William and Ann Bland were both born in Baildon, as was their son John and their two daughters, Lilian and Sarah.
William worked as a bookkeeper and they moved to Eccleshill at the turn of the century. Their first home according
to the 1901 census, was in Moorwell Place, Eccleshill and by 1911 they had moved to Norman Drive, Eccleshill and had
added another son Clifford to their family. At the time of Lilian’s death, the family had moved back to Moorwell Place.
Daughter Lilian, born in 1888, grew up in Eccleshill and attended the local school. She also attended Sunday School
at the Eccleshill Congregational Church. When she left school, she found work at Tunwell Cloth Mill owned by
Smith & Hutton.
John Ackroyd Pitts was a local young man and he caught the attention of Lilian. He was the only child of Richard and Maria (nee Ackroyd) Pitts. The family had originally lived in Chapel Street before moving to Morcambe in 1901. Tragedy struck in 1904 when John’s father Richard died during an outbreak of smallpox. John and his mother then returned to Eccleshill, where Maria found work as a weaver at Garnets Mill, Apperley Bridge. By 1911, Maria and John were living on Institute Road, Eccleshill with Maria’s mother Ann, and her brother George. John was by now a handsome young man and working as a shop assistant. But he developed a reputation for living beyond his means, drinking, gambling and travelling by taxis.
As a young woman, Lillian Bland had caught his eye and they courted for six years. John’s family approved of the match but the Bland’s were not in favour of the relationship. Although the couple spoke of marriage, they never became formally engaged. When Lilian heard the gossip about John’s lifestyle, she ended the relationship. It was said that John went overseas after the breakup but there are no records to support this, and the timeline makes it unlikely. Despite the break, John continued to write to Lilian.
On the evening of January 2nd 1914, Lilian told her sister she was meeting a friend from work. Whether this was true or not, she later met up with John on Little Red Lane, a quiet pathway beside Ellenthorpe House off Moorside Road, just 200yards from her home. That same evening, the owner of Ellenthorpe House, Councillor John Anthony Guy JP, was out walking his dog when he heard a disturbance, followed by gunshots. When he reached the scene, he found Lilian lying on the ground apparently dead, and John still holding the gun. He had a brief conversation with John before he suddenly turned the gun on himself and pulled the trigger. He was taken to hospital but passed away a few hours later.
The funerals of Lilian and John took place on the same day. John was buried in Norman Lane Cemetery, attended only by family and a few close friends. Lilian was laid to rest in Chapel Street Cemetery but her funeral was attended by family and more than 20,000 people who lined the streets to pay their respects. Smith & Hutton closed the mill for the day so that her colleagues could attend.
It remains a story marked by sadness and unanswered questions. Many details were disputed and the full truth may never be known. For those who wish to explore more of this story and the inquest accounts, the full story can be found on wordpress.com under “The Eccleshill Tragedy”.
Location: Section5 R24