Showman fixed his challenge

ONE of the great mysteries of life was explained in the D&S Times of 100 years ago when showman Michael Gallagher appeared at Ripon City Court charged with obtaining tenpence by false pretences from Pte Andrew Forrest.

“The defendant was the proprietor of a bottle stall in the Casino, Water Skellgate, Ripon,” said the D&S. “Prosecutor went to the stall and purchased three balls for which he paid a penny. The conditions were that anyone knocking down seven bottles built up in two rows would receive sixpence. Prosecutor threw a ball at the two bottom bottles, and the ball rebounded into the crowd and did not knock the bottles down. He passed a remark to defendant that the bottles are made of iron, and defendant said they were made of indiarubber. Prosecutor spent tenpence altogether, but failed to knock all the notes down.”

A little later, Pte Forrest spotted the Mr Gallagher had left the stall unattended and nipped.

“He found the bottle was made of iron and had a ledge three or four inches broad at the back, which made it impossible for anyone to knock it down,” said the D&S. “Subsequently the police were communicated with and defendant made off with the iron bottles.

“Mr JW Heddon, for the defendant, at the outset pleaded not guilty but after hearing a portion of the evidence he withdrew this plea and pleaded guilty, admitting that two of the bottles in two stacks of seven were iron.”

With two identical charges pending, Mr Gallagher was fined 30s.

January 7, 1967

BEFORE the first meeting of the year of Masham Rural Council began, the chairman, Cllr HH Hardy “wished members of the council and officials and Press best wishes for 1967 and presented each with a cigar, following a custom begun by his predecessor, the late Cllr C Nesom,” said the D&S 50 years ago.

Never has a journalist covering North Yorkshire council meetings this millennium been given a cigar as a New Year gift. We are not even allowed biscuits anymore to sustain us through the less fascinating items on the agenda.

That agenda included an item that no one had volunteered to provide a tractor to pull the snowplough that the county council had provided for the village of Ellingstring. A further appeal was issued.

The paper also contained an interview with the last working blacksmith in south Durham, George Spikings, of Elstob Crossing, to the south of Sedgefield.

“Only 40 years ago, there was a blacksmith in every village in south Durham and the North Riding,” said the paper, “his services as much in demand as those of the garage today. But with the advent of the car and the tractor, the blacksmith became almost as much of a rarity as the horse.”

Indeed, Mr Spikings, who had been blacksmithing for 52 years, could remember the days when there were 14 village blacksmiths in the patch he now covered.

But, times were changing. “It has been only in the last few years of modern affluence and long leisure hours that the blacksmith’s business has become viable again,” said the paper. “There is a tremendously increased demand for the smith with the rise of the riding schools and the growth in the number of individual horse owners.”

Mr Spikings, 66, said he had no plans to retire.

January 5, 1867

THE Northallerton registrar reported that there had been 59 births and 32 deaths in the district in 1866 – considerably below the average. “The low death rate may be explained by the entire absence of deaths from disease of the respiratory organs, this being consequent on the unusually mild season,” said the D&S. “There is however, an increase of deaths from affection of the brain, apoplexy proving fatal in five instances, paralysis in three and disease of the brain in one.”

The bad news was that the weather had changed, and the district was in the grip of the coldest spell in seven years. This had caused the Tees at Neasham and Coniscliffe, and at other points, to freeze so hard “upon which skaters have enjoyed themselves to their fill”.

Another paragraph told of the season festivities in Barnard Castle. “The operatives of Messrs Taylors’ mills held their annual ball in the Music Hall on New Year's Eve. Upwards of 200 persons were present. Dancing was kept up with great liveliness to the music of Mr Woodham's quadrille band.” Mr Woodham, from Darlington, had one of the best dance bands of the day.

“On the same evening, the church bells were rung and the band of the 21st Durham Rifle Volunteers marched through the streets, playing lively airs. The ground was covered with snow, a hard frost prevailed, and as the people gave their New Year’s greetings, they observed that they were having good old fashioned winter weather.”