Memories of Fred Hayhurst

His son, Ron Hayhurst, has written about Fred (everyone called him Fred not James) and his life in Bolton, including the family’s own tragic World War One story.

Although named James after his father, he was always called by his second name, shortened to Fred, says Ron.

Ron’s father died at the age of 89 in 1999, but had spoken extensively to his son about his life in Bolton and here is his story.

He hopes that his memories of his father will bring back memories for other people who knew him, or had similar upbringings to Fred.

Fred was born at 23 Peace Street in the Rumworth area of Bolton in Deane, on February 27, 1910.

His father, James was a fireman with the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Company, and his mother Annie, before they had married, had worked in a cotton mill.

She gave up work when they married. Stanley, Fred’s only brother, was born at their new address in Gibbon Street in September 1911.

A large photograph of the boys, probably taken in the summer of 1912, always remained on display. It hung alongside the Gustav Becker wall clock which the family still has.

Sadly the photograph did not survive and it was the only picture of Stanley, as tragedy struck in August 1912 when he died from meningitis.

“I remember my father saying that he seemed to recall Stanley had taken a tumble and severely banged his head,” says Ron.

He was buried in the Marsh family grave in the cemetery of Deane Parish Church, although his name never appeared on the headstone.

In another family tragedy his mother’s 19-year-old sister Florence had died after a short illness and had been buried there only three years previously. She and her younger sister Elizabeth (Lizzie) had lived with their parents James and Mary Ellen Marsh about half a mile away at 6 Bankfield Street, just off Deane Road.

Not far away lived Fred’s other grandparents William and Emily Hayhurst, at 24 Howcroft Street.

Stanley’s death had a devastating effect on the family.

Fred told his son he remembers being taken by his mother to put flowers on the grave of Stanley and Florence almost every week.

They walked there and back, a distance of more than a mile each way.

At four years old Fred caused a panic among his family members after deciding to show their neighbour’s daughters, also aged about four, where his brother was buried.

“The pair made it to the family grave, but strayed towards Deane Clough and the river on the way back.

“By then a full scale search was under way with his mother thinking she had lost another son,” says Ron.

It was three hours later when they were found.

There was another incident that could have ended very differently when Fred was skating on an icy Rumworth Lodge.

He recounted that as the ice cracked under him he flung himself away sideways and the ice held just enough for him to scramble clear. “ He was keen to hold back from mentioning this when he got home for fear of the punishment that would be dealt out for disobeying instructions,” adds Ron.

As was often the case in those days Fred’s extended family was not far away.

His father had two brothers, William and Ernest and a younger brother called Stanley and sister called Emily.

Ernest had had two daughters, Emily and Ethel. William married Jessie and emigrated to Cook, Chicago before Fred was born, but he did see them in 1920 when they came home for a visit.

His mother’s one remaining sister (Lizzie) lived at home in Bankfield Street until she married in 1920 so Fred was about 11 before Elizabeth’s daughter, Dorothy was born.

Throughout his life he maintained a connection with his cousins, apart from those in America.

Walter and Emily also spent a short time in Chicago but returned to Bolton. They were the only ones who kept in touch with William and Jessie.

Church was a big part of the family’s life as it was for most families in Bolton at that time.

Grandma and grandpa Marsh, when living in Jauncey Street and later in Bankfield Street were close to St Saviour Church —a major landmark which fronted Deane Road.

The Marsh family went there and James Marsh was the verger for the church for 33 years — probably until his death aged 64, in 1921.

Fred was christened there although by contrast James Hayhurst, in the Hayhurst tradition, was a Wesleyan and had attended Fern Street Methodist Sunday School just a short distance away.

Lizzie Marsh was a chorister at St Saviour’s for 20 years and, for a few years, so was Fred.

“He recalled how the church was very much part of the local community and how it enjoyed it, especially at Christmas time with plays and carols and things to eat.

“During the week there was also some activity — often referred to as fellowship — where people just enjoyed each other’s company.

“Lizzie sent me a cutting from The Bolton Evening News showing the church before its demolition in 1975 when it was still only 90 years old. How times have changed,” says Ron.

For some years Fred was the only grandson for both sides of the family.

Locomotive drivers were fairly well paid, explains Ron, and James, along with most railway employees had a secure job.

The family would have felt reasonably well off and Fred, says his son, was lucky enough to have a Meccano set and in his early teens had two small steam engines to drive the models he had made .

These engines are still treasured possessions in the family, but the Meccano was sold.

“He was also lucky enough to be given a folding Ensign camera. It would be about this time he managed a few trips on the footplate with his father’s engine.

“A regular trip for James was from Bolton to Hellifield and back,” says Ron.

At the age of five Fred became a pupil at nearby Sunning Hill School.

By now war had broken out and his father, as a locomotive driver worked long hours away from home.

Fred remembered going up to the higher ground of Brickfields so he could spot when the bread delivery was on its way and could then dash down and be at the front of the queue.

His uncle Stanley, who left school to be a trainee book keeper, enlisted on Mary 15, 1915 at Fletcher Street Barracks in Bolton with the 2/5th Battalion of The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment. Initially this had been a territorial unit and training took place over the next two years before Stanley finally sailed for Flanders in February 1917.

Fred recalled Stanley coming home on leave for a few days in the following September before returning to the front line.

Tragedy struck on October 26, 1917 when Stanley was killed in action in the drive towards Passchendaele.

“I think the shock of Stanley's’ death was felt all the more so because of his recent leave back home,” says Ron.

“The sudden loss of his baby brother to meningitis had so devastated his mother that she rarely went out, with a consequence that Fred was always running errands – and missing school,” explains Ron.

He would spend time at home, rather than school, to keep his mother company.

Although, he says, handling the money for the errands soon made Fred top of the class in mental arithmetic, the missed schooling had left him sadly depleted in the skills of reading and writing.

Shortly after their 10th birthday pupils would take their scholarship exam which, if passed, would provide free education at the senior school.

This would be The Municipal Secondary School or Bolton School and lead pupils to take The School Certificate or even the Higher School Certificate (this was before GCE or GCSE examinations).

Fred just failed his scholarship exam, but sometime later, while still at Sunning Hill he was asked to sit a selection exam for the soon to be opened White Bank School.

And in 1922 James Frederick Hayhurst was one of the school’s first pupils.

“The exam grades were from A to F. His Grade C pass was sufficient for him to be selected at the age of 12 for the first intake of this brand new school.

“He spoke enthusiastically about the excellent headmaster and staff. The headmaster, who lived in Tonge Moor Road, was a keen amateur astronomer and some of the pupils were invited to visit his home to partake in searching the heavens.

“He also had a cat’s whisker radio with which the pupils were able to listen for the very first time to the newly commenced BBC broadcasts on“2 L O”.

“Fred loved such scientific and practical things and admits that it was only then that he started to like school,” says Ron.

“Another teacher Fred remembered was Paddy Walker. He also commented that it was “touch and go” whether French might be taught at White Bank, but it didn’t happen while he was there.”

In his first year Fred became school athletics champion and was able to repeat this the following year. Later he was made head prefect.

Ron said: “He was a natural sportsman and loved football. Fred was not only a keen footballer; he was good at it. His team, Bolton Wanderers had won the FA cup in 1923 in the newly opened Wembley Stadium and Bolton was buzzing with football fever.

“In the newly opened school, plenty of encouragement was given to the football team.

“In 1924, with Fred as captain, and playing centre forward, they became the top school team in Bolton by winning The Stanley Shield awarded to The Schools of Bolton.

“Among the team members was Frank Dawson who went on to play for Manchester United.”

There are two other famous faces who were in the team and are possibly among the unnamed in the photograph says Ron including Gilbert (Gilly) Richmond, who subsequently played for Burnley FC, and David Jack, who scored in every round of this challenge cup.

He was later associated with Plymouth FC, either as a player or manager or possibly through his son.

Ron said: “Fred also referred to Rollo Jack “in reserves” but the context is no longer clear.

“All were to leave school that year, having reached 14 years, and Fred might also have considered a football career. In the event he was persuaded to take a seven year apprenticeship as a plumber and glazier with the well established Bolton firm of Robert Walsh.”

n The story of his life continues next week.