The Cotton Factory Times was a weekly British newspaper, aimed at cotton mill workers in Lancashire and Cheshire. It ran from 1885 – 1937.

Here are a selection of articles featuring local places and people.

Friday 22nd June 1894

Outing – On Saturday afternoon the foremen of Messrs. T Barnes and Co., Farnworth Cotton Mills, had their annual picnic to Croft, near Warrington. In a first-class turnout a start was made from Gladstone Road at 115, and on reaching Chat Moss Hotel a stop was made for one hour while the party had a game at bowls and refreshments.

They then commenced the journey to Croft, which was reached about 430. A first-class knife and fork tea was partaken of at the Horse Shoe Inn. After tea a few had a ramble in the country, and the others enjoyed themselves on the green with bowls, etc. The return journey was commenced at 845, and the party arrived home about 1145 well pleased with their out.

Friday 17th June 1892

FATAL ACCIDENT TO AN OVERLOOKER – On Friday evening James Vanse, aged 43, overlooker, at the Daisy Bank Mill, Culcheth, near Leigh, went up a ladder to get something out of the spout, when the ladder slipped and he fell to the ground and sustained injuries to his head, from which he died the same night.

The inquest was held on Monday afternoon, when a verdict of accidental death was returned.

Friday 13th April 1906
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Accident – Early on Saturday morning a tape weaver named Miss Ellen Collier, of Warrington Road, Glazebury, and employed at Messrs. Gill and Hartley’s, Glazebury Mill, was following her employment when she got her right arm entangled, with the result that it was broken just above the wrist.

Friday 18th September 1891

SHOCKING SUICIDE OF A WEAVER – The operatives employed at the Glazebury Weaving Shed of Messrs. Gill and Hartley, near Leigh, were thrown into a state of consternation on Tuesday evening by the intelligence that a weaver, employed at the mill, named Richard Massey, had shot himself at his residence, Fowley Common, where he resided with a man named Taylor.

Taylor went home about 11 o’clock on Tuesday night, and went to bed without getting a light. After being in bed some time, he called out to Massey, but, receiving no answer, he struck a light, and found his fellow lodger stretched on the floor dead, with a bullet through his head.

Deceased had apparently tied a piece of string to the trigger of a gun, and so shot himself. Massey, who was nearly fifty years of age, had lately been very depressed, and had frequently threatened to put an end to his life.

Friday 26th March 1897

ACCIDENT TO A SCAVENGER – An alarming accident happened at No. 3 spinning room of the No. 1 mill of the Mather Lane Spinning Co., on Tuesday morning, about half-past ten, to a scavenger residing at Warrington Road, Glazebury, named William Johnson. He was new to his work, and he went under the carriage as the wheel was going up, with the result that his hips were crushed and the sinews ruptured.
He was immediately conveyed to Dr. King’s, who attended to his injuries, and he is progressing as favourably as can be expected.

Friday 23rd February 1906
​
Marriage – On Saturday afternoon, at the Newchurch Parish Church, in the presence of a large number of relatives and friends, the marriage was celebrated of Miss Maggie Yates and Mr. Thomas Gould, both mill operatives, and residing at Culcheth.

The bride is employed as a weaver and the bridegroom as a twister at the Daisy Bank Manufacturing Co.’s mill, Culcheth. A good number of their workmates were present at the dinner, which was served at the house of the bride, after which a pleasant evening was spent.
The happy couple have been the recipients of numerous and useful presents.

​On the 13th instant, one William Higginson, of Culcheth, near Leigh, having charg’d a Gun with an intent to shoot at some Crows, sat down at his Door with the Gun upon his Knees, in order to do something at the Flint, when it accidentally went off, and by recoiling against his Groin, bruised him so much that he died the next Morning.

TRAP ACCIDENT AT CULCHETH –
​A horse and trap belonging to the late Mr. Whiston, of Croft, was standing in the goodsyard at Culcheth Station on Saturday afternoon when the horse got startled by an engine, and it suddenly set off down the yard and got on to the main line, down which it ran to Lowton St Mary’s Station before it was stopped.
Fortunately no trains were running at the time, The trap was smashed and the horse cut.

FATAL RAILWAY ACCIDENT - WARRINGTON
Monday Night - A sad scene took place at the Railway station, in this town, this afternoon. The Birmingham train from Manchester brought a young woman, to all appearance in a dying state, who had been run over by the train as it passed the Kenyon Junction, on the Liverpool and Manchester line.

Her left leg was hanging sadly mutilated from her body, one of her shoulders was dislocated, and her head considerably injured. The shrieks she uttered on being lifted out of the carriage will not be readily forgotten by those who heard them; she was evidently suffering the most intense agony.

The moment the train stopped, every assistance was rendered by Mr Rutter, the agent at the station, and the other persons employed there. The sufferer was conveyed to the Patten Arms Hotel, which adjoins the station, and by the time she was got up stairs, Mr Hunt, surgeon, and Mr. Robson, the house-surgeon to the Warrington dispensary, were in attendance.

On examination, it was found that the wheels of the engine had passed along the left leg from the centre of the thigh down to the foot, and that the limb was crushed to a complete mummy.

Amputation was immediately resorted to. The operation was performed by Dr Hunt. The poor woman was insensible during the greater part of the operation; she gradually sunk, and did not survive longer than a quarter of an hour after it had been performed...

From inquiries made since the accident, I learn that the deceased was a hand loom weaver, named Johanna Sankey, of Croft, in this county. She was an interesting, good-looking girl, in the 23d year of her age.

The engineer in charge of the train states that the deceased ran across the rails at the Kenyon Junction just as the train was passing, when it was not more than a few yards from her; that the engine knocked her down, and the whole train passed over her. He stopped the engine immediately, and no medical assistance being at hand, it was deemed advisable to bring her on to Warrington, after a ligature had been applied by a passenger to the bleeding and fractured limb.

She had been to Liverpool to nurse a sick brother, filling the situation of porter at Blezard's liquor vaults. Her brother, it seems, had sufficiently recovered to permit of his removal to Croft, and accordingly they both came to the Kenyon Junction by the first train, leaving Liverpool at a quarter before twelve o'clock.

A spring cart was waiting to convey them to Croft from the station, and just after her brother and his luggage had been got into it, she found that he had left his stick on the opposite side of the rails. This led to her untimely death. She ran towards the stick but had scarcely advanced five yards when the Birmingham train came up and killed her, as a'ready described.

​Enoch William Sankey was born in Croft in February 1856 to Enoch and Eliza Sankey (nee Dootson).
He grew up at Heath Farm with his parents and his older half-brother, Reginald Owen.

In 1872 he set up business at Heath Farm, with £500 cash from his mother. He then received around £6 – 7,000 in capital from his father’s estate, as well as the General Elliot Hotel, a cottage and more land.

He married Mary Ann Millner on September 13th 1881, at Christ Church in Croft. They had eight children together, Annie, Gwendoline, Ernest , Sydney, Dorothy, Margaret, Lilian and Charles.

In 1892 Enoch purchased Heath Farm and it’s land, as well as Eaves Brow Farm, Croft and Cross Lane Farm, Culcheth for £7038. He also acquired New Hay Farm for £4200.
He continued in business as a farmer and was “one of the best known horse dealers in the North of England”.  He was a member of the Southworth with Croft School Board for a number of years.
He carried out extensive business across the country and made large profits.
Enoch lived an extravagant life involving frequent travelling abroad, motor cars and racing trips and was a well-known and much liked gentleman.

In 1911 his unsecured debts were £12878 and his free assets just £900. He was subject to a bankruptcy hearing in July 1912 at Warrington, which ran through to October.

He stayed at Heath Farm after bankruptcy and even continued in horse dealing, as he was summoned to court for a contravention of the Defence of the Realm Act in 1918 after selling a horse without a licence earlier that year.


There is little information available after 1918, but it seems that the family moved to Sale as he passed away there on 2nd November 1928 and was cremated at Manchester Crematorium.

LEFT TO RIGHT
BACK ROW: SIDNEY, ENOCH, ANNIE, REGINALD OWEN (ENOCH'S HALF BROTHER), ANNIE OWEN (DAUGHTER OF REGINALD), THOMAS PARK (SON-IN-LAW OF REGINALD)
​FRONT ROW: ERNEST, REGINALD SANKEY OWEN (SON OF REGINALD), FANNY LEES (DAUGHTER-IN-LAW OF REGINALD), MARY ANN (HOLDING MARGARET), GWENDOLINE, LILIAN, DOROTHY

Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette
Tuesday 18th May 1875
EXTRAORDINARY CAREER OF A WOMAN

The Warrington Guardian reports that a woman, named Elizabeth Taylor, appeared before the Warrington magistrates on Friday on a charge of being drunk and disorderly. She appeared in the dock in male attire, and the Chief Constable, in relating to her antecedents, stated that she was the daughter of a gentleman who formerly lived at Penketh, near Warrington. She had been married, but her husband was killed 21 years ago. She commenced to wear male attire 13 years ago. She was employed as a sailor during the American war, and made several trips from South Wales to the American coast in vessels sent out to supply the Alabama and blockade runners with coal. She was known by the names of ‘Happy Ned’ and ‘Navvy Ned’. For some time past she had worked as a labourer on several farms in the neighbourhood of Warrington, and had so late as the 12th inst. Helped to kill 13 pigs for a farmer at Croft. Her sex was not suspected until she was arrested.
The prisoner was fined 5s. and costs.

Widnes Examiner
Saturday 15th May 1880
Birth Announcement

On the 9th instant, at Croft Brewery, Croft near Warrington, the wife of Mr. Reginald Owen, of a son. 

Leigh Chronicle and Weekly District Advertiser
Friday 1st February 1884
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On Sale, A BAGATELLE TABLE 13ft by 4ft. 6in., with balls and cues complete, in excellent condition. Apply to Mr. Isaac Maines, Horse Shoe Inn, Croft, Warrington.

Leigh Chronicle and Weekly District Advertiser
​Friday 22nd January 1892
LOST AND FOUND

LOST, at Tyldesley, on Saturday, the 16th Inst, a BLACK RETRIEVER DOG, with white spot on breast – Anyone taking same to Mr. Yates, Pork Butcher, Leigh, will be rewarded.
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FOUND, BLACK RETRIEVER BITCH. If not claimed in three days will be sold. – Apply 84 Wigan Road, Westleigh.

Leigh Chronicle and Weekly District Advertiser
​Friday 6th May 1892

TWO-HEADED CALF!
EXTRAORDINARY
FREAK OF NATURE!
TO BE SEEN AT THE
JOINER’S ARMS HOTEL,
CROFT, NEAR WARRINGTON.
​
S. DAXON, Proprietor.

THE CROFT BREACH OF PROMISE - SEQUEL IN THE COUNTY COURT
 
About twelve months ago a widow named clough recovered £50 damages at Liverpool against an elderly man named Southern, residing at Croft, near Warrington, for breach of promise of marriage. The damages were paid, but Southern refused to pay the costs, and a claim against him for payment of these costs was heard at the Warrington County Court yesterday.

Southern pleaded want of means, as he only earned a few shillings a week, being incapacitated by chronic rheumatism. He denied being the owner of several valuable properties, but admitted to having had property which was mortgaged.

The Judge had to caution Southern as to his conduct in the court towards Mrs. Clough while she was giving her evidence, and told him that unless he behaved himself he would be committed to prison. Judgement was given for the amount claimed, or in default thirty-six days imprisonment.

Southern said he would go to prison.

​A WARRINGTON GUARDIAN IN COURT - (SPECIAL TELEGRAM.)
 
Mr. Reginald Owen, an old member of the Warrington Board of Guardians, was charged at the Warrington County Sessions, to-day, with assaulting Mr. Samuel Thomason, a farmer at Croft; and there was a cross-summons in the case. The quarrel took place in the General Elliott public-house.
​
Owen was bound over in a £20 surety to keep the peace for six months. No order was made as to costs.

J. Pridmore was charged with having maliciously attempted to drown John Pridmore, his father at the parish of Winwick.
 
J. Pridmore, father of the prisoner-
I live at Winwick; my son came home at ten at night and asked for his supper; my wife said, "There was the same for him as there was for his father, some tea and some bread:"
he said "He would not be put off so:" he threw the teapot out of doors, and turned his mother out, and said "She might go where she went on Monday night:"
He had turned us both out on Monday: he said "He wished God might perish him if they were not two dead ones before morning:"
He pulled me out of bed and dragged me to the pond; I said, "My dear son, spare my life this night!"
When I was turned out on Monday I slept on some straw we had to top a hay-rick; my wife was with me;
When I asked him to spare my life he said, "No, d_n you will I;" he put me into the pond headfirst; he caught hold of my ancles, and tipped me quite over into it; my wife gave the alarm;
 
I crawled out; I got over a hedge and went into the town; almost all the people were in bed; I got to a public house and stopped their all night.

Sophia Pridmore, mother of the prisoner, corroborated her husband's statement, except that she described his language as more vile, and especially the expression of prisoner, that "He hoped God might perish him if they were not both corpses before morning"
 
She heard him dragging his father to the pond:

I heard prisoner plunge him in, he said to his father, "D_n you, i'll throw you in headfirst, that you drown the quicker!"
Then I called Thomas Gear; he came down in his shirt; I said, "For God's sake come down, for my husband is in the pond!" I went into Gear's house; my son came and knocked me down, and said "D_n your eyes, i'll soon stop your noise" He dragged me into the street, and knocked me down twice; I called out "Murder!" he put his hands on my mouth.
He locked me in the house and said "I'll go and see if the old devil is drowned - if not he soon shall be - I've given him a good ducking”
 
I shot the bolt and got out, and went to Mr. Jellis's cart hovel.
Prisoner came there and said, "Hallos, have you made your escape? D_n you- if not, I'll soon make the place too hot"

I put my apron in my mouth, so that he should not hear me fetch my breath. I got into the waggon. He hunted about the hovel but did not find me. I walked about all night.
 
Thomas Gear was in bed on the 26th of last July;
 
Mrs. Pridmore called me up; I went down and put on my shoes; I went to the pond; I met John Pridmore, the prisoner; he said "hello, who comes here, I'll put them in the pond" I said "What me, will you put me in?"  he said "yes, I will" I said "Then if that's it, I’ll turn and go to bed again" I was afraid of him.
He followed me home.

Mrs Pridmore had the candle and lantern in her hand; he dragged her down; she holloed "murder" three times.
I heard the water plunge; it was so dark I could not see.
 
Prisoner described the case as a friendly ducking and said that he was in beer.
​
Gear was re-called and stated in answer to the learned Judge that prisoner was of right mind; he was a married man but had sold his wife.
 
The learned Judge commented on the peculiarly horrible crime they were bound to decide upon and regretted they had not the consolation of believing the prisoner insane.
 
The jury immediately found the prisoner Guilty- Death recorded.

SAD OCCURRENCE: DASTARDLY CONDUCT OF A MARRIED MAN

A most painful event occurred at Newton on Monday last, casting a gloom over the whole neighbourhood.

This was the suicide by drowning of a most respectable young woman, named Elizabeth Gleave, aged only 18, domestic servant of Mr. Barclay, one of the overseers at McCorquodale’s printing works.
​
It appears that she and a young man names Michael Ward have been courting, but for some reason or other he refused to go out with her last Sunday. An acquaintance of Michael Ward, a married man named John Jones, who was aware that there was some little lover’s quarrel between the young folks, went and told Lizzie that he knew why Michael would not take her out, and if she would go with him, he would show her the reason for it.

Either by direct expression or by inuendoes, he led the young woman to believe that Michael was walking out with another girl, and if she would go with him, he would take her where she could have ocular demonstration of her lover’s supposed delinquency. Lizzie took Jones at his word and went out with him. Jones took her round by Hermitage Green to Winwick, where he persuaded her to enter the Swan Inn and have some drink, which took such effect upon her as to render her partially insensible.

He then took her in the direction of Newton, but what took place on the road no one can tell. Certain it is that the poor girl was exceedingly ill and sick. Her belief that her lover was untrue to her, and the shame to which she had been brought by Jones, prayed so much on the poor girl’s mind, that after writing two letters of farewell – one to her lover Michael Ward, and the other to her young mistress, Miss Barclay – she committed suicide by throwing herself into the ornamental lake at Newton, on Monday. 

Miss Barclay, entering the house after the unfortunate young woman had left, found the letters, and seeing one directed to herself, she opened it, and discovered that poor Lizzie, whom they had looked upon as almost one of their own, had destroyed herself.

Lizzie had indicated in her letter to Miss Barclay the spot where she intended throwing herself into the lake, and upon Miss Barclay immediately putting herself in communication with the police, the lake was dragged, and the body found at the exact place mentioned by the unfortunate girl.

The inquest was held yesterday before C. E. Driffield, Esq., at the Blue Lion, Newton, when the above facts were given in evidence. The jury returned a verdict of ‘Suicide while in a state of temporary insanity.’

The coroner praised Michael Ward, the lover, for the honest and straightford manner in which he had given evidence; but administered a severe censure upon John Jones, the married man, for the manner in which he behaved to the girl. The following is the unfortunate girls farewell to her lover: -

Newton, May 2, 1870
My dear Michael,
​
When you get this I shall be no more. You may guess the cause of my death. I never thought when we first met what would be the result of it. I suppose you know all about Sunday night. I only wish I had known before, it might have saved me; but now, as it is not what I hoped for, it is no use living. You have my heart; and oh, that I might have had yours, Oh, that we had never met, for to part is death to me. I did not think that you would prove so false to me as it seems you have done. You ought never to have thought of me when you had another – whom, I hope, you will not forsake, but ​will make your wife. Mend your ways, dear Michael, and give one thought to me, whose heart you have broken. Our acquaintance was not long, and I will now say farewell.

Yours ever,
LIZZIE GLEAVE

INQUEST AT CROFT

Mr. F. H. Jones, deputy coroner, held an inquest on Friday afternoon, at the Plough Inn, regarding the death of Edward Monoghan, of Heath Lane, Croft, whose body was found on Thursday morning in a pit on the farm occupied by Mr. James Thomason, Heath Lane.

Mr. Cawthorne was appointed foreman of the jury.

The first witness called was Jane Monoghan, widow of the deceased, who deposed that her husband was 40 years of age, and was a coachman in the employ of Mr. E. W. Sankey, Heath Farm.

The deceased had been in bad health for some time and had been medically attended by Dr. Sephton. He had been off his work from the 4th January till a few days ago. He had been very much troubled with pains in the head, and had remarked that if they did get better he would make an end of himself, but she did not think he was in earnest when he said that. She last saw him alive on Thursday morning, when he left to go to his work.

John Ingham, employed by Mr. J. Thomason, farmer, said about eight o’clock on Thursday morning he saw the body lying face downwards in a pit close to the farm buildings. He informed his master. F. C. Butler, who was sent for, was quickly on the spot, and the body was at once recovered, but life was found to be extinct.

The jury returned a verdict of ‘Suicide while in an unsound state of mind.’
​
The funeral took place on Sunday afternoon at St. Lewis R.C Church. In addition to the relatives etc., the fellow workmen of the deceased employed by Mr. E. W. Sankey preceded the body to the churchyard, and after the funeral ceremony placed upon the grave a costly artificial wreath bearing the following inscription: “A token of respect from his employer and fellow workmen at Heath Farm, Croft.”
Mrs. Monoghan is left with seven young children.

THE INSPECTOR’S REPORT
​
Mr. Rawling, the Sanitary Inspector, presented his monthly report, from which it appeared that the water supply of Croft was chiefly obtained from draw wells, some of which were of a fair depth, and contained a good supply; while others were badly constructed, and not of much depth.
Some were situate near cesspools, or sink ditches, but in most cases they were at a good distance away. Many cottages were entirely without drinking water except what they begged from their neighbours, and in one or two instances they obtained their supply from the brook.
There was no proper system of drainage in the township, and the privy accommodation was generally of a very inferior class.
​He recommended the building of proper ashpits three feet above ground, and in all cases where closets and cesspools were against house walls their removal to a more suitable situation. He also recommended that a sewer should be laid in Croft to carry off the refuse water which was now turned into an open ditch.

The CHAIRMAN said he thought they should not commence making sewers in any township until they had decided upon some comprehensive scheme which appeared to be looming in the distance.
Mr. WOODS was of opinion that a main sewer, with a proper outfall, should be constructed in Croft.
Dr. SEPHTON considered that they should wait a little time before they did anything with respect to the open ditch at Croft because he had suggested to Mr. Owen the desirability of deodorising the refuse turned into it.
​
It was decided to act upon the suggestion of the Medical Officer of Health.

The report of Dr. Sephton stated that during the past month his work had been confined to Croft, which had hitherto been the most unhealthy township in his district.
​Finding that properly conducted cesspools and manure tanks were mostly needed, he recommended the committee to insist on all cesspools being made of bricks set in Slias lime, or cement, raised at least three feet above the ground, well coated with tar, and well drained.

A REMARKABLE RAT
​
A few days ago, during the night time, a female rat of extraordinary size, stole four fine chickens from the poultry yard of Mr. Thos. Brideoake, farmer, Croft. The same animal a day or so afterwards succeeded in killing and carrying off a full-grown duck. Emboldened by previous successes, she commenced the daring feat of stealing a number of eggs in course of incubation, and, despite the active opposition of the hen, the rat secured several of the eggs.
​Mr. Brideoake obtained a ferret, and after some difficulty the precocious and voracious animal was killed.

THE NEW FACTORY ACT
​
On the 1st January next the new Act, passed in the late session, to improve the health of children, young persons, and women, employed in factories, and for the education of such children, will come into force.
​
By this Act during next year no child is to be employed under nine, and after that year under ten, except where he was lawfully employed before that period.
There are special regulations as to the employment and refreshment of children, young persons and women in factories between 8a.m. and 6p.m., but no employment is to be beyond four hours and a-half continuously without a meal, nor any employment after two on Saturday. The hours of meals are to be simultaneously for children, and employment during meal time is forbidden.
Until the 1st January, 1876, employment for the recovery of lost time is to be permitted, until which time a person of 13 and under 14 is to be deemed a child unless an educational certificate be obtained.
After the 1st January, 1876, children must attend efficient schools.

FOOTBALL MATCH AT CROFT
It having been proposed to form a football club at the above place, the members of the Earlestown Wanderers (Association) Football Club, visited the village on Saturday afternoon last, and played what may be termed an exhibition game, in a field kindly lent for the occasion by Mr. E. W. Sankey, but owing to a strong cold north wind very few spectators were present. The teams, which were arranged out of the first and second teams of the club, were styled Mr. G. Clough’s team, v. Mr. T. Goulding’s team.
​
The game lasted about an hour and a half, and at the close Goulding’s team had scored four goals to Clough’s team two. The game was not very exciting, though some good playing was shown during the game. Messrs. F. Waterman and A. Limmon were the umpires, and J. Waterman the referee. At the close the players adjourned to the General Elliot Hotel, where a dinner was provided, after which they enjoyed themselves with singing and dancing until about ten o’clock, when they returned home, after having thanked Mr. Sankey for the use of the filed, and Mr. and Mrs. Owen, the host and hostess, for the excellent manner in which they had provided the dinner.