This is the round-up of news about St Mary’s parishioners from the 5 October 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.
Batley’s Education Committee met on Monday. Amongst the matters discussed were library books.
Speaking to the minutes of the School Management Committee [Alderman H. North] said the contribution to the Free Library Committee for the provision of books for the school libraries had been increased from £30 to £50, owing to the increased cost of books, and the application of the St. Mary’s School to be included in the rota would mean the provision of extra volumes.
In other school news, there was swimming success for St Mary’s.
St Mary’s Girls Win the Hirst Cup
At Batley Baths on Wednesday teams of girls from the elementary schools competed in a 75 yards relay race for the Hirst Cup presented by the late Alderman George Hirst, J.P. The winners were St. Mary’s R.C. girls.
Out of twelve schools in the area there were only seven entries.
The heat-winners were:— Staincliffe (May Swallow, Barbara Danby, and Mabel Oldroyd). Warwick Road (Elsie Senior, Maria. Garthwaite, and Florence Lawson), and St. Mary’s R.C. (Teresa Lynch, Mary Harkin, and Irene Higgins).
The final was quite an exciting race. St. Mary’s gained the initial lead, having for their Captain a girl with a powerful stroke, but Staincliffe were a good second, and ran closely all the way.
The cup was presented by the judge and starter, Mr. J. T. Wilman (Dewsbury), a vice-president of the Yorkshire Swimming Association, and each member of the winning team received a silver locket.
The other competing teams were:—
Park Road. —Susan Penn, Elsie Senior, and Annie Pitt.
Carlinghow. —Alice Riley, Winnie Spencer, and Florie Scaife.
Batley Parish. —Ella Stead, Marion Brooke, and Bessie Ackroyd.
Purlwell. —Clara Stubley, Annie Castle, and Edna Margetta.
Margaret Judge, of 34 Hume Street, was amongst five parents summoned at Batley court for failing to send her children to school regularly. She was fined 10s.
The news of the death of Clement Manning was reported. His brothers – John, Michael and Cecil – were mentioned.
One of Four Carlinghow Brothers Killed
Private Clement Manning (22) Grenadier Guards, fourth son of Mr. and Mrs. Michael Manning, 39, Providence Terrace, Bradford Road, Carlinghow, who was killed on August 22nd, enlisted in February, 1915, went out the following October, and was wounded on the Somme in 1917. He returned to the Front in 1917, and had since been wounded twice. It is believed that he was killed at Bullecourt, where the Guards did excellent work.
Deceased spent the first seven years of his life in Germany, where his parents formerly resided. Since coming to Batley he attended St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church and Schools. He was employed at Batley Branch of the Argentine Meat Co., and played football with Batley shop assistants. His eldest brother, John, is in France with the A.S.C.; the second brother, Seaman Michael, Manning, who was taken prisoner whilst fighting with the Royal Naval Division at Antwerp, has been in Germany four years; and the third brother, Able-Seaman Cecil Manning, took part in the naval operations at the Dardanelles, and has fought in most of the sea battles in this war, having received several wounds.
The final pieces this week are the Roll of Honour tributes paid to Matthew Farrar on the anniversary of his death.
FARRAR. —In proud and loving remembrance of Private Matthew Farrar, of New Street, Batley, who was killed in action October 3rd 1917.
With aching heart I shook his hand
Tears glistened in my eye,
I wished him luck, but little thought
It was our last good-bye..From his loving brother and wife, James and Hannah, 1, New Street, Batley
And:
FARRAR. —In ever loving memory of my dear son, Private Matthew Farrar, 33525, 11th Border Regiment, who was killed in action Somewhere in France, October 3rd, 1917, aged 36.
It’s only a mother who knows the sorrow,
It’s only a mother who knows the pain,
Of losing a son she loved so well,
And knows she will never see him again.
A lonely grave in France where a brave hero sleeps,
There’s a cottage home in England where a mother sits and weeps.From his broken-hearted mother, New Street, Batley.
Past To Present Genealogy 