Reminiscences of Rotherham
by G. Gummer, J.P.
« « prevEFFINGHAM ESTATE
One’s imagination must be remarkably vivid to realise that field land comprised the whole of the Henry street and Wharncliffe street sites in 1860.My father, in conjunction with his brother Richard, was the first to erect cottages on the Effingham estate. These two ventured at the outset with the shop now in the occupation of Mr. William Foster, in Effingham square, and the dwelling-house adjoining. Their action was condemned by many as unwise and foolish in thus opening up a new part of the town.
A little later they erected the whole the property from Foster’s shop round Drummond Street into Henry street as far as the Advertiser premises. They afterwards built the Merry Heart (now the Grey Horse) and the adjoining property.
Several years later, Frederick Street was opened out, but Fitzwilliaim road as such had no existence, the greater part of its length being represented by a footpath through the fields from St. Ann’s road to a part then being developed and now known as Eastwood Vale.
WAITS
At Christmas time waits were very popular. James Leadbeater (the photographer and optician), Fred Wragg (the architect) and his brother John, who built the Monad Hotel, Elliot Kesteven (the butcher) and his brother Bob, and Harry Houldsworth (the assistant overseer), when lads, went round with “Old Tup” On one occasion, calling at the Angel Inn, in Bridgegate, which was then kept by Zachariah Wainwright, they were assailed in the midst of their performance with a big copper vessel containing boiling water. Some drunken fool thought this a great joke, but had it fallen on them it might have scalded them to death, and thus have cut short the careers of men who afterwards became useful and well-known citizens.THE YORKSHIRE DRAGOONS
During the Fenian scare we had constant alarms of serious trouble. For several weeks the Yeomanry kept their horses in the stables, saddled and bridled, and ready at a moment’s notice to take action.I repeatedly saw the landlord of the Cross Keys busily engaged sharpening his sabre and polishing his accoutrement in preparation for the revolution which never came. So serious was the outlook that precautions against insurrection were taken in all large centres, particularly Sheffield, Manchester, Leeds, Liverpool, and Glasgow. The rising was expected on St. Patrick’s Day, and the militarv at Sheffield were kept under arms. Outrages in Manchester, resulting in the escape of prisoners, and the death of Sergeant Brett, who was shot, confirmed the necessity for these precautions. Another attempt to release prisoners, and a terrible explosion at Clerkenwell, where fifty people were injured, caused the swearing in of special constables all over the country, and Rotherham was no exception to the general alarm.
A pleasant recollection of the Yorkshire Dragoons (a fine body of men) was the annual gathering in the Cattle Market preparatory to their visit to Doncaster for a fortnight in camp. As many of the horses were borrowed from the farmers in the district, we were always anxious to see what the turn out would he like, I recollect the amusement caused when little Albert Leggoe turned up at his first parade for camp. Albert stood about 5ft. 4in. high, whilst in contrast there were others, including John Heaton and Harry Crowder, over six feet high.
When our old and esteemed friend, Mr. Harry Jervis, of Clifton Lane, was eleven years of age, he joined the troop as a drummer boy. Sam Suckley, who afterwards became bandmaster, joined at the same age as Jervis, but a year earlier. During Jervis’s first year in camp, a sword contest, arranged by Adjutant Cooke, took place between the two boys The prize, a sword, formerly belonging to the Adjutant’s son, who fell at the siege of Sebastapol whilst fighting by his father’s side, was won by Jervis. This and the jacket he wore when the band visited the Exhibition at Sydenham in 1862 are two of the things he prizes most. » next
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