1861 - 6 Albert Buildings, Wooldale
1868 - Moved to Batley
1871 - Upton Street, Batley
1881 - Cross Bank Street, Batley
1882 - Moved to Germany
1902 - Returned to England
1940 - Westbury House, Clutton Street, Soothill
1947 - Buried in Batley Cemetery plot B601, 11th April 1940
Owned Commonside-Estate sold to JA Whitehead 1961
Frederick Priestley
Batley News (on election as
councillor) 12th March 1910
Born at Honley near Huddersfield Mr F Priestley came to Batley in 1868.
As a youth he was apprenticed to his father, a cloth drawer at Thongs Bridge
near Huddersfield. Subsequently he was engaged at Carlinghow Mills where the
fancy trade was first started. In 1892 he accepted the offer of Mr Walter
Skelsey, who had obtained an appointment as manager of messr. Lehman's factory
at Nieder Schonweide near Berlin, and went over with him. Mr Priestley spent
about 20 years in the Fatherland and then returned to this district where he
has lived in retirement since. An ardent Sunday school worker, having held
amongst numerous offices that of superintendant at Cross Bank School, Mr
Priestley was one of those to commence an English Sunday School in Germany and
of which he was superintendent about 14 years. He was also the secretary for
the children's celebrations of the Queen's jubilee in Berlin in 1887 and 1897,
which were extremely successful. Since his return home Mr Priestley's chief
concern has been with church and Sunday school work.
Batley News 13th
April 1940 – Obituary
Soothill loses a leading
personality
Death of ex-Alderman Fred
Priestley
Met General Smuts in South
Africa
Batley has lost one of its best known residents by the death in the
early hours of Tuesday morning of ex-Alderman Fred Priestley, Westbury House,
Clutton Street, Soothill. Despite his 88 years he had been extremely active and
a week before hi s death went for a stroll round Batley. The following night he
had a heart attack and although he rallied and appeared to be improving over
last weekend, he died suddenly after a relapse. In an interview some time ago
Mr. Priestley gave us the following prescription for a long life;-“Don’t worry,
work hard, live plain”
Alderman Priestley had had a busy life. A native of Honley, he came to
Batley in 1868 as apprentice to his father, the late Mr. James Priestley, a cloth-drawer at Carlinghow Mills. He did not
stay long under his father and worked in several local mills. Shortly after his
promotion to foreman drawer at the age of 30, he accepted a similar position
with a German firm, with works near Berlin.
Thirty years in Batley’s
public life
He returned to England 20 years later and entered public life. He was
elected to Batley Town Council in 1910 as a Soothill representative and served
until 1929. For over 16 years of that period he was an alderman. He was one of
the earliest Parks Committee members, serving 16 years as chairman and
rendering valuable work. For 10 years he was Education Committee vice-chairman,
taking keen interest in Batley Boys’ Grammar School, of which he was a Governor.
He had also served on the Technical College Committee.
Carlinghow Liberal Club
He was the first secretary of the old Carlinghow Liberal Club, the
forerunner of Batley Liberal Club, and largely due to his effort £200was raised
in subscriptions towards its cost. Throughout his life he was associated with
Cross Bank Methodist Church and school, being in turn Society Steward, Poor
Steward, Sunday school superintendent and a trustee up to his death.
While in Germany he was superintendent of an English Sunday School and
was secretary of the English resident’s celebrations of Queen Victoria’s Jubilee
and Diamond Jubilee in 1887 and 1897. He held a testimonial certificate for 54
years Sunday school service.
In his 78th year Mr. Priestley went to South Africa on a
visit to his brother-in-law and sister, Mr and Mrs Fred Foster, formerly of
Hanging Heaton, and while he was there was introduced to General Smuts.
Mr. Priestley was a keen believer in thrift. To the very last he
considered too much was spent on pleasure and held the view that the present
generation were not encouraged to be thrifty because of superannuation’s,
pensions and “dole”. From his very earliest days he said he would be dependent
on nobody in his old age and he achieved that desire. Since retirement from
public life he had taken a keen interest in gardening and the immediate
surrounds of his home were a credit to him.
Son a councillor
Alderman Priestley leaves a widow, three sons;
Councillor J.J. Priestley, butcher, Soothill.
Mr. C.F. Priestley, Healds Road, Dewsbury and
Mr. Harold Priestley, Moortown, Leeds.
Two brothers also survive Mr J.J. Priestley, Bridge Street, Batley and
Mr. Harry Priestley, Soothill.
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