The Past is a Different World?

Mark Catterall
7 days ago
8 min read

Calderdale Newspapers 100 years ago

This is a snapshot of the news making the local Calderdale papers; crime, terrible accidents, scandals and the mundane just a hundred years ago in February 1926. The 1926 General Strike was just a few months in the future, but these are some of the other stories of 1926 you probably have never heard of, that were making the news locally and nationally. If you would like to investigate the past through local newspapers, your local library has access to the online British Newspaper Archive, and the Local Studies department in Halifax has many local history resources including local newspapers on microfilm.

*The Todmorden Advertiser courtesy of the British Newspaper Archive*

The core of local papers in 1926 and today is a good crime story and the local press had field day with a series of safe robberies across West Yorkshire using dynamite. The February papers across the North gave the full details of how Fred Drake, Harry Daly, and Charles Lowther committed as series of audacious robberies across West Yorkshire. The gang robbed premises in Mytholmroyd, Elland, Birstall, and Golcar. The gang were eventually caught when Charles Lowther of Luddenden blew a finger and thumb off when stealing explosives from a quarry near Midgley, while in hospital he confessed about his involvement in the other robberies, but he reportedly didn’t name the other members of the gang. But the others were arrested while trying to procure more explosives. Their dynamiting spree had netted them £593 in cash and £70 in stamps. They first appeared in the papers when they were before Todmorden Magistrates Court, in February, before eventually being sentenced at Leeds West Riding Assises in March. Harry Daly received a 5 year sentence, Charles Lowther 3 years, and Fred Drake who had no previous convictions was bound over. Following the gang up after their release I’m only able to locate Charles Lowther in 1939 working on a travelling fair

*Todmorden and District News courtesy of the British Newspaper Archive*

Short Dress Panic! And Latin Lovers

The1920s saw women’s lives changing. Married women over 30 were given the vote in 1918 and in 1928 women were finally given the vote on the same basis as men at 21. Alongside the franchise women saw their social lives changing, cinema entertainment and fashion saw big changes. Women’s fashion jumped from pre-World War One long ‘hobble’ skirts to the shorter ‘flapper’ style dresses inspired by the fashions of movie stars. The new look shocked the more conservatively minded. ‘Women’s Chat’ in the Todmorden News reported a short skirt ban in Greece, and in some U.S. states. The Greek ban said that dress hems should be no more than 15 inches off the ground for all Women over 14. Heavy fines were being imposed by Greek police courts. ‘Women’s Chat’ in the Todmorden News also reported that British women wouldn’t stand for such a thing!

Louise Brooks actress Public domain Wikipedia

Looking at the cinema listings in the same Todmorden News for February 1926, many of the still silent films of 1926 were aimed at young working women. It was at the cinema or “going to the pictures” where many young working mill girls saw the stars who’s fashions they tried to emulate on their limited wages. Homemade ‘flapper’ dresses and feather bowers were all the rage. Betty Balfour was Britain’s answer to the Hollywood’s star Mary Pickford; she was seen as a style icon by women and in February 1926 she was in “Satins Sister” at the Todmorden Hippodrome. Rudolph Valentino was seen by many young women as their heart throb, the Latin lover of their dreams. Many young women were distraught when in August he suddenly died after an operation for gastric ulcers leading to sepsis. In the same week as Betty Balfour film was showing at the Todmorden Hippodrome, Rudolph Valentino was to appear in the film “A Sainted Devil” later in the week.

Betty Balfour Public domain Wikipedia	Todmorden and District News courtesy of the British Newspaper Archive
Todmorden Advertiser and Hebden Bridge Newsletter courtesy of the British Newspaper Archive	Todmorden Advertiser and Hebden Bridge Newsletter courtesy of the British Newspaper Archive

A Tale of “Revolting Hypocrisy and Deception”

*Courtesy of the British Newspaper Archive*

Making all the papers, both locally and nationally, in February 1926, was the sad case of Alma Grant. The story reported widely everywhere from The Halifax Daily Courier to the Daily Mirror, was one of ‘Breach of Promise’. The offence which no longer exists, having been abolished in 1971, was where, usually a man made a promise to marry a woman, but subsequently changed their mind, as an engagement to marry was seen as a contract, and to change your mind was in breach of this promise and could be subject to the law and damages. For all the social changes in the 1920s, women’s lives were difficult as the case of Alma Grant shows

Alma Grant was a ‘spinster’ in her early 30s working in a London accounts office, for single woman she earned what was regarded as a good wage of £3 15 Shillings (£3.75) a week, where she found herself pursued by James Tott the chief accountant and a former ‘Salvationist’. Leaving love letters on her typewriter, he eventually asked her out and they went to a café on the Holloway Road, London where he told her of his feelings for her. He explained his situation to her as being a widower with two children. However, James Tott was still married at the time with possibly as many as six children! As the romance progressed Alma took James Tott to see her family, he subsequently “took advantage of her” at her parents’ house. When she found herself pregnant, James Tott promised to marry her. In a long sordid tale , the papers reported that Alma was forced out of her family home by her father, when he found out Alma was pregnant. James Tott after repeatedly postponing the wedding, eventually came clean about already being married. At the court it was found out that James Tott the fallen ‘Salvationist’ was already on his third marriage. His first wife had committed suicide after finding out about his affairs, He also apparently already had two ‘illegitimate’ children, in addition to four children living with his wife. At first, he gave Alma some support money, before losing his job because of the scandal. Alma was left destitute dependent on the charity of friends. She was forced to have her child adopted and then became a housekeeper on only 22 Shillings 6d (£1.12) a week. At the suggestion of friends she took James Tott to court. After what her council had described as a tale of “Revolting Hypocrisy and Deception”, she was finally in February 1926 awarded £300 damages, however whether she ever saw the money, is unclear, as Tott now only earned £3 10 Shillings (£3.50) a week after losing his original job. What became of both parties in later years is unknown.

The Pub

While the cinema was the centre of many women’s social life. For many working-class men, the pub was the centre of their social life. Pre World War One local pubs had on average been open 19 hours a day, in 1926 they were still limited to 8 strictly enforced wartime hours. These restrictions on pub hours remained for many years and it wouldn’t be until the end of the 20^th century before a return to more fully liberal opening hours. The West Morley Brewster sessions covering Sowerby and Sowerby Bridge and district (annual meetings of licensing justices) reported in the 10^Th February Halifax Evening Courier, that in the previous year only 78 people had been convicted for drunkenness, including 8 women and of these only 41 were from the district out of a population of 66,000. In 1914 161 had been convicted. But apparently there was one licenced establishment for every 323 inhabitants, this included pubs, some of which just sold beer, off-licences, and clubs.

The Cost of Living and the Errant Wife

We all know the difficulties of find somewhere to live in the 21^st Century. The houses up for sale for around £120 are certainly from a different world The properties advertised in the Todmorden News, above were advertised in February 1926. While house prices seem low it was a world of unemployment and low wages. A wage of £3 a week was not seen as unusual.

In what was described as an “Interesting Case” a debt recovery case reported in the Todmorden News, gives a good idea of the cost of living in 1926. A Mr Jeffrey B Crossley of 12 Oldfield Todmorden was being sued by a dress shop for the debts of his wife, who had recently left him. In the reported County Court case, it was reported, Jeffrey Crossley earned £3 12 shillings (£3.60) a week, before being recently made redundant from a spinning mill. He reported he gave his ‘errant’ wife £3 a week for all the household bills, including the £2 11d (£2.05) a week for the rent. The debt run up of £6 19s 7d (£7) covered 2 men's shirts, a costume (a dress and accessories?), children's shoes and a ‘marabout’ (a feather bower). Earlier after a windfall he had bought his wife a fur coat for £6 6s (£6 03). Jeffrey Crossley was found not responsible for the debt as his wife had kept it a secret and was longer living with him.

Terrible Accident

*Halifax Evening Courier courtesy of the British Newspaper Archive*

Unfortunately, in 1926 workplace accidents were a regular occurrence. Local newspapers would report such accidents in sensational detail. On such accident in February, led to the death of Thomas Meath who was around 60* at the time of his terrible accident worked as an ‘Oiler & Greaser’ of mill shafting for John Shaw & Sons dyers and finishers. He had been sent to oil and grease fast moving machinery, that was neither guarded nor turned off, in a dark steam filled room. Only when the machinery was jammed up with Thomas’s body, was any investigation made. He was a stalwart of local committees and groups including the Stainland Mechanics Institute, the Stainland Music Festival and a long time Umpire for the Halifax and District Cricket league. He left a wife and two daughters. When in March his employers were prosecuted by the Factory Inspectorate, his employers tried to place the blame on Thomas claiming either he used the wrong ladder, or his clothes were too loose. Looking at the reports the company didn’t wish to properly fence off the machinery or turn it off when it was being oiled and greased. Although they were found guilty, it was even in 1926 money a small fine of only £10. Whether the family of Thomas received any compensation for the loss of their main bread winner is unclear.

* The 1921 Census, and the Halifax Evening Courier articles all manage to give poor Thomas three different ages, ranging from 60 to 63.

Using the Bank of England Inflation Calculator these are some of the 1926 prices in the article in 2025 prices:

£2.05 is £109.35

£3.12 is £166.42

£3.50 is £186.69

£6.00 is £320.04

£7 is £373.38

£10 is £533.39

£125 is £6667.42