A ROMANTIC AND NOMADIC YOUTH
Anything that bordered on the romantic and nomadic style of life had an
especial fascination for me. Many a time and oft have I bestridden horses
that had been peacefully pasturing, and ridden them bare-back around the
fields, in a kind of Buffalo Bill style, you know. I got "nabbed"
occasionally, and then I was candidly told that if I continued "ta dew
sich a dangerous thing ony more, ah sud be sewer to catch it."
DIVERS PRANKS
Of course I had divers other pranks, as all boys have--albeit to the
anxiety and sorrow of many up-grown, and, therefore, unsympathising
persons. "Tolling" doors was another favourite occupation of mine.
Modern-time boys have not generally the same opportunities for "tolling"
as boys had in my time. Our folks provided an everlasting amount of
apparatus for me to carry on my "professional duties," and that
unknowingly. My mother was a heald knitter, and there was always plenty
of band throwing about. One night's "tolling" I remember with particular
liveliness. I thought what a "champ" thing it would be to have a "lark"
with "Jim o' Old Jack's"--an eccentric old man who lived by himself in an
old thatched dwelling in our locality. I had no sooner turned the thought
over in my mind than I resolved to "have a go" at the old chap. Poor old
Jim went out to his work during the day-time, returning home at night. So
I took advantage of his absence by hammering a stout nail into the
cross-piece over the doorway. When night approached, and Jim returned to
his homestead--poor old fellow! it makes me long to ask his forgiveness
as I recount this incident--I hooked a fairish-sized stone, by means of a
piece of string, to the nail which I had placed over the doorway. Near
the stone I next fastened a longer length of string, and then I ensconced
myself on the opposite side of the road. It so happened that the house
stood on one side of a narrow lane, the opposite side of which was on a
much higher level than the roof of the house, and, besides, faced by a
wall. This suited me to a T. All serene! Having allowed Jim nice time to
get comfortably sat down to his evening meal, I gently pulled the string,
with the result that there was a gentle tapping at the door. Jim
naturally answered my knock, and he seemed rather put about to find that
his ears had evidently deceived him. So he slammed the door to and went
inside--I guessed to resume his seat at the tea table. Then I "tolled"
again and once more Jim came out. He must have felt a little "nasty" when
he found that no one wanted him at the door.
THE INNOCENT SUFFER FOR THE GUILTY
However, he again closed the door. Before I had time to pull the string
again, I actually heard a knock myself at the door. I could also see that
a person was standing outside. Now Jim must have determined to drop on
somebody, and stationed himself behind the door, for as soon as he heard
the knock which _I_ also heard, he hurriedly opened the door, bounced
into the open, and commenced to belabour mercilessly, with a stout
cudgel, of which he had possessed himself, the "wretch 'at dared to knock
at 'is door like that." I sincerely congratulated myself that it wasn't
my tender carcase that Jim o' Jack's was playing with. The visitor hadn't
had time to announce himself: Jim didn't allow that; but by-and-bye he
managed to let Jim know who he was, and it turned out that he was a near
neighbour. I believe they managed to "mak' it up ageean." At other times
I would "toll" the door, and the poor old chap would rush unceremoniously
into a gooseberry bush which I had before-hand placed on the door-step to
give him a sort of porcupine reception.
BILL AND THE DONKEY
Still further, I recollect fastening a donkey to the handle of the door.
I knocked, and got the donkey into _my_ way of thinking: Billy would pull
for dear life and Jim also would pull to the same end, and would remain a
prisoner in his own citadel. I now feel sorry for Jim o' Jack's, I do.
But a life of all play and no work would tend to make Bill a bad boy.
SCHOOL LIFE
I was packed off to school--the National School at Keighley, of which Mr.
Balfrey was master. He was no doubt a learned man, having written several
works, including a useful book, entitled "Old Father Thames," which he
published while he was at Keighley. For some time the master regarded me
as his favourite pupil, but by writing uncouth verse and drawing
questionable pictures bearing upon himself, during school hours, I got
very much into disfavour with him. I don't wish to say anything mean of
Mr. Balfrey, but still he didn't encourage native talent as he might have
done: he might have been jealous, there's no telling!
SENT TO THE MILL
After leaving the day school, I was sent to Lund's mill, where my father
was manager over the weft department. My school career did not finish at
the National School, however. I attended a night school, which was held
in a thatched cottage in Greengate and kept by a man of no small ability
in the person of Mr. John Garnett. He was, I believe, of Scottish
extract, and a great admirer of Burns into the bargain.
TAKING TO BURNS
He had generally a volume of Burns' poems at his finger-ends and it was
through him that I began to "take to" Burns and long to pay a visit to
the Land o' Cakes. I had subsequently the pleasure of fulfilling that
visit.
TWIN COMPANIONS AT NIGHT SCHOOL
Severing my connection with the school in Greengate, I attended a night
school in Fell-lane--much nearer home. This was kept by an elderly
personage known as Mr. John Tansey, and under the guidance of that
gentleman, the present Mayor of Keighley (Alderman Ira Ickringill) and
myself spent a portion of our time in obtaining knowledge. His Worship
and myself were twin companions, I may say, being both born on the same
day--March 22nd, 1836.
AMONG THE HAND WOOLCOMBERS
I spent a good deal of time in my youth in the workshops of the
woolcombers in our locality, as, I believe, Ira Ickringill did. Hand
woolcombers, by-the-bye, were rare hands (no pun) at telling tales, and I
listened to these with great relish. With all my boyish pranks, I was
generally a favourite among the combers. There used to be an Irishman
named Peter O'Brady who lived not far from our house. His wife was a good
singer, and what is more, she had a varied selection of good old Irish
and Scotch songs. She was occasionally good enough to sing for me. This
woman taught me the song "Shan Van Vocht," and other Irish Gaelic songs.
LEARNING TO BE AN ACROBAT
A visit to Pablo Franco's circus, which came to Keighley, led me into the
belief that with a little practice I should make a passable trapezist, or
tight-rope walker. So when I got home the first thing I did was to
procure some rope &c. With this apparatus I constructed a kind of trapeze
and tight-rope in my bed chamber. I used to practice nightly just before
jumping into bed. But my ambition was one night somewhat damped, when I
fell from the bar and hurt myself. This small beginning ended badly for
me; for my father learned that part of his homestead had been converted
into a circus; he was, or pretended to be, greatly displeased with the
discovery, and he straightway cut down the ropes and things. Then I had
to find some other means of following up my practice. When you once start
a thing it's always best to go on with it. So I got a lad about the same
age as myself into my confidence, and one Saturday we resolved to have a
night's "circusing" on our own account in a barn. We had had a fair round
of trapezing, rope walking, turning somersaults and the like--wearing
special costumes, you know, for the occasion--when in the wee sma' hours
of the morning the old farmer, who claimed the ownership of our
circus--in other words barn--suddenly came upon us. He had evidently
heard us going through our rehearsal. His unannounced appearance startled
Jack and myself very much indeed. The old farmer bade us in language
certainly more forcible than polite--to "Come down, ye rascals." Jack and
I naturally hesitated a little, but that irritated the farmer, and he
said that if we wouldn't _come_ down he would _fork_ us down--he was
evidently thinking of hay-time. We two, perched on the haystack, did not
take the words at all with a kindly meaning. However, I told Jack in an
under-tone to pack up our clothes and get away, suggesting that I would
spring down and tackle the old man. Jack obeyed and got away, and I
seized the farmer and held him tightly in a position by no means
agreeable to him. He soon promised that if I left loose he would let me
go away. I released him and doubled after Jack, finally landing at Cross
Lane Ends, where Jack was waiting for me. We put on our usual garments
and departed each on his own way. During the day I went to a neighbour's
house. I was rather startled on seeing the old farmer there; but
exceeding glad was I when he failed to recognise me. He was telling the
family about two "young scoundrels," and how one had attacked him in his
own barn early that morning; he little thought that a little "scoundrel"
in that house was the "attacker" he wished to get hold of. Little Willie
Wright could not help but smile interestingly at the old man's vivid
description of the incident. That incident, I may say in passing, served
to mark the termination of my career as a circus hand.
TRYING THE FIDDLE
Instrumental music next turned my head, or, more definitely--a violin. I
bought a fiddle on my own account. Of course my father saw the
instrument; if I could keep it out of his sight I could not very well
keep it out of his hearing. Then, besides, little boys should not be
deceptive. He says: "What are you going to do with that?" I says: "I'm
going to learn to play it." Then he asked me where I had bought it, and I
told him like a dutiful son--"Tom Carrodus's in Church Green." He
summoned my mother and asked: "Mally, what dos'ta think o' this lot?"
She--good woman--said it was only another antic of her boy's, and "let
him have his own way." But my father, on the contrary, got rather nasty
about the matter, remarking that if I didn't take the thing away he would
put it into the fire. He said he was sure it would only turn out a public
house "touch," and informed me that it was only one in a thousand who
ever got to be anything worth listening to. He endeavoured to impress
upon me what a nuisance the old fiddler was on the Fair Day; and
"concluded a vigorous speech" by again reminding me that if I didn't take
the fiddle out of his _sight_ he would burn it. He did give me the chance
to play out of his sight; but, knowing, young as I was, that the
unexpected sometimes happens, I decided to get rid of "the thing," as my
father was pleased to call it. Fiddle and I parted company the very day
after we came to know each other.
THE "NIGGER" BUSINESS
next fascinated me; and I induced several lads and lasses in the village
to form a "troupe." We got up a show--not a very showy show, but a nice
little show--and charged a reasonable sum for admission--only a
half-penny! The "company" managed, by working together, to possess itself
of a creditable wardrobe. But the "Fell-lane Nigger Troupe" did not live
long. I, for example, began to soar a little higher, that is to the
dramatic stage; but my father evidenced the same bad grace as he did in
regard to my fiddle.
A STROLLING, ROLLICKING PLAYER
I had somehow or other scraped together close upon a couple of hundred
reprints of plays, which cost me from 6d to 2s a-piece. He said he would
have no acting in his house. I pleaded it was only a bit of pastime; but
it was all in vain, and what was more he threw all my books on the fire.
This greatly disheartened me--I should be about 14 years old at this
period;--but though my father burned my play-books he did not quell my
ardent ambition to go on the stage. A few days after, a theatrical man,
called Tyre, visited Keighley. (Oh! how I have blessed that man!) He
advertised for some amateur performers to play in a temperance drama of
the title "The seven stages of a drunkard," at the old Mechanics' Hall
(until recently the Temperance Hall). The piece was to be played nightly
for a fortnight. I mentioned to my father that I should very much like to
take part in the performance. He asked the advice of somebody or other as
to the character of the play, and being informed that it was a temperance
piece, he consented to my serving a fortnight with the company. I
applied, and was gladly accepted. The part of a boy--a boy who, in
manhood, was a drunkard--was allotted to me. The company played for a
fortnight before crowded houses. But my stage career was not destined to
end there. Tyre, seeing that the Keighley public appreciated the efforts
of his local talent, arranged for the performance of another piece,
styled "Ambrose Guinnett." He asked me to take a part in that piece also,
and I agreed on the spot to do so. I was put in as a sailor, and I
purchased in the Market-place a sailor's suit and a black wig, on
"tick"--you see I was determined to have them. By-and-bye, it reached the
ears of my father that I was going "reight in for t'business." However,
the day fixed for the first performance came round, and then the
performance commenced.
TRICKING POLICEMAN LEACH
The curtain had risen and all was going on nicely when on the stage,
behind the wings, appeared a policeman--a real policeman--a policeman to
the heart, into the bargain! "Robert" turned out to be nobody else than
my old friend, Mr James Leach, now of Balmoral House, The Esplanade,
Keighley: this, I ought to mention, was my first meeting with Mr Leach.
My father it seemed, had heard definitely that I should be acting that
night, and so he had induced Police-constable Leach (No. 5678, X
division, A.1.), to look after me. Well, as I said before, P.C. Leach
came on the stage. I happened to be the first soul he encountered. Says
he to me: "Have you got a young man here called William Wright?" [I saw
he did not "ken" me.] Says I to him: "I have not." Says he to me: "I want
that lad, wherever he is; his father has sent me for him, and if he won't
go home I have to take him to the lock-up." The last word rather
frightened me; but I managed to say to him: "To save you a deal of
trouble, sir, young Wright isn't going to play in this piece at all,"
and, with that, directed him down the staircase. I was allowed to go on
with my acting without interruption after that; but I hadn't to go on the
stage another night. My parents then put their heads together to keep me
out of mischief.
MILL LIFE AND POETRY
I was packed off to Lund's Mill--the late Mr William Lund was at the head
of the firm at the time, and Benjamin Lamb and I became favourites with
him. Mr Lund often used to take us into the staircase at the mill,
provide us with chalk, and tell us to draw animals or anything we liked.
He would offer a prize for the best production. We had also to try our
hands at "making" poetry, and for this Mr Lund would give rewards. Ben
could generally "best" me at drawing, but I managed to get the poetry
prizes all right. One day Ben signed teetotal, and I remember I wrote a
few lines of doggerel on the occasion. It is rather uncouth, but here it
is:--
Benjamin signed teetotal
He signed from drink and liquors;
And it gave him such an appetite
Begum he swallow'd pickers.
MAKING AND SAILING SHIPS
Ben and I also took a fancy to making various models, especially ships.
Mr Lund caught us at the job, and, taking an interest in our work, he
offered a prize for the one of us who made the best-sailing three-rigged
vessel. We made our ships and gaily decorated them. The day fixed for the
trial was regarded with keen interest by the mill-hands. The trial trip
was to take place in the mill dam, and the banks of the dam were crowded
with workpeople. The conditions were that we should sail the ships, with
the aid of a warp thread, from the head to the foot of the dam. And the
contest began. Ben's ship had scarcely been launched when it upset, being
side-heavy. But my ship sailed gallantly before the breeze, right on to
the finishing post. The spectators cheered lustily; I felt very proud, I
did. I got the prize, and was made quite a "hero" of for a few days. But
they little knew the grand secret of my success. I had driven a spindle
into the keel, so as to allow it to protrude downwards into the water;
with this in it, it was almost impossible for the ship to upset!