LINGDALE HISTORY 3

Lingdale

Extract taken from 'Skelton and its History' by Tom Curnow. 

The population in 1881 was 3,000 and in 1931 was 2,290. 
A school was built in 1876 and Mr Thomas Rixhams was the master, Miss A D Nicholl was the mistress. 
An infants school was built in 1910 and Miss A. Brown was mistress. 

A Congregational Chapel was opened in 1884 at Lingdale cross roads. 
The Primitive Methodist Jubilee Chapel was built in 1897 in Springfield. 
The Brunswick Methodist Chapel was opened in 1874 in Scarth Street. 
The Institute was built in 1911. 

At the time the mine was working, there was a bridge over Claphow Lane, from the mine to the tip, this was erected in 1896. 

The memorial to those who gave their lives in the wars was erected in 1928. Church missions rooms were built 1908. 
There used to be a Salvation Army hut in Scarth Street and is now a garage in Springfield, part of it. 

A Police house was built in 1913. 

In 1889 the Post office was at the bottom of Tyreman Street, and Thomas William Cook was postmaster, F Barrow was the licensee of the Victoria Hotel and Elizabeth Snowdon was licensee at Lingdale Hotel. 

In 1925 Mr Jack Cornforth opened up a petrol station in Lingdale High Street. 

In the year 1900 John Bulmer was the Tinsmith, Rebecca Codling was a dressmaker and lived at 44 High Street, Mrs Croft was a milliner and lived at 103 High Street, John Featherstone was a Bootmaker and lived at 109 High Street, George Lamb, builder lived at 107 High Street and George Langstaff was the Blacksmith. 

William Nicholson was a watchmaker, Bill Potter the local joiner.
The Rev Surtees was curate. Thomas Vivers was an engineer. 
Robert Watson and William Winsor were Butchers. 

Meggy Marshall used to put on a smashing tea at Lockwood Beck Farm in the early part of the century, and I am informed by Mr Peter Dorman that this building was once a pub called 'The Cock'. 

A very well know character, Mr Job Bonas had Claphow farm and in 1888 he was apprenticed to William Readman of Lealholme Bridge as a Blacksmith. He received £2 a year wage, with 2 weeks holiday a year so that he could help his father on the farm. He was formerly a blacksmith at 'Fairy Cross Plain', Fryup, and was also a horse breeder. He would drive a pony and trap to Helmsley to shoe oxen on the Feversham estate. For shodding two oxen he was paid two shillings. He charged two pence each shoe to shoe an ass, three shillings for a new plough and two shillings three pence for 2 sickles. He was a farmer, blacksmith and horse breeder when at Claphow Farm and rode with the Cleveland Hunt when in his 80's. He died at the age of 93 and is buried at Boosbeck Church Cemetery. 

Mr Tom Coatsworth built a salesroom and two shops in the High Street, the salesroom is demolished, but the two shops are still in use by Mr. Thomas Wright. 

Lingdale had a good class jewellers shop in the High Street opposite the Institute. 

Mr George Wedgewood had livery stables at the top of Dixon Street and provided coaches and horses for weddings and funerals. The horses used to have lovely shining coats and wore brasses, ear pieces , polished leathers. The Hearse was a lovely piece of furniture, nearly all glass with polished brass and wood, it was really more like going to out in style those days. Of course progress of motor vehicles changed all this and Mr. Wedgewood eventually changed to taxis and cars. 

Dancing was very popular, there was a dance hall above the Lingdale Hotel, the Institute and Mr Colbeck had a hall at the bottom of Wilkinson Street. Some quite good shows came to the Institute. The 'Spa' at Whitby was a very popular place for dancing and all top dance bands came here at one time. You could catch the train from Boosbeck on a Saturday night special to Whitby for 10 pence return. 

Farmers would bring their produce to the village by horse and cart selling cheese, cream, curd, butter, rabbits, eggs etc. 

The milkman carried a pail and two measures, one for a pint and one for half pint, and ladled the milk into a jug or bowl, he would call twice a day.