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The Eventful Arrivals No. 1March 1986
WATER AND SEWERAGE.
From The Barwicker No. 67
Sept. 2002
To the majority of the parishioners of
Barwick, water is now an easily accessible
commodity. At the turn of the tap, they are able
to obtain a plentiful supply of cool, clear,
drinkable water. In the past I had often
wondered for just how many years this has been
possible.
Water has, of course, always been
available to the villagers of Barwick via springs
and wells. Every group of cottages, every farm
and every person of note appeared to have their
own well, although the quality of the water
appeared to vary, as indeed did the availability.
The most reliable source was the 'Parish Pump'
situated in Aberford Road - it never ceased to
satisfy all the needs of the local community.
In the past the body responsible for
ensuring that Barwick had an available supply of
water was Tadcaster Rural District Council
(TRDC). At the beginning of the 20th. century
much more effort was made to provide a piped
supply by boring for water at Kiddal Quarry,
which was situated at the northern end of
Potterton Lane at the other side of 'Tadcaster
Road' (now York Road). A scheme was devised and
the details of this are succinctly described in a
previous article (see 'The Barwicker No.3).
After many trials and tribulations
however, the scheme was never completed - mainly
due to untimely local government reorganisation.
At a meeting of the Parish Council (PC) in June
1913, it was agreed that the TRDC be 'urged' to
proceed with piped water supply for the parish
and also to get something definite' settled with
Leeds Corporation as there was a continuing
shortage of water.
In December 1913, a 'book of reference'
and 'attendant notices' together with appropriate
plans were laid before a meeting of the PC
regarding the Leeds Corporation Water Bill. The
contents of these documents did not appear to
have been noted and no action was taken. The
following month the Parish Pump, which was
becoming less reliable, was in need of urgent
attention. PC minutes reveal that the rather
complicated tender of Richard Stead of Thorner,
for new pump and keeping the existing pump in
good repair for two years, at a total cost of £7
should be accepted. Also if the old pump was not
required after two years, Richard Stead would
allow £3-10-0 for the same - the work to be
carried out the next time the old pump required
repairing Following further discussion however
some councillors proposed an amendment that 'the
new pump' be installed at once. The amendment
was carried on the casting vote of the Chairman.
Exactly a year later (1915), the TRDC
asked the PC if it would be prepared to waive
royalties on the water (not piped) supplied from
Kiddal Quarry if water was to be supplied to
'outside parishes'. Members of the PC discussed
the situation at great length. Some councillors
suggested a royalty of 'one farthing per 1000
gallons of water' taken from Kiddal quarry.
Other councillors suggested a royalty of 'one
half penny per 1000 gallons'. After the taking
of two apparently meaningless votes for and
against the above proposals it was finally agreed
(5 for, nil against, 3 neutral) that the royalty
be 'one half penny per 1000 gallons but the
Chairman to be empowered to alter the same to one
farthing if he considered that the former price
would stand in the way of providing the proposed
water supplies from Kiddal Quarry. At the next
meeting of the PC, the Chairman announced that it
had been mutually agreed that the royalty be 'one
half penny per 1000 gallons' - up to 80,000
gallons and 'one farthing per 1000 gallons' for
water above this quantity taken from the quarry
per day.
Between March 1915 and November 1919 the
PC did not appear to be very much concerned about
a water supply - although intermittent
correspondence had occurred. In March 1920, the
TRDC intimated that it was now considering a
comprehensive water scheme for Barwick.
Meanwhile the PC started to worry about
supplying the surrounding villages as Barwick now
had a very serious shortage of water.
Amazingly the next reference in the PC
minutes relating to water was a complaint
regarding the condition of a Barwick Road
footpath following the laying of a water main!
This was in June 1922. I think that it could now
be said with some conviction that a piped water
supply was now arriving in Barwick. After
recently speaking to a former senior engineer at
TRDC, I was informed that the supply to Barwick
and Scholes came via a 6" cast iron pipe from
Leeds and was metered, by volume, adjacent to the
former railway bridge at Stanks. This main then
passed through Scholes and Barwick to also supply
the villages of Aberford, Barkston Ash, Sherburn
and South Milford. In the early 1950s an
extension was laid from Barwick village to
Potterton Hall - with a branch line to the Fox
and Grapes public house. In 1962 the water
supply to Barwick became the full responsibility
of Leeds Corporation (now Leeds City Council).
It was also of interest to learn that it
was as late as 1957 when Tadcaster eventually
received piped water. This came via a 12" main
which was laid from Leeds alongside the route of
the A64. Prior to 1957 Tadcaster had received a
water supply from boreholes in Bilborough.
Logically, having now achieved an adequate
water supply, the next requirement would be an
efficient sewerage system. It was in June 1923
that the PC was delighted to receive plans and
estimates for a combined Scholes and Barwick
sewerage scheme. The PC was in fact so delighted
that the Clerk was instructed to convey its
appreciation of the efficient manner in which the
scheme had been submitted and prepared by the
TRDC sanitary inspector. Two months later
however the Clerk was instructed to contact TRDC
regarding the continuing unsatisfactory condition
and the 'menace to public health' of the sanitary
arrangements in Barwick Terrace. In December
1928 a request was made for the a full time man
to keep both the Scholes and the Barwick sewage
works in order. During the next decade many
problems emerged - partially due to the ever
increasing population of the two villages.
At a meeting of the PC held on 4 September
1939 - the day immediately following the outbreak
of World War II - although this was apparently of
little significance and no mention is made in the
PC minutes! - the then Ministry of Heath
allocated 'special expenses' to local authorities
for the replacement of earth closets by water
closets.
The TRDC then realised that any local
springs and wells could be of use as a source of
emergency water supplies. In May 1941, the TRDC
considered that members of the public should know
which springs/wells (of those remaining) could be
used as a source of drinking water. The Parish
Clerk was instructed to ask the TRDC if it would
be in order for the PC to engage the services of
an analyst to make the necessary tests. It is
interesting to note that, prior to the receipt of
a reply, the analysts charges were found to be
£2-2-0 per sample and so the PC immediately
resolved that no further action was to be taken.
It was not until March 1943 that the PC provided
a list of 'suitable' springs/wells in the Parish
- three years after receiving a request for same.
It can only be assumed, that during the
continuing period of the war, the PC and the
parishioners were otherwise occupied and did not
concern themselves with water/sewage problems.
In 1946 however many complaints were
received with regard to the sanitary
arrangements in Barwick Terrace. The PC received
a deputation with regard to the bad state of
repair. broken doors, offensive smell and danger
to children. The TRDC was duly informed and the
sanitary inspector agreed to attend and "look
into the matter" - a most unfortunate minute. He
duly visited and recommended immediate conversion
to WCs The problem remained unsolved however as
two months later the chief sanitary inspector
visited the site and indicated that conversion
was impossible. There was no adjacent sewer
available. Some repairs were later carried out.
In August 1947 it became known that the
'attendant' had not done any work on either the
Scholes or Barwick sewage works. This was
reported to the TRDC which stated that the
attendant had now 'resigned'.
In October 1947 there began the saga of
'Threlfall's Yard'. A complainant stated that
there was only one earth closet for two cottages
- also used by the caf‚ customers - whilst the
owner of the caf‚ had a WC recently installed (in
the same yard) for his sole use. The problem was
drawn to the attention of the TRDC, which after
much correspondence and many visits informed the
PC that the site had now been inspected - there
are in fact two earth closets - one for each of
the two cottages. Also Mr Threlfall's personal
WC had been in use for the past 10 years and that
the caf‚ customers regularly use it.
In March 1948 the PC acknowledged that
there were no public toilets in Barwick and
recommended to the TRDC that the now-redundant
air-raid shelter in Welfare Avenue should be
converted into a men's public convenience
(possibly because it was already in use as such).
It also recommended the erection of a further
public toilet for both men and women in the
centre of Barwick. The TRDC then proposed
alternative sites suggesting that the rectory
playing field and the rear of the Gascoigne
public house would be more suitable. It also
decided that the former air-raid shelter should
be demolished on the grounds that it was "good
harbourage for men to molest passers-by at
night".
The Parish Clerk then requested a site
plan for the rectory field proposal and, after
obtaining the permission of the rector, the PC
approved this suggestion and conveyed its
agreement. The TRDC then "sat on the fence" for
some considerable time and later suggested the
provision of a combined games pavilion and public
convenience. The PC, after deciding it did not
want a combined building, then met with the TRDC
and it was mutually agreed that the best place
for a public toilet would be the "southernmost'
corner of Jack Heaps' playing field (i.e. behind
the now-existing bus shelter).
Nearly three years later, in January 1951,
the district valuer at York, following a request
from the TRDC, attempted negotiations to acquire
25.3 square yards of Jack Heaps' field after
assuring the PC that there would be no local
costs and that the PC would be paid œ3 for the
land. There then became a succession of 'no
report' comments in the PC minutes and then
nothing whatsoever appears - and neither did the
toilets.
In March 1955, the PC was informed of a
new and improved sewage scheme estimated to cost
£53,000 - later stating that there may be
alterations to the scheme for economic reasons.
The PC however managed to get the original plan
accepted as the savings were then calculated to
be a mere £45.
At the present time the villagers of
Barwick and Scholes enjoy a reliable and
efficient source of water supply and sewage
disposal. Neither village has however yet
acquired a public toilet.
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