The Brutal Attack on Thomas Oxford (1889)

When 16 year old, Thomas Oxford, began loading his cart with milk churns, he could never have envisioned the events that would take place later that same day.

Thomas was a farm servant living with John Clark, farmer, at a place known as Shuttleworth Hall that still is situated to this day in a place called Hapton.

It was around 6.30am in the morning on Saturday, 19th January 1889, when he left the Hall in the usual way, with his milk-cart fully stocked and ready to be delivered by going on his rounds by the way of Cheapside and Burnley Lane.

And by half-past nine, he had already finished delivering the milk and had made his towards Elm Street, just off Burnley Lane. Happy that the morning had gone as planned and relatively stress free, Thomas began on his journey back to Shuttleworth Hall when, coming from the direction of Burnley, another boy by the name of William McMenemy met up with him.

William, who was a little older and aged 18, was known as "Jimmy" to his friends, as he was rarely ever called by his Christian name of William.

"See thee, Tommy, look what a nice hammer I have found" William spoke as he pulled out a joiners hammer from his trouser pocket and handed it over to Thomas.

Impressed by the find, Thomas replied, "Ay, give it me." Thomas then offered William two pence for it, but William shook his head and turned down the offer.

Thomas placed the hammer into his cart box but no sooner as he had done so, William took it back out, remarking that it would come in useful as he put it into his trousers pocket and covering it with his waistcoat.

Both boys then got onto the cart and began to make their ways towards Ashfield Road but had to jump out and walk some way as there was a hill and the horse pulling the cart was beginning to struggle. As they did this, Thomas started to count the weeks earnings from the sale of milk. Nearing the Burnley Spinning and Weaving Company Mill, William hopped back into the cart whilst Thomas carried on walking up to the top of the street.

After counting the money, Thomas was about to put it back into his pocket, but William, who had been watching Thomas, said to him he had miscounted. Not sure, Thomas thought he'd better check and so began to recount the money. It would later emerge that Thomas was carrying £2 3s, the equivalent of just over £273 in today's value.

Thomas's return journey would normally see him make his way back along Burnley Road before turning right onto what is now known as Manchester Road. He would then normally have passed the Bridge public house before turning left onto Castle Clough lane and then towards Shuttleword Hall farm.

However, on this occasion, the two boys, after being talked into it by William, would instead make their way towards a place known as Stone Moor Bottom.

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