Part 17 (1/2)

A VISIT TO CLIFFE CASTLE

Mr Leach, I know, fondly treasured in his memory a visit which he paid to Cliffe Castle, in 1886, on the occasion of the ”White Ball” given by Mr b.u.t.terfield. I was not a little astonished when Mr Leach told me one morning, ”Tha'll hev ta goa wi' me ta t' ball, Bill; ah've bowt thee a ten-an'-sixpenny ticket.” However, I did not care to intrude my presence on such a ”flash” gathering as I knew there would be, and when the time arrived for my ”master” to start, I was missing. Mr Leach was, nevertheless, determined ”ta visit t' Cliff,” and as a last resort he summoned his old friend ”Little” Barnes to accompany him. The two attended the ”White Ball;” but I don't think either of them partic.i.p.ated in the dancing. Mr Leach afterwards told me that they were nicely entertained by Mr b.u.t.terfield, who had a long chat with him, and expressed a wish to have a chat with him at some other time on public matters. One of the topics which engaged Mr b.u.t.terfield and Mr Leach was a public park for the town.

MR LEACH AND DEVONs.h.i.+RE PARK

It is an acknowledged fact that to Mr Leach was due no small measure of credit in connection with the securing of Devons.h.i.+re Park for Keighley.

His pet idea for a public park was originally the Showfield in Skipton-road. On one occasion Hawkcliffe Wood came into the market, and was suggested as a suitable park for the public. Mr Leach opposed this scheme tooth and nail-”ther wor too monny hoils an' caves abaat. They'd be capt if somebody gat dahn one o' t' hoils an' wor nivver seen ageean.”

A public meeting was held in the Drill Hall to test the public feeling as to the purchase of Hawkcliffe Wood. Mr W. A. Robinson, I believe, was the princ.i.p.al speaker on the affirmative side, and Mr Leach strongly opposed the scheme of purchase. Next day, however, the question was settled by the announcement that Mr b.u.t.terfield (whose estate agent, Mr James Wright, had attended the meeting) had successfully negotiated with Messrs Dixon, of Steeton, for the purchase of the Wood. Having practically scored on this point, Mr Leach next turned his attention very vigorously to the Showfield. He superintended the making-out of a pet.i.tion to the Duke of Devons.h.i.+re, asking his Grace to make a grant of the Showfield for a town's park. The pet.i.tion was numerously signed, and was duly forwarded through the Local Board to the Duke. His Grace could not see his way to accede to the pet.i.tioners' wishes, but it was some gratification to Mr Leach to hear that the Duke would probably see his way to do something later-a promise consummated in the presentation to the town of what is known as Devons.h.i.+re Park. Mr W. Layc.o.c.k (the Duke's steward) a.s.sured Mr Leach that he was the first man whom the Duke of Devons.h.i.+re had recognised in this way, and that he was the means of securing the first public park for Keighley.

MR LEACH'S EPITAPH

The last request which Mr Leach made to me was to write an epitaph to be engraved on the south side of the tombstone over his grave. I have penned the following lines:-

O! Pa.s.ser-by, pray cast an eye Upon this ponderous dome, Where lieth one of nature's sons Inside the vaulted tomb.

For weel, I wot, it took a lot To weigh him from his birth, But nature thought she'd send him back To join his Mother Earth

So now he's quiet, both day and night, No one can hear his speech; And waiting to be reckoned up,- Alas! poor Mr. Leach.

CHAPTER XXII

EXILED FROM KEIGHLEY

With an apology for digressing for the last two weeks from my own Recollections, I now hasten to continue my story. Going back to 1872, it was in that year I pa.s.sed my second term of residence in Bradford. This time I was, to some extent, an exile-driven from home. It was brought about in this way. I was keeping a grocer's shop in Westgate at the time, and one day, while I was away at my employment for Messrs Lund in Heber-street, a traveller for a Leeds firm of drysalters called at the shop, and forced upon my wife, who was in charge, several pounds' worth of goods. Of course, when I got home I kicked up a ”s.h.i.+ne,” and distinctly said I should not accept the goods, which I sent back to Leeds. My returning the goods, however, did not mend my case, and I was summoned to Leeds to ”show cause,” &c. But I treated the court with contempt by not attending, and an execution was issued against me forthwith. I have a keen remembrance of the visit which Mr John Scott, the bailiff at the Keighley County Court, paid to my house. Mr Scott said he had got Sheriff's orders to sell me up or arrest me. I told him that I had a great fear of going to gaol, and asked him if he would go and ask his brother, Mr W. M. Scott, the high bailiff, to allow me until 9 o'clock on the following morning in which to make an effort to raise the money. The ”b.u.m” had scarcely got out of sight ere I was in consultation with John Parker, the landlord of the Bay Horse Inn. John rather pitied me. He agreed to lend me his horse, and I borrowed a van from Mr Joseph Wright, cabinet maker, determined to give my would-be captors the ”leg bail.” Early next morning I was, so to speak, doing a moonlight ”flit”-the van, containing my furniture, in charge of two men, was on the road to Bradford. Mrs Wright I left with friends at Keighley, and myself, accomplished the journey by rail. I spent some time at the top of Manchester road, Bradford, looking for a suitable house, and had almost resolved to give up the search in that quarter when I made the acquaintance of an old lady, who said she had a nice house-which vacant house isn't a nice one?-to let at 9s 6d per week. This was a large figure, but, under the trying circ.u.mstances, I agreed to rent the house.

An hour or so afterwards the van arrived, and having got my goods and chattels into the house, I dismissed the two men, enjoining them to strict secrecy as to my whereabouts. Having got the house into something like s.h.i.+p shape order, I set about devising a _nom de plume_ and eventually fixed upon ”James Wrightson,” which seemed to fit best, seeing that I was James Wright's son.

IN BRADFORD-AS PATTERN DRESSER

Next day I managed to secure employment as pattern dresser with Messrs Ward and Bottomley, manufacturers. My stay there, however, was only short, owing to a disagreement with my foreman on a political subject. I then called upon Mr Wade, manufacturer, for whom I had worked at Morton.

Mr F. S. Pearson, now of Keighley, was the manager of the warp sizing department in the fancy trade. Mr Pearson set me on, and I continued in Mr Wade's employ for about twelve months, having a very profitable situation.