If during your search for  your families history you have come across a male ancestor shown in the census returns as being a Stone Quarryman you can be sure his life and that of his family would have not been a easy one. Quarrymen were renown for being hard working, hard drinking, hard hitting men.  Quite often an injured quarryman would wake up to find himself in the pub awaiting the services of the local Doctor, and it wasn't unusual for many a Quarryman's wife  and even in some cases his children to be in need of the Doctors services. Many a Quarryman's wife ended or began her week with a black eye or two, courtesy of her husband. It seems from census returns and enquiries made to me that quite a lot of the Quarrymen of Stacksteads were of Irish decent,  and the four main areas in  Stacksteads which they  lived appear to be Taylorholme, Sandholes Row now known as Bankfield Street, Huttock End and the Blackwood Road area.

Taylorholme Stacksteads   

Like may homes in Bacup  and Stacksteads the homes pictured above at Taylorholme  would have been mostly back to back with two rooms downstairs i.e. a living room and scullery and two rooms upstairs.

Bottom Row Stacksteads

The houses picture above are what were known as Cellar houses, the houses on the upper level accessed by the landing were one roomed with a tiny scullery, usually the stairs to the bedrooms led of from the living room. The houses or rooms on the lower level the cellar house was just one room, no bedroom no scullery just one room that would quite often flood in heavy rain.

 Sandholes Row now known as

Bankfield Street.

Huttock End Lane

The Catholic Working Men's Club situated at bottom of Huttock End Lane

 Thomas Daley - Neglect Of Wife And Children  1896

Thomas Daley, Quarryman, Huttock End Lane, was summoned for neglecting to maintain his wife and family. Ellen Daley said she had to leave her husband three months ago on account of his drunken habits and betting proclivities. They had two homes which had had to be broken up. He was lazy and would not work, and she had to work in the mill to maintain him and the two children, aged respectively three years and fourteen months. She was now living with her mother. Defendant denied that he was lazy and said hi mother in law was the cause of all the disturbance. The Chairman suggested that they should try to settle the matter, but complainant would not agree, and eventually a separation order was granted, defendant to pay 10s, per week towards the maintenance of his wife and family.

Thomas Lawless - Drink Again 1896

Thomas Lawless, quarryman , Stacksteads was charged with being drunk and disorderly

P.C. Porter said that  at 7.30 on Tuesday evening he was called to the Hare and Hounds Inn, Stacksteads to eject the prisoner, who refused to quit. He forcibly ejected the prisoner from the premises. On getting outside the prisoner was very violent, and they had a long struggle, prisoner throwing witness down breaking his watch. He called for assistance and eventually got prisoner on the tram and brought him to Bacup, where he was locked up. Prisoner had nothing to say except that he was very sorry. Mr Mitchell Magistrate said if he remembered rightly prisoner was very sorry the last time he was brought up. But he continued to get into trouble. Inspector Downing said prisoner had a old fine standing against him, and they could not get it, he kept promising to pay , but he drank the money away every  Saturday. Prisoner was committed to gaol for 14 days hard labour.

Stephen Foley - Drunk And Disorderly 

Stephen Foley, quarryman, Brick Houses, Stacksteads, was charged with being drunk and disorderly in Newchurch Road, Stacksteads, near the Railway station on Saturday afternoon. P.C.Porter proved the case and said prisoner refused to go home when asked and threatened to kill him. Prisoner admitted that he was drunk and said he was very sorry.

Fined 2s 6d and costs or eight days in gaol.

 Thomas Grady - Been To Wedding

Thomas Grady, quarryman Stacksteads, made his 32nd appearance, charge with being drunk and disorderly in May last year, as the case was adjourned, as Grady had gone up with the Militia. There was also another adjourned case standing against him for the same offence, the case being adjourned on Dec 4th last, for six months to give him a chance at reforming. The Chief Constable withdrew the first case, as prisoner had kept out of the hands of police for five months. The second case was proved by P.C. Wilkinson. Prisoner who appeared in court with a beautiful black eye, explained to the bench that he got his black eye by a fall in the gym of the militia, and that it was not the result of drink. On the occasion of the second offence he had been to a wedding and got rather too much to drink. Fined 5s and costs.

William Moran - All Absentees To Be Apprehended

William Moran Quarryman of Taylorholme Stacksteads, was summoned for being drunk and disorderly, but failed to answer - Defendants mother appeared and said her son was so bad when he came home he could not give an account of what he was doing that night. He could not move stir,. nor speak, when they brought him home. A warrant was granted for his arrest 

and the Chairman said he would like it to be distinctly understood that when summonses were sent out  they expected the person summoned to appear there. There was really too much of this kind of work going on. They thought they could set the bench at defiance, but he thought it was about time they showed them they would not be set at defiance.

George S Mildenhall March 1901 Not Maintaining A Mother

George S Mildenhall, Quarryman, Stacksteads was summoned at the instance of the Haslingden Board of Guardians for not maintaining his mother. Defendant did not appear. Mr Isiah Luty, relieving officer, said defendant was summoned on the 12th of January for neglecting to maintain his mother. The amount of arrears at the time was 80s. Defendant promised to pay the amount, and to take his mothers name of the books and support her. He had only paid 10s. The reason defendant gave for not paying was that he had not been well., but he promised he would pay in a fortnight. The case was adjourned for two months to give the defendant a opportunity to pay.

Robert Proctor  June 9th 1906 -  Summoned For Assault

 At the Bacup Petty Sessions  on Wednesday before Messrs. James Haworth on the Chair . J.T.Hoyle and Capt Munn. Robert Proctor Quarryman, Brandwood Rd Stacksteads, was summoned by Robert Barret for assault. Complainant said the the trouble arose through some children sending balls into his fathers garden. He caught one of the boys going into the garden for the ball and pulled him back, but did not touch the ball, whereupon the lad said if he could not have the ball would " take it out " of his complainants son . Complainant told his son not to have anything to do with the boy, but on Monday of the previous week, he saw defendants son kicking his child, and went out  to him. The Wednesday after he met defendant, who asked him what he had been hitting his son for, and complainant replied that " he should give over molesting my son". The defendant thereupon struck him a blow to the forehead which gave him a headache the following day.  Complainant said he only wanted quietness. Defendant acknowledged the offence and said he thought it was childish. The magistrate ordered the defendant to pay costs.

 Thomas Kelly June 9th 1906 -  Drunkeness 

Thomas Kelly a navvy of no fixed abode was charged with drunkenness. P.C.Walsh

deposed to finding prisoner drunk in St James Street, at ten o'clock the previous night. He was taken into custody. A fine of 2s.6d and costs, or eight days imprisonment was imposed. 

Matthew Murray September 1906 - Asleep In The Street

Matthew Murray, Quarryman  of  Stacksteads was summoned for drunkeness.

P.S. Butler stated that at five minutes to twelve on Tuesday morning he was in company with P.C.Stables when they found defendant lying fast asleep in Bankfield Street, Stacksteads. They woke him and found he was helplessly drunk so they ascertained were he resided and took him there. Defendant admitted being drunk and was fined 2s 6d and costs or seven days hard labour.