This is packed 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.
Three more parishioners were confirmed as prisoners of war after the German Spring Offensive – John Burns, James Carroll, and John Lyons. The pieces read:
Batley Catholic Youth Captured.
Pte. John Burns (19), D.L.I., whose mother lives at 76, Hume Street, Batley, has been missing from March, but now writes that he is a prisoner, wounded in the thigh and wrist. He says he is going on nicely. Enlisting when 17 years of age, he went to France last Easter. He was an old boy of St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Schools, Cross Bank, and formerly in the Boys’ Brigade there. He worked at Howley Park Colliery before donning khaki.
And:
Taken Prisoner at 19 After Three Years Army Service.
Enlisting in January, 1915, at the age of 16, Pte. James Carroll (19), Highland Light Infantry, was discharged from the Army under age after being wounded in the battle of Ypres. He was called up again on reaching military age, and was posted missing in April, shortly after going to France. He now informs his parents. Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Carroll, 8, Hanover Place, Batley, that he is a prisoner. Before enlisting he worked in Messrs. G. and J. Stubley’s rag department. He attended Cross Bank St. Mary’s Church and Schools. His brother is also serving in the Army.
And:
Soothill Wood Miner at Stuttgart.
Lance-Corpl. John Lyons (25), Royal Irish Fusiliers…is a wounded prisoner at Stuttgart. His mother lives at 16, New Street, Batley, and prior to enlisting at the outbreak of war he worked at Soothill Wood Colliery.
Although not a Catholic himself, Herbert Hanson Blake who was the step-brother of St Mary’s parishioner Horace Lee killed the previous October, was another prisoner of war.
Batley Seaman Who Fought in Gallipoli and at Antwerp.
After active service dating from within a month of the outbreak of war, Able Seaman Herbert Hanson Blake (33), Anson Battalion, Royal Naval Division, who lived with his mother, Mrs. Lee, 17, Cobden Street, Batley, has been taken prisoner. He was posted missing from March 24th, but now writes from Limburg that he is quite well. A former member of the Militia, he was with the Royal Naval Division at their famous stand at Antwerp in the early days of the war. He afterwards went to the Dardanelles, when he took part in the first landing at Gallipoli. He went through the whole campaign there without injury, and on evacuation of the peninsula he came back to France, where he had been serving ever since. In civilian life he worked for Mr. Fred Firth, iron merchant, Batley Carr.
His step brother, Private Horace Lee, was killed last October, and another brother, Driver Harry Lee is in France with the R.F.A.
A discharged soldier, Michael Hodgins, was in bother this week.
A Skelsey Row Gambler.
Michael Hodgins, a discharged soldier, of 8 Villiers Street, Batley, who was fined 10s. at Batley Court on Monday for gaming with dice in Borough Road, on Sunday June 9th, persisted that he was in the Irish National League Club at the time of the alleged offence.
Constable Brown said that he, Sergt, Hebden, and Constable Chinery concealed themselves about 30 yards from Borough Road, and saw six or seven young men gaming. The dice was seen to shoot several times, and they heard bets made. After watching 40 minutes, they approached the party and caught some of the players, defendant being one of them. When charged he replied “Its all right.” The Constable produced a box of dice and 1s. 6d. in money, which he picked up in the scene. The police had received numerous complaints of gaming in this locality.
Sergt. Hebden and Constable Chinery both recognised defendant as one of the players.
Hodgins again asserted he was at the League Club, but had no reply to make to the Magistrates Clerk (Mr, J. H. Wilman), who pointed out he should have brought someone from the Club as witness that he was there.
Defendant’s wife said one of the officers who came to the house said her husband was wearing a brown suit and cap, but he had no such clothes. She also denied that he replied “All right,” when charged.
Inspector Birley: Isn’t it a fact he is one of the worst gamblers in Skelsey Row?
Witness: No he can’t gamble on £1 a week.
Another parishioner, John William Kelly, was fined for drunkenness.
Batley’s “Clean Sheet.”
“it’s a long time since we had a case of drunkenness in this Court, and we are very sorry you have broken the record,” said Mr. George Parker at Batley Court this morning to John Wm. Kelly, labourer, who was fined 10s. for having been drunk and riotous in Batley Carr last Saturday.
With the exception of a case last week, which the Chairman had evidently overlooked, the Court list had not contained a charge of drunkenness since April 12th.
The adjudications of Friday’s Batley Tribunal at the Town Hall were reached too late for last week’s newspaper, so appeared this week. Amongst the J., T. and J. Taylor. Ltd employees given a temporary exemption until 1 October was single man William Maloney (27), of 24 Villiers Street, who worked as a hoist attendant. He was in medical class Grade 3.
Batley Education Committee met on Monday. Increases in the wages were granted to the caretakers of Batley’s elementary schools, including Mrs. Needham of St Mary’s. The newsprint is quite blurry so it is difficult to read the amount, but it looks like 3s.
Past To Present Genealogy 