This is the round-up of news about St Mary’s parishioners from the 02 November 1918 edition of the Batley News. 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.
Four deaths appeared in the Family Notices:
Fleming. —Oct. 24, aged 11 months, Albert, son of Richard Fleming, 43, Ambler Street.
Rowan. —Oct. 25, aged 5, Michael, son of William Rowan, 16, Hume Street.
Gannon. —Oct. 28, aged 37, Mary Gannon, 8, Melton Street.
Lynch. —Oct. 29, aged 5, Catherine, daughter of James Lynch, 9, Villiers Street.
The town was in the grip of the second wave of the Spanish Flu pandemic, with schools being g particularly impacted.
Influenza and the Closing of Schools
Influenza has assumed an epidemic form in Batley, and up to yesterday four deaths had been reported. Many school children are down with the complaint, and the Medical Officer of Health (Dr. G. H. Pearce) has deemed it necessary to close the following schools: —Purlwell (all departments), St. Mary’s R.C. (all departments), Carlinghow (all departments), Gregory Street (both departments), Mill Lane Mixed, Warwick Road Girls’ and Infants’, Park Road Girls’ and Infants’, Hanging Heaton C.E. Mixed and Infants’, and Field Lane Infants.
The death of Thomas Maloney was covered:
Batley Reservist Dies of Wounds
Corpl. Thomas Maloney (35), K.O.Y.L.I., whose wife and three children reside at 4, Villiers Street, Batley, died of wounds wounds in a casualty clearing station in France on Sept. 19. He was an old boy of St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Schools and Church, who served six years in the Militia before August, 1914. He left his employment at Messrs. Critchley’s West End Colliery to join up immediately war started, and has seen a good deal of service, having been both wounded and gassed.
The final piece this week illustrates the depths of poverty endured by local families, with the problems of early release from sentences (in this case Reformatory school) also highlighted.
A Youth Found Asleep in a Stable
At Batley Court this morning Lawrence Murphy (17), piecener, 49, New Street, Batley, appeared on remand charged with “lying out.” When the case was before the magistrates on Monday, Constable Pickles said at 1.45 a.m., the previous morning he found the youth asleep in a stable off Commercial Street, belonging to Mr. John Collins. Asked why he was sleeping there, he replied “I have no-where else to go and have no money.” As he had no means of subsistence witness locked him up.
Asked by the Magistrates why he did not go home, defendant replied that when he lived at home there was only one bed for five (two brothers and two sisters besides himself), and he did not want to go there.
Inspector Ripley said defendant was sent to a Reformatory in April, 1916, until he was 19 years of age, but was allowed out on license last July and came back to Batley. He had worked in different mills, but only for short periods. He lived at home for a short time and then resided with Mrs. Frost, Wellington Street, Batley. Lately he had not been living an honest, industrious life, and the Bench had power, therefore, to revoke his license.
The case was adjourned.
To-day Inspector Ripley applied for the lad to be sent back to the Reformatory, as the authorities were willing to take him. The magistrates agreed.
Past To Present Genealogy 