was built in red brick. The Penistone Guide of 1991 (Ref 16) gives the year as 1905. Before it was built, services had been held at Town End school by the Vicar of Penistone (Ref 3). A new organ was opened 22nd December 1906. (Ref 26)
	3rd Nov	Methodist New Connexion Chapel Opened - In Green Moor, at a Divine Service, 3.45pm, Saturday 3rd November 1906, conducted by the President of the Conference, Rev J Foster. Doors opened at 3.30pm by Mr W Batty. Tea at 5pm, Adults 9d, Children under 12, 6d. A public meeting followed at 6.30pm with Mr FJ Bramwell as Chairman. Speakers and supporters were: Revs The President D Bailey, T Dearlove, J Young, J Thomas, HJ Barker and Messrs JT Robert, J Ward, RN Jeffries, J Wood, J Laycock, JA Booker and L Banner. Divine Service would be held on the following Sundays at 2.30pm and 6.30pm: 4th November, Rev John Young, Superintendent of the circuit; 11th November, Rev JS Clemens, BA, BD, Bachelor of Ranmoor College and President Delegate; 18th November, Rev H Faull, Barrow-in-Furness.
	Weds 14th Nov	'Acis and Galatea' (Concert) - 7.30pm, Assembly Rooms. 'Acis and Galatea' by Handel has been regarded as the pinnacle of pastoral opera in England. This was performed by an un-named Augmented Band and Chorus. The principals were: Mrs Dorothea Hemmings, LRAM, Soprano (Sheffield); Mr Alfred Clegg, Tenor (Dewsbury), and Mr Hugh Ashton, Baritone (of the Manchester Concerts). The pink poster had 'Doors open at 6.45pm' and 'Carriages at 10pm' but did not show the price of admission. From Mrs D Crossland's collection. See the Town Hall History page.
1907		Penistone and Thurlstone Golf Club course opened. It closed in 1913. The land is now covered by a reservoir.
	Sept	Royd Moor Golf Club founded. This was on a difficult nine-hole course at Royd Moor Farm, Thurlstone, with the farmhouse acting as Club-house. Mrs Mitchell provided refreshments. The first President was Mr John Hinchliffe, Secretary was Mr Joseph Appleyard Wainwright and Treasurer was Mr 'Tommy' Denison, Manager of the National Provincial Bank on Market Street, Penistone. After about two years, a substantial wooden Club-house was built with locker rooms for men and women, a room to assemble in and a veranda with 'a splendid view over Thurlstone'. They usually lost the away games and won the home games. The women's section did well. The Club membership had many leading and highly-placed individuals. According to Mrs Marsh's notes (Ref. 29), the club closed in November 1913.
		Penistone Grammar School - Teaches girls for the first time. See PGS Archive
	Weds 20th Nov	A 'High-Class Concert' - 7.30pm, in the Assembly Rooms. A concert by Penistone and District Choral Society, with: Glees, Part Songs, Madrigals, etc., by the Society's Chorus. See the Town Hall History page.
1908		Runaway Removal Van Accident - Hoylandswaine Parish Magazine (Winter 2019) has a report from Sheffield Telegraph, dated Thursday 2nd July 1908, referring to the day before. Control was lost of a horse-drawn furniture removal van travelling downhill at an accident blackspot which appears to have been the junction of Haigh Lane and Barnsley Road in Hoylandswaine. Two of the three horses were killed, with the third horse badly injured. A similar accident had happened in the same place a few years earlier in 1895.
		Church Tower - Scaffolding went up for repairs to the tower of St John's church. The date is not certain as the caption on a newspaper photograph posted by Peter Beaumont was slightly blurred but it looked like May 2008.
	July	Hade Edge Band formed by a Sunday School committee. This was to replace the Old Moss Band which disbanded a few years earlier. HH Band.
1909	27th Jan	'Banner of St George' (and miscellaneous second part). This was a Subscription Concert by Penistone and District Choral Society and was held in the Assembly Rooms, Penistone. The artistes were Miss Clara North (Soprano), Master Joe Green (Sheffield's premier boy soloist), Mr J H Parkes (well-known violinist of Sheffield) and the Society's Chorus. The Conductor was Mr Joseph Cooper and the accompanist was Miss Butcher.
	23rd Feb	Gun Accident - TC Fish of Gunthwaite killed.
	29th Feb	Penistone and District Bowling Club founded and opened by Mr James B Durrans. Ref 6, p15.
		Penistone Town Hall and Library. Sheffield Shrewsbury Hospital Trust offers a site in Shrewsbury Road for the Town Hall and Library to be built, on condition that the local council adopt it as a public road. (From Penistone History Group archives). See the Town Hall and Library History Page.
	29th Apr	Penistone and District Bowling Green Opened - Old pictures show the location as behind the Wentworth Arms and adjoining row of houses, somewhere on or overlapping the site of the current Wentworth Mews. Penistone Bowling Club would later move to its current site off (upper) Back Lane. The Tesco store would come later. .
	6th May	Wentworth Arms bowling green opened. Ref 26.
	7th May	Penistone Girls' National School - Closed when the Board of Education ceased to recognise it because of its lack of accommodation. The school was erected by public subscription in 1822, with a further £50 from the National Society and £30 from the Diocesian Society. Former Penistone resident Joseph Camm of Beverley also granted a further £400 and is named on a stone plaque at the gable end of the building. It was later used as a classroom for Penistone St John's School but it still had its own management and endowment. It largely fell disuse for many years after St John's moved elsewhere, although meetings of a certain gentlemen's society were being held there. In the modern age and after major refurbishment, it is a children's nursery by 'Busy Bees' a commercial company. From 'Bygones of Penistone' 4th June 1966.
	8th May	Spring Vale School - Opened by Mr HJ Wilson, MP for Holmfirth Division, of which Penistone was then Head. It was described as 'A pleasant-looking building of grey stone.' It had a large central hall and five classrooms and had cost £3,800 to build. It could accommodate 300 pupils. The first Headmaster was Mr Walter Gledhill, who served in that post for 16 years to 1925. Educated at Barnsley Grammar School, he obtained a BSc at Owens College, Manchester. His first teaching job was at Kings Road School, Wombwell before becoming Headmaster of the new Spring Vale School in 1909. In 1925, he became Headmaster of Doncaster Road Council School, Mexborough until he moved to the new Central School, Conisborough, which opened around 1929. He also became Headmaster of the Mexborough Technical School. He would go on to Conisborough Boys School, where he retired in 1947. On 1st Feb 1951, Mr CGT Andrews would become headmaster, formerly of Thurlstone School, nicknamed 'Archie' by the pupils. The school would be demolished in 2007 to make way for a new school which also included part of the former Penistone Working Men's Club site. See Spring Vale Thoughts and (about Mr W Gledhill) Mexborough and Swinton Times, and Conisborough and Denaby Main local history.
	,,   ,,	Wesleyan Reform Chapel School - Spring Vale school was erected at a cost of £3,800. It was opened by Mr HJ Wilson, MP for Holmfirth Division (in which Penistone was the official centre for nominations, and declaration purposes). The first headmaster was Walter Gledhill BSc. who had also been involved in the Carnegie Free Library scheme (see 2013). It was a mixed-age school up until 1959, when it became a County Junior and Infant School. At the time of adding to this entry (2021), there are still people around who completed all of their school education at Spring Vale. After 1959, the school became  a county Junior and Infant Mixed School. The older pupils would go on to complete their education at Penistone Grammar School. The original history page for Spring Vale School had been removed but can still be found on the Wayback Machine (eg. 2005). Ref 6.
	14th Nov.	Samuel Franklin Cody - His aeroplane came to Penistone, demonstrating his aerobatic skills to the delight of onlookers. (From a Cubley Hall poster). See the Cody website.
1910		Penistone Scouts Founded - Around this time, known at first as 'The 2nd Stocksbridge, Penistone' and the 'Pewits Patrol' according to Richard Galliford on facebook. They met in what had formerly been a garage and would later become Penistone Post Office. This is not the current PO on High Street but down the lane in a building next to the old Vicarage.
	20th May	King Edward VII Memorial Service - A united service was held in Penistone Parish Church. The wording suggests that the King was much-admired. A yellowed poster reads: 'Friday, May 20th, 1910, The day appointed for the funeral of King Edward, and as a day of National Mourning' - 'In commemoration of his late Majesty King Edward VII of blessed and glorious memory will be held in the Parish Church, Penistone as near as possible to the time of King Edward's funeral (at 2 o'clock as at present arranged) when all persons are invited to be present to do homage to his memory.' - 'The members of the Urban District Council will be present and all Public Bodies, Societies, and Organisations in their Corporate Capacity, as well as all private individuals are invited to attend.' This was displayed in a local public house, probably the Spread Eagle. It is from an era when communications were slow, before radio and certainly television.
	25th May	George Kay - Died on this day. George was a stationmaster who served the Great Central Railway at Dunford Bridge for 55 years. See Chapter 15 of Steve Lavender's 'Stories from the Stones' series on this website.
	Weekend 25th, 26th June	Penistone Feast. From 'Huddersfield Exposed' (slightly edited): Penistone Feast was traditionally held on the weekend following 24 June - being the Nativity Day of St. John the Baptist the saint of which Penistone Church is dedicated. It often included athletics and musical events. A local custom was that farmers would begin haymaking on the first day of the Feast, before attending in the evening.
	24th Nov.	New Livestock Market Opened - Moved from the street into a partially-covered area (Backfields) by Penistone Urban District Council. The market had been held in Market Place outside the church since time immemorial but it prospered and grew so much that it became overcrowded and spilled over from High Street to St Mary's Street into Market Street and obstructed the traffic. A new market in 1882 would attempt to clear the streets of livestock traders but the they preferred the open streets and it failed. A law from 1903 forced a change of heart. The new market of 1910 was constructed to meet the requirements of the 23rd June 1903 Order of Agriculture and Fisheries, enacted 1904, in order for the market to continue in Penistone. It had cost £1,120. 4½ acres of land were purchased but the whole was not utilised, the remainder serving as a recreation ground. 1912 Almanack and JND's cuttings. See 1876, 1882, 1951. Penistone Urban District Council Opening of New Cattle Market Notice is hereby given That the Cattle Market recently constructed by Penistone Urban District Council will be formally opened for the Sale of Cattle, Sheep and Swine, on Thursday, the 24th day of November, 1910, at 11 o'clock a.m., At the Front Entrance from the Market Place, by Thomas M. Lewis, Esq., J.P. The Chairman of the Council, When all Landowners, Farmers and Persons attending the Market are invited to attend. Charles Hodgkinson, Clerk to the Council. Section 13 of Market and Fairs Act, 1847, is as follows: After the Market Place is opened for public use every person other than a Licensed Hawker who shall Sell or expose for Sale in any place within the prescribed limits excepting his own Dwelling-place or Shop, any articles in respect of which Tolls are by the special Act authorised to be taken in the Market, shall for every such offence be liable to a penalty not exceeding Forty Shillings. Penistone Nov 3rd 1910 ..................................... James H. Wood, Printer and Stationer, Penistone.
1911		Population of England and Wales counted as 36,070,492, up by about 3½ million in the previous decade. It had been 22,712,266 forty years earlier in 1871. (A Vision of Britain)
		Occupied Dwellings. In this year, there were 1,951 inhabited houses within the Rural District (1,213) and Urban District (738) areas. Compared to 1901, there had been a 129 reduction in the Rural District area and a 127 increase in the Urban District area, which suggests that RDC and UDC boundaries had been re-drawn in the preceding decade.
		Acetylene Lighting - An advertisement in the 1911 Penistone Almanack had a device for sale which provides acetylene gas for 'Railway stations, hospitals, public buildings, factories, schools, churches, private houses, etc.' The sole maker of the Starlite Gas Generator was E Hind, R.P., of Wortley, near Sheffield. The device was a tall cylinder within a cylinder rather like a thin gasometer. Acetylene gas was much used for bicycle lamps at the time, where a device would drip water on to Calcium Carbide, This produced the gas which would be burnt to create a very bright, white flame. There is little evidence that acetylene gas was significantly used for domestic or other lighting beyond the bicycle lamp. See Penistone Archive to download Penistone Almanacks.
	28th Oct.	Penistone Grammar School - New school opened in the Weirfield building. The 'Fullford Building' (called 'A Block' in the 1960s) would be the main building. Only 258 pupils in 1920. Ref 6. The building cost £8,000, with another £780 spent on furnishing and equipment. It was recognised by the West Riding Education Authority as a training centre for intending teachers. There were 323 scholars attending Ref. 26. The 1954 Almanack gives (Sun) 29th October as the date. See The PGS Archive and S Yorks Timescape. Sheffield Archives has Historic Records of PGS.
	28th Dec	Assembly Rooms Cinema Gains its Licence - The Assembly Rooms were originally used as a gas showroom, being close to the current St Mary's Street roundabout and not far from the gasworks of Talbot Road as the crow flies. As an Assembly hall, a concert certainly took place there in 1878 and it might have been in use for entertainments before that. Given the highly-flammable nature of the film at this time and the complete lack of regulations regarding fire evacuations, legislation was brought in to require all cinemas to be licenced and the Assembly Rooms Cinema received its licence just before the new year started. The Assembly Rooms Cinema was Penistone's first cinema before the Town Hall started with films in November 1915. It was at times called 'Penistone Picture Palace.' See the Town Hall and Library History Page.
1912	Feb	Thurlstone Church Matters. The Rev. C. S. Richardson left Thurlstone to undertake the charge of West Vale, Halifax, and the Bishop asked the Rev. Edward Farrow, Curate-in-charge of S. John's Church, in the parish of Tong and the borough of Bradford, to come to Thurlstone. The Rev. Edward Farrow was instituted and inducted as second Vicar of Thurlstone on Saturday, April 20th, 1912.
		NI - The National Insurance Act came into operation in regard to health.
	15th June	Centenary Celebration 1812 to 1912 of Green Moor United Methodist Church and Sunday School. The service commenced at 3.30pm, with a sermon by Rev Daniel Patterson of Brighouse. Tea followed at 4.30pm, Adults 9d, Children 6d. A Public Meeting and Old Scholars' Rally commenced at 6.30pm, with Mr G Wordsworth as Chairman. Speakers were Revs D Patterson, WH Lockley, J Thomas and AR Mellows.
	11th July	King George V and Queen Mary - Visited Penistone town centre on their tour by motor of the West Riding. Around 700 children sang the National Anthem from a specially-made platform which had been erected in the Market Place, as their majesties passed along. The Royal couple stayed a weekend at Wentworth Woodhouse, the seat of the Earls Fitzwilliam. The King also visited a mine to see the working conditions for himself, without any special preparations. At around the same time, there had been a mining accident resulting in many deaths. Ref 3 (and anecdotal).
		Penistone Show - An old photograph from this year places Penistone Show on low fields behind what would become the Town Hall building, with Church View Road, the railway station and smoking factory chimneys in the distance. That area is now covered by the houses of Church View Crescent and Lees Avenue. Station Row on Church View Road had not yet been built.
		Staff at Penistone Workhouse were: Master - Samuel White, Matron - Mrs Florence White, Medical Officer - JA Ross. Details from Archive (Demolition of Netherfield).
		Plans for the Carnegie Free Library submitted by Mr HB Collins of Barnsley to Andrew Carnegie for approval. An additional scheme to add the Town Hall and other rooms were also discussed (with whom?). (From Penistone History Group archives). See the Town Hall and Library History Page.
1913	11th April	Stone-laying for Thurlstone and Millhouse Green Methodist Church. Opening services were held eighteen months later in October 1914. Woollen cloth maker, Mr Hugh Skelton Tomasson of Plumpton, had sold land for the church to be built for £120 on 31st December 1912. The indenture was signed by trustees who included a schoolmaster, butcher, mine manager and newsagent. Their names can be found carved on stones in the building: Joe Willie Snape, Henry Gillpin, John Newton, George Marsden, Jonas Booth, Olivia Nicholson, Herbert Jackson, Thomas Charlesworth, Enya Lindley, George Stones, Frank Booth and Adolphus Charlesworth. The stone inscriptions were used to raise £180 for the church and a further £36 was raised by inscribing 70 names on bricks in the Sunday School room.
		Gas Supply Extended - The 'Penistone, Thurlstone and Oxspring Gas Company', founded in 1858, applied to the Board of Trade to extend its supply to include Thurgoland, parts of Hoylandswaine and Hunshelf. The company appropriately changed its name to 'Penistone Gas Company' in the same application. See 1858 and 1948.
	26th May	Town Hall Plans and Loan Approved - The Local Government Board approved plans and tenders for building the new Town Hall and Council Offices next door to it (with an attached Masonic Hall) and gave their sanction to a loan of £4,100. This would be a big thing for Penistone to provide an important centre for meetings, plays, film-showings and other entertainments. This graphic is from page 11 of the 1914 Penistone Almanack. As always, the distinction between the 'Town Hall' and 'Council Offices' was always made very clear, a distinction largely lost after 1974 following Barnsley Council's takeover of Penistone's assets. BMBC now refers to a building which was opened the year before the Town Hall, as 'the Town Hall' but this was Carnegie Free Library. Town Hall History.
	21st June	Carnegie Free Library and Reading Room - Built on Shrewsbury Road, from public subscription and a £1,300 contribution from Andrew Carnegie, the Scottish/American philanthropist. It was opened by the Earl of Wharncliffe, eleven years after being first proposed (see 1902 for the public meeting which led to it being built). Mr Andrew Carnegie was responsible for a great many libraries in the USA and Great Britain and his efforts greatly contributed to the literacy (and therefore progress) of the two nations. He died 1919, in Massachusetts, USA. Construction of the Town Hall, Committee Rooms and Masonic Hall started this year. Town Hall History, Ref 1, Ref 6.
1914 to 1918		The Great War - Later to be also called 'The First World War' or simply WWI, this was a global war originating in Europe. It lasted from Tuesday 28th July 1914 to the Armistice Day of Monday 11th November 1918. Contemporaneously described as the "War to End All Wars." In the UK, 11th November Armistice Day is commemorated each year by a period of two minute's silence at 11am to remember the dead of this and other wars; for those who gave their lives in the service of our country. This moment of contemplative silence is also observed by some radio stations, notably Radio 4 in the UK. Church services and acts of remembrance are normally conducted on the nearest Sunday, called Remembrance Sunday. Penistone Grammar School holds its own service on the Friday before Remembrance Sunday. Penistone War Memorial was built in 1924. The Great War.
1914		Bus Shelter and Lavatories - Erected around this time in the Market Square (nearly opposite the church lychgate), Penistone, by Penistone Urban District Council at a cost of £450.
	4th Apr	Fire at Blackmoor Farm, Oxspring.
	28th July	Start of 'The Great War' - A global war originating in Europe lasting from 28th July 1914 to the Armistice Day of 11th November 1918. However, A formal state of war persisted until the signing of the Treaty of Versailles on 28th June 1919. It is unlikely that it would be called the 'First World War' until another world war had started. The date and time of 11am on the eleventh day of the eleventh month was (and is) used as a time to remember those who gave their lives in the service of our country, and later to include the fallen of WWII. Penistone's War Memorial was built in 1924.
	24th Aug	11th Battery Royal Artillery - Billeted at Penistone. Ref 31, p35.
	5th Sept	Thurlstone Brass Band Parade - Through the villages of Thurlstone and Millhouse Green to raise a collection of money for the Local War Fund. This was on a poster with Band Secretary George Holden's name at the bottom.
	October	Newall Army Camp - Commencement of construction of an army camp near Silkstone by a Bradford company on land lent by JSH Fullerton of Noblethorpe, Silkstone. There was no proper road and the camp was often very muddy. This was well before the Silkstone Bypass (A628) was built. The camp was completed in December 1914 and occupied by the Barnsley Battalion. It was used for training in such as 'earth works' (trench-digging, etc.) and some was conducted on moors near Penistone. The Barnsley Battalion completed their work here on 13th May 2015 and were replaced by new troops. The battalion transferred to Salisbury Plain for further training. The camp was broken up in 1918 but came back into service for the Second World War. It later found new service as Silverwood Scout Camp. Ref 31, p38.
	10th Oct.	Thurlstone and Millhouse Green Methodist Church - First service was held. Two silver gilt keys had been presented to Mr G Porter of Barnsley and Mr O Nicholson before the day.
	31st Oct.	'A Town Hall, Council Chamber, Committee Room and Masonic Hall' - Opened adjacent to the Carnegie Free Library on Shrewsbury Road which was built the year before (see 1913). Described upon its opening as the 'Town Hall and Council Rooms.' This was a great leap forward for our town, as the new hall would function as a dance hall, assembly room, theatre and (soon afterwards in November 1915) a cinema. Public meetings for hustings, etc., had sometimes been held in the Assembly Rooms off St Mary's St. (itself to be a cinema of sorts), local public houses or outdoors before the Town Hall was built. The opening ceremony was performed by Alderman E Woodhead, JP, of Huddersfield. On rising to declare the hall open, he said that he hoped that the building would be a kind of 'Open sesame' to all that was good for the town. The ceiling of the Town Hall was glazed with beautiful stained glass and the Penistone/Clarel coat of arms adorned the stage area. The stained glass ceiling was later to be painted over with black paint. A Council Chamber and ancillary rooms were also part of the plans. Seperate to these, Pengeston Lodge 6933 Masonic Hall was also opened, situated above the central offices with access through the first door above the Town Hall. It is interesting that the Pengeston Lodge used (and still uses) its variant of the Penistone/Clarel coat-of-Arms. (Ref 1, Ref 16 and Ref 22). The text shown here was published in several Penistone Almanacks, thereby respecting the local use of the name 'Town Hall' to mean Penistone's hall of entertainment. See the Town Hall History page for more detail, 1913 (above) for the Carnegie Free Library and 1915 (below) for cinema and dance use.
	Oct	Ladies' Ambulance - Formed in Penistone with the guidance of Dr Wilson. Fund-raising was done by knitting garments.
		Penistone Workhouse used for wounded soldiers during the Great War of 1914 - 1918. Ref 27.
		Viewlands - A the row of eight houses built on Barnsley Road after the junction with Wellhouse Lane. Ref 17 p68.
	9th Dec	First inquest in Penistone Town Hall - This was for the death of 82 year old Mrs Charlotte Mitchell of Spring Vale who died as a result of a fall. This would be one of several other uses of our great public hall beyond just entertainment. Ref 26, Town Hall History.
	10th Dec	Fatality at Penistone Bridge. Mr Arthur Jagger of High Street, Penistone was killed this day by a crane in the bridge widening works at Bridge End. By the way, the name of 'Bridge Street' comes from Penistone Bridge (by the present-day traffic lights), rather than the railway bridge at the top (later to carry the Trans-Pennine Trail). Penistone Bridge was also the end point of the famous 'Mortimer's Road' which had been a failed toll road in the coaching era.
	27 Dec	Attempted Suicide - George Edward Wood threw himself off the end of Penistone viaduct nearest the station, a drop of about 80 feet. He was removed to Netherfield workhouse infirmary and semi-conscious for some days. His thigh was fractured and his head and face terribly bruised. From 'Huddersfield Exposed': On the evening of Sunday 27 December 1914, a local farmer was walking across the viaduct when he "heard groans in the valley 80 or 90 feet below". A search was made of the valley below and 21-year-old gas fitter George Edward Wood (son of Abraham Wood of Bridge Street, Penistone) was found badly injured, having deliberately jumped from the viaduct in a suicide attempt. The Huddersfield Examiner reported that '... his head and features were so terribly injured that he was unrecognisable, and it was only by his clothing and boots that his father identified him"[4]. Amazingly, Wood survived. He joined the Royal Engineers Corps in November 1915 but was discharged in July 1916 as "no longer physically fit for War Service.'
1915	21st Jan	Funeral of Crimean War Veteran - A large crowd and cortege gathered in Penistone for the funeral of Mr J Matthewman who had died at the age of 98. Ref 31, p40.
	3rd Feb	Skating on Penistone Dams - Excellent ice on the Scout and Castle Dams. It must have been a bitterly cold winter as skating on the waters was possible for some weeks.
	7th Feb	Choral Concert - This took place in Penistone's new Town Hall. Dr WM Robertshaw's Stocksbridge Choral Union performed the concert in support of the fund for a Penistone and District YMCA hut for France.
	8th Feb	Public House regulations - Wartime restrictions in force, requiring pubs to close at 9pm, instead of eleven.
	16th Feb	Neglect and death of a child - Luke Beever and his wife were parents of the dead child Gladys Beever. An inquest scheduled for 11th had to be cancelled when the parents absconded, to be reconvened on a Coroner's warrant after they were arrested at their hiding place in the Penistone District. The Coroner severely reprimanded them for absconding and the jury returned a verdict that the child had died from gross neglect and starvation. The parents were taken into custody.
	Month not certain	Penistone Bridge widened this year at Bridge End. This is the bridge after which both Bridge Street, Bridge End and Bridge Inn are named. Although it is almost unseen from the road, this is one of Penistone's oldest features in its various incarnations. Mr Mortimer's turnpike road of 1777 was specified as being between Grindleford in Derbyshire and Penistone Bridge, crossing the River Don at Bridge End. Penistone Bridge was previously rebuilt in 1866 (English Heritage) and, being in a key location, there probably were other bridges before that. It was widened in 1915 at the expense of West Riding County Council (WRCC) and, in 1988, became 'Grade II Listed' (British Listed Buildings), described as: 'Tooled squared stone, ashlar coping. East side: two segmental arches, pilaster buttresses with triangular cutwater to centre only. Flat band at base of coped parapet. The later west side is similar but of rock-faced stone. A plaque on the parapet records the date of widening.' The plaque on the parapet is inscribed with these words: W.R.C.C. Penistone Bridge Widened 1915 Penistone U.D. Thurlstone U.D.
	3rd June	Army Recruitment Campaign in Penistone. This was to gather more soldiers to fight in the Great War. The London Caledonian Band played outside the Spread Eagle Hotel. Ref 31, p44. See also 1771.
	Sunday 27th June	Penistone Feast. - Although called a feast, this was something like a gala day and latterly a name given to the visitng funfair, although it started as a church event. From 'Huddersfield Exposed' (slightly edited): Penistone Feast was traditionally held on the weekend following the 'Nativity Day of St. John the Baptist' (24th June) the saint that Penistone Church is dedicated to. It often included athletics and musical events. A local custom was that farmers would begin haymaking on the first day of the Feast, before attending in the evening. The page has some remarks about the various years' feasts: 'Denby Dale miner George Henry Crossland visited the Feast with friends and had several pints before stumbling drunkenly into the Queen's Hotel in Spring Vale, Penistone. Landlord Harry Thorpe asked him to leave and Crossland assault him. In court, to the amusement of all, Crossland claimed it took more than five drinks to get him drunk and that he "Caught hold of the landlord's legs to save himself from falling down the steps of the hotel." One of Crossland's friends told the court that the accused went on to drink another seven drinks elsewhere after being kicked out of the Queen's Hotel.'
		Holme village gained an electricity supply, generated from a water-driven turbine at Rake Dyke. This served the small community until 1934. See Holme Conservation Area (pdf).
	22nd Aug.	First Midhope Music Festival. Ref 6.
	20th Nov	Penistone Town Hall - Employed as a picture palace for the first time, albeit on a part-time basis in the early days of cinema. All films were silent in those days with a piano accompaniment. The Town Hall was let to Mr Joseph O Jesson to be used as a cinema after Penistone Urban District Council (PUDC) licenced it for 'Cinematographic entertainments' in August 1915, conditional on its availability for other local events and use for meetings, etc. There were two film shows per week and tickets cost between 3d and 9d. Dances were held on Saturdays. The original capacity before the balcony was added in the 1920s was 550. The 'talkies' would not come along until the end of the following decade. (Ref 1, Ref 16 and Ref 22). Town Hall History.
1916	2nd Feb.	Collapse of Penistone Viaduct - Part of the viaduct gave way in wet weather and the locomotive slid down the gap. Cracks had already been seen developing and an inspection was carried out days before it happened. The second and third arches collapsed along with a stationary freight locomotive at 4.15pm. These were the arches nearest to the River Don. Only eight minutes earlier, a passenger train had passed over the viaduct from Huddersfield. An on-looker noticed a hollow forming in the track and shouted to Mr Lockwood (driver) and Mr Butler (fireman), both had time to jump clear and neither of them would be injured in the accident. Heavy rain had weakened the viaduct foundations. The locomotive had to be broken up to remove it but it was recovered, repaired and it continued in service for another 25 years. Ref 1, Ref 3, Ref 6. and details on a postcard reproduced in 'The River Don' by Mike Taylor. See also the photo in Yates Fish and Chip shop.
		Mr W. Hallsworth was discharged from Gittis Wagon Building Company, Penistone, allegedly because of trade union activity. He was moved to Cammell-Lairds on 1st August, 'breaking shell', as a military service. His discharge certificate had the words "This man is wanted for the military." This was an interesting local intrigue as Mr W Thorne MP had suggested collusion between Major Skinner of Barnsley and the manager of the wagon works. See Hansard, 14th August 1916 and arguments on 15th August 1916.
	2nd July	Battle of the Somme - Local people died in this campaign, which would continue to November. Tanks were used for the first time in September, on our side. Take a look at the 'Stories from the Stones' series by Steve Lavender, telling the stories of Pvte Frank Peace and Pvte Frank Fearnely.
	14th July	Road Accident - Three men were killed instantly in a wagon smash on Board Hill. From the Dog and Partridge website: 'On Tuesday 14th July 1916 a terrible motor smash took place, a huge waggon, heavily laden with machinery got out of control whilst descending the hill. It smashed through the wall and over turned, three men died instantly. The only witness was the landlord Joe Turner. The bodies were removed to the Dog and Partridge to wait the inquest which returned a verdict of misadventure. The inn, has been a place for many inquests where bodies have been found on the moors and the corpses taken to the barn (now the hotel) prior to burial.' See also the Old Inns page.
	14th Aug.	Penistone Viaduct re-opened following its collapse and repair. Ref 6.
	27th - 28th Nov	Zeppelin Raids - On this night during the Great War, a German Zeppelin airship bombed Sheffield resulting in 28 deaths. It continued its bomb run through the Barnsley area but without serious damage in spite of many close shaves. Our locality could easily have had great damage just after midnight, as the Zeppelin came over Penistone but did not any drop any more bombs. The Zeppelin was brought down in the same morning near the East coast. Penistone Archives Journal No. 5.
1917	29th Jan	Private Earnest Clifford Vaughton, Yorks and Lancs Regiment - Interment with military honours at Stottercliff Cemetery, at the age of 21. He died in hospital at Gloucester from wounds received in action on 25th September 1916.
	3rd Feb	Cold Blast - Excellent ice on the Scout and Castle Dams allowing skating for some weeks.
		Thurlstone Corn Mill on the Thurlstone Z-bend was operated at this time by 'Penistone and District Farmers' Trading Society.' This is from an illustrated Barnsley Chronicle article on 20th January 2018 by Carolyn Thorpe, who had previously been the Penistone reporter for the said newspaper.
		Gas Showroom Opened - Penistone and District Gas Company Market Place, Penistone. Gas consumers could pay their bills there and were invited to inspect the latest developments in Gas Lighting, including the 'Pneumatic Gas Switch System' where gas is switched on and off in the manner of an electric light. On display were the latest cookers, gas fires, gas boilers, a gas fire-lighter ('no wood required') and a demonstration gas hot-water installation. They had gas mantles and glassware of the best quality and consumers were advised not to purchase cheap mantles of inferior quality. 'For those consumers who cannot find space for a Gas Cooker, a Gas Ring Burner can be fixed inside the coal oven.' Gerald Mitton was Manager. Actual date of opening was not given but it was advertised in the 1918 Penistone Almanack.
1918 to 1983		Penistone MPs, 1918 to 1983 - Listed in Hansard. See also the MP page, which lists them in more detail. Mr Sydney Arnold - 14th December 14 1918 - 15th February 1921, Mr William Gillis - 5th March 1921 - 15th November 1922 Mr William Pringle - 15th November 1922 - 29th October 1924 Mr Rennie Smith - 29th October 1924 - 27th October 1931 Mr Clifford Glossop - 27th October 1931 - 14th November 1935 Mr Henry McGhee - 14th November 1935 - 6th February 1959 Mr John Mendelson - 11th June 1959 - 20th May 1978 Mr Allen McKay - 13th July 1978 - 9th June 1983
1918	23rd Feb	Fatal Accident - Two workmen killed in an accident at Penistone Iron and Steelworks.
	20th Jun	Farmer's Union - Penistone branch formed.
	11th Nov	End of 'The Great War' - A global war originating in Europe lasting from 28th July 1914 to the Armistice Day of 11th November 1918. However, A formal state of war persisted until the signing of the Treaty of Versailles by the Germans on 28th June 1919. On the allied side, around four million civilians and more than five million soldiers died, with nearly 13 million military wounded. Nearly every town and village in the country had lost people to the war. An influenza pandemic from January 1918 to December 1920 killed a further 250,000 people in Britain, having possibly gained a foothold among troops in France. One in five who caught it died. Given that Penistone was more connected with Sheffield in those days than it is now, many local men had served as soldiers in the 'Sheffield Pals', the 12th Battalion of the York and Lancaster Regiment. The date and time of 11am on the eleventh day of the eleventh month was (and is) used as a time to remember those who gave their lives in the service of our country, and later to include the fallen of WWII. Penistone's War Memorial was built in 1924. (See 9th August 1924 below).
1919	Saturday 19th July	Peace Celebrations in Penistone and Thurlstone to mark the end of the Great War. A grand procession from Mr Hoyland's field by the Blacksmith's Arms, Millhouse Green, to Penistone. The band struck up at 1.30pm and the route was from Millhouse, Thurlstone, Bridge Street, down Church Hill, Spring Vale, Green Road, High Street to finish at Market Street, where photographs were taken. All were encouraged to decorate vehicles and bicycles. The Order of Procession: Inspector Williams and Police; Boy Scouts; Penistone Hunt; Equarians; Decorated wagons with Handbell Ringers and young children from Sunday Schools; Members of Public Bodies; Trade Conveyances; Private Conveyances; Thurlstone Prize Band; Demobilised Sailors, Soldiers, HM Air Force and other servicemen on leave; Sunday Schools with banners; Friendly Societies with regalia and banners; Railwaymen with banners; Inhabitants on foot; Cyclists; (Cycling was a big means of transport and hobby) Motor Cars (presumably at the end so as to not scare the horses at the front). Children and old people (60+) were treated to free teas in the schools, while demobilised servicemen and widows of those lost in the War met in the Town Hall at 4.30pm, presumably for tea. Tickets for the over-sixties were issued from the Food Office at the Town Hall. Celebrations continued from 6pm on 'the recreation ground' (location not specified), with games and Thurlstone Band accompanied by Crowedge Band. Games included greasy pole and pillow fight for boys and tug of war for girls. Ref 7
	'Peace Day' Sunday 20th July	Thanksgiving Service - To mark the peace after the Great War. This was in Penistone Town Hall from 2.30pm and must have been a large occasion. It was conducted by Clergy and Ministers of local Churches and Chapels, with Thurlstone Prize Band and children from Sunday Schools. The collection surplus after paying for hymn sheets went to St Dunstan's Hostel for Blinded Sailors and Soldiers. Teas were provided for servicemen, widows and people over 60 in Thurlstone and Millhouse schools, sports arranged and beacon fires were lit. The events of this rainy weekend were all in a great spirit of rejoicing, with Penistone Church bells ringing from early morning throughout the day to near midnight, with few breaks. Ref 7
	11th Aug	Andrew Carnegie Dies - The Scottish-American steel magnate and philanthropist was a great power behind the spread of libraries throughout the USA and the UK. His part-funding helped set up Penistone's Carnegie Library, which is now used by BMBC employes (what they like to call 'The Town Hall!'). Penistone had a new library built onHigh Street in 1966. See Richard Wright's 'People of Penistone' story below this table.
		Underbank Reservoir built by Barnsley Corporation at Midhope. From the Langsett link below, 'The valley of the Little Don or Porter and its tributaries were seen as an ideal location to site a reservoir funded by Sheffield, Doncaster, Rotherham and Barnsley Corporations.' This led to the loss of the old pottery complex (see 1720), houses along Dike Side, stepping stones and Badw Hall which was a substantial house. All of these were on the OS map of 1854. Prior to the reservoir, public drinking water had been provided by a well at the pottery. See 1720 for the Pottery. See also Langsett Parish Council's 'Short History of Langsett.'
1920s		Memorial Garden - Before the Park Avenue housing estate was built, plans were drawn up for a Memorial Garden on the corner with Market Street, approximately on the site of the current Penistone Co-op store. This would have had two lawns, three flower beds and two rose beds, surrounded by a rock garden and rose garden. An 'Informal, paved and sunken garden' area would have had bench seats as a quiet place of contemplation. Also a small, sheltered area. The garden would have had two points of entry: 1. Park Avenue, and 2. Market Street.
		'The Age of Electricity'. Penistone Almanacks of this period were advertising the uptake of Electricity in the home. Up to now, homes were lit by gaslight mantles. The installation of an electricity supply caught on much more in the 1930s but was a slow process. A few stragglers were still without electricity into the 1950s and there was one house on one side of Matthew Gap Thurlstone (then called 'Woodland View') with no electricity until around 1964. A shop on the outskirts of Sheffield was gas-lit in the 1980s. From the 1924 Almanack (various page headings): 'This is the Electric Age' - 'The Light that Never Fails' - 'Use Gas-filled Lamps' - 'Why Have Dirty Ceilings?' - 'Brighten Penistone' - 'Baby is Afraid of the Dark' - 'You Desire Electricity in your House!'
1920	14th Apr	Parochial Church Council - First one elected at Penistone. Ref 26.
	29th May	Severe thunderstorm - Resulting in locally flooded roads. Ref 26.
	16th Oct	Penistone Branch of the Labour Party formed. Ref 26.
1921	13th Apr	Mr JW Fulford, MA - The long-serving Headmaster of Penistone Grammar School resigned, presumably because of old age. Fulford saw the school through historic changes; the move of the school from the town centre to Weirfield and the admittance of girls in 1907. He was preceded by Mr Lionel Ernest Adams, BA, Mr Joseph Woodward Fulford became Headmaster of PGS in 1893 and was succeeded by Mr Guy Morris, BA. Ref 26. See PGS history and PGS Archive.
	21st Aug	War Memorial Tablet unveiled in Penistone Wesleyan Church. Ref 26.
	4th Sept	War Memorial Tablet unveiled at Hoylandswaine. Ref 26.
	8th Sept	B & W Bus Service - Started in Penistone. It would cease in 1925.
	29th Oct	Penistone Division of Coalition Liberal Association formed. Ref 26.
		Blacksmith's Shop - Opened at 13 Thurlstone Road, near Penistone Bridge. Fred Taylor took over the Thurlstone Road shop from Enoch Roebuck. The business was continued until 1996 by Fred's son John 'Putty' Taylor, who lived just around the corner on Talbot Road. His nickname was not at all appreciated by himself but others would tease him with it. The building was very dimly-lit. It stood empty for many years before being rebuilt as Tiamo's Italian restaurant.
		The Hepworth Iron Co. at Crow Edge gains an important contract with the General Post Office (GPO) for the supply of clayware conduit for the protection of underground telephone cable. Thereafter the manufacture of conduit formed an increasing proportion of the company's business. The GPO oversaw the UK's telephony system (and mail) at the time, to become British Telecom (BT) in recent times as a private company.
1921-22		Cubley housing estate started to be constructed as a 'model village' using concrete made to resemble stone blocks, on land purchased in 1919. It was planned to accommodate workers at Cammell Laird steelworks. The design was by top architect, Herbert Baker, who had worked with Sir Edward Lutyens on New Delhi. Chairman of Cammells, Mr WL Hichens, said that they planned to erect about 500 houses on the estate, starting with a hundred. They hoped the village would be a model for the rest of the country but only part of the plan was built, mostly that on land transferred to Penistone Council in 1921. A note in Hansard for 30th March 1922 refers to a 'new road at Mortimer Road' (Hansard). See Gracesguide and the Penpic Cubley Hall page. Visit Cubley Hall to see the original street plan on the wall.
1922		Penistone and District Amateur Operatic Society formed, latterly renamed Penistone Centre Stage. The Society merged singers from Church and Chapel, its first presentation being 'The Dogs of Devon'. Story and date from a Barnsley Chronicle report, 12th July 2013 (not confirmed). It celebrated its 90th year (as Penistone Centre Stage) with a production of 'Annie' in March 2012. It ended in June 2017.
		Wiseman's Off-licence and Grocers - This building had started as the Prince of Wales public house which belonged to Rawsons Brewery (Sheffield) and/or Gilmore's (another Sheffield brewery). It was bought in 1873 by Lancelot 'Lance' Gibson Burdett who changed its use from public house to a shop for general provisions. In 1879, he then applied for a licence to sell beer for consumption off the premises (an off-licence). Around 1895, Lance's wife Catherine Burdett took over the off-licence (Lance was a carpenter). Although ownership stayed with Catherine, management of the shop passed down to her son Herbert Burdett around 1905. At some point in time, Joseph Brown and family rented the building as an off-licence but that business failed. In 1918 Alice Burdett, Herbert's daughter (Catherine's grand daughter) married Robert Hodgson Wiseman. Robert Burdett was born the same year as the marriage. In 1922 Robert Hodgson Wiseman (Robert and Sheila's father) took over the shop and turned it into Wiseman's Off-licence and grocers. The grocery shop was Wiseman's for many decades and it still trades under that name but is no longer connected with the Wiseman family. Many thanks to Mr Robert Wiseman for supplying details. See the Inns History page.
		Upper Denby Brass Band - Founded this year. As the 'Denby United Silver Prize Brass Band,' it was disbanded around 1960. Contest results can be found in Ref 32, (p. 79).
		Work started on Scout Dyke Reservoir. Ref 1.
	4th Oct	Sale by Auction - Land owned by Mr H Unwin of penistone and District gas Company. Land encompassing Unwin Street was called the 'Bricky Field' and there is a reference somewhere to its clay being used to make bricks. The area was a 6 Acres, 3R, 6P and 'was withdrawn' at £1,600. Six cotteges at the bottom of Unwin St. 'were withdrawn' at £1,200 and four cottage fronting High Street for £750. This item is from Pen Archive Journal No.11, covering January to June 2022.
	14th Nov	Radio Broadcasting - First national broadcasts 'on the wireless' which would lead to a boom in home-constructed 'wireless sets' (the word 'set' comes from the set of parts used). The simplest radios were Crystal Sets which used few parts and did not need a battery. Long aerial wires sprouted up over the coming years. Television would not arrive in the UK until 1936.
	10th Dec	Memorial Tablet unveiled at Netherfield Congregational Church, Huddersfield Road (now a private dwelling). Ref 26.
1923	7th Jan	Works Fire - J Durrans and Sons blacking works, Thurlstone. Ref 26.
	11th Mar	War Memorial Tablet Dedicated - In Thurlstone St Saviour's church.
	1st May	A Recreation Field? - As plans were progressing to build a War Memorial by the church wall, John Ness Dransfield called upon the townspeople to purchase a “Show Field” at Stottercliffe rather than a 'Little Stone Obelisk' as a War Memorial. He called upon local residents to purchase a field for use as a Recreation Ground instead of the War Memorial and called for a public meeting to dicuss this. The second meeting was 28th May, where £400 was said to be available. JND opposed a War Memorial being put in the churchyard, said that other meetings concerning this were illegal and that he considered appealling to the local M.P and Ministry of Health (to block it happening). Eventually (date unknown) a local farmer made a gift of land to the people of Penistone for recreational use. This would become the Showground. See Show History.
	10th May	Penistone and District Working Men's Club and Institute - Registered as a business. This was Penistone's famous and very popular Working Men's Club in Spring Vale. It was on the land now occupied by Spring Vale School and had a large car park. See 17th Jan 1925 below, FCA and the Streets Tour.
	12th July	Assembly Hall Cinema Burnt Out - Stottercliff Road, destroyed by fire. Cinema fires were common given the heat from electric arc projection lights and the highly-flammable cellulose films of the time. This was the former 'Assembly Rooms', originally built as a gas fittings showroom but used as a public hall before Penistone Town Hall opened on Shrewsbury Road in 1914. Ref 17 p28. See Town Hall History.
	21st Sept	Motorbike Accident - Curate at Penistone church, Rev TH Whitehouse was injured in a terrible road accident on Thurgoland Bank. He would return to his church duties on 21st July 1924. Ref 26.
		Cubley Brook Brewery changes to brewing only malt vinegar around this year. See PPMV Co page and 1848.
	1st Dec	Stocksbridge War Memorial unveiled.
1924	20th Jan	Barnsley Company's Buses - First run to Penistone this year. From Almanack 1945.
	6th Feb	Public Meeting - To consider a report from Messrs Taylor and Sons, bell-founders of Loughborough, about the condition of Penistone Church's six bells. It was decided to have them re-cast and re-hung. Subsequently, it was resolved to add two smaller bells to complete the octave. A later decision was taken to replace the clock and an extra clock face was decided on still later. The bells and clock were removed mid-June. An appeal for funds was generously responded to and Mr GAB Lockley of Cubley Hall paid for Westminster chimes to be fitted. Messrs Taylor and Sons would install the bells and chimes and Messrs Potts of Leeds would fit the new clock. The total estimated cost was £1,162. Ref 26.
	24th April	Penistone Cattle Market closed to comply with Foot and Mouth Disease regulations. Ref 26.
	22nd May	Scout Dike Reservoir - First sod cut on a brilliant sunny day in a ceremony performed by Cllr GF Wood, Mayor of Barnsley, with Barnsley Corporation VIPs watching on. Water would be impounded from November 1928. The reservoir scheme was intended to improve Barnsley's water supply. Ref 26.
		Thurlstone Wesleyan Sunday School - A souvenir mug was produced to commemorate the centenary of 1824 - 1924 for the Sunday School. The mug is about 3½ inches tall by around 3" diameter. A diamond-shaped logo at the base has a 'P' at the top, 'Diamond' in the middle, a 'B' on the left, 'Co.' on the right and 'China Ltd.' below, with England below the diamond. Thanks to R White.
	7th Jun	Oxspring Post Office - Gas used for the first time, for lighting, etc. The 1954 Almanack gives the date as 2nd June.
	9th Jun	Annual Procession - In association with Penistone and Thurlstone Sunday Union, with about 2,000 in the procession, seven schools took part in brilliant sunshine. Ref 26.
	16th to 18th Jun	Penistone Church Bells - The six church bells were removed for the purpose of re-casting into eight church bells and would be taken by lorry to Loughborough on 26th June 1924. See 6th February 1924 above. 1925 Pen Almanack Ref 26.. See Dove's Guide for Church Bell Ringers (Penistone section) and Church History.
	24th Jun	A Special Sermon - In compliance with the terms of a will dated 1703, of Samuel Wordsworth, an ancestor of the poet of that name, the Vicar of Penistone (Rev EB Carleton) preached a sermon in Penistone parish church 'for the edification of the parishioners of the said parish, particularly of young persons.'
		Cubley Brook Brewery sold and re-opened, after being out of use since 1911. The new portion was used as a Malt Kiln and the older portion as a Malt Vinegar Brewery. This was the beginnings of the Penistone Pure Malt Vinegar Company. Ref 26.
	14th July	Penistone Town Hall Improvements - This was a major operation to make the Circle (balcony or 'gallery') compliant with regulations and for it to re-open. This feature of our public hall had been closed for a long time. From a Penistone Almanack. See Town Hall History.
	9th Aug	Penistone's New War Memorial - This was unveiled on a bright, sunny day. See the Penistone War Memorial article below this table. Details from Ref 25 also Ref 1, Ref 3. Names of the fallen are listed on the Barnsley War Memorials site. Remembrance parades and ceremonies have respectfully taken place by the Penistone War Memorial every year, with the roll of the Fallen and two minutes contemplative silence. See also the Remembrance Day page.
		First buses from Yorkshire Traction Co and Sheffield Corporation run to Penistone. Ref 6, p9.
	21st Aug	The 64th Penistone Agricultural Show - Held on a day of heavy showers, causing receipts at the gates and grandstand to suffer. This was the third show in succession to be on a rainy day. There were 2,605 entries. Ref 26.
		Midhope School rebuilt, for the third time. It has since closed.
		Spring Vale Garage founded this year by Cecil Penney on Sheffield Road. He was a former employee of William Gittus and Son, Waggon makers. By 1936 the garage sold six brands of petrol: Cleveland Discol, National Benzole, Esso, Esso Ethyl, Power and BP. Penney's garage is still running today. Ref 17 p94.
		Spring Vale Methodist Church - Opened nearly opposite the current junior school, replacing the older 'Tin Chapel'.
	8th Sept	London Excursion . Brownhill & Co. weavers in Denby Dale visit The British Empire Exhibition held in the Empire Stadium (Wembley), London. King George V had opened the the exhibition on St George's Day, 1924. An itinerary for the trip is reproduced in Ref 32, (p. 25).
	12th Sept	Spring Vale Headmaster - Mr Walter Gledhill, BSc., who was for the past fourteen years head teacher at the Penistone Spring Vale Council School, accepted a position of head teacher at Mexborough Council School.
	25th Sept	Gas Leak Fatality - Laura Sylvester Greaves, aged 21 years, of Barnsley, employed as domestic servant at the Old Crown Hotel, Penistone, was found in bed unconscious suffering from gas poisoning. She died in the Barnsley Beckett Hospital the following week. At the inquest, a verdict of “accidental death” was returned.
	20th Oct	Sudden Death of Mr GAB Lockley - Sudden death of Mr. George Alfred Bradley Lockley, aged 71 years, of Cubley Hall. Penistone, who had been connected with Messrs. Cammell’s Steelworks in Spring Vale for about forty years, during the latter part of which time he had been manager. Funeral service on Oct 23rd at the United Methodist Church, of which Mr. Lockley had been a generous supporter. Interment was in Netherfield graveyard. Ref 26. See 20th Dec '24 below.
	29th Oct	General Election. Penistone Parliamentary Division. Total electorate 35,358 of whom 80.6% recorded their votes on the showery day. Ref 26. Results declared from Penistone Town Hall the following day. Mr Smith (Lab.) displaced Mr Pringle (Lib.), who had been Penistone's MP from November 1922: 10,997 - Rennie Smith BSc (Labour), 9,718 - Col. Charles Hodgkinson (Conservative), 7,799 - William Mather Rutherford Pringle (Liberal)
	13th Dec	Millhouse Institute - Opened in Millhouse Green by Mr J Wagstaff JP. It had cost about £1,170. Ref 26.
	20th Dec.	New Bells and Clock Dedicated - At Penistone Church by the Venerable Archdeacon Harvey of Huddersfield. The new clock was to have two faces on the West and South sides of the tower, with the second face overlooking Shrewsbury Road to be connected through a right-angled pinion gear box. The Parochial Church Council had made their decision on 28th May 1924 to erect a new clock. The existing clock was becoming unreliable after doing service since 1817. The clock order had been placed with Messrs Potts of Leeds with Mr George Alfred Bradley Lockley of Cubley Hall bearing the cost of fitting it with Westminster Chimes as an act of charity. Unfortunately, Mr Lockley might have passed away before ever hearing the new Westminster chimes that he had paid for. See 20th Oct '24 above. Ref 6, Ref 26 and see 1817 and Penistone Church history page.
1925	January	Mumps prevalent in the district. Several schools closed. Ref 26.
	3rd Jan	First Peal of Penistone Church's new carillon of eight bells. Described as: Kent Treble Bob Major, 5,184 changes. Previously six bells in the church tower, see June 1924 and Dec 1924 above. Ref 26.
	6th Jan	Death of Mr J W Fulford, M.A. - He had been headmaster of Penistone Grammar School for 28 years.
	13th Jan	Man killed by Express Train at Dunford Bridge. Mr Sam Fenton, 61, was a signal fitter and lived on Don Street. Ref 26.
	17th Jan.	Penistone & District Working Men's Club - Opened in Spring Vale by Cllr Jackson of Barnsley. A later building which had been used as a cinema for navvies building the new Woodhead Tunnel was added around 1950. It was demolished around 1958 and a new purpose-built clubhouse put up. See 10th May 1923 above and the Spring Vale Streets Tour.
	1st Feb	Mr George Lansbury, MP - He spoke on the Nationalisation of Mines in Penistone Town Hall, in connection with the formation of the Penistone Branch of the Labour Party. This using the Town Hall in its other role as an 'Assembly Hall.' Ref 26. See Town Hall History.
	7th Mar	Death of Mr Charles Haigh - Delivering milk from his farm, Heights Farm, Thurgoland. His horse bolted, dragging him along the road, eventually pinning him between the cart and wall. The Inquest returned a verdict of Accidental Death. Ref 26.
		PGS War Memorial - The Old Boys' memorial plaque was unveiled by Dr AJC Wilson, Chairman of PGS governors in a well-attended ceremony. This was a carved wooden plaque to remember the 28 'old boys' who fell in the Great War and was placed in the school's then new new Library room (Fulford building). See also 1948 and 2012.
		Baddeley's Buses Start - Jesse and Leonard Baddeley started their bus service in Huddersfield this year. After moving in 1930 to Holmfirth, they became well-known in our area. They continued in Holmfirth until closing down in 1981. From the Barnsley Chronicle (6th March 2020) we discover that besides the usual workers' runs to Hepworth Iron, David Brown's, and Fox's along with the PGS school buses but also some excursions to such as Blackpool, Scarborough, Belle Vue in Manchester and even as far as Torquay.
	Nov	Spring Vale Box Mill demolished. The stone was used to build houses at the corner of Don Street. The mill was built 1860-1861 by Messrs G&W Waites and used as a Flax Mill until it closed in 1869. Some years later it was a Mineral Water Box Factory and employed many hands. Ref 26.
	11th Dec	Shop to be Demolished - Posted on Facebook (Archive Group) by Kevin Neill, a photograph in the Sheffield Daily Telegraph of this date shows a shop which was about to be demolished. The caption reads: 'The "Old Druggist White" shop at Penistone, now being demolished for street widening. The motor-bus service to Penistone Green and Cubley Garden Village passes this point, which is about seven yards wide.' The photo also shows a gaslamp on the corner of the pavement. The shop was at something like a 20° angle to the street and really did constrict the road. At its nearest point, it would be opposite what is now Cafe Creme on High Street. The Spar supermarket now occupies much of the old shop's position.
	26th Dec.	The White Bear public house closed, having opened in 1861. It would become the Penistone British Legion club. Its door was in the ginnel by Clark's Chemist, now bricked up . Ref 17 p73. See the Old Inns page.
	30th Dec	Worst gale in Penistone for 31 years.
1926	9th Jan	Smith's Wiremill Fire - Building burnt out in Millhouse Green.
	14th Feb	Silkstone Main colliery flooded. Ref 6, p11.
		Horns Inn closed. The building is now used by the Balti House Indian take-away. Ref 6. See the Old Inns page.
	1st May	Penistone Royal British Legion Club Ltd. - Registered as a business. Before 1926, it started in the old Blue Ball public house in Thurlstone then moved into the former White Bear pub, Penistone (now mostly Clark's Chemist) and opened 5th June 1926. It was accessed from the ginnel side of the building and up the stairs. It moved again in 1974 and opened at 14 St Mary's Street, where it is now. See the RBL page and FCA.
		Rev Romeo Edwin Taglis died, former vicar of Upper Denby church. He was 67 years old and was interred at Upper Denby churchyard. He had been the vicar for thirty-two years. Ref 32
	3rd Aug	Electricity (Supply) Act relating to our area. From Hansard: 'Resolved, That the Special Order made by the Electricity Commissioners under the Electricity (Supply) Acts, 1882 to 1922, and confirmed by the Minister of Transport under the Electricity (Supply) Act, 1919, in respect of the urban districts of Denby and Cumberworth, Dodworth, Gunthwaite and Ingbirchworth, Hoylandswaine, Shelley. Shepley, Stocksbridge and Thurlstone, and parts of the rural districts of Barnsley and Penistone, all in the West Riding of the county of York, which was presented on the 15th day of July, 1926, be approved.' This paved the way for our electricity supply. Homes at this time would have been lit by gas lamps, although some disparate mains supplies could be found, with variations in voltage and either ac or dc. The Act closed down most of the smaller generators and unified the output of those remaining.
	16th Aug	Thurgoland Miners' Welfare Recreation Ground and Institute founded, later renamed as Thurgoland Village Welfare. Local landowner Robert Mountain Swift of Copster, Thurgoland donated about four acres of land called 'Clapper Gates' by signing a deed transferring it into the care of the trustees of Thurgoland Miners' Welfare Recreation Ground and Institute, for recreational and educational use, for the benefit of local residents. It was registered with the Charity Commission soon afterwards. In 1973, the trust was renamed as 'Thurgoland Village Welfare'. The Recreation Ground, Village Hall, Youth Centre, Bowling Green and Tennis Court are all now on this land but the old name of 'Clapper Gates' is no longer in common use. The Trust is independent of any 'official' body and does not 'belong' to anyone but the villagers. Details from a Thurgoland Welfare Newsletter (pdf) and History (pdf) on the Thurgoland site. Reg. Charity 523970.
	4th Dec	New Salvation Army building, on the junction of Miller Hill and Wakefield Road, Denby Dale. Local dignitary Sir James Peace Hinchliffe (1862 - 1933) officiated at the opening ceremony. The Salvation Army had started on 11th September 1884 in Denby Dale, in a centrally-located wooden building. The Salvation Army continued in Denby Dale until it was disbanded in 1970, although the stonework of the building was clearly inscribed with its original use. Sir James was the son of the mill owner, Zaccheus Hinchliffe. Ref 32
	24th Dec	Horns Inn Closed - On Market Street. A faded, painted sign above the shop reads: 'Bentley Rotherham Beers/Ales.' The 'Beers' and 'Ales' are on top of each other. Bentley's Ales changed its name to Bentley's Beers. A 1970s photo shows the building as 'Wordsworth Turton & Co.' but it became the Balti House Indian take-away. Later became the 'Penistone Spice Flame and Grill.' See the Old Inns page for more.
1927	29th Jan	'Tin Chapel' opened in Spring Vale. From Mrs Margaret Marsh's archives, the chapel had started in the 1850s with services first held in a cottage on the very steep Queen Street, Spring Vale (which leads down to the Cricket Club). A chapel was built a few years later and used for more than 60 years before this one was built on the same site in 1926/7. A Sunday School premises was later opened on 4th November 1961.
	27th Feb	Train Collision - This was in Penistone station, between a Huddersfield-bound tank engine and a Manchester Central to Marlebone Express, hauled by the Prince George, 4-4-0, No. 5437. Having used the turntable, the LMS 2-4-2T, No. 10760 was heading to re-connect with its Huddersfield train as its driver mistook the signal intended for the express as being for him, just as the express was approaching Penistone. The fireman spotted the express, told the driver and promptly jumped off. With great presence of mind, the tank engine driver opened the regulator to reduce the impact. From p 52, 'The Sheffield Star Railway Album' (2008), ISBN 978-1-84547-206-1. See also the LNER Report (pdf) to Ministry of Transport. Thirty-eight passengers suffered minor injuries or shock, and of these three were taken to hospital but were not detained.
		Penistone Grammar School had 350 boys and girls, with a staff of 20 assistant masters and mistresses. The headmaster was Gray Wilfred Morris and the school clerk was Charles Hodgkinson, a local Solicitor. Hodgkinson had served the school well, having been listed as school clerk in Kelley’s 1889 trade directory. See Ref 28.
	16th Aug	Motor Ambulance - Delivered to Penistone.
		Penistone Primitive Methodist Chapel opened.
1928		Frank Platt's electrical shop opens in Holmfirth (still trading 2013). Later shops arrived in Glossop and Penistone.
		Smallpox outbreak at Penistone Workhouse. Eight cases of which one was fatal, thought to have been brought in by vagrants from Barnsley. Ref 27.
	26th Aug.	Seventh Denby Dale 'Infirmary' Pie, was baked to raise much-needed money for Huddersfield Royal Infirmary and to belatedly celebrate victory in the Great War. It was opened by William Wood. A sign read: '£1,000 needed for Huddersfield Infirmary'. More than 6,000 people arrived by train. There were a few problems behind the scenes. A local man discreetly removed six barrowloads of rotten contents to prevent the pie going off. The dish had a leak which was plugged with a poultice of mostly oatmeal. The 16ft long, 5ft wide dish became stuck in the oven and twenty men with crowbars took two hours to break it free. See Ref 20. Also see Denby Dale Pie History.
1929	11th Jan	Penistone Farmers’ Union - Held whist drive and dance in the Town Hall in aid of local charities; about 500 present. Town Hall history.
	23rd Jan	Concert in Penistone Town Hall - Penistone Musical Society held popular concert in the Town Hall. Soloists: Miss Doris Cowen, contralto; Mr. E. Wilkinson, bass, Sheffield. Accompanist, Miss L. Nicholson. Black Dyke Band Premier Four (1st and 2nd cornets, tenor horn, and euphonium) were also highly appreciated. Town Hall history.
	26th Jan	Local Girl Killed in Road Accident - Kathleen Riding, aged 14 years, of Don St., Penistone, was knocked down by a motor van and seriously injured. She was removed to the Sheffield Infirmary and died there. Verdict of inquest on Feb 9th: 'Accidental death.' From the 1930 Penistone Almanack.
	4th to 8th Feb	Musical Play - 'The Belle of Brittany in Penistone Town Hall. Performed by the local Operatic Society, this drew large and appreciative audiences. Producer, Mr. Ben Rayner ; musical director, Mr. C. A. Clifford; pianist, Miss Rhoda Lockwood; joint secretaries, Mr. and Mrs. Geo. Marshall. Town Hall history.
	21st Feb	Liberal Party Meeting - In Penistone Town Hall. Mr. Walter Runciman, M.P., former President of the Board of Trade, spoke in a meeting organised by the Liberal Association. We must remember the 'other' use of the Town Hall, as an assembly room for meetings and hustings. Town Hall history.
	15th Mar	The Hunt Ball - At Penistone Town Hall. Few people turned up. Town Hall history.
	20th Mar	Haydn’s 'Creation' - Performed in Penistone Town Hall by the Musical Society. Principals: Miss Helen Talbot, soprano; Mr. Fred Portman, tenor; Mr. Stanley Jepson, bass. Mr. Allan Smith led the orchestra, with Miss L. Nicholson as pianist. Conductor, Mr. A. W. Jagger. Town Hall history.
	30th Mar	Yorkshire Post Advert - 'Wanted - a person to fulfil the duties of Clerk and Financial officer to Thurlstone Urban District Council at an inclusive salary of £130 per annum. Applications stating age, experience, qualifications to be sent to the Chairman, Mr Jonas Wagstaff, Glen Side, Dunford Bridge, nr Sheffield, on or before the 4th April. H Eric Beardsall, Clerk (pro-tem). Council Offices, Thurlstone, 21st March 1929.' This newspaper clipping was submitted to Penistone Archive Group (Facebook) by Roger Waddington.
	1st April	Street Lights Go Off - Public lighting at Penistone discontinued causing much dissatisfaction amongst those having to walk along the streets in the dark. From the 1930 Penistone Almanack, which did not explain why.
	11th April	Concert - Visit of the Gloops Concert Party to Penistone Town Hall. Town Hall history.
	20th May	Whitsuntide Walk - This grand procession was headed by Thurlstone Brass Band, with the ministers, teachers, and scholars of the various Free Churches in the district marching from Millhouse Green to Penistone Market Place in beautiful weather. They sang hymns at three places, conducted by Mr. O Nicholson. Whit Sunday walks were very big and popular local events for many years, with families dressing up in their best clothes. They ended (1960s?) when HM Government changed the public holidays. See the Local Customs page about Whitsuntide processions.
	10th June	A New 'Empire Cinema' for Penistone? - Plans passed for a new Empire Cinema to be built on the site of old Assembly Hall Cinema off St Mary's Street which had been destroyed by fire in 1924. From the 1930 Penistone Almanack.
	20th June	Scout Dike Reservoir Opened - Official opening of Scout Dike Reservoir, constructed to provide compensation water for mill-owners, at the rate of 690,000 gallons per day. The ceremony was performed by Lt.-Col. W. E. Raley, the Chairman of the Barnsley Water Committee. From the 1930 Penistone Almanack.
	20th June	Royd Moor Reservoir Started - Cutting of first sod at Royd Moor for a new reservoir to supply Barnsley with water; this was done by the Mayor of Barnsley, Alderman J. F. Broley. When completed, it is estimated that 1,000,000 gallons per day will be available from this source. From the 1930 Penistone Almanack.
	27th July	Carnival and Parade - This was in aid of Penistone, Thurlstone, and District Nursing Association, Penistone Division St. John Ambulance Brigade, and Penistone District Motor Ambulance Fund, brought in £35, 7shillings. These were harsh times with rising unemployment. A dance at St. John’s School added £12 to the fund.
	12th Aug	Penistone Bus Shelter and Toilets - Plans were passed for the construction of a bus shelter and public conveniences in the Market Place, Penistone. From 1930 Penistone Almanack.
	27th Sept	'Imps' Dance - Held at Penistone Town Hall. About 200 people were present. Town Hall history.
	29th Sept	Fieldsend's Steps Altered - The steps which projected on the pavement in front of Mrs. T. Fieldsend’s fruit and greengrocery shop in Market Street, Penistone, were put back about two feet, thus widening the footpath and improving its appearance. The work was done by Penistone Urban District Council. From the 1930 Penistone Almanack.
		The English Steel Corporation Ltd formed from a merger of steel industry companies, involving parts of: Vickers, Vickers-Armstrong and Cammell, Laird and Co. The Yorkshire Steel and Iron works in Penistone was part of Cammel Laird.
	11th Oct	Dance and Whist Drive - Held at Penistone Town Hall in aid of the Penistone, Thurlstone and District Nursing Association. Town Hall history.
	24th Nov	Hospital Committee - Annual gathering at Penistone Town Hall, in connexion with the local Hospital Committee. The Lord Mayor of Sheffield (Aidermaan Beardsley) was present. Penistone Town Hall (the Paramount) was often used in its function as an assembly hall in those days. From 1931 Almanack. Town Hall history.
	3rd Dec	Industrial Accident - David Emmott, 51 years, of Sheffield Road, Penistone, was killed by a ingot weighing about 50 cwts. falling on to his chest and neck, while at his work at Penistone Steelworks. From the 1931 Penistone Almanack.
	22nd Dec	'The Messiah' - Penistone Town Hall. A preformance by Penistone Musical Society. Principals: Miss Edith Reed, Miss Gladys Howarth, Mr. Harold Howe, and Mr. Booth Unwin. Town Hall history.
	26th Dec	Annual PCFC Dance - Penistone Town Hall. Penistone Church Football Club’s annual dance and whist drive was held on Boxing day with about 800 people present. Town Hall history.
1930s		Electric Street Lighting - This came to Penistone streets around this time. An item for 1st April 1929 above refers to the street lights being turned off, which probaly meant gas street lights. There certainly had been gas lamps in the streets. The electricity supply was expanding in this decade, but slowly.
		Bank Rebuilt - Formerly a shop, such as 'Hudson and Birks - Boot and Shoe Warehouse' the National Westminster Bank building on the corner of Market Street and St Mary's Street was rebuilt in this decade. The company would later be renamed 'Natwest.' According to bank worker Jennifer Pickering, an anniversary for 50 years was held in the 1980s and staff dressed up for each decade of its time. Following HSBC's example (closing their Penistone branch in 2016) the Natwest closed on 27th June 2018.
		Cubley Hall - Converted into a Children's Home in this decade. It had been a farmhouse on the Pennine pack horse route during the 18th century and had been a 'fine gentleman's residence' in Victorian times. It closed as a Children's Home in 1980 and became a freehouse pub in 1982. It has always been very popular since, for food, drink and entertainment, up to the present day (certainly in 2023). See Old Inns.
	23rd Oct	Thurgoland Waterworks - New waterworks opened (1954 Almanack). A slightly puzzling entry. Could this refer to the sewage treatment works at Cheese Bottom?
1930	10th Jan	Penistone Steelworks to Close - The Board of the English Steel Corporation, at a meeting in Sheffield, announced that they had decided to close the Penistone works immediately. All the staff had been given a month’s notice to take effect on 1st February. At the meeting of the Urban Council it was resolved to send a deputation to ask the Corporation to re-consider their decision. This was done, but without effect. Afterwards the deputation saw Mr. J. H. Thomas (Lord Privy Seal), who was sympathetic but unable to promise any effective help. From the 1931 Penistone Almanack.
		Church Roof Fund - £1,500 was raised to repair damage to Penistone parish church church roof by death-watch beetle. Work was commenced in 1931, completed 1932.
		Penistone Workhouse at Netherfield (see 1861) taken over by the West Riding County Council (WRCC). It was continued as a 'Public Assistance Institution' and an initial report gave it good commendations. This would become an old people's home, and later the PGS 6th Form annexe. Ref 27.
	17th - 22nd Feb	'The Count of Como' - Penistone Town Hall. This comic opera was presented by Penistone Operatic Society. It was very successful as regards production, but conditions of high unemployment and the consequent general misery in the district prevented crowded audiences. Town Hall history.
	11th Mar	Attempted Suicide - Appearance of John Bance, 44 years old, navvy, of Scout Dike, Penistone, at Barnsley Police Court, charged with attempted suicide by throwing himself before a goods train at Penistone. He was discharged. In those straight-talking days, they would say he 'committed suicide' as it was regarded as a crime. These days it would be 'He killed himself' as a more sensitive turn of phrase. From the 1931 Penistone Almanack.
	27th Mar	Last Meeting - Of Penistone Guardians; Mr. Kaye, C.C., presiding. The members were photographed and afterwards entertained to tea by the Chairman and Clerk. On 31st March 1930, Penistone, Wortley, and Barnsley Boards of Guardians ceased to exist, and their place was taken by the Staincross Guardians Committee. From the 1931 Penistone Almanack.
	27th Mar	Boy Killed in Road Accident - Kenneth Owen, 14 years old son of Mr. W. H. Owen, surveyor to the Penistone Rural District Council, was killed whilst riding an ordinary bicycle down Cubley Hill. He ran into a motor-car driven by Dr. A A Masser, rebounded into the wall and died almost instantly. Verdict: 'Died from fracture of the skull by being crushed against a wall.' From the 1931 Penistone Almanack.
	9th April	'Hiawatha' - Penistone Town hall. Coleridge Taylor’s 'Hiawatha' was performed by Penistone Musical Society. Principals: Miss Ida Bloor, Mr. Stanley Jepson, and Mr. Melvyn Roebuck. Accompanist: Miss Nicholson. First Violin: Mr. Allan Smith. Violoncello: Mr. Collin Smith. Cornet: Mr. G. H. Mercer.
	18th April	Choral Concert - Penistone Church choir rendered the sacred cantata 'The Passion of Christ.'
	19th April	Presentation to Long-serving PCFC Official - A silver tea service was presented to Mr George Mellor, who has served the Penistone Church Football Club for about 20 years, first as secretary and later as chairman.
	26th April	Football Match Final - Most likely at Bailey's Park, Penistone, before PCFC had set up its own playing field. The Final of the Sheffield Amateur League was held at Penistone for the first time. Score was: Stocksbridge Church, 1; Lopham Street (Sheffield) 0.
		Baddeley's Buses Move to Holmfirth - Having started their bus service in Huddersfield, Jesse and Leonard Baddeley moved to Holmfirth some time this year and became well-loved in our area. They continued in Holmfirth until closing down in 1981. From the Barnsley Chronicle (6th March 2020) we discover that besides the usual workers' commutes to Hepworth Iron, David Brown's, and Fox's along with PGS school buses, they also ran excursions to such as Blackpool, Scarborough, Belle Vue in Manchester and even as far as Torquay.
	3rd May	Penistone League Final - Played at 'Bailey’s Park' before the club had its own football ground on Church View Road. Bailey's Park was a field by Mr Bailey's farm and close to the High Street. It was often used for sports and other events. The current ginnel nearly opposite Ward Street would have headed in that direction. The later Park Avenue development was named after Bailey's Park. In the football match, Bolsterstone beat Langsett by one goal to none, thus retaining the cup.
	28th June	Penistone Musical Festival - (in a field kindly lent by Mr. F. Bailey) favoured with fine weather and a large crowd. Proceeds £50 0s. 3d. Penistone Church FC used to play on 'Bailey Park' at this time, a field behind and parallel with High Street, between the ginnel and Spar as it would be now. This is likely to be behind the name of Park Avenue which was built in that area post-war. From the 1931 Penistone Almanack.
	13th July	Mr John Ness Dransfield - Died, aged 90. He was a local historian and prominent member of several organisations. He might, perhaps, be best known as author of 'A History of the Parish of Penistone', which has inspired and informed the history section of this website. He was interred at Penistone Cemetery, 17th July.
	17th July	Penistone Church Roof Fund - Notwithstanding the industrial situation at Penistone, the sum of £1,500 has been raised to repair the roof of the Parish Church, damaged by the death watch beetle. From the 1931 Penistone Almanack.
	4th Aug	Mass Unemployment - The number attending at the Labour Exchange each week since the Steelworks were closed has been between 700 and 800, about 600 being totally unemployed. From the 1931 Penistone Almanack.
	8th Sept	Road Widened - Demolition of the premises occupied by the National Provincial Bank, Ltd., at the corner of Market Street and St. Mary’s Street, Penistone, where the road would be widened and new premises erected for the same Bank. From the 1931 Penistone Almanack.
	8th Sept	Mr W B Gittus - Died aged 53 years, Huddersfield Road, Barnsley. He had been Managing Director of William Gittus & Son, Ltd. railway wagon builders, Penistone and Barnsley. The Gittus works were on Sheffield Road, Spring Vale, a little way beyond the current Penney's Garage.
	13th Sept	Bank Re-built - The National Provincial Bank was rebuilt in Penistone. Corner of Market Street and St Mary's Street. It would be re-opened on 2nd November 1931.
	12th Oct	Railway Union Meeting - Penistone Town Hall. Mr C T Cramp, industrial General Secretary of the National Union of Railwaymen, addressed the meeting . Mr H Moreton, President of the Sheffield, Chesterfield, and District Council, was in the chair. Penistone Town Hall (the Paramount) was often used in its function as an assembly hall in those days. See Town Hall History.
	22nd Oct	The Future of Penistone Hunt - Public meeting at the Wentworth Arms Hotel, Penistone, to consider the future of the Hunt. The Master, Mr. H. Butterley, of Barnsley, presided. There was an outstanding debt of over £ 70. A special committee was elected to consider what should be done under the circumstances. From the 1931 Penistone Almanack.
	23rd Oct	New Waterworks Opened - Thurgoland’s new water works were opened by J. M. Spencer-Stanhope, Esq., J.P., D.L. (of Cannon Hall), chairman of the Penistone Rural District Council. Estimated cost—land £1,600, works £3,025, machinery £375. From the 1931 Penistone Almanack.
	25th Oct	'Penistone Bypass' or the 'Top Road' commenced. This was the Sheffield-Penistone-Huddersfield by-pass (A629). Work on the road stopped in 1932. It restarted and was finally completed in 1938. (Hansard)
		The Yorkshire Steel and Iron works (part of Cammel-Laird) closed in Penistone, under the English Steel Corporation. At its peak, it employed 1,500 men. Questions were asked in Parliament, by Penistone MP Mr Rennie Smith, about the availability of facilities for Penistone as a depressed area. (Extract in Hansard) See the David Brown history page. Also see Grace's Guide: David Brown and Sons and Wikipedia.
1931	4th Sept	Very Heavy Rain and flooding in Penistone. Persistent heavy rain overwhelmed the River Don, causing widespread flooding and washing away several bridges. Footbridges at Hazlehead and Thurlstone were swept away. A wooden bridge at Dunford was washed away, resulting in a blockage on the Woodhead railway line. In some places the flooding was three feet deep. For a time called 'The Great Flood.' From 1945 Almanack, Penistone Archives Journal No. 5 and a newspaper clipping on Facebook.
	12th Sept	Garden Party - Penistone and District Music Society held a garden party 2.30pm at 'Ashlea' Ingbirchworth, kindly lent for the occasion by Mr and Mrs E Roebuck. Admission including tea was one shilling, children under 12 half-price. There would be tennis and other attractions with tea provided at 4.30pm. The pink poster read: 'Glees, part songs, &c. will be sung by the Society.' Proceeds were in aid of the Society's funds. From Mrs D Crossland's collection.
		Penistone Theatre Group formed. Ref 2.
	2nd Nov	National Provincial Bank opened in Penistone. This was later to become the National Westminster Bank, then re-named the Natwest Bank. The bank closed in 2018. For a time it stored beer barrels for the Old Crown. In 2023, it was renovated and opened as Wool Monkey and Sewcial.
	15th Nov	Ingbirchworth Chapel - First use of electric lighting.
1932	6th Mar	New Railway Bridge - Erected in Oxspring.
1933	22 - 24 Feb	'Highwaymand Love' - In Penistone Town Hall. The play was performed by Penistone and District Operatic Society. This was in two acts: 1. 'Before the Terrace at Lovel Court'; and 2. 'Outside the Lovel Arms.' The players were: Mr W Gorton, Mr L Cossey, Mr J Acaster, Mr S Lee (possibly Mr Arthur 'Spinner' Lee), Mr A Womble, Mr F Lockwood, Mr G Bashford, Mr C Boradhead, Mr S Hinchliffe, Mr N Walshaw, Mr FH Austin, Mrs E Hinchliffe, Miss E Crossley, Miss M Longbottom, Miss G Winterbottom, Miss H Womble, Mrs Austin and Miss D Green, with others joining in the chorus. Act One, 'Before the Terrace at Lovel Court; Act Two, 'Outside the Lovel Arms. In recent times (until it finished), the operatic society was known as 'Penistone Centre Stage.'
		Penistone Market improved and expanded. The covered shedding was considerably increased. Ref 6. See my Market page.
		Heavy Snow - Deepest sno for 50 years. Penistone's roads were cut off. Dr Arthur Gordon Wilson walked nine miles to attend a marooned patient. Notable snowstorms had visited our district in 1933, 1940, 1947 (seven-year intervals) and 1962-3. Old photographs show the level of snow piled up in drifts on Penistone High Street and Market Street to be nearly as high as a man. Ref 3.
	Nov	Typhoid Epidemic, Denby Dale. Ten people died. The Denby Dale British Legion contributed £5 to the Distress Fund. This was at a time of high unemployment when these funds had been set up in various places to deal with the ensuing poverty. Ref 32, (p. 104).
	15th Nov	Electric Lights - First use of electric lighting in the Wesleyan Chapel of Ingbirchworth. Previously gas-lit.
	15th Dec.	Prince of Wales (aka the Duke of Windsor) - Official visit to Penistone by the heir of George V who would become King Edward VIII (but not for long). He was visiting areas of the country which had suffered badly through the industrial slump. The closure of the Cammel-Laird steelworks in 1930 had caused great unemployment in our area. Having visited Barnsley the day before to open their Town Hall, the Prince came to Penistone to see the 'Occupational Centre', which had been set up to help redundant workers. Excited children from local schools were led on to high ground near the works entrance to observe the bowler-hatted Prince, who blended in with others wearing dark suits and long coats in the winter chill. The VIPs were gathered near to a building nick-named 'The Coffee Tavern' which might have been a former canteen. According to a reminiscence from 'Times Remembered' (Pen LHG, 1990), the Prince 'Looked very, very ordinary' to the on-looking child and nothing like the fabled princes of children's stories who were always young, athletic and good-looking. It is likely that the young children were disappointed. A photograph of the visit can be found on the wall of the PTC Council Chamber, which shows the prince inspecting the crowd. The picture has a line of men stood proudly to attention, wearing medals and highly-polished shoes. The location is not certain but might have been on Sheffield Road. Three years after his visit to Penistone, Edward Albert Christian George Andrew Patrick David (23th June 1894 to 28th May 1972) would become 'King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Empire, and Emperor of India'. His reign as Edward III lasted from 20th January 1936 until his abdication on 11th December the same year. His relationship with the married Mrs Simpson was considered a scandal at the time. Ref 2 and Ref 3.
1934	15th Feb	Wellhouse Tollbar - Demolished.
		Bolsterstone Male Voice Choir founded. Choristers of St Mary's Parish Church in Bolsterstone formed the new MVC through the efforts of Mr Bill Evans, whose tenure as conductor lasted from its foundation until 1964. A notable member of the choir in the 1960s would have been well known in Penistone. He was the metalwork and woodwork teacher Mr Crossland, whose nickname was 'Gosh'. The new conductor appointed in 1965 was Mr Alvin Tipple, a steelworks divisional manager. BMVC is still going in 2016.
	Weekend Saturday 30th June, Sunday 1st July	Penistone Feast. This later became the visiting funfair but the actual Feast refers to a church event and the 'Penistone Sing' (an outdoors event). It was one-day event on the Sunday nearest to the Festival of St John (24th June), after whom Penistone Church is dedicated, but this one was on the weekend. Customs page. In the present day, the church still holds a St John's Festival and usually on a Saturday within a week or so either side of the date. Huddersfield Exposed covers the 1934 Feast Weekend, from a Sheffield Independent report (2nd July 1934): 'Penistone Feast: Open-Air Festival for Hospitals. 'The Penistone Feast, a survival of ancient times, and always held during the week-end following 24th June each year, is in full swing. It started on Saturday, and summer-like weather prevailing, a huge crowd assembled in the Recreation Ground, where the pleasure fair, with its many attractions, was crowded until midnight. Yesterday afternoon, the 49th annual open-air musical festival was held in a field adjoining the Feast ground, the proceeds being for the hospitals and kindred institutions. The chorus of 90 members occupied a raised platform and an orchestra of 20 persons were in front. The singing of the special hymns and choruses from the "Messiah" and the "Creation" was creditably done under the conductorship of Mr. A.W. Jagger. The Denby Silver Band, under the conductorship of Mr. W. Kaye, and the Hepworth Iron Works Brass Band, conducted by Mr. Ernest Kaye, each played a selection, and massed for the playing of a march, conducted by Mr. Ernest Kaye. The total receipts are £43 6s. 9d.'
		Hoylandswaine Church Tower Clock - Presented to Hoylandswaine church by Joah and Elizabeth Heeley, as a token of goodwill. In earlier tcenturies, Hoylandswaine was always two words: Hoyland Swaine. Swaine as a name dates back to Sweyn, who owned land around the time of the Conqueror and managed to keep hold of it.
		David Brown bought the Cammel Laird steelworks site, Penistone, for a new foundry. See the David Brown history page. Also see Grace's Guide: David Brown and Sons and Wikipedia.
1935		David Brown Foundries began making high grade steel, and steel castings. See the David Brown history page. Also see Grace's Guide: David Brown and Sons and Wikipedia.
	23rd May	Scout Dyke Summer School Opened - Used, then as now, as an 'outdoor pursuits' centre.
	10th Oct	'Night Trains in Station Crash' - 10th October 1935 edition of the Hull Daily Mail: Manchester-London Line Blocked. 'Traffic on the main line from Manchester to Sheffield and London was disorganised early to-day by two train crashes at Dunford station. One engine became embedded in a platform, and later part of the wreckage was struck by another train, the engine of which, with a number of wagons, was derailed. No one was injured. The train involved in the first mishap was the 11.35 p.m train from Colwick, near Nottingham, to Manchester. Coming out of the loop outside Dunford station, which is midway between Manchester and Sheffield, it ran into the stop blocks at the station. The engine and two wagons were derailed, blocking the down main line, the engine becoming embedded in the station platform. The second train (the 2.35 a.m. duplicate mail and parcels train from Sheffield to Manchester) ran through Dunford station and struck the wreckage of the first train. The engine of the 2.35 a.m. train and eight wagons were derailed, blocking the up line. The driver of the first train had a remarkable escape. He was thrown on his face, but suffered only minor cuts. Cases of fruit and vegetables were strewn over the lines. Breakdown gangs were rushed to the scene. Some goods trains were cancelled and others were diverted.' Submitted to Penistone Archive Group's facebook with a picture, by Peter Beaumont.
1936		Penistone Bus Shelter built near the church. Ref 17 p27 and Ref 6, p17.
		Television - The world's first public television service started in London this year, described 'High Definition' (black and white, 405 lines, 25 fields per second, VHF Band I). It had to close down in 1939 when WWII started. The USA started their own tv service in 1937.
	March	New School Planned - The West Riding County Council (WRCC) decided to build a School for senior children to accommodate 480 children, at an estimated cost of £20,000. The selected site was off the High Street, near the Green. From the 1945 Almanack. The WRCC was based in Wakefield and those initials were stencilled everywhere in the local schools.
	6th May	Public Toilets - Gentlemen and Ladies WCs opened, as part of the Bus Shelyer building opposite the church gates in Market Place. They would continue in active service until the 2020s, when vandalism and increasing costs led to them being closed. A new 'unisex' WC with baby-changing equipment would be opened in the former Ladies' toilet in 2017.
		Jobs Help - Penistone included in the list of 'Special Areas' before Parliament intended to improve unemployment by job creation through public works. (Hansard)
	4th Dec	New Church Organ - Dedicated in Penistone church. 1945 Almanack.
	7th Dec	Park Avenue - New housing estate of 59 houses started off the High Street. These were rented, semi-detached council houses and were spacious and solidly built of red brick. The name of Park Avenue comes from the earlier Bailey's Park which was a field roughly parallel with the High Street, going through the ginnel. Bailey's farm was attached. Bailey's Park had been used by Penistone Church FC before they had their own Memorial Ground on Church View Road. See the Penpic Housing History, also Ref 1.
1937		Hawley's timber business at The Green, Penistone, bought by Crossleys of Blackpool but traded as Hawley's sawmill until it closed in 2007. See also the 1820s and 2007.
	3rd April	PUDC Election - Candidates for the available twelve posts were: Henry Callaghan, Edward Barrington Carleton, Edward Ernest Cooper, James Charles Gillis, Thomas Henry Green, Albert Edward Greenwood, Mary Foster Hemming, Julian Rowland Hill, Arthur Jackson, James Lees, Richard Gladsone Masheder, Thomas Millington, William Ernest Morris, Frank Taylor, James Wilby, George Hamlet Willis, Edmund Wood, George William Wood and Oswald Wood. Polling took place in St John's School, Church Street (now the Community Centre and 'Busy Bees') in two sections depending on street names, A to K in one side and L to Z in the other. Returning Officer was Joseph A Wainwright.
	10th Nov	Joshua Biltcliffe Died - The renowned local photographer left his business to be carried on by his son John Thomas Biltcliffe. It had been listed in Kelly’s 1927 Directory as 'Joshua Biltcliffe & Son'. The business came to an end when JT Biltcliffe died in 1964 and, after a long delay, the shop was demolished. Nearly all of the local photographs we see of important events were from the Biltcliffe shop, which was sited opposite from the Police Station on ST Mary's Street, where the entrance to Hoyland's DiY shop is now. An anecdote has it that valuable photographic plates and equipment were destroyed during demolition. See the Biltcliffe story below and Biltcliffe Biography.
1938		Foot and Mouth Disease - Discovered in cattle at Stocksbridge and Higher Bradfield. Ref 6, p9.
		Local Government Re-organisation - Legislation was introduced to reduce the number of rural and urban districts in England and Wales. Hoylandswaine Urban District Council (created 1896) and Thurlstone Urban District Council (created 1894) were both abolished. Hoylandswaine UDC was also abolished and its area transferred to an enlarged Penistone Urban District Council. Thurlstone UDC's area was split between Penistone Urban District Council and Penistone Rural District Council; therefore records relating to the former Thurlstone district exist in both collections. In Denby Dale, four previous UDCs were merged with four new wards created: Clayton West, Denby Dale & Cumberworth, Emley, and Skelmanthorpe. See Barnsley Archive for Penistone UDC.
	19th Mar	PUDC - First election to the new area Penistone Urban District Council.
	26th Mar	PRDC - First election to the new area Penistone Rural District Council.
	April	Spring Vale Handbell Ringers founded. Gleaned from writing on an old photo posted to Penistone Archive Group Facebook. It showed 13 men standing behind a huge array of handbells, stacked according to diameter with the largest atop. They were about eight deep by at least 16 on each row. The smallest would be about 2" diameter and the largest about 10" diameter. In recent times, the bells would be stored in perpetuity at Thurlstone school.
	17th July	Fourth Moorland Hospital Effort Flouch Music Festival Open Air Service of Sacred Music will be held on Sunday Afternoon, 17th July 1938 In a field facing Flouch Garage (Kindly lent by P Schofield Esq., J.P.) Commence at 3 o'clock Chairman : Councillor V Challis (Stocksbridge), Speaker : Rev E.D.C. Wright, Vicar of Penistone. Hymns - Choruses from the 'Messiah'. Selections by the Hepworth Iron Works Band Conductor of Singing : A Charlesworth Esq., (Millhouse) Chairman of Committee : T Hinchcliffe Esq., (Millhouse) Hon. Sec. : John Durrans (Thurlstone) Proceeds for Barnsley Hospital Subscription Tickets - 3d each, Programmes - 2d each The Hepworth Iron Works Band will also play selections in the evening. All musicians cordially invited. Free parking. Stopping place for Barnsley and Sheffield buses. The above details were on a poster circulating on Facebook, 2016, not formatted exactly as shown. Rev Edward Denzil Chetwynd Wright became the incumbent of Penistone Church the same year.
	18th Oct	'Penistone Bypass' - Locally called the 'Top Road' (A629) completed. Construction of this Sheffield-Penistone-Huddersfield by-pass began in 1930. Construction hhalted in 1932 but from Scout Dike to Thurgoland it was finally completed this year. Length of new road was 3.98 miles and cost £140,000 to build. According to Ref 31, p54, the date was 8th October 1938 but the 1944 and 1952 Penistone Alamanacks have 18th October.
		USA Servicemen Arrive in Penistone. This was in preparation for the expected war with Germany and they were stationed just outside Penistone at Scout Dike. Others were stationed at Wortley and High Green. It was also the first time that 'the black men' were to be seen in our area, which was something of a surprise at the time but which soon became normal. Ref 31, p54.
	Fri 21st - 22nd Oct	Blackout Exercise - In preparation for the expected war, a blackout was enforced for a large part of the country. RAF aeroplanes circled the town as blackouts were enforced between 1am and 3am on businesses and households. Penistone's steelworks would have been a tempting target for enemy bombers. Ref 31, p54.
	18th Nov	Thurlstone Wesleyan Methodist Chapel - Electricity supply installed. Gas lights no more.
		Hepworth Iron Co. abandons brick-making in favour of clayware conduit (used for underground telephone wires) and other clay pipes.
1939 to 1945		The Second World War. Following a 'false flag' operation to create the excuse, Germany invaded Poland on 1st September 1939, having two weeks earlier made a non-aggression agreement with the Soviet Union (Ribbentrop/Molotov pact, 23rd August 1939) to enable it to go smoothly. Britain had a treaty with Poland that we would be on their side if they were attacked. The UK Government gave the ultimatum for German forces to leave Poland or a state of war would exist. The Germans did not budge and on 3rd September 1939 Britain and France declared war on Germany. The Polish army was ill-prepared and easily overwhelmed. On the same side of the Nazis, the Soviet Red Army invaded eastern Poland on 17th September 1939. Warsaw surrendered on 28th September 1939. The Nazis and Soviets carved up Poland between them, with Russia sending around 400,000 Polish intellectuals, civic operatives and other educated people on a death march to Siberia. Fearing invasion and air attacks in England, the UK authorities evacuated children from the south to northern places, with around 200 children from the south coast coming to the Penistone district. Russia changed sides after the Nazis attacked them. Now 'on our side', Britain supplied them with arms and food at great risk through arctic waters and the supply ships were often attacked. On 7th December 1941, Japan attacked Pearl Harbor (USA), the Philipines, Thailand and Malaya (US and British holdings) almost simultaneously, bringing the USA into the war. This was a great help to our war effort and US forces were welcomed to our country. A settlement at Scout Dyke brought in many US servicemen, mostly dark-skinned and something of a welcome novelty at the time. Penistone's David Brown works had an involvement with Barnes Wallace's 22,000 lb 'Grand Slam' (aka 'Earthquake') bomb. The shell casting was made at Sheffield's Vickers foundry but the wooden pattern used to cast it was from David Brown's Pattern shop. The war raged on until 1945. German forces surrendered in Italy on 29th April 1945, with unconditional surrender by the end of 9th May 1945. During wartime, great technological advances came about through necessity. For example, British engineers invented the high power Cavity Magnetron for pulsed radar systems working at Ultra High Frequencies which the Germans could not at first detect. The short wavelength allowed for finer detail. Other British technical advancements were also 'shared' with the USA, although it tended to be one-way. An improved Magnetron is now a central part of every microwave oven. To promote future world peace, the Allies formed the United Nations which came into force on 24th October 1945. See Wiki.
1939		Mr Arnold Goldthorpe established a grain business for animal feed at Kirkwood Mills, Spring Vale, Penistone, owned by Mr G Hoyland but unused for about thirty years. Mr Goldthorpe retired in 1956 but the company continued supplying animal feeds under the name of A Goldthorpe and Sons. It was renamed 'Argo Feeds' in 1970 and 'Argo Haulage - Penistone Ltd.' in 1976 while still continuing the animal feed business. Argo trucks would carry a range of other goods.
	13th Mar	Gas Masks - Distributed in Penistone. Much used in the First World War on the battlefields, gas was a great worry at the start of this war.
	29th Mar	Penistone Drill Hall - Police Ball held in the newly-completed building on Thurlstone Road. The hall would be 31 feet wide by 24 feet long, including a rifle range at the rear. 1944 Almanack.
	13th June	Open-air Swimming Pool Opened - At Scout Dike, at a cost of £1,252 8s 6d. Ref 31, p57. The swimming bath would most likely have been useful to the new Scout Dyke Summer School which had opened in 1935 across the road.
	18th Nov	Electric Lights Switch-on - A special gathering at West End Methodist Church, Thurlstone, for their newly-installed electric lighting. The switch-on was conducted by Cllr TH Hinchliff. Previously gas-lit.
	30th Dec	Electrified Railway Line Deferred - Completion of the scheme for the electrification of the LNER Manchester to Sheffield line was deferred until a more suitable time. The project had been decided upon in 1936 and represented as the first true main line electrification scheme in Great Britain.
1940	29th Oct	Homes Needed for London Evacuees - Penistone Rural District Council was informed by the Regional Office of Ministry of Health that accommodation was required for 150 mothers and children evacuated from London. The capital was being bombed by the German Luftwaffe.
	9th Sept	Church Windows - With the war continuing, stained glass windows were removed from Penistone church and put is a safe place. They were temporarily replaced by plain glass windows.
	20th Sept	1887 Pie Dish Sold - Denby Dale's 'Resurrection Pie' (5th) was quietly baked in 1887 by village womenfolk following the unruly behaviour of August that same year when the Jubilee Pie (4th) had gone off in hot weather, had set off a riot and had to be buried in quicklime. In 1940 the dish used in 1887 was sold and raised £72 17 shillings, which was a worthwhile amount in those days. See 1887.
1941	Feb	Heavy snow in Penistone.
	May	Evacuee children arrive in the local area. 200 children had been evacuated from south coastal towns as a precaution in the event of them being bombed by the enemy and sent north, to be accommodated within the Penistone Rural District. Ref 31, p75.
	31st May	Civil Defence Services Gala. This was a field event but included a procession from Thurlstone church via Penistone church to Nether Mill Cricket Ground, which led by Grimethorpe Colliery Band. Ref 31, p84 explains it: 'An impressive display was given by the ARP Services.' Sports and other attractions raised more than £100 for the Local War Comforts Fund.
	6th Aug	Record Sunshine - 15 hours 48 minutes.
	27th Aug	New Organ - Installed at Spring Vale Methodist Church.
	28th Aug	Penistone Red Cross - Fete and sale raised £850.
	7th Sep	A Flag Day in Penistone raised £48 6s 1d. Ref 31, p85.
1942	3rd Mar	'Warships Week' in Denby Dale. This raised £298. Ref 31, p86.
	Late in Yr	US Soldiers - Came to Scout Dike camp this year, also some came to High Green and Wortley. Some American servicemen were black-skinned and that was a very unusual sight at the time. Tanks and missiles were a common sight in the area.
1943	10th May	Wings for Victory Week - In Denby Dale. It raised £182,808. Ref 31, p89.
	30th May	Mendelssohn's Elijah - A performance by an un-named 'augmented choir' 2.30pm at St Paul's Methodist Church, High Street, Penistone (later replaced by St Andrew's Church). The principals were: Miss M Birkinshaw, Soprano; Miss E Crossley, Soprano; Miss E Chamber, Contralto; Mr H Kippax, Tenor, and Mr W Longford, Bass. The Conductor was Mr Melvyn Roebuck and the Organist was Mr Horace Belcher, ATCL. This being during the Second World War, the poster concluded with: 'Proceeds for the Comforts Fund. A generous collection is desired.'
		Tank Ramp - This was built in former railway sidings near the Spring Vale railway bridge. The tanks were off-loaded here and driven to Langsett for tank crew training. The ramp is still visible by the Transpennine Trail.
	18th Oct	Aeroplane Crash on Langsett Moors - (Posted by Roger Waddington on Pen Archive's Facebook, with photos). Death of RAF pilot, Denis Kyne. 'Pilot officer Kyne had travelled half way round the world from Timaru in New Zealand to fight with the allied forces against the luftwaffe. Little remains of the aircraft he came to grief in on Langsett moors. It was to be his first and last solo flight after commencing his training the month before with just 14 hours flying time. On that night 18th October 1943 under instructions from his training officer, he had flown the exact route, but was now expected to fly it solo. With bad weather approaching all trainee pilots that night were ordered to return to base, the route intended would have taken 20 minutes and with 2½ hours of fuel in the tanks would have allowed for misjudgment of route. Pilot officer Denis Kyne did not receive any orders to return due to radio failure and a beacon for navigation being out of commission. His aircraft crashed on Outer Edge, Langsett Moors, 70 mile from his set route. His body laid undiscovered for four days until lone walker Ronald Yates of Pitsmoor, Sheffield, stumbled across his wreckage and body. Investigators determined the two engines were under full power and the pilot had no knowledge of the hillside he was to encounter. Denis was one of 55,000 RAF personnel who lost their lives in the fight for our freedom. Lest we forget.'
1944		Penistone Young Farmers' Club formed. It continues to the present day with a range of activities such as barn dances and tractor runs. During the 1980s, Penistone Young Farmers were noted for their sturdy Tug-o-War team at Penistone Gala. (Pen YFC)
	Fri 7th July to Sat 15th July	Penistone Urban District 'Salute a Soldier' Week - A leaflet signed by Penistone UDC Chairman, Charles J Gillis, had implored the public to lend 'every ounce of support' to this event. This was to drum up sales of National Savings Certificates towards a target of £50,000 for the war effort. As an aside, the leaflet refers to the Council Chamber as distinct from events in the Town Hall, which is further evidence that, in Penistone at least, the name of 'Town Hall' is synonymous with the now-called Paramount Theatre. The souvenir programme, costing sixpence, had a list of serving armed forces personnel from the district with those who had lost their lives in the war. The list of events had: a Grand Parade; An Opening Ceremony; Town Hall Dances; Town Hall Concert; Bowling Green competitions; Cricket Match; 'Bring and Buy' sales; Variety Shows; Two 'Partner Drive and Dances'; Coffee Supper and a Gala. The week concluded with a Grand Finale Variety Concert in Penistone Town Hall with Walter Chapelle and Party. From a leaflet. More details on the Town Hall History page.
	21st July	Bridge Collapse - An old bridge over the River Don at Water Hall lane collapsed completely. There were no persons injured.
		National Diphtheria Outbreak - With 23,000 cases this year, dropping to 240 nationally by 1953, with none in our area by 1944. The improvement was because of the immunisation of babies.
		Mains Electricity. By this year, only two out of three British homes had an electricity supply, the number having doubled during the previous decade. The number of UK electricity consumers had risen from ¾ million in 1920 to 9 million in 1938.
	24th Dec	Flying Bombs - Nazi Flying Bombs passed over Penistone. This was still in the time of the Second World War.
1945	8th May	VE Day - Finally, the war in Europe was over and, for a short period at least, the Allies could celebrate Victory in Europe. Piccadily Circus in London was full of good-natured crowds enjoying the moment. "The lights could come on again" they said, after years of blackout curtains. In Penistone, there were bonfires and dancing in the streets, with one dance held behind the Vinegar Brewery (Cubley Bottom). In the town centre, all 'the trees were strung with coloured lights' and there was a dance held with muisc by Riley's band in the street outside the White Hart, Bridge End. US troops stationed at Scout Dyke joined in the celebrations, and a farmer from West Thorpe played tunes on a saw. This recollection comes from a Penistone History Archive booklet, 'While we were Young' written by Jim. Churches held their thanks-giving services. Of course, the war continued in the Pacific and in Burma until 15th August 1945 with Victory over Japan Day (VJ Day). Penistone History Archive also has a booklet: 'VJ Anniversary - The Penistone Roll of Honour' which features the stories of local men involved with the Burma Campaign.
	25th Sept	Lady Bower Reservoir - Opened. Lady Bower was two words in the 1947 Almanack.
1947	24th Jan to 16th Mar	Severe Winter - A winter 'unequalled in its severity since 1814' and affecting about four-fifths of Great Britain. On 24th, 25th January, buses from Barnsley could only reach Silkstone and the Huddersfield buses came no nearer than Shepley. An intense frost descended on the 23rd February and a blizzard on 25th Feb. All of this coincided with a national lack of coal supply and electrical power cuts. It was also a time of food rationing. Deliveries of coal and coke were interrupted and some homes were left in the cold. There were problems delivering milk and the food supply was becoming dire. Some snowdrifts were 14 feet high and cars might be completely buried in the snow. Schools and churches closed and Penistone church clock was frozen up for several weeks. Farmers lost hundreds of moorland sheep to the cold. The communities of Crowedge, Carlecotes and Dunford suffered badly. Crowedge relied upon paraffin for lighting and supplies ran out (the electricity supply did not yet reach all homes). Telephones failed and doctors had trouble visiting remote patients. Several deaths occurred in Dunford but they could not be buried. At the time, a pattern to severe winters seemed to emerge, looking like every seven years (1933, 1940, 1947). 1947 Almanack.
	March	Severe Flooding - After the harsh winter, March would turn out to be the wettest in 90 years, with flooding in Yorkshire among 30 counties. 1947 Almanack.
		Airey houses built around this time in new council estates. 'Old Ward Street' was extended down to Green Road, Victoria Street extended to meet Ward Street and other streets laid to join Ward Street. These were all rented accommodation as 'social housing' or just called 'council houses' and under the control of Penistone Urban District Council (PUDC). More Airey houses were built at Crow Edge and Thurgoland. The houses were spacious but cold and draughty in winter, with no central heating. This is before people had double-glazing and the metal-framed windows did not seal properly. It was not uncommon to see fern-like frost patterns develop on windows in cold weather. See the Penpic Housing History for details.
	June	Hot Month - The 2nd June was the hottest day in 82 years, followed by the hottest June on record. 1947 Almanack.
		Measles Epidemic - There was an increase in the incidence of Measles during 1947. No fewer than 250 cases were notified. The beginning of the year was practically free from Measles, but an epidemic developed in the second quarter. This was widespread throughout the area, but the districts most heavily affected were Penistone, Thurlstone and Hoylandswaine. From the PUDC Interim Report for 1947, from the Medical Officer of Health, Alfred A Masser (Resigned 30th June, 1947). J. Main Russell, M.B.Ch.,B. (Edin.) B.Hy., D.P.H. (Commenced duties 1/7/47). It is interesting to note that Dr Masser had practised well into the 1960s and possibly beyond, at one time in a large house at the top of Ward Street and at another time from a large house nearby on the High Street. In 1990, his son Michael Masser and another surgeon were murdered in a religiously-motivated stabbing by Laith Alani in 1990 (see below).
	5th Aug	Dry Month - Continuing the extreme weather of this year, there was no rain from 5th August to 5th September. Caterpillars and butterflies were in abundance. The summer had had bumper crops. 1947 Almanack.
	28th Sept	Bombs Stolen - Six 20lb fragmentation bombs were stolen from an ammunitions dump near Underbank, presumably for use on Guy Fawkes Night. Two boys, 11 and 12 years old, had previously extracted cordite from bombs and were the prime suspects.
	18th Oct	Coach Accident - Near Holmfirth. Nine people were killed on a journey by Bolsterstone Male Voice Choir, which had members, supporters and relatives of the choir. The deceased were: From Stocksbridge: Mr Alfred Pearson (43), Mr Alan Hodgkinson (20), Mr Robert B Broadhead (48), Mr John Firth (44), Mrs Nora Firth (44) and Mr Clifford Ellison; from Bolsterstone: Mr Harry Evans (63) and Mrs Aline T Helliwell; from Cudworth, the driver Mr Thomas Yates (25). The bus went out of control while descending Dunford Road, Holmfirth, and crashed into a warehouse in Holmfirth 'at tremendous speed.' Sources: 80th Anniversary booklet from 2014 and the 1948 Almanack. The choir was formed in 1934.
1948	25th Jan.	PGS War Memorial unveiled at Penistone Grammar School, recording the names of fallen alumni from the Great War. It was removed when the old PGS buildings were demolished around 2011 as the new school was being built. At the time, the governing board made it known that they would like it sited in penistone Church. After some local controversy, a shiny new memorial and stone was sited at the PGS car park entrance in 2013. Its first ceremony was on Friday 8th November 2013 on a windy and overcast day. This was attended by the PGS Principal Jo Higgins, Barnsley MP Don Jarvis. Penistone Mayor Cllr Jonathan Cutts, Father David of Penistone Church, a delegation of PGS pupils and the public. The tradition would be continued on the Friday before Remembrance Sunday each year. Ref 6, p9.
		Gas Boards Nationalised. The Gas Act nationalised the UK gas industry this year. 'Penistone and District Gas Company' was founded in 1858 (later 'Penistone Gas Company'). 1,064 privately-owned and municipal gas companies were merged in 1948 into twelve area gas boards. Our local gasworks would end up in the East Midlands Gas Board. In 1973 the Area Boards would become regions of  British Gas Corporation. See Grace's Guide and The National Archives for more background detail about Penistone Gas Company.
		Woodhead Tunnel Construction Camp - The Dunford Bridge camp for 1,100 workers was set up by British Railways for workers constructing a new Woodhead tunnel designed to accommodate electric trains. Plans for electrification had started pre-war but were put on hold until things had settled down post-war. A wooden Cinema House opened in 1949 with British Railways employing Mr GD Turner to show 16mm films. The cinema closed in 1954 and was moved to Spring Vale to become the Working Men's Club (later to be demolished and re-built).
	21st Aug	Return of Penistone Show - After a lapse of nine years. Show History.
		PGS War Memorial - A new memorial plaque was unveiled in the Fulford building to remember PGS alumni who were lost in WWII. See also 1925 and 2012.
		Former Penistone Workhouse at Netherfield, now a 'Public Assistance Institution', changes into 'Netherfield Aged Persons' Home'. Inmates now called residents. Males were in the main building and females in the old infirmary building. Existing patients were relocated to NHS hospitals. The National Health service was set up this same year. See 1861 and Ref 27.
	5th Nov	Wortley Hall - A sale of silver goods raised £7,000 on this day, suggesting some financial difficulty. It would become a Labour Party Centre in 1950.
		Penistone Players Founded - Their first-ever play was performed in the Drill Hall (now 'Penistone Sports Centre' aka 'Penistone Leisure Centre'). See Andy Horsefield's very good collection of theatre programmes from over the years on page two of his Flickr account. Also, from Roderick Stewart on facebook in 2024: Penistone Players was founded by Robert Kelsey in 1948 with support from James Durrans, who became their first President. The first production, 'Young Mrs Barrington,' was staged in the Drill Hall, which continued to be used until its closure in November 1966. They subsequently produced two plays a year - one comedy and one serious drama - until the early 1980s. Four productions from the 1950s: November 1956 'Ladies In Retirement'; March 1957 'Jane Steps Out'; March 1958 'All In A Row'; October 1958 'The House By The Lake.'
1949		'My Lady Mollie' - Performed by Penistone Operatic Society. From a photograph on Penistone Archive Facebook, the dancing girls were Jean Mitchell, Kathleen Taylor, Joy Mather, Sheila Duckett, Mary Mitchell, Audrey Cherry, Margaret marsh and Joan Crossland.
	13th Aug	The 81st Penistone Agricultural Show - This was held on what we now call Watermeadows Park, near Water Hall, which is well-known for turning into a swamp when it rains. That means it must have been in a warm spell. A clear photo on Penistone Archive Group shows the viaduct behind. It is the same photo as in the 1950 Penistone Almanack.
	21st Nov	Housing Estate - 100 prefabricated houses completed on a site described (1952 Pen Almanack) as 'The Green' but more likely to be the Airey houses built on 'Brickfield' (Unwin Crescent area) and on new extensions of the existing Ward, Unwin and Victoria Streets and the new Wilson and Dransfield Avenues with Unwin Crescent. These would have all been council houses for rent.

Quick Links:		Intro - 1000 - 1600 - 1700 - 1800 - 1900 (1900, 1970) - 2000 - Refs - Generate English calendar for year: Time & Date
Year	Date	Event
1950s		A time of post-war austerity, still with some food rationing. There was some excitement about the new Woodhead Tunnel and the electrified railway. Around this time, a wooden building was added on to Penistone & District Working Men's Club in Spring Vale, at right-angles to the original building. The building had been a cinema in Dunford Bridge for workers on either a Woodhead Tunnel or Winscar Reservoir. It was taken apart plank by plank and rebuilt in Spring Vale. The WMC building was painted green. It became fairly rotten and was demolished around 1958, when a new building was put up. Thurgoland's Fir Tree estate was also built in this decade.
		Population of England and Wales about 56 million. During the Second World War some Czechs and Poles had fled to Britain and fought on the allied side, to eventually settle here. Many of them served in the RAF during the war. Some Irish from neutral Ireland had also volunteered to fight for the allies. In our area, some Polish people settled in Thurgoland.
1950	7th July	Wortley Hall - Taken for use as a Labour Party Centre.
		Pengeston Masonic Lodge Founded - By Penistone's Freemasons. The lodge had been formed from the older Wharncliffe Lodge, itself founded (they call it 'consecrated') in 1873. They both share the Masonic Hall adjacent to Penistone Town Hall (Paramount Theatre). The southern part of the WR Province is designated as 'Area 4' with 53 lodges. It has Masonic Halls in Barnsley (Eastgate and Cockerham Lane), Doncaster, Thorne, Goole, Bawtry, Swinton, Rotherham, Penistone and Sheffield. Penistone Masonic Hall is housed in Penistone Town Hall building, while all of the other Halls are owned by the local freemasons. 26 of the Area 4 Lodges meet at Tapton Hall in Sheffield. Pengeston Lodge meetings are the third Wednesday of each month except July and August; also the third Saturday in April.
		Penistone Show - A photograph in the 1954 Penistone Almanack places this event in what we now call Watermeadows Park, by the viaduct.
1951		David Brown Corporation formed as parent of a variety of David Brown companies, which included Aston Martin (since 1947) and Lagonda (since 1948). The David Brown investment led to the DB series of Aston Martins and was, therefore, a connection with that great British secret agent 007 of fiction, James Bond. See the David Brown history page. Also see Grace's Guide: David Brown and Sons and Wikipedia.
	3rd Feb	'Playhouse and Children's Theatre Group' - Inaugural meeting to form the group. Their first production would be 'Beauty and the Beast' in March 1952. This would go on to become 'Penistone Theatre Group' the last surviving local thespian group. See also 1964 for when 'The Shack' opened as their headquarters, a building which had earlier been a shop.
	5th May	Wortley Hall - The hall was bought from the Wharncliffe family and opened on 5th May 1951 as an educational and holiday centre for workers. The venue would go on to be used for conferences, weddings and the annual South Yorkshire Show which brings in hudreds of visitors. It would also be used for banquets, Christmas dinners, band concerts and gardening events. Wortley Hall.
		Penistone Market improved. Considerable alterations, including a covered market, were made 'to meet the Ministry's order.' Ref 6. See my Market page.
		Cannon Hall sold to Barnsley for a museum, its last owner being Margaret Elizabeth Spencer-Stanhope (Fraser) (1891-1964). The home farm was sold privately. Elizabeth divorced her husband, Rear Admiral George Fraser and latterly called herself, Mrs. Elizabeth Fraser Spencer-Stanhope or just 'Mrs Stanhope'. The Cannon Hall Estate offered the Cawthorne Victoria Jubilee Museum building to the village for the sum of £100, which was raised with some difficulty. Upon completion, it was matched by a further £100 from an anonymous donor, to preserve its future. See 1764 and Cawthorne Museum.
	4th Sept	Big Flood in Penistone. Green Road was the usually worst place for flooding in Penistone but Penistone Bridge became a venue for sight-seers as the River Don rose to very high levels. Lee Hinchcliffe posted a good photograph on Penistone Archive Group's facebook page in 2021 which showed the river reaching to the start of the archways, perhaps 6 feet from the top of the arches.
	12th Oct	Holme Moss Transmitting Station Opened - The 405-line monochrome television service started to be transmitted from a new lattice tower at Holme Moss. So-called 'High definition' public TV broadcasting had started in London in 1937, to be closed down at the start of WWII with 20,000 TV sets in use. BBC television broadcasting re-started in 1946. Holme Moss transmitter was the BBC's third public television transmitter in the country and covered a very large area which unofficially reached into Ireland. It was quite a powerful transmitter emitting 100kW e.r.p. on Ch. 2, vertical polarisation - Vision Carrier 51.75MHz (Vestigial Sideband AM, Positive Modulation), Sound Carrier 48.25MHz (AM). TV viewers used vertical 'X' or 'H' aerials for this service. It was a major task for BICC to build the 750-ft (228m) tower to withstand 85 mph wind and ice up to ½ inch thick in this bleak location. Peat had to be dug out deeply to find a strong enough base. The transmitter was supplied by the National Grid from both sides of the Pennines but also had a marine diesel engine as backup, which was started by compressed air. The station had sleeping quarters and supplies for when it was cut off by snow, which happened from time to time. After BBC TV (renamed BBC1) started being transmitted on UHF/625 lines in the late 1960s, distribution of the signal was routed via Emley Moor. A domestic Yagi aerial was mounted on the mast to receive the UHF signal and a custom-built, analogue Standards Converter changed it from 625 to 405-lines, to be passed to the VHF transmitter. Security at Holme Moss had to be strengthened following terrorist attacks to other broadcast locations by Welsh Nationalists, around the early 1980s. The 405-line service continued until c. 1985, when UHF TV carried all channels and was being received by nearly everyone. Read this enthusiast's page page and a UK TV Timeline.
	21st Oct	Local Printer Passes Aaway - James Henry Wood, The Don Press, Penistone (aka Wood's Printers). Died aged 85 years. Mr Wood published the Penistone Almanack for many years.
	23rd Oct.	Penistone Playhouse and Children's Theatre Group formed by holding its inaugural meeting on this day. It would put on two adult plays each year to finance a children's production every January. See 1952 below. Ref 16.
1952	Jan	Scarlet Fever Outbreak - Eight cases of Scarlet Fever reported in Penistone, Thurlstone and Millhouse Green.
	1st Feb.	First experimental Electric Passenger Train stopped at Penistone Station on its way from Wath to Dunford Bridge. It carried press and British Railway top brass. Ref 6.
	4th Feb.	Inauguration of electric goods trains from Wath to Dunford Bridge. The electrical control room was the big square building by Penistone railway station which is now part of Lavender International. Ref 6.
	10th to 12th Feb	Deep Snow - Cars at Board Hill were buried and the road completely blocked.
	19th Mar.	Cawthorne Museum - WRCC purchases it for £100 and agrees to maintain it. Ref 6.
	25th to 29th Mar	'Rio Rita' - Performed by Penistone Amateur Operatic Society in the Town Hall (now Paramount). Rio Rita was a 1927 Ziegfried Broadway musical which enjoyed a long run there and was made into a film in 1929 starring Bebe Daniels and John Boles. The 1942 Rio Rita film starred the comedy duo of Abbot and Costello.
	13th May	Nether Mill Fire - A serious fire at Nether Mill Farm near Penistone Bridge destroyed a Dutch barn. The fire was caused by a faulty boiler.
		PCFC Ambitions - Reported in the 1953 Almanack that Penistone Church Football Club wanted to expand the memorial Ground to include a cricket pitch and sports centre.
	30th July	Civic Reception for Olympian - This was in honour of former PGS pupil Miss Heather Joy Armitage on her return to Penistone following her medal-winning success at the Helsinki Olympic Games as a runner. From a poster (on Facebook submitted by Rosemary Glazebrook), a procession led by Thurlstone Brass Band left the railway station at 7pm and proceeded to Thurlstone and Millhouse Green, then 'forward' to Hoylandswaine (method of transport not explained) to return to the Town Hall via the church, Green Road and Spring Vale. Organised by Penistone UDC, there was a presentation to Heather at the free event in the Town Hall at 8.15pm. The enthusiastic Chairman of Penistone UDC, Cllr PH Durrans, was mainly responsible for the event. See PGS Archive and Penistone Archives.
	26th Aug	David Brown's Fire - A serious fire at the steelworks foundry on Green Road completely gutted the Pattern Store, where the wooden patterns for moulding shapes were kept. Eight units with fifty firemen attended the fire. Production was not affected.
	4th Oct	Tea De-rationed - The post-war nation is slowly returning to normal.
	26th Oct	Penistone Playhouse and Children's Theatre Group - Gains a proper HQ known as The Shack, which had previously been a Co-op store. Their first production was 'Beauty and the Beast' in February 1952. 'The Shack' opened on 26th October 1952. The group would later become Penistone Theatre Group, see 1951 above. In modern times, the players put on a children's pantomime in January-February each year at the Paramount. Penistone Theatre Group.
	18th Nov	TV Detector Van - Just over a year after the BBC television service starting from Holme Moss (just one channel available to all) a GPO detector van toured the district to check up on television sets.
	23rd Dec	Multiple Vehicle Accident - Ten people were injured as three buses and four cars collided in foggy weather at Fiddler's Green, near Saltersbrook.
1953		Cannon Hall sold to Barnsley Council. The Cawthorne Victoria Jubilee Museum was bought by the village at the same time. (From museum leaflet). Cawthorne Museum.
	9th Mar	A Museum for Cawthorne - Cawthorne villagers bought the museum.
		The Would-be Coronation Pie - At a time of post-war austerity and food rationing, an application was made by Denby Dale Pie Committee to the Ministry of Food to arrange a special allocation of meat for a celebratory Denby Dale Pie. This was turned down. A generous offer was made by the Australian Meat Board to provide 1,400 lbs of beef but the offer came in May, too late to prepare the necessaries for the occasion. Denby Dale Pie History.
	Monday 1st June and Tuesday 2nd June	Penistone Urban District Council Coronation Celebrations Coronation Eve Dance TOWN HALL, PENISTONE MONDAY, JUNE 1, 1953 8pm to 1 am Ambassadors Dance Band ICES and MINERALS     ADMISSION 4s NOVELTY DANCES and SPOT PRIZES Tickets from Messrs, Lees, Saville, or the Secretary (Surveyor's Office) CORONATION DAY DANCE in the DRILL HALL Adonis Dance Band. 9pm to 1am, Admission 2/6
	2nd June	Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II - On this day, Queen Elizabeth II became the 39th Sovereign and the sixth Queen in her own right to be crowned at Westminster Abbey, where every coronation for the last 900 years has taken place. It had been the big occasion of 1953 and would have attracted events throughout the land, including locally. You can see how well the local council celebrated the big day, in the next section below. This would be the first major event to be shown on British television, although the cameras were not allowed to show part of the coronation ceremony. Television broadcasting had been around from London in 1936 but was shut down for the War from 1939 to 1945. Holme Moss was the BBC's third public television transmitter in the UK, launched 12th October 1951. There was only this one tv channel at the time but the ITV channel would start in 1955, so some people might have put off buying a TV set until then. However, the Coronation was a huge and much-needed happy event as the post-war austerity was coming to a close (rationing was still in force). The British public needed this lift to the spirits. Television sets sets were very expensive (around £70 to £120) and could receive only one station, the BBC, but there would now be a renewed demand to buy them. From local anecdotes, neighbours crowded in to watch it at those houses with a set (only one set on Ward Street). Most TV screens were around 12 to 14 inches diagonal and were all monochrome pictures. In the UK, an estimated 27 million people watched the Coronation on television and 11 million listened to the radio broadcast. See Coronation Day.
	,,   ,,	Penistone Celebrates the Queen's Coronation - See the Coronation section below this table regarding local events organised by PUDC to celbrate the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.
	28th June	Penistone Coronation 'Sing' This was dedicated to the Queen's Coronation. From the programme cover page (hyphens represent line breaks): The top line was 'Programmes 6d each'. A box at the top had: 'E II R - 1953', then: 'Penistone Coronation Year (68th Annual) 'Sing' - To be held behind the Town Hall by kind permission of George W Hinchliffe (if wet in the Parish Church) - On Sunday 28th June 1953 at 2.30pm - Rev BK Soper will preside and will be supported by Ministers of the District. - Thurlstone Brass Band will play selections - Choruses from "Messiah" and "Creation." - Conductor Mr Melvyn Roebuck, Leader Mr John Farnsworth.' Page 2: Hymn 1, headed 'Ascalon' had the first lines: 'My heart and voice I raise, To spread Messiah's praise.' The Lord's Prayer. Page 3: Hymn 2, headed 'St Bees,' had the first line: 'Hark, my soul! it is the Lord;' followed by 'Chorus (No. 4) of "And the Glory" from Handel's Messiah'. Page 4: Thurlstone Brass Band plays a selection. Hymn 3, headed 'Moscow,' with the line: 'God bless our native land' (the words appeared to fit the National Anthem). 'Chorus (No. 14) "The Heavens are Telling" Creation.' Page 5: The top of Page 5 had these words in a box: 'In Memory - of the late - Mr Charles Hinchliffe - Festival Treasurer for many years.' Hymn 4, headed 'Magdale' with the lines: 'My God, my Father, while I stray, Far from my home, in life's rough way, ... ' Chorus (No. 44) "Hallelujah" from the Messiah. Selection by Thurlstone Brass band. Page 6: This had the words of two verses of the National Anthem. The rest of the page had a balance sheet and details of an audit. The final paragraph was an advert for an evening concert: 'A Sacred Concert will be given in the 'Sing Field' (if wet in the Town Hall) by Thurlstone Brass Band at 7-45pm. Collection for Band Funds.' It is likely that the 'Sing Field' was a field behind the Town Hall (Paramount), as there were no houses built there at the time.
		Sunday School Outing - A newspaper cutting by Peter Broadbent (to the Archive Group) shows children about to board a pair of Broadbent buses parked outside the Blacksmith's Arms, Millhouse Green, as they prepared to go on a joint Sunday Schools trip to an unspecified resort.
	August	Third Woodhead Tunnel completed. This was in preparation for the electrification of the Woodhead Line and it carried both 'up' and 'down' lines. The old tunnels were closed off. The original plan had been to maintain the old tunnels but they were in very poor condition after a century of steam locomotives and constant seepage of water through acid shale. The new tunnel cost £4.24m. Steam locomotives were banned from the new tunnel (except for at least one that I personally travelled with) and this allowed the use of normal Portland cement in the new tunnel's construction. (October completion date in Ref 18)
	21st Aug	80th Penistone Show revived after a nine-year lapse. The Show had been cancelled during both World Wars. Ref 6.
	2nd Oct	Post Box - The distinctive Post Office box in a distinctive red-brick enclosure was moved from High Street to Victoria Street. On the same date, a new telephone kiosk was installed at the top of Ward Street (later removed). In modern times the post box has been much-vandalised and what was once a square concrete top with clean lines is now heavily damaged.
	Nov	Electricity installed in Langsett.
	12th Dec	The Story of Tip - This story of a faithful collie dog was posted to Penistone Archive Group's Facebook by Roger Waddington (slightly edited here). The article has photos of the dog, Ronksley Farm and a memorial stone to Tip. The story: ' Just over the county border in Derbyshire, Joseph Tagg was born in 1867 and grew up at Ronksley Farm. The farm was demolished to make way for Howden Dam in 1911. Joe, as he was known, was a shepherd for the Duke of Norfolk who resided at Derwent Hall. Joe was known for breeding sheep dogs and, even in the 1920s, sold them for as much as £1000 once trained. On Saturday 12th Dec 1953, at the age of 86, he set off from Yorkshire Bridge (Bamford) to visit his childhood farm. On his homeward journey, he ventured up onto the high moors. Joe did not return home. Mountain Rescue and friends and family spent days searching the moors but a hard winter and heavy snow meant difficult days and even weeks. Months passed. On 27th March the following year, water board worker Sam Bingham, while assisting a farmer on Ronksley moor, spotted Tip from a distance. As he approached the dog, he saw that Joseph was there laying face down. After 105 days, Tip had stayed faithful to his master and had laid beside him. Hungry and under-nourished, Tip was given Sam's sandwich. Its said that there was a distinguished path around Joe where Tip had guarded his master's body. Tip lived a further two years with Joe's niece Miss Thorpe at Yorkshire Bridge.'
1954		Oxspring Corn Mill at the foot of Bower Hill was dismantled some time after 1953.
		'New' telephone exchange built on Talbot Road, close to the location of the later St Mary's Church. It had 'Telephone Exchange' in the stonework. Before this time, the earlier and first exchange had been in a house on Church Street. It eventually moved to a box-like building near the entrance to Stottercliff Cemetery on Thurlstone Road and the Talbot Road building was converted into a house, now called 'The Exchange'. See the view from the Church Tower.
	3rd June	Woodhead Line - Official opening and the first train on the new electrified Woodhead railway line. The plaque reads: WOODHEAD NEW TUNNEL Length 3 Miles 66 Yards Opened by The Rt. Hon. Alan Lennox-Boyd P.C. M.P. Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation Thursday 3rd June 1954 J.I. Campbell M.I.C.E. Civil Engineer Eastern Region British Railways, Sir William Halcrow & Partners M.M.I.C.E. Consulting Engineers, Balfour Beatty & Company Limited Civil Engineering Contractors. The line employed Class 76 (wiki) and Class77 (wiki) electric locomotives on a 1,500V DC catenary system. The DC system allowed for Regenerative Braking between 16 and 55 mph, recovering some of the motor-braking energy from locomotives going downhill for other locomotives on the system. The DC system was later superseded by 25kV AC in the UK (developed in France) but the Woodhead Line was too costly to convert to the much higher voltage AC system. These electric locomotives were withdrawn by British Railways in 1969 and sold to Dutch Railways, who continued using the 1,500V DC system. See John Spiller's website for early pictures and description.
	14th Jun	First Electric Passenger Train - From Manchester to Penistone.
	3rd July	Food Rationing Ended - Another step towards post-war normality.
	14th Sept	First Electric Passenger Train - From Manchester to Sheffield.
	14th Nov	Music Festival - Guest artist at Penistone and District Combined Choirs' Musical Festival was Miss Ada Allsop, well-known BBC and concert soprano. From Penistone Almanack.
	1st-3rd Dec	'The Tinder Box' - By Penistone Playhouse & Children's Theatre Group. From Penistone Almanack.
	19th Dec	Land for Penistone Co-op - The Barnsley British Co-operative Society (BBCS) agreed to purchase a plot of land at the approach of Park Avenue, Penistone, for the erection of a new store, at a cost of £2,025. BBCS already had a Co-op shop in a building near the Police Station, which later would be 'The Shack' and used by Penistone Theatre Group. Pen Almanack.
1955	8th Jan	Serious Fire at Woods's Garage - A petrol pump caught fire at the Oxspring filling station owned by Mrs MA Wood. The outbreak was quelled before further damage was caused.
	Feb	Heavy Snow Falls - Throughout February. Particularly bad on 24th and 25th. Conditions poor until around 10th March.
	5th Sept	Penistone Co-op - Building started on the corner of Market Street and Park Avenue for the new Co-operative store, under the Barnsley Co-operative Society.
	16th Sept	Penistone Church - Clock faces re-gilded.
	18th Dec.	Ordination Service in Penistone Parish Church to ordain: Rev HJ Hobbs (Penistone), Rev WD Lewis (Lightcliffe) and Deacon PG Hooper. The ordinations were performed by the Bishop of Wakefield. Details from Penistone Almanac 1957. According to Wikipedia, the Bishop of Wakefield from 1954 to 1961 was Rev George Clarkson.
1956	2nd Feb.	Arthur R 'Spinner' Lee - Received an award, along with other members of Penistone and Mexborough Fire Services, from the RSPCA for rescuing a heifer which had fallen down a 30-foot well at Bella Vista, near Hartcliff in July the year before.
	8th Feb.	Telephone Exchange Closed - Church Street (by the current vets). The manual exchange would be replaced by a new automatic exchange on Talbot Road, near to where St Mary's RC Church would be built in 1954. There were 450 subscribers to the local telephone system (from 1957 Penistone Almanac). A red telephone box was sited outside the Church Street Exchange, demolished later. See the Local Telephone section, page bottom.
	23rd Feb.	Penistone Grammar School - Decides to purchase 6½ acres of land adjacent to Long Lane, 'subject to consent', for playing fields. Price was £500.
	23rd Feb.	PGS Speech Day - The Speech and Prize-giving Day was held in Penistone Town Hall (now called the Paramount). The Vice-Chancellor of Leeds University, Sir Charles Morris, presented the prizes. From 1957 Penistone Almanac.
	1st Mar	Stormy Weather - Unusually violent gales ripped off roofs and chimneys. Penistone Fire Station roof and doors were blown off. Telephone wires 'were in chaos.'
	27th June	New Vicar for Penistone - Induction of new Vicar of Penistone, Rev AR Blackledge MA, formerly of Halifax. He would be the first occupant of the newly-built vicarage, just down the road from the old vicarage which would become the Post Office.
	23rd Sept	D Brown's Sports Field - A new sports ground with football field and pavilion opened at Eddyfield, Oxspring by David Brown's. They also intended to open a tennis court and cricket field on the same site.
	Oct	No to the Nudists - An attempt by the Pennine Sun Club to acquire a 35-acre woodland site in Denby Dale for use as a nudist camp proved unsuccesful.
	31st Oct	New Baptistry Dedicated - In Penistone parish church. The baptistry was dedicated by the Bishop of Pontefract, attended by three former Vicars: Canon EB Carleton, Rev F Buchanan and Rev RH Place. The baptistry had been donated by Mr Harry F Hawley of the Green Road sawmill, in memory of his deceased parents, Walter F and Mrs Hawley. The screen, panelling and font top were all made of oak. A door would later be fitted to the area so that the baptistry could be closed off, effectively forming a vestibule to the west door (the big one), helping to keep the building warm.
	1st Nov	Penistone Co-operative Store - The new Co-op store opened on the corner with Park Avenue, its current position, after moving from its old store on Bridge Street (now the Theatre Group HQ, see 1871). This was another in a chain of stores under the Barnsley British Co-operative Society (BBCS) company. The store was opened to a large crowd of on-lookers by BBCS Director Mr Tom Clayton. The first Manager here was Mr Carr, followed later by Mr Hedley Wagstaffe, who kept the store for a long time. The building architect had been Mr G Yarwood. Rather than be limited just to food, as it now is, the store contained hardware, clothing and electrical goods. This item from Penistone Archive's Journal 13, dated as 2023.
		Flooding on Green Road around this time. Ref 17 p91. It had happened before and would happen again.
	13th Nov.	New ITV Television Channel - With the new steel lattice tower having been completed on 10th September 1956, the new television channel could start transmission from Emley Moor. The lattice tower was 445 feet in height, with the top 80 feet being 5 foot square. 90 tons of steel were used. It was conspicuous at night with its three red lights; top, middle and bottom. The new transmitter would serve Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire and Derbyshire. Yorkshire Post has a good article, ITV at Emley Moor, but gives the date as 3rd November: 'Until November 1956 there was no other television alternative to the BBC for Yorkshire people. That changed on Saturday night 3rd November 1956. With a trumpet fanfare from the Royal Corps of Signals, the explosion of fireworks, and the steady pulling of a lever by film star Janette Scott, Independent Television was welcomed to Yorkshire and Lincolnshire via a transmitter erected at Emley Moor.' This was 405-line, monochrome on one channel only. At the time, there had been only one other TV channel, the BBC on Band I, Channel 2, from Holme Moss. The new tv channel needed a different receiving aerial and a variety of new aerials abounded. The old, single channel television sets could continue in use by adding a converter box to add the new channel. Now there were two television channels to choose from. The new channel carried advertisements for such as toothpaste, soap and washing powder. Domestic drama series' such as 'Coronation Street' were usually interrupted by soap adverts, giving them the nickname of 'soap operas.' Techie stuff: transmitter power 100kW e.r.p. on Band III, Ch.10 with horizontal polarisation, Vision Carrier, 199.75MHz (Vestigial Sideband AM, Positive Modulation), Sound Carrier, 196.25MHz (AM). Into the next century and a long time after the two 405-line stations closed down, Band III, ITV channels would be re-used for DAB radio. See UK 405 Line Network.
1957	1st June	Cannon Hall Museum opened to the public this year, having been sold to Barnsley Council in 1951. See 1764 for some of Cannon Hall's history.
		Asian Influenza - A flu epidemic in the Penistone Area around this time resulted in the death of a young lady doctor who carried out home visits. From a submission to Penistone Archive Group (on Facebook), her name was Helen Williamson from Dublin who worked for Dr Lionel Harris. Most of the flu sufferers were out of action or stuck in bed for around three weeks.
		Flooding on Green Road and the bottom of Ward Street - The date and year is uncertain but had followed a thunderstorm. Pete Walton says: 'Cloudburst causing top dam in Cubley wood to collapse. The torrent of water swept all before it, blocking the inlet to the culvert which in turn stopped any water getting away. Therefore Ward Street had its own paddling pool for a few days.' Cubley Brook continues parallel to Green Road, passes under Green Road near Brown's then through the works towards Spring Vale and the River Don via the 'Nibble' dam (at the time).
		Penistone Grammar School - It became one of the first in the country to become a 'Neighbourhood Comprehensive School'. See PGS History page.
1958		Penistone Almanack - Last year of annual publication. The first one was published in 1872 by the Wood family and continued until this year. A spurious edition also came out in 1984 (which see).
		Penistone Working Men's Club - The old wooden building was demolished around this time and a new one would be built on the same site. It had been previously used by navvies who built the Woodhead Tunnel in the early 1950s and it was painted green outside. The wooden building became rotten and would be replaced by the later purpose-built club building which lasted into the next century. See Spring Vale Reminiscences.
1959	15th June	John Jakob Mendelson, MP for Penistone '... makes Affirmation required by Law' in Parliament. (Hansard)
		Penistone Almanack - This was the last year that the old almanack was published. A one-off almanack was published in 1984 but did not continue. Penistone Almanacks are in the Dransfield Cabinet of Penistone Library. They can be viewed in the Library but not borrowed. Penistone History Group also has a collection of the almanacks.
		Spring Vale School Changes - This would be the last year when pupils could spend their entire school days at Spring Vale School, which then became a Primary and Infants only School. The Wayback Machine has a copy of the old school's history page, before it was rebuilt and gained a new website. The school had started as the Wesleyan Reform Chapel School, see 8th May 1909 above.
		Penistone Line - The two-mile branch line from Brockholes station to Holmfirth closed to passenger traffic. It would also close to freight in 1965.
		Penistone Church Lychgate. During the incumbency of Rev'd David Turnbull in Penistone, the new lychgate was built in honour of Rev'd. Canon Wm Stevenson Turnbull (not related). The origin of lychgates goes back to the days when most people died at home. The body would be put in a shroud or a coffin and placed in the lychgate on a bier for burial. Part of the burial ceremony would be conducted there. See the Church History page.
1960s		The Swinging Sixties - This was the time of PM Harold Wilson's 'White Heat of Technology' also 'Cool Britannia' and the 'Dawning of a Classless Society' and so on. It was also a time of slum clearances, new shopping centres, the contraceptive pill, mini-skirts, rock music, The Beatles and Rolling Stones. And the early stages of standardisation away from imperial measure towards metrication. The Open University ('OU') started, giving people an opportunity to gain a university degree through home-study. Men with wide collars, flared trousers, kipper ties, beards and long hair graced the late-night tv screens with OU tutorials. Also a devaluation of the Pound sterling.
1960		Penistone Town Hall (Paramount). Some time in this decade the stage of Penistone Town Hall Cinema was extended.
	23rd April	St Aidan's Church, Oxspring. Submitted by Jeremy Cutts, a photograph on Penistone Archive Group (Facebook) shows 'The foundation stone being laid by Mr G L Hancock, on behalf of Mr David Brown, and blessed by the Bishop of Wakefield, the Right Rev. Eric Treacy. Also on the picture is Eric Cutts, builder, Reverend Blackledge and, I'm sure, Curate Birch who became vicar at Silkstone.' (Many thanks to Jeremy and to the Archive Group).
		'Bob's Your Uncle' - Production by Penistone Operatic Society which put on a big show every year. A newspaper picture on Facebook (Peter Beaumont for the Archive Group) showed and listed the quite attractive dancing girls: Irene Champion, Pauline Buckley, Lynne Matthews, Ann Baxter and Rona Kellet. The Society later became 'Penistone Centre Stage' but came to an end in June 2017.
	26th June	Penistone Sing - Thurlstone Brass Band played during the afternoon, when there was both an impromptu orchestra and a choir singing sections from Handel's Messiah (including the Hallelujah Chorus). The band also performed a concert on the same evening. Line-up relating to a photo on the band's Facebook: Trombones: Trevor Green, Derek Roebuck, Julian Langley, Ken Dyson; Baritone: Glennis Barkworth (nee Alsop); Tenor Horn, Clifford Hamer.
		Wood's Garage rebuilt in Oxspring. An old wooden building which was right up to the pavement was replaced and space made for off-road refueling. Vehicles and machinery were repaired in a little green hut.
1961	4th Nov	Sunday School premises opened for Spring Vale's Tin Chapel. See also 1927.
1963		Sabre. Local rock band 'Sabre' started out around this time, along with one or two other groups in the local area. This was a time of the prolific formation and disbandment of musical groups throughout the land, mostly copying the style of the popular bands of the time on radio and television. The typical formation was similar to the Beatles. At that time, they were always called 'Groups' (now 'Bands'). The Sabre line up was Peter Lee on vocals, Roy Walton on bass, Dave Thorp on lead guitar and Brian Fearnley (now deceased) on drums. Sabre started playing in Thurlstone British Legion (later converted to flats). Their first performed song was 'Money' by the Beatles. 1963 A performance of 'Cinderella' by Betty Chappelle Dance School in Penistone Town Hall, featured a performance by Sabre during the interval between the two acts and again in 1965 in the interval of 'Babes in the Wood' by the same company. (see Andy Horsefield's collection on Flickr). After a long break, the Sabre came together in the 2010s (or possibly a bit earlier) with a changed line-up, but still with Peter Lee as lead singer. (Still playing in 2018). Another rock band also started up around this time with Les Kennedy (who later moved to Australia) Terry Sanderson and Glyn Weirs.
		Notifiable Diseases - Total 133: 118 cases of Measles, 7 of Scarlet Fever, 7 of Whooping Cough, 1 of Pneumonia (notifiable).
1964	Fri 6th March	Death of JT Biltcliffe - Local photographer John Thomas ('JT') Biltcliffe (born 1878) had recorded Penistone's most notable events and people. The business now came to an end and eventually the shop would be demolished. He was the last of four sons of Joshua Biltcliffe who established the photography shop at No 6, Bridge Street. It had been a wooden building in what is now the yard to the DiY place opposite the Police Station. JT Biltcliffe had sold a large collection of his prints to Penistone Urban Council, through the clerk Col. J Hodgkinson, for them to be placed in Penistone Library. An anecdote has it that a valuable photographic plates and equipment were destroyed as the building was being demolished. See the Biltcliffe story below and biographies of John Thomas Biltcliffe and Joshua Biltcliffe.
	15th Mar	Four Inns Walk Tragedy - This is an annual 40-mile hike (Wiki) over bleak moors in the Peak District (west of Penistone) using map and compass. Starting in Holmebridge, the route takes in the Isle of Skye pub, Crowden, Bleaklow (1,700 ft asl) and the Snake Inn. The 1964 expedition in dreadful weather conditions went terribly wrong, resulting in the deaths of three young scout members from Rawthorpe, Huddersfield. Out of more than 240 people, only 22 finished the walk. With the 60th anniversary due in 2024, Roger Waddington contributed the story to Penistone Archive Group (20th August 2023). His story is used here by kind permission (slightly edited): The Four Inns Walk was organised by the scout movement and held on 15th March 1964. Starting from the Isle of Skye pub (demolished after fire 1956) and eventually reaching Snake Inn, Nags Head (Edale) and the Cat and Fiddle (Buxton), a total of 40 miles. Soon after starting, heavy rain then sleet fell as temperatures dropped, battering the 250 competitors. The alarm was raised in the early hours of Sunday morning when Michael Kendall collapsed at Alport Farm, after staggering three miles to get help for his colleagues, one of whom was injured. Mountain Rescue was called out and as many as 500 people would join the search. Later that day, Stuart Withers was found unconscious but would die later in Glossop hospital. The following Monday, on Alport moors two other Scouts were found. Both perished due to the harsh conditions. Unfortunately, the Scouts had only minimum equipment and food for the walk. Today this would have gone through more stringent health and safety guidelines with Mountain Rescue and other bodies being aware of an event taking place, with check-in points along a set route. A memorial plaque has been placed near the location of the deceased Scouts in Alport Clough and a stone by the stream that runs through the valley has been inscribed to commemorate the three Scouts who lost their lives. The plaque has the words: 'RIP In memory of those who died - Four Inns Walk 1964'. Many thanks to Roger Waddington for this story.
		New bridge and road straightened at the bottom of Bower Hill, Oxspring. The old hump bridge had been rather tight and and proved to be disturbing to bus passengers who were easily thrown from their seats. Others enjoyed the cheap thrill. The old bridge is now a 'Listed Building'. Nearby 'Bower Dell' was a sewage works until the local council adopted it and turned it into a picnic site.
		Green Road Flooding - Following terrential rain, flooding occurred around the junction of Green Road with Ward Street. The Green Dike from Cubley Brook and dam had flooded, with the culvert under the road overwhelmed. On its way, it demolished the wall at Shackleton Bottom, flooding the kitchen at The Grove, a 17th century house on Green Road.
	5th Sept	Eighth Denby Dale Pie (the Village hall Pie) - This was said to celebrate four royal births: Prince Edward, Lady Helen Windsor, Lady Sarah Armstrong Jones and James Ogilvy, but the Pie Hall history (link below) says the royal births were coincidental and that it was really to fund a new village hall. The plan succeeded and in 1972 the Denby Dale Pie Hall was opened. As a publicity stunt, the Pie dish had set sail on a canal. Pie Day was marred by the tragic deaths of four Pie Committee members from a car accident on the Grantham bypass in the early hours of the morning. This was while returning from filming in London for a pilot television show (to become the Eamonn Andrews Show). Those who died were: Lead Baker, George Saville (52); Pie Planning Committee Chairman, John Haigh (24); retired businessman, Benjamin Beaver (86); and Denby Dale Brass bandsman, Lawrence Wainwright (63). J Haigh's wife of the previous year was expecting their first child. The pie dish was 18ft. long, 6ft. wide and 18 inches deep. A special railway timetable: 'Denby Dale Big Pie Day' was printed by British Railways (Ref 32.). Second-Class Return ticket from Penistone station cost 1s 3d; Huddersfield, 2s 2d; Sheffield 4s 9d and Leeds 5s 9d. Half fare for children of 3 to 14 years old. More than 30,000 ate some pie and 2,000 commemorative plates were sold. This raised almost £24,000 to build a village hall, known as the Pie Hall, 297 Wakefield Road, which opened in 1972. The Pie Hall holds a large collection of Pie memorabilia and one of the dishes from this year is used as a flower planter outside the Hall. Ref 20 and Denby Dale Pie History.
	26th Oct	New Penistone Theatre Group Headquarters - 'The Shack' on St Mary's Street. The necessary £1,500 was raised in just two weeks from a mixture of loans and donations. The new headquarters was opened by Colin George, producer at the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield, having previously been a shop. The group had started in 1952 as 'Playhouse and Children's Theatre Group' and their first production was 'Beauty and the Beast' in March 1952. In 2022, the Queen's Platinum Jubilee was a parallel to the group's own platinum jubilee, celebrating 70 years. See 1952. (Ref 16 gives the Shack date as 24th October).
1965	31st May	St Mary's RC Church opened, Talbot Road. It had been built by John Callanan and consecrated by Bishop George Dwyer, Bishop of Leeds on Monday 31st May 1965. Ref 17 p41. A message from John Wright said that the land where St. Mary’s was built was purchased in 1919 by the priest of St. Ann’s Church of Deepcar, a church which was 150 years old in 2009.
		Penistone Grammar School's Swimming Bath Appeal. Various fund-raising activities took place, including a tea-towel (designed by teacher John Ward) and a Gala Day. Pupils were enthusiastic and very much involved in the activities by setting up their individual stalls. Unfortunately, the swimming pool was never built. See PGS-Archive and its Facebook.
1966		Stocksbridge College for Further Education opened by then Prime Minister Harold Wilson on Hole House Lane, Stocksbridge (JB was there). It was mostly to produce 'factory fodder' for the steelworks and its catchment area included Penistone. It continued until 1998.
		Penistone Drill Hall closed. Penistone Theatre Group had performed its plays there from when the group started in 1948. Its next production of 'The Vigil' took place in Penistone Church but all of its later plays took place in Penistone Town Hall.
	30th Mar.	Penistone's New Library - Officially opened by Cllr S Palmer, of West Riding County Council (WRCC), Wakefield. This replaced the earlier Carnegie Free Library (1913) on Shrewsbury Road, although a reading room for newspapers persisted there for a time. The library assets were moved into the new library which had been built next to the then St Paul's Methodist chapel (later St Andrew's) on High Street. The High Street site had previously been a patch of waste land large enough for children to play cricket. See 1902, 1913, Town Hall history.
		Health Report - Penistone RDC, includes surrounding villages but not Penistone. No Maternal deaths for '66. Live births, 15.2 per 1,000; Still Births, 1; Illegitimate, 8% of total live births; Infant Deaths (under 1 year old) 3. Notifiable Diseases: 6 Scarlet Fever; 100 Measles (mostly 5 to 10 year olds, 16 cases in 1965); 3 Whooping Cough (1 the year before); No Polio, no Diphtheria. Children were immunised for Diphtheria, 61 under 5 years old, 68 booster jabs at about 5 years old. No Smallpox and children were immunised for it. Three cases of TB. The Mass Radiography Unit had visited Hepworth Iron Co. 14th to 19th January. Penistone's District Nurse was Mrs S Thwaites (DNM) located at 34 Victoria Street, Penistone, with Midwife Miss M Thomson available from the same address. Penistone UDC: Welfare Foods such as dried milk, cod liver oil, orange juice and vitamins were available from Penistone Clinic, Shrewsbury Road. Bins in the most populated areas emptied every 7 to 10 days. Bins in the sparsely populated areas emptied fortnigtitly. Privies in all parts of the district every 4 to 5 weeks, or more frequently upon complaint. The main refuse tip was situated at Cone Lane, Silkstone but was rapidly becoming full and a new tip would be required in the near future.
1967	January	Conoco (Continental Oil Company) takes over the Blackmoor Terminal (near Oxspring) having previously been operated by Regent Oil for the Department of Energy. Conoco had taken over Jet Petroleum Ltd. in January 1961. Jet had been founded in a Scunthorpe office in 1953. The Oxspring fuel depot was linked to the GPSS (Government Pipeline & Storage System), which was a fuel oil network started during WWII and extended following the Suez crisis (see 'Hades for Sale'). Local history suggests that Blackmoor was constructed in 1956, following the Suez crisis. The terminal was regarded as strategic and did not feature on OS maps until after 1970. The 2,500 OS map of 1960-61 revealed railway sidings adjacent to the site. As a matter of modern interest, the Energy Bill of 2012 sought to dispose of the GPSS and dissolve the Oil and Pipelines Agency, presumably as part of the headlong rush into privatising national assets.
		Penistone Camera Club - Founded this year.
		Stocksbridge College of Further Education (SCFE) Opened - Although already in use, Prime Minister the Rt Hon Harold Wilson (Labour Party) officially opened the college on Hole House Lane, Stocksbridge this year. Dignitaries at the ceremony included Penistone MP John Jakob Mendelson, local councillors and a vicar. Wilson was always keen to be connected with anything which looked to the future and the college was new, modern and it fitted the bill. The college was mostly a feeder for Samuel Fox's steelworks and students could use Fox's canteen for cheap but satisfying dinners, by way of purchasing tickets from the college. The college ran both full-time day and part-time evening classes. Wilson was the innovator behind the Open University, which would allow people to study from home towards getting a University Degree. The BBC supported the OU by broadcasting tutorials outside normal broadcast times. Unfortunately, the college did not last as long as the OU and was demolished in 1998. Stocksbridge Co-op is now on the site. Some sources give 1966. I was there. Stocksbridge History Group.
		Penistone Grammar School. Saunderson Building and Frank Winterbottom Hall opened. Ref 28.
		Millhouse Green Male Voice Choir founded (Information in an EPIP document). Still in operation in 2016.
	Nov.	BBC Radio Sheffield started broadcasting, as 'local radio' station covering our area.
1968	Early	Fire in Fulford Building, Penistone Grammar School. From Facebook anecdotes. Robin Hicks wrote: 'I seem to recall a Time Capsule being laid at the reopening ceremony of Fulford in 1968, after the renovations (that became more extensive after the fire in early 1968.' Stephen Gaunt wrote: 'During 1967 - 68, extensive renovations were undertaken. Then, in early 1968, a fire burnt the roof with most damage at the western end. Repairs were made and Fulford was used again from September 1968 when I was in form 2N (with Mr Greatorex).'
		Flying Scotsman - The famous LNER steam locomotive 4472 came over Penistone viaduct in the early morning, to pass through the railway station on its way to Barnsley Exchange railway station. At the time, Barnsley had two stations but the other one, the 'top station', was later demolished.
		Planning Permission obtained for Thurgoland Village Hall. Previous to this, a wooden hut had done the job but, after the Fir Tree estate had been built in the 1950s, the population had nearly doubled, Thurgoland needed a village hall. See August 1926 for some background. Registered Charity 523970.
1969	19th Mar.	Emley Moor Tower - Emley Moor's lattice transmitting tower iced up in freezing winds and collapsed. At the time, ITV (405-line, Channel 10) came from the Emley Moor mast and its tv picture disappeared in the collapse, appropriately enough to be replaced by a snow storm on the screen. There were only two channels to watch on the old tellies and BBC2 was in its infancy on a channel that many sets could not receive. This was only six months before ITV and BBC1's new 625-line tv channels had been due to join the single BBC2 625-line channel available on the UHF band. The old BBC tv (405-line, Channel 2) came from Holme Moss and was still available on the old 405-line and 'Dual Standard' sets. Annual £10 Colour TV licences had been introduced in 1968, while Black-and-White ('Monochrome') licences cost £5 per year. See this article about Emley Moor's Lattice Tower, also the 50th Anniversary of the collapse, Huddersfield Examiner (March 2019).
		Oxspring Tollbar demolished. It had been in use as a shop.
		Magna Carta - Most of the Magna Carta was repealed in the Statute Law (Repeals) Act 1969. Did she die in vain? (Tony Hancock gag).
	August	Penistone Urban District Council Centenary - Penistone Local Board was founded on 21st August 1869. It was the successor body of Penistone Poor Law Union (see 1849) and fore-runner to Penistone Urban and Rural District Councils (formed 1894, abolished 1974). Penistone Local Board was the second of three Local Boards, the first one being for Thurlstone and the third for Hoylandswaine. Penistone Local Board appointed John Ness Dransfield as Clerk and nine other members were elected (or 'appointed' in another source). Penistone vicar, Rev'd WS Turnbull, was elected Chairman. (From the 1969 PUDC Centenary Celebrations booklet in Penistone Library). They held their ordinary meetings at 7pm on the second Monday of each month in the National School, Church Street. The first appointed members were: Thomas Hawley, Joseph Hawley, John Rayner, Joseph Brook, Thomas Marsden, John Ward, WS Turnbull, Thomas Wood and Luke P White. Chairman was Rev WS Turnbull.
	August	Birds Edge Village Hall - The hall was originally two houses on Ten Row, adopted by the village school, adapted and used by them up to 1911. The ex-school building was purchased for village community use by a Mr Cook and administered by the YMCA from 1922, who later claimed ownership of the building. The Birdsedge and District Village Hall Trust raised funds and purchased the building from the YMCA in 1969. Forty years later it was extensively refurbished with the help of a £235,309 Big Lottery Fund grant but costs rose to £300,000. It re-opened Saturday 2nd May 2009. See Birds Edge Village Hall and Hudds Examiner 2009.
		Penistone Competitive Music Festival (PCMF) - Started under Millhouse Green MVC (Reg. Charity No. 511148) this year and later under 'Penistone and District Combined Choir.' Although the Festival was usually held around October/September in its early days, it eventually settled on the last Saturday of September. The 1970 'Second Annual Competition' was held in Penistone Town Hall (now Paramount) on Sat. 5th December. Other venues had been St Paul's Church (later rebuilt as St Andrew's), such as in 1966, but more often in Penistone Town Hall. In recent times it moved to the new version of Penistone Grammar School. It ended at the AGM of February 2019, with the last event being in September 2018. See Pen Comp Music Fest.
	15th Nov.	Colour TV on ITV and BBC1 transmitted from a temporary Swedish tower at Emley Moor.

Quick Links		Intro - 1000 - 1600 - 1700 - 1800 - 1900 (1900, 1950) - 2000 - Refs - Generate English calendar for year: Time & Date
Year	Date	Events
1970s		The Seventies - The 1973 Oil Crisis by OPEC embargoing countries seen as favourable to Israel. Similar to 1973, the Energy Crisis of 1979 reduced oil supplies and had a knock-on effect to electricity supply. Power cuts with shops, schools and offices on reduced power. In 1974, the three-day working week to conserve resources. Television closed down at 10pm. Petrol pumps introduced rationing for a time, with odd/even registration numbers served on alternate days. Fuel supply problems in the late 1970s started the CB radio take-up in the USA, where truck drivers could keep each other informed about road conditions and fuel supplies. Also a time of increasing political awareness and advancing economic liberty and independence for women. Hippies, 'Flower Power' and psychedelia.
		Winscar Reservoir Built. Built near Dunford Bridge between 1972 and 1975, to have a capacity of 8 million cubic metres. 'Water Treatment and Supply' (pdf).
		Penistone Railway Centre - This was an offshoot of Hallamshire Railway Preservation Society. According to their membership form from the 1980s, it was Registered Charity 509077. The part of their history relating to Penistone can be found on the Heritage Shunter's Trust website, History of the Society.
		Penistone Majorettes Founded - This item was posted on Penistone Archive Group's Facebook page by Jayne Firth in September 2017. The troupe was formed in the early 1970s by Jim and Blanche Matthews and was the first in the North of England. Originally a marching group, they trained during the summer holidays to use batons. Jayne said: "I remember the pain and the bruises all too well." The trainers came from Romford, Essex and had been British Airways Majorettes at the time. Penistone Majorettes were still around in the 1980s and possibly later but eventually finished unannounced.
		Airey Houses - Unfortunately, the many local Airey houses were considered susceptible to fire damage, sadly demonstrated by a particularly horrifying fire in Hood Green (or Thurgoland). They had open coal fires with back boilers for hot water and their chimneys might catch fire if not swept. Some had old-style ranges which could be used for baking or boiling kettles on trivets. It was common for fires to 'spit' from certain types of wood or coal and hot embers could shoot on to a carpet, requiring a good fireguard to be used. The internal walls were made of something like compressed cardboard. To reduce flammability, the internal walls would be given a surface skim of plaster in 1979. At the same time, the electrical wiring was replaced and the old 5 Amp or 15 Amp sockets replaced with modern, shuttered 13 Amp sockets. See the Penpic Housing History for details.
		Penistone Church alterations. The church organ was moved to the back and the altar moved forwards some time in this decade.
1970	5th Jan.	Woodhead Railway Line - Closed on this date to passenger traffic after the last passenger train ran from Manchester Piccadilly, via Penistone to Sheffield Victoria station. The line continued in use for freight only until 18th July 1981, when the line between Hadfield and Penistone closed. After that time, Penistone trains ran only between Sheffield Victoria and Huddersfield. In May 1983 (see that date below), the Sheffield Midland station took over from Sheffield Victoria. Trains approaching Sheffield Midland had to enter a line to reverse into the station. Later renovation work at Sheffield Midland brought Sheffield Victoria back into use for a short time. The station announcer had to use a loud hailer!
		Winterbottom's Wire Mill was being run by George Winterbottom's two sons until it passed to his three grandsons in 1950, at which stage, with no sons to follow, control was extended to nephews and in-laws. After tense negotiations, the Wire Mill was finally administered this year by a parent company in Paisley but continued under the same management as before. See 1888, 2001, and the Winterbottom page.
	13th June	Penistone Gala. From a Barnsley Chronicle newspaper cutting discovered by Jill Helen and put on Facebook CAP Group. The photo showed the end result of a Piano Smash competition, with Barnsley footballers Barry Murphy and Eddie Loyden as timekeepers. If memory serves correctly, there were seven or eight pianos to smash up.
		Company Merger between Hepworth Iron Co. of Crow Edge and General Refractories Group Ltd. forming a company named Hepworth. GRC started in 1900 as Worksop Brick Co. and acquired British Industrial Sand Ltd. in 1963. Through General Refractories, the combined company acquired the major Scottish refractories John G Stein Co. Soon the merged company had divisions for plastics, clayware, refractories, foundry resins, foundry equipment, sands, engineering and miscellaneous. Hepworth Iron Co. always gave their address as either Stocksbridge or Hazlehead and were always simply called: "T' company" in the locality, with a tradition of working people hard. There was the saying that: "They make pipes and old men".
		Thurlstone Handbell Ringers - Changed its name to Thurlstone Bell Orchestra around this time, for reasons unknown. The 1984 Penistone Almanack refers to there being 136 balls weighing between 2oz and 12lb. Their bells are still in storage at the school, in perpetuity.
	Sept	New Emley Moor Mast Completed - about 4 miles from Huddersfield. The old steel lattice tower had collapsed in 1968 in freezing weather. The new concrete tower was 1084 ft (328m) high with a base diameter of 80ft tapering up to 20ft. It was designed by Ove Arup and Partners and the main contractors were Tileman and Co. The microwave Link Room had clear glass at one side and tinted glass at the sunny side, to reduce equipment overheating. Lift travel time (in the 1990s) was 7 to 8 minutes from ground level and about the same both ways. Only three TV channels were broadcast from the tower at this time: BBC1 (UHF Ch. 44), ITV (Ch 47) and BBC2 (Ch 51). At first, BBC2 was the only colour channel. Transmissions were all analogue in those days. Most of the new TV sets were 'Dual Standard' Monochrome, to receive the old 405 VHF channels and new 625-line UHF channels in black-and-white, and used valves rather than transistors. Colour TVs at the time were expensive luxury items. The FM sound brought about an improvement in sound quality. The PAL Colour system was very robust about accumulated errors in the transmission chain, unlike America's NTSC system (aka: 'Never Twice the Same Colour'). Now that Colour TV had arrived in the UK, eight-year-old Carole Hersee (born 1958) was on the new colour Test Card F used by both tv organisations. Carole was said to have had more TV hours than anyone else in the world, her father having designed the Test Card in 1967. The old BBC Holme Moss site received BBC TV directly from line-of-sight Emley Moor on an ordinary TV aerial and converted it with an analogue Standards Converter into 405-lines for re-transmission on VHF Ch 2. According to an ex-BBC Engineer, the power of the old VHF transmitters was (unofficially) gradually reduced towards the end of VHF/405-lines service around 1985, to urge people to buy new UHF/625-line TV sets. For a time, Emley Moor tower had been the highest structure in Europe. The Emley Moor Wiki has details of later transmissions.
	30th Sept	Dr AA Masser Resigns - A letter from the Executive Council of the West Riding of Yorkshire was sent out to Dr Masser's patient list to explain that the remaining partner and appointed successor, Dr AO Griffiths, would go into partnership with Drs WH Ashmore and WP Neville on 1st October 1970. The surgery had been at one time in the large house at the top of Ward Street but moved to Bank House opposite Penistone Library.
	13th Nov	Hoylandswaine Church Hall demolished - by a runaway lorry travelling down Haigh Lane. It had been built in the 1860s. A portable building was then acquired from RAF Binbrook, dismantled and re-erected on land near to the church, the work done mostly by men of the parish. The original site was in the grounds of the vicarage. See this document, St John's (small pdf).
1971	21st Jan	Emley Moor Mast - Start of UHF TV service, transmitting analogue 625-line TV channels, which initially were just BBC, BBC2 and ITV. The VHF 405-line TV service recommenced in April. Some local VHF/FM radio stations and utility radio links were added later. Amateur Radio UHF and Microwave beacons GB3MLY and GB3MLE also operated for many years but have now closed down.
		Penistone Majorettes - According to their banner, as paraded before the Queen in 1977, the group was formed in 1971.
		Leek and Westbourne Building Society Opened. Submitted by Jeremy Cutts, photographs on Penistone Archive Group (Facebook) shows Purdey's Paint and wallpaper shop (next to the market ginnel) before and after being converted to Leek and Westbourne Building Society by the contractor E Cutts Ltd. Later, with Arthur Chapman as Foreman. Purdeys had had a central door with large windows each side but the conversion put double glass doors to the right with a large single window to the left. Building Society manager of L&WBS was David Peace. It was taken over by Britannia Buidling Society, which itself was taken over by the Co-operative Bank, all in the same premises. As the Britannia, it reverted to the earlier style of a single door in the centre and windows either side.
		Denby Dale Pie Hall opened. The funds to build this were raised from the 1964 Pie Day. (see 1964)
1972	31st Jan	The Rotary Club of Wortley became a member of Rotary International at a presentation at the Grosvenor House Hotel, Sheffield. It had held its Inaugural meeting the year before, on 20th Sept 1971. The club holds its meetings on Monday evenings at Whitley Hall Hotel, Grenoside, Sheffield. In recent times, the Club has organised an annual Vintage Vehicle Rally, held at Wortley Hall. See Wortley Rotary Club's history page.
		Pie Hall Opened - Funded by the 1964 Denby Dale Pie, which had been advertised as celebrating four royal births that year but it was really to provide for a village hall for Denby Dale. This is located on the main Wakefield Road. See Denby Dale Pie History and a BBC news item.
		David Brown's - Founded in 1860, David Brown & Sons (Huddersfield), Ltd. was a general manufacturing company and known for making wooden gear patterns for the textile industry. It was named after the company's founder, David Brown, though it became more closely associated with his grandson, Sir David Brown. From 1873 it focussed production on gear-cutting. The original Mr David Brown, patternmaker and gear cutter, passed away in 1901 at the age of 59. The company continued under the name of David Brown and Sons. In 1934, the David Brown company came to Penistone by buying the now-disused Penistone steelworks, for a new foundry. This opened in 1935 and brought much-needed employment returned to the area after a five-year hiatus. David Brown Foundries began making high grade steel and steel castings. In 1936, in collaboration with Harry Ferguson, Ferguson-Brown Tractors were built in David Brown's Gear Factory. In 1972, David Brown Tractors was bought by Tenneco Inc. of Houston, Texas and DB became affiliated to JI Case, which was also majority owned by Tenneco through its ownership of Kern County Land Company. JI Case (formerly Case International) is well-known for its tractors. In 1994, Tenneco started to divest itself of its agricultural businesses. See the David Brown history page and Reading Uni.
1973		Netherfield Congregational Church extended and partly re-built this year. The dissenters started in 1752, and the chapel begun in 1786, opened in 1788, and originally called Netherfield Independent Chapel. It closed in 1981 and was converted into a dwelling. The status of its small cemetery is uncertain. See 1752, 1981 and the relevant Archive page and my Thurlstone Views page.
	17th July	'Thurgoland Miners Welfare Recreation Ground and Institute' renamed to 'Thurgoland Village Welfare', following a 'Deed of Transfer' on this date. The Trust looks after land donated to the village in 1926. The Recreation Ground, Village Hall, Youth Centre, Bowling Green and Tennis Court are all now on this land but the old name of 'Clapper Gates' is no longer in use. The land does not 'belong' to anyone but the villagers, although some land had been sold to WRCC. It was later sold back to the Trust by BMBC for £1,000. See August 1926 for the background and links to documents. Registered Charity 523970.
1974	1st April	Local Government Act - Penistone Town Council founded - The existing local authority of Penistone Urban District Council was abolished (see PUDC Centenary, 1969 above) and Penistone Rural District Council. Before this date, Penistone Urban District and Rural District Councils dealt with such as: council housing, schools, refuse collection, roads, allotments, snow clearance and many other activities. It also had a good many employees. Most of these functions were transferred to BMBC. Penistone had been granted 'Successor Parish' status, as set out in the Act and Penistone Town Council was formed. This enabled certain charter rights to remain local, such as a town mayor with civic responsibilities and the use of any coat of arms (See Barnsley Archive for PUDC), although that was not taken advantage of at the time. The Penistone Coat of Arms is that of the Clarels. Under the Act, the West Riding County Council (WRCC) in Wakefield was abolished and new Borough councils set up, with Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council (BMBC) created on 1st April this year. It became the Principal Authority and took over Penistone's services and amenities. Penistone's assets were also seized by BMBC, leading to increased hire charges for community assets which in turn led to the collapse of local clubs and societies which had previously used local amenities at an affordable rate. The Yorkshire Ridings themselves were also abolished. PTC would now have only an advisory role to BMBC but continued overseeing the Town Hall Cinema, Penistone's public toilets, allotments and later St John's Community Centre after the school was moved. All fifteen PTC seats would be elected every four years. The Act allowed mayors to be established, with the main difference between a Town and a Parish Council being the election of a town Mayor. Penistone's first Mayor was Cllr Alec Dixon. The council uses a milch cow as its seal. See the Local Democracy page, Penistone Mayors and Penistone Town Council.
	April	Vinegar Works Closed - Formed in 1848 as The Cubley Brook Brewery, this was the demise of Penistone Pure Malt Vinegar Company. It would be demolished the next year in 1975. PPMVC vinegar was labelled under a range of well-known brands, including Heinz and Sarsons. Much of the business was transferred to Middleton, Manchester, but eventually all of British Vinegar's holdings were wound up in 1983, including the Tower Bridge site in London. See 1983 below and the PPMV page.
		Queens Hotel, Spring Vale, built in 1862 by Joseph Clarke but converted into a dwelling this year. This is on the corner with the lane to the Cricket Club. It is now a children's centre. See Old Inns.
		Penistone Royal British Legion - Moved to its current site on St Mary's Street. The club had been above Clark's Chemist with its entrance in the ginnel. Before that, it was in the former Blue Ball of Thurlstone, on the hill just beyond the Z-bend.
		Netherfield's former workhouse acquired by Penistone Grammar School this year for use as a sixth-form college. They continued to be used for that purpose until the new build in the next century. It had been used as an Old Folk's Home up to around this time. See the PGS - Archive site and my PGS history page
1975		Bob Bags a Lion - Local farmer Bob Steele shot a loose lion which was about to attack livestock on Dean Head farm. A circus had been staying in the area.
		New Church Organ - Installed in Penistone Church, as a gift from Salem United Reformed Church of Bradford. In the same year, a local pensioner made a fish weathervane for the tower, which has seen good service ever since. The fish was a secret sign of early Christians and the stainless steel the weathervane was made of referred to the local steel industry. See my Penistone Church history page.
1976		Lavender NDT. Encouraged by their son David, 'Jack' (John Deryk) and Joyce Lavender, started a Non-destructive Testing (NDT) and training business in Penistone. The business moved into the square block building next to Penistone Railway station which had formerly been the control centre for the electrified Manchester to Sheffield railway. After a few years the testing side gave way to NDT training and consultancy. Son Steve Lavender joined the company in 1982 and helped to move it forward. Now trading as Lavender International.
		Green Moor Museum - Opened some time this year. This snippet came from a home cine filmed by Mrs P James of Green Moor. The transferred film is now in the Penistone Archive Group's 'vaults.'
	Aug	Penistone on the Radio - The BBC radio show 'Down Your Way' paid a visit to Penistone. This does not agree with the published schedule in BBC archives but was confirmed in a personal letter from the time.
		New Headmaster of Penistone Grammar School. Mr Martin Antony Bould, known as Tony, joined the school and continued until retirement in 1997. He died in 2014.
1977	June	The Royal Silver Jubilee. This big national event commemorated 25 years since the Queen's accession in 1952, on the death of her father George IV. She was crowned on 2nd June 1953 as Queen Elizabeth II. The Jubilee was heartily taken up by towns and villages throughout the country. Penistone Town Council issued its own programme of events and Ingbirchworth had a Parade and Gala. The Queen went on a nation-wide tour and this came closest at the very crowded Cawthorne Park (Cannon Hall), four miles away. Penistone Town Council arranged a variety of activities, including the 'Grand Silver Jubilee Ball', 'Penistone Entertains' variety show in the Town Hall, various junior school 6-a-side football matches, a Penistone Church FC football match for the 'Purdie Cup', a Penistone CC cricket match, Penistone 'Sing', a PGS Garden Party, a Youth Activity day, a dance, a bonfire, a parade and a service in Penistone Church. The issuing of Jubilee Crowns was extremely popular, being cheap at 25p, but they could only be obtained directly from banks, although every junior school child was also given a crown, throughout the land. Although decimalisation of UK money had been long past, the new coins were genuine crowns worth five shillings in old money. See the 1977 Jubilee Page.
		Stanhope Hospital Closes - Penistone's isolation hospital had opened in 1897 on the left of the 'top road' just after Scout Dike. 'Penistone District Isolation Hospital Committee' was set up in 1897 and comprised twenty members taken from the Urban District Councils of Penistone, Thurlstone, Denby & Cumberworth, Clayton West, Hoylandswaine, and Gunthwaite & Ingbirchworth, and all the Rural District Councils in Penistone Union. It had a resident Medical Officer. The hospital would have dealt with many infectious diseases but especially Tuberculosis which was quite common until the age of antibiotics. History of the hospital: 'Penistone and Thurlstone Joint Smallpox Isolation Hospital' (1897 to 1929); 'Penistone Infectious Diseases Hospital' (1929 to 1948); 'Penistone Hospital' (1948 to c.1962); finally called the 'Stanhope Hospital' to closure in 1977. (From Archive Gp, Facebook:) Apparently there was a ghost seen many times near the hospital. 'People have talked about a nurse that walked on the top road but when drivers stopped to see if she was okay, but no-one was there.'
		Penistone and District Riding Club - founded this year. From their website: 'Founded in 1977 from humble beginnings, with a small group of parents getting together and organising simple events. Over the 30 years membership grew and the shows became more professional. The club now runs four open shows every year, the Spring and Summer shows, held at Penistone Recreation Ground having five rings and running Ridden, Inhand, Working Hunter and Show Jumping classes.' Penistone Riding Club (Facebook) - Forum.
		Cheesebottom Sewage Works - Starts processing waste from the Penistone area. Yorkshire Water (formed in 1974) studied the quality of waste treatment from the then existing five works in the area. These were at: Oxspring, Green Moor, Spring Vale, Thurlstone and Thurgoland. From '900 Years of the River Don Fishery' (pdf), 'Green Moor, Oxspring and Thurgoland were relatively small works, whereas Spring Vale and Thurlstone served the Penistone conurbation. These works were inherited by Yorkshire Water Authority on its inauguration in 1974 and to remedy the situation the Authority commissioned the building of a brand new works at Cheesebottom to replace these five works.' See also Don Catchment Rivers Trust.
1978		Penistone Town Hall Cinema receives a major overhaul with two new projectors, a spool tower and sound system installed. Ref 24.
		New Housing Estate - Shelley Close on land between Wentworth Road and the River Don, close to Water Hall, Watermeadows Park and Penistone Viaduct. Also the roads radiating from Shelley Close, Tennyson Close and Keat's Grove. Together, they became known as Poet's Corner. Although the land was generally regarded as soft or boggy, the red-brick houses were built by John McLean and Sons on substantial concrete 'rafts' to prevent structural problems. All of the houses had garages. A typical semi-detached house in the estate sold for around £12,450 at the time and around £40,000 in the early 1990s. Twenty years later they would be around £130,000.
	May	David Brown's - With the steel foundry in serious financial trouble, redundancy notices were sent out. Referring back to this time in a 1980 article, Barnsley Chronicle called it a 'bitter blow' as half of the 750 workforce was made redundant because of thin order books. In July, this matter was raised in Parliament (Hansard). Further redundancies would follow around 1980, with 300 more to lose their jobs out of 440. For company background, see Grace's Guide and Wikipedia.
	June	Mrs Thatcher stays overnight in Penistone. As leader of the Conservatives, her visit was to drum up support prior to an election. She became Prime Minister in the following year.
1979		Heavy Snow - A photographs shows tricky road conditions on 'Just Old Penistone Pictures' (Facebook), submitted by Michael Fanshawe. Penistone had been cut off for a time. Also a 14-foot high snowdrift at Hazlehead bridge and something similar at the Holme Moss road from Holmfirth. No info on which end of the year it occurred.
	Feb & Nov	Building Society - Planning application received for change of use from a retail shop to a building society at 13 Market Street, Penistone. Application Numbers: B/78/4230/PU and B/79/3403/PU. This would become the Yorkshire Building Society. It had been a drapery shop before. In Aug 1975 an application to Conversion of storage basement to snack bar and in Dec. 1975, an application (B/75/0517/PU) for alterations to the drapery shop to provide a ladies' hairdressing parlour.
	Sept	Woman died in Thurlstone - Mrs Gillian White was killed while walking on the pavement at Thurlstone's Z-bend, a notorious accident blackspot for pedestrians, with much heavy goods traffic. This was before the road was widened and before the Stocksbridge bypass opened to carry some of the heavy goods traffic away. The accident happened on the left side of the bridge, as seen from the Penistone side, where the pavement was only about six inches wide. A meeting of Penistone Town Council was subsequently called to press BMBC to have a pedestrian bridge installed. In the end, the road and pavements were widened around 1980-81, leading to much greater safety. Reported in the Barnsley Chronicle, 12th October 1979.
	Nov	UK Interest Rates - These hit an all-time high. After a +3% rise, interest rates in the UK hit their highest ever at 17%. Mortgage repayments became very high and in many cases unaffordable, leading to debt and people selling their homes. See Trading Economics.
	21st Nov	UFO over Penistone - This follows on from an earlier sighting on 18th June of several bright objects in the sky, reported from Barnsley and Sheffield. Penistone hit the headlines in November. 'Between 11.45pm and 4am on Wednesday 21st a dome shaped object was seen low over Thurlstone, west of Penistone. The UFO emitted a green, red and blue glow which did not flash like an aeroplane’s lights. Witnesses also did not feel that the object’s movement or speed resembled that of a plane.' From an article about Paranormal Activity in the North (bottom of page), referenced in a Facebook item initiated by Alan Sutton in May 2020. Most responses were sceptical or mocking but some people claimed to have seen it.
1980s		Unsafe Buildings - Following a scare around the 1980s regarding construction materials which led to reinforcing steel being corroded, many offices and school buildings in the UK would be demolished, including the Great Hall of Huddersfield Polytechnic. This led to concerns about the supporting reinforced concrete pillars in local Airey houses. The houses had a major defect which would eventually lead to their demolition. Chlorides in the concrete caused corrosion of steel reinforcements in the support columns, leading to cracking and spalling of the concrete and the danger of collapse. These semi-detached homes were built with pebble-dashed, ship-lapped concrete panels affixed with wires to reinforced concrete columns which were erected on a concrete 'raft' base forming both the foundation and the ground floor. Many were tested and found wanting in their structural safety. Airey Houses were classed as 'defective' under the 1985 Housing Act, leading to their demolition in the late 1980s, although some had been sold under the 'Right to Buy' scheme as private houses. Many of those could claim compensation towards remedial work. See the Penpic Housing History.
1980		Cubley Hall closed as a Children's Home by Barnsley MB Council. Cubley Hall is located in Cubley on Mortimer Road. The Cubley Hall leaflet claims that it closed as a Children's Home this year, having started in the 1930s, but the 1984 Almanack gives the announcement to close as being issued 27th November 1981. It had been a farmhouse on the Pennine pack horse route during the 18th century and a 'fine gentleman's residence' in Victorian times until it became a Children's Home in the 1930s (Cubley Hall thinks it was from the 1950s). According to the Almanack, it had opened as a children's home. Its location, running costs of £100,000 a year and the unruly behaviour of some children attending Penistone Grammar School were said to be factors in its closure. With the facility closed, PTC Cllr William Gledhill proposed that it be turned into either a public swimming pool or a day care centre but these ideas were later ejected by the council. It was converted into a freehouse pub in 1982, as Cubley Hall, and later offered accommodation to became a popular wedding venue with scenic views. It continues to thrive to the present day (as at 2023) as a food pub, music venue, hotel and wedding venue. Ref 2. See also the Old Inns page.
		Thurlstone Bridge widened - Around this time or possibly 1981. It crosses over the River Don at the Z-bend. Date not known
1981	April	Freak Snowstorm - Heavy snow brought down the roof of the Scout Hut on Wentworth Road. A new building would be started in July 1982.
	21st April	Special Passenger Train - An electric-hauled (76025) special from Manchester to Sheffield passed through Penistone. This had been commissioned by The Locomotive Club of Great Britain (North West). This was probably the last-ever passenger train to traverse the full Woodhead Line. From 'The Sheffield Star Railway Album' (2008), ISBN 978-1-84547-206-1, p 56.
	16th July	Last Freight Train - on the Woodhead Railway Line between Manchester and Sheffield. It was closed after freight traffic (most notably coal) had declined. It had closed in 1969 to timetabled passenger traffic. Most of the freight towards the end was hauled by 'Deltic' locomotives, which a local BR employee described as having 'infinite power'. See my Beeching's Axe page.
	24th July	End of the Woodhead Line. What had been the first railway route through the Pennines was officially closed without ceremony on this day. The line had been operating at about one-third capacity, with around 40 trains a day. The £44m cost of upgrading the line from the existing 1.5kv dc system to the 25kv ac system was deemed by British Railway's officials to be unviable. Much of the line would become the current Trans-Pennine Trail for recreational use and the Woodhead tunnels would be re-used for electrical power conductors in the National Grid.
		Penistone Gateway Club - This group was formed in 1981 by members of Barnsley Mencap with a view to providing a safe place for people in the Penistone area with learning disabilities to break free from loneliness and isolation. The club is a Registered Charity (1188396) and meets in St Andrew's church. See Around Town (7th January 2020) for more about the club's activities. Facebook.
		Penistone CB Club Founded - Originally called 'Genital City Breakers Club' it came from ad-hoc, fortnightly 'eyeball' gatherings at the Dog and Partridge, Bord Hill. The use and ownership of CB radio was illegal at the time and sets ('rigs') were imported illegally as the USA frequency band was allocated to such as paging systems and remote-controlled model aircraft in the UK. The "Eyeballs" (meetings) and acquisition of equipment were all by word-of-mouth, with nothing formally advertised. The CB movement in the UK was mostly supported by its main users, truck drivers, delivery people and farmers. The Dog and Partridge would be full to capacity and a new venue was quickly sought. Upon the club being founded, it directly moved to the Penistone Rose and Crown function room. A three-month Establishing Committee of 13 members (including yours truly) set up a Club Constitution and Rules to help prevent exploitation and to promote club activities. The club was run on open and democratic lines, with annual elections to Committee and no permanent positions. The key Committee posts of Chair, Vice-Chair, Treasurer and Club Secretary would be determined by the Committee. The Club thrived for more than a decade, with more than 100 members at one time and many visiting guests who never joined. Organised events included discos, meals, day trips, picnics, radio 'fox hunts', race marshalling (with a PA system, caravan and race position feed-back), treasure hunts, bed pushes (with their own vehicle) and other activities. The 'Eyeball' nights always had quizzes and club announcements, sometimes film shows too. One film show in particular went awry and led to the loss of several members. When the landlord Alex Clegg retired from the Rose and Crown, the meeting moved to the Wentworth Arms for a long time. It eventually settled on the Spread Eagle in Penistone, where the friendly landlord, John Cliffe, allowed the use of the upstairs function room (which was also the home of the 'Royal Antedeluvian Order of the Buffalos' RAOB). CB Meetings petered out over time and the club formally ended around 1993. Some members continued to meet informally in the Royal British Legion afterwards.
		Baddeley's Buses Finish - Jesse and Leonard Baddeley started their bus service in Huddersfield had started their bus service in 1925 but moved to Holmfirth in 1930, to become well-known in our area. They continued in Holmfirth until closing down this year. From the Barnsley Chronicle (6th March 2020) we discover that besides the usual workers' runs to Hepworth Iron, David Brown's, and Fox's along with the PGS school buses but also some excursions to such as Blackpool, Scarborough, Belle Vue in Manchester and even as far as Torquay.
		Netherfield United Reformed Church closed, having started in 1786 and the chapel opened in 1788. It later became Netherfield Congregational Church. From 1973 it was known as Netherfield United Reformed Church. After it closed this year, its congregation combined with that of St Paul's, which was re-built as St Andrew's Church in 1989. See Archive and the Chapels page.
1982	2nd Feb	Frank Platt's Raided - More than £5k worth of goods looted between 3am and 4am from Messrs Frank Platt (Electrical) Ltd., top of Shrewsbury Road. This included video recorders, etc. The shop suffered a break-in only three months earlier. After this, roller shutters were fitted to the shop frontage. Local residents will remember Brain Clegg and Mrs Broad who both worked at the shop. Brian was also a BMBC councillor at the time. From 1984 Pen Almanack.
	24th Mar	'Oklahoma' - Performed by Penistone Operatic Society, most likely in the Town Hall (not stated). Leading Lady Carolyn Roebuck performed very well. From 1984 Pen Almanack.
	April/May	Penistone Footpath Runners - Founded this year, later to be called 'Penistone Footpath Runners and Athletic Club' although the 'athletic' part appeared to be superfluous. A year later membership had reached 40. They met every Thursday in Penistone Sports Centre, Manchester Road (former Drill Hall, now called Penistone Leisure Centre). Since its inception, the PFR club has proudly supported the Penistone coat of arms on its logo. The club was formed at the suggestion of Cubley resident Doug Carr and a hardy band of local residents who decided that they had become unfit and in need of regular exercise. In the 1980s, marshalling of its larger events was often helped by members of Penistone CB Club, using their radios to report race positions back to the start. The club moved to Penistone Church Football Club in 2002 and its success continued. Facilities and parking were better at PCFC and they could enjoy the use of its clubhouse and bar. The move did no harm to membership numbers. See the PFR site which also has a useful history page.
	May	Gunthwaite Spa - In an early application of the 'Health and Safety' culture, the Spa waters were assessed and declared 'Fit for human consumption' by Barnsley Environmental Health Department. Gunthwaite Spa lies about 2 Miles North of Penistone (OS: SE 2431 0614). 'Spaw Sunday' has been a local tradition for several centuries and still continues, despite occasional set-backs. People congregate to take the Spa waters on the first Sunday of May. They are supposed to have miraculous healing powers if imbibed in the morning. In recent times, as in days of old, the occasion has usually been supported by a brass band and tea and buns provided by a stall. Ref 2. See my Customs page.
	13th May	'The Other Fellow's Oats' - Performed in the Town Hall. This was a comedy production by Penistone Theatre Group. (1984 Almanack).
	15th June	Coach Trip Near Miss - After returning from a day trip to Crich Tram Museum in Derbyshire, the Arthur Rowe & Sons coach carrying sixty children and staff from St John's school ran out of control down a steep Derbyshire hill. Driver Brian Macey saved the passengers by steering into a grass verge and trees. (1984 Almanack)
		Dick Brownhill Retires - Around this time. Mr Brownhill had the betting shop on Market street, Penistone. It was taken over by Paul Kellet but he lived for only three or four years after. The shop was then taken over by Graham Kellet. In later times, Chuck MacBurney took over.
		Local Men Fight in the South Atlantic - This was the Falklands War which started when Argentine troops landed on the islands to occupy them. It was a hard-fought winter campaign on bleak islands which resembled the Shetland Island, against Argentines who had settled in with plenty of supplies. About 1,800 British citizens were living there. The British settlement went back nearly 150 years but Argentina had long claimed the islands as their own. In fact, it was the Spanish who originally claimed the islands in a carve-up of the Americas between them and Portugal based upon the longitude of the map. When the colonies rebelled aginst their foreign masters, one of the groups went on to form Argentina but also took the view that they inherited the earlier Spanish claim, which included whet they called the 'Islas Malvinas.' In the Falklands War (but not declared a war by either side), 255 British forces and three civilians lost their lives in the campaign to liberate the islands.
		Penistone Town Hall Cinema closed for three weeks for re-decorating. Steve Tales maintained advertising during this period, concluding with: 'Third Fantastic Week - Closed for Redecoration'. Whilst it was still under the control of BMBC, the central entertainments manager had stipulated appropriate dark colours but was countermanded by the local authority architect who had it painted white with 'a hint of pink'. The light colours were completely unsuitable for a cinema and it was rapidly re-painted during daylight hours to avoid more delay. Ref 24. See Town Hall History.
		Chicken Factory - Business on Thurlstone Road taken over by Ian Clancy and John Hutchins to expand their double-glazing company, 'South Yorkshire Home Improvements', started in 1978, presumably working from their homes. Ref 2, SYHI
	21st June	Cubley Hall opened as a free-house public house and gastropub after work lasting at least a year. It had started as a moorland farm on the pack-horse route in the 1700s, then it was converted into a Gentleman's residence with four acres of land during the reign of Queen Victoria. It was a children's home (orphanage) from the 1930s until 1980. John Wigfield and David James Slade purchased the building with their redundancy money and transformed the mansion into a comfortable hostelry with an outdoor play area. Miss Florence Lockley is the resident ghost, affectionately known as 'Flo' who was married there in 1904. It has been a great success and a popular venue for weddings, offering everything from accommodation to the service and reception. A barn on the site was converted into a function room and carvery around 1990 onwards and twelve en-suite rooms were created in the main building. This would be in the early days of wedding groups coming to the hall. Nearly four decades later, Cubley Hall is still run by John Wigfield although his business partner David left Penistone to live in Greece. A staff reunion invited all former employees (up to 1,000 people) on 11th March 1982 with food and disco. See Cubley Hall site's history section and my C Hall page.
	5th Aug	Penistone Leisure (Sports) Centre Opened - The former Penistone Drill Hall had been bought in 1976 from the MoD for £40,000. It had been empty and dilapidated for several years. A £2,000 multi-gym would installed in April 1983, funded by the 'Youth and Communty Fund' set up by County Councillor Maureen Harrison and charitable fund-raising efforts.
	24th Oct.	Death of 'Spinner' Lee - Mr Arthur Robert 'Spinner' Lee, BEM. Many affectionate stories can be told about 'Spinner' Lee, who worked for the local council and was much involved in public life. He was throughout his life devoted to football and particularly Penistone Church Football Club, as Club Secretary from 1924. He featured in the Barnsley Chronicle's 'This Week's Personality' column, 16th April 1982, by Carolyn Thorpe and was later a subject of a Sunday Times article describing him as 'An indefatigable guardian of our national game's ideals.' He retired as Secretary of PCFC through ill health on 1st October this year. His funeral on 2nd November at Penistone Church was a full house. Arthur is featured in the 2022 book 'Penistone Church Football Club 1906 - The Inspirational Story of a Grass-roots Football Club' written by Stephen Lavender, Kevin Neill and Richard Galliford (see 2022). Arthur lived on Park Avenue. Ref 2
1983		Penistone Market opens on Saturday for the first time. See my Market page.
	3rd Mar	Gas Leak in Spring Vale - Fifty homes were evacuated when a gas main ruptured at the junction of Sheffield Road with Green Road. Residents were taken to Spring Vale Working Men's Club while the repairs were made to the main. (1984 Almanack)
	Meeting 14th Mar	Penistone Pure Malt Vinegar Company - Announced in the London Gazette (pdf), 22nd February 1983, a meeting to wind up the business and dispose of its property. It started as Cubley Brook Brewery in 1848. See also 1923 and my PPMV Co. page.
	14th May	Last Train on Old Route - Via Thurgoland, Deepcar, etc. The new route would go to Sheffield via Barnsley. See 16th May.
	16th May	New Railway Route - This now connected Penistone directly to Barnsley. A special DMU train had the sign: 'FIRST TRAIN Huddersfield - Penistone - Barnsley Sheffield' on the front and was much-photographed at Penistone station, with a Police constable watching the event. The new route passed through Barnsley and Elsecar on its way to Sheffield Midland, due to funding from the South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive (SYPTE). Until now, the Penistone to Sheffield train on its way to Sheffield Midland would pass through the sad sight of a deserted and delapidated Sheffield Victoria, having reversed at the Nunnery junction. With this new route, no more passenger trains would use Sheffield Victoria but the Sheffield to Fox's steelworks in Stocksbridge continued in use for freight. The new route greatly disrupted traffic in Barnsley town centre, with the level crossing gates being closed up to 77 times a day for freight and passenger trains. British Rail appealed for the return of a 30-foot banner advertising the new railway timetable. It had been stolen from the bottom of the Station Approach. See the appropriate Railway page.
	July	Penistone Scouts Fund-Railser - This was on the first Saturday of every month as a monthly fund-raising task and a massive team effort but, after about two months, three to four tons of waste paper had been collected and they raised enough money to buy a patrol tent. The local public were very positive and responded well every month. This carried on for about five years but the price of waste paper dropped from around £40 a ton to £8 a ton and it became no longer worth collecting. The leaders and parents might have spent more on fuel than ever was raised. Penistone Scouts were founded in 1910.
		Bullhouse Bridge removed around this time. It was a utilitarian, steel railway bridge but had low headroom, so its removal made sense now that the Woodhead Line had closed. With a change of use to the Trans-Pennine Trail, it was replaced in 2,000 by the 'Millennium Bridge' a blue, modern-looking bridge with an arch feature.
		Thurgoland Thespians - Founded to produce pantomimes in the Village Hall. See Thurgo Thesps.
	August	Main Road Closed, A628 Manchester to Sheffield, for repairs to the Penistone Line railway bridge at Viewlands. This was Barnsley Road, the busy main road from Penistone Bridge to Hoylandswaine roundabout. Ref 2 , p126.
1984		New Penistone Almanack - A one-off, modern era publication of Penistone Almanack was published by The Penistone and District Society. The Penistone Almanack had been published annually by the Wood family from 1872 to 1958 and included a local telephone directory from the time when telephones started, around the end of the 19th century. In 1958, there were 473 telephone numbers but, by 1984, this had increased seven-fold. The 1984 edition was sold with a separate directory to maintain the old tradition. It would appear that the publishers had intended to continue publishing the Almanack annually but, in the end, this was the last edition (one hopes for a return).
		Housing Estate Demolished. Around this time, the old Airey (prefabricated) houses were being demolished on Ward Street, Victoria Street, Unwin Street, Wilson Avenue and Dransfield Avenue. They were built in the 1940s and generally though to have been given an estimated lifespan of fifteen years. It was also said that there were only eight different key profiles used, which meant that it was possible to borrow a neighbour's key to get in (Mrs Simmonds key fitted Mr Briggs' lock). New two-storey 'Housing Association' (social housing) houses were built on Ward Street and single-storey houses for old or disabled people on Dransfield Avenue. The Yorkshire Housing Association later became Berneslai Homes.
1985	3rd Jan	End of 405-Line Television in the UK - BBC tv (VHF Channel 2, Band I) was being transmitted from Holme Moss and ITV (VHF Channel 10, Band III) from Emley Moor. There were only two television channels available before the new 625-line system arrived in the sixties. The 625-line, UHF channels (Channels 44, 47, 51, Bands IV) started in the late 1960s along with a new channel, BBC2, all from Emley Moor. Few 405-line only tvs would be around at this time, as they had all been 'Dual Standard' (both 405/VHF and 625/UHF systems) since the 1960s. The high-pitched whistle (10.125kHz) from old tellies would be heard no more.
	26th May	Last service at Thurlstone Wesleyan Chapel. Its congregation was amalgamated with that of Thurlstone and Millhouse Green Methodist Church (see 1913 above), which celebrated its centenary in 2014. The Wesleyan Chapel was converted into a dwelling. Ref 17, p42.
		Silkstone Bypass completed, diverting through traffic away from the village and the churchyard corner ('The Cross').
	9th Oct	History talks Started - In Autumn of 1985 Age Concern sponsored a series of talks in Penistone Community Centre beginning on the 9th October on Wednesday afternoons. The subject were relating to various aspects of local history and (apart from a break for the pandemic) have continued ever since. Penistone Archive Group, Facebook.
1986	Jan	Penistone History Group founded. The inaugural meeting had a membership of 43. According to their own leaflet, this had followed on from a very successful history talk in the Autumn of 1985, sponsored by 'Age Concern.' See also 2013.
		Penistone Ladies' Choir founded by Mrs Gladys Turner. They continue to this day and have an annual concert in Penistone Church.
	3rd June	Watermeadows Park Opened. This is a recreational and scenic field near Penistone viaduct and Water Hall and is often enjoyed by ball players, picnickers and dog walkers. Its 'official' name is on a BMBC plaque by the bridge entrance nearest Water Hall. Colloquially, it is often called 'Water Hall Park', 'Wentworth Park' or other names. The plaque reads: 'Watermeadows Park Penistone. This park was created by workers on the Community Programme sponsored by Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council. Funding was provided by the Manpower Services Commission, Barnsley M.B.C., Messrs. George Longden and the Countryside Commission. The Park was officially opened by Mayor of Barnsley, Councillor J. Wood B.E.M., J.P. on Tuesday 3rd June 1986.'
		Penistone Town Hall Cinema refurbished. It also started using the new and mostly unloved name 'Metro' imposed by Barnsley Council (BMBC). The theatre had been under BMBC management since the local government changes in the 70s but in-house film booking was able to start this year, giving some control back to Penistone. The hall also received new and permanent seating, but which brought to an end the ever-popular dance nights. The wooden floor had originally been 'sprung' for dancing events but the springs had now to be chocked-up by wooden wedges to make the floor more solid. The Metro name continued until 1999, when it became the 'Paramount', a much more popular name. To many people it was still 'Penistone Town Hall Cinema' and that original name persisted in official council documents well into the new millennium. It has been an increasing problem retaining the old name for the public hall as some people, and especially those connected with BMBC, refer erroneously to the adjacent Council Chamber as 'the town hall.' See also 1999, Town Hall history and the Paramount section.
	March	St John's - The former school on Church Street was purchased by Penistone Town Council for use as Penistone Community Centre, its formal name being St John's Community Centre. A Date Stone has the inscription (in vertical and centred format): 'Penistone Town Council - Community Centre - 1987'. An interior plaque has this inscription in block capitals: 'These premises were purchased by the Penistone Town Council in March 1986 for use as a Community Centre'.
1987		Penistone CB Club - Calling for members to return. The CB club had started around 1981 in the Dog and Partridge but, at this time, it was meeting in the Spread Eagle's upstairs function room. having moved on from the Rose and Crown across the road (when Alec retired). As club attendance was declining, a letter went out to previous attendees, encouraging them to visit from time to time and it listed some club activities for the year: 4th May - Marshalling the Fun Run; 20th May - Medieval Banquet; 13th June - CB 'Fox Hunt' (you have to locate the person transmitting, the 'Fox'); 18th June - Marshalling the Cubley hall Handicap (in league with Penistone Footpath Runners); 20th June - Assisting with the Hepworth float in a Star Trek theme for Penistone Mayor's Parade (setting up a PA system and music); 11th july - Marshalling the Thurlstone Chase (again for PFR); 26th July - Day Trip to Lightwater Valley, and 8th August - PA system for Green park House Gala Day (Dale Winton on the mike, from Radio Sheffield at the time). Other events not listed would be discos, Christmas Dinners and car Treasure Hunts, where each participant would find answers to clues along a circular route. The sudden decline in attendance followed a charity film show evening for the lifeboats. After the Lifeboat event, someone showed an unsuitable film and some left in disgust, never to return. The club continued until the early nineties until it fizzled out, then some of its regulars and family members would meet up weekly in the British Legion.
	18th April	Penistone Twinned with Grindavik - It was quite common during this decade for twin towns to be formed and often between the most unlikely of locations. Penistone would be one of these. Penistone Town Councillor George Punt and wife Pat with Alec Dixon were central to this endeavour and gained the support of the council. At Easter, seven Penistone couples visited Grindavik, Iceland for a Twinning Ceremony, where they were said to have been 'overwhelmed by the hospitality and generosity shown by the residents there.' Penistone Town Council invited local groups and organisations to send representatives to a meeting on Friday 26th June in the Community Centre to inaugurate a new Penistone-Grindavik Society, as they had promised. There they would learn about the visit 'and the interest shown in the Twinning' and gain the necessary information before the inauguration proper took place. How many people had attended is unknown but a further meeting was arranged soon after, for Wednesday 5th August. The choice of Grindavik for a twin town was never properly explained and, it has to be said, was of little interest to most residents. New road signs appeared declaring that Penistone was twinned with Grindavik. Another spurt of twin-town activity occurred twenty-five years later in 2013. A Barnsley Chronicle article (29th Nov 2013) described an April exhibition in Penistone Library to coincide with a visit from Icelandic notables and there was a parallel exhibition in Grindavik. Further information appeared in July 2021 on Facebook (Penistone Archive Group). One entry gave this date of 18th April 1987 but a particularly informative note came from Kirsten Fretwell: 'My mum Susan Wood was twinning officer when Penistone Junior Chamber twinned with Grindavik Junior Chamber in 1987 and then with the town twinning later, with when George Punt was on the town council. She helped to set up the school exchanges between PGS and Grindavik in 1988 and 1989. Myself and 30 other PGS pupils visited Grindavik in 1989 accompanied by the late Mr Reid. Mum sadly passed away last year but she left a huge folder of photos and news cuttings. I know she’d have been delighted to know that the connections with our friends in Grindavik will continue.'
	Sept	Five-day Gun Siege - In the run-up to Penistone Show, armed police marksmen surrounded a house on Hartcliff Avenue as an agitated man carrying a sawn-off shotgun tried to see his ex-wife at her father's home. One neighbour on Park Avenue described how the Police evacuated residents: "One went at the back of the garage, one by the lamp post, three went down the path and fetched them out." When asked if the police were armed, she said they "... all had big guns." With the whole area cordoned off, it was in the balance as to whether the Penistone Show would have to be called off. The police chief described it as a 'containment operation' and said there was no purpose in going into the house. The ex-wife's family criticised the police for preventing the ex-wife from speaking to the man, as they thought that it could otherwise have been quickly sorted out. (This BBC News story was discovered on an old cassette tape).
1988		Deepcar Brass Band founded. Still in operation in 2013 (As recorded in an EPIP document).
	29th Mar	Penistone Twinned - Our town was twinned with the coastal town of Grindavik, south-west Iceland, through Penistone Town Council. Several visits took place mostly by local councillors. This was at a time when twin-towns were fashionable. Over time, the twinning with Grindavik became almost forgotten about in Penistone until 2023 when heavy seismic activity affected Grindavik and threatened to wipe it off the map. On Facebook, Kirsten Fretwell posted newspaper clippings from the time and said that she had been proud that her late mum Sue Wood had been involved with the twinning. Deb Hepplestone said that, with her Icelandic heritage, she had visited the island many times: 'Much of the town has no power, the harbour is sinking and the earthquakes have damaged the buildings. It's a matter of when, not if the magma will break surface, I'm afraid.' Grindavík is also twinned with: Ílhavo, Portugal; Jonzac, France; Piteå, Sweden; Rovaniemi, Finland and with Uniejów, Poland.
		Penistone Bridge becomes 'Grade II Listed' this year. This is the bridge over the River Don at Bridge End which gives us the names of Bridge Street and The Bridge Inn. It pre-dates the former railway bridge at the top of Bridge Street by many years, possibly several centuries in different forms. Pre-1915, it had been a much narrower bridge and was notable as the end destination for Mortimer's failed toll road. In modern times, it is easy to not notice the actual bridge but you can view it better from the side of the tyre garage. See 1915 for its history and inscription. English Heritage.
	3rd Sept.	Ninth Denby Dale Pie (Bi-centenary of the first pie) - This went into the Guiness Book of Records as the world's meat and potato largest pie. The dish was 20ft x 7ft and 18 inches deep. Its contents included 3,000kgs English beef, 3,000kgs potatoes and 700kgs onions. Also some vegetable grown locally by schoolchildren. A park-and-ride scheme and temporary bus stops were set up. Whilst the Pie itself was a success, the day did not go well. Pie Day was windy, cold and damp. The event was badly located and poorly-marshalled, with limited access points and not enough gate staff. The accumulating mass of people at a very slow entrance led to a drystone wall being trampled down and mass invasion of the field with some loss of revenue. The crowd simply lost their patience while waiting too long to enter the field. A BBC Radio One Roadshow trailer was sited too near to a steam-driven Carousel, which on occasions engulfed the stoically cheerful, shorts-wearing BBC presenters (such as Mike Read) in plumes of choking smoke, to the great amusement of a shivering crowd in need of some good cheer. You won't find any of this on the official pie history sites, but I was there. And I paid to go in while not actually getting any pie. The day was too miserable to stay there for long. Ref 20 and Denby Dale Pie History.
1989		A616 Stocksbridge Bypass opened. This is now the busy Sheffield to Manchester route, diverting traffic away from Stocksbridge town centre and through Thurlstone and Penistone. The ribbon was cut by Transport Minister Paul Channon MP but an old chap on a bicycle was first to cross the line. During construction, security guards employed by MacAlpine had been frightened by the spectre of: 'a group of children in medieval costume, dancing around a bush' just below Pearoyd Bridge (Tankersley end). Sceptical policemen were at first amused by the stories. However, upon closer investigation on a dark night, they encountered the same spectre and other paranormal activities (including having their Land Rover roughly shaken) and also became frightened out of their wits. On a different occasion, a mediæval monk disappeared into the headlights of the Police Land Rover. With typical good humour, a certain well-known local farmer (DS) added to the fun by erecting a Ghostbusters sign on the road. A 'Spooky' page on this website includes these hauntings. See also the Stocksbridge site, Haunted Earth blog and Suite101.
		St Andrew's Church opened next to Penistone Library (which itself had opened in 1966), on the High Street site of the old St Paul's Chapel. St Paul's had become riddled with woodworm and had to be demolished. After the Netherfield United Reformed Church closed (1809 to 1981), its congregation joined that of St Paul's (1786 to 1981) and it became a private residence, with its graveyard falling into decay. The graveyard was later partly built over as a parking area. St Andrew's. See Netherfield Church archive for a list of available records.
		Penistone Grammar School became the only 11 – 18 Local Education Authority-maintained school in the Barnsley borough. BMBC allowed it to retained its Sixth Form, which took over the remaining Workhouse buildings. See PGS Heritage and the PGS History page.
	Nov	Hospitality Room fitted to Penistone Town Hall, called the 'Metro' at this time. This was a major improvement and made the place much more comfortable. A bar licence was granted and this side room made into a cosy bar area to relax in before and during intermissions of film or theatre performances. BMBCs Catering Services had previously managed the food and drink side of the operation but that role now went to Cinema Manager Steve Tales (at that time) as the licensee. A good range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks and snacks became available, including tea, biscuits and coffee. The foyer continued to supply the usual pop, sweets, ice cream and traditional popcorn but some of the ice cream sales could now come from the new room and, of course, the traditional refrigerated ice cream trolley which was and is still wheeled into the auditorium. At first, alcoholic drinks were only available for '18' rated films but this was extended later to include all events. At one time, major football matches were also shown until fan behaviour went off the rails and some numpty threw beer at the silver screen. That ended all future football showings. See Town Hall History.
1990s		New Technology at Home. Broadband would still be more than two decades away. The English scientist Tim Berners-Lee invented the World Wide Web in 1989 and created the first web browser in 1990, which was text-only. Computers utilised the telephone network as a 'Dial-up Network' to send and receive text-based messages using 'Modems' to communicated through phase-shifted audio tones. People shared information through 'Newsgroups', each with names such as 'rec.woodworking', 'soc.culture' or perhaps 'alt.gothic' (a residue of this terminology persists in political terms such as 'Alt-Right' or Alt-Left' - thereby showing their age). The next big improvement was the NCSA 'Mosaic' browser which also allowed pictures (it barely works at all now). Home computers were becoming affordable and offices discarded their typewriters in favour of computers and printers. The mid-90s saw 'The Web' take off as an important means of information exchange, along with Email use. The Web was an improvement on the Newsgroups and could be used by anyone without much knowledge, and soon would become part of everyday life. Better still was that companies started to use websites to provide information on or advertising about their products. It became much easier to locate good information on just about any subject. Web pages are text-based files (Hypertext Mark-up Language - HTML) which conform to basic rules and can be edited in simple text editors such as the Windows Notebook. They are 'uploaded' (sent electronically by FTP = File Transfer Protocol) to reside on 'Servers' indefinitely. Then you at home can click on a link in a web browser which sends out a command via a 'name server' (converting a site name into IP 'Internet Protocol' numbers) directed to the appropriate website ('Domain') and your web browser would retrieve ('download') a copy of that page (without damaging it) for you to read and admire. The Internet Age had begun. It wasn't great but it was a good start.
1990		St Mary's Catholic Church - The RC church on Talbot Road celebrated its Silver Anniversary, 1965 to 1990. Father Brady was priest.
		Dr Masser's Son Murdered. Dr Masser had been a well-known GP in Penistone and practised well into the 1960s (possibly beyond) at a surgery at the top of Ward Street, later in a large house nearby on the High Street. His son Michael had followed him in the medical profession and became a surgeon at Pinderfields Hospital, Wakefield. This year, two surgeons Michael Masser and Kenneth Paton at Pinderfields were murdered in a religiously-motivated stabbing by Laith Alani, who had been an Engineering student at Huddersfield Polytechnic. Not long previous to the murder, Alani had threatened a senior lecturer with a knife. This highly-volatile Iraqi student had an extreme hatred for Jewish people and was seriously deranged. On being sentenced, he spent most of 19 years in a secure West Yorkshire hospital on medication. In 2010, he hanged himself in hospital soon after being the right by a Home Office tribunal to stay in this country at the end of his sentence. See Daily Mail.
	4th Nov	'Whoops-a-Daisy' Charity Event - A charity fund-raiser for the Penistone Mayor's charities, held on the Penistone Church FC football field and in the clubhouse. There was a lot of local interest and activities, which included the Club President, Frank 'Sam' Thacker, raising a substantial sum of money from people throwing wet sponges at him while he was clamped in stocks. 'Star of the Day' was Daisy the pedigree cow while owners Peter and Julie Hewitt looked after her and her three-week-old calf. Mrs Kath 'Tiny' Briggs added to the fun with toilet roll streamers. The Penistone Mayor at this time was Cllr George Punt. From an old Barnsley Chronicle.
	10th Nov	Churches Together Event - With continuous hymn-singing and refreshments in Penistone church as: '... a special event to involve all the churches in the area. Members of the public are also invited to attend, select their own hymn and join in the singing. The day will end with a special ecumenical service at 6.30pm.' From an old Barnsley Chronicle.
1991		Population of Penistone 9,537. Ref 11.
	26th Jan	HST Comes Visiting - From a photo posted by William Wardale on the Facebook 'Penistone Railway Archive Group.' The photo shows a very rare visit by the High Speed Train (HST) pulled by No. 43064. It was arriving from the Huddersfield direction while on a Dales Railtour. The very long 'Intercity' train appears to easily span more than the entire Sheffield platform, right from the viaduct.
1992	January	Kidnapper Michael Sams. This one-legged toolmaker had become a kidnapper and ransomed the release of estate agent Stephanie Slater. The £175,000 ransom was arranged and, on a misty night, Police tracked Stephanie's manager Kevin Watt carrying the money. However, they were out-smarted by Sams. The money bag was placed on a tin tray on the parapet of a disused railway bridge over the former Wombwell railway line. Hiding in the dark below, Sams tugged a rope, the money fell down and he escaped on a moped through the old Silkstone tunnels. This had been a near-miss for Stephanie, who could easily have been murdered. The year before, Sams had kidnapped and murdered Julie Dart, a street girl from Leeds whom he had tried to ransom after burying the body. He was caught and arrested in 1992 after his first ex-wife recognised his recorded voice on BBC TV's Crimewatch. He was sentenced to life imprisonment. Police recovered £150,000 buried in a field using Ground Penetrating Radar. See The Independent report and the 'Forgotten Relics' site.
		Penistone Grammar School held a series of events to mark its 600-year anniversary from 1392. This culminated in a grand assembly with speeches and thank-yous, as a big reunion of its alumni. See PGS-Archive for an extensive photo album of the PGS buildings before they were demolished. Also see a video clip of the 1992 reunion on PGS Archive's Facebook.
1993		Penistone and District Society restore St Mary's Well, near Penistone Bridge at Bridge End. This led to the adoption of an annual Well-Dressing ceremony from 1994 to c.2008, with church procession, blessing of the well and band music. Local schoolchildren participated in the event by making flower-petal murals which were exhibited across the road and judged for a prize. This custom had been 'borrowed' from neighbouring Derbyshire. It continued for perhaps a decade. See my Well Dressing page.
	2nd April	Metro Cinema reverted to local control by Penistone Town Council this year, although still in the ownership of BMBC who had appropriated Penistone's assets in 1974. Ref 24.
		David Brown's - This engineering company floated on the Stock Market as a public company, to be acquired by Textron Inc. in October 1998. David Brown's foundries on Green Road was a major Penistone employer. See David Brown history and Grace's Guide: David Brown and Sons and Wikipedia.
		Thirteen Wind Turbines completed at Royd Moor, about four miles north-west of Penistone, OS Co-ordinates: SE 220 040. This was the first wind-farm in our area, set in two parallel, staggered rows of six and seven on a ridge about 1,000 feet a.s.l. and visible for a long distance to the north. Each turbine was rated at 500kW, 35m high to the hub, and 37m rotor diameter. The total output could reach 6.5 MW under ideal conditions. The public could scrutinise the full plans in Penistone Library. Local concerns were mostly about the possible blight of pylons. This was Barnsley Planning Application B/92/0574/PR (no longer available online).
1994		Penistone's last public urinal demolished by Barnsley Council. This simple, century-old, stone structure was on Thurlstone Road in the general area of the former Drill Hall (now Sports Centre). A similar one had resided on the pavement close to St Mary's Street bridge, Coal Drops side. It is likely that that one was also demolished around the same time.
		Saint Mary's Well - This old well on the lower part of Bridge Street was renovated at the instigation of Penistone and District Society and provided with a new stone-built surround and canopy. The old red-brick surround had become dilapidated and overgrown by tree branches and foliage. Mrs Ford, aged 100, planted a tree, attended by Penistone Mayor Cllr George Punt, with church dignitaries and the architect, Mr Roy Flower. The metal plaque reads: St Mary's Well. Restored by Penistone & District Society with generous support from the townspeople and friends of Penistone.
	9th June	Penistone Agricultural Society Holdings Ltd. - This is the group behind the annual Penistone Agricultural Show, our big event of the year. Penistone Agricultural Society Holdings Ltd. was incorporated this year as Registered Company number 02937310 on this day in 1994 and continues to the present day. It was originally registered as a charity in 1899, see Registered Charity, No 1182836. Also see Penistone Agricultural Show Ltd., incorporated in 2016, Registered Company number 09923431. Amended in 2021, its Charitable Objects have now broadened to include supporting other charities and to make grants to those furthering their education in subjects linked to the rural economy: '(1) to promote and advance agriculture and horticulture for the benefit of the public in Penistone and surrounding areas by holding exhibitions and classes of breeding and other stock, agricultural implements and such other classes, displays and exhibitions connected with agriculture, horticulture and the show as may be determined by the directors; thereby encouraging skill and industry in agriculture and in allied trades, craft and professions connected with the rural economy. (2) to make such grants and donations to such registered charities and voluntary organisations that benefit the public in Penistone and surrounding areas, as the directors/trustee’s shall from time to time determine. (3) to make such grants that assist residents in Penistone and the surrounding areas to further their education in trades, vocations, and professions linked to agriculture, horticulture or other trades connected to the rural economy, through recognised training by individuals or educational establishments.'
	16th Oct	Blackpool Illuminations Day Trip - From an original 'Word' document for the Penistone CB Club poster: Blackpool Illuminations Day Trip, Thorpe's Coach - Hired by Penistone CB Club, Sunday 16th October 1994, Departs from Penistone Church at 10am, Also from Oxspring or Thurgoland by arrangement. Tickets: From Spread Eagle or call 763302, Adults £4.50 Chirld, Senior Citizen £4. Some of the CB Club posters were quite funny but the day trips were cheap and anyone could go.
1996		Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE = 'Mad Cow Disease'), in parts of the country causes restrictions on the movement of cattle. Penistone cattle market was put under great strain. This might have been the beginning of its demise. Penistone Show was also threated.
1997	24th Oct	Charity Concert - Held in Spring Vale Working Men's Club, this was a fund-raiser for 'Penistone 3-Niners' and featured comedian Stan Boardman with supporting acts and a grand raffle. The 3-Niners (or '3-9ers') were a group of charitable emergency-service workers. The name came from calling '999' for an emergency - geddit!
1998		Stocksbridge College for Further Education, originally opened in 1966 by then Prime Minister Harold Wilson on Hole House Lane, Stocksbridge closed for the last time and was demolished. Its catchment area included Penistone.
	30th Sept	Dr AO Griffiths Retires - A letter from Barnsley Health Authory Head of Patient Services was sent out about Dr Griffith's retirement on 30th September 1998 (18 years after his former partnership with Dr AA Masser ended). Drs Brown, Gallagher, Calladine, Ball, Lindop, Griffin, McCarthy and Morris would continue to provide General Medical Services from Penistone Group Practice premises (19 High Street). Dr Griffiths had been in partnership with Drs WH Ashmore and WP Neville on 1st October 1970 when his earlier practice with Dr AA Masser ended. Dr Masser had resigned the Practice on 30th September 1970.
1999		Built in 1807, Hoylandswaine Methodist Church held its last wedding ceremony this year, for Philip and Julie Buckley. It held its last Carol Service in December 2013, prior to closing.
	Sept	Death of Mr Gordon Wood - He had taken over the MA Wood's petrol garage in Oxspring after his father Jim died. Gordon was regarded as a 'real gentleman', who looked after his customers with friendship and charm and he received some kind of award to that effect. GW was also a pianist and organ player. The garage had been noted far and wide for good service and kept the title of 'MA Wood' until the end. It closed on 31st March 2,000. It was later demolished to make way for new houses. See also 2000.
		The 'Mighty Paramount Theatre Organ' had originally been built for the brand new 3,000-seat Birmingham Paramount cinema which opened in 1937 (Cinema Treasures). The Birmingham Paramount would be renamed the Odean in 1942. The organ was restored in the 1950s but removed in 1988 to The Oswestry Regal (Leg Street and Oswald Road, see Cinema Treasures), where it gave good service until the cinema closed in 1994. The well-known Blackpool Tower Ballroom organist, Kevin Grunhill, bought it from them and he set up Penistone Cinema Organ Trust. After careful restoration, the organ was installed in Penistone Town Hall in 1999 with due ceremony. This led to a new name for the theatre, now called the 'Penistone Paramount', which replaced the generally unloved name of 'The Metro Cinema' which had been imposed on the building by BMBC in 1986. The first organ recital at the Paramount was in November 2001 with Kevin Grunhill again tickling the ivories. He continued as the main organist for what has proved to be very popular organ concerts on Market Days (Thursday), often playing to capacity audiences. The Organ Trust went on to provide a second venue for organ concerts at the Astoria Centre, Barugh Green, which have also proved to be very popular. See the Town Hall Tour and Town Hall History pages (the same text on both). Penistone Cinema Organ Trust.
Quick Links:		Intro - 1000 - 1600 - 1700 - 1800 - 1900 (1900, 1950, 1970) - 2000 - Refs - Generate English calendar for year: Time & Date

Index of Topics
In sections below the Table.

• Trends from 1860
• Andrew Carnegie - The great philanthropist and steel magnate.
• Penistone Market Cross - In the church yard.
• The Biltcliffe Brothers - See also Mr Lavender's 'Story from the Stones 6'
• Local Telephones - We were early in the game.
• St Saviour's Church - A bequest by the Bray sisters.
• Penistone War Memorial - Unveiled in August 1924.
• Vehicle Registrations, 1963 to 1982 - Until it became complicated.
• The Queen's Coronation - Queen Elizabeth II acceeds to the throne.
• The 20th Century - Local changes over the years.
• The Monarchy from the 1830s - Starting with Queen Victoria who died in 1901.
• References - Used in the Table above.

Timeline Periods, other pages on this website:

•  Intro - The History Timeline starts here,
• 1000 - 500 BC to 1595,
• 1600 - 1600 to 1699, 17th Century,
• 1700 - 1700 to 1799, 18th Century,
• 1800 - 1800 to 1899, 19th Century,
• 1900 - This page, 20th Century, (1900s, 1950s, 1970s),
• 2000 - 2000 onward, 21st Century.

Trends From 1860
The period from 1860 to 2000 saw a steadily decline in Infant Mortality, interrupted by a sharp rise during the Great War and the Spanish Flu pandemic. The Infant Mortality Graph (derived from the NSO), shows the Barnsley area having a sharper peak (in red) than the national plateau. Around 1900, the rate of infant mortality was about 170 per thousand deaths (17%), approaching one in five. By 1950, this was about 50 infant deaths per thousand (5%).

In the population, the number of people over 65 years old was steady at about 5% until the second decade of the 20th century, after which it rose at a fairly linear rate (Graph) until around 2000, flattening at about 17% until rising again. This was offset by a steady percentage reduction in those aged under 15 years (Graph), starting at about 40% in 1880, declining steadily to just below 20% in 2000. Of course, these are percentages of the overall population, which was actually on the increase.

The manufacturing Graph for the Barnsley area is very interesting and shows severe swings. It peaks around the time of the Great War and sharply declines during the Depression years around 1930. Another peak occurs around 1970, leading into a further decline; lower than during the Depression.

Sourced from Vision of Britain.

Andrew Carnegie
Scottish-American Steel Magnate and Philanthropist. Through his philanthropy, Penistone gained its first proper Library in 1913, part-funded by public subscription. This would lead to the Town Hall (Paramount), Masonic Hall and Council rooms being buit on to the Library in 1914. The use of the Town Hall as a cinema would follow in 1915. Without Carnegie's help, it might not have happened or at least it would have been much delayed for many years because of the Great War of 1914 - 1918 and the austerity which followed.

From Wikipedia: 'Among his many philanthropic efforts, the establishment of public libraries throughout the United States, Britain, Canada and other English-speaking countries was especially prominent.' Also: 'Before his death on August 11, 1919, Carnegie had donated $350,695,654 for various causes.'

Andrew Carnegie was born on November 25th 1835 and died on August 11th 1919. He was a Scottish-American industrialist, business magnate and philanthropist. He led the American steel industry in the late 19th century. He became the richest American of his time.

Carnegie was born in Dunfermline, Scotland. His father was William Carnegie, his mother Margaret (nee Morrison) Carnegie. His father was a poor-hand loom weaver, specialising in damask, who fell on hard times. Andrew was educated at a Scottish Free school (a gift by philanthropist Adam Roland of Gask). Therefore, in 1848 the family moved to the USA in search of a better life-style. Unfortunately, his father did not prosper, so Andrew became the main wage earner in the family. He became a telegraph operator for the railway and by the 1860s he could afford to buy shares in the railways, especially the railroad sleeping cars invented by Mr Pullman.

Eventually, he built the Pittsburgh's Carnegie Steel company. He sold the company in 1901 and became richer than John D Rockefeller, the then wealthiest man in America. From this point on he dedicated his life to large scale philanthropy. He built Carnegie Hall in New York, NY. He was a man who sought world peace and encouraged literacy in the common man. To further the latter cause he built over 3,000 public libraries in the USA, England and other countries. He gave massive amounts to trusts for universities in the USA and Scotland and towards hospitals and medical research.

He believed business men should spend their lives in two parts: the first making a fortune, the second giving it away to worthy causes. Mr Carnegie deserves a much greater local recognition than he receives. Not even one local road has been named after him.

NB.
Carnegie's story was kindly provided by Mr R Wright from his 'People of Penistone' series, as a contribution to this website. Many thanks to Richard. For more on this topic, see Penistone Town Hall History (on this website), Carnegie's history (at History.com) and listen to an actual recording of Carnegie's voice (at Archive.org).

The Market Cross
From 1924 above, it states that 'The old Market Cross stump had to be moved into the churchyard to make the space available (for the new War Memorial).' Market Crosses were common around the country and some would date back even as far as the 7th century. They were often very ornate and could be quite large. It is possible that Penistone's Market Cross was erected in 1699 when the Royal Market Charter was acquired, but Penistone had markets long before that date and the cross could be much older, particularly given its state of deterioration, perhaps even from when the church was built in the 12th century.

In the modern age there is not much more than a base and a stump but, according to a conversation with Fr David, other pieces of the cross might be found in the churchyard. A stonemason could reconstruct the old Market Cross with the addition of new material, ideally with the old inscriptions and carvings returned to their former glory, if they could be discovered. This would recover an interesting piece of Penistone history.

• See 1699 concerning the Royal Market Charter (bottom end of the 17th C Timeline table), a facsimile of which can be found in the Council Chamber, Shrewsbury Road.
• See also Penistone's Listed Buildings, which includes two cross bases in the churchyard.

The Biltcliffe Brothers
Joshua Biltcliffe was born 1n 1853. He was the son of John Biltcliffe, a cordwainer (worker in soft leather goods), and Jemima Biltcliffe (nee Jenny Marsh). His mother died in 1884. Joshua had an elder brother Edwin and a younger sister Alice. When an adult of 17yrs he worked as a labourer in a steelworks until, aged 36 in 1889, he opened a photographic studio in Vernon Place, the the rear of No. 6, Bridge Street, Penistone (opposite the Police Station). The business stayed there until 1936.

In 1904, the business became Joshua Biltcliffe & Sons. Joshua also ran a general store from the same address, selling gramophones, sheet music and violin strings (throughout his lifetime Joshua was interested in music), as well as hosiery and school uniforms. For a time he established a photographic studio at Thurlstone (possibly in a wooden shack): he moved this to Vernon Place, Penistone on a horse cart.

During his youth, Joshua peddled many miles locally taking photographs, e.g. Cody's aeroplane at Penistone in 1909, the Penistone viaduct collapse in 1916, the Royal visit in 1912 and the opening of the Penistone Carnegie Free Library in 1913 (see the Carnegie story above). On 2nd December 1876, Joshua married Mary Hannah Wood, who was two years older than him. They were married at the Netherfield Independent Church in Penistone.

In 1877, Ernest Arthur Biltcliffe was born to Joshua and Mary. They then had John Thomas (known as JT). Another child, Henry Biltcliffe, was born in 1881. He died in 1960. At this time the Biltcliffes were living at Prospect Terrace at Thurlstone. In 1882 their last child Frederick was born. He too became a photographer. He died in 1956.

The Biltcliffe brothers, his sons John Thomas and Fred Biltcliffe, also advertised as photographers from the same address from 1904 to 1922. Also, in 1904 Joshua Biltcliffe & Sons set up a studio in Skelmanthorpe, a few miles from Penistone. This shop was mainly run by Frederick and it closed in 1937. Ernest had unfortunately died in 1925 aged 48. The family also established a shop, not a studio, in Denby Dale. Joshua Biltcliffe died on 10th November 1937, aged 84.

John Thomas experimented with photography techniques such as flash photography. He had married Martha Eleanor Swift (1899-1969) in 1915. Martha was only 16 years old and was the daughter of gamekeeper John Edward Swift and Lavinia Swift (nee Milnes). John T and his wife had a son called Charlie in 1918. He died in Italy as a signaller with the army on 31st October 1943.

As well as their studios, Joshua and his sons took pictures of local activities and put many of these images on postcards. Due to Joshua and his son's interest in music, they produced a unique postcard with a photograph and a musical score. In 1890 Joshua's father John died. He was 70 years old. Meanwhile, Henry Biltcliffe ran a confectioner's shop at 15 Market Street, Penistone.

John Thomas took a more leading part in the Penistone Studio, which carried on until he died in 1964 when the business, shop and studio would be closed. Following his death, the building on Bridge Street would subsequently be demolished.

Joshua and John Thomas Biltcliffe had recorded all of the local events, such as gatherings, festivals, sports activities and weddings during the latter part of the 19th century and the first 40 years of the 20th century. They therefore deserve a place as one of the most influential families in Penistone's history.

NB.
The Biltcliffes' story was kindly provided by Mr R Wright from his 'People of Penistone' series (slightly edited here). Many thanks to Richard.
Please also take a look at Steve Lavender's 'Story from the Stones No. 6' which looks at George (1793 - 1865) and Alice Biltcliff (1798 - 1868). It also shows Biltcliffe's photo of Cody's aeroplane. For further reading, see also the biographies of John Thomas Biltcliffe and Joshua Biltcliffe.

Local Telephones
Technology was gaining pace towards the end of the 19th century, with photography, the Magic Lantern, the phonograph, electrical power, motors, electrical lighting and telephony but the great leaps forward in all of these belonged to the 20th century and that is why this topic is on this page. Penistone once had an important position on the region's telephone system. Penistone's telephone history is told in the Penistone Almanack 1984 Telephone Supplement, a thin booklet which listed all of the current Penistone numbers for 1984, and the old ones from its beginning. Some further details are from Grace's Guide, Wikipedia and links below.

Telephones were the big new idea towards the end of the 19th century. Alexander Graham Bell demonstrated the telephone to Queen Victoria (14th January 1878) at Osborne House on the Isle of Wight with calls made to London, Cowes and Southampton. These were the first long-distance calls in the UK and the Queen was impressed.

A Sheffield businessman, John Tasker, had a leather and rubber business before moving into electricals which was starting to catch on at the time. On a visit to the USA, his solicitor Robert Styring was impressed by Alexander Graham Bell's new telephone system and he could see its possibilities for Sheffield. He discussed this with Tasker, who soon brought in 1,500 of Bell's telephones. He had a shop in Angel Street, Sheffield. The telephones needed an exchange, as no direct-dialling was available at the time. Calls at this time would have be placed via the Telephone Exchange by asking an operator to connect to the number. By 1879, Tasker had connected around a dozen subscribers to his 'Sheffield Telephone Exchange' which was in a room above his shop. (Tasker at Grace's Guide).

Communication was considered to be a strategic matter by the government and it needed to be controlled. A legal action on 20th December 1880 settled the matter that the telephone was a form of telegraph, within the meaning of the Telegraph Act, 1869, Sec. 4, which allowed existing legislation to cover its use. The case was: Attorney General versus The Edison Telephone Company of London Ltd. The UK government had taken control of the country's telephone system but private companies would run exchanges under licence.

This led to rivalry and dirty tricks in some places, as these private companies tried to drive their rivals out of business. A telephone system would work best as a monopoly in each area with a single exchange there. There were stories of holes being dug ready to insert telegraph poles (we still call them that), only to find someone else's pole in that hole the next day. The 'National Telephone Company' (NTC) was set up by these companies, amalgamating many of them companies together but this did not include Tasker's system until they bought him out in 1888. Now Sheffield could have a single system and the rivalry within Sheffield could end.

In the late 1880s, NTC's inter-city services were being introduced and Penistone became an important junction in the 'trunk' system by virtue of being halfway between Huddersfield and Sheffield. It also connected with Manchester and Barnsley. Penistone's new Telephone Exchange arrived at No 3, Church Street, between the current vet's shop and Arthouse Cafe. It also had a warning klaxon set up in the church tower, operated by a button in the Exchange to signal emergencies to the public, and possibly the fire station employees. The Penistone Almanack started to include telephone numbers, of which there were few locally.

The 1900 Penistone Almanack had these notes:
In the Penistone Post Office section, details of its services, then:
'The Post Office is in Telephonic communication with the Penistone Exchange of the National Telephone Co. for the convenience of renters of private wires in sending telegrams.'

In the 1900 Almanack, the above details and: National Telephone Company, Public Call Office at Mrs. Ensor's, Market Place
In the 1902 Almanack, the same details repeated except: Public Call Office at Brettoner & Brettoner, Market Place.
In the 1910 Almanack, the same details repeated except: National Telephone Company, Public Call Office in Church Street.

The Midland Section 1901-02 National Telephone Company Directory had these these Penistone numbers:

• Hepworth Iron Co., Hazlehead (1),
• W Gittus Coach Works, Spring Vale (2),
• Dr ACJ Wilson, Willow House, Ward Street (4),
• Dr James Ross (5),
• National Telephone Company (NTC), (7),
• Penistone Electrical Co., Eagle Works (8),

Around the same time, the Eagle Works and Don Villa, situated near Penistone Bridge, were both put up for sale. NTC at Grace's Guide throws further light on the comapny's history, also Wiki. The NTC continued expanding from 1881 until 1911, when it was taken over by a Government organisation, the General Post Office (GPO) for the UK postal and telegraph system. The GPO would also enforce common standards for equipment and technical details. Telegraph poles would shoot up everywhere, and be quite an eyesore in places. 'Tasker's Engineering Company' would eventually go into liquidation in 1914.

By 1915, there were 33 local telephone subscribers. The equipment right up to the end of the 1920s would have a fixed carbon microphone and an earpiece hanging on a hook. In the 1930s and onwards, the equipment would look more familiar, with the handset sitting on a cradle, housing both the microphone and earpiece, and the box below would have the familiar dial. From the 1920s, some calls could be direct-dialed in London and other places but Penistone was a long way behind. In 1939, at the start of the war, local telephonist Winifred had to deal with a deluge of connections, which does not sound as though direct-dialling was yet available. The telephonists coped, because they had to. Direct-dialling came later but, within living memory, it was possible to dial the Operator (Number 0) to ask to have a call put through if there was a problem.

In 1956, the manual Telephone Exchange on Church Street was closed and would be replaced by a new automatic exchange on Talbot Road, near to the later St Mary's RC Church (built 1954). The 1957 Penistone Almanack gave 450 as the number of subscribers. A red telephone box was sited outside the Church Street Exchange and was in use for several decades.

By the 1970s, the familiar red telephone boxes were located: outside the church on Shrewsbury Road, by the Rose & Crown on Market street, outside Penistone Library, outside Penistone Church FC on Church View Road, near Winnie Adams' chip shop on Green Road, by Spring Vale's zebra crossing, near the Bridge End road crossing, Park Avenue and possibly two in Cubley. Thurlstone had a box near the war memorial which was removed soon after the memorial was installed. And probably more, since forgotten. In the modern age, few phone boxes survive and not all contain a public telephone. One in Denby contains a defibrillator. Shown below are phone boxes outside the church (still there in 2023) and outside the Rose and Crown (removed).

The telephone kiosks had a black and heavy bakelite phone on its cradle with a rotary dial below. Underneath was a black box with buttons labelled 'A' and 'B'. You would put the coins in and press 'A' to connect, or press 'B' to get them back if the call could not be placed. If connecting via the Operator (dial '0'), she would have to guess whether the right coinage had been inserted from the sound of a bell which pinged with every dropping coin. This was open to fraud. A sneaky way of making a call for nothing in a phone box was to tap the phone cradle at the right speed and for the right number of taps as the dial returned to its stop for each number dialled. That worked (says he).

The finger-operated circular dial which would make an electrical pulse as it rotated past each number. For example, a dialed number 9 would create nine pulses as it turned back against the spring. Actually, the dialling mechanism was quite complicated, consisting of a spring-powered gear train and governor to try to keep the return speed of the dial constant. The pulses from different phones would be of the same speed.

Few people, except perhaps for doctors, business people and police would have a telephone at home until perhaps the 1970s, although many businesses would be on the system, which is somehow similar to the Internet age now. Phone boxes were obviously useful for emergencies but they were also used for secret assignations. Penistone's grapevine is always efficient and news of, shall we say, a married man calling his girlfriend would travel almost as quickly as the phone call itself. It would not be unknown for some people to 'overhear.' The phone boxes were also much abused by bored youths and drunkards in urgent need of relief.

A dial telephone would have number-letter combinations labelled thus:

• 1 (no letters),
• 2 ABC,
• 3 DEF,
• 4 GHI,
• 5 JKL,
• 6 MNO,
• 7 PRS (no 'Q'),
• 8 TUV,
• 9 WXY,
• 0 (no letters and no 'Z').

These letters were used in company adverts. For example (and this one is made up and therefore possibly wrong) Call MA 234567 for the Manchester exchange and the MA would be the prefix of 61 (which these days would be 0161). You can see how the old letters are still connected with some of the modern dialling codes. The modern area code for Birmingham is O121, with the '2' appropriate for B.

The later 'Pay on Answer' coinboxes started being installed around the country from 1959. A fully-automated Telephone Exchange would be built near Stottercliff Cemetery, perhaps in the 1970s and most local numbers would be given a 76 prefix to the old four-digit numbers. This means that the old numbers could carry on and the new versions easy to remember. Penistone's 76-prefixed numbers would still relate to the letter combination of PN, suggesting the PeNistone exchange. Emergency calls were (and still are) '999' because it is easy to find on a dial in the dark.

The GPO continued to operate the national telephone system right up to the Thatcher years when it was sold off to become British Telecom (BT). Kingston Upon Hull would be the only place in the country with a non-GPO telephone company, using yellow phone boxes but the GPO would use Hull as a testing ground for new equipment.

Further Reading:

• See BT's Private and Municipal Telephone Companies (pdf)
• BT's British Phone Books (pdf).
• The UK Telephone System 1950s-80s
• UK Automatic Dialling and History

St Saviour's Church, Thurlstone
Thurlstone is a very ancient district, being mentioned in Domesday Book. It is, however, a very young parish ecclesiastically for the Church of England, dating only from 12^th January, 1906. For such a young parish it has quite an interesting history. The late sisters Mary and Hannah Bray, formerly of Thurlstone, left a sum of £5,600 for the building and endowment of a Church at Thurlstone. This would be St Saviour's Church.

On the 17th of November, 1902, the Rev. C. S. Richardson, M.A., was appointed Curate-in-charge of Thurlstone under Canon Turnbull, Vicar of Penistone, and full services were commenced in Town End School, Thurlstone. On Tuesday, May 19th, 1903, a meeting was held at Penistone, the Bishop of the Diocese (Wakefield) being present, when it was announced that the late Sir Waiter Spencer Stanhope, K.C.B., had promised £1,000 to the building and endowment fund. A committee was then formed for the building of the church. Mr. H. S. Tomasson, of Plumpton, gave the site; plans were prepared by Mr. C. Hodgson Fowler, F.S.A., and the building of the Church was commenced on June 13th, 1904.

The foundation stone was laid by Sir W. Spencer-Stanhope, K.C.B., on Saturday, November 5th, 1904, and the church was consecrated by the Bishop of Wakefield on Saturday, December 9th, 1905. The patronage of the living is vested in the Bishop, Thurlstone was created a new parish by Order in Council dated January nth, 1906. On Monday, March 19th 1906, the Bishop instituted the Rev. C. S. Richard son to the living of Thurlstone as first Vicar.

The vicarage was begun on July 23rd, 1906. In February, 1912, the Rev. C. S. Richardson left Thurlstone to undertake the charge of West Vale, Halifax, and the Bishop asked the Rev. Edward Farrow, Curate-in-charge of S. John's Church, in the parish of Tong and the borough of Bradford, to come to Thurlstone. The Rev. Edward Farrow was instituted and inducted as second Vicar of Thurlstone on Saturday, 20th April 1912.

(From the 1914 Penistone Almanack.)

Penistone War Memorial
This was unveiled on a bright, sunny day. It had been discussed since 1920 but its plans had not been approved by Penistone Urban District Council until November 1923. The old Market Cross stump had to be moved into the churchyard to make the space available.

The memorial was unveiled by Sir Alexander Bosville MacDonald of the Isles and dedicated by the Venerable Archdeacon RCM Harvey. The memorial was constructed of Bolton Woods stone by Mr Earnest T Moore of Penistone at a cost of about £500. An advert for ET Moore & Son in 1948 Penistone Almanack addresses it as being at 'Cemetery Monument Works, Penistone' and a telephone list (Tel. 269) has it on Thurlstone Road. This might have been the house next to the cemetery access lane.

The design was by Mr Alfred Gotsh of Kettering, President of the Royal Institute of Architects. A stepped platform bearing the memorial cross was cut into Penistone Church's wall and adorned with 42 names of 'the fallen' of the Great War of 1914-1918, and the Fallen of WWII added following that conflict.

The inscription in the block above reads: 'In grateful memory of those from this township who gave their lives in the Great War 1914 - 1919' with '1939 - 1945' added later to include the fallen from the Second World War.

The names are also listed on the Barnsley War Memorials site. Remembrance parades and ceremonies have respectfully taken place by the Penistone War Memorial every year. See the Remembrance Day page.

Penistone War Memorial, by 'Andrew'

This Stone doth live And to our sons unborn,
Shall tell the wonder of the forty-two,
All glorious. How beautiful to view,
Is he, who brings good tidings in the morn,
To those, after a night of terror worn.
So thou, a silent herald of the few,
Who died to check the Hun-hounds’ maddened hue,
Shall stand for aye to hallow and adorn.

For thou hast heard us testify, O Stone,
Hast graved upon thy heart the names of those,
We honour — e'en companions of the glen,
And meadow; blood of our blood, very bone:—
Lest ye forget the men who crushed our foes,
Behold this Stone — the Brave parade again.

Vehicle Registrations, 1963 to 1982
Registrations before 1963 were of three numbers and three letters but with no particular meaning. From January 1963, registrations were still three letters, a gap then three numbers but a letter was added at the end to denote the year of registration. A made-up example might be CCX 123A where the 'A' would refer to 1963 (CCX would have been registered in Huddersfield). Certain letters are not used, for reasons of readability: I, O, Q, U and Z.

The Registration Letters:
1963 - A; 1964 - B; 1965 - C; 1966 - D, In 1967 the letter change was moved from January to August, 1967 to July - E, 1967-68 (August to July) - F, 1968-69 - G, 1969-70 - H, 1970-71 - J, and so on up to 1982 - Y. Then it became more complicated.

HM Queen Elizabeth II's Coronation
This was a big event throughout the country and we can say that Penistone Urban District Council (PUDC) had put in a good effort for Tuesday 2nd June 1953, to celebrate the Coronation. On this day, Queen Elizabeth II became the 39th Sovereign and the sixth Queen in her own right to be crowned at Westminster Abbey, where every coronation for the last 900 years had taken place. See also 1953 above for other PUDC events the day before. The PUDC Programme:

'Coronation Programme for the Urban District of Penistone' (from the PUDC leaflet)
Programme of the Coronation Day Festivities in the Urban District of Penistone.
Civic Service, Parade, Tea for Old People, Widows and Children, Children's Sports, Dance, Beacon Fires, Thurlstone Brass band will be in attendance during the day.

Programme for Coronation Day, Tuesday 2nd, 1953.
Civic Service
A joint religious service will be held in PENISTONE PARISH CHURCH at 10am, conducted by Ministers of the district. Address by Rev BK Soper MA. A welcome is given to all. Official bodies should notify approximate numbers to Mr FS Wells, 24 Clarel Street, Penistone. In addition, Coronation Communion Services are being held as follows: Penistone Parish Church 8am, Thurlstone Parish Church 8.30am, St Paul's Methodist 8.30am, Hoyland Swaine Parish Church 9.30am.

Parade
Parade Marshal: Special Police Sgt WJ Penny. Judges: Messrs. James Polson MBE, and H Whitely, Mr A Goldthorpe CC and Mrs A Goldthorpe, Mr and Mrs W Tutin, Mr and Mrs JA Crossland.
All competitors to assemble in the PARK AVENUE RECREATION GROUND. Judging will commence at 1pm.
Prizes will be awarded as follows: Decorated vehicles or tableaux. Prizes of £3 3s and £2 2s will be given in each of three classes, viz.
a - Religious Bodies, Day and Sunday Schools
b - Young People's Organisations
c - Street Group and other Organisations
A special prize of £3 3s will be given for the best decorated vehicle in any class.
Fancy Dress and Solo Competitors, a number of cash prizes will be given in this class

Parade Route
All competitors will be conveyed to Millhouse. The procession will leave Millhouse at approximately 2pm and proceed via Manchester Road, Thurlstone Road, Bridge Street, Church Street, Sheffield Road, and High Street, terminating at the Park Avenue Recreation Ground. The decorated vehicles will visit Hoyland Swaine on the initial journey to Millhouse. 'Miss Penistone' (Miss G taylor), with her attendants, Misses J Dyson and WG Lavender, will head the procession.

Teas
Free teas will be provided to all school children, elderly people of pensionable age and all widows. Tea at 4pm approximately. Tea tickets will be distributed to all children previous to Coronation day, stating the school each child must attend. Yellow tickets for Juniors, Pink tickets for seniors. Elderly people and widows will receive a White ticket with instructions where to attend.
(Programme Note: Teas for sick and bedridden people may be obtained by a responsible person attending the centre which should have been attended.).

Sports       £50 in prizes
Children's Sports will be held on the MEMORIAL GROUND off Victoria Street, by kind permission of Penistone Church FC at 5pm approx. Officials in charge, Messrs AR Lee and AH White. (List of various races listed for girls and boys of different age ranges). Coaches loaned by Mr H Beever, Mr EB Broadbent and Messrs JP Hinchliffe & Son, will convey competitors to the Memorial Ground.
During the evening a Task Recovery Display will be given by kind permission of the CO, REME.
Thurlstone Brass Band will play selections during the evening.
A GRAND DANCE WILL BE HELD IN THE DRILL HALL from 9pm to 1am. ADONIS BAND Admission 2s 6d.

Beacon Fires
Three Beacon Fires will be lit at 10pm precisely.
1. West of Park Ave Estate, nr Schole Hill Lane, by 'Miss Penistone.'
2. Royd Moor, nr Thurlstone Park, by Mr H Goldthorpe and Senior Scouts
3. Top of the Cliff, Hoyland Swaine, by Capt. BW Turner and members of the Boys' Brigade (1st Penistone Company)
Rockets and fireworks will be displayed at each Beacon, also, by kind permission of the CO, REME, three flares will be fired.
Decoration and Lighting
1st Prizes of £2 2s and £1 1s for the best Decorated Premises will be given as follows: (a) Business Premises; (b) Private Houses. Entries to be notified to the Clerk's Office, Town Hall, Penistone, not later than 10am on the 1st June 1953.
Gifts
A Commemorative Mug supplied by the West Riding Council will be given to all children attending Grant-aided Schools. These will be presented at the school which the children attend.
A Commemorative Mug supplied by the Penistone Urban District Council will be presented to all children under school age, and to scholars in Private Schools not covered by the West Riding County Council. Mugs will be issued on Wednesday, 27th May - see special press announcement. Application in respect of any child who has not received a souvenir gift should be made to the Clerk's Office, Town Hall.

List of Officials
Coronation Committee - Joint Secretaries: HE Beardsall and FS Charlesworth
Entertainment Sub-Committee - Secretary: AW Clough
Finance Sub-Committee - Secretary: CV Gillis
Publicity Sub-Committee - Secretary: FS Charlesworth
Refreshments and Catering Sub-Committee - Secretary: Mr HV Morris; Caterer: Mrs SB Beever.
Churches' Committee - Secretary: Rev BK Soper MA
The local division of the St John's Ambulance Brigade will be in attendance during the day.
In case the weather is unsuitable for outdoor events alternative arrangements are being made of which notice will be given on Coronation day.

The 20th Century
This was a century of great changes and improvements to our town and district, with the arrival of an electricity supply, our Town Hall and suffering the turmoil and losses of two World Wars, various epidemics and the huge unemployment and poverty in the 1930s. Penistone was changing from 'little more than a village' to a thriving and rapidly expanding town. Popular entertainment was changing to encompass the world of cinema (in two venues) and television would arrive in the 1950s.

Our town had its own Employment Exchange, Registrar of births, marriages and deaths, a District Nurse and a good range of shops and businesses such as a banks, an electricity showroom, furniture shop, hardware shop, wallpaper shop, clothes shops and even a very good Polish cobbler.

Penistone Council ran its own facilities from housing, street-lighting, water supply and other facilities such as the refuse collections right up until the Local Government Reorganisation of the 1970s, when it was passed over to Barnsley Council.

The Generations
Different sources provide slightly different dates, more so for the Millennials where one example has it up to 1995. The consensus settles somewhere around these dates.

Following the austerity of the war years (but before the Cold War), it was a time of great optimism and it led to a great increase in birthrate, hence the Baby Boom. Ration cards were still valid up to around 1954, but there were no particular shortages. Money was tight. Around two-thirds of people lived in rented accommodation. Local council houses had a coal bunker and a 'wash house' with gas and water. Television was in its early years (only two channels) and few people other than professionals would own a car or have a telephone. Coal fires were the most common form of heating, typically with a back boiler and hot water tank. Churches and other stone-built buildings were all black with soot. Washing machines were top-loaders and few homes had refrigerators. Cafe culture in the late 1950s mimicked that of the USA, with its juke boxes and teens.

In the sixties, the culture started to change. The Bill Hayley days were replaced by pop, with such as The Beatles and Rolling Stones. Instigated by the Prime Minister Harold MacMillan, Dr Beeching published two reports which would lead to rationalisation of the railways. 'Beeching's Axe' closed down uneconomic railway lines and Penistone would lose its railway connection with Manchester. Steam locomotives were scrapped in favour of diesel. The Cold War frightened people.

With Generation X, the 'permissive society' began and the contraceptive pill gave more power to women over their lives. Off-shore pirate radio started in the mid-1960s supplying a need for pop music that the BBC did not fulfil. Bell's Café with its Juke Box was a popular place in Penistone (later to become Green Kleens). Technology was racing forward when PM Harold Wilson opened Stocksbridge College in 1967. Wilson hoped for technology-based classless society ("the White Heat of Technology"). BBC2 television was in colour (Eg. Play School, Rowan and Martin's Laugh-in, The High Chapparal, Late Night Line-up, etc.). Home radios became home stereos and radio valves gave way to transistors, allowing more compact designs and cooler running, although valves continued for hi-fi amplifiers (as in the present day). Radio 1 started in 1967 ('Hi Ho Silver Lining') for a youth audience. Industrial strife was increasing and unions became more militant, with car factories and miners frequently on strike (among others). Car ownership increased and the Morris Mini was a favourite. The CND 'Ban the Bomb' campaign led to big marches in the cities.

The 1970s were a time of 'Flower Power' and laid-back influences from the USA's West Coast, such as The Beach Boys. Some of it in a drug-fueled haze. Long hair, paisley shirts and flared trousers were the norm. "Peace brother!" Cheap digital watches were all the rage. Gas-fired central heating was taking over from coal fires. Dances faded while discotheques abounded. The Oil Crisis of 1973 led to power cuts and PM heath's three day week in 1974.

Double-glazed windows were big business, replacing the old windows (often in hardwood frames). In the late 1970s, office automation was making great strides as the humble typewriter was replaced by stand-alone word processors. Public sector strikes in 1979 led to the so-called 'Winter of Discontent.' Fax machines were everywhere, using the phone line to send crude text and images (some companies still have them). CB Radio arrived around 1980 and a new sub-culture was born, along with Americanisms on a grand scale. VHS video recorders became popular in the 1980s and video rental shops sprang up, including one on Market Street in Penistone. The Sinclair ZX Spectrum arrived around 1982 and the BBC Micro in schools, both using flavours of BASIC. College and industrial computers used either the UNIX or DOS operating system.

Home ownership escalated in the 1980s, particularly from Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher's 'Right to Buy' scheme, where council tenants could buy their homes at a discount. Around 2 million households became privately-owned as a result. Home computers with printers became popular. Digital watches sprouted data storage, calculators, temperatures and more. Microwave were catching on, based on the Magnetron, a British invention which gave us the edge in WWII radar technology. Developed for home use by the Japanese, 'Microwaves' became affordable in the 1980s and soon every home would have one.

Just a brief note about the technology of the 1990s. The English scientist Tim Berners-Lee had invented the World Wide Web in 1989 and created the first web browser in 1990, which was text-only. Home computers ran DOS then later Windows 3 and, in 1995, Windows 95 which we would sort-of recognise today. 'Mosaic' was the first proper web browser and later became 'Netscape.' The telephone network was used for the Internet using a 'Modem' (modulator-demodulator) to convert digital computer signals into audible tones over the landlines and access was slow. People started to share their interests and information through Bulletin Boards and Newsgroups, with names such as 'rec.woodworking', 'soc.culture' or perhaps 'alt.gothic' (a residue of this terminology persists in political terms such as 'Alt-Right' or Alt-Left' - thereby showing their age). Geocities came along in 1994 and provided free webspace for personal web pages. There were thousands of them. You would pick a suitable 'neighbourhood' for your subject area. Video sharing was a dream not yet to be fulfilled but some tunes could be swapped using 'midi' files to generate the notes.

Chatrooms were an open and real-time system as a distant fore-runner to such as Twitter, and took off big-style. They were quite anonymous and became notorious as a pathway for 'grooming' young people for heaven knows what, with many stories in the press about murky dealings in chatrooms. They gained a bad name. The mid-90s saw the Internet take off as perhaps the most important means of information exchange, along with Email use. Big businesses took an interest and very soon just about every established business needed an online presence. There also was a choice of search engines, such as Alta Vista, Excite, Hot Bot, Yahoo and Ask Jeeves. And special ones to locate hacked apps and music, such as through Astra La Vista, although then (as now) you would expect computer viruses to hitch a ride. Nearly every free app would be bundled with viruses. The Internet Age had begun.

The Monarchy from the 1830s
The name Saxe-Coburg-Gotha came to the British Royal Family in 1840 with the marriage of Queen Victoria to Prince Albert, son of Ernst, Duke of Saxe-Coburg & Gotha. Queen Victoria herself remained a member of the House of Hanover. King George V replaced the German-sounding title with that of Windsor during the First World War, for obvious reasons. The name Saxe-Coburg-Gotha survived in other European monarchies, including the current Belgian Royal Family and the former monarchies of Portugal and Bulgaria.

The first monarch to be a qualified pilot, Edward VIII created The King's Flight in 1936, now known as 32 (The Royal) Squadron, to provide air transport for the Royal family's official duties. Having fallen in love with Mrs Wallis Simpson, a married American woman, concern grew about Edward's private life in the Cabinet, opposition parties and the Dominions when Mrs Simpson obtained a divorce in 1936. Mrs Simpson had been twice divorced and was thought to be unacceptable as Queen. Edward was determined to marry her but had to make the choice between crown and Mrs Simpson.

On 10th December 1936, Edward VIII executed an 'Instrument of Abdication' which was given legal effect the following day, when Edward gave Royal Assent to His Majesty's Declaration of Abdication Act, by which Edward VIII and any children he might have were excluded from succession to the throne.

From The British Monarchy.

The Hanoverians, from 1714 to 1901:

• 1837 - 1901, Victoria

Saxe-Coburg-Gotha

• 1901 - 1910 Edward VII

The House of Windsor

• 1910 - 1936, George V
• 1936 - 1936 (January to December), Edward VIII. See his 1933 visit to Penistone (above) as the Prince of Wales.
• 1936 - 1952, George VI
• 1952 - 2022, Queen Elizabeth II
• 2022 to present, King Charles III and Queen Camilla

Sources Used in the Timeline
The Books:

• Ref 1. From 'A History of Penistone and District' by Prof. David Hey. ISBN 978-1-903425-21-3.
• Ref 2. From Penistone Almanack 1984, published by The Penistone and District Society with assistance from Mr H Gordon Wood, grandson of the original Almanack's Founder, Mr John Wood.
• Ref 3. From 'Images of England - Penistone', by Matthew Young and David Hambleton. ISBN: 1-84588-169-9.
• Ref 4. From 'West Riding Directory 1937.'
• Ref 5. From 'Remarkable Occurrences and Interesting Dates' 1890, by John Wood (posthumously), Penistone Postmaster who died 4th July 1888 (Dransfield Cabinet).
• Ref 6. From Penistone Almanack, 1953.
• Ref 7. From 'A History of the Parish of Penistone', 1906, John Ness Dransfield (Dransfield Cabinet). From an early copy with the author's margin notes. Page numbers might differ on later versions.
• Ref 8. From a website: 'The Town of Penistone' notes by Frank A Wilson.
• Ref 9. From Penistone Almanack, 1877 (Dransfield Cabinet).
• Ref 10. From 'Colours of Penistone' by Michael Fitton (Dransfield Cabinet).
• Ref 11. The 'Wainwrights of Penistone Parish' Personal genealogy site.
• Ref 12. From Penistone Almanack, 1901.
• Ref 13. From Penistone Almanack, 1904.
• Ref 14. From 'The Making of South Yorkshire' by Prof. David Hey. Moorland Publishing, ISBN 0-903485-44-3.
• Ref 15. From IEEE Journal, April 1955.
• Ref 16. From 'The Penistone Guide', issued by Penistone Town Council, 1991.
• Ref 17. From 'The Penistone Scene' by local historian RN Brownhill assisted by J Smethurst, published 1987. ISBN 0-947934-16-2 (p'back), also -15-4 (h'back)
• Ref 18. From 'This was the Woodhead Route' by SR Batty, published 1981 (just after the line closed) by Ian Allen Ltd. ISBN 0-9110-1140-0
• Ref 19. From the Charity Commissioner's Report (West Riding and Sheffield) pub. 1898, in its own right which refers to 'the Report of 1827', viewable in Huddersfield Local History library.
• Ref 20. From The Denby Dale Pies - 'Ten Giants', ISBN 978-1-84563-153-6, pub 2012 by Denby author Chris Heath.
• Ref 21. 'It Happened in t' Pub' by local historian, the late Neville Roebuck. This typewritten book is available in the Local History section of Penistone Library to borrow or read.
• Ref 22. From Penistone Almanack, 1915. Information from Penistone History Group archives.
• Ref 23. From Penistone Almanack, 1900.
• Ref 24. From 'Penistone Reflections', subtitled 'Penistone Market Charter 1699 - 1999'. A metal-comb bound book with loose pages and no ISBN, published by WEA.
• Ref 25. 'The Stories Behind the Names - Penistone War Memorial 1914-1919' (no ISBN). Based upon work by the late Rev. Richard Weller, continued by Penistone History Group/Archive Group and Janet and Rex Dyson. Available locally, £10. Published 2014
• Ref 26. From Penistone Almanack, 1925.
• Ref 27. Details from Archeological Archive on the Demolition of Netherfield in preparation ready for the latest incarnation of Penistone Grammar School.
• Ref 28. Details from PGS, an Archaeological Building Record (pdf), on the Archealogical Data Service site.
• Ref 29. From the writings of local historian Mrs Margaret Marsh (nee Winterbottom). See also the Winterbottom Wire Drawer's page.
•     (Ref 30 is only relevent to 19th century)
• Ref 31. 'Penistone and the Peak District in Wartime' by John N Ownsworth, published 2018 (no ISBN). Available from Penistone Archive Group.
• Ref 32. From 'Denby Dale and Upper Denby, Unknown and Unseen' by Chris Heath, published by Pen & Sword, ISBN 978-1-52671-933-1, obtainable from The Yorkshire Shop, Wakefield Road, Denby Dale.

Some small details were added from 'An Explorer's Guide to Penistone & District', 2006, a few leaflets describing local walks and some anecdotal remarks from Penistone people. Where information is anecdotal, it has been marked as such.