Here is this week’s round-up of pieces from the Batley News relating to the parish of St Mary’s. As usual I have put in bold the names of those connected to the parish who served with the military. And, as ever, the spelling and punctuation matches that of the newspaper.
The Family Notices contained two parishioner’s deaths, as follows:
BATLEY
MORLEY. —On the 14th inst., aged 52 years, Thomas Morley, 12, East Street.
PHILIPS. —On the 16th inst., aged 52 years, James Philips, 14, Fleming Street.
In local police news James Gallagher appeared at the West Riding Court in Dewsbury on Monday. The report read:
James Gallagher, labourer, Cobden Street, Batley, admitted having been drunk and disorderly in Huddersfield Road, Millbridge, Liversedge, on Sunday, but when Supt. Barraclough reported 60 previous convictions against him he exclaimed “You are talking about another Jim Gallagher. He is a miner, who used to live at Batley Carr. —Supt. Barraclough: Where do you live? —Gallagher: At Cobden Street. —Supt. Barraclough: You are the gentleman. —Gallagher: I am not. It is the other man. You had him here not long since. —Supt. Barraclough: Well, you have been here on several occasions. —Fined 13s.
Meanwhile in Batley Court on Monday Dennis Kennedy was summoned by his wife for desertion. Originally from Runcorn, Dennis’ religion, when imprisoned in 1912 for another offence, was said to be Roman Catholic. However, his service records whilst stating ‘Yes’ to Roman Catholic, also this this scored out and ‘Yes’ inserted against Church of England. The report of events in Batley read:
DISCHARGED SOLDIER’S NEGLECT OF HOME. —Emily Kennedy, 20, Hanover Place, Batley, summoned her husband, Dennis Kennedy, for desertion. She said they were married at Runcorn 28 years ago, and there had been eight children of the marriage. Of these two were still at home, two in the Army and one married. Defendant had served two years in the Army during the present war, but since coming home he had not done much work. He had worked for a few days at several places and had given her a few shillings weekly. The most she had received from him in one week was £1. He left home on October 6th, and she did not hear from him till last week, when he wrote from Castleford asking her to visit him. He had left her three or four times before – the first time 20 years ago and then again 12 years ago. “He stops away months together and you never hear from him,” she added. —Defendant was ordered to pay his wife 12s. 6d. a week, and the costs.
Finally for this week the newspaper reported the death of Patrick Hopkins:
Carlinghow and Cross Bank Victims
Pte. Patrick Hopkins, Scottish Rifles, son of Mrs. Hopkins, 23, Fleming Street, Batley, was killed in action on October 22nd. He was 21 years of age, and for two years prior to the outbreak of war was in America. Previous to leaving this country he was employed in the finishing department of Messrs. J. and J. Stubley, at Bottoms Mills. He was connected with St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church, Cross Bank and was a member of the United Irish League Club, and a bugler in the St. Mary’s Boys’ Brigade. He returned from America in July, 1915, in order to join the Colours. Last winter he was invalided home from the Front with trench feet, and went back to France in February.
A cousin, Pte. Michael Hopkinson, who came from America to enlist with him, is now in training.
The report then went on to cover the death of a Carlinghow non-Catholic soldier.
Past To Present Genealogy 