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.
More parishioners came before the local magistrates either charged with an offence (Thomas Gavaghan and Rose Ann Stubbs), or as a witness (Thomas Scalley):
Batley Court – Monday.
For using obscene language on the 26th August, Thomas Gavaghan, miner, New Street, Batley, was fined 10s. —Constable Bentley said defendant was under the influence of drink. —Gavaghan, against whom there were eight previous convictions, pleaded guilty. —Mr. J. Auty: The only salvation for you, young man, is to let the drink alone? —Mr. W. J. Ineson: If you let the drink alone you will let the obscene language alone.
And:
NEIGHBOURS AT VARIANCE.
”Tales” Lead to a Scene in Field Lane.
A quarrel among neighbours was responsible for the appearance in Batley Court on Monday of Rose Ann Stubbs, weaver, George Terrace, Field Lane, Batley, on a charge of assaulting Emily Senior, married woman, a neighbour, on the 28th ult. Mr. H. Whitfield, appeared for defendant, and pleaded not guilty. Complainant said the assault arose out of “all these tales,” and took place in the house of Thomas Scalley. Mrs. Stubbs had been fetched in, and witness had to go in and prove her innocence. When she got there Mrs. Stubbs caught hold of her at the chest and pushed her against the table. She had a month-old-baby in her arms.Mr. Whitfield: You told Mrs. Stubbs you were going to take proceedings? —Yes.
You told her she should pay. For what? —For knocking me about.
When you came into Scalley’s house did not you make use of the words: “If you say I said that you are a liar”? —No.
Did you not tell Mrs. Stubbs she was not worth talking to and was nothing but old trash? —No.
Didn’t she say “Let’s shake hands”? —No.
Thomas Scalley, called by complainant, said the affair took place in the house of his father-in-law, James Delaney, where he lived. The women were excited and Mrs. Stubbs spat at Mrs. Senior.
Mr. Whitfield: And the spitting was about the most serious part of the business, was it not? —Yes.
As a matter of fact these proceedings have been taken to clear your name, and if Mrs. Senior says that is not the object she is not telling the truth.
Witness gave no answer. In reply to further questions he said he did not hear Mrs. Senior describe defendant as “old trash” or use bad language.
The defendant said Mrs. Senior came to Scalley’s house like a mad bull and called her “old trash.” She offered to shake hand, but complainant refused. She did not strike Mrs. Senior; she merely pushed her.
The magistrates dismissed the case.
The death notices contained two linked to the parish:
BATLEY
MAGUIRE. —On the 2nd inst., aged 59 years, Thomas Maguire, 3 Woodwell Street.LEACH. —On the 5th inst., aged 22 months, Michael, son of Michael Leach, 53, Brownhill Road.
Jimmy Lyons’ letter writing continued:
Private Jimmy Lyons, the Batley full-back, is in hospital at Lincoln, but he writes a cheery letter to a local friend.
Following on from the “News” of the 28 August 1916, there was more this week about the Talbot Hotel Gifts Fund, with letters of thanks from military recipients to Talbot Hotel proprietor Albion Barritt and the customers. Although John William Gannon had no letter reproduced this week, the paper did include his photograph.
Another soldier, Private Horace Bennett, referred to the deaths of Willie and Edward Barber, with a personal recollection of Willie.
…In a further letter to his mother and father he wrote: “I am pleased you send the “Batley News,” as I know nearly all the names of the lads that have been wounded and killed. I feel very sorry about those two pals of mine, Willie and Teddy Barber. Ask mother is she can remember Willie coming to our house just after flitting to Batley to see if I would play football. Poor old lad.”
The Roll of Honour, complied from casualties reported by the War Office include the following names from St Marys:
DIED OF WOUNDS.
Batley. — M. CAFFERTY, West York. Regt.…WOUNDED.
Batley. — Lance-Sergt, J. GAVAGHAN, West Yorkshire Regiment.
The above casualty list was already out-of date. Joseph Gavaghan was now confirmed dead. The piece in the newspaper also refers to his serving brothers, Peter Gavaghan and William Gavaghan
“FINEST PAL I HAD.”
Woodwell Soldier Tells of His Brother’s Death.
Three Sons in Khaki.News has come of the death of Lance-Sergt. Joseph Gavaghan, West Yorks, of 19, Jacob Street, Woodwell, Batley. His name appeared this week in the official list of wounded, and this would seem to give a ray of hope to his wife and parents, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Gavaghan, of 12, Jacob Street, but a letter received from the Lance-Sergeant’s soldier brother is so definite as to leave little doubt that another brave Batley son has “gone West.” Deceased was “posted as missing on the 30th July,” but letters from him showed him to be slightly wounded and in hospital. A message from the York Infantry Record Office dated August 19th corrected the “missing” notification, and it was learned that Lance-Sergt. Gavaghan had recovered and returned to the firing line. This week’s notice in the casualty list evidently refers to this slight wound. Since the publication of this list a War Office notification has been received that Gavaghan has been “killed in action.”
The sympathetic letter conveying the sad news of the Lance-Sergeant’s death to his wife reads as follows:-
Dear Sister, —I hope you will have heard from the War Office the news I have to tell you. I never felt that I had a worse job in my life than to tell you of Joe’s death. In fact I cannot find words to express my feelings. I do wish I could tell you how awfully sorry I am for you.
Joe was the best of brothers to me, and the finest pal that I had in the world, and I don’t know what I will do without him. It might comfort you to know that his death was instantaneous and he died without feeling any pain. Joe was one of the bravest men in the Battalion, and his death will be felt by everyone. He had a smile for all at the hardest of times.
I was under a heavy bombardment the other day, and I thought all the time of Joe’s death. It seems as if it is God’s will, and we must try and look at it in that light. His death was caused by a piece of shrapnel piercing his helmet and entering his head. He was inside the trench at the time. I must close now, trusting God will bless and comfort you in your trouble.
—From your brother, in sympathy, WILLIAM.
Lance-Sergt. Joseph Gavaghan was the eldest of three soldier brothers. He enlisted on the 9th January, 1915, and went into training at Ilkley, where he became swimming instructor to his Battalion. In civil life he was a miner at Gawthorpe pit. He was an enthusiastic footballer – chiefly favouring the Association game – and was at one time attached to St. Mary’s R.C. Football Club. He leaves a wife and three children. His brother, Private Peter Gavaghan, K.O.Y.L.I., who was mobilised with the Territorials, has suffered from the effects of shell-shock. Private William Gavaghan, West Yorks, the youngest of the trio, joined the Colours a week previous to his deceased brother. Both the younger men were miners, the one at Shaw Cross and the other at Hunslet.
Past To Present Genealogy 