Stanley Oughtibridge of Swinefleet

In the WEA local history class I run in Goole - new members always welcome - we discuss all manner of subjects Goole related. This morning topics included the history of Fisons, once Goole Tillage, the role Lep played in the war assembling military vehicles and Stanley Oughtibridge.

I am not sure how we came to talk of him but he was one of Goole's characters. He was in fact from Swinefleet and began his career looking after lions in a circus. He then spent many years working in the music halls mainly in the north of England.

He was for many years a familiar figure in Goole, usually immaculately dressed and sometimes wearing spats.

This picture of Mr Oughtibridge, taken in 1989, was provided by Gilbert Tawn.

On a different topic Molly the puppy is growing by the day. She is, like most Labradors, keen to eat almost anything including so far a plug off a lamp, a library book cover and any unwary feet. She is not sure whether to chase chickens or run from them but seems to take most new events in her stride. I only wish her day did not start quite so early!!

Hannah Calvert of Goole

Here is a fascinating piece of Goole's history which was written when Mrs Hannah Calvert died in 1934.  Mrs Calvert lived in Goole at a time when the town centre was in Aire Street and when Boothferry Road was a lane leading to the ferry over the Ouse at Airmyn.

Hannah Calvert

Death of Mrs Hannah Calvert

Goole’s oldest inhabitant Mrs Hannah Calvert of 32 Carter Street Goole died on Monday evening at the age of 96.  Until a short time before her death Mrs Calvert enjoyed fairly good health and was in possession of every faculty. Her husband the late Mr Henry Calvert died nine years ago ---five years after he and his wife had celebrated their diamond wedding. They had a family of seven sons and two daughters of whom three sons and one daughter are living.

Before her marriage Mrs Calvert was Miss Hannah Drury daughter of Mr and Mrs George Drury of Swinefleet, and she was born in a house near the old mill at Swinefleet field. Her husband was born at Hailgate, Howden being the son of Mr and Mrs Thomas Calvert.

They were married at Whitgift parish church and first came to Goole seventy two years ago. At that time there was only one house west of the site where the market hall now stands and what is now the Stanhope dock was then a brickyard owned by Messrs Abel and Sutcliffe, the latter being the father of Mr John Sutcliffe, a former licensee of the Crown Inn, Ouse Street.

The docks were confined to the Barge dock, the Germany dock, the Ship dock and the Basin. so that vessels had to in and out through the old locks. Lock hill in those days was occupied by cottages while the railway station was in Aire Street.

Mrs Calvert’s husband who retired 33 years before his death occupied the position of stevedore, a position now filled by his eldest son Major T. Calvert M.B.E.. On his retirement the late Mr Calvert took his wife to Garthorpe where they farmed for three years and then to Reedness where they lived for the next fifteen years. In 1909 however they came back to Goole.

Mrs Calvert christened the S.S Faedreland at Hook shipyard in the year of her diamond wedding, and as a souvenir she was presented with a silver tray and tea service which bore the following inscription;-'Presented to Mrs H Calvert by the Ouse Shipbuilding Company Ltd Hook nr Goole, a memento of the launch of the S.S. Faedreland September 30^th 1920'   Mrs Calvert’s second son, Mr Alfred Calvert, was managing director of the Ouse Shipbuilding company.

The funeral

The interment took place at Goole cemetery yesterday afternoon, the Rev H. Ogden officiating. The mourners were Major and Mrs T Calvert, Mrs Whitty, Mr and Mrs Arthur Calvert (sons and daughter in law) Mrs Alfred Calvert and Mrs J W Calvert daughters in law, Mr J S Calvert, Mr Henry Calvert, Mr Nigel Calvert, Mr Raoul Calvert, Mr Arthur Calvert, Mr Hereward Calvert, Mr W Shipley, Mrs Lazenby, Mrs Shaw (grandchildren), Mrs Drury, Mrs Smith Mrs Rus---  Mr and Mrs R Longhorn and Mr and Mrs Goulden (nephews and nieces).

Floral tributes were sent by the following – Daughter Polly, Tom, Mary, Ellen and family.  Arthur, Clara, and family, Sarah, Ethel, and family, Willie, Edie and family.  Tom, Mary, Vera,  Hereward Frances and family  Harry and family Bradford, Gladys and Bill, Mr and Mrs T Shaw and Ruby, All at Southport George and Matilda Philadelphia, Mr and Mrs Longhorn, all at Rawcliffe, all at Clifton Gardens, Mr and Mrs Larson, Hull, Mr and Mrs R Cooper and family, Mr and Mrs Maddick, The neighbours at Carter Street .

Goole Times weddings - Robert and Elizabeth Harland

Another in the wedding series - this time a diamond wedding.

Robert John Harland married  Elizabeth Broadbent on October 8th 1889 at Old Goole Wesleyan Chapel.

DIAMOND WEDDING CELEBRATION

MEMORABLE EVENT FOR GOOLE COUPLE

To-morrow is an important day for Mr and Mrs Robert John Harland of 16 Weatherill Street Goole - the day when they celebrate the 60^th anniversary of their wedding which took place on October 8^th 1889 at the Old Goole Wesleyan chapel  in Couper Street. They will spend their day quietly at home.

Both are well known over a wide area. Mr Harland was born at Staddlethorpe and worked as a youth in the Marshland area while Mrs Harland was born at Whitgift and later lived at Swinefleet.

Mr and Mrs Harland are both octogenarians (Mr Harland is 82 and his wife 80) but they look many years younger. In the words of Mr Harland “we are only young yet”. They have lived in the town since they were married, moving to their present house in Weatherill Street 40 years ago; previously they had resided in Humber Street and Beverley Street.

During their married life Mr and Mrs Harland have watched the growth of Goole, both as a port and a town. They can recall the days when Aire Street and Ouse Street formed the main shopping centre of the town, while the present shopping centre consisted of residential houses; when Pasture Road was a country lane and the town west of the level crossing did not exist.

They both enjoy good health and are still very active. Mr Harland goes for a daily walk while Mrs Harland continues to do most of her own housework and cooking.

Early days

The son of the late Mr and Mrs Robert Harland, Mr Harland spent his early days at Staddlethorpe, where his father was farm foreman for a Mr Jacques. Later he moved with his family to Swinefleet Common and worked for about eight years as a farm labourer on farms in the Marshland area.

In 1889, the year he was married he came to Goole, working on the docks and at the old malt kiln, before joining the old Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway company later the same year. He worked as a shunter and guard and retired from the company's service in 1931 having spent the last ten or eleven years as goods foreman.

Mrs Harland formerly Miss Elizabeth Broadbent, third daughter of the late Mr and Mrs John Broadbent, spent her early life at Swinefleet, where her parents were licensees of the Ship Inn. Later she moved to Goole.

Mr and Mrs Harland have a family of one daughter, two grand children, and one great grandchild. Their other daughter died some years ago leaving two children.

Mr and Mrs Harland have been regular readers of the “Goole Times” ever since their marriage. In the words of Mr Harland, "I don’t think we have missed a single issue during the whole 60 years".

Goole Times weddings - Plowes and Ounsley weddings

Here is an account of two golden weddings of Old Goole couples to add to the series of wedding reports which appeared in the Goole Times.

James William Plowes married Helen Wood on January 18th 1881 at Goole.
William Ounsley married Hannah Jane Armitage on January 17th 1881 at Snaith.

Both celebrated their golden weddings in  January 1931, as reported in the Goole Times:

GOLDEN WEDDING

TWO CELEBRATIONS AT OLD

GOOLE

Two Old Goole couples will celebrate their golden weddings during the week end. They are Mr and Mrs James William Plowes of 72 Swinefleet Road, and Mr and Mrs William Ounsley of 48 Moorland Road.

Mr and Mrs Plowes were married by the Rev Dr Bell at Goole Parish Church on January 18th 1881. Both are natives of Goole, and Mr Plowes who is 75 claims to be the oldest man in the South Ward.

Mrs Plowes is 72 and is the daughter of the late Captain Wood of Goole. They have had nine children three sons and six daughters (eight of whom are living) and six grandchildren. A tailor by trade Mr Plowes retired five years ago. He is a keen sportsman and takes a keen interest in cricket and football.

Above are  Mr James William Plowes and Mrs Helen Plowes, nee Wood

Mr and Mrs Ounsley were married at Snaith Parish Church on January 17^th 1881 and at the time they lived at Swinefleet. Mr Ounsley was born at Weeton Lock [Weighton Lock], and has been employed as a docker by Messers France Fenwick for nearly 45 years. They have five daughters and two sons living, 28 grandchildren and two great grandchildren. They have lived in Old Goole for 45 years Mr Ounsley is 70 years of age and his wife, who was formerly Miss Anna Jane Armitage is 69.

Mr Ounsley recalls that the day before his wedding he walked across the Ouse which was frozen and the next day the ice broke after many weeks of frost.

Joseph Rank family history

I had an interesting visit this week from a descendant of Joseph Rank, the miller. The gentleman and his wife were tracing Joseph's Yorkshire roots and visiting places where there was a family connection.

Joseph was born on Holderness Road in Hull in 1854. His father was James Rank who had married Mary Ann Parrott in Hull in 1851.

However, the reason that my visitors were in this particular area of East Yorkshire was that Mary Ann was born at Saltmarshe in 1825, the daughter of Joseph and Mary Ann Parrott. She was christened at Laxton and came from a long-established Saltmarshe family who were sailors and boatbuilders.

By 1841 the family had moved into Hull, where Joseph continued to build boats and sail them and where young Mary Ann eventually met James Rank. Sadly, Mary Ann Rank died in 1858, having never recovered from the birth of her fourth child. Joseph, although only four when his mother died, apparently had very clear memories of her.

Another local connection is that Joseph Rank later attended a small private school at Swinefleet run by Rev Edward Cragg Haynes, believed to be Yorkshire's first black vicar. I was able to show my visitors a  photograph of Rev Cragg Haynes with some of his pupils and they tentatively identified one little boy as Joseph.

I find family history and the connections it throws up, such as this, endlessly fascinating.