Forton History

Perhaps the most comprehensive reflection upon our history was specially produced for the 300th anniversary of the United Reformed Church in 2007, and we are grateful for permission to reproduce it.
Please click here to read it
We do not have a complete history of Forton and its surroundings. However, from time to time our newsletter, Village Voice, contains articles of historical interest, and a small selection is presented here.

Forton should be proud of its United Reformed Church, for there are few other institutions in the village that can match its three hundred years of continuous life. Of course, the building itself is not that old, being built originally in 1778 and significantly modified in 1870 and 1932, but the site remains the same - and, most important of all, the membership of the Chapel can trace their life together over that whole period in unbroken line. This gives the Chapel a special value to them, and to all members of the Free Churches, because it takes them back to their origins, when their particular beliefs, organisation and commitment were forged. It is, as their forebears would have said, using a biblical text, ‘the rock whence ye are hewn’. But the origins of the Chapel are of interest for wider reasons, for they are deeply embedded in the history of Forton and Lancashire and reflected in a very profound way, the lives of those who lived in the village three hundred years ago. Who were these people and why did they establish this Chapel?

The Chapel was first built in 1707, but not out of the blue. It was far more the outcome of wider changes that had been taking place over many decades. In the seventeenth century, Lancashire saw great change in its life. The growth of the textile trade helped families to become independently prosperous as they combined weaving and spinning with their small agricultural holdings. This was most important in the south and east of the county, but in the area north of Preston, linen production became important and this included Forton. In any event, it is clear that the village was becoming a vigorous place with an independent population. The leading yeoman farmers came together to buy out the landlord’s manorial rights in 1642, which freed up land sales and encouraged the growth of many smallholdings that could support weavers and other small tradesmen. This led to local population growth, which caused problems for the Church. Lancashire had been sparsely populated in the middle ages, so its parishes had been very large, so the new settlements were often at a distance from the local parish church, making it inconvenient for people to attend services. Forton was in Cockerham parish, several miles from the parish church. Sometime before 1520 Shireshead Chapel had been built as a Chapel of Ease to relieve this problem. However, it is very likely that there was little funding for the local curate and this would have made it difficult to ensure proper pastoral care. In any case, many of the independent farmers and tradesmen were unhappy to attend Anglican churches that were supported by large landlords and part of the county establishment. They preferred to shape their own spiritual lives.

These problems lay behind the growth of Puritanism, which was especially strong in Lancashire. Its ideas emphasised the importance of each individual’s relationship with God, and the need to organise the Church in ways more sensitive to the inspiration of laymen and women, rather than control by bishops. These were very attractive to the newly independent families. Puritanism tried to reshape the Church of England in the hundred years after 1560. During the Civil Wars and Commonwealth, Presbyterians and Independents, the most committed Puritans, effectively took over the Church of England. In Lancashire the parish system was run on a Presbyterian pattern through congregational assemblies linked to synods. Parliamentary Committees appointed Presbyterian and Independent ministers to serve parish churches. In 1646 the Vicar of Cockerham and his Curate at Shireshead were dismissed because of their High Church and Royalist sympathies and by 1648 Peter Smith, a strong Presbyterian, had been appointed as Curate in Shireshead. Shortly after, in 1650, parliamentary commissioners reported that the minister was John Fisher, and he was given extra financial support from official sources, which at that time must imply that he was of strong puritan persuasion. William Ingham, another parliamentary appointment in 1652, replaced him. Many parishes were served by puritans through the Commonwealth, but after the restoration of Charles II, most who were not prepared to conform strictly to the Church of England’s episcopal and royalist settlement, were ejected from their livings in 1662. This did not happen at Shireshead. We do not know the exact course of events or even whether the old Shireshead Chapel remained in use. In any event, it was not taken back under the control of Cockerham parish. Perhaps there was too little financial support to attract a priest. It seems likely that local people still used it in some way, perhaps occasionally and very unofficially, for at times non-conformity to the established Church was rigorously persecuted. It is possible that Robert Waddington, a nonconformist minister based in Winmarleigh, provided undercover pastoral care, as he did for other congregations in North Lancashire. When toleration was introduced in 1689, after the Glorious Revolution, a congregation of nonconformists was registered as meeting at Shireshead Chapel under his leadership. Its existence was probably partly due to the Five Mile Act, which had made it illegal for nonconformist ministers to live in larger towns or for Chapels to be built there. Shireshead was therefore ideally placed for Independents and Presbyterians from Lancaster, who could not meet in the borough itself.

Under the more relaxed toleration regime it seems that a more permanent arrangement could be established. William Aspinall, a Lancashire clergyman, who had been ejected from his Nottinghamshire parish in 1662, began to minister at Shireshead from 1690. His appointment was made possible through financial support from a Common Fund established to support Presbyterian and Independent (Congregational) ministers - and this was supplemented by an additional payment from Sir John Thomson, later Lord Haversham, a leading Independent politician. He probably ran a smallholding alongside his ministerial activities, leaving a significant sum in his will when he died in 1702. He was quickly replaced by Eleazar Aray who had recently trained as a minister at Richard Frankland’s famous Dissenting Academy, when it was based at Rathmell in North Yorkshire. Eleazar became the central figure in our story. Not long after his arrival, probably in 1705 or 1706, the congregation at Shireshead was forced to leave the Chapel. The legend is that the Duchess of Hamilton, a north-western heiress who had brought Wyresdale into the ducal estates, took her bailiffs to the chapel one Sunday morning and drove the congregation out with a horsewhip. There’s little solid evidence for this fine story, but the underlying position is clear. This was a chapel her family had supported financially in the past. It must have been a provocation to have it set in her family estate, being used by dissenters who were antagonistic to the Church and County establishment, and a challenge to aristocratic control. The Shireshead congregation retreated back to Forton, where the village was more open. The congregation established a trust that purchased land from Robert Gardner for a new chapel in Springwell Meadow, Forton, in March 1706. By midsummer 1707 a group of trustees petitioned the Quarter sessions in Lancaster to register ‘a certain edifice or building newly erected in Forton in the Parish of Cockerham intended for a meeting place for an Assembly of Protestants dissenting from the Church of England for the Exercise of their religious worship.’ These men were Edmund Briggs, Thomas Davis, Thomas France and Richard and Robert Bourne. While some of them have Forton family names, others came from further afield. We know something of Robert Bourne. He was a yeoman with a significant estate in Nether Wyresdale. His commitment remained right until his death in 1717, when he left one hundred pounds in trust with the interest to support a ‘Protestant Dissenting Minister and Preacher of God’s word according to the Presbyterian Persuasion as shall officiate at the new Chapel in Forton within the Parish of Cockerham’. This is rather interesting as it suggests that even at this date there was some lack of clarity as to whether the Chjapel was exclusively Independent or Presbyterian. Eleazar Aray remained at Forton as Minister until his death in 1729 and was buried in the Chapel yard, though his gravestone has been lost. The only sad reminder of this first minister is the grave of his little son who died aged ten years, which can still be seen behind the Chapel.

This is the story of the foundation of Forton Chapel. The congregation continued life with the ups and downs of any society of individuals, but remained a central part of Forton’s life. Established in the turmoil of the religious disputes of the late seventeenth century, its life has reflected the changing society in which it was set. But without those strong-minded and independent men and women who took risks to live the spiritual life they believed to be right, Forton would not have had at its heart a much loved institution that links us with England’s turbulent past.

Someone asked what is the oldest building in Forton and a lively debate ensued. However, a Provisional List of Buildings of Architectural or Historic Interest issued in 1960 includes the following which are listed in date order:
Clifton Hill Home Farm House 1683, 1742 and 19th century
Congregational Church 1707 (now the URC)
6,9 and 10 Hollins Lane (no. 9 dated 1714) Goose Green 1718 Patten Farm 1732
Old Parish Church of St Paul Shireshead 1801 built or rebuilt, but a building for worship had been in existence on this site since, at least, 1520.
Holdings early 18c Greenbank Cottage early 18c The Gables mid 18c The Grey House late 18c Cottage behind ‘West View’ probably 18c
As well as these buildings the list includes the remains of a cross near Forton Hall and Stony Lane, Ratcliffe and Corless canal bridges late 18c.
How many canal bridges are there in Forton? They must all be of this date.

We found the following account in Our Country Churches & Chapels by Anthony Hewitson, published in 1872. He is writing about the Independent Chapel (now the URC) in Garstang, but the information about Forton and Shireshead Old Church is entertaining
:
About 60 years ago a great portion of the congregation consisted of farmers living in Barnacre, under the Duke of Hamilton, who, to a considerable extent, colonised this part of the country with Scotch people, most of whom were originally Presbyterians. At this time the Rev. Mr. Grimshaw was the minister of Garstang Independent Chapel. He preached at Forton on a Sunday morning, and at Garstang in the afternoon and evening. It may be worth while remarking that there is now, as there was in Mr. Grimshaw’s time, an Independent Chapel at Forton. It is an old place, and was built in 1707, when the Independents were turned out of their chapel at Shireshead. It is said that the Independents built the chapel at Shireshead upon a piece of land, considered to be valueless, belonging to the Duke of Hamilton; that one Sunday the Duchess of Hamilton went to the building with a horse whip in her hand, and ordered them out; and that in consequence of the land on which it stood being the property of her family, they deemed it wise to leave the place. Their chapel was afterwards turned into an Episcopal church, and there is now a church of that character here. It is only a small place, and we know nothing about it special except this— that its music was once conducted by a rather curious individual. He was a butcher, living at Dolphinholme, and it is said that one Sunday, whilst he was trying a new tune, the choir broke down; that he afterwards tried two or three times to get them to sing it, but failed signally; that the minister, noticing the inability of the choir to sing the tune, and by way of easing matters, said “Let us pray,” whereupon the butcher turned sharply round and said, “Pray be d——d; I know we can do it."

Deeds dated 13 January 1854 for some properties in the area include abbreviations similar to those in text messages as the following extracts show.

“INDENTURE of this dt md btwn THE RIGHT REVD GEORGE BROWN of Sandfield Park within West Derby near Liverpool in the Coy of Lancr Doctor in Divinity of the one pt and the RT REVD ALEXANDER GOSS of St Edward's College in Everton in the sd Coy Doctor in Divinity…

WITNESSETH that for divers good causes and consons He the sd George Brown DID thrby grant alien release and confirm unto the sd Alexander Goss Robert Turpin James Fisher Thomas Cookson and James Swarbrick and their hrs.

ALL THAT dwghse called Chapel House with the Barn Shippon and outbldgs contgg 11 perches House field 1 acre 1 rood and 6 perches Butler field 1 acre 1 rood and 28 perches Allotment 38 perches or by whatever names or name the same or any of them then or thrtofore had or had been called or known sitt lying and bg in Forton afsd contg in the whole 3 acres and 4 perches customary measure of 7 yards to the perch or thrbts formerly in the occupation of John Walton and John Smith as tenants throf And all and every the Tithes of Corn Grain pulse and straw yrly arising growing renewing or increasing in from or out of the sdcloses of land or any pt throf And also that mssge or dwghse and tenement called "Whinney Brows" with the Court fold out bldgs and apptnces closes or parcels of Land thrunto belongg and thrftr more particly mentd that was to say Nursery Bank House field Little Meadow Orchard Great field Long Meadow A Long Meadow B Chapel Meadow Chapel Field Chapel Field A Chapel Field B Jenny Field A Jenny Field B Jenny Field C….”

It goes on with much more legal detail. The following map shows where some of the fields lie.

We have obtained the data from the 1901 census from the Internet, and have worked out the numbers in each age group. It is striking that there were few elderly people at that time —the oldest was 83, while today we have one inhabitant aged 104, and many in their 80s and 90s.
The population of Forton (with Holleth) was 564, made up as follows:

AGE GROUP	NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS
81-90	5
71-80	16
61-70	37
51-60	55
41-50	64
31-40	77
21-30	87
11-20	95
0-10	128

The oldest inhabitants:
Mr William Blezard (83) of Hollins Hill was a widower, still working as a shoemaker.
Mr John Powell (82) and his wife Barbara (72) lived in Mill Lane, Holleth. Mr Powell was still working as a “fustion dresser”.
Mr William Procter (81), a widower, lived in Hollins Lane. He was a retired gardener.
Mrs Agnes Dawson (81) a widow, lived in Park Lane, and was working on her “own account” as a grocer.
Mr Robert Hall (81) of Longlands, a widower, was a retired slater and plasterer.

Many old people were still working at this time because they didn’t receive a state pension. In 1908 Lloyd George introduced the Old Age Pensions Act that provided between 1 and 5 shillings a week to people over seventy. These pensions were only paid to citizens on incomes not over 12 shillings. One shilling contained 12 pence, and a 4lb (1.8kg) loaf of bread (known as a quartern) cost 5 or 6 pence.

In the December 2003/January 2004 issue we published the names of some of the
residents listed in Bulmer's Directory of 1913:

Aspden Mr. John Lyndel, Holm Lea Bilsborough Hy., tailor, &c., Park Lane
Blacoe Mrs. Teresa, shopkeeper
Buller Mrs. Ellen, shopkeeper, Tongue Cottage
Butler Edwin Austin, joiner and wheelwright. Faulkner house
Catterall Herbert, bank manager, Stanley Lodge
Cawson John & Sons, grocers and general dealers, Park Lane
Cawson & Till, cycle agents, Park Lane
Cross John, engine driver, Cross hill
Cross Win., gardener, Bodkin cottages
Dayus Chas., market gardener, Hollins Lane
Delany Rev. Patrick Joseph, The Presbytery, Clifton Hill
Dobson Mrs. Eliz., Newfield house
Drinkall Edwd., District Councillor and overseer, Halliwell Villa
Escolme Mrs. Eliz., Ghyllfield
Fairclough Cornelius, Blacksmith, Richmonds Cottage
Forton Council School; John Wildman, Master (1888); Mrs. Alice Hall and Miss Mary H. Pixton, assistants
Gardner Mrs. Margt.. Ratcliffe Cottage
Gerrard John tailor, The Bungalow
Hall John, builder, &c., Brookside
Hall Robt., stonemason, Potter Brook
Hall Wm., builder, &c., Longlands Cottages
Harrison Mr. Wm., Vale Cottage
Holroyd Mrs. Catherine, Cross hill
Hull Mr. Wm.. Brookside
Hunter Thos. Jackson. chauffeur, Rose Cottage
Huntington Edwd., churchwarden, The Nest

Mention of the Cawson family from Park Lane reminds me of their daughter who was a music teacher and played the organ at the Methodist Church on Hollins Lane, and who was a good solo singer at local events. One song comes to mind— Pinning Apples on the Lilac Tree.
Edward Drinkall, known locally as Ted, was a Parish and District Councillor, also a stalwart and Deacon of the Congregational Church, now the URC. As youngsters we would smile when he took the collection as his polished boots always squeaked as he went round.
William Cross, known as Billy, used to work for my Father on the nursery. His grand daughter was Parish Council Clerk for some time.
John Wildman*, known as Johnny, was headmaster of Forton School when I attended. His grand daughter is Mrs Livesey whose husband has been Mayor of Garstang. John Gerrard of the Bungalow now Winder Lane House was my uncle by marriage. William Hall would be the builder who assisted my grandfather in building Sunny Bank.
Edward Huntington, known as Ted, was the father of Sally who worked in the offices of Oglethorpe solicitors of Lancaster and was treasurer of Forton WI when my wife Joan was Secretary.
*Editor’s note: John Wildman’s son Billy was one of the best cricketers in the district, and he played for Shireshead for over 30 years, holding club records both for batting and bowling.

Prompted by the list of historic buildings in our February-March issue [2004], Peter Arnold who lives in Highfield Farmhouse has sent us details of his researches into his home. Although it is not a listed building it appears to be one of the oldest dwelling houses in the parish as it had been sold to Christopher Croskell of Damersgill, Over Wyresdale in 1754. In 1757 it was sold to Thomas Preston of Forton and is described as 'All messuages and tenement in Forton consisting of one dwelling house, two barns, one stable, one garden and one orchard. The Lay Close, the Higher Longlands, The Bank, The Park, The Bonicheen Acre, The Butts, The Great Field, The Field on the Back of the House, The Moss Park and Rye Garden.' This amounted to twelve acres, more or less.

It is obvious from this description that the farm, though not named, was of some value and had been in occupation for some time, hence the number of buildings recorded. The date on the nearest property is 1673 which is possibly contemporary.

In 1759 the farm was sold to John Richmond of Ellel for £221 and in later changes of ownership the sum of ten shillings (50p) changed hands. This was the cost of stamp duty required by law for the change of ownership of a property.

A description of the house at this time is of a "butt and ben" type; single storey, comprising of two ground floor rooms and a space in the roof above for sleeping. This is borne out by both original gable ends being two feet thick and having a fireplace and chimney to this day. The property was extended, sometime in the nineteenth century to give three ground floor rooms and three above.

John Richmond died In 1790. In 1782 he had given the property to his nephew Richard Hall and this was the start of a dynasty which lasted until 1914. In 1794 Richard gave the house to his son William who became a surgeon. His brother Richard was a chemist and druggist and another brother John a solicitor.

In 1914 Mr Petty, Auctioneer and Valuer of Lancaster, valued the property at £700 and used Ordnance Survey references for the fields for the first time. This numbering of all fields in England had started in the 1800s. Soon after this it was sold to James Siddle, grocer, of Wallace House, for £1100 and it became known as Highfield Farm. Sometime between 1923 and 1931 the tenant, Mr Harrison, left and Mrs Siddle moved in. This is the first time in 169 years of recorded history that the owner is living in the property.

In 1931 Mr & Mrs Buck purchased the farm and in 1943 it was sold to Mr & Mrs Turnbull, market gardeners of Lancaster who built a bungalow on the land into which they moved in 1955. Highfield Farm was sold to Mr & Mrs Winder of Lower Swainshead and following Mr Winder's death in 1987 the buildings and some of the land were sold.

Between 1987 and 1990 the house was extended at both levels. Gas was installed when it came to Forton and the whole of the property is now fully modernised. In 1995 the remaining land was purchased and Peter has enjoyed keeping sheep on the land, close to organic standards and with wildlife in mind.

In the last issue we gave the names of the very small number —just 5 —of people over the age of 80 in a population of 564. There are many other contrasts with the village of today, for example there were resident servants in several houses. Here is the list of people living at Clifton Hill on the day of the survey in April 1901.

Catherine M Fitzherbert Brockholes was “head of the family”. She was a 67-year-old widow “living on own means”. Her birthplace was Norton, Cheshire.
Mary Ann Bamber, a 57-year-old widow “living on own means” was a visitor staying at the house.
The eight resident servants were all unmarried:
        Mary Alice Carley (25), laundry maid, born Boyle, Ireland
        Wilfred Henry Johnson (17), groom, born Chudleigh, Devon
        Michael Murray (59), butler, born Ireland
        Mary Elizabeth Langley (20), kitchen maid, born in Forton
        Elizabeth Wells (33), cook, born in Claughton
        Mary Wells (30), serving maid, born in Claughton
        Anne Baker (27), housemaid, born Stratford-on-Avon
        Catherine Salmon (54), housekeeper, born in Staffordshire

Living nearby were: James Rawlinson (42) a gardener born in Garstang, married with 5 children at home; Charles Langley (47) a coachman born in Worcestershire, married with 5 children aged from 1 to 23 living at home.

The priest at The Presbytery was Father Patrick Joseph Delany (30) born in Ireland, and his housekeeper was Mary Isobel Sewart (29) born in Yorkshire.

A MEMORY OF FATHER DELANEY
We were delighted to hear from Mr Wilf Gornall, who remembered his grandfather speaking about Father Delaney. They used to go together to Old Trafford to see test matches. How did they travel to and from Manchester? By bicycle !!

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We have copies of the full census. Please contact Terry Mansfield (791338) if you are interested.

SOME MEMORIES OF FORTON from a conversation with HARRY METCALFE
From the 2004 August/September issue of Village Voice

It was a pleasure to talk to Harry and to hear about the Forton of his youth. He was born at Middle Crag Farm in 1931, but the family soon moved to Lane End Cottage at the corner of Cockerham Road and the A6. There is an ancient milestone there with the quaint inscription "GARSTANG IIII¾ MILES" and Harry recalls that during the 2nd World War it was removed and buried beside the wall, then put into position again after the war. All road signs were removed to create difficulties for the Germans if they succeeded in invading the country — perhaps "IIII¾ MILES" would have been so beyond their comprehension that the stone should have been left in place!

There were five siblings in the family, and at Lane End Cottage there was no supply of gas or electricity. Friday night was bath time for all, and a bath was filled with water heated in the range by the fire, and whoever got in first had the cleanest water. Harry's mother was hard working and resourceful, and she used the fireside oven four times a week for baking bread, buns, cakes &c. A luxury on Sunday night after 3 visits to church for services and Sunday School was a walk along the canal bank. You were allowed to go further if you had been good!

Harry began at Forton School in 1936. Across the road was a shop run by Granny Butler who made ice cream on Sundays. If there was any left it was sold to the children on Mondays for one penny a cornet.

During the war, evacuees from Holme Street School, Salford, came to Forton to escape the bombing. They used the same classroom as the Forton children, but at different times. In one week the Forton children would be taught in the mornings, and the evacuees in the afternoons, and in the next week the arrangements would be reversed. Their own teacher, Miss Tomlinson, came with the evacuees, and she loved the opportunity to study nature with children, some of whom had never seen a cow before.

When asked "Wasn't it good to spend only half of each day in school?" Harry smiled and nodded, then recalled another reason for staying away: the huge snowfall in the winter of 1940/41. The roads were blocked and the school closed, and eventually when it opened the children walked along Wallace Lane on the snow which was level with the tops of the hedgerows. It was not all play for the children, though, for they helped with the war effort in various ways, and during the school holidays Harry at the age of 11 or 12 worked an 8a.m. to 3p.m. shift at Robinson's nursery. The Dad's Army of Forton, the Home Guard, was remembered, their base being on a hill on the road to Cleveleys. Harry calls it "Briggest Nettle" hill — can anyone else recall this name and suggest from where it came? The Home Guard used to parade by the former Duchy buildings above Hollins Lane.

Young Rascals: The disappearing canes mystery solved at last! Mischief nights were relished, particularly the trick of "window tapping" which involved using a drawing pin to fix a long string to a window, leaving an end dangling with a button to tap on the window. This used to cause great irritation, and Harry remembers one resident who came quietly upon the perpetrators, and emptied a bucket of water over them. By the canal there lived an old gentleman who smoked clay pipes. These broke frequently, and the boys used to repair them crudely and then use dried hawthorn and coltsfoot leaves as tobacco. The headmaster of the school used to use the cane, and the children found opportunities to hide it, a ventilator being the favourite place. When, years later, builders started some alterations they couldn't understand why the ventilator shaft was full of canes!

We came across this book in a 2nd hand bookshop. Geoffrey Studdert Kennedy was a remarkable army chaplain, beloved by the lower ranks in the First World War, and nicknamed 'Woodbine Willie' from his handing out of Woodbine cigarettes to the men in the trenches. He received the Military Cross for bringing in the wounded under heavy fire with"absolute disregard for his own safety".

There is local interest because his father was vicar of Shireshead from 1865 to 1879, although Geoffrey was born 4 years after the family had moved on to Leeds. William Studdert Kennedy had been Rector of St. Doulough's, Malahide, Dublin for fourteen years before coming to Shireshead. He arrived here as a widower after the recent death of his wife, bringing 5 children (Mabel, Norah, Eve, Francis and John). After a short time he was married again to an 18-year-old girl, Joan Anketell from County Clare. In the biography, William Purcell wrote "She was his partner for forty-one years, an understanding person whose energies and interests, not surprisingly, found more than enough to absorb them in bringing up so large a family. And if for her, such preoccupations were enough, the daily round of a parson's life ….. was amply sufficient for her husband. He never achieved distinction of any kind: unless the ability to labour faithfully in a humble sphere not only without receiving applause, but equally without desiring it, may be said to be a distinction in itself." The 1881 census records 6 children born to the family in Shireshead: Fanny in 1867, Rachel in 1871, Kathleen in 1873, Robert in 1875, William in 1877 and Hugh in 1878. After the move to Leeds, another daughter, Marion was born in 1880, then the famous Geoffrey in 1883. Even then they had not finished, for two more children were still to appear. Perhaps this amazing achievement in procreation is what the biographer meant about "the daily round of a parson's life"!!

There was a lot of interest when we published some information from the 1901 census last year. We now have the pages for Forton from the 1891 census. The extracts below show the return for Clifton Hill, indicating the scale of operations there. Catherine M. Fitzherbert Brockholes was a widow, and there were two female visitors on the day of the census. They were served by eight resident servants, and presumably there were others who came in daily from the village. Charles Langley, a 38-year-old coachman, lived nearby with his family.

The Robinson family were already at Sunny Bank. The founder of the business was 50, and his eldest son William, Martin's father, was just 13 years old. He is not listed as a "scholar" and presumably would already have been working alongside his father. He became a fine musician who played the church organ and led a local band.

We doubt whether the founder of the business could, in his wildest dreams, have imagined the national fame achieved by his great-granddaughters in 2004!

The population of Forton was 589, made up of 287 males and 302 females. Judging from the number listed as "living on own means" —28 of them— some people were prosperous. Many of these were relatively young —in their 30s or 40s— and they may have had a comfortable life served by the 49 people who were domestic servants. 32 residents were "employers".

There is a column on the census form with the heading (1) Deaf-and-Dumb (2) Blind (3) Lunatic, Imbecile or Idiot. There were only 2 entries: Eliza Gibson, aged 81, living at Bale Cottage was an "imbecile" and Thomas Bradshaw aged 40 was "blind-from-birth" and was living with his widowed mother (69) at Clifton Hill Cottage; his brother John (47), an agricultural labourer, was unmarried and lived at home.

There were four clergymen living in the civil parish: Rev J Bickerdike, a widower aged 75 was Vicar of Shireshead, and a curate aged 27, Rev William Martin, also lived at the vicarage. They had two servants, Jane Laund (24) and Mary Peters (19). The Congregational Minister living at Cross Hill was Rev Peter Webster aged 60, and at the Presbytery, Clifton Hill, the priest was Rev John Crilly (32) with a housekeeper, Catherine O'Grady (50).

John Wildman (29) was the master of Forton School, and at Richmond Grove lived James Flynn (28) born in Ireland, who was a "Teacher of English Language". Three resident pupils are listed, aged 16, 17 & 18, two from Argentina and one from Belgium.

The census included two canal boats at Clifton Hill: The "Albert" was occupied by Charles and Mary Ashcroft (31 & 29) and their children George (3) and William (1), and on the "Kate" were John (19) and Ellen (24) Bains and their cousin James Bains (15).

If anyone is interested in obtaining the 1891 census for the village, please contact Terry Mansfield on 791338. The full set of forms can be supplied on a CD, or in printed form, for a nominal charge. The census for 1901

This attractive house in Ratcliffe Wharf Lane has a quite remarkable history, and we are grateful to Mrs Elaine Wright for providing the following information.

On 22nd May 1781 Henry Ratcliffe, described as "landowner of Ratcliffe Cottage", sold part of his land to the Canal Company for £210-15s-6d (£210.77½p). The agreement made way for the Lancaster-Preston canal, but he retained ownership of the land right up to the edge on the eastern side (the company normally bought strips of land on both sides, one for a towpath, and the other for access when necessary). This enabled him to build a wharf, and after providing a road leading to it he could charge coal barges, coal carriers etc. for access. Mrs Wright recalls that Bill Richmond (now deceased) from Scorton once told her that he had a receipt belonging to his great-great-grandmother for coal delivered to the wharf.

The next owners of the cottage, the Paget family, carried on the business. Mr & Mrs Wright had a visit from a lady named Paget about 3 years ago. She lived in Sussex and during research into her family history had deduced that her husband was the great-great-great-grandson of the family at Ratcliffe Cottage. They had found some old drawings of the place and, as she was motoring to Scotland, she decided to make a detour. Her husband had warned that she might be very disappointed if the cottage had been modernised and spoiled, but after a good look round she was delighted to find that she could return and tell him that the appearance had changed hardly at all.

On 7th November 1877 Thomas Grassyard Edmondson of Gresgarth Hall, Caton, sold Ratcliffe Cottage to John Bonny of Ackenthwaite, Westmorland. Thomas's parents had lived in the cottage after the departure of the Pagets, and when his father died in 1868 his mother Jane remained until she died in 1877, leaving the property to her son.

On 6th December 1920 John Bonny (gentleman), then living in Southport, sold the cottage to John Hamer (gentleman) of Birkdale near Southport. For a short period his tenants were Richard and Hannah Dickson, then came Ramsay MacDonald, the future (and first) Labour prime minister. For him it was a weekend and holiday retreat, and his daughter had her first grown-up party here. He used to travel by train to Bay Horse, then to the cottage by car. The location suited him because it was a halfway house between London and his home in Scotland. Later the Player family (the cigarette people) rented for a time, also for holidays and weekends.

The owner from 12th October 1922 was John Rigg, physician and surgeon of Preston. At the time of the sale, John Hamer still owed money to John Bonny and over several years he sold portions of the property progressively to John Rigg, including the barn across the lane, now converted to a house. Mrs Wright's father knew John Rigg, who told him about the visits of Ramsay MacDonald and the Players. Mrs Wright was told by Peggy Barton of Garstang (who died a short time ago in her 80s) that her father, who was a great Labour supporter, came to Ratcliffe Cottage at the invitation of Ramsay MacDonald on several occasions, including the daughter's party. It seems likely that the visits of Ramsay Macdonald continued after the purchase of the property by John Rigg, but precise dates are unknown.

Mrs Dorothy Dickson, who lived for many years at Ratcliffe Wharf on the opposite side of the lane, remembered that a relation of hers had been in service to the Player family.

In 2002 Mr & Mrs Wright had a visit from Christopher Rigg, the great-grandson of John Rigg who had died in 1930. Christopher has retired and lives in The Netherlands, and he paid a second visit in 2004 bearing photos of John Rigg in the garden, and John and his wife Harriet seated in front of the cottage.

Editor's note: Ramsay MacDonald (1866-1937) was the illegitimate son of Ann Ramsay, a maidservant, and was born in Lossiemouth, Morayshire in 1866. He was brought up in his grandmother's cottage and went to the local school from 1875 - 1881. He was Prime Minister in 1924, 1929-31 and 1931-35. He married Margaret Gladstone, the daughter of a wealthy family and they had six children, but she had died in 1911, long before his visits to Forton.

Mrs Wright showed us a lot of papers relating to the history of the cottage. There is a holly tree in the garden by the roadside, and this marked the ecclesiastical parish boundary so that the cottage "belonged" to Cockerham. As recently as 1961 the owner was required to pay an annual Corn Rent to the Vicar of Cockerham, and a receipt from that year shows the sum paid to discharge the owner from responsibility for payments in the future.

Following Terry Mansfield's searches on nineteenth century censuses, the question arose "But where is Holleth"? Neither the 1:50000 nor the 1:25000 Ordnance Survey maps mention it at all, but the 1:10000 one has Holleth Cottage (between Cockerham Road and Centre Farm) and Holleth Wood (between Centre Farm and Holly House).

Saxton's map of 1577 show only churches and large houses so there is no mention of either Holleth, Cleveley or Forton, but Shireshead Chapel is on it. Yates's map (1745) shows Holleth as a detached portion of Garstang. This refers to Churchtown St Helen, the ancient parish church of Garstang. The first edition of the 1 inch Ordnance Survey map dated 1852 shows this detached area but without naming it.

Brian Tabner sent us an extract from the "Garstang Rural District Official Guide" that was issued about 1951, and which throws some light on it.

FORTON PARISH
"The parish of Forton lies approximately four miles north of Garstang, and is intersected by the main A6 road. The present parish was formed by the amalgamation of the former parishes of Cleveley, Holleth and Forton, under a Local Government Review Order. The parish is devoted almost entirely to agriculture, although some residential development has taken place on the main road and in the region of Hollins Lane. Forton is one of the most picturesque parishes in the district, the land being undulating and interspersed with fine woodlands. The Preston-Lancaster-Kendal Canal traverses the district through some delightful scenery, particularly in the vicinity of Clifton Hill. One of the most interesting features of the parish is the old Shireshead church at Cleveley, dedicated to St. Paul, and believed to have existed as far back as 1520. The church was rebuilt in 1801, but is not used now except as a chapel in connection with the adjoining burial ground, and for special Harvest Thanksgiving Services. A new church, dedicated to St. James, was erected nearer to the centre of the township in 1889.
The Congregational chapel at Forton is reputed to be the oldest in the neighbourhood, having been erected in 1707 as one of the "Five Mile Act" chapels. It was rebuilt in 1846 and altered in 1931. It has a burial ground attached in which some gravestones are over 200 years old and in a good state of preservation. The Methodist Chapel in Hollins Lane was erected in 1922*, and the Roman Catholic Church at Clifton Hill dates back to 1866."

Hewitson's book "Northward" published in 1900, mentions that 'the township of Holleth is the smallest in respect of area and population, as well as the most northern in the Garstang Union: indeed, as to size, I believe it is the least, and, so far as population goes, the most sparsely inhabited township in Lancashire. It has an area of only 358 acres; and there are not more than about half-a-dozen houses in it. The population of Holleth has fluctuated curiously. In 1831 it was 50; in 1861 it was 30 and by 1881 it had got up again to 50; in 1891 it was but 25; and at present it will be little more than, if as much as, it was in the last-named year."

The Township of Cleveley
Cleveley is one of the three parishes which were united in the 1930s to form the present parish of Forton. It figures prominently on maps of the area apart from Saxton’s map of 1577 where Shireshead Chapel is the only place in Cleveley that gets a mention.

William Yates’ map of Lancashire published in 1786 shows it as prominently as Forton and Holleth; Spout House is the only building in the area that is named.

The First Edition Ordnance Survey map dated 1847 has the name of the parish printed only slightly smaller than that of Forton. Hollins Lane is named and the Methodist Chapel appears for the first time.

However, on the 1:2500 Ordnance Survey map of 1932, Cleveley is printed in larger letters than Forton. Looking at this map it is easy to see why, as Forton had fewer properties than Cleveley. The boundaries of Cleveley were more or less along Hollins Lane on the west and the present parish boundary, which mainly follows the River Wyre on the east.

The current 1:10,000 map does not refer to Cleveley except in the names of geographical features such as Cleveley Bridge, Cleveley Bank, Cleveley Fishery and Cleveley Woods. Cleveley Mill and Cleveley Mere are just outside the parish boundary.

Denise Kenyon’s book ‘The origins of Lancashire’ discusses the origins of the name. Like the neighbouring Winmarleigh the ending may be an indicator of woodland clearance in the later Anglo-Saxon period.

Mannex Directory in1866 says that “The soil is stony and gravely, and the principal crops are wheat and pasture. It contains 597 acres, the property of P. Ormerod, Esq.” Henry Carr was farming at Cleveley Bank. Cleveley Mill was evidently in operation; Henry Rossall is listed as the manager.

The 1881 edition of this directory shows that the population of the parish had fallen from 145 in 1801 to 65 in 1871. The most dramatic change was from 124 in 1841 to 73 in 1851. What caused this? Hodgson’s Farm, White Carr and Holden’s Farm appear for the first time.

Several years ago when the County Council erected new road signs pointing the way from the east to Forton, at least one resident of Hollins Lane protested that they should say Cleveley!

Lynne Oliver has drawn our attention to the diaries at Forton School, which extend back to its opening in 1878. There are many fascinating entries, and the following, concerning a dispute and eventually a changeover in headship, show that parent-power is by no means new!

The headmaster in 1886 was Thomas Dodgson
October 12th 1886
At the morning lesson I caution the monitress F.C. Shepherd against making mischief between the children and myself, by telling tales against me. She denies this at first, but afterwards owns it. She also goes at once into the school and tells her elder brother to take his books and go home. Mrs Shepherd makes various threats against the Master, and then sends written notice that her children have left the school.
October 14th
Thomas Shepherd asks for his books and those of his brother and sister and receives them.
October 28th
Ordinary routine of work. A parent makes complaint against F.C. Shepherd as follows: Mrs John Huntington says the monitor has been in the habit of taking sweets from a boy in her class, and that she gave this boy a penknife in order that he might bring her sweets. It appears also that on the morning of the 12th inst. in spite of my caution to the monitor, F.C. Shepherd, against saying anything to make mischief between the children at school and myself as Master, she at once went into the school and told some of the children that "The Master had been carrying on like a thickhead", and also that he "did not know his own mind two minutes together". No. on Register 90   Average 63.8
November 1st
Wet morning, a few children absent.
Board meeting: Present Messrs Whitehead, Kirkby, Fox, Helme and Cartmell.
Mr. Shepherd complains to the Board that the Master has snubbed his children in the school, and that he has also given his daughter notice that her services (F.C. Shepherd's) will not be required after 22nd October 1886, at least as far as the Master's payment of 2s 6d per week for those services. The Master is called into the classroom where the Board is sitting (the infants being forced to be in the other room and amongst other classes at this time), and though he complains of the conduct of the Monitress, and of that of the eldest and youngest of Mr. Shepherd's three children, he is, through the Clerk of the Board, told that he has exceeded his duty in giving the Monitress notice to leave, and the board also think that his behaviour to these children has not been what it should have been and consequently the Board wish him to obtain another place as soon as possible. Nothing is said about the Monitress making an apology to the Master for her bad conduct; and now against cautioning children against tattling at home the Master's tongue is to be tied.
November 2nd, 3rd
The Master being unwell, the teachers have lessons after school hours, and during the remainder of the week, at 4-5pm.
November 5th
Give a caution to all the school children, except the Shepherds, against telling false tales at home, and also tell them that the Master has to leave the school because of what has been said against him by those 4 children. Obtain a copy of "Clerk's Notice of Board Meeting" on the 1st inst. in which there is no mention made of any charge against the Master's conduct. It contains no agenda at all.
No. on register 78   Average 65.6
November 9th
Ordinary routine of work. Punish Hy. Fox for bad language in school.
November 10th
Caution Thos. Shepherd about his conduct in school.
November 12th
Thos. Shepherd makes complaint against girls, for laughing at him on their way home: they deny this: Shepherd is told that he need not bring any more such tales.

Thomas Dodgson remained in post for a further 2 years, leaving in 1888. The entry in the diary for 3rd September 1888 suggests he departed with some ill feeling: "Mr John Wildman tells me that the Clerk to the Board has sent him orders to enter into possession at Forton School today, and in answer he is informed by me that my notice does not terminate until the evening of the 4th instant." On 5th September the entry is signed by John Wildman: "This day I have, in pursuance of the Board's order, taken charge of the School in succession to Mr Dodgson." John Wildman was then at the school for 36 years!

The fall in the "number on register" from 90 on October 28th to 78 on November 5th may suggest that there was a wider dispute, and that some children did leave, even though the diary indicates that the Shepherds were still in attendance. The averages are presumed to be the weekly figures.

Who was the "monitress", F C Shepherd? Florence Shepherd was the daughter of Robert Shepherd, a grocer in Forton, and his apparently formidable wife Alice, née Cayton, a dressmaker. Florence was just 14 at the time of the dispute. In 1891 she was a 19-year-old "pupil teacher" living in Lancaster.

What happened to Thomas Dodgson? He moved to Pilling as schoolmaster, and afterwards to Priest Hutton.

THE PHOTO BELOW IS OF FORTON SCHOOL IN THE 1890s
JOHN WILDMAN IS ON THE LEFT
Can anyone help us to identify others in the picture?

Photo supplied by Mrs Joan Livesey of Garstang, granddaughter of John Wildman

Mrs Joan Livesey, granddaughter of John Wildman, has provided us with some fascinating family memorabilia relating to the early days of her grandfather's time at Forton School. Before coming to Forton he taught in Morecambe and Blackburn. His work was assessed early in the summer term of his first school year in Forton and the report reproduced below reads: Forton Bd. School visited on the 24th of May, 1889. Mr. Wildman gives good promise in his new sphere. George Steele, H.M. Inspector.
Good promise indeed — John Wildman remained in post for 35 years after this first report!

His long career, and an extended period of active retirement with golden wedding celebrations in 1938, would hardly have been predicted after the rejection he must have felt in 1881 when he received this letter in July 1881 from the Wesleyan teacher training college:
My Dear Sir, The committee which has been sitting here during the past week has very carefully considered your application to be admitted as a student in this College in February next and had the medical reports been satisfactory they would have been pleased to have accepted you. The unfavourable character of these reports however compels them to decline your application and as this decision is based wholly on medical grounds and is independent of your position on the Government List I am directed to inform you of it without delay. I sincerely regret that the decision thus forced upon us will bar your admission to the College but if you should be seeking an appointment as Assistant Master during the Autumn months, we should be glad to have your name and address as we might possibly be able to assist you in obtaining such a situation. With kind regards, I am Dear Sir, Yours truly, Ch Mansford, Vice Principal.

As far as we can judge he took up their offer of help, for in December 1882 he was a teacher in the "Morecambe Board School" and was judged by H.M. Inspector to show "fair clearness and animation".

The names on the Memorial are:
1914-1918
RICHARD ALSTON
RICHARD NEWTON,
HENRY RIMMER
JOHN CRANE
JOHN BOWMAN
TOM WRIGHT
HENRY HOOLE
JULIAN HUGHES
ERIC SPOONER
JAMES ARMER
STEPHEN DONNELLY
JOHN WILCOCK
PETER HULLAND
ROBERT BROCKBANK
WILLIAM KAY

1939-1945
JAMES CROSS
KENNETH P. BERRY
DONALD GOODACRE
RICHARD WINSTANLEY
RICHARD JARVIS

Among the memorabilia from Forton School loaned to us by Mrs Joan Livesey, there was a notebook containing records of items knitted for young men from the village who were in the armed forces in the 1914-18 war. Several of those named on the War Memorial appear in the lists, for example Tom Wright who received gifts of "stockings". The notebook was kept by Mrs Wildman, wife of the headmaster and grandmother of Mrs Livesey. Tom Wright was the son of Thomas and Eleanor Wright, of 6, Hollins Hill, Forton. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission records his death at the age of 24 on 27th July 1918.

Forton Book of Honour
As a result of an initiative by the Imperial War Museum, Brigadier Jim Dennis of Bolton-le-Sands is compiling information on war memorials in the district. Eddie Potter is working with him to provide information about the men from Forton whose names are on the memorial. Details of the units in which they served, when they died and where they are buried or commemorated have been obtained from official records but they would like to know more about the following:

From the First World War: John Crane, William Kay, Henry Rimmer, Eric Spooner and John Wilcock.
And from World War 2: Kenneth Berry, James Cross, Donald F Goodacre and Richard Jarvis.

If you can help to trace their local connections please contact Eddie on 01524 791398.

Others, which suggest a family connection, are Hodgson's, Vaughan's and Nicholson's. But where did names such as Kilcrash and Spout House come from? Perhaps the occupants of some of these properties can provide an explanation.

In the August/September issue last year we reproduced some intriguing entries from the first of the school diaries covering the latter part of the 19th century. We are grateful to the head teacher, Ms Holly Huset, for allowing us to look through two of the massive volumes covering part of the last century.

Gathering round the "wireless" in 1934
In the early 1930s very few families owned a radio, and the launch of the Queen Mary gave the head teacher an opportunity to bring his own model into school so the children could hear the account of this great national event. Do any older Fortonians remember that day?

The tragic death of James Lamb in 1934
The 1930s saw a large growth in road traffic, and the roads became dangerous places for children to play. Sadly, one of the 7,343 road deaths in 1934 occurred here in Forton, as the school diary entry below records. In that year there were 2,500,000 vehicles on Britain's roads. 30 mph limits were introduced in built-up areas in 1934, and the driving test became a legal requirement on June 1 1935 . Now there are over 30 million vehicles on our roads, but deaths are less than half those in 1934 (3,508 in 2003), so we should all be grateful for the tighter regulations.

Three Streams
From Two Bridges in the last issue we go from the northwest of the parish to the southeast. In fact, the River Wyre is just outside the boundary but its waters are, or were, directed to serve local industry.The 1:2500 map of 1932 shows that just downstream of the motorway bridge there is a weir where the Mill Race leaves the river and this, in turn, is diverted through sluices to supply Cleveley Fisheries (disused). Downstream from there, some of the water went into the mill pond to supply Cleveley Mill. Surplus water returned to the river, while the Mill Stream continued to return to the river further down.
A mill has existed at Cleveley for about 700 years, first as a corn mill, then for cotton spinning and finally for the manufacture of animal food.

We were very interested to receive this email from a former resident:
I found your web site this week and was delighted to find a photograph of two rose queens and their retinues allegedly from the early 1970s. In fact the photograph was taken either on 22 June 1963 or 20 June 1964. It may still be the tradition at Forton Field Days for the previous year's queen to hand over to her successor; so each queen and her retinue participated for two years. I am the girl on the far left of the back row. My name then was Vicki Garrad and I was 13 years old in 1963. I can be so precise about the dates as my Mother, now in her 80s, has consulted her diaries for the years in question. She has found further photographs of the event and also the receipt for my dress, which cost £2 19s 6d. The parents chose the style and a local dressmaker, possibly in Garstang, made them. We all went for several fittings. Unfortunately I cannot remember the names of any of the other participants now. I remember being surprised to be chosen to take part because I was very new to Forton in 1963. My parents and I had moved into the village that year. We lived in Wallace Lane in a house called Sally's Garden.

Some five years or so ago I drove past Sally's Garden and found that it was much altered and its name had been changed to West View or something similar. I was initially sad at its name change until I remembered the story of how it was originally named. It had been built by two sisters, Alice and Margaret (their surname escapes me). In 1963 they were elderly and moving to a new bungalow near the school. They recounted the story that they had planned to call the house West View. However, the local postman refused to countenance this because of the number of houses in the area with similar names. He said the plot had always been known as Sally's Garden and so that was how it got its first name. In 1963 there was still some evidence in the way of stones in the garden that could have been from Sally's home. Alice and Margaret were from a local farming family and Margaret had been a teacher. They were well known for their kindness to others. This included giving to anyone in need. We received visits from the local 'gentlemen of the road' who expected us to carry on the tradition. Neighbours also told us of other examples of their generosity, including weekly baking, the results of which were given away to others and cheering up the vicar with a gift of whisky.

In 1966 we moved again and over the years I have lost touch with those we had known in Forton. My mother and I have enjoyed a trip down memory lane prompted by the photograph.

The log books of Forton School, to which we have been given access, recount an interesting period in the history of the United Reformed Church which is celebrating its 300th anniversary this year. The Congregational Church, as it was then known, was closely involved with Forton School in the first 3-4 years of the Second World War. War was declared on 3 September 1939 and there was immediate panic about the possibility of severe bombing of major cities. It took only 15 days for the authorities to transfer the children from Salford Christ Church (Hulme St.) School and some teachers to Forton. Initially the two schools operated separately at different times: Forton Council School — 8.30am to 12.30pm; Hulme St. School — 1.00pm to 5.00pm. In January 1940 66 local children and 25 from Salford were merged for classes, though two teachers from Salford continued to work here. Later, in January 1941 twenty-five children from another Salford School, Broom House Lane, came to Forton. For several years the church was used for classes and the availability of its accommodation must have played a vital part in the decision to bring so many Salford children to Forton. What the log book does not record was how the children and their teachers were accommodated in Forton, which was a small community at that time. Many people must have opened their homes to the "evacuees". We would be interested to hear from anyone who can recall these events which must have made a huge impact on the village for several years. The evacuation ended in January 1945 but two girls, Mary & Marion Crookall, who came in the first batch in September 1939, stayed on as "private evacuees" — does anyone remember them?

Some modern Ordnance Survey maps do indicate Shireshead in the region of the old church, and we know of at least two road signs which still indicate the route to Shireshead. They are located on the route from Dolphinholme church past the Duchy woodlands to the motorway service area.

The name Shireshead strictly belongs to the Anglican Parish of St James, and not otherwise to an area on the map. It would be interesting to know whether any residents still prefer to say that they live "in Shireshead" rather than "in Forton".

Until around 25 years ago the cricket club was simply named "Shireshead" but visiting teams were confused and sometimes lost their way, so "& Forton" was added.

Historic buildings	Old field maps	Woodbine Willie	Forton School 1886-8	Remembrance Memorabilia
The old church	1901 census data	1891 census	Cleveley	Farm Names
Former residents	More from the census	Holleth	Headmaster John Wildman	School Diary Entries
An old farmhouse	Harry Metcalfe's recollections	Ratcliffe Cottage	War Memorial	Two Bridges & Three Streams
Memories of "Sally's Garden"	Forton School in War Time	Where is Shireshead?