News Letter 12 Final - The Binns Family

The Hallelujah SweepBartholomew BinnsWe thank Doreen Ross for contributing this item.She says about her family; -“Among them is a drunkard turned Salvation ArmyCorps Sergeant Major and a Chief Executioner(Public Hangman), among mill workers and chimneysweeps”.The Drunken SweepEXCERPTS FROM AN ARTICLE IN THESALVATION ARMY NEWSPAPER "THE WARCRY" DATED MAY 12 1891The Sgt.-Major of WakefieldWhen interviewed BartholomewBinns, the Corps Sergeant Majorsaid:-He was 10 yrs old when he started inhis father's business as a chimneysweep. He had good parents who triedto teach him good from bad but hestill fell in with bad people and starteddrinking. This habit got worse as hegot older till eventually he becameknown as the town drunk. He said "Iwould go into a public house at 6amand still be there at 11pm.In thattime I would have drunk myself drunkand sober seven times." He got marriedto Maria and they had 22 children.At one point he was so hard uphe took the Queen's shilling andenlisted in the Militia. He was sent toScarborough. This is where he firstmet the Salvation Army.Though it was a few years beforethat experience bore any fruit. Inthe meantime, his wife and childrenwere left destitute and had to relyon handouts from the workhouseunder the poor law. (I have the entryin my files of how much Mariareceived at that time). There weresome horrific things happened tohim during this time, whilst drunk.One time he fell off a ladder into ablazing fire, only being pulled outin the nick of time but with hisclothes on fire. Another time he fellasleep in a kiln that he was supposedto be tending. No one realised.The kindling was all ready forlighting next morning and this wasduly done. Bartholomew woke upfeeling very warm indeed as onceagain his clothes were on fire. Hethought he had died and gone tohell and made a very quickexit from the kiln once he realisedthat when dead you cant feelanything as far as we know andhe was very much aware of hisbody being burnt. (Perhaps hewas being given a foretaste ofwhat was to come if he didn’tmend his ways?)Eventually he met up with theSalvation Army once again andthis time he took note and hegave up the drink. He went 8 yrsliving on bread and water untilhe had paid his debts off. He becamea model citizen of histown, Wakefield and for the firsttime he, his wife and childrenwas able to have holidays at thecoast.Maria must have had a very difficulttime of it with all thosechildren and a delinquent husbandFind us on the web at:-www.thebinnsfamily.org.ukWe are grateful toIan A. BinnsandPeach Digital Ltd .for their continuing support ofPage 12