John Whiteley – aka John Almighty and Boniface John – was born at Longbottom, Luddendenfoot [25th March 1788].
He was the son of John Whiteley, and the brother of Tabitha Whiteley.
He became Constable at Sowerby where he described himself as
a lynx-eyed thief catcher
He was a woollen spinner [1810] / an auctioneer / a policeman / an author / a hedge-lawyer / a lay preacher / a supporter of Boulderclough Chapel.
On 12th June 1810, he married Alice, the widow of Captain Jennings, the landlady of the Inn who was much older than he. They married at Halifax Parish Church. Thus, in 1810, he became landlord of the Star Inn, Sowerby.
Child: John
He preached sermons in an upper room at the Star Inn – popularly called The Star Chamber – where he used a postboy's wooden box as a pulpit. During these meetings, some of the congregation went downstairs to drink.
In 1824, there was an attempt to murder Whiteley,
that most vigilant of all constables
Newspaper reports told how, about 1:00 am on Saturday, 24th July 1824, Whiteley was roused from his bed by a knocking at the door of his lodgings. Leaning out of his window, he saw a man with his left hand covering his face and heard a feigned voice saying
Sir, I am a friend, come to tell you an important secret, and that is, I know where the 3 men now are whom you have been seeking for so long; but, if you drop the searching altogether, it will be better for you; and I further tell you, that you may get a larger sum of money if you will not produce the stolen goods at the next York Assizes
Whiteley said that he was disposed to do his duty, and the man replied
and so do I
and fired at Whiteley with a double-barrelled pistol, but missed Whiteley who had withdrawn. He pursued the villain without success. On the following Wednesday evening Whiteley's valuable house dog was stolen.
He announced that he would deliver a sermon at 6:00 pm on 5th September 1824,
at which time and place it is hoped that all murderous thieves will attend to receive edification, which the forthcoming discourse will unquestionably impart
Around 1830, Whiteley was prosecuted at York, charged with supplying liquor during prohibited hours on a Sunday. He defended himself and was acquitted.
In 1832, he offered to stand as Whig MP for Halifax.
After a long and painful illness, Alice died on Thursday 9th May 1833. The Leeds Mercury described her as
of a charitable and humane disposition, and by her death many persons have lost a benevolent and kind friend. For a long period, she has been a pious Christian, and at last died happy in the Lord
In July 1833, Whiteley he advertised in the Halifax Guardian for a wife, declaring that he was
in immediate want of a real good handsome prime wife
His generous nature – and his new wife – resulted in his falling on bad times.
In 1837, he rebuilt a cottage next to the pub to hold preaching meetings. During these meetings, the sale of liquor ceased at the pub.
In November 1837, he was charged with stealing £250 from James Barraclough of Sowerby. He was acquitted of felony, but the case was tried as a civil cause at York.
In December 1843, he announced that he was giving a good dinner to 300 of his friends and that he had invited 300 more. In a report on the event, on 13th January 1844, The Leeds General Advertiser said that they would have to decline his invitation, and added
he cannot do less than send us a hare for thus advertising his generosity, not that we would at all insinuate that he has anything to do with poaching; far from it. His other vocations of inn-keeper, auctioneer, and preacher would preclude him from enjoying The delights of a shiny night
In 1849, he fell into debt and sold the Star Inn and moved to live at Mill Bank.
In 1852, he was admitted to Halifax Workhouse where he died at the age of 70, in 1858.
An obituary in The Leeds Mercury described him as
a strange character, and though of decidedly weak intellect, was crafty and cunning. He was once very well to do in the world, and was not over scrupulous as to what he said and did. For some years, he has been in the depth of poverty, ending his miserable life in the workhouse
His portrait at the Star Inn is said to be the focus of supernatural happenings
The Sheffield Daily Telegraph [5th May 1858] reported
Death of a Local Celebrity in the Halifax WorkhouseJohn Whiteley, nicknamed John Almighty died a few days ago in the Halifax Workhouse.
At one period of his life he was a publican, a preacher, an auctioneer, a constable, a hedge-layer and an author.
He was a man of extremes, and whatever he understood he carried it to an extreme. In his capacity of publican, no public house in Sowerby Bridge could vie with his Star Hotel. His enthusiasm for preaching caused him to open a portion of his house for service, and he was the chief instrument in the erection of Boulder Clough chapel.
As a constable, his vigilance in hunting out thieves is notorious. He acquired the cognomen of the lynx-eyed thief-catcher, and to the end of his life nothing would please him better than to honour him by that appellation. One of the culprits caught by John was hanged at York, and another was transported.
A boast of his was that few men understood Blackstone better than he did. When introduced to persons of respectability, he generally intimidated that he was a professional gentleman.
But his most amusing phase of life was that of the author. His scraps and compositions are to be counted not by the number of volumes, but by the barrow loads.
Whiteley was born at Longbottom, near Luddenden Foot, on the 25th of March 1788. His father was employed in the woollen business, as was also the deceased, who often passed by the nickname of John, the turnpin lad.
One of the stories told of his youth is that his breakfast was occasionally stolen from the mill. John was resolved to find out the thief, and on one occasion when missed he put it in circulation among the workpeople that he had spread poison over the bread. He, however, had got an antidote, which would act if the eater would confess in a few hours. Very soon, one of the men fancied he was ill, and acknowledged that he had eaten the breakfast. John administered the antedote, and chuckled at the success of his scheme.
Deceased came into possession of the Star Hotel by marrying the widow of Captain Jennings, who built the house. The wife was John's senior by some thirty years. The report goes that Mrs Jennings was accustomed to pat John on the cheeks when a youth, and applaud him for his robustness. On the death of the Captain, John lost not much time in making a proposal to her of marriage, not forgetting to remind her that the cheeks and person she had so greatly admired would then become her own. John was then somewhat over 20 years of age.
Soon he fancied himself one of the most important men in Sowerby, and in 1814, at the celebration of peace he joined in a procession, riding a bull with gilded horns. Immediately after the passing of the reform bill of 1832, John offered himself as a candidate for the representation of Halifax. The whole affair seems to have been a humourous burlesque. As a lasting memorial, however, his committee presented him with his portrait, which is now in the possession of Mr Howarth, near Mill-house, Sowerby Bridge.
Whiteley's house was decorated internally and externally with all manner of grotesque figures and quaint mottoes.
His reckless conduct brought him into difficulties and to poverty.
In June, 1849, he announced that the premises of the Star Hotel were for sale by auction, and for seven years he has been more or less an inmate at the workhouse
Page Ref: QQ_165
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