Before 1830

Leeds Intelligencer. Tuesday 3 May 1757.
Leeds Intelligencer. Tuesday 8 March 1768.

Leeds Intelligencer. Tuesday 8 April 1777.

TARTARIAN OATS. TO be SOLD by WILLIAM EVERS, of Swillington, near Leeds, of his own Raising, produced from the Original Sample.
They yield a very large Increase, and are different in their Growing from any other Oats. They will be delivered at Mr Samuel Vincent’s, the Golden-Lion, Leeds; at Mr Lodge’s, the Red-Lion, in Pontefract, and at Mr Bleasby’s, the Talbot, in Wakefield, at Seven Shillings and Six-Pence per Bushel.

Jackson’s Oxford Journal. Saturday 18 September 1792.

On Saturday fortnight, at Woodlesford, Leeds, a boy, about eleven years old, the son of Joseph Teal, of Oulton, was caught by the machinery of the windmill used for drawing up corn, and his body mangled in so shocking a manner, that he died instantaneously. He was literally torn to pieces.

Perthshire Courier. Thursday 04 October 1810.

On Sunday the 2nd instant, Mr Jackson, druggist, of Dewsbury, paid a visit to a friend in Rothwell gaol. There he thoughtlessly indulged too freely over the bottle, and, on his setting out to return home, in a state of intoxication, had to pass near a Methodist meeting-house.

The people there being engaged in their religious service, he judged it a fine frolic to ride in, and go near the pulpit, and disturb the congregation at their devotion; for which imprudent act he was taken into custody, and carried back to the prison, where he was kept in confinement during the night.

Having appointed to meet Mrs Jackson (who was on her return from the funeral of her sister) at Wakefield that evening, to go home with her to Dewsbury, he scrawled a note to her, which was unfortunately not delivered till next morning.

Sorrow for the loss of her sister, and alarm at the non-appearance of her husband, preyed upon her mind during the whole of the night, nor was her anxiety alleviated by the receipt of his letter.

In this state of mind, she proceeded in a chaise for Dewsbury on Monday morning, where she arrived in a wretched situation, and was soon seized with the pains of premature labour.

For several hours she was alone in the house where she was delivered herself, and this terrible state, was she found in the evening, almost in a state of exhaustion, by her wretched husband. All means tried to save her proved ineffectual – she languished till Thursday morning, and expired.

The melancholy event deprived her husband of his senses, and derangement was soon accompanied by a violent fever, which terminated his existence the next Thursday.

Leeds Intelligencer. Thursday 10 September 1829. Dreadful Thunder Storm and Narrow Escape.

On Monday afternoon, about three o’clock, a severe thunder storm passed over this neighbourhood, and did considerable damage in several places. As Mr. Robert Whitehead, mason and builder, of Woodlesford, about five miles from Leeds, on the Pontefract road, was surveying some buildings which be has recently erected there, the electric fluid struck the chimney of one of the houses and threw it down, carrying along with it a considerable portion of the roof. Mr. Whitehead, as well as three other individuals, who were in different rooms of that and the adjoining house, was knocked down by the force of the shock.

The other individuals miraculously escaped unhurt, but Mr. Whitehead was taken up for dead, having received a stroke on his right side which rendered him insensible for some time. Mr. Hindle, the surgeon, of Oulton, having promptly attended and afforded him every assistance which medical skill could devise, he recovered his faculties in about half an hour, and though now confined to his house, we believe there is every reason to hope he will speedily recover.

Such was the severity of the shock, that his right shoe was shattered to pieces and thrown from his foot. His stocking, and the right side of his small clothes were entirely consumed, together with the lapels of his coat. Even his shirt had several holes burned in it, and his side was much scorched.

The damage to the building was not confined to the chimney and the roof, as nearly 100 squares of glass were destroyed, several of the window frames being completely blown out, and the glass in the others being shattered, though the frames remained in the walls. The plastering and under-drawing were knocked off, and all the doors in the interior, as well as the washboards, were completely broken, and many of them splintered.

A brother of Mr. Whitehead’s, who was in the room which sustained the most injury, had a miraculous escape, having received no other injury than being stunned by the shock. The house was so completely filled with sulphur after the shock, that it was difficult for the persons to see each other, but it soon evaporated through the rent in the roof.

A Mrs. Prince, whose residence is some 40 or 50 yards from Mr. Whitehead’s premises, was also struck by the electric fluid, but the only injury she sustained was a slight scorching about her neck. Mrs. Hutchinson, the wife of Mr. Hutchinson, the grocer, who resides about 200 yards distant, was knocked down, but received no further injury.