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 passed 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 "shine," 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 "bum" 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 circumstances, 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 ship 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.
AS WARP-SIZING INSPECTOR
One day I was met by a gentleman who asked me if I would act as his
warp-sizing inspector, promising me a very comfortable salary. This
gentleman, or his firm, carried on the business of warp-sizing, and he
explained that it would be my duty to go round to different factories to
assess the damage, if any, done to warps which had been sent from those
factories to be sized. I was pressed very much to take this position, and
ultimately I accepted it. The business, I learned, was in the hands of Mr
Ward, and was formerly owned by Mr Titus Gaukroger. My new duties were
accompanied with difficulties, though after a time I got along fairly
well. I found out many little things, among which were not a few cases of
manufacturers--bosom friends, socially--defrauding each other. I had
occupied the position of warp-dressing inspector about six months, when
the hand of--Fate, shall I say? was again placed upon me. An old friend
of mine--Christopher Brown, a native of Haworth--popped in to see me. He
had been away for some time in Canada, where he had made a good sum of
money. He spoke to my master, and obtained for me two or three days'
leave of absence. This proved the greatest breakdown that ever happened
to me. I stayed a day or two with Mr Brown, who then suggested that I
should extend my holiday. I was always easily persuaded, and this time
was no exception. There was plenty of money to go at, and Mr Brown
induced me to travel to Middlesbro' with him. From there we visited many
places, being absent from Bradford about a fortnight. On returning to my
employment, I found that my place had been filled. Mr Ward, after hearing
my story, expressed himself very sorry for me. He said he kept my place
vacant for eight or nine days, but was then compelled to fill it up.
AS "BUM" BAILIFF
I was thus again a workless worker. But not for long. I fell in with an
auctioneer, who set me on as a sort of "bum" bailiff. This auctioneer had
Douglas Mills and Victoria Mills, Bradford, on his hands for sale, and
required someone to watch them. I was in charge of Douglas Mills for
three weeks, and a fine time I had. The spinning frames and other
machinery had been sold to Messrs Binns and Masker, brokers, of Keighley,
but there were many odds and ends left, which I was given permission to
realise. These "odds and ends" included all the leather, cotton waste,
and loose wood about the place, and the proceeds from the sale of these,
in addition to my weekly wage, tended to a not inconsiderable sum.
Perhaps it was this extraordinary "flush" of money that caused me to have
sufficient courage to venture back to Keighley. (I may say that I had not
during my absence from the town encountered my friend, the drysalter.)
BACK TO KEIGHLEY
It was 1876 when I returned home. It was just before the Liberal club was
opened by the Marquis of Hartington. The occasion, I may say, was made a
great "to do"--what with the elaborate opening ceremonial, the procession
in the street, and the great banquet at Dalton Mills (which had just been
built). I wrote some twenty verses descriptive of the event, and these I
had printed and ready for distribution before the banquet commenced. I
was introduced to the ducal party, which, in addition to the Marquis of
Hartington, included his brother, Lord Frederick Cavendish, Lord
Houghton, and others. Perhaps I shall not be thought unduly egotistical
for mentioning that Lord Houghton, who is a poet of no mean order,
commended my verses.
THE ORDER OF BUFFALOES
While in Bradford, I became acquainted with many members of the Royal
Order of Ante-diluvian Buffaloes. A lodge was held at the Hope and Anchor
Inn, and the meetings were attended by many professional gentlemen,
including Wallett, the Queen's jester, at times. Before I left Bradford I
was made a "primo" of the lodge. Back to Keighley again, I found that a
Shakspeare Lodge of "Buffs" was held at the Ship Inn. The saying is,
"Once a Buff., always a Buff.," and I at once allied myself with the
lodge in my native town. During my office as primo I initiated upwards of
200 members, among whom I may mention Mr James Walsh, the late Mr David
Hudson, Mr Joseph Town, Mr John Fortune, and Mr James Blakey. Being the
only officer who could initiate a member, I "had my hands full," and I at
last decided to communicate with the Bradford lodge as to the
installation of a few primos in Keighley. Accordingly, several primos
came down one Sunday afternoon and installed half-a-dozen primos; so that
for the future I was relieved of much work in connection with the lodge.
There is one very laughable incident I have to chronicle. The townspeople
had got across with a certain gentleman, of whom Alfred Harris and I made
an elaborate effigy, which we intended to burn. It was a beautiful
looking figure and no mistake. We took the effigy to the lodge-room until
such time as we required it, hanging it behind the door. One night the
landlord (Mr Patrick McShee) had occasion to go into the lodge-room; he
knew nothing about the effigy, and as soon as the poor landlord saw the
"figure of a man hanging himself behind the door," he gave a series of
the most weird and penetrating howls. It was not long before he was
downstairs, and asking his wife in an excited voice, "Does ta know whoa
wor at t'last lodge meetin' an' didn't cum dahnstairs?" "Noa," said his
wife, "What's up?" "Ther's somebody hung thersel a back o' t' door," said
the trembling landlord. "Oh! nonsense," said Mrs McShee. Nevertheless,
she went up into the room; and fine fun there was, you bet, when it was
discovered that the "man" was a dummy. The incident caused unlimited
amusement for the customers, but the landlord was not able to appreciate
the fun, and, indeed, was some weeks before he got over the shock.