|
|
Royston Revisited
By Brian Elliott
 Royston on a damp and dismal mid-November day. Never mind, the place always provides me with positive memories, and it will be interesting to see what changes there have been since my last visit several years ago.
Royston on a damp and dismal mid-November day. Never mind, the place always provides me with positive memories, and it will be interesting to see what changes there have been since my last visit several years ago.
I was born in Royston, in my maternal grandparents' house on Newtown Avenue, a neat, inter-war council semi which backed on to a pleasant playing field. After a few months my parents managed to rent a terrace house in nearby Carlton - near Wharncliffe Woodmoor 1, 2 & 3 colliery where my father worked. But visiting Royston to see my grandparents during the fifties and sixties was of course a regular routine. Grandad Charlie Stone worked at the Monckton Coke and Chemical Works.
|
 Years later, in the early 1970s, my first proper teaching experience was at Royston Secondary Modern School. Local educational services were then provided by the West Riding County Council. Long-serving headmaster George Fox was in his final year at the school. I will never forget him giving me my first pay packet - along with advice about prudent housekeeping. I soon found that some of the pupils used dialect words and phrases which were a little different to those even found in neighbouring villages and Barnsley itself. Remnants of their Staffordshire ancestry perhaps. From the late nineteenth century many individuals and families from the Black Country migrated to Royston, attracted by work at the burgeoning Monckton industrial complex. Such was the impact, the place was occasionally referred to as 'Little Staffordshire'.
It was whilst teaching at Royston that I began to be interested in the rich history of the area, using local information whenever possible in school, and sharing my research when tutoring adult education classes. By 1984/85, during the miners' strike, the school, now a comprehensive, published two small booklets compiled under the theme of Royston, People of an Ancient Parish, my first local history publications. I would imagine they are now quite scarce. A much later book, however, Royston, Carlton and Monk Bretton (in old photographs) is more easily obtainable. So coming to Royston is always interesting, even on a gloomy November day.
 I began my journey via Carlton and could not resist stopping near the top of Cronkhill Lane. As a small boy I recall walking down the lane towards the Barnsley Canal, perhaps for a spot of fishing or - in those days - birds' nesting. Locally this old routeway was known as Old Maids Lane, originating from the cottage at the top which used to be an alehouse and then a small pub - The Shoulder of Mutton - and in the nineteenth century licenced by two sisters from the
Walker family.
Then I passed over the old railway line which once separated Royston UDC from the County Borough of Barnsley, towards the Kirk Cross, the remains of one of several ancient wayside crosses that marked parts of the northerly route from the market towns of Barnsley and Wakefield. Opposite the parish church stands the Pack Horse, a relatively modern replacement of an old hostelry. George McDonald held the licence in 1936. The painted inn sign also reminds us of the importance of Royston as a place of passing trade in earlier times.
 A little further along Royston Lane, just over the township boundary (a small watercourse by the Jet garage), stands the Bethel Community Church, formerly the Ace Ballroom and (more importantly) the Ace Cinema, a substantial brick-built structure. As a small boy The Ace meant a great deal to me and my Carlton friends, despite the walk to get there. Memories of Saturday matinees and 'westerns' come flooding back. Afterwards I was The Lone Ranger (from the cult tv series), shouting 'Hi-yo, Silver, away!' to my imaginary white steed on the gallop home, or perhaps rolling down bankings in the style of an American Indian brave, the coolest example around being the Ranger's sidekick, Tonto.
 The approprately-named Old Ring O'Bells pub still functions, of course within easy earshot Royston church bells. Percy Hodgson was mine host before the war and H. Kyte in the 1950s. Another source of entertainment, albeit an occasional one, comes to mind. Does anyone remember the fair (or 'feast' as we called it) coming to the spare land between the Ace and the pub?
On the hill overlooking the bend of the road and east of the church is the site of Royston's old grammar school, dating from the early seventeenth century (and functioning until the early 1900s). It was a fee-paying school in the main and even accommodated boarders. I say 'site' because the original buildings appear to have been rebuilt and some demolished in recent years; and now advertised for sale.
The magnificent parish church dedicated to St John the Baptist is one of the finest medieval examples in our area. It's an impressive building today but would have been dramatically more so in the not too distant past when Royston consisted of no more than about 50 families; but it was the focus of an extensive parish which included the townships of Carlton, Monk Bretton and Cudworth to the south; and Notton, Chevet and Woolley (a chapelry) northwards. The 3-light oriel window on the upper part of the west tower is a most unusual and distinctive feature.
Entering the church I notice a plaque in the porch dedicated to the memory of Dr James Henderson one my old family doctors, and a great character. I remember his distinctive 'Next please!' call from his High Street or Chapel Lane (Carlton) surgery; and does anyone recall him riding his horse?). It was Dr Henderson who was in attendance in the aftermath of the Wharncliffe Woodmoor pit disaster in 1936. Inside, I got chatting to two lovely local ladies: Olive Cox and Mary Fox who were otherwise busy arranging flowers near the altar. In a few days the church was to host an art exhibition.
 Further memories came back to me as I walked along Church Street but the Chantry House, probably the oldest vernacular building in the area, though closely linked to St John's, was difficult to see and Rose Cottage has been transformed beyond recognition. The old church school building, an interesting example of Victorian architecture has long gone.
The Wells continues to be the central and busy hub of Royston, a lot different from its appearance on Edwardian picture postcards when it was much quieter crossroads; and when the original wells were not a distant memory. I always shudder slightly when looking at the lower part of Station Road (formerly Overcarr Lane), just beyond what used to be a Chemist's (now Eden's, previously Hague's and Pickerings). I recall having a 'short back and sides' in a little general shop or 'barbers' (maybe Bedford's) when the man used a pair of hand clippers and pulled out what, as a small boy I was convinced of was large tuffs of hair. It was always a painful experience.
By the time I began walking along High Street the weather had changed from dull and overcast to light drizzle but it was interesting passing the old village green near where my great aunt once lived, and by Holycroft, a former farm where my grandfather may have worked just after the Great War. Further on it was nice to see the spring factory still working (L & P Springs UK). For many years Siddall and Hilton (trade mark 'SIDHIL'), specialist manufacturers of bedding springs operated from here. Does anyone remember the Midland Icecream works nearby?
Further along High Street I was reminded of two important local place-names: the Doles, which means 'a share of the common land' and 'Meadstead', relating to the peculiar system of land ownership operating here, overseen via a constable and the meadsteaders. Towards the end of High Street stands one of the oldest extant farmhouses: Malt Kiln Farm. Mr & Mrs Lappage were kind to me when I visited their property in the 1970s. It's sad that the old Manor House and a wonderful old building, Home Farm, were demolished.
 Towards the end of High Street I could not help noticing new building was taking place - 'luxury town houses' on or near the site of the old Wallace Arnold social club; and a little further on the old Railway Hotel was 'boarded-up', another victim no doubt of the declining pub trade.
Passing along Oakwood Road, by the side of Royston's Community Fire Station, I walked to have a look at my birth-place, 76 Newtown Avenue and then on to Station Road via the distinguished-looking police station. Across the road is the civic centre of modern Royston: Civic Hall and Leisure Centre and behind the complex is Royston High School. It's nice to see a blue heritage plaque on another council building, The Grove, commemorating the great Yorkshire and England cricket captain Norman Yardley who once resided there. What a surprise next door - a wonderful new library and resource centre, with offices and a cafe. I'm sure this distinctive modern building will be appreciated by local people for many years to come. It was good to see that the Royston local history group are continuing to research and record from their new base in the library.
By the time that I had started walking on 'the Lane' (Midland Road, formerly Senior Lane: I wonder if any locals still use this term?) the fine drizzle had turned into a downpour. It was interesting to see the old Palace Cinema. Dating from the start of the Great War, many romances no doubt started here. Jim Watson was a regular pianist during the Silent film era, excelling in a rendition of Enter the Gladiators before the curtain ascended. It's still intact, used as a snooker hall. Apart from evening performances, in the 1950s there were Monday and Thursday matinees, two 'houses' on Saturdays and a children's matinee every Saturday afternoon. Another former place of cine and live entertainment - The Empire - is also extant, more famous though as an iconic shirt factory. Fine quality 'Valusta' shirts 'sold throughout the world' were made with great pride here (and at New Street) when operated by A Valentine Stubbs Ltd.
 The continued presence of 'Mounts of Royston' certainly brought memories back of my parents and grandparents purchasing furniture and household items from the store. In hard times after the war and during miners' strikes such shops did much to assist the local community by providing favorable terms of purchase.
By now I was soaked and on the way back took refuge in the new Netto supermarket built near the site of the old junior school. Eating a sandwich, I couldn't help think about some of the old Midland Road shops: Beardsall's (butcher), Cheatham's (drapers), Eastman's (butchers), Griffiths (newsagent), Howard (baker), Maddison (general shopkeeper), Madeley (grocer/fish shop), Melias (grocers), Murpheys (hardware), Parkes (butcher), Pickering (chemist), Priestley (hairdressers), Roberts (boot repairer), Sadler (cycles), Westnedge (shoes), Woods (photographic & general dealers) - and many more too!
My nostalgic trip to Royston brought many memories back and its good to see that - despite all the changes - the place continues to function as a distinctive small town, still with a sense of community, and a very proud history.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
