Sutton-in-Craven Village Website

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From	Subject/message
Denis Marshall Pickles Norfolk Saturday, July 27, 2013 19:42	Crosshills Races Does anyone have any information relating to Crosshills Races? Yes, I know that this website is for matters concerning Sutton, but the races were held on the fringe of Sutton in the field where the South Craven School was built - not too far away! I can vaguely remember attending one of these events shortly after WW 2. Crowds of people watching the horse racing - trotting I think. Maybe Tony Ingham can enlighten me further. Perhaps the famous Ingham trotter (Red Admiral was it?) was a runner? As well as the horse races, teams of local chaps competed in a Tug of war competition. My father was the anchor man in one of the losing sides made up of local butchers. There was a beer tent frequented by the local lads, many of whom drank far too much and bookies were there to relieve punters of their brass! Who organised the event? For how many years was it held?
Paul Wilkinson webmaster Wednesday, July 31, 2013 12:10	Hi Denis, the gallery now contains (courtesy of Tony Ingham), the Official Race Programme of Cross Hills and District Sports Committee's Sixth Annual Trotting and Galloping Races held Saturday, July 30th, 1949.
Robin Longbottom Oakworth Wednesday, July 31, 2013 14:48	Very interesting programme Tony. I see old Tom Pye is down as the handicapper for the 'gallop' and that Fred and his brother Tom are the Paddock Stewards. Interesting to see the advertisements, they certainly bring back memories. I went for some years to Willie Cooper's barbers shop but packed up going after he cut a lump out of the back of my neck with his scissors. He never said a word when he did it, just stuck a bit of paper towel on. I remember walking home in some discomfort, with blood running down my neck. Thank goodness I didn't take out one of his famous contracts - pay for a year and get a haircut (and lumps of flesh cut out) as many times as you liked. On a happier note, Thompson's chara's were garaged in a very large, grey painted wooden shed, which stood opposite our house in North Road (it adjoined the King's Arms). So we didn't have far to walk to pile aboard for the annual trip to see Blackpool lights or to go to Happy Mount Park at Morecambe. I recall mothers arriving armed with towells etc for those who didn't travel well. Happy days.
Denis Marshall Pickles Norfolk Wednesday, July 31, 2013 19:54	I had a feeling that my question might bring forth an answer from Tony Ingham and it did. Thanks Tony, couldn't have asked for more! I was surprised to read that the Races held in July 1949 were the Sixth to be held on an annual basis. I can only remember one such event. I can hardly think that the Races would have been held during the war years in which case they would have first been held in the 1930's. Like Robin, reading the adverts sparked many memories. Occasionally I had my hair cut at Willie Coopers but Mewies's was my usual port of call. My grandad Preston introduced me to the delights of the Mewies Barbers shop when I was but a sprog. I'd sit on a board placed between the chair arms and Willy would work his wonders. My blonde golden curls disappeared and I went home with a short back and sides and grandad with a yard of twist!. Willy constantly smoked a Woodbine whilst he clipped and chatted away to the old boys who went in for a shave. But I digress! I was pleased to see that my uncle Walter supported the event by advertising Housemans Pet Stores in Skipton which he ran at the time. Prior to taking over the Pet shop, uncle Walter had a milk round which he operated from a tiny stone building adjacent to the farm on Low Fold. He took delivery of milk - I think it came from the Dairy in Skipton), cooled it, bottled it and delivered it round Sutton using a Jowett Bradford van. I helped him out by delivering a couple of dozen bottles in the Low Fold area before going off to school. I carried on working for uncle Walter on Saturdays at the Pet Shop in Skipton after he sold the milk round. In the programme he advertises 'Fresh Raw Meat for Dogs and Cats'. Vile stuff it was - raw knackers meat, dyed green which was collected from Windle Bros., Horse Slaughterers. Vile stuff it was, but probably his best selling commodity and indirectly it was the cause of Uncle Walter changing his means of earning a living yet again. Why? Well the Chief Sanitary Inspector at Skipton Urban District Council was not at all happy about this raw meat being sold in Skipton. It was , in his opinion, a hazard to public health and he persuaded the Council to introduce a byelaw prohibiting the sale of unsterilised pet meat in the town. This really knocked uncle Walters business. His customers couldn't buy meat from him but they could get it just down the road in the Rural District where there was no such byelaw. So he sold up and moved on. It was all a bit embarrassing for me because my very first job after leaving school was in the Chief sanitary Inspectors office! Going back to the Races, I was amazed just how far some of the horses entered had travelled. Ulverston, Liverpool, Blackburn and Richmond. There must have been a fair chance of making money to travel such long distances or else they wouldn't have come. And I had never heard of a Scamper Race - one lap walking, one lap trotting and the final lap at a gallop. Who thought that one up? I remember several of the Officials and Organising Committee but perhaps someone can enlighten me. Who was S, Butterfield, and S Barsby? I feel as though I should know them but it's gone! Thanks again Tony
Tony Ingham Sutton Friday, August 2, 2013 12:15	Hi Denis,the Sam. Barsby was the chimney sweep,father to Peter Barsby who lived on Boundary Avenue. Arthur Thompson, farmer Holmfield Farm. Lewis Throup, slater. Kildwick. Willie Ingham. butcher. Tom Windle Kildwick R Jeffreries?? Tom Pye Sutton Tom Pighills farmer Knott Eastburn Joe Dover Sutton. Still working on Mr president Butterfield and R Jefferies
Brian R Clough Sutton-in-Craven Friday, August 2, 2013 15:08	Tony Did Tom Pighills have 2 sons Austin (delivered milk on his horse and cart until the wheel dropped off) and Tim that had a butcher's shop up High Street or were they Tom's brother's?
Tony Ingham Sutton Saturday, August 3, 2013 07:51	Brian Tom Pighills two sons Austin the farmer, Tim the butcher. Denis, It was Jack Barsby that was the chimney sweep not Sam. Sam worked at Matthews mill in Eastburn. Sorry about that. (brain's going)
Denis Marshall Pickles Norfolk Monday, August 5, 2013 09:10	There was a boy named Brian Dover who was at school in the village during the war. I presume that he would have been a relation of Joe Dover, son perhaps? Is he still about?
Tony Ingham Sutton Monday, August 5, 2013 12:44	Thats right Dennis, Joe Dover had a son called Brian,he died in 1966 age 31. He died at Skipton auction mart while washing out cattle wagons.
Andrew Monkhouse Hanoi, Vietnam Monday, August 5, 2013 14:57	Talking of Austin Pighill, is milk still delivered locally or has plastic containers from the supermarkets killed it off? Austin Pighill (Pighill or Pighills?) used to deliver our milk until he was crushed by a reversing lorry at his farm and suffered a punctured lung (if my memory served me correctly), his daughter took over the round after that. There were a few milkmen around at that time, yourself Tony with your merry band of troops (Mick Jackson, etc), then there was Derek Jeff delivering milk in his Austin Cambridge. Pretty sure Falshaws delivered in Sutton....there would have been more....

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