Accrington Railways - Robert Kenyon

they were empowered to do in the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Act 1897, whilst at the same time widening the street under this bridge to a width of 36 feet. The Borough Surveyor was authorised to carry out the widening of the footpaths and the paving under this bridge accordingly, and to provide extra lighting if he thought it necessary. He was also to invoice the railway company for the cost of all this work. 1916 December A ‘Special Food Committee’ met to hear a letter from the L & Y, offering several plots of land belonging to the Company in close proximity to Craven and Charter Streets, which they were prepared to rent at ‘reasonable terms’ for the cultivation of potatoes. Councillor Swan undertook to liaise with the local residents with a view to occupying these plots for this purpose. 1917 February The former Goods Inspector at Accrington Railway Station, Mr McKechnie, was given a send-off at Accrington Conservative Club to celebrate his promotion to District Inspector in the Bury Offices of the L & Y. A presentation was made by Mr Wildman, the Goods Agent in Accrington, of a ‘swanky’ walking stick, a pipe and tobacco pouch from his colleagues. The gathering was entertained by Sergeant H. Carey, a former railway clerk in Accrington, who was on leave from the Western Front, with songs and anecdotes. The Sergeant was also wished good fortune for his return to France. For the Board of Trade and speaking in the House of Commons, Mr G. H. Roberts announced there would be no concessions to the increases in fares on the railways for any class of people including Commercial Travellers. They had petitioned the Government for exemption from the increases. March A plumber from Litherland, having jumped over the ticket barrier at Accrington Railway Station and bolted down on to Blackburn Road, was fined 40 shillings at Accrington Magistrates’ Court. Hargreaves Rostron pleaded guilty to attempting to defraud the L & Y Railway and giving a false name to staff that pursued and apprehended him. May An Egg Merchant, Mr Sidney Smith, went to Court to recover the sum of £27 – 12s – 6d from the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Company, for a large quantity of eggs which were broken in transit between Ireland and Accrington. Appearing for the complainant, Mr Rowland contended that his client had paid considerably more for his merchandise to be carried at the Company’s risk. He added that in the past the L & Y had compensated him for small breakages, but on this occasion they had refused to accept responsibility. They contended that this action should be brought against the Great Northern Railway Company of Ireland. A long argument ensued at the end of which an offer was made of restitution for half of the claim. Judge Sturgess advised Mr Smith to accept this offer. He stated that the Law stated that a contract was made between the consignor and the consignee even though the goods were to be carried on other railways. In this case the damage could have been done even before the goods were handed over to the G.N.R.I., at the docks, at sea or by one of the two railway companies. He felt that despite what had happened in the past, the claimant would be wise to accept the L & Y’s offer, as they had acknowledged that the damage had been caused in transit, and it might cost him a great deal more to pursue this case in a higher court. The offer was then accepted. 1918 March The Town Council met to receive a letter from the L & Y, proposing that the annual ‘Wakes Week’ should commence on the 12 th of July, instead of the 26 th , some two weeks earlier. The Mayor, Alderman Rawson, and Councillors Barlow, Langham and Nuttall would act for the Council in looking into this matter. May At a meeting of the General Works Committee, it was resolved the Borough Surveyor should write to the L & Y in order to obtain an estimate of the cost of rebuilding the road bridge over their railway on Penny House Lane. He had also been in conversation with the County Bridgemaster, in an attempt to see if the County Council would be prepared to make a contribution toward the rebuilding of this bridge at Strawberry Bank. June Presumably having turned down the previous suggestion, another letter was received from the L & Y suggesting altering the dates of the annual summer holiday to the fortnight commencing July 27 th , to August 10 th , to assist the Company to better cope with the extra traffic in view of the ‘restricted’ services they were able to operate. Having discussed the suggestion made by the L & Y, it was resolved to call a meeting of the larger local employers and labour groups and a special sub-committee, in order to consider the implications of this proposal.

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