Huddersfield Local History Society: Journal 15 (2003) by various

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Huddersfield

LOCAL ee SOCIETY

a UOD (900mg) = 12049 re

CCha gg I I

JOURNAL

No. 15 WINTER 2003/2004

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The visiting of the families of Luddite “Sufferers” in the area of Huddersfield by Joseph Wood, Minister of the Quakers

The Luddite Rebellion in West Yorkshire has been a subject dealt with recently by Mr John Oldham during the two lectures he gave to the Society in January and September of this year. Many interesting issues relating to that which took place during these uprisings were raised as were the political and social circumstances surrounding them and details about the men involved. In the Journal of Joseph Wood (1750-1822) of Newhouse, near High Flatts, a Quaker Minister from 1767 till his death, we can read a personal account of the events of the spring of 1812 and of the executions that took place the following year. “In the spring of the year 1812 a number of people in the town and neighbourhood of Huddersfield and places adjacent manifested a notous disposition frequently collecting in large numbers, & entering in the night season, into people's houses, workshops destroying machinery, stealing arms and other property; & in the 4th month murdering William Horsefall of Marsden in his return from Huddersfield market. They continued for a long time undiscovered, committing great depredations in these parts, very much terrifying and alarming the inhabitants; but thro’ the vigilance of the magistrates, particularly Joseph Radcliffe of Milnsbndge, a discovery was made and great numbers were committed to the Castle of York, so that a special Assize was held there by commission in 1°" Mo. 1813 to try them, some were acquitted, many discharged upon bail, some ordered for transportation for administering unlawful oaths, & 17 suffered death. After their execution, a concern came upon my mind to pay a religious visit.to the families and near connections of the sufferers, but I think it so unusual a thing to engage in, endeavoured to reason it away, but the more ! reasoned, the more my concern increased, so that in the second month, at our monthly meeting; having previously acquainted Thomas Shillitoe therewith whom I found under a similar concern, I spread our united concern before friends which being solidly weighed, & many testimonies borne of friends unity therewith, The meeting gave us the following minute. “Our esteemed friends, Joseph Wood and Thomas Shillitoe have laid before this meeting a concern they have felt to pay a visit to the families or near connections of those persons who have lately suffered at York and who reside in Huddersfield and its neighbourhood. And this meeting after solidly considering their proposal, feels unity, with the friends in their prospect, and leaves them at liberty to proceed as way may open.” So having secured this agreement, six weeks after the executions had taken place Joseph and Thomas embarked upon their visits to the homes of the Sufferers of York. Joseph's descriptions of these give us an insight into the distressing circumstances in which the families found themselves and some understanding of the nature of the hardships and the range of difficulties that they faced. On the afternoon of February 28th Joseph and Thomas accompanied by John Fisher and Abraham Mallinson, Quakers of the Huddersfield Meeting, visited three families in Longroydbridge. They went first to the widow of Jonathan Dean

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who they saw with her five children. He, having been found guilty of rioting was executed. They then went to the widow of John Walker also found guilty of rioting and executed, he having left three children. Lastly they visited the home of the parents of George Mellor, a single man, who having been found guilty of murder was also executed. The following day the visiting party went to Lockwood to the home of the widow of Thomas Brook, executed for rioting, having left three children; "his father, mother and two young men his brothers James and George who had also .been imprisoned in York Castle under the same offence and at our request came in and sat with us. This was an extraordinary opportunity of divine favour I hope not easily to be forgot, particularly by the young men”. They then made their way to Dalton Fold to see the widow of James Haigh.In order to talk with her they visited the home of Edward Wilson where she was employed. “He kindly accommodated us with the room for the purpose”. James Haigh had also been executed for rioting. He left no children. Of the their discussion with her Joseph commented ‘We had a comfortable time with the widow’. The next visit was to the home of William Thorpe, a single man executed for murder. Here they sat and talked with his parents and two of his sisters. In the afternoon they made their way to Cowcliff to the home of John Ogden, who having been found guilty of rioting was executed. Here they sat with his widow, his two children, his parents and two of his sisters. After their conversation with them a third sister, who had been married that same day, arrived for the after wedding entertainment. Joseph noted that “we went to pay them a visit but found the men gone out but my companion had an extraordinary time with the bride and many other female guests’. On March 2nd the families visited were in the areas of the Hipperholme and Halifax. Accompanied by John King and James Lees, two Friends from the Brighouse Meeting, Joseph and Thomas first went to Sutcliffe Wood Bottom to visit the parents of Thomas Smith. Here their conversations were with the parents, his sister and brother-in-law. Joseph recorded “that a young man neighbour came in As soon as we saw him we were both of us much struck with his appearance; when he saw us sit he turned back & the son-in-law followed him, my companion then inquired who he was and was informed he was one of the prisoners who was discharged on Bail, he then desired he might be called in, he came and sat down. He was much broken and tendered & a remarkable time of visitation it was to him. He told me his name was Joshua Scholfield, that he was in the 22 year of his age and that he knew it not of our being there until we came to the house, nor knew not why he came there at the time. We parted in very near perfection with each other and I hope it was a time that will be lastingly remembered by him.” The visiting party then travelled to Skirtcoat Green accompanied by Thomas Dearden, a Friend from the locality. Here they visited the home of Nathan Hoyle, who had been executed for robbery. His widow and their seven children were living there with her father and sister.

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The next home visited was that of James Hay also found guilty of robbery and executed, where they met his widow, his two children, his father, Joseph Hey and his mother. At the conclusion of their conversations Joseph Hey asked Joseph to go with him to his house to meet with two of his other sons. He then accompanied them to Handgreen to the home of Joshua Stanfield where Joseph Wood was to spend the night. Joseph wrote of this encounter “Joseph Hey expressing a desire to speak with me accompanied me nearly thither and then returned; his company was very agreeable to me, he being I believe a truly pious man and a local preacher in the Methodist Society; & having had to express my belief in the opportunity that he had discharged his duty to his son and therefore it was clear, I was confirmed in the truth thereof, in our conversation together, and we parted under a near sympathy and tender regard for each other's welfare”. On the following day March 3 they went to Sowerby Bridge where they visited the home of the widow of Joseph Crowther, who “since his decease is moved hither and lives with her mother, he suffered for Robbery;& left 3 children, & she likely to have another very soon, she came from Luddenhamfoot to this place.” The second visit in the town was to the home of the parents of William Hartley found guilty of robbery and executed. Here they meet with his parents, who had taken in his eight children, their mother having died about eight months before his death. Joseph records that several of the neighbours having seen the visiting party enter the house had followed them in and sat down quietly with them. The final visit of the day was to the widow of Job Hey, executed for robbery, who had left seven children. “She appeared in a very tryed state both inwardly and outwardly & our labour with her was that she might endeavour to get into the state of stillness in which God is known & his power felt, and to stay comfort & console the mind, and bear it up in the depths of affliction”. There were no visits undertaken on March 4" as there was a meeting of the Halifax Quakers in the morning and the proposed afternoon visit to the home of Benjamin Walker did not take place. After his arrest Benjamin had turned informer so avoiding execution. The visiting party had gone to “the fop of Longwood” where Benjamin was then living with his parents “who were newly removed from Longroydbridge.” They travelled from Halifax by way of Salterhebbie, Elland, Blackley and on reaching Lindley-moor they enquired as to where the Walker family lived. It happened that the man they had approached was Benjamin’s father who told them that his son was not at home but that he was expected that night. It was then arranged that Benjamin wouid meet the visiting party at 8:00am the next morning at the home of Joseph Mallinson. On March 5th Joseph records “we sat with Benjamin Walker according to appointment; he appeared exceeding raw and ignorant, but a door of utterance was mercifully opened, whereby we were enabled to relieve our minds, & the advice communicated appear at present to have some place in his mind, & he is favoured to continue to take heed thereto,it may tend for his future peace.”

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During the morning of March 6", on the advice of the Quakers of the locality, Joseph and Thomas called at the home of Joseph Radcliffe of Milnesbridge, “the Friends here when they heard of our intended visit thought it best to inform Joseph Ratcliffe a Justice of the Peace in the neighbourhood thereof, also the nature of it lest any unfavourable construction should be put upon it, accordingly John Fisher and Robert Firth waited upon him & gave him the necessary information, he appeared pleased with our engagement, desired the Fnends give his respects to us & inform us , that he wished us good success. & give him some account of what we had met with in the course of our visit.” Of the visit Joseph noted that “the Justice and his wife received us very courteously, taking us by the hand and appearing much pleased to see us: We had an open free conversation with them for the space of near an hour and a half & then parting took us by the hand in a very friendly manner & bade us farewell.” The afternoon was spent in Briestfield and Thornhill Edge. Here they visited the widow Joseph Fisher executed for robbery and her three children, who having been sent to the workhouse in Mirfield had now returned to Briestfield. In Thornhill Edge they first went to the home of the widow and child of John Batley executed for robbery and then to the home of John Lumb who was aijlso convicted of robbery. He had escaped execution his sentence having been reduced to transportation. They found that his wife and their five children “had no settled habitation at present” so to speak with her they met her at her mother's house - also present was Nathan Fisher, her brother- in- law. The visiting party returned to Huddersfield travelling by way of Emily Moor Top where they made their final visit. This was to the widow of John Swallow executed for a robbery who had gone, with her six children, to live there with her mother. When reflecting later that day on the task that they had undertaken Joseph concludes “that altho’ the exercise attending the service in which we had engaged was great & the Sufferings as we had to bear heavy in a feeling sympathy with the suffering families, yet it was eminently manifested, that he who put forth, went before, & in a remarkable manner prepared our way. It was admirable to us in every family week entered how readily & how quietly they sat down with ~us, AS much so as if they had been members of our Society. & ! believe their peculiar sufferings had immeasurably prepared their hearts to receive the gospel & message, so I may acknowledge every opportunity was wonderfully favoured but some more eminently so than others. Friends were exceeding kind and lent us all the assistance in their Power, and the company of all those who went with us from place to place was very acceptable, nearly feelingly uniting us in the service, In different places were they appeared plunged into great outward difficulties, at parting with them we left a little money. May he who plentifully administered seed to the sower, be graciously pleased to preserve them in a humble teachable frame of mind, looking unto him from whom all blessings flow; that so the seed may prosper & in due season bring forth fruit to the praise of the great husbandman; & then the end of our labour will be fully answered”. I would like to thank Mr David Bower, author of Plain Country Friends, for a copy of the entries in the Small Note Book No.51 relating to the visits made by

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Joseph Wood to the families of those executed at York in 1813, on which this article is based.

Pamela Cooksey.

hm are

JOSEPH WOOD of NEWHOUSE

Quaker Minister {1750-1822}

A transcription of his Travel Journals & Memorandum Book for the period Sunday 27th September 1812 to Monday 2na ‘ovember 1813

JOHN KNIGHT 1988.

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Primrose Hill during the past hundred years

Extracts from the Huddersfield Weekly Examiner 21 April 1956

It is always interesting tor old people, when gathered together, to relate what they remember, and what their parents told them, of early days in their own particular district.

For instance, Primrose Hill, although only a mile from the centre of Huddersfield, was just over a century ago, mainly farmland. Whiteley’s Farm was at the end which is known on the Hill as the Cornfield, although there has not been any corn grown there for over a hundred years. The farmhouse still stands at the end of Orchard Terrace. It was in the Cornfield that Primrose Hill cricket team first started about eighty-five years ago; it was the village playground until St. Matthew’s Church was built upon the field in 1904. Other farms were Townend’s, now Hall’s, at the Newsome side of Cross Lane, with slaughter-house and three large greenhouses with vines full of grapes in season; and Hall’s at the top of Cross lane, with field down Cross Lane.

On Stile Common, which used to be called Bunkers Hill, was Priest’s Farm. They had land towards Newsome where now stands Stile Common Council School.

A brick-yard existed just over a hundred years ago on Perseverance Street, called the Top Yard, and on Armitage Street called the Low Yard. There are still two brick houses near by made from these bricks. I

Old Coal Mine

Primrose Hill is undermined by an old coal pit, which had an entrance at the bottom of Whitehead Lane and another outlet on Spawood Top. The brick air shaft in the Cornfield and another at Hall Bower are relics of this pit, which was closed in December, 1904. Fermer owners had been the Brooks. Ned Brook was the grandfather of the well-known Huddersfield Rugby player A. L. Brook. The entrance to this pit was made into an excellent air raid shelter during the last war. Factories at the foot of Primrose Hill before 1850 were not large, but between then and 1870 several large mills were built and others enlarged, the building of many terrace houses was begun and workpeople attracted to the district. What is now Whitehead Road and Spawood Top, was called Coal Pit Lane.

Up to the year 1877, two bridges only spanned the rivers Holme and Colne; one was the Queen’s Mill, a double bridge of wood, one for carts and wagons and the other a footbridge. These wooden bridges were replaced by a wider bridge when motor traffic came, but a heavy flood in 1931 washed it down and it was replaced by the present concrete bridge. The next bridge was at damside, called the King’s Bridge. Many people crossed the river Colne at the bottom of Whitehead Lane by stepping-stones.

Footbridge Built

Then the local people subscribed to build a steel footbridge from this point, and the new bridge was opened in 1877 or 79. In its turn it was replaced by the present reinforced concrete bridge, built by the Corporation at a cost of £2,500 and opened on September 21st 1955. About the same time as the first footbridge was built, a footpath of 169 steps was made leading on to the Hill. They are known as the Cat Steps. As population increased, then came the churches, pubs, clubs, shops, and school. The first church at Primrose Hill was the Methodist Chapel. Services were first held in a house on Wood Top, now Whitehead Road; then the Methodists built a church and Sunday school in Whitehead Lane in 1863 with support from High Street Church. Later, in 1913, the present church on Stile Common was built. The Baptists had a Sunday school at the bottom of Cross Lane in 1874, and in 1881, with help from the Lockwood Baptists they erected the large chapel higher up Cross Lane. In twenty-one years they ceased to be a “child” of Lockwood and became self supporting at the time of the well-known preacher, Mr. Porteous.

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St. Matthew’s Church, a branch of Rashcliffe Church was in 1880 a wooden church on the main road. In 1904, a new stone church was built on the Cornfield site.

Board School

The Stile Common Council School, built in 1874, was opened in 1876. It was then the Board School, and scholars bad to pay school fees. Up to then the school met in the Methodist Sunday School. The Huddersfield Industrial Society first opened a stores at 88, Wood Top, in September, 1871. In 1872 the Society became landowners by purchasing a freehold plot of land where now stands the Co-operative stores on the main road. The main road stores were built in 1874 and opened for business in 1875.

In 1887 the Society opened a butcher’s shop on this site. In 1888 they started to build twenty-one houses.

In 1883 a working men’s Co-op was built in Cross Lane. It started previous to then in a house in Freehold Street and shares were taken out, but it failed within a few years, much to the distress of the members who had to meet their obligations.

The Crimea Inn is the oldest public house on Primrose Hill. It was opened in 1856 by T. Hamer, and had been a farm long before then. He left it to his daughter, Mrs. Buckley, and it was sold to Messrs. Bentley and Shaw in 1908.

The Primrose Hotel was built by Bentley and Shaw in 1864. The first landlord was Mallinson Horsfall, who also had a cab proprietor’s business, with stables attached to the premises.

Brothers Built Inn

The Woodman Inn was opened round about the same time. Two brothers had successfully backed a horse named Blair Athol which won the Derby and St. Leger double in 1864. They built the Woodman Inn and two shops in Whitehead Road. They did not keep the Inn long, and it changed hands several times before being bought by its present owners in 1902. The present Liberal Club was opened about 1880 in a large house at the top of Malvern Road, but the Club had started earlier in a house on Stile Common. The Club’s Assembly Hall was built in 1910 and 1911.

The Working Men’s Club started in a house on Perseverance Street in 1894. The present Club on the same street was built in 1904 and a billiard hall was added in 1913.

The Cricket Club began eighty-five years ago in the Cornfield, then moved into Cross Lane, and into its present pleasant setting to provide entertainment for summer days. The Club’s annual sports ceased in 1924. In 1934 they won the Hinchcliff Cup.

A “Sing” in aid of the Huddersfield Royal Infirmary was formerly held on the cricket field, the last one taking place on Sunday, August 26, 1928. On the previous day the Primrose Hill Carnival and Sheep Roast was held in the football field where now stands the Corporation Housing Estate in Cross Lane. The sum £160 was raised for the Royal Infirmary and Nurses’ Home. The Old Folk’s Gathering has been held annually for more than forty years. The Housing Estate in Cross Lane was started in 1933 and was finished in 1936,

The Children’s Annual Festival started in 1920, and the Cricket Club lend their field for this occasion, as all the suitable open spaces have now been taken up. Before the Estate was built the Childrens Treat was held on the Old Football Field.

The local cinema, the Lounge, at Stile Common, is equal to any in the Town for comfort, and was opened on the 16th December, 1937, by the late Alderman F. Lawton, who was then the Mayor of Huddersfield.

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Primrose Hill Working Men’s Club 1894-1944

From Fred Sykes’ pamphlet of 1944

The foundation of the Club was started by a small party of Primrose Hill Working Men — Messrs. F. Armstrong, R. H. Brick, F. Mallinson, T. Wadsworth, H. Muff, Dyson Howarth, John Jackson, T. Makepeace, Joe Ambler, H. Beevers, and others.

A Meeting was held at the Woodman Inn, and it was decided to form a Club, in a House that was then vacant, in Perseverance Street, Primrose Hill, and could be rented for 5/6 a week.

They informed the Landlord of the Woodman Inn of their decision, and he promised to help them in their venture, and showed practical help by giving them two Chairs, a few Buffets, and a few Pint Pots.

At that time (1894) there were many Clubs in the Country, especially 1n out districts, some Political, some Proprietary, some Bona-fide, and some Bogus.

Before the Clubs’ Act of 1902 it was optional for a Club to register, but by that Act every Club that supplied Intoxicants was compelled to do so, with the Registrar General, and send a list of Members’ Names.

Then by the Licensing Act of 1910 Clubs had also to register each year with the local Justices, give a list of its Rules, and state its hours of opening, etc. This Act eliminated all the Bogus Clubs.

This Club was registered practically from its beginning, although in its early days it got called names of all descriptions, especially by the wives of some of the Members, because it was no exception for some of them to stay until early morning. One of the Founders of the Club, even when he got married, forgot to go home to his Bride on his Wedding Night, and she had to fetch him from the Club the next morning.

The first Members agreed to take turns as acting Steward, but when the acting Steward had to go home earlier than the rest they had to get their own Beer and put the money in a Box, but as Members increased it was found that under this system the Cash and the Beer did not always balance. New Members had to bring their own Pint Pots, but it happened that all Pint Pots were not the same size, some large ones appeared so stricter Rules had to be adopted.

A Committee was formed. Dyson Howarth was appointed Secretary. F. Armstrong and F. Mallinson acted as Stewards in short periods, each being on the Committee. (The Records of the first Meetings were destroyed by one of the Officials.)

In 1896 the Club joined the Club and Institute Union, which at that time had only 571 Clubs in Great Britain, now there are 2,850 in the Union. This Club was the second Club in Huddersfield to join the Club and Institute Union, Lowerhouses being the first.

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The appointment of a Charwoman was decided on to keep the Club clean, and occasionally one or two of the Members’ Wives would help, and give it an extra Spring Clean, and then curse it. As time went on more Members joined than the premises could cope with, and larger premises were required. It was decided to build a New Club, and the present Site was selected, although others were suggested. Funds were not too great, but several Members came forward with Loans, and Mr. George Beaumont, who kept a Chip Shop in the district, promised to stand Guarantor for the Building.

The Club was built by a Member, Alf. Hurstwood. It cost £900, and the Lease is for 999 years. Later the Building Society had to be asked for a Loan to keep in touch with small share-holders requiring return of their Loans. One will notice the Club as it was first built, and will see that it contained four square rooms on the ground floor, four Cellars and one Big Room above; that was a stipulation in the Planning by Mr. G. Beaumont, the Chief Guarantor, so that if the Club failed he would easily be able to convert the Property into four Back to Back Houses. The New Club was opened in 1901 by Mr. James Haigh, of Ashenhurst, who was then quite an old man. A Silver Key was bought, and Old Jim (as he was known) turned it so hard that he broke it in the lock he did not know that the door was unlocked and that he should only have pretended to turn the Key.

The Furnishings were complete and Ground had been taken for a Bowling Green, which was opened one year later in 1905. The Bowling Green was laid by Fletcher Brothers, of Fartown, the stone to build the Banking Wall was given by Colonel Beadon, but the Club had to pay for its building. About 1924 a Rainstorm blocked the Drainage, and the Wall collapsed at one end, and took a corner of the Green with it. Estimates were applied for to rebuild, but the Contractors said it would cost £100 to put right again, also they would require a Derrick on the Green to lift the large Stone Footings into place. This would have meant spoiling the Bowling Green, so two Club Members, Wm. Morgan and J A. Dennis, both Foundry Workers, and who were unemployed, undertook the job. The Wall was rebuilt, the Green filled in, and the job cost exactly £20; the Wall still holds good, so many thanks are due to their workmanship.

One Room was upholstered in Carriage Cloth, and for many years was only open on Sundays. The Big Room upstairs was the Billiard Room and Concert Room. Concerts were then held on Sunday mornings, and some good entertainment was had, many times from Artists from the Theatre or Hippodrome. Clubs then could supply Intoxicants on Sunday mornings; it was not until the Licensing Act of 1921 that Clubs were brought under the same Permitted Hours per day as Licensed Premises. When the Club could no longer supply Intox1- cants on Sunday mornings a Meeting was held, and it was decided to open the Bowling Green for Sunday Bowling. The Bar was where the Darts and Dominoes Room is now. The Steward’s Premises were in the Cellar, which is now the Beer Cellar, and they had one Bedroom upstairs. They were not in the Cellar long before they were given the Living Room, where the present Bar now stands.

The Steward had 25/- per week wages for looking after the Club and the Bowling Green, his hours being from 6-0 a.m. to 11-0 p.m. Weekdays, and 8-0 a.m. to 2-30 p.m. and 6-0 p.m. to 9-30 p.m. Sundays. Waiters were engaged and were paid as follows :—Best Room Waiters 1/- each for Sunday Morning, Concert Waiters 1/6.

The Billiard Table was bought from Sir Joseph Crosland’s House. The large Square Table you see in the Reading Room was bought from Paul Mellors, of Blagden. The Chairs

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now in the Reading Room were bought from J, W. Rowley’s Theatre. About this time (some say the good old days) Jim Whiting, F. Mallinson and Joe Ambler used to bring from the Town ail kinds of bargains for Lunches; sometimes half a Ham (just going a bit, they used to say), sometimes Cheese full of Maggots anything they dare not have attempted to take home. They would cook it, and you could smell it many a time on the Bowling Green, but whatever they brought there was never any left; they must have been jolly good Chefs!

About 1912 a Club Union Brewery was started at Rishworth, near Ripponden. It was called “The Up Hill Brewery’’, and we were persuaded to invest £100 in it. It should have been christened ‘‘The Down Hill Brewery”, as it failed and we lost our £100.

The Billiard Room upstairs was not popular, and it was ungain to supply refreshments, although there was a Hoist from the Bar, so after a few more years it was contemplated building a New Billiard Room. The President at this time was a Town Councillor, Mr. Willie Schofield, who pressed hard for a new Billiard Room.

A Committee was formed to promote a Bazaar, and many of the Members, including T. H. Cliffe, J. H. Ramsden, J. A. Bayldon. and also the Members’ Wives, worked hard for about 12 months to raise a Building Fund, and Mr. T. H. Cliffe was appointed Bazaar Secretary.

Mr. George Beaumont had now withdrawn his Share Capital, but the money had been loaned by Mr. George Hodgson, and Mr. E. Stephenson, later, Mr. D. Priestley came along when the Club was again in difficulties. However, the present Billiard Room was built, and opened with a Bazaar in 1913 by Mr. W. Schofield, and Alderman Woolven it cost £1,000, and £480 had to be borrowed from the Building Society.

The Bowling Team won their first Trophy, the Drayton Cup, on the same day as the Billiard Room was opened. Then came the War and many changes. Beer began to get scarce, but young Members joined the Club and kept the games going. The second Billiard Table was bought from the Woodman Inn for £60, through the kindness of Mr. E. Stephenson, who loaned the money free of interest until the Club pulled round again.

After the Billiard Table was taken from the large room upstairs occasional Tea Parties and Dances were held there, but the floor had not been built strong enough for Polkas and Lancers, and one night there was a crack like a gun, and the whole of the Plaster on the Ceiling of the Reading Room had come down; about five Members who were in the Room walked out like snow men.

Beer got so scarce that the Secretary or President had to keep writing or sometimes visiting Breweries to try and get an add Barrel. A Burnley firm of Brewers started to make a Brew called Beero, and the Secretary made enquiries, and got to know that we could have any quantity. A 36-gallon Barrel was ordered, and it went fine by some of the Beer drinking stalwarts; another was ordered, and sold, but the second Cask, when empty, was rolled outside a bit too early, for one of the stalwarts saw the label on the Cask which said “this Beer is non-intoxicant’’; that did it, the next Barrel was the last.

After the War New Members began to join, and things began to improve. When the Club had lived 25 years it was quite on its feet again financially; all the Share-holders had been paid out with the exception of the Building Society Mortgage.

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The 25th Anniversary was celebrated with each Member being provided with a Ham, Beef and Tongue Tea, and catered for by the Huddersfield Industrial Society in the Methodist School Room; then followed a Concert at the Club in the evening.

The next alteration was a New Bar. Whenever there was a busy time at the Club, such as Ladies’ Day, Musical Festival, or Concert Nights, the Bar Room used to get crowded, and only having one small doorway, no other room could get served with refreshments, so it was decided to have a Central Bar. This meant taking the Steward’s Living Room. A controversy arose on the housing of the Steward, whether to build a house or divide the big room upstairs however, it was decided to divide the big room, and put a Living Room, Scullery, and two Bed Rooms for the Steward upstairs this would save extra Ground Rent and Rates, and it would still reserve the Ground on the North-east side of the Club for future extensions (by the way that spare land is red-lined on the Estate Plans for the P.H.W.M. Club).

This alteration was made and a Central Bar built, the cost being £500. The Club has had no further alterations in structure up to the present, but the Best Room has been re- upholstered and provided with new Tables and Chairs, also the Dominoe Room has been upholstered.

The Club has had its ups and downs but it has always remained self-supporting; it has never had to be tied to a Brewery. Although it has never been wealthy it has always given generously to other Charitable and Social Functions.

When the New Club was opened a Tea was provided for the Members’ Children, and each Child was given a small pot with the name of the Club stamped upon it. During the War of 1914 to 1918 a Comforts Fund was started, and we were sending Woollen Socks to our Soldier Members who were out in France for the Christmas of 1914; later we gave good support to the local District Soldiers’ Fund.

During the War of 1939 the Club has been represented on the local Comforts Fund Committee from its beginning by Mr. George Muff, and up to the present the Club has raised about £100 for the local Fund. Also cash gifts have been sent to Club Members serving with the Forces from a Comforts Fund for Club Members only.

The Primrose Hill Children’s Treat, although not organised by the Club, was always given great support. The Musical Festival, which had died out during the last War, was re- organised by the Club, and good sums of money handed over to the Huddersfield Royal Infirmary and the Nurses’ Home. The Primrose Hill Carnival of August 25th, 1928, held in aid of the Huddersfield Royal Infirmary, was originated by the Club, Mr. L. Barnes being appointed Secretary, Mr. G. Muff, Treasurer, and Mr. C. E. Holroyd Chairman of the Committee, which comprised many of our Members, under the Presidency of Mr. T. Herbert Kaye, and about £160 was handed over. During the Coal Strike of 1926 the Birdswell Colliery District were grateful to the Club for its support; £14 was collected at three Concerts given by their Glee Party. That was when unemployment was at its height and money was scarce.

The Old Folks’ Gathering, which was held annually at Primrose Hill, was chiefly managed by Members of the three Churches, and funds had to be raised by Whist Drives, a performance of the Messiah, and a House to House Collection. During the slump period the Secretary, Mr. A. Howard, told the Club Secretary that if the Messiah performance that year

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was a failure they did not know whether they would be able to continue with the Gathering, as they required about £11 or £12 each year. Our Club Secretary then made an offer to guarantee him £3 from the Club before the month was out if that would guarantee the Treat to be held that year. Mr. Howard gave that assurance, and was grateful because the Club raised £7 15s Od., and during the succeeding 10 years about £60 was given to support the Old Folks’ Gathering.

The District Old Folks’ Gathering had to be dropped during the 1939 War owing to rationing of food. Now, through the kindness of Mr. and Mrs. James Brennan, the Old Members of the Club have met once a year and spent a jolly evening together in place of the above.

A Collection for each of the Church Anniversaries was always taken at the Club, and also an annual Subscription of £2 2s. Od.was given to the Huddersfield Royal Infirmary.

The beautiful little Park on Primrose Hill, which is much appreciated by the Old Folks in Summer Time, was instigated by one of our Old Veteran Members, Mr. C. E. Holroyd. He pressed the Councillors so hard and so long for this Park, that when it was made in 1936 they made him Park Supervisor at the age of 72.

About 10 years ago a large Book-case was made for the Reading Room, which was soon filled with a good variety of Books, all given by the Members. Mr. George Eastwood and Mr. Tom Horsfall were the chief Donors towards filling the shelves, and Mr. G. Muff catalogued about 460 books. We once had a Debating Society at the Club, held in the Best Room. The Church Parson used to attend, and we had some very interesting subjects for discussion. The Club also organised Tours round the Municipal undertaking the Water Works, Sewage Works, and Gas Works, and invited the Liberal and Conservative Clubs to join us in these tours.

Some of you will remember the dry Summer of 1933 when the Reservoirs were very low, and we were asked to conserve all our water; we applied, through our Councillors, for Corporation Buses to make a Tour of the Water-works, and see for ourselves the situation. Over 100 men from the district took the opportunity to make the Trip. Councillor John Sykes, Alderman F. Lawton, and Councillor J. F. Cole conducted the Tour. We went to Wessenden Valley, via Manchester Road, where the Pumping System, from Blakeley Reservoir to Deerhill, was explained to us, then back via Manchester Old Road to Blackmoorfoot Reservoir where Mr. Armitage, the Works Manager, explained the Catchwater System, the different methods of filtering, and storage of our water. We then went via Wills o’ Nats to Meltham, and up to the Isle of Skye, to see the new Bore Hole which had just been opened, but by this time we were more interested in the pumping system at the Isle of Skye Hotel, arriving back at 10-45 p.m.

The next visit was to the Sewage Works, and Councillor A. E. Sellars was our Guide. We went by bus to Deighton Sewage Plant, where we saw how the residue of our Food and Drink is dealt with and transformed into Fertiliser to produce more food, and how the Water is purified by jumping over numerous small Waterfalls until it is almost pure. From Deighton we went to Cooper-Bridge Plant, where the polluted River Water is purified by dripping through beds of Clinkers. We then left Cooper-Bridge, and returned home via Colne Road, Dalton, Shepley, and Honley.

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The third visit we organised was to the Gas Works, at which Plant we could have spent the whole evening, but we had planned for another Motor Trip for 9-0 p.m. We arrived at the Gas Works at 7-0 p.m., and Mr. Singleton, the Manager, and his Staff, gave us a very interesting description of the production of our Gas, and the numerous Bi-Products that are obtained through extracting the Gas from the Coal.

We left the Gas Works soon after 9-0 p.m. and went to Bradley, then up the new By- pass Road through Rastrick to Scammonden before our return home.

These Tours were very instructive, and were greatly enjoyed by Members of the three Clubs. The Town Councillors, the Works Managers, spoke in appreciation of the interest we had created in the Town’ Municipal Undertakings.

The Club has been fairly well represented in the Huddersfield and District Games Tournaments. We have had Individual Merit Winners at Billiards, Snooker, Bowling, Darts and Dominoes.

Our Dominoes teams have won the Huddersfield Branch Tournament about a dozen times. The first time was in 1912, and one old Member of the team is still with us, Mr. W. Iredale. The Billiard Team won the Club Union Cup in 1921. The Bowlers won their first Trophy in 1913 by winning the Drayton Cup. The Captain of that Team, J. E. Haigh, won the first Huddersfield and District Individual Bowling Merit in 1898. They also won the Working Men’s League Cup in 1922, and the Binns Cup three times 1926, 1927 ,and 1931. They lost in the Binns Finals of 1929, 1930, and 1943.

The Club Members have been responsible for bringing many honours to the Club in the shape of Cups, etc. and victories in the local Bowling, Billiards, and Snooker Merits, but I doubt if another Club can boast of a set of Leather Medals, such as were presented at one of the most unique presentations, to quote the words of the President of the Yorkshire Amateur Bowling Association who was asked to make the presentation; it was made to some of the Junior Members who never won a match in the Colne Valley Evening League. These Medals are now hung in the Dominoes Room, and are the subject of much discussion by visitors they were designed and mounted by one of the Members, Mr. Tom Hopkinson.

It is now 50 years since the Club started. It is not a large Club compared with Clubs in some Towns. It has had some good workers, and some bad. The Good Workers have outshone the Bad, and the Club now stands clear of all debt and mortgage, and has a Bank Balance of £800. FRED SYKES.

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HUDDERSFIELD LOCAL HISTORY SOCIETY

Publications for Sale

John Benson Pritchett First Medical Officer of Health for Huddersfield J.B. Eagles £1.50 Joseph Kaye Builder of Huddersfield c. 1779 to 1858 Edward J. Law £ 1.75

Queen Street Chapel & Mission Huddersfield Edward Royle £3.00

Public Lives The Family of Joseph Woodhead a Notable Family of Huddersfield Pamela Cooksey £4.00

The Diary of a Quack Doctor

Being the Last Diary of John Swift, Aurist of Newsome, Huddersfield 1784 — 1851 Edited Jennifer Stead £ 6.00

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A man of the 20" Century: the autobiography of Arthur Moorhouse

Joan Garside introduces extracts from her father’s lifestory

Arthur was born in 1914 in the village of Shepley but spent the major part of his adult life in Almondbury. He received a formal elementary education up to the age of 14 but his rich life experiences were his main education from working life as a farm boy in Emley to industrial clerk at David Browns up to his retirement.

He was a hard working man who had a variety of jobs throughout his working life. For a good number of years he worked during the day and had another part-time job in the evenings to provide for his family. As well as this he was always on the lookout for occasional jobs at weekend to earn extra cash such as whitewashing someone’s cellar or killing hens for the next

door neighbour. That was how you survived in those days with a family to feed.

As well as spending most of his time working to earn money he spent quite a lot of time gardening. He grew vegetables, always kept his garden full of flowers and it was immaculate. At one time he grew sweet peas and often won prizes at local shows. These also were a source of income when he sold them to neighbours and villagers.

He served his country at home and abroad for 6 years in the Second World War

Besides this he served the local branch of the British Legion in many ways for approximately 45 years, such as organising the flower show, poppy secretary, secretary and running a weekly Bingo session to raise money. ©

During his later years on top of doing all this he looked after his wife who had emphysema for four years doing all the washing, cooking and everything in the house even to the extent of cutting and perming her hair.

Arthur traced his ancestry back to the 14" Century and did some research for a lady in Australia searching the Senior family. One of the main things he

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did in later life was to write his autobiography encouraged by his sons after listening to stories that had happened to him in his life.

This Autobiography, which is available through Kirklees Libraries, is also accompanied by a compact disc of extracts that he recorded in the last year of his life

In it he refers to himself as “a fulfilled and contented man of the 20" century”, born at Dungeon bottom Shepley at the home of his — grandfather Elijah, where his father, Stanley and mother, Lizzie Moorhouse lived at the time. There was no running water and Elijah had to fetch buckets of water every evening from a well across the road and pour it down a chute into two barrels in the kitchen. Eventually they moved to Whitby cottage which was part of a mill complex where, he said, conditions were fairly primitive, having an old fashioned oven with a boiler, one gas ring and gas mantles for lighting. At this time more children, his brothers and sisters were coming on to the scene which meant their family totalled eight. When he was older, he was often sent to the shop for a 2d. oven squib when the fire would not draw and it was sluggish. He went to Shelley Council School when he was three and, because his sister cried when he went, they accepted her as well when she was one year and eleven months. He remembers the headmaster’s daughter, Miss Beddard, getting married because they all went to the schooi playground with flowers and formed two lines where they threw flowers for her to walk on. He also writes about the headmaster taking them out into the yard to watch an airship going past, the R100 or R101. He never had the opportunity to go to Penistone Grammar School, because his mother made him go to school and tell the teacher she wanted him to go to work as soon as possible, so he could not take the exam. In 1928 his mother didn’t want him to work in the wooilen milis although work was hard to find and she herself had been a weaver. lt was quite a milestone having a worker in the family, when he got his first job in a paint warehouse in Cloth Hall Street, where everybody was his boss, because he

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was the errand boy. Eventually he went to work on a farm in Emley for a Mr Gill. He fetched him on his BSA motorbike and for 25s a week plus breakfast and meals worked at Chapel House Farm.

After his marriage and the birth of his daughter he was called up in 1940. He arrived at the Duke of Wellington’s Regiment at Highroadwell, Halifax where he was interviewed and given the job of Clerk. He writes of experiences in Hornsea, Bridlington, Rudstone and Denbury Camp, Newton Abbot. The most interesting experiences are in the Middle East when he was posted overseas after 4 years in England. He reached Toulon, a Mediterranean port for transit to Africa and the Holy Land. He travelled by train to Fayid in Egypt where he was marched to a holding company and allocated tents. There were no fences or walls, just an area of sand. Local thieves were everywhere, creeping into the tents at night when the occupants were asleep and rifling their belongings. On one occasion the walls of a ridge tent were stolen whilst the occupants were asleep.

He was then posted to camp 306, a German Prisoner of War camp as pay clerk. Afternoons whilst he was at this camp were spent playing billiards with a POW man named Valentino and going to picture houses in Fayid. He had his teeth attended to by a German dentist, the payment was ten English cigarettes.

One experience he had was when he was sent to Jerusalem on a training course. He took with him silver coins, which had been confiscated, from Prisoners of war. He went from Fayid to Lydda by train carrying his belongings, and coins securely tied to his wrist. The train he was travelling on stopped at Gaza for refreshments where food was served by Palestinians in the compulsory white gloves. He was the only white person on the journey and as he arrived in Jerusalem he was told not to put his nose out of the door because a lad was shot dead the previous day.

The course allowed time for visiting the holy places such as the Garden of Gethsemane, The Mount of Olives and the Holy Sepulchre. He sold his coins to a bearded Jewish jeweller. He had an experience on his way back nearing his camp in Egypt when he decided to hitch a lift. He was in an Egyptian village when 20 youths surrounded him. They were trying to rifle his pockets for money and his soldier’s paybook. As luck would have it an Army pick up truck passed and he was able to get on where he had to hammer the fingers of the boys who clung to the back of the pick up truck.

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He does mention events in his civilian life one of which was his work with the British Legion. He started in the 1950’s showing his flowers and vegetables at the annual show. When a secretary and organiser was needed he took on the role, eventually taking on other offices over a 45 year period including 25 years as poppy organiser. Over the years he ran bingo sessions for people in the village. At the Annual General meeting on December 1998 he resigned as Secretary of Almondbury British Legion at the age of 84. He did not, however, sever his connections as he took on the work of welfare officer. He was instrumental in the closing down of the Almondbury Branch when legion activities in the village were winding down and being transferred to the Huddersfield Branch.

He served his country in World War II and still served it for a further 45 years with the British Legion in Almondbury.

His autobiography is not a literary masterpiece, but written in the way he told it.

He ended his book. “IT have no complaints about anybody or anything”

Arthur Moorhouse was my father, and in my eyes an ordinary but remarkable man.

Joan Garside

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The “Honley Find”, November 7 1893 Martin Hirst delves into a chapter of Honley’s history

Firstly I must explain that I am indebted to Mrs Mary A Jagger's absorbing book "The History of Honley", published in 1914, for most of the information contained in this short article.

On November 7th 1893 workmen breaking away rock to widen a public footpath, parallel to the outside wall of Honley Church burial ground, discovered a hollow ox bone about 15 cm in length in a rock cavity. The footpath is still in regular use today. It runs from Green Cliff Road and ends at Magdale fields close to the River Holme. For as long as I can remember this footpath has been known focally as Lover's Walk. The hollow bone contained a variety of ancient coins and metal objects subsequently dated as hidden as a single deposit around 75 AD.

At this time in our history the Brigantes were the local resident people but they were increasingly fighting to repel the northward invasion of the Romans, not to mention the duplicity and corruption of their own infamous Queen Cartimandua. That's another long story!!

The condition and wear on the coins combined with the identification of the Roman Emperors portrayed on them has helped to determine when and why they were concealed. In 75 AD a particularly fierce and bloody conflict was being waged against Roman forces led by Frontinus and Agricola. Our Brigante forebears must have decided to hide their treasures, including captured Roman coins, rather than they fall into the invading enemy hands. No doubt the present day inhabitants of Honley would do the same thing should similar circumstances arise!!! In brief the find consisted of :-

18 Roman coins, 16 of which were silver Denarii dated from BC 209 to AD 68. The Emperors portrayed on the coins include Valerius, Flaccus, Marius, Crepusius, Julius Caesar, Brutus, Nero, Vespasian.

5 early British coins in fresh, almost mint condition which cannot have been in circulation very long. The 5 coins show on the obverse (Convex side) the legend Volisios in two rows marked by three parallel lines. Outside these lines are traces of the wreath-ornament which is characteristic of British coins of the period. in time the increase of Roman influence resulted in the coinage of the Brigantes ceasing forever.

1 small bronze decorated box with hingea tid, probably captured from the Romans and meant to contain perfumes.

1 bronze fibula (clasp) of the usual type of the first century AD still retaining the ring to which a short chain was attached.

2 small bronze rings which were probably sewn onto a or garment, a loop coming over the shorter part of the circumference contained between the two projections and keeping the ring in position.

In total 27 items comprised the "Honley Find" and by the courtesy of Mr William Brooke of Northgate Mount, Honley, on whose estate the find occurred, they were generously donated to the British Museum in London. They can be viewed by appointment at the museum and I am told that residents of Honley and district are particularly welcome. Just ask to see “Honley Find".

Finally, in closing, I should mention that intriguingly Mrs Jagger's book refers to a similar discovery made in Thirstin, Honley about a hundred years previous to Honley Find. Regretably I have been unable to “unearth” any information on that occurrence. Should any of our readers be able to provide details on the Thirstin find, I would be very grateful to hear from them.

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Page 23

David Brown memories Stan Hirst recalls his early connections with the Company

In the recent notice regarding the annual dinner, I saw that the subject selected by the after-dinner speaker was the David Brown Family. As I worked for the company for many years, it stirred up two memories of my own. I started in 1935, at Park Works, as a craft apprentice and had to work initially in one of the stores. My work consisted of handing out parts, tools etc. to the engineers on the shop floor. One day I was instructed to go to another part of the factory to help unpack and stack parts for the soon-to-be-assembled tractor under the guidance of Mr Harry Ferguson and his engineers. Although Mr Harry Ferguson never addressed me personally, when I overheard him talking to others I could understand him clearly. His five engineers from Northern Ireland, were, however, entirely different and I had difficulty in understanding their instructions, so I assume communication must have consisted off the usual nods, gestures and other aids to non-verbal communication. I remember some of the tractor parts very well; the fuel tank was oval, viewed endwise, the wheels were pressed steel, the rear larger than the front and had cast steel wedge-shaped blocks screwed to the rim. These blocks had slightly concave sides and rounded tips, presumably to grip the sort of terrain on which they were intended to operate. I feel sure pneumatic tyres were available, but probably rejected as too costly. The driver’s seat was perforated steel, slightly profiled. 1 wondered if this was a design feature borrowed from a well-known fabric of that time, namely “Artex’”. This was a cellular fabric, widely used for underwear, one of the maker's slogans being “helps the body breathe”. Another, rather cynical suggestion was that if you make the driver sufficiently uncomfortable he would finish his work quicker. All the parts were painted grey, presumably taking their cue from Henry Ford’s comment on his Model “T”, “any colour you like...” Harry Ferguson adding “providing its grey”. My second memory, strictly speaking an association, was a residential one, albeit rather tenuous. I lived in what people in that era called the “Top End” ie of Huddersfield. I have never seen the extent of this area defined in print. The Local History Library refers to it, rather restrictively I believe, as the “Springwood area.” People who lived there saw it more as the catchment area for Spring Grove School. The “spine” of this area, if I can use this expression, was South Street, a long straight, cobbled street stretching from Trinity Street until it ended in a low stone wall almost as wide as it was high, which fringed on the “Carriage Drive”. The compilers of the Huddersfield street map do nor recognise this name and show it as an extension of Bow Street, which stretches from Springwood Avenue to its junction, at an acute angle, with Outcote Bank. The “Carriage Drive” (see illustration below) was a wide, part cinders, part rough grass, track. The name, incidentally, has some historical accuracy and is nota figment of some Top Ender's imagination.

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South Street had a number of streets which intersected it, in a way, the ribs of the spine. I lived in a street adjacent to the “Carriage Drive”. According to Desmond Donnelly’s book*, the Brown Family lived in South Street, but does not say exactly where. I believe it was at the Trinity Street end, near to where South Street Chapel (now Elim Chapel) still stands, the last remaining andmark of the old South Street. The family then moved to the present Park Works site which they acquired in 1903. Secondly, although the term “Top Ender” did tend to make people who lived there feel a little superior, an idea I never really subscribed to, nevertheless I do feel pleased that the family of one of Huddersfield’s very successful industrialists were also “Top Enders’.

David Brown’s 1860-1960 by Desmond Donnelly, Collins, 1960.

The “Carriage Drive” looking towards Outcote Bank. The junction with South Street is concealed by the “Drive’s” bend. Behind the children is where Bow Street ends and the “Drive” begins

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BOOKSHELF

Two substantial histories of Huddersfield have appeared in the last year. The second volume in the Aspects of series has been edited by Stephen Wade and comprises twelve articles on the usual eclectic range of subjects. There is the Luddite Rebellion of 1812, and a contemporary account of a soldier's life in the Napoleonic Wars. Huddersfield Town AFC, wryly referred to as “that sporting artists colony in Leeds Road”, appears alongside Thornton’s Temperance Hotel and the community of Quarmby Fold. The great and the good appear also, Sir Thomas Brooke at Armitage Bridge and Read Holliday at Lunnclough Halli. But perhaps the most striking, is the more modest life of James Hirst of Pole Moor, a weaver whose life spanned most of the nineteenth century as described in his diary. Details of everyday life, prices of food, the weather (as erratic then as now, even without the diagnosis of global warming) are enlivened by excursions on the newly established railways (17 July 1854 / went on a day trip to Ripon, Studley Royal ...) and social events such as the treat for “old Folks that was above 64 years of age” at Slaithwaite National School in June 1887. This was a splendid affair with a knife and fork tea plenty of pipes and Tobaco and Ale. And plenty of speech making and dansing. \t was certainly a good event, though having read the list of home medical remedies quoted in. the diary (especially the one for black jaundice!), one can’t help but admire those who actually survived to this significant age. Following such an interesting selection is a hard act, but the doyen of Huddersfield historians has carved his own distinctive niche. The making of Huddersfield (also published by Wharncliffe) brings together various examples of Dr George Redmonds’ particular insights. His is a different way of seeing, not so much looking backwards, as outwards. Starting from the tiniest shards of linguistic archaeology and re-constructing a picture of the pre-industrial town that often differs from preconceived notions. In one chapter, he quite literally takes a different route, tracing the old main roads out of Huddersfield along routes that differ completely from their modern successors. Other articles cross the town from Castle Hill to Netheroyd Hill, by way of the major townships and such exotics as Moldwarp Hall, Padamaram and Dead Waters. Appearances are very often deceptive, familiarity can be misleading and roads lead to unexpected destinations. Huddersfield’s urban history may be relatively short, but it is certainly not simple. Size isn’t everything in local history and even the smallest communities have a tale to tell. Hall Bower Sunday School has produced another collection (no less than forty —six articles) on the Berry Brow, Lockwood, Farnley and I Primrose Hill areas. Appropriately named Our Small Comer it is the third in the series and is available from the Chapel. In Honley, the Quincentenary of St Mary’s Church, has produced a remarkable work of even more focused interest. The Town Book 1746-1846 is a transcription, by Shirley M Heaton, of the Vestry minutes, reproduced in as authentic style as it is possible to print. Printed and bound in facsimile style, it is an artefact in its own right as well as producing a mine of carefully indexed local information.

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More conventionally, G M Wood takes a historical journey in Milnsbridge memories. This is an affectionate and easy to read, but nevertheless, realistic account of an often grim industrial environment and the people who made the best of their lives there in the 1930s and 1940s. Modestly priced at £4.95, it is supported by the Colne Valley Society. Now whereas the Colne Valley claim to be anything but urban, the tiny hamlet of Holme seems to have experienced something of an administrative identity crisis. With only a few hundred inhabitants in one of the most undeniably rural parts of the district it actually became one of the nation’s smallest Urban District Councils, an anomaly that provides the focus for Kenneth Denton’s An Urban District in a rural setting. From 1880-1938, this was civic life writ small. There were problems with pigs and football playing youths, not to mention some evil disposed person or persons who had wilfully and maliciously damaged a waterpipe. Transport problems ranged from tarred roads that were too slippy for horses to the attempts to introduce a motor bus services to this isolated community. (Wilson Haigh bravely offering to go where Huddersfield Corporation declined to venture) And, of course, there is Holme's pioneering electricity undertaking, a truly remarkable enterprise that served its village well, despite the anti-social behaviour of certain customers, whose unauthorised use of large bulbs overloaded the system causing unexpected fusings A wider geographical perspective is presented by John Wilkinson in Exploring the Upper Dearne Valley.(Bridge publications, Sheffield). Basically a historical tour of the area bounded by Flockton in the north, Skelmanthorpe in the waest and the M1 in the east. Each village has its own chapter, after a section on — general topics sich as prehistory, medieval history education, religion. Personal reminiscence, as ever, is presented by Hazel Wheeler in another behind-the-counter look at Deighton life. Living on tick: tales from a Huddersfield corner shop between the wars (Tempus). Much is very personal, but there is a wealth of detail, on such perennially fascinating topics as prices: six eggs for two shillings and three and a half pence for a packet of soap powder. And-future generations will no doubt puzzle over the Lamplighter man and the precise nature of a donkey stone. Something that would have been equally familiar to both the donkey stone generation and the present one is the cinema. The cinemas of Huddersfield and surrounding area(Kirklees) by Stuart Smith and Brian Hornsey (Mercia Cinema Society, Wakefield) lists brief details of these buildings that once graced almost every village, suburb and town centre. From one and a half pages devoted to the Grand in Manchester Road to the four sentences that record Slaithwaite’s Peoples Picture Theatre, from late Victorian silent films in Rowley’s Empire Theatre, to the UCI multiplex of 1998, all silver screen life i is here.

Just published as this issue goes to press, is a new history of Storthes Hall. Published by Huddersfield University and written by Ann Littlewood, Storthes Hall remembered.is a very detailed study of the house and the psychiatric hospitals that have occupied it since the opening of the West Riding Asylum in 1904.Closed in 1991 and subsequently owned by the University, Storthes Hall was a significant part of local life, and although the subject matter is, inevitably ,sometimes rather grim , this history is written with a light and humane touch that makes for a most interesting read.

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The deceitful trade: a frizzer’s eye-view

Born in Rochdale, and based in Wakefield, John Brearley’s jottings are not the most obvious source for an aspect of Huddersfield’s history, but this eighteenth century tradesman has left behind him a tantalisingly brief insight into the textile trade of his time. Brearley was a cloth frizzer, a finishing trade that raised the nap of newly woven cloth with abrasive (usually sanded) boards. He travelled throughout the area, attending local markets and avidly noting down information about all aspects of the textile trade. Huddersfield played a prominent part in his trade, though its methods were viewed with a sceptical, not to say jaundiced, eye. There is more deceitt in Huddersfield cloath of any cloath let it be in what country for it is one half dirt if itt is of a low prised sort and elaborating on this theme he opined that /n a general way Hudersfild cloath is very bad ware espesaly that wich is mostly sized for it looks well and handles strong and much deceives the country people that few that has bought of itt once will have it twise because it does not wear according to expectation On that basis, there must have been a large number of such naive buyers, for there are numerous references to the popularity of the Huddersfield trade, even amongst his own townsmen. In November 1761, he observed the Wakefield merchants keeps Hudersfild market and some of them seldom misses a market day in a year ....Hudersfild cloath sells exeding dear and there is very sharp markets just now. The cloth could be improved for frizing in a rather singular way. Gett some shuitt either of beef or mutton and render it down. So blow itt on while it is warmish then raise your piece and shear itt has usual and doing this way is better than oil. Thus prepared, the cloth had to be sold, either through markets or by hitting the road, as in another local trade described by Brearley, that of the “higler’. There is a deal of man living about Huddersfild wich goes into the county and drives some 2 paks othr 3 or 4 into the county so goes from town to town and sells itt amongst shopkeepers some times the sell cheap and some is sold very dear. Mr Atkinson, for example, friseur att Hudersfild , had a substantial business in partnership with his two much travelled sons, who were continually ndeing out for orders and byeing wool in.

This and many more insights into a busy life are contained in Woollen manufacturing in Yorkshire: the memorandum books of John Brearley cloth frizzer at Wakefield 1758-1762. YAS Record Series, Vol CLV, 2001

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Huddersfield Local History Society

29 September

*y 1 October 27 October

24 November

*10 December 26 January 23 February 29 March 26 April

24 May

#53 June

Programme 2003 - 2004

West Yorkshire Luddite Rebellion (Part 2) John Oldham Also incorporating the Annual General Meeting

Study Day at Newsome South Methodist Church Aspects of Local Architecture

Lucy Fairbank’s Legacy — Films of the Colne Valley 1930-1950 lan Baxter

Life on the Home Front During the Second World War Ken Kaye

Annual Dinner at Durker Roods Speaker: Ernest Beaumont “J/kla Moor b’aht ‘at”

The Bolster Moor Community Association Photo Archives Graham Butler

Troubled Waters (Reservoirs in the Upper Holme Valley) © Kenneth Denton

Life in a Victorian Workhouse lan Dewhirst

Wicked Wakefield —~ Research into Murders of the Past Kate Taylor

History of Domestic Electricity Supply and Appliances to 1950 Colin Hill

Excursion. Details still to be arranged

All Meetings except those marked * will take place in the Children’s Library,

Huddersfield Library at 7.30 pra

The 2004-2005 series of talks will commence on Monday 27" September 2004

Membership Subscriptions: Single £6 : Joint £10 are due at the start of the session

Hon. Secretary Mrs Freda Hollingworth 62 Greenhill Bank Road New Mill, Holmfirth HDS 1ER

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Editor: Mr. K. Brockhill, 52 Croft Gardens, Birkby, Huddersfield.


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