Borough of Haslingden Municipal Year Books and Diary (Click over to enlarge)
The one on the left belonged to Luke Ralph and dates back to 1907-8 and the one on the right is my own from 1972. Its been a pleasure to read some of the stuff in the old yearbook - to think (108 years old - a proper antique! Quite a lot of the information regarding Council Committees etc are very similar between the two yearbooks even though its some 65 years between them! There is some fantastic reading about the history of Haslingden and I intend to include some extracts on here very shortly for everyone to enjoy.
Thanks to Marie Ives for kindly loaning me the diary to extract the information. (Uploaded these photos here on 22nd October 2015.
***************************************************
(Extracts taken from the Borough of Haslingden - Year Book 1907 to 1908 - Alderman T.B. Hamilton (Mayor) and Walter Musgrove (Town Clerk) - HASLINGDEN'S VERY FIRST MAYOR in 1891 to 1894 although this Year Book is from the Mayor's second term of Office (1907 to 1908).
(Printed by: A. Glover and Co. Printers of Deardengate)
HISTORICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE BOROUGH
'Tis the Knowledge of Antiquity that can give us a maturity in Judgment, either in Persons or Things." -- Stukely
THE TOWN OF THE HAZELS
It probably may not be generally known that the above title is accredited as being the origin of Haslingden. So, however, we find in history. Geographically, it is situated on the edge of the Forest of Rossendale, and in the mountainous district extending from the Southern part of the Hundred of Blackburn to beyond the borders of the County of York.
There are beautiful landscapes, and very extensive, too, from the hills around; and there is, besides, a vast sloping plain toward Manchester, terminated by the Derbyshire Hills.
The "Chapelry" of this place comprises the townships of Haslingden, Henheads, and Higher and Lower Booths. The waters washing it are the Irwell, Woolley Brook, the Ogden, and the Swinnel. The latter works several water wheels. The same may be said, even if not to a greater extent of the Ogden Stream.
From ancient records, such as Dr. Kuerden's M.S.S., Etc., it has been ascertained that in 1253 Henry III., according to an inquisition of that period, a Robertus Haselingden held lands in this place. It is said however, that this may possibly have been the Robert De Holden, to whom the son Adam, in 1256, Henry III., Henry De Lasey, granted for his services, all that land which W. of Reelin, and W. his son, formerly held, and which reverted to the grantor by the felony of W. De Reelin, for which he was hanged at Lancaster on the Justices Iter, or circuit, in 1272.
Dr. Kuerden says:- "By a charter in French, dated 1301 the same Earl grants to Robert De Holden, and William De Mordrimez held of him in the town of Haselingden. In 1307 by an Indenture, he conveys to Adam, son of Adam De Holden, part of his waste of Tottington Frith, adjoining Musbery Park, for a yearly rent of 5s.; and in 1328, the Earl quit-claims to Robert De Holden a piece of land which has the name of Brodlieux, which he has by gift and feoffament of Allan Bold."
The family of Holden, after an alliance with such important Lancashire houses as those of the Husseys, Bradshaighs, Bartons, Chorleys, Towneleys, et., closed with Ralph Holden, who died issueless in 1792. According to an inquisition taken in 1311, after the death of Henry De Lacy, it appears that the rent paid by the tenants at Haslingden for their land, was sixpence per acre; and that Robert and Adam De Holden, being of the orders known as "privileged" paid to the lord even a less sum than that. The chapelry of Haslingden, together with Rossendale Forest, are in the Manor of Accrington, over which, it being subject to the Honour of Clitheroe, Lord Montague, as lord of that honour, exercises the rights appertaining thereto.
"Holden Hall" supposed at one time to have been "Haslingden Hall," is of very ancient date, and is said to have been the residence of Robert De Haselingden. Like many other old mansions, it gradually sank into decay.
In Cromwell's days, the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, who then sat at Blackburn, suggested that Haslingden should be made a parish, and so to comprise part of Rawtenstall Booth, New-hall-hey, Constable-le-booth, Oaken-head-Wood Booth, and part of Crawshawbooth, in all of that period containing upwards of 300 families. About the middle of the 17th century, marriages were celebrated here by one Lawrence Rawsthorne, a magistrate of the district, residing at Newhall. Not long afterwards it was described by a topographer of the time as "Haslingden - a very small town, with a market on Wednesday."
The old Church dates originally from the reign of Henry VIII., but in a later period it was rebuilt. The front has the same date as the ancient date, bearing the arms of Royle and Townelly, and the cipher of Gilbert Holden.
ROSSENDALE
As Rossendale has been mentioned in this account, the following particulars will be interest, According to the "Henry De Lacey" extracts (tempt. 4, Ed II) "it was divided into 11 'vaccaries' or cow pastures (since called 'booths') of which the herbage was valued at 10s. each." In the reign of Henry VII. the number of vaccaries had increased to 19, of which the herbage was estimated at advanced rents, ranging from 13s to £13. In the reign of Henry VIII. Rossendale was disforested.
NEWCHURCH was so called, from having been the first place of worship erected in the forest of Rossendale, in 1512. Another church was erected and dedicated to St. Nicholas in the reign of Henry VIII., for the behoof of the 80 persons then resident there. Fifty years after this it was taken down, it being no longer large enough for the population. The following table of the increase of the population, extending from the time we have just quoted, to 1831, will be found interesting. In 1464, Edward IV., it had increased to 1,000 souls; in 1650, the Chapelry of Newchurch contained 300 families; in 1798, Bacup alone had 306 houses and 1,426 persons; in 1821 Newchurch, Deadwin Clough, Bacup, and Wolfenden had 1,540 persons; in 1811, 6,830; in 1821, 8,557; and in 1831, 9,196.
According to "a certificate of all the copyhold rents customary estate, and officers by patent, within the survey of the Duchy of Lancaster, for the Northern parts, made in the reign of James I." the Manors of Rossendale, Trawden, aslingden, and Penhull (Pendle) are returned as parcel of the Manor of Clitheroe, and it is stated that "the tenants had compounded with the Lord's Commissioners for heir customs, which were settled by decree, and confirmed by Parliament." This is from the "Duchy Records."
The Municipal Borough of Haslingden is situated wholly within the Haslingden Union to which it gives its name.
By an order of the County Council of the County Palatine of Lancaster, dated June 28th, 1894, so much of the Townships of Haslingden, Higher Booths, Lower Booths of Tottington Higher End, and Tottington Lower End, as are respectively within the Municipal Borough of Haslingden, shall, together with the Townships of Henheads and Musbury, which are wholly within the said Borough of Haslingden, be united and constitued one Township to be called the Township of Haslingden.
This order was confirmed by the Local Government Board by their Order intituled "The County of Lancaster (Haslingde, etc.) Confirmation Order, 1894," and dated the 21st day of November, 1894.
Haslingden is the Hundred of Blackburn, Rural Deanery of Whalley, Archdeanery of Blackburn, and Diocese of Manchester.
The part of the Borough formerly in the Townships of Haslingden, Henheads, Higher Musbury Booths, and Lower Booths, is in the Rossendale Parliamentary Division of the County, and the remainder of the Borough is within the Heywood Parliamentary Division.
The Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway passes through the district and has Stations at Haslingden, Helmshore and Baxenden, within the Borough.
Haslingden is one of the eight Parochial Chapelries into which the ancient Parish of Whalley was divided, and its Church dates from the end of the 13th Century. The Chapelry then consisted of the Townships of Haslingden, Lower Booths, Higher Booths and Henheads, though this last, strictly speaking, was extra parochial. The Church was served by a Curate appointed until the dissolution of the monasteries by the Abbey of Whalley, and then by the Vicar of Whalley until about 50 years ago the advowson became vested in the Hulme Trustees, who are the present patrons. Out of the original chapelry many new parishes and parts of parishes have been formed. Goodshaw Church built in 1542, as a Chapel-of-Ease to Haslingden, because in 1850 a separate parish.
St. Stephen's Haslingden Grane, was built about 1860; St John's Stonefold, in 1886; and St. Peter's, Laneside, in 1890; and their districts were taken out of the parish of Haslingden.
Haslingden was formerly under the jurisdiction of the Rural Sanitary Authority of the Haslingden Union, but in 1875 the boundaries of a district were settled under the provisions of the Public Health Act, 1875, and a Local Board was established for a part of the present Borough, comprising parts of the Townships of Haslingden, Henheads, Higher Booths, Lower Booths, and Tottington Higher End. In 1883 the then Haslingden Local Board District was extended by the addition thereto of the Township of Musbury, the remainder of the Township of Henheads, further parts of Higher Booths, Lower Booths, and Tottington Higher End and a part of Tottington Lower End.
The district was incorporated by Royal Charter on the 2nd of June 1891, and the first Municipal Election took place on the 2nd November, 1891, when ten of the eighteen members of the Local Board were elected Town Councillors on the new Town Council.
The first meeting of the Council was held on the 9th of November 1891, when Thomas Bewley hamilton, Esq., was elected the first Mayor.
For the treatment of the sewage of the Urban Sanitary Districts of Haslingden and Rawtenstall, a Provisional Order was issued by the Local Government Board's Provisional Orders Confirmation (No.7) Act, 1890, forming these two Districts into a united District called the Haslingden and Rawtenstall Outfall Sewerage District.
On the 20th July 1894, a further Provisional order was issued by the Local Government Board's Provisional Order Confirmation (No.19) Act 1894, by which the United Districts of Haslingden and Rawtenstall were extended so as to include the Urban Sanitary District of Bacup and the name of the United District was altered to the Haslingden, Rawtenstall and Bacup Outfall Sewerage District, and the name of the Joint Board altered to the Haslingden, Rawtenstall, and Bacup Outfall Sewerage Board.
Gas is supplied by the Haslingden Union Gas Company, and the Accrington and District Gas and Water Board.
On the 30th July, 1900, the Bury and District Water (Transfer) Act, 1900 was passed.
The Act constitutes and incorporates a joint Water Board, consisting of representatives from the Councils of the respective Boroughs of Bury, Haslingden, and Rawtenstall, and the Urban Districts of Radcliffe, Ramsbottom, Little Lever, Whitefield and Tottington, and the Rural District of Bury, all in the County Palatine of lancaster, and transfers to and vests in such Board the Water undertaking of the Bury Corporation.
Under the provisions of the Local Government Act, 1894, the Local Government Board issued Order, dated 19th March, 1896, conferring upon the Council the powers of the Appointment of Overseers, and on the 14th November, 1895, a further Order was issued giving the Council power to appoint and revoke the appointment of Assistant Overseers.
By an Order of the Local Government Board dated 5th February, 1897, certain powers and liabilities of the Vestry as set out in Section 6, of the Local Government Act, 1894, were also conferred upon the Council.
Under the provisions of the Education Act, 1902, the Town Council are the local Education Auithority for the purpose of Elementary Education (Part III.) of the Act.
For the purpose of Higher Education (Part II.) the Town Council have in the Borough concurrent powers with the County Council.
A n Order of the Board of Education under the provisions of Section 27 (2) of the Education Act, 1902, was issued on May 15th, 1903, appointing August 1st 1903, as the appointed day for the putting into force in the Borough the provisions of the Act.
Pursuant to Section 17 of the Act a Scheme was duly made by the Town Council and received the sanction of the Board of Education on the 29th day of May, 1903.
On the 20th July, 1906, the Royal Assent was given to the Haslingden Corporation Act, 1906
TRAMWAYS, - The Corporation, under the provisions of the Accrington Corporation Steam Tramsways (Haslingden and Rawtenstall Extension) Act, 1886, gave notice to the Tramway Company in January, 1907, of their intention to exercise the powers of purchase of the Tramsways situated within the Borough of Haslingden on the 5th day of July 1907. In order to arrive at the amount to be paid to the Tramway Company, Sir Colin Scott Mon Crieff was appointed as Arbitrator by the Board of Trade, and on July 25th, 26th and 27th, the Haslingden and Rawtenstall Corporations and the Tramway Company appeared before him in London with counsel and witnesses.
The total amount of the award including amounts agreed upon for Haslingden was £14,203
The total amount of the Company's claim, together with certain items agreed, was £24,678 - a difference between the award and the Comapny's claim of £10,475.
In the case of the Rawtenstall Corporation the amount of the Comapny's claim and sums agreed upon was £7,373; the amount of the award was £4,525 - a difference of £3,847 between the Company's claim and the award.
The two Corporations have to pay the Company's costs and the cost of the Arbitrator.
The purchase of the Tramways under the award will be completed on the 1st day of January, 1908..
HEIGHTS ABOVE SEA LEVEL OF PLACES IN AND AROUND HASLINGDEN
Accrington Church 451ft
Bacup Station 805ft
Burnley 376ft
Cowpe Lowe 1433ft
Crawshawbooth 685ft
Cribden Hill 1317ft
Crown Point 1248ft
Deerplay Hill 1474ft
Edenfield Church 656ft
Goodshaw Hill 1237ft
Hambledon Hill 1342ft
Hamer Hill 1435ft
Haslingden Grane Church 860ft
Haslingden Church 843ft
Height End 951ft
Helmshore Church 600ft
Higher Hill 1500ft
Holcombe Hill 1170ft
Holcombe Church 775ft
Newchurch Church 791ft
Knowl Hill 1375ft
Ramsbottom Church 433ft
Rawtenstall Church 557ft
St. John's Church Bacup 849ft
Thievelty Hill 1474ft
Tooter Hill 1420ft
Top O'th Slate 1100ft
Tor Hill 1113ft
Waughs Well 1400ft
Wholaw Nook 1000ft
Whittle Hill 1571ft
DESPATCHES (Just a sample)
WALL BOX COLLECTIONS:
Six collections per day
Market Place: 8.15am.,12.30pm.,2.30pm.,4.45pm., 7.45pm., 8.45pm (Sundays 5.45pm)
The collection times were very similar at:
Church Street, Acre, Blackburn Road, Station Brow, Carrs, Grane, Grane Road, Sykeside, Laneside, Beaconsfield Street, The Park.
DELIVERIES:
Three deliveries per day
Week-days: 7.15am, 2-5pm, 4.35pm (Sats 4.55pm and Sun 8.30am letters only)
POST OFFICES CHARGES
Inland Letters or packets
Not exceeding 4 ozs, in weight 1d (one old penny) and 1/2d (halfpenny, often prounouced "hapepenny") for every additional 2oz.
Postcards:
6d for 11 (six old pennies), and 3 1/2d per half dozen (Three pennies and one halfpenny), singly 3/4d (three quarters of a penny which would have been one halfpenny plus one farthing) each
(Please note above: my interpretations of monitary value and how I think they may have been pronounced those days)
LIST OF INQUIRIES FOR SANCTION TO BORROW MONEY
Oct 29th 1895 - For sanction to borrow £3,100 for Works of Sewerage and £1,700 for the erection of a Fire Station.
Jan 29th 1896 - For sanction to borrow £7,000 for a Cemetery at Holden Hall.
May 11th 1897 - For sanction to borrow £4,500 for purchase of Public Hall, Public Assembly Rooms, Fire Station and Stables.
Jan 16th 1902 - For approval of the borrowing of £4,500 for purpose of Technical Instruction and £1,500 for Public Library Purposes
Nov 20th 1902 - For sanction to borrow £8,400 for the erection of a Refuse Destructor and £10,000 for works of Private Street Improvement.
July 18th 1903 - For sanction to borrow £3,800 for the provision of a Small Pox Hospital at Copy.
Feb 10th 1904 - For sanction to borrow £3,500 for the provision of a Refuse Destructor on land adjoining Clod Lane.
Jan 31st 1906 - For sanction to borrow £1,735 for Works of Private Street Improvement, Cross Street North.
May 7th 1907 - For sanction to borrow £720 for the widening and improvement of Main Road at Carter Place and Acre, and £2,200 for Works of Sewerage in the Grane District of the Borough.
Nov 19th 1907 - For sanction to borrow £8,500 for the erection of a Refuse Destructor at Lincoln Place, £1,000 for Works of Sewerage and £900 for Works of Private Street Improvements.
METES AND BOUNDS OF WARDS
Although examples are given for all the Wards (eg: Town, Holden, Syke, Helmshore, Grane, Acre)
For example purposes I have chosen just to give description in relation to Acre Ward (simply because of its mention in relation to Jumble Holes and more interestingly PAGHOUSE LANE etc. But I would from this account say that all accounts of the various Wards are given in a similar type of brief.
1) ACRE WARD - Ward No.6, or Acre Ward, shall comprise so much of the Borough as is included in a line commencing at a point in the centre of the main road leading from Blackburn to Haslingden at or near Jumble Holes, where the said road is crossed by the boundary of the Borough and proceeding thence in an Easterly direction along the centre of the said road to its junction with Blackburn Road near Clough End, thence in a Southerly direction along the centre of Blackburn Road to the junction therewith of Paghouse Lane, thence in a South Easterly direction along the centre of Paghouse Lane and Lower Lane to the point where the footpath leading to Mount Pleasant joins Lower Lane, thence in a North Easterly direction along the said footpath to the junction of the same with the road known as Hudrake, thence in a Southerly direction along the centre of the last mentioned road and High Street to the junction of High Street with the street or road known as Rakefoot, thence first in an Easterly and then in a South easterly direction along the centre of the last mentioned street or road to its junction with the more Southerly road leading to Kirkhill, thence in an Easterly direction along the centre of the last mentioned road and the old road leading from Haslingden to Rawtenstall, to its junction with the road leading to Spout House, thence in an Easterly direction along the centre of the last-mentioned road to its junction with Laund Lane, thence in a South easterly direction along the centre of Laund Lane to the Eastern boundary of the Borough at Height End, and ehnce first in a generally Northerly, then in a Westerly and then in a South westerly direction along the boundary of the Borough to the point of commencement before described.
*********************************************
