17th October 1840

Hopton, near Dewsbury.—

A public meeting was held, in the Hopton chapel school-room, on Wednesday evening, the 24th ult., when addresses were delivered explanatory of the proposed Government plan of education, and a resolution passed unanimously to petition both Houses of Parliament against the measure. The Baptists, the New Connexion Methodists, and the Independents in this district have all separately sent petitions to Parliament against the measure, and praying that Government would leave the education of the people to their own voluntary efforts.

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25th January 1890

PROSECUTION OF PRIZE FIGHTERS AT DEWSBURY.—

Yesterday five Irish labourers, all residing in
Dawgreen, were summoned before Mr. R. I. Critchley and other West Riding magistrates, at Dewsbury, for committing a breach of the peace, the first two prisoners, Brennan and Patrick McDonald, by engaging in a prize-fight at Hopton, near the boundaries of the Huddersfield and Dewsbury Divisions, on the 13th inst., and the rest, Michael Hooley, Geo. Kelly, and James Higgins, by aiding and abetting the principals. They all pleaded guilty.— Police-constable Humphreys briefly stated that on the day in question he saw the first two fighting at Hopton, and the others engaged as seconds. He stopped the fight, but a crowd of 300 or 400 men demanded that it should proceed, and being powerless he had to stand by, and the fight went on, Brennan at last being declared the victor.— Defendants had nothing to say. They were all bound over to keep the peace for six months, and ordered to pay the costs.

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9th October 1894

PROPOSED NEW BRIDGE AT MIRFIELD.—

The West Riding County Council, at its meeting tomorrow, will be invited to grant £3,000 to the Mirfield Local Board towards the cost of erection of a new steel-girder bridge over the river Calder at Hopton. The total estimated cost, including that of an approach road, 340 yards in length, is £6,150.

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3rd August 1885

A MIRFIELD BREACH OF PROMISE CASE,
OXLEY v DEARNLEY.

Miss Emma Oxley, weaver, Lower Hopton, Mirfield, brought an action to recover damages for breach of promise to marry against Walter Dearnley, butcher, Mirfield. The defence was a denial of the promise, and a plea of infancy exoneration before the bench was made. MR. Tindal Atkinson was for the plaintiff, and Mr, Waugh represented the defendant. Plaintiff is 25 years or age, and the defendant 23, The parties became acquainted in December, 1875, and eventually the defendant, while not of age, promised the plaintiff marriage. On the 1st June, 1881, she gave birth to a child, of which defendant was the father. ln the presence of other persons Dearnley said it would be all right; he would marry the girl. He visited the young woman regularly till the 21st May, 1883, when he ceased paying her attentions. Dearnley came of age on the 14th of April, 1883. Between these two dates the defendant asserted that, having finished his apprenticeship, he was his own master, and he would be married as soon as possible. Afterwards he told certain of the young woman's relatives that they were to be sure to come to the wedding, and went so far as to name the bridesmaids, and otherwise intimated that he intended to marry Miss Oxsley. However, in February, the defendant married another woman at Brighouse. Here, the plaintiff stated, Dearnley was put into business a butcher by the woman he had married; but now he was a labourer, and the married couple lived with his wife's mother.— His Lordship : Rather a dismal prospect, I think, (Laughter.)—The defence was a complete denial of the promises sworn to by the witnesses. The counsel for the defence, in consequence of information conveyed to him, decided not to call the defendant. His Lordship then suggested a consultation between himself and counsel; and this having taken place, His Lordship said they had made the best they could of a bad business. It was a serious thing that no provision was made for the poor child; but the defendant had agreed to pay an amount to which his learned counsel had consented.— A verdict, by the direction of his Lordship, was returned for £40 damages, and £45 for costs.

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8th May 1852

DEWSBURY.
STRANGE AFFAIR.—

On Saturday last Mr John Haworth, the constable of Mirfeld, received information that about three weeks before that time the body of a child had been found in a manure heap, in the farm-yard of James Micklethwaite, Esq., of Hopton Hall, and on preceeding to investigate the matter, he found that on the 1st of April, Edward Dransfield and two other men were loading manure into a cart, to be taken into a field for the purpose of setting potatoes, when a child, in a state of decomposition, was found amongst the manure which after examining, and without making the matter known they threw into a cart, and it was taken away into the field but what became of it after this Mr. Haworth was unable to ascertain, they appearing to be desirous to keep the matter quiet.

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