Poor Old Horse

In former days groups of men would perform 'The Old Horse', a sort of play, at various places in North Derbyshire at Christmas and New Year. In Yorkshire it was 'The White Horse'. In Lancashire, at Easter, it was known as 'Old Ball'. Dore people always associated it with New Year's Day.

The Old Horse at Dore

Their visitors were from Dronfield. Five or six of them would walk to Dore via Holmesfield. One carried a horse's head on a pole, with a black cloak attached. The late Peter Bradley recalled 'This was a papier mâché‐type head of a horse, with big white rings round the eyes, massive teeth and jingling bridles.' It was built round a horse’s skull. Its eyes were made of glass bottle bottoms, painted red in the middle and its ears were stuffed with white cotton.

Dore Memories

On the way they dropped in at all the pubs and some of the farms and houses. Lynne Bufton remembered that they called at several houses in Dore Road and the two village pubs before visiting The Mount in Causeway Head Road where she then lived. Lorraine Evans recalled open‐air performances in the village centre. When Peter was young they would also come into Barkers Row.

The Performance

Outside the man playing the horse put the head on and the cloak covered him up. Then they sang the first verse of the Old Horse song:

We have a poor Old Horse,
And he's standing at your door,
And if you wish to let him in,
He'll please you all I'm sure.
Chorus: Poor Old Horse, Poor Old Horse.

Once inside they continued with several more verses as the horse acted out his life story. This was basically the same wherever it was performed, but there were local variants in the text of the song.

He had strings inside his head to open his mouth. Peter described it like this: 'There was somebody underneath it working the jaws, and it used to clomp, clomp, clomp like a crocodile'. Lynne recalled what the horse‐actor did as the song progressed. 'He would lift the head high, chomping the jaws open/shut at the beginning when the horse was young, lowering it as he grew old eating short grass, until finally he died and lay on the floor'. Then the man nearest would kick his rump and say 'Gerrup Bob!', then a tot of whisky would revive him and the collection box was passed round.

The last performance of the night was at the Dore Moor Inn, then all the troupe went home by taxi. 'Mind you', said Lorraine, 'they were three sheets in the wind by the time they got here, in the first place'. So no wonder if they forgot some of their lines or brought in original Dore variants!

When the Old Horse appeared in the village, Lorraine found it a bit frightening. So did Peter and his young friends when the beast visited Barkers Row. 'He used to turn round, and we as small boys used to run up Townhead Road absolutely scared of the thing'.

The Old Horse Custom

What was the point of the Old Horse, apart from earning a few young men their beer money? The antiquarian S.O. Addy suggested that it was originally a ritual symbolizing the dying of the old year and the birth of the new. Again and again primitive societies acted out what they wanted to happen so as to make it happen. The Easter date in Lancashire, though, may reflect a Christianizing influence.

The Old Horse ceremony had died out locally by the 1970s. But we know it was performed at the Hare and Hounds in 1971. And at Padstow in Cornwall on May Day two 'Obby Osses' still cavort through the streets to welcome summer in.

You can read about the performance of 'Poor Old Horse' in Dore on 1st January 1971 and listen to a recording made on the day on The Yorkshire Garland Group website. (opens in a new tab)

Here are all the verses:

1. We have a poor owd horse,
   And he's standing at your door,
   And if you wish to let him in
   He'll please you all I'm sure.
   Poor owd horse, poor owd horse.
2. He once was a young horse
   And in his youthful prime;
   His master used to ride on him
   And he thought him very fine.
   Poor owd horse, poor owd horse.
3. But now he's getting owd
   And his nature doth decay,
   He's forced to nab yon short grass
   That grows beneath yon way.
   Poor owd horse, poor owd horse.
4. He's eaten all my hay
   And he's spoile'd all my straw;
   He's neither fit to ride upon,
   Nor e'en attempt to draw.
   Poor owd horse, poor owd horse.
5. We'll whip him, hunt him, slash him
   And a‐hunting let him go,
   Over hedges, over ditches,
   Over fancy gates and stiles.
   Poor owd horse, poor owd horse.
6. I'll ride him to the huntsman;
   So freely I will give
   My body to the hounds then
   I'd rather die than live.
   Poor owd horse, poor owd horse.
7. Thy poor owd bones,
   They shall lie beneath yon ground
   And never more be thought of
   By all the hunting round.
   Poor owd horse, thou must die.

Spoken: Get up Bob

A Wartime Christmas in Dore

Imperial War Museum, © IWM (Art.IWM PST 16433)

Childhood Memories of Christmas in 1944

In this post two longstanding residents talk about their memories of Christmas in Dore and Totley from 80 years ago. In addition there are some comments from contributors to the Dore Oral History Project. I was surprised by how similar it was to today and how traditions prevail. The children of 1944 were well and truly in holiday mode as school Christmas holidays lasted 4 weeks. It was explained to me that schools were open on Saturday mornings to compensate.

Christmas Day

Christmas Day started with the traditional present opening by the children. It was a pillow case rather than a stocking, which I had imagined. Oranges were there as a real treat. There was a Christmas post and people tried to time their cards to arrive on the day. There were decorations in the house. The artificial Christmas tree came out each year as it was difficult to access any real ones. The decorations were rather ancient from before the war and holly and other greens supplemented it.

Toys – Old and New

Imperial War Museum, © IWM (EPH 3663)

What were the toys which children loved to receive? A train set in the attic was popular and additions to the engines and carriages were gratefully received. It was interesting to note that often these toys were second hand or hand made. Children did not have many toys but they were encouraged to use what was around and use their imaginations. Old prams could be taken apart and the wheels would make an excellent trolley to whiz down Furniss Avenue.

The immediate neighbourhood was quite close and those without children would give presents to the children. One memory is of receiving a Raleigh bicycle; a special present for Christmas and also for passing the 11 plus exam. This was bought from Halfords in town and cycled back. No mean feat for an 11 year old. Grandparents who lived locally would entertain the grandchildren on Christmas Day and one of the interviewees remembered an exploding snowman with small presents being thrown out to the children.

A Party and Presents for the Choir Boys

Each year families went to church at 9.30am on Christmas Day and boys were often in the choir. The choirmaster, Arthur Farnsworth, was central to the children’s celebrations in the wartime Christmas. He would collect from the wealthy people in Dore Road and obtain sufficient funds to provide each choirboy with one or two superb books which were given to them at a Christmas party. The boys had to be on their best behaviour. The choir party was held in the Village Hall and was the big event of Christmas. Then the boy wrote to the person who had given the book a thank you letter. There was a sticker inside donated by so and so.

Food and Entertainment

Memories of the Christmas food surprised me. I had thought rationing would affect the type of food. Not so in Dore and Totley as there were strong links with the local farmers. The children were expected to work on growing food in the garden and on the allotments. There was healthy home grown food and honey. People had their way of saving up some ingredients through the year. So for one of my interviewees, they had a turkey and the usual accompaniments. Christmas puddings were made and a silver 'thrupence' in it on Christmas Day. There was also Christmas cake. The friends from over the road came to Christmas dinner and then they reciprocated on Boxing Day for one interviewee. It was more economical to share in this way.

After dinner the radio was on and they sat round and listened to the King's speech. In the years around about 1944 Sheffield Wednesday and Sheffield United played their Christmas Day matches which was an alternative entertainment. Boys played the traditional football game on Christmas Day and Boxing Day and there was rivalry between Dore and Totley. The boys' team was in the Hope Valley league. Things could become quite heated with scrapping in one corner of the field or touchline because they did not agree with a decision.

Sirens Sounded on Christmas Eve

There were "Doodlebugs" flying over in late 1944 and sirens would frequently wail. On Christmas Eve 1944, "45 Doodlebugs were launched off the Yorkshire coast from beneath Heinkel He111 bombers flying over the North Sea. The bombers released the V1s aimed at Manchester, then turned back to base."

Of those V1s that didn't reach their target one fell in Beighton and, it is rumoured, one may have fallen at Ringinglow. Overall though, the children of Dore were able to enjoy their Christmas at a time when their parents were going without and sacrificing much for the war effort.

Thanks go to Judith Hubbard and David Kirkman who have contributed their memories and the Dore Oral History Project transcriptions. These three toys were carried around through the war and have survived to this day. They are a black Hawaiian girl doll, a Snow White (received before the war and bought at Abbeydale Picture House) and 'Jock' the dog face softy who recently completed the teddy zip wire challenge from the top of Christ Church Dore Bell Tower (Autumn 2023).

Links

"How Britain Celebrated Christmas During The Second World War" can be found on the Imperial War Museum web site. (opens in a new tab)

More information about the Christmas Eve V1 attack on Manchester can be found on aircrashsites.co.uk (opens in a new tab)

Burglary in Dore!

The Rent Day Burglary

Collier Samuel Sykes had his home in Dore burgled on Wednesday 3^rd June 1874 between nine and eleven o'clock at night. The story, as pieced together from accounts in the Sheffield Daily Telegraph for 8^th and 13^th June and 4^th July 1874 and the Sheffield Independent for 15^th and 20^th June 1874, is as follows. Samuel lived in East Rushley, now known as Rushley Road. His house, Rushley Cottage, was rented from the Duke of Devonshire.

The rent was due on 3^rd June, so Samuel went after work to the Hare and Hounds Inn (known locally as "Mrs Parkin's") to pay it. His wife Hannah had already gone there to assist Mrs Parkin, who had to provide food and drink for the many rent payers.

The Break In

Hannah, who had locked the house door before she left, found when she got home that someone had broken into the house via the pantry window, which had been smashed, and provisions and crockery had been stolen.

Samuel immediately contacted Sergeant Borritt of Dronfield, who "obtained evidence causing him to suspect that several well-known characters living at Dore were the guilty parties."

He summoned assistance and obtained the necessary authority, then searched the house in Dore occupied by an "old man" named William Wragg and his two sons, labourers Mark and Albert Wragg; the sons, according to the newspaper account, were "better known under the alias of Unwins".

The Police Search

When he searched William Wragg's house on the afternoon of 4^th June, Sergeant Borritt found not only some of the items stolen from Samuel Sykes but also many other stolen items, said to be too numerous to list in full. Items which were identified by their owners included:

• A valuable double‐barrelled gun and an ivory‐handled carving knife and fork stolen from its owner, master grinder William Barker of Heeley, a little more than six months before
• An electro‐plated silver pint tankard belonging to, and bearing the name of, Joe Rowbotham, innkeeper, of Ecclesall Road – a well‐known cricketer
• A riding saddle and stirrups, peck measures, and a toast‐rack belonging to farmer Joseph Coates of Dore
• Three sieves belonging to Joseph Coates's sister
• Part of a sack of linseed meal taken from Mr Green's
• A new horse rug stolen from Mr W H Haig, cab proprietor, Ecclesall Road
• A set of fire‐irons belonging to Mr W Fisher of Dore
• A barndoor fowl belonging to Mr Flint, farmer of Dore (this would have been an ordinary hen or cockerel which lived in the farmyard).

The Culprits Apprehended

Sergeant Borritt also apprehended one of the Wraggs. He recovered so much stolen property that he had to hire a horse and cart and make at least two trips from Dore to the police station at Dronfield, first with the prisoner and some of the stolen property, and then with the rest of the stolen property.

Although witnesses said that the Wraggs had been seen loitering about the burgled premises at various times, and one of the Wragg brothers admitted that his father and brother were "at fault", some surprise was expressed in the village that the Wraggs were "a gang of robbers" — they had apparently not previously been suspected of dishonesty, and an (unnamed) unfortunate young man who also lived in Dore had been wrongfully suspected of the thefts.

The Court Appearance and Sentencing

The father and sons appeared before the magistrates on various charges of burglary and theft, and were committed to the Derby Quarter Sessions on Tuesday 30^th June. They were said to have been engaged in a systematic course of robbery for nearly two years.

They were acquitted of the charge of stealing Joseph Flint's barn door fowl, but Mark Wragg was found guilty of stealing, and William and Albert of receiving, two and a half loaves of bread, four pounds of lard, two earthenware jars, and other articles belonging to Samuel Sykes. Five other charges of theft were not proceeded with. The prisoners were each sentenced to 12 months' imprisonment with hard labour.

Dore and District Rifle Club and the Wilson Family

Dore and District Rifle Club

The rifle range at Totley Bents, constructed for military use, opened on 15th September 1900. Shortly afterwards, some Dore residents decided to form a rifle club; this would be affiliated with the National Rifle Association and would have the use of the Totley range (Sheffield Evening Telegraph, 18th January 1901). By 30th March 1901, the Sheffield Daily Telegraph could state that Dore and Totley Rifle Club was:

....making capital progress. It has now seventy members, with Mr. William Wilson, of Beauchief Hall, as president, with an influential body of patrons and vice-presidents… Practice with the Morris tube takes place every Tuesday and Thursday in the Dore schoolroom. It is hoped to get on the Totley Range in four or five weeks.

The Club, now known as Dore and District Rifle Club, held its opening shoot on 27th June 1901; its president was still William Wilson of Beauchief Hall, and its patrons included Ebenezer Hall and William Aldam Milner of Totley Hall. The Sheffield Daily Telegraph for 28th June 1901 reported William Wilson as saying, at the opening shoot, that:

Every Englishman ought to know how to handle a rifle.…Twenty-five years ago he was a good shot with the military rifle, but he found now that he could not begin where he left off. He fancied there was too much lying down about the shooting of to-day. If fifty Boers appeared on Strawberry Lee — and personally he wished they would — the Dore riflemen would have to take cover and not sprawl full length on a flat bit of ground. In conclusion, Mr. Wilson expressed a strong wish that every man would become a good marksman, and then Boers and "Bonies" would not be likely to interfere with us.

The report added that subscription to the Rifle Club had been fixed at a low price as the committee wished to encourage working class membership.

Courtesy of Picture Sheffield, reference s04021

Too much lying down…

Civilian shooters at Totley Rifle Range, early 1900s; the standing figure in uniform presumably had some overall responsibility for the site.

Wilsons & Co — Snuff Manufacturers

Joseph Wilson was the first to manufacture snuff at Sharrow Mills; he was doing so as long ago as 1746. The finely ground tobacco, to be sniffed, was sold in small tins such as that shown here. Joseph's son and grandson, both named William Wilson, continued the family business.

Joseph's grandson, William Wilson II, moved to Dore at some time between the 1851 and 1861 censuses, living in a house on Limb Lane known variously as Abbey View, Moss House, and The Moss. Joseph’s great grandson, William Wilson III, was born on 11th July 1850, when his parents were living at Whiteley Wood, but he was living in Dore at the latest by the time he was 10.

William Wilson III

In 1868, aged 18, William Wilson III joined the family firm, Wilsons and Company, snuff manufacturers, of Sharrow Mills; he became a partner in the firm in 1878. In addition to his role in the family business, he held a commission in the 4th West Yorks Artillery Volunteers from 1871 to 1876, and was a JP for Derbyshire from 1899 until shortly before his death in 1927. He was a keen proponent of blood sports: Master of the Barlow hounds for 16 seasons between 1878 and 1900, he was also said to be a grouse shot of considerable skill. His favourite shooting locations were thought to be the Hallam and Stanedge Moors which, according to the Sheffield Daily Telegraph for 3rd August 1927, he owned until a month before his death.

At the time of the 1881 census, William III was living with his wife, Fanny, and infant son William, in Clarkehouse Road in Sheffield, but by 1891 they had moved to Beauchief Abbey (also known as Beauchief Hall), near Dore. The family now included William IV's younger siblings - Winifred, May, and Violet.

William Wilson Junior

The Skilled Shot Certificate pictured here was awarded to William Wilson junior at an event held by the Dore Rifle Club at Totley Rifle Range on 25th July 1906: he had made a score of 87 points (HPS 105 points), at 200, 500, and 600 yards with a Service Rifle. William Wilson junior (William Wilson IV) was the son of Club President William Wilson III. Three years later, on 1st July 1909, at Christ Church, Dore, he married Marjorie Milner, the daughter of William Aldam Milner of Totley Hall, one of the patrons of the Dore and District Rifle Club. The Sheffield Daily Telegraph for 2nd July 1909 noted that this was the first wedding at which the new church bells were rung.

The Chatsworth Rifles

William and Marjorie Wilson set up home at Horsleygate, in Holmesfield. The website for Horsleygate Hall, now home to the Moore family, suggests that William Wilson IV’s shooting prowess was put to good use in the First World War. It states that, in 1915, he joined the Chatsworth Rifles — the 16th Battalion of the Sherwood Foresters — which was raised at Derby by the Duke of Devonshire and the Derbyshire Territorial Force Association on 16th April 1915. He fought on the Western Front, and was taken prisoner on 27th March 1918 at Lagnicourt. He was then held at Karlsruhe prisoner of war camp, and repatriated on 29th November 1918.

Lightning Strikes!

In the News: Stormy Weather in Dore

Over the years it appears that Dore could be a dangerous place in a thunderstorm - particularly in July and August.

Lightning strikes brought down chimney stacks and set fire to haystacks. The storm of 1900 occurred after intense heat of 77° Fahrenheit (25°C) and caused widespread disruption in Sheffield.

Here are extracts from the newspapers of four reports concerning Dore, some of which ended in tragedy.

Derby Mercury: 23rd August 1871

On Friday evening, about 5 o’clock, a terrific thunderstorm burst over the village of Dore causing great damage to property, and in one instance at least, the loss of life. When the storm commenced a young man named George William Shepherdson, was assisting his master, Mr Edward Reeves, Farmer, Dore, to thatch a stack. In order to escape the threatened storm the two took shelter under the lee side of the stack, but had hardly done so when a flash of lightning of unusual brilliance lighted up the neighbourhood, and apparently enveloped the stack in a sheet of flame. Mr Reeves exclaimed to his companion ’George, that stack is on fire’. Receiving no reply he turned to Shepherdson, but found him quite dead. Mr Reeves himself, who was seriously injured, will, it is hoped, recover.

Derbyshire Times: 10th August 1878

The tower of Abbeydale House, formerly the residence of Joseph Rodgers Esq. was struck and the weather-cock bent. The Vicarage at Dore was struck by lightning. The electric fluid made a hole in the roof of the servants’ wing and after following the course of the bell-wires finally buried itself in the ground. A servant in the kitchen was slightly injured and all the bells were rendered useless.

Derby Mercury: 5th July 1893

Sheffield and the neighbourhood was on Monday visited by another thunderstorm, accompanied by rain, and although it was not of a very violent character, one death was reported. Mr Joseph Mossley, farmer of Ryecroft Farm, Dore, while at work in the Hayfield was struck by lightning and instantly killed. It is stated that the deceased was trying to protect himself from the rain by holding over his head a bunch of hay with the hayfork. A terrific flash of lightning occurred, and he fell.

Sheffield Daily Telegraph: Saturday 21 July 1900

In the Sheffield district the storm was of the utmost severity, and numerous accidents - fortunately most of them of a minor character - are reported. The telephone arrangements were seriously interfered with, and nearly all over the city the call bells were kept continuously ringing. The telegraph also suffered as a result of the storm, and the electric tramways were affected to such an extent that on some of the routes there was considerable delay.

The article includes an account of the damage caused to three houses on Cricket Inn Road by one lightning strike when the telephone wire attached to the house of police-sergeant Shearman was struck.

The wire was cut in two, and the electric current dividing itself, one part proceeded along the wire towards Darnall, and the other went through the roof into Shearman's house, tearing away part of the roofs of both a bedroom and the floor below.

The report continues:

It is somewhat singular that the electric fluid which passed along the wire in the opposite direction entered the house P.C. James Dye. First the chimney stack was demolished, and then two fireplaces, one in the bedroom and one in the sitting room, were torn out, the bricks being hurled across the floor. The current also entered the adjoining house of Robert Langwell.

Despite three houses being damaged nobody was injured. It was a different story in Dore however.

A farm labourer named Thomas Hallan, aged 16, employed at Whitelow Farm, Dore, was last evening struck by lightning whilst writing a letter near a window in a hayloft. He was killed on the spot, and the lightning, going through the floor to a stable beneath, killed a horse. Dr. Thorne, of Dore, was called to see Hallan, and he pronounced life to be extinct. Two men were in the stable when the horse was killed, but they escaped uninjured.

An inquest into the death of Thomas Hallam was held the following week. The coroner returned a verdict of Accidental Death.