CORONATION CELEBRATIONS 1902 & 1911

HOW RASTRICK CELEBRATED THE CORONATIONS OF KINGS EDWARD VII AND GEORGE V

Following the death of Queen Victoria in 1901, the citizens of Rastrick decided to celebrate the coronation of the new king, Edward VII. Local churches and schools became involved as did the owners and employees at several mills, factories and quarries. A committee was formed to ensure the smooth running of the planned events but no-one could have foreseen that the new king would become ill and the coronation would be postponed. 

Similar festivities were also planned 10 years later for the coronation of George V. My great grandfather, John William Bottomley was the secretary of the Coronation Committee in both 1902 and 1911 and left a minute book logging each meeting, the persons present and the decisions taken, which leaves us with a fascinating insight in the events that followed.

THE CORONATION OF KING EDWARD VII

The year 1901 brought much grief and sadness to the country as a whole. On Tuesday the 22nd January, Queen Victoria passed away at Osborne House on the Isle of Wight. She ascended to the throne in 1837 and in the ensuing sixty-four years, many changes were seen by the population of not only Rastrick, but of the Empire over which she ruled. The majority of the nation had known no other monarch and those that had were certainly getting on in years.

The Passing Bell was tolled at St. Matthew’s, Rastrick that evening and in Brighouse, the peals of the Parish Church bells were muffled. The Brighouse Echo of the 25th January was edged in black and thick black rules separated the columns.

At a New Road Sunday School teachers meeting held on Sunday, the 27th January 1901, the secretary, John William Bottomley read a circular from the Sunday School Union, London, asking New Road to hold a memorial service on Sunday the 3rd February at the hour of 3 o’clock in memory of ‘The Death of Our Beloved Queen’. It was moved that there be three special hymns and that ‘a committee be appointed to select them and that the same be printed on neat cards’. Mr. John Thornton was also asked to give a special address about the life of the Queen.A national day of mourning was announced for Saturday the 2nd February 1901 and almost all the shops closed as a mark of respect. Even the public houses closed between 11am and 3pm. There were many suggestions for a lasting memorial to the Queen in both Brighouse and Rastrick but in the end, the only thing that was done was the Diamond Jubilee Library changed its name to the Victoria Free Library.

The Royal Proclamation of King Edward VII was going to be an occasion to remember and many Rastrick people walked to Brighouse to listen to it being announced in the borough market. The crowd estimates vary between five and ten thousand people present, but what a let down it proved to be. The Brighouse Echo reported that it was mis-managed and people saw very little and heard even less. The proclamation was read, the children sang the National Anthem and were then given a half day holiday and that was it. Four minutes after it started, the historic occasion was all over.

The Coronation of King Edward VII was set for the 26th June 1902. The Rev. Oscar Laurie of Brighouse Parish Church wrote to all the churches in the area, including New Road Sunday School. He asked them to send two representatives to a meeting in the council chambers where a treat for all the children in the Borough was to be discussed. John William Bottomley and Luke Gooder were appointed, with instructions to say that if the event was to be held in Brighouse, then New Road would not join in. On the 19th May, they reported back to the teachers at New Road, stating that a united sing would take place in the Borough market followed by a procession around Brighouse. John William was instructed to write back and inform the Brighouse Committee that ‘we are to take no part in your demonstration as we intend to have a separate one in the top part of Rastrick’. A committee was then formed comprising of Messers. Em. Woffenden, L. Gooder, L. Woffenden, Joah Holdsworth, Henry Riley, John William Bottomley and Sam Bentley, to make all the necessary arrangements. That committee called themselves the Rastrick Coronation Committee and kept minutes of all their meetings. The minute book still survives at New Road Sunday School to this day and it gives a wonderful insight into how the people of that era organised themselves.

The opening pages of the book start off with:-

THE RASTRICK CORONATION COMMITTEE 1902

A meeting was held at New Road Sunday School on the Friday evening of the 23rd May 1902, when there were delegates present from New Road, Crowtrees and Rastrick Church Sunday and Day schools.

The following resolutions were unanimously carried:-

  1. That we celebrate the Coronation of King Edward VII in the top part of Rastrick on Friday the 27th June.
  2. Mr. H. Travis Clay was elected President.
  3. Mr. Em. Woffenden was elected Vice-President.
  4. Mr. W. G. Garthwaite was elected Treasurer.
  5. Mr. J. W. Bottomley and Mr. W. Ramsden were elected Secretaries.
  6. That coffee and buns be provided for all those having their names on the books of the above three Sunday or Day Schools.
  7. That the Secretary and Vice- President wait upon the Rastrick C&A.C and ask them to allow us the use of their cricket field.
  8. That the arrangement made with the Rastrick Orchestra Band be confirmed at a price not exceeding £4.
  9. That we have a bonfire in connection with the celebration.
  10. That the committee have power to add to their number.
  11. That Dr. Carter be added to the committee.
  12. That we have a United Sing in the cricket field and that the following four hymns be sung. viz. ‘The Old Hundred; O God our help in ages past; Jesus shall reign where ere the sun and God save the King’.
  13. That Mr. Louis Woffenden be the conductor.
  14. That we advertise in three local papers.
  15. That the next meeting be held on Wednesday night at 8 o’clock in Rastrick Church School, May 28th.

And so the document goes on to describe how collections were to be made at the schools and also at the local mills and quarries. Rastrick Grammar School and a private school, headed by a Mr. Stansfield, were then invited to join in the celebration. By the meeting held on the 3rd June, the numbers of children on the books of the various schools had been submitted. New Road Sunday School had 300, Crowtrees 220, Rastrick Church 600, Mr. Stansfield 120, Rastrick Church Day School 44 and New Road Board School 16.

The secretary was then asked to procure samples and prices for Coronation Mugs and Medals and to enquire as to how many people over the age of 60 years there were in Rastrick, in order that some form of treat could be given to them.

It was decided that the bonfire would be lit on the Thursday evening at 10pm. A local firm, Messrs. Holmes and King donated thirty tons of old railway sleepers whilst Thornhill Estates donated twenty tons of wood. A grand bonfire was promised.

A schedule of the following day’s events was discussed and it was decided that a procession of all the various schools should meet up at 1pm. The Rastrick Church contingent would set off and all the others would join in as their schools were passed on the way to the cricket field. This of course meant that New Road would be at the back but would have the least furthest to walk. On arrival the four hymns would be sung and as soon as that was over, a sports day would commence until 4-30pm when everyone would return to their various schools for coffee and buns.

The Co-op won the tender for two thousand, eight ounce buns at 10/6d per hundred and six hundred Coronation Mugs were bought at 2/11d per dozen. These would be given to all the children up to the age of thirteen.

By the 13th June, the subscriptions amounted to £99-15-0d and everything was going well. The hymn sheets were printed, stewards were arranged, all the bands and other entertainment had been organised. The mugs were delivered on time ready for distribution and all that the committee could now hope for was good weather. What they could never have envisaged was the untimely illness of the King and two days before the Coronation, it was apparent that it would have to be cancelled. A committee meeting was held on the 25th June, the day before the Coronation was to take place and the minutes state, ‘That we record upon the minutes our deepest sympathy with the King in his serious illness and a fervent hope that he may be very soon restored to perfect health and strength’.

Everything still went ahead but there must have been some very disappointed men on that committee, after all the hard work, time and effort that had been put into the event. The Clifton Brass band played dance music until the President, Mr. Henry Travis Clay lit a rocket at 10pm. This was the signal for Miss Gertrude Helm to light the bonfire. The fireworks went on for another hour and a crowd of three thousand people enjoyed themselves until after midnight.

The Sunday school children had their sing and sports day the day after, as planned, and all the old folks went to Mr. Clay’s residence at Holly Bank House, Rastrick, where they enjoyed tea in the grounds. Pipes and tobacco were provided for those wishing to smoke.

The final meeting of the committee was on the 29th July where it was decided what to do with any of the extra mugs that were spare. These were given to the children at Longroyd School and of the money that was left over, £4 was given to the Huddersfield Infirmary, £4 to the Parish Nurse Fund and £2 to the St. John’s Ambulance. The balance was given to the Rastrick Cricket & Athletic Club Pavilion Fund. King Edward was finally crowned on the 9th August 1902.  

THE CORONATION OF KING GEORGE V

King Edward VII died unexpectedly after suffering from a heavy cold and bronchitis, on the 6th May 1910. He was buried on the 20th May which was declared by the new King, as a national day of mourning. The successor to the throne was Prince George Frederick Ernest Albert who became King George V and reigned along with his wife, Queen Mary.

The Proclamation of King George V was again read out in the Borough Market in Brighouse, as it had been in 1902 for the Proclamation of King Edward VII. The dignitaries learnt from their mistakes of eight years previous when all had not gone as expected. The ceremony was held at 1pm on Tuesday, 10th May 1910 and lasted fifteen minutes. There was a fanfare before the Proclamation was read after which the National Anthem was sung.

King George V was crowned on Thursday, 22nd June 1911. There were flags and bunting on almost every building in Brighouse town centre. Electricity was provided at a cheap rate by the Corporation Electricity Department and it was said that over one thousand five hundred 16-candle power lights were used in the illuminations, but once again, the people at the top-end of Rastrick chose to ignore the celebrations being held in Brighouse and organised their own, along comparable lines to the 1902 Coronation. A similar committee was set up to arrange the coronation celebrations only this time, Rastrick was well ahead of any of its local rivals as they made preparations for an Ox-roast at the Round Hill cricket field.

New Road, Crowtrees and Rastrick Church Sunday schools sent delegates to a meeting in the Crowtrees schoolroom on Wednesday the 17th May 1911. Henry Travis Clay was again elected President and John William Bottomley was elected as Secretary. The Brighouse committee wrote to John William Bottomley, explaining that if the people of Rastrick preferred to hold their own celebration in the South Ward, then permission would be given for money to be available for refreshments and entertainment and it would be apportioned in accordance with the number of children concerned. Children under 15 years old would be provided with coffee and bun free of charge, persons over that age would have to pay 2d. The procession would commence at St. John’s Church, who also decided to join in the Rastrick celebrations rather than Brighouse. They would walk to the Rastrick cricket field via Rastrick Church, Crowtrees Chapel and New Road Sunday School and the children from those schools would follow on as the procession passed.

Brass Bands and maypole dancing were some of the entertainment’s on offer and when the committee learned that the maypole required new ribbons, they allowed 7/6d to be spent on new ones. One of the girls dancing around the maypole that day was a lady whom many of us remember with great affection. She was Miss Hilda Blackburn who, twenty-two years later married one of the New Road Sunday school stalwarts, Mr. Albert Bottomley.

A bonfire sub-committee was formed where it was also decided that an ox roast would take place and of course, a committee was formed for that as well. A sports day was organised for the children which would take place immediately after a massed sing. Each of the Sunday schools had their particular place marked out where they had to stand for the sing.

The following companies and people promised wood for the bonfire:-

Messrs. Bentley & Kaye; Walshaw Drake & Co. Ltd; Mr. H. T. Clay of Holly Bank House; Mr. J. W. Clay of Rastrick House; Mr. Ramsden Jagger of Fixby; Mr. John Bottomley, Contractor; Mr. Thos. Bottomley, Railway Saw Mills; Mr. J. W. Miller, Rastrick Common, Messrs. Jos. Blakeborough & Sons; John Crowther & Co. Ltd; Marsden Murgatroyd; Bentley Smith and Thornhill Estates. The Brighouse Corporation Gas Committee promised to provide tar to burn on the fire.

The final committee meeting was held just two days before the event when John William Bottomley informed those present that he had spoken to the Town Clerk to ask for money for fireworks and prizes at the sports day but they had refused because the Brighouse Committee had already overspent their budget. As a result, collection boxes were put up in the three large Rastrick mill of J. T. Clay & Sons, Thos. Helm & Sons and John Smith & Sons and the necessary money was raised. Unlike the events of 1902, the Coronation went ahead as scheduled. The ox was slaughtered in Brighouse after having many photographs taken, whereupon it was transported to Rastrick cricket field. Hundreds came to watch as it began to be roasted at 9 o’clock on the Wednesday evening, the day before the Coronation.

A steam traction engine turned the ox above two fires and a huge drip tin was placed below to catch the fat into which people dipped haver-cakes at 1d a time. The ox was cooked by 8 o’clock next morning and basted until 2pm. A The first sandwich was made by Mrs. Jowett, the chairman of the Ladies Section of the ox-roasting committee. Three thousand sandwiches were made in total and it was reported that the poor ox was picked to the bone. The children had their games after the massed sing and at 10pm the bonfire was lit. The firework display then followed after which all of the crowd joined in with the National Anthem. 

The Brighouse Echo reported the matter under the heading and sub-headings

AT RASTRICK

THE OX-ROAST A GREAT SUCCESS,

PICKED TO THE BONES

ALL SPEND A HAPPY TIME.

The report starts with typical dramatic wording for that period, ‘Within recollection and in the opinions of many Rastrick folks, never before has any event, no matter of how public a nature, been responsible for attracting such unanimous interest as the Coronation festivities that took place on Thursday; never have the people of the locality been roused to such a high pitch of enthusiasm and fervent loyalty; and never have such large crowds made any particular ground the object of their rendezvous as was the case at Round Hill, where the happy proceedings took place.

All eyes seemed to be focused on the ground from the near, long and wide perspectives throughout Wednesday evening and Thursday, and during that period, all Rastrick, his wife, his children and his neighbours from all surrounding localities descended upon, or rather ascended unto Round Hill. But what was the magnetic attraction responsible for drawing these thousands to one particular place? Neighbouring districts had each and all celebrations and why should Rastrick be of such extra special interest to the outsider? There is no doubt that large concourses of people assembled at Round Hill simply and solely to satisfy a natural curiosity respecting the much talked about ox-roasting, which, with all due respect and recognition for those responsible for the promotion of the other items on the day’s programme, must be acknowledged by all to have been, by virtue of its quite unusual character, the most interesting of the whole celebrations.

The report goes on say that ‘the ox was slaughtered in Brighouse and brought to Round Hill and at 9 o’clock on Wednesday evening, Mr I. Newton of Idle commenced the anxious and arduous task of roasting the carcass. It was roasted over two warm fires and was turned by apparatus powered by a steam traction engine. Throughout Wednesday evening and Thursday morning, all roads led to Rastrick and disgorged their hundreds of curiously inclined people on to Round Hill.. While the carcass was turning around above the fires, a great amount of fat descended into the dripping tin and Mr Newton was never without companions to while away the gloomy hours, if such they appeared to him. A great deal of business was done by hawking havercakes soaked in the fat of the ox and Penny dips could not be supplied fast enough. The meat was finally drawn from the oven at 2pm and left to cool for an hour before the first slice was cut by Mrs Jowett, the President of the ladies Section of the Ox-roast Committee’. Many speeches then took place with patriotic references to the new King George and Queen Mary. Mrs. Jowett said that, ‘she saw the animal in life and was more inclined to make a pet of it rather than help to eat it’. It is estimated that 3,000 sandwiches were made from the meat and little or nothing went to the dogs.

Hymns were sung under the conductorship of Mr Louis Woffenden from New Road and games in the cricket field followed. It is interesting to note that Hilda Blackburn, whom I mentioned previously, having been involved in the maypole dancing, won the girls skipping race for 6 – 9 year olds. She neglected to tell me about that !

To complete the report on the Coronation, the Brighouse Echo told of a sad tale involving the death of a young man on his way back from the festivities at Round Hill. The heading was as dramatic as the report upon the actual event: 

DROWNED ON CORONATION DAY

RASTRICK YOUNG MAN’S DEATH

‘The Coronation celebrations at Rastrick were marred to a certain extent when the sad news of a tragedy spread round the district. The deceased was a well-known Rastrick young man named Ernest Ulrick of Walker Square, New Road. Ulrick, who was aged 22 years of age, was a woollen spinner and resided with his widowed mother at the above address. On Wednesday evening, the young man was in the cricket field watching the ox roasting and seemed in the best of health and spirits, enjoying himself with his friends. He left the cricket field in the early hours of the next morning and was last seen alive at 4-30am by Tennyson Holroyd, also of Walker Square. Ulrick was at that time under the influence of drink. About half past seven on Thursday forenoon, the deceased’s coat, vest, cap and collar and tie were found on the embankment of Badger Hill dam and William Keene, coachman at Lands House gave information to PC Whitehead, who dragged the dam and found the dead body of Ulrick in about 12 feet of water. The body was removed to the home of the deceased’s mother to await an inquest’. And so ended the Coronation celebrations, albeit, on a rather sad note.

Rastrick Coronation Committee