At Whitsuntide 1930 11-year-old Eileen Hutton was the centre of attention locally. She had the central role of May Queen in the St. Mary of the Angels procession. A little over four year’s later, a fateful Whitsuntide gift resulted in her taking centre stage once more, but for entirely different reasons.
Born in Batley on 07 January 1919, Eileen was the youngest of the two children John William Hutton and his wife Catherine (formerly Judge). The couple’s wedding took place at St. Mary of the Angels on 04 June 1910, and they started their married life at nearby 56 North Street, in the Cross Bank area of Batley. At this point John William worked as a fettler for a carpet manufacturer, and Catherine as a woollen weaver in the textile industry.
They welcomed their first child, a son also named John William (though he was known as William), on 18 February 1915.
Shortly afterwards John William (Snr) went overseas to France with the Royal Field Artillery (RFA), with whom he served in the First World War as a Sergeant. On 30 June 1919 he was officially discharged from the CLV (West Yorkshire) Brigade as a result of wounds. He returned to the family home – which remained at North Street.
Back in civilian life, he was a founder member of the Heckmondwike Battery RFA Old Comrades Association. In 1921 he worked as a self-employed beer bottler and dealer, though by the 1930s he was back in textiles, working as a millhand.
10 June 1930 was a high-point for the Hutton family, with Eileen being chosen weeks before for the coveted role of parish May Queen. Details of the magnificent Whitsuntide procession held that day – in which she performed her duties regally – can be read here.
But four years later, on 17 June 1934, the Hutton’s elation and celebration turned to despair when Eileen was fatally injured.
Described as a charming girl, Eileen was very popular amongst the residents of Cross Bank. The Hutton family still lived in the area, but at Richmond Street which was a stone’s throw from their previous North Street home.
Revised: 1931, Published: 1933 showing North Street and Richmond Street where the Hutton Family Lived – Re-use: CC-BY (NLS)
By 1934 Eileen had left St. Mary’s school to work as a machinist at Messrs. Jessops Tailors Ltd. Whilst at school she had taken part in many plays and concerts, and she carried this theatrical interest on into post-school life, being a member of the St. Mary’s Operatic Society chorus. Her latest performance was in the Society’s recent production of the Bohemian Girl. She still attended St. Mary’s church, where she was a member of the Guild of St. Agnes.
She was also keen on sports, excelling at swimming. Amongst her many certificates in that sport, she held the Royal Life Saving Society’s proficiency award.
Eileen’s older brother was a keen cyclist and a popular member of Batley Cycling Club. She was envious of the freedom and adventures cycling afforded her brother, and often pestered her parents to buy her a bicycle too. But her mother in particular was reluctant. Catherine held some deep-down feeling that it would lead to disaster.
Eventually though, worn down by their daughter’s pleas, they gave in, buying her that longed-for bicycle for Whitsuntide – with Whit Sunday falling that year on 20 May. In the weeks after receiving her treasured present Eileen was often seen on Cemetery Road, being taught how to ride by her father and brother.
On Sunday morning, 17 June 1934, after attending mass, she and two friends – Kathleen Weaver (15) and Phoebe Phillips (16) – set off on their bicycles for an ambitious bike ride to Ossett. Ambitious because Kathleen was the most experienced of the trio, having cycled for a mere 3-4 months. 15-year-old Phoebe, who lived with her family on Oak Hill Road, Carlinghow, near Batley’s Wilton Park, had only got her bicycle on Saturday, though the implication was she could ride.1
Eileen’s brother set off shortly afterwards for his club run, but having missed his friends at the meeting place, he set off to catch them. Cycling up Grange Road, Soothill, he passed his sister, who was pushing her bike up the slight incline. He teased her, jokingly telling her she was a poor cyclist. To prove him wrong, she remounted and rode to the top with her brother and two friends, at which stage William pushed on and left them behind. It was the last time he saw his sister alive.
Meanwhile, after their Ossett trip the three girls returned home to Batley in the early afternoon, going via Mill Lane, Hanging Heaton. This steep hill was notoriously challenging, even to experienced cyclists. In fact, Phoebe later stated she had never even walked down the hill, let alone cycled it.
Shortly after noon Tom Harry Shelton of Mill Lane, was giving his fowls water in their chicken run. He witnessed what happened next.
The three girls were cycling down the hill towards the railway viaduct. It was a steep slope, with twists, culminating in a sharp turn at the approach to the viaduct column. He thought the smallest girl, who was travelling at speed, was going to hit it. Eileen was around one hundred yards behind the others and he judged she too was going at a fair speed, but not too fast. Just before she reached the bridge though, Eileen lost control of her bike. She screamed before crashing into the bridge wall, coming off her bike at point of impact. She appeared to strike the wall with her arm. The only damage the bike incurred was twisted handlebars.
He ran over. Fortunately it appeared Eileen seemed only slightly shaken, and this impression was reinforced by the fact she was able to speak coherently. She was taken home by Superintendent H. Horne in the Batley Ambulance. She was able to walk from it and into her home unaided, telling her mother she had grazed her arm. Her dad asked what she had been doing, and she said she did not exactly know, other than she had fallen and bumped her arm. She complained of no other injury, and made no mention of any head bump.
Dr. O’Neill came out to see her at around 2.30pm. She was fully conscious, with her only visible injuries of any note still being bruises to her arm and knee. She did have a small mark on her cheek, but did not complain of any headache. He left, as there was seemingly no immediate major concerns. It was an hour later before she began to deteriorate.
Initially she complained of a headache, before vomiting, and then having what her father described as convulsions. Dr. O’Neill was called back, but Eileen could not be saved. She lost consciousness and died at around 6.15pm that Sunday evening.
Although there was no external sign of a head injury, it was determined that her cause of death was a cerebral haemorrhage, resulting from a fracture at the base of her skull or other internal injury.
The inquest, held at Batley Police Court on 18 June, before the District Coroner C. J. Haworth, returned a verdict of “Death from misadventure.” The jury recommended a sign should be placed at the top of Mill Lane notifying users that it was a dangerous hill.
In a service conducted by Father McBride, her interment took place in Batley cemetery on Wednesday, 20 June. Her grave was scarcely one hundred yards from her home, and she was buried in the her May Queen veil.
The cortege, led by St. Mary’s school children and members of the Guild of St. Agnes, some of the latter acting as coffin bearers, stretched from the cemetery gates into Cross Bank Road, near St. Mary’s school. Large crowds lined the route and gathered in the cemetery.
Some indication of the size of the funeral was indicated by the lists of mourners, which I have reproduced below.
Family mourners were her parents and brother; Mr. and Mrs. James Judge, Mr. and Mrs. John Judge, Mr. and Mrs. N. Whitehead, Mr. and Mrs. P. Hutton, Mr. and Mrs. S. Hutton, Mr. and Mrs. R. Connor, Mrs. A. Glover, Mrs. S. Swift and Miss A. Murphy (uncles and aunts); Mr. and Mrs. A. Murphy, Mr. and Mrs. W. Whitehead, Misses Maureen Judge, Margaret Judge, Francis Judge, E. Hutton, Gladys Hutton, A. Connor, H. Judge and Agnes Judge, and Messrs. Bernard, John, Joseph, James and P. Judge (cousins).
Attending work friends from Messrs. Jessops (Tailors) Ltd., were Misses O. Speak, P. Whitehead, F. Whitaker, D. Biddle, M. Gavaghan, J. Copping. K. Pickles, A. Kilgallon, D. Horner, G. Hall, K. Thompson, A. Colleran, G. Teale, L. Fozard, M. Bennett, G. Elliott, A. Howarth, S. Milner, D. Brook and N. Hemingway.
Mr. John Healey and Misses S. Phillips, J. North and A. Harney, teachers from St. Mary’s, were also present.
The Guild of St. Agnes mourners were Misses A. Foley, A. Colleran, J. Molineux, M. Shaw, Kathleen Lynch, Nellie Walsh, Ellen Horne, Nellie Harrison, Kathleen Pickles, Kittie Maguire, Winnie Hodgins, Mary Armstead, A. Gallagher, Nellie Frain, Mary Collins, Nellie Mullins, K. Mullins, N. Breslin, M. Tarpey, D. Maloney, M. Cairns, M. Newsome, A. Kilgallon, Kathleen Weaver, Phoebe Phillips, M. Smith, M. Mulcahy, Mary Lee, K. Pickles and K. Elsworth.
Others present were: Messrs. Pat Colleran, J.P., T. Durkin, James Harkin, F. Harkin, F. Hunt, John Sword, James Mortimer, Edward Moynihan, Joseph Phillips, John Prendergast (senr.), John Prendergast (jnr.), William Prendergast, John Mullins, Joseph H. Scanlon, James Smith and James Phillips; Mesdames Albert Taylor, M. Carter, A. Bedford, N. Cox, T. Murphy, J. Munns, H. Travis, N. Smith, E. Goldthorpe, P. Kelly, T. Hunt, T. L. Shaw, A. Mortimer, M. Turner, F. Alderson, L. Squires, W. Waite, F. W. Earnshaw, P. Brennan, J. W. Dolan, R. Kelly, T. Hopkinson, C. Caine, L. Greenwood, W. Marshall, J. Judge, T. Kilgallon, M. Crayton, J. P. Munns, J. McDonald, W. Moynihan, T. Maloney, T. Conlon, T. Maguire, W. Daley, H. Woodhead, C. Whitley, C. Senior, J. W. Thompson, J. Hughes, H. Stead, A. Cox and A. Gregory; and Misses E. Henry, A. Webb, M. Phillips, J. Kelly, A. Clayton, K. Kennedy, N. Moran, M. Mullins, T. Farrar, M. Durkin, K. Smith, W. Colleran, P. Booth, M. Cullen, M. Render, A. Haley, S. Craven, M. Hunt, B. Murphy and N. Ryan.
Floral tributes were from: Mammy, daddy and brother; Aunt Eliza Ann, Uncle Noah, Evelyn and Willie; Aunt Ellen and Uncle Bob; Uncle Jim, Aunt Ada, John, Maureen and Margaret; Uncle Phineas, Lavinia and family; Cousins Ada and William; Kathleen; Frances; Sam, Hilda and Gladys; little Gerald; Agnes; Phoebe and Kathleen; Theresa and Nora; Mr. and Mrs. O. Rothery; Mr and Mrs. Green; Mr. and Mrs. Pearson and Arthur; Mrs. and Misses Phillips; Mr. and Mrs. Morrish; a few chums in Standard IV; employees of Messrs. George Jessop and Sons; neighbours; and old neighbours in North Street.
There is a tragic postscript to this tale. On 2 April 1937, in a cruel twist of fate, Eileen’s mother, Catherine Hutton, died from very similar injuries as her daughter – a cerebral haemorrhage following a skull fracture.
The Hutton family now lived at 43 Balk Street, in the Skelsey Row area of Batley. Although stated to be in good health, in the weeks before her death Catherine had complained of dizziness. She was also suffering from a cold.
At 11.30pm on 31 March she went upstairs, whilst her husband, John William, remained in the kitchen. A few minutes later he heard a bumping on the stairs, and the rattle of a bucket. He found his wife unconscious at the foot of the stairs, her head a foot away from the door and her feet on the staircase steps. He carried her to the sofa and sent for Dr. McCormack.
She was admitted to hospital the following afternoon, and died the day after that. In a brief period of confused consciousness after her admission, she told the doctor that she had hurt or head, but had not fallen down the stairs. The conclusion reached though was she that had a dizzy spell whilst going upstairs, and fell backwards.
She was buried in the same grave as her daughter.
John William Hutton subsequently moved to Mortimer Avenue, remarried in April 1939, and died in June 1948.
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Footnotes:
1. For another piece about the Phillips family please see the Bulletin History Pieces for July 2026.
Past To Present Genealogy 