John Lockwood was born 6th January 1800 and he was baptised at the Square Chapel on 13th March 1800. His parents, Joseph and Mary had married in 1772 at St John the Baptist Church in Halifax. Mary was from Lightcliffe, her father was Richard Skelton.
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It’s unclear how many children Joseph and Mary had, but John had two older brothers called James and Joseph who were both wheelwrights and carpenters, living all their lives in the Skircoat area. One of James’ children was christened Richard Skelton Lockwood after his grandfather.
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John, their much younger brother never married and spent all his life being a school master. Malcolm Bull's Calderdale Companion states there was a Lockwoods School at Salterhebble, but there is no further evidence of any other schools where John taught.
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In the 1841 Census, John’s occupation is school master. He’s 41 and he is living with his mother Mary, now aged 89. She died a few months after the Census was taken, leaving John to live on his own for many years. Surprisingly, Mary was 48 when she had John and two years previously, she had a daughter called Priscilla. John would be a witness at Priscilla’s wedding in 1822, when she married William Stubbs.
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John was heavily involved in the Chartist movement and also the Halifax Anti Corn Laws Association. He was at a meeting in Skircoat, held in the Union School Room at Salterhebble where along with others, he stood up and spoke about “these accursed laws”. Could this have been the school room where John taught?
Halifax Express 8th February 1840
John must have attended many meetings over these turbulent times, which finally climaxed with the Great Strike of 1842. The strike, which involved thousands of working men and women across the country had started when the miners came out on strike, due to reduction in their wages for more hours of work. In August, the riots and strikers had hit Halifax. The Plug Plot Riots affected most of the mills in the West Riding. Along with hundreds of men and women, John was arrested and tried at the York Assizes on the 13th August 1842. His crime was 'Seditious Conspiracy and Riot'. He was given a four months prison sentence with hard labour.
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John Lockwood certainly had a social conscience. In 1868 he was presented with a purse of money in appreciation for the work he had done while being President of the Square Chapel Amicable Provident Society, which was a post he had held for many years. This society was a mutual aid organisation to which members contributed to a fund that provided financial assistance during times of need.
Halifax Weekly Courier 20th June 1868
After many years, John left Bankhouse at Salterhebble and he moved to Francis Crossley Alms-houses on Margaret Street. He’s recorded as living there alone on the 1871 Census, occupation: retired school master. The Alms Houses had been built in 1855. The 20 flats each had a living room, a bedroom, cellar and pantry. In the 1881 Census,
Priscilla, John’s sister, and his niece Martha Jackson Stubbs are now living with John. Priscilla is shown as head and housekeeper, Martha as dressmaker. John died there in 1885. Probate records for 26th January show that he left £295 and 5d.
Priscilla continued to live at Margaret Street where she died in 1887 aged 90. Martha Stubbs, John’s niece, died there in 1901. Probate of £244 and 5 shillings, she left to her younger sister Eliza. Priscilla and Martha are buried together at King Cross Methodist Church.
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John was buried at Square Chapel in 1886 with his mother and father.​​​​​
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Researched by Linda Balmforth
Photograph of gravestone made for exhibition
Photograph of gravestone made for exhibition