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Huddersfield
LOCAL ee SOCIETY ‘p.
rc (790003) Fp 12049 ees
Letter
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Editorial
“In launching this Newsletter it is the hope of the Committee that it will become a means of conmunication for the Membership as a whole. We would like members co look upon it as a medium for the publication of their articles and also histcrical notes and queries arising from their research which they wish to bring to the attention of the
Werkshop ,
Dr. D.M. Jonea, c/o The Folytechnic Library, Queensgate, Huddersfield. HD1 3DR.
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SOME NOTES ON THE HUDDERSFIELD SHIPPING COMPANY AND ITS ASSOCIATES
by E.A. Hilary Haigh
For a shipping company to be found in Huddersfield today seems unlikely. In 1824, when the "Rules and Regulations of the Huddersfieid Shipping Company" (1) were published, Huddersfield stood beside a transpennine waterway. The Sir John Ramsden canal from Cooper Bridge to Kings Mill, near Aspley, Huddersfield had been started in 1774 and was navigable by 1778 thus linking Huddersfield with Selby and Hull. The Huddersfield to Ashton canal had linked Aspley in Huddersfield with Ashton~under~-Lyne and the Manchester Ship Canal to the west on the opening of the Standedge Tunnel in 1811. By the time Edward Baines published his "History, Directory and Gazetteer of the County of York" in 1822 four firms were providing conveyance by water from the canal Wharf. Widow Welsh and Sons conveyed goods by Fly boat daily to Manchester in 24 hours, the Aire and Calder Navigation Company conveyed goods regularly to Hull, Edmund Buckley and Co's fly boats went daily to Dewsbury whence goods © were conveyed by land to Leeds and J. & L. Marsden's boats went daily to Manchester. Richard Clay was agent for Sir John Ramsden's Navigation.
The Huddersfield Shipping Company was formed because "much convenience end advantage would result from the trade betwixt London and Huddersfield being carried on in Vessels adapted to the whoie line of Navigation, so that goods may be transmitted in one Bottom, without being subject to transhipment, as has been hitherto done..."(2) The capital stock of the Company was to be £8,000 divided into 220 shares of £25.00 each. At the Annual General Meeting to be held on the second Friday of September five directors were to be elected from amongst the shareholders. Also at the Annual General Meeting a manager was to be elected along with a wharfinger for London.
The document mentioned above (1) is the only one so far traced which was published by the Huddersfield Shipping Company. It would be interesting to discover if any working documents exist which were actually produced by the Conpany. The Rules provide for books to be kept and balance sheets to be issued to shareholdere.
The Company did take form, however, as the following reports from the "Leeds Mercury” indicates:
"On Thursday week The Huddersfield Shipping Company launched a very fine sloop built at Huddersfield by Mr. Bradley Clay called the "Ramsden" intended for their London trade. (3)
Mr. Bradley Clay may be said to be a product of the canal era. In 1818 he was the agent in Huddersfield for the Aire and Calder Navigation Company which shipped goods to Hull. By 1830 he had become a timber merchant, rope manufacturer and lime burner as well as a carrier to and from London and the Agent to Sir John Ramsden Bart at Aspley. His boats sailed daily from the Navigation warehouse to Selby "and from thence by the New Shipping Company's Brigs which sail to Symond's Wharf, London, every four days", (4)
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When Bradley Clay's property was sold in 1834, Lot 3 was described as "All that Timber and Boat Ruilder‘s yard with the timber sheds, workshops and the dry dock therein situate at the bettom of Deck Street in Huddersfield adjoining to Sir John Ramsden‘s Canal there and where the Business of Timber Merchant and Boat Buiider have for several years been extensively carried on. (5}. The purchase price was £400 and the purchaser Mr. Luke Marsden (of J. and L. Marsden, carriers by water to Manchester erc,) (5). Presumbably ir was in this shipyard that the "Ramsden" was built in 1625.
1825 was an optimistic year for the Huddersfield Shipping Company. On i3th June a'' superior sloop” was launched by them at Barugh Lock near Barnsley and on the 20th June a further two sloopa were launched at Mirfield; these were built expressly for their London trade (7). 1828 saw the building of their siocp the "Perseverance" (8) and by the time Parson and White published their Directory (9) in 1830 the Huddersfield Shipping Company of Engine Bridge, Hudderstield could offer sloops direct to and from Irongate Wharf, London. It alse operated fly boats daily to Saddileworth, Stayley Bridge, Ashton-under-Lyne, Stockport arid Manchester, whence goods were forwarded to Liverpoel, Chester, North and South Wales, Staffordshire and to 411 parts cf the south of England; also to Wakefield, Leeds, York, Huil and all parts of the North of England and Scotland. The Company’s Agent was Richard Kobinson of Aspley.
By 1637 the Huddersficid Shipping Company was, perhaps signiricantly, legs ambitious. Its traffic was eastward to Selby and London, but under the same heading in the Directory appeared ‘and L. Dyson to Mancl.ester etc. twice a week", (16) I
Law Dyeon was to become a significant figure in Huddersfield transport. He founded his business in c.1529 and operations gradually expanded. In 1830 he was a hook~-keeper in Dock Street. (11) &y 189C his son Herbert rresided over one cf the largesc fullers’ earth merchants in Yorkshire. 12) Law Dyson & Sons, Agents for Yorkshire for the Fuller's Earth Union Ltd., were manufacturers of white and tarred ropes, spun yarn, cords and twines, waggon, cart, boat, stack and horse covers. The firm had large stores at Huddersfield, Thornhill Lees and Goole, ready for transport to ali parts of the West Riding and eisecwhere,
Their Huddersficl? warehouse at Atpley was erectad in c,1761 and was one of the original carriers’ receiving houses for the town. In 1690 it was described as being “situated on tre canal whart just off che main street." By 1852 (13) Law Dyson's vessels went daily froa the wiarf vs Mancnester, Liverpool etc. and this daily servire into the PdauG'’s. Tue cover shops were also at Aspley Place and the rene and twine works were at Bradley Mills. When Law Dvson died in 1874 however, he was largely thought of as being "extensively connected with railway traffic. (14) He must have been a man to wove with the times! By 1574 he was also a director of the West Riding Union Banking Company.
By this time the ‘luddersfield Shipping Company had long since disappeered. 10 shares had been sold off in 1827 (15). It last appeared in the 1837 Directory and by 1842 disappeared, leaving only its "Rules" to evoke its memory. Unless any reader knows more
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References
l,
Ds
ll. 12.
13.
14,
L5.
Rules aud of the Huddersfield Shipping Company, established September 1824. Huddersfietd, T. Kemp, 1824. in Kirklees tocal Studies Department, Huddersfield Library.
On, cit. 1 Leeds Mercury 2ird April, 1825
Parson aad White. Directory of the Borough of Lreds and the Clothing Distrtet of Yorkshire. 18330
Letter from Mr, Heap to Messrs. Fenton and Joreas, Solicitors, Novemker 1844, in Ramsden Archives, Kirklees Archives Department, Uuddersfield Library.
Ramsden Estate Rentals. 1831-1837, Ramsden Archives Leeds Mercury. 25th June 1825 Leeds Mercury. i3th December 1828 Op. cit. 4
W. White. History, Gozetteer and Gitectory of the West Riding of Yorkshire VYolume 1 1&3?
Up. cit. 4 Industries of Yorkshire. Parr 2 1890
W. White, Directory and Cavetteer of Leeds, Bradford, Halifar, Ruddersfield, Wakefield and the whole of the Clothing Districts of the West Riding of Yorkshire. 1853. I
Obituary of Law Dyson. Huddersfield Weekly Chronicle and Huddersfieid Weekly Examiner. J3ist October 1274
Teeds Mercury, 16th June 1827.
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Perntile History Group Goes Public
oft
some of the resuits of the first yeacs work will be on auou to the public during the subtumi, in an exnibition entitled “foxtiie Heritage", at the Toison hemcrial + > 3 MUGEUN «
ihe Original idea of an exnibation of drawn from the Group's GY of bualeings Guickiy grew to Include docunei.ts, commemorative pookiets, c.otbh semples business stationery and many cther examples of wout we have called the "raw material of docal hantory,. This mteriai nas teen collected by members of the Rroup, put together es an exhibition by myself, und the uesign work hus been carried out by hrs
tt
Janette “‘ownend of Kirklees! Technical and vonservation Unit.
Tne exhibision starts with a piece about the Group itself and its werk, and inciudes appeal for help from the public. Folicwing this is a selection from the fine collection of business stationery, often showing pictures ofr mills, put together by Clifford Stephenson. secticns showing other important scurces of information - books models, pattern books, até. — have seen gatherad by otanley sheead and om Wajanwright,.
Through the ef!orts of anna Cocmbes, Peter srook and rarion Rkhedjes fave kiadly contributed gome of their own vaintings and etchdayg of industriel lamiscapes, to ahow the artistic interpretatian of the scene. Photogeaphs featura tnroughout the exhivition, specific sectiong inelude some of Konald bielby's mesrificent studies, snd Ain Ecooke's records of Riverside bills, baltham, iaie before their demolition earlier this year.
Aruna Coombes! detailed study of Parkwood Milis ant the broadben. family includes 19th century wage books and otner documents, commemorative nodals and varicus artifacts, and, to bring things up to date, on the ultra-modern snutileless "weaving machines" that have contribute: towerds the pills! continued compet (tiveness , Ne are partialarly grateful to Parkwood Miis, and te the 8rotherton library, University of Leeds, for lending some of the thams in this section.
The exhibition is not all objecte on ur in cases. Heccrdirgts of Farxwood Milis wild lemi an noisy tone, and stanioy jreed hes vrovided slides showing producticn processss at G.ii. Norton's pile fabric mills at Scissett. de are hoping te have demonstrations cf hand-loom weaving by Glyn Whitaker, and there may even be a concert of weavers! folk sors]
Venuet Tolgon Memorial huseum, havensknowle Park, Wakefield Road, i:uddarsfield. atest 37.h September - 27t); November 198% bon, ~ oat. 10.00 ~ ©.06; Sun, 1.90 ~ 4,00, Admission <ree, Nb here will se a special cveaing onsning of the hkhibition for members of the Local
liiptory workshcep and their guests, on horday 19tn_ September between 7.30 - 9.30.
Kumsuy -
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HISTORICAi. ASSOCLATION: BRITISH ASSOCIATION FCK LOCAL HISTORY
Huddersfield Local History Workshop is a member of both these Societies. A representative set of the Historical Associations publications on-local hisctory,haz been purchased and members way order personal copies of these at a 33°/32 discount from the rate for ron-members. Details are shown below.
appreciations in History
ARL Tae Early Factory Acts and their Enforcement. U. Henriques £1.20 1971 General Series G 76 Elementary Uducation in the 19th Century. G. Sutheriand 1971 £1.20 ea. G $2. The British Ceneral Stcike 1926. M. Morris 1973 G
90 English Local Government in the 19th 4& 20th Centuries B. Keith-Lucas 1977
G 104 The Poor Law in 19th Century England and Wales. A, Digby 1982 G 10? Landscape History. C.H. Knowles 1983
Loral Histery Guides to Histerical Records
H 62 County Records: Quarter Sessions, Fetty Sessions, Clerk of £1.20 ea. the Peace and Leiutenancy, 1948 rev. F.G. Emmison & I. Gray 1973
i 71 tor the Dymond 1967
1 72 Titie Deeds Centuctes}. A.A. Dibhen 1968
Smalt Houses in England 152-1829: towards a classification,
H 78 The English House in the 19th Ve Parker 1970 H 8&3 Medieval Local Records. K.C. Newton 1971
H 85 Local Record Scurces in Print andi in Progress 1972-76 J. Youines, 1972 rev. 1977
87 Material for Theses in Local Record Offices and Libraries F.G. Eomison & W.J. Smith 1979
H 88 ‘British National Archives and the Locel A. Morton & G, Donaldson 1980
H 89 Medieval Records in Frint: Registers D.M. Owen 1982
H 69 History Handlist: a select bibliography & guide to £9.00 sources in England and Walesa, 5th edition (limited), 1982, comp. 176 pp. (As) I
Short Guides to Records ed. L.M. Munby reprinta of arcicles £3.60 orig. published in HISTORY e.g. Paté and Poll Books bound 1973
Information Leaflets (8pp)
TL8 Beginning English Local History - F.E. Manning 1932
The British Asscciation for Local History is holding a day school on "Upland Communities” at Ingleron on October 15th 1983.
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JOINT MEETING WITH WAKEFIELD HISTORICAL SCCIETY
Gur first joint meeting with anotier local history society took place on 26th March 1983 at Bretton Hell College. About thirty members of the Wekefield Historical Society and the Huddersfield Local History Workshop met to enjoy talka given by three speakers. The theme was Local Landed Families and Mr. Cyril Pearce spoke about “The Beaumonts of Bretton and their Archives". Mr. Geoffrey Markham talked about "The Wentworths of Woolley and Mr. Clifford Stephenson apoke about "The Ramsdens of Huddersfield". Members whe attended this meeting found it both informative and enjoyable. The setting of the meeting at Bretton Hall College enhanced its interest for many and it is haped that further joint
meetings will be arranged in the future.
PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED We have received copies of the West Yorkshire Hiatory Newsletter
“Por che Record" No. 6 Spring 1983 and the Annual Report 1982-
1983 cf the West Yorkshire Atchive Service.
FAMILY HISTORY
It has been suggested that members interested in family history may be interested in getring together to excharge ideas and information. Anyone interested may contact Mrg. Haigh who will
arrange a meeting if desired.
SPEAKERS
The Committee would welcome suggestions of speakers and themes for
future meetings and also ideas for excursions.