Children of David and Hannah Binns

"At the Friends' Meeting House, Halifax, on the 21st inst., Mr R. Fawcett Thompson, station master, Barnard Castle, to Miss Maria Binns, Halifax."

TO LET, for the month of August, an eight-roomed house, well furnished.—Apply, Mrs R.F. Thompson, South View-terrace, Barnard Castle.

Mrs Binns of Mayfield Grove, Halifax, sustained a scalp wound by falling in Park Road, last evening, and had to be conveyed to the Infirmary. She is the wife of Mr. Joseph Binns, a well-known draper in Halifax, whose business is in Princess Street. Sickness is the supposed cause of her falling.

PRESENTATION TO MR  JOSEPH BINNS, J.P.

A large party, including the officers and committee of the Association, dined at the Alexandra Hotel, following which a presentation was to be made to Mr. Joseph Binns, J.P., of Princess-street, the first secretary of the Association, who is to retire from business and to leave Halifax for residence in Cheshire. The present was an album containing portraits of Mr. Binns and the officers, and a splendidly engrossed address, the whole enclosed in a morocco binding, gilded and lettered. The arrangement had been left with the President and Secretary, the album was supplied by Messrs. Mortimer, the photographs were done specially by Messrs. Greaves and Co., and the engrossing and illumination were the work of Mr. Stott, of Claremount. On the cover are the arms of the borough of Halifax, and this inscription, in gilt: "Halifax Drapers and Hosiers' Association to Joseph Binns, Esquire, J.P., July 6th, 1899." The portrait of Mr. Binns comes first in the volume, and then on two succeeding pages the address, with ornamental border, heading, and initials, the address reading as follows:—

[more detail, including the full text of the address; there then follow a number of tributes to him, and his own speech in thanks, following the presentation]

DEATH OF MR. JOSEPH BINNS.—The death is announced of Mr. Joseph Binns, draper and hosier, Halifax. He was well known in Hebden-bridge and on the Heptonstall hillside, which he frequently visited in connection with his business. He was also well known in the Baptist circles, and his figure, which was prominent owing to his height and fine physique, was familiar in the conferences of that body before the amalgamation with the Particular and General sections. Not only that, but he had invariably something to say in the discussions which took place. He was a man of kind and genial spirit. At one time he was president of the Halifax Drapers and Hosiers Association, and served on the Town Council 11 years. He died at Frodsham at the age of 73, yesterday week.

Joseph Binns (scholar 1849-51) was the son of David and Hannah Webster Storthwaite Binns, and was born at Halifax, August 31st, 1836.

In his school days at Ackworth, the various offices filled by boys at that day, up to the most coveted one, that of Lodge-keeper, were filled by him, and being tall and strong, he became a terror to the villagers in recovering kits, the flying of which was one of the favourite pastimes of the boys of that generation. As the kites not unfrequently fell in the village fields, far away from the school, it was one of the duties of the two Lodge-keepers to hasten out to recover the lost property, the village lads, or "villaggers" (hard g), as they were called, being eagerly on the look-out to capture any vagrant kites which might fall into their possession. Many a long chase and many a tough struggle ensued, and it will readily be seen that stature, activity, and physical strength were necessary qualifications for a successful lodge-keeper.

Tempora mutantur! The advent of highly organized games, compulsory football, cricket, athletic sports, has long ago given the quietus to the recreations of a bygone age, and kite-flying, long-rope and "smugglers," dear to the Ackworth boys of fifty years ago, are now but dim memories of the long past.

On leaving school he entered upon his father's business, that of a linen draper, and though the son of the principal, no favour was shown him—the menial duties had to be learned as well as the more important. He soon began teaching in the Adult Sunday School, and this led him to see religion to be a real, vital, personal question, and he was led to declare publicly that Christ was his Saviour.

In the year 1860, at the age of 24, he was married to Hannah Robinson, of Sedbergh, and as she was not a member of the Society of Friends, a difficulty arose. It so happened that just at this time a bill was before Parliament granting permission for marriages at a Friends' Meeting House, when one of the contracting parties was a member, and the other not. This passed the House of Commons, and the young couple were awaiting its acceptance by the Lords to enable them to consummate their marriage in a manner acceptable to Friends. But their Lordships (shall we say "as usual") spoiled it all by insisting on the proviso that the one not a member must be at least an habitual attender. As Hannah Robinson was not a regular attender leave for a wedding at a meeting could not be granted, and the couple were united at the Parish Church at Sedbergh. In spite of their known and expressed desire for a Quaker wedding, the discipline of the Society was exercised, although after their marriage they both continued to attend meeting for some time. The sticklers for red-tape methods had their way, and a letter of disownment was issued against Joseph Binns, who thus ceased to be a member of the Society of Friends. This act naturally resulted in his complete severance of all future connection with the religious denomination to which he had belonged, and the young couple united with the Baptists, into which denomination Joseph Binns threw all his powers, becoming a Sunday School teacher, and superintendent for twenty-one years, secretary of the church for a like period, deacon and local preacher, and filling various other positions of prominence in the organizations of the district.

His father, David Binns, and his neighbours, Thomas Collinson and Robert Brook, were all Aldermen in the Halifax Town Council, and their places of business were all within a few yards of each other. This led to consistent interchange of views on corporate matters, and it is no wonder that Joseph Binns imbibed much of their spirit, and was himself elected on the Council, where he served for eleven years. Being much interested in commercial affairs, he was instrumental in the formation of several associations of tradesmen, on some of which he acted as hon. sec. His interest in the welfare of young men was proverbial, and for over thirty years he was a weekly attender of the class for Mutual Improvement.

In 1899 the Lord Chancellor placed J. Binns on the Commission of the Peace for the County Borough of Halifax.

On his retirement from business shortly after this, he went to live at Frodsham, in Cheshire, the home of his second wife, Jane Bibby, and he died at Audley Villa, Frodsham, on the 18th of November, 1909, aged 73 years.

Hannah Moorhouse, nιe Binns (scholar 1853–5), was born at Halifax, in 1841, and died at Leeds, August 11th, 1910, in her 70th year. Her early training was in an atmosphere of the stern discipline, which was regarded as the correct thing in those days, but it laid the foundation of a solid character, which made its mark throughout her life. She was sent to Ackworth at the age of 12, and she enjoyed her two years at the school, always holding it in high esteem.

After leaving Ackworth, she went to a private school, kept by a Friend, at Southport. it was whilst there that her mother died. Her mother was one of those Friends possessed with a tender, loving spirit, and her death was a sore trial to her children. On leaving school, Hannah Binns was trained in the domestic duties of the household, under the care of her older sister, and when in due time, the latter was married, Hannah undertook the housekeeping duties of her father's house.

In 1867, Hannah Binns was married to James Moorhouse (scholar 1951–5). They settled at Leeds, where, except for five years spent at Harrogate, she resided for the remainder of her life. Her married life was much over-shadowed by years of nursing her husband, who developed a spinal complaint, and grew gradually weaker, and almost helpless, until he was released in 1887.

For a few years after her husband's death, she experienced a time of comparative freedom from care, and was able to enter more fully into the life and activities of Friends in Leeds and the neighbourhood. This was not destined to be of long duration, however, for in a little time, she too showed signs of physical weakness, and became much more restricted in her movements, so that her activities resolved themselves largely into converse with her friends in her own home. She had too a great gift as a letter writer, and carried on a voluminous correspondence. To each of her children, as they were married and went to reside away from Leeds, she adopted the practice of sending a regular weekly letter, and the absent ones could always rely on the "home letter" on the specified day each week.

One of the most notable features of her character was the cheerful spirit and indomitable courage that she evinced; and troubles that in many would have bred despair, seemed in her to lead to a fixed determination of "resolute cheerfulness," so that it was truthfully said by one who occasionally called to see her, that, notwithstanding the manifest physical weakness from which she was suffering, "her room was one of the brightest spots in Leeds."

TEA MEETING.—On Saturday evening last, the anniversary of the juvenile classes of the Friends' First-day schools was celebrated by a tea meeting, at which about fifty sat down; a meeting was afterwards held in the schoolroom, Mr. Charles Binns, of Bradford, being elected chairman [ . . . ]

CHARLES BINNS       ..               ..           22  5  1914

Bradford, Yorks. An Elder.

Charles Binns, of Bradford, was a son of David and Hannah Webster Binns, of Halifax, where he was born in 1843. He was educated at Ackworth and at James Wood's school at Alderley Edge, Cheshire. He was of a timid, retiring disposition, and his school career was uneventful. On leaving school he was apprenticed to Hotham and Whiting, wholesale drapers, of Leeds, and here he began to show that interest in Sunday-school work which characterized him through life. A remarkable letter, written by one of his old pupils, speaks volumes for the influence which he gained over Sunday scholars who came under his care. The writer, as a boy, had been very troublesome in the junior school, held in the old Meeting-house premises in Camp Lane Court, Leeds, and he was finally expelled for some act of grave misconduct. Charles Binns, hearing of this, succeeded in procuring his admission into the Adult School, first having a serious talk with the boy before his entry into the new class. Finding he had some talent for drawing, Charles Binns proposed to him the starting of a drawing class in the school. This the boy took up with enthusiasm, and the fresh occupation and the kindly interest which Charles Binns showed in him, led to an entire change in his behaviour. The poor lad had a drunken father, who was so impressed with the improvement in his son that he himself began to attend the Adult School, and the result was a complete transformation of the home. Writing forty years after the occurrence, this once troublesome boy says:

"Oh, how I thank God for all this, and Charles Binns its first influence. I can scarcely write in my thankfulness. All I am for good I trace to the one who had become so dear to me."

In 1867, Charles Binns went to Bradford, where he remained the rest of his life, entering the business of his uncle George Binns, flannel merchant. Two years later he was married, at Bainbridge, to Margaret Baynes, who belonged to an old Quaker family residing at Cubeck, near Askrigg. It was not long before he found in Bradford abundant work in connexion with the Meeting and the schools.

During his career he filled acceptably many offices in the Society of Friends—Minister, Elder, Overseer, for which office he was peculiarly well fitted; Trustee of various funds, Teacher, and, eventually, Superintendent in the Sunday Schools. During recent years he did not take frequent vocal part in Meetings for Worship, and it was at his own request that his name was removed from the list of acknowledged ministers. But he was an ideal Overseer, unflagging in his zeal for visiting the members and attenders of his Meeting, and especially the sick, or those in trouble or difficulty.

A Bradford Friend thus writes of him:—

"He was always welcomed as a visitor amongst Friends and attenders, and to his dogged perseverance may be attributed the success of the Mission work carried on in Bradford Meeting for over forty years. For while others at times grew faint-hearted and weary, he kept on. For years he had charge of a class of women at the Sunday School. In 1894, at the time of his silver wedding, scholars and teachers presented him with a timepiece, and Mrs Binns with silver candlesticks.

"Charles Binns did not outgrow his popularity, but retained the esteem and affection of those who knew him to the end. His work in connexion with the Meeting will remain a precious memory. It was mainly his zeal and earnestness which helped to establish the Mission Society membership in our Meeting. Having gathered a number of seeking souls into the Mission, it was thought well to retain them by means of a simple form of membership. All they were expected to subscribe to was the simple formula:—'Repentance towards God, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.' There can be no doubt that during the last thirty years or more many of those who joined the Mission were spiritually blessed and their lives changed, and through its influence many have joined the Society of Friends, and become some of its most loyal members; and this through the instrumentality of men like Charles Binns."

For upwards of twenty years he was a member of the Board of Directors of the Friends' Provident Institution. He was eminently tactful as a mediator, in which capacity he was often asked to serve, having a marked faculty of seeing both sides of any question in dispute. He was, however, very outspoken and genuine, and "conscientious to a degree." He died on the 22nd of May, 1914, within a few days of his 71st birthday, and, as will be seen above, his wife, Margaret Binns, did not long survive her husband, passing away within two months of his decease.