Brighouse and District Heritage Newseum

BRIGHOUSE & DISTRICT

Heritage Newseum

Issue 13 Summer 2021

Edited and Published by Chris Helme

The front page of the Festival programme, please see page 17 for the festival’s activities.

© Christopher D. Helme (2021), Tower House, Holme Mews, Wakefield Road,
Lightcliffe, Halifax, West Yorkshire HX3 8TY. This publication is copyright and apart from any

fair dealing for the purpose of study, resear ch, criticism, review or as other wise
permitted under the Copyright Act, no part including text and/or photographs and/
or other images may be reproduced by any process without written permission. All

enquiries and payments should be directed to the author and publisher.

Frontispiece: This 1980s photograph is looking down the canal towards the Huddersfield Road bridge with
Mill Royd on the left before it was converted into apartments. On the right side is what
remains of the Victoria Mills complex. This was to be eventually demolished and replaced by
the Sainsburys Supermarket.

( Photograph courtesy of Glyn Foster)

BRIGHOUSE & DISTRICT

HERITAGE NEWSEUM

From the Editor Issue 13 Summer 2021

Welcome to the Summer 1 Notes from the Editor.
issue which has another 2 The Brighouse Civic Hall story.
eclectic mix of history and 4 The Changing World of the Work Place.
nostalgia stories about the
people and places within 5 The Laurie Command Scout Troop.
Brighouse and its
surrounding communities. 6 Equality on the Bench.
7 A Life Shaped in Brighouse.
In June 1951, Brighouse played its part in
celebrating the Festival of Britain. We have 8 Who was ‘Evans of the Broke ?’
featured the front page of the programme and
more details of the actual activities themselves. 9 Learning the Ropes.
This was a really special community event. 10. Notes from the Council Chamber 1950.
11 Fork in the Fish — A new chippie in town.
It is pleasing to know that this year after
a turbulent 12 months the Gala will be back 13 More Leisurely Times in the Town Centre.
with us on September 11th. For more details 14 Potential Town Centre Changes 1972.
have a look at the gala website: 15 Lasting Memory — Wartime Landing Craft.
16 The Festival of Britain June / July 1951.
https://brighousecharitygala.org.uk/ 18 Low Moor Explosion felt at Brighouse —1916.
19 Brighouse Gala is Back.
With the new town centre ‘Parklet’ causing 20 In the Public Eye - General Elections 1950s.
some discussion amongst local shoppers, it is 21 Dramatic Fire at Lightcliffe.
interesting to read our story about some of the 22 A Letter from Doreen in Australia.
changes being suggested in 1972...that did not
happen. Remember to look at our website where you
can also contact the editor and you are
With the May elections now having been able to purchase various local books, including
fought and the electors having made their some that are no longer in print, through the
choices, the story of the General Elections of the
1950s will bring back memories for those online shop, where PayPal is available:
families who knew the personalities involved. www.chrishelme-brighouse.org.uk

Finally, Mrs Marlene Sharkey has sent a One of the many
fascinating story about her childhood in and advertisements in
around Brighouse and her life with her husband
Arthur for more than 60 years. He served as a the local press
local Policeman in Brighouse. It is such a before the First
wonderful tale to read, you will find her full story on World War, this
my website: one is from 1910.

https://www.chrishelme-brighouse.org.uk/ 1

Chris Helme

The Brighouse Civic Hall Story

With the Brighouse Civic Hall in the news let me John Taylor, Rastrick, farmer, £25. In total that was

take you through its history from 155 years ago £2,475.

when it was originally built through local subscriptions The Brighouse Town Hall Company was formed
as the new Municipal Offices .
with a capital of £7,000 divided into £1 shares. The

proposal was so well taken up by the general public

that the new building was officially opened on

October 14 1868, by Sir George Armytage who was

the chairman of the company, a position he still

held some 22 years later.

This photograph was taken in April 1968, when it was
opened as the new Brighouse Civic Hall.

In 1866, when it was built as the Municipal Offices, The shops on this 1907 photograph begin with 1,
it had eight shops underneath. Have you ever Bradford Road behind the lamp standard is Hirst and
noticed the date stone ? The next time you are in Barraclough, painters, decorators and picture
Bradford Road and have the time look up at the frames; followed by Wilson and Briggs, wholesale
right hand side corner (towards Brighouse Bid). and retail ironmongers and on the original photograph
On the end of the building just below the gutter is their name is clearly over the doorway.
the date stone.
Next was James Cooke &
It was built following the formation of the Sons, hatters and gents outfitters.
Brighouse Town Hall Company. The company James Cooke lived at 6, High
intended to provide an assembly room suitable and Street, and had been a
large enough for the district, and also as a prominent town centre
building suitable as a permanent home for the businessman for many years.
town's Mechanic's Institute, which had had a He moved to the town in 1868
somewhat nomadic existence since it was then aged 35, and almost
established in 1846. straight away opened his gentleman’s outfitters
business in Bradford Road.
The idea of a public hall was taken up by a
number of the town's prosperous businessmen On May 29, 1913, he was presented with a
including: Sir George Armytage, Kirklees Hall, who framed portrait of himself by the members of the
gave £300; Thomas Sugden of Well Close, £200; Clifton Bowling Club, which for many years hung on
Kaye Aspinall, The Manor House, a stone merchant, the wall of the club. This club was founded in 1875
£500; T.T.Ormerod, Elm Royd in Brighouse Wood and he was one of the club’s earliest members. He
Lane, mill owner, £300; David Goldthorp Sugden, served as one of the club’s Vice Presidents in 1875
Bonegate House, Brighouse, corn miller, £300; and was President between 1888 and 1900.
John Carr Bottomley, Stoneleigh House, Halifax
Road, a manufacturing chemist, £200; Henry Stott, Moving along passed Walter Eastwood’s
Ryburn Villa, Brighouse, cotton spinner, £150; hairdressing and tobacconist business and
Joseph Barber, Lark Field, Church Lane, Brighouse, then the last business before arriving at the
gentleman, £100; Henry Sugden, Canal Lodge,
Brighouse, cotton spinner, £50; Charles Heward
Broughton, Brighouse, iron founder, £50; and

2

Municipal Office front door was Lodge and Butlers rounds of financial haggling began. The council had

booking and small printing business. to apply for a loan sanction to buy the former cinema

Going back to the corner and walking along Bethel and shops at the eventual agreed price of £20,000.

Street, on this side of the road were the even numbers. Once the deal was done and the building finally

The first business was Edward Mortimer’s, printers, belonged to the council, Richard Pickles and

stationers and booksellers. In 1903 they printed one Partners were commissioned to submit plans and

of the town’s earliest handbooks, which in later sketches of the building for a new use as a Civic

years was something the council always printed Hall, dancing and entertainment purposes.

and published annually. The next premises was a On the 18th of October 1961, the first set of plans

familiar name even today and that was the and sketches were complete. These were submitted

Singer Sewing Machine Co Ltd, a company which to the sub-committee and the architects were told
was started by New York born Isaac Merritt Singer, after much consideration to submit a revised set.
who’s family had left their home in Germany to
Looking at my copy of this first set of plans the
make a new life as immigrants in America. Little did alterations and conversion to a civic hall would have
they know that their son Isaac would become an
inventor, actor, and entrepreneur. When he died in cost the council £115,760.

1875, aged 63, he left a $14 million estate and was Further meetings during the early part of 1962
interred in a cemetery in Torquay, having lived in followed, and on April 9, the final plans and estimates
Paignton. But, when his company opened a branch were sent to the General Purposes Committee. A
in Brighouse remains as a small piece of research final decision seemed to be taking forever. In the
meantime, local Chamber of Trade secretary Fred
for another day.
Lapish wrote to the Town Clerk pointing out that the
Whilst he did not invent the sewing machine, he former cinema's frontage, particularly the veranda,
designed the first practical one and introduced mass was untidy. Mr Lapish's letter worked because the
production techniques and pioneered the hire veranda was taken down and the Borough Engineer
purchase system of being able to buy goods on
credit in what was described as ‘easy installments’. gave instructions that the windows on the frontage
Inevitably this gave the shopper the means to should be washed at least once a week. Another
letter was received from Waring Green stalwart Jim
purchase these new inventions far more easily and Mashinter suggesting that the former cinema could
revolutionised the home made clothing market.
be used by the Brighouse 'Little Theatre' group.

Moving along to the last premises at the junction

with Bethel Street and Hall Street, is the Brighouse

Poor Rate office.

The Municipal Offices continued to be in use until
the new town hall was built in Thornton Square in
1887. Whilst the old municipal offices’ first floor
premises then changed for ever more, the shops on
the ground floor have continued to the present day
to serve the local people with an array of different
goods and services for sale.

Some readers may recall the days when it was the Here are some of the potential customers at a Flea
Savoy picture house, but when that closed in the
Market held in 1977 at the Civic Hall. It has been
late 1950s the building was put up for sale and
used for many different things since 1968.

offered to the council. Being such a large property in
the town centre, the General Purposes Committee The big day finally arrived on January 23, 1967,
when the old Savoy picture house was officially given
established a sub-committee on November 26,
1959, to investigate the possibility of the purchase. its new title 'Brighouse Civic Hall' by the local
authority and its official opening followed in April
The council's value of the property was considerably 1968.
less than that of the owners; consequently the

3

The Changing World of the Work Place

It was good to see some changes coming to the old entrance in Foundry Street through the archway on
Vulcan Inn Beerhouse, on Foundry Street, off Birds the right of brewery photo.
Royd Lane.
Across the yard through the arch is the main
structure with its five storey battlement tower. There
were a number of cart sheds, and stabling for nine
horses and a harness room. There were spacious
cellars beneath the premises which could hold 1,000
barrels.

The brewery regularly delivered to Halifax,
Bradford, Huddersfield and other neighbouring
towns, as well as Brighouse.

The old Vulcan Inn which closed in 1926, the Prynn and Co are listed in an 1893 trade directory
initials B and B with the date 1869 can be seen quite but in 1895, whilst a John William Prynn is listed as
clearly high up on the front of the house. The initials the occupier, the owner however is shown as
Samuel Webster and Sons Ltd.
would be for Brook and Booth.
To bring this story up to date and in to the 21st
In more recent times it was the business premises century, the old Vulcan Inn is now going to be the
of Top Stitch, which was owned by Mrs Barbara home of BrigHub. New owner Stephanie Hopkins,
Howard-Brisk. Before moving to Foundry Street the owner of Faith, the public relations, social
some readers may recall her shop used to be in and content specialist, is making these premises
Park Row, off Park Street. her company’s new headquarters.

Another business that has long since faded into It is also going to provide and offer flexible
the history books in this area is the Red Cross organisational workspace (Hot-Desking). This is
Brewery. This was a business that was established when desks are used by different people at different
in 1871 by Messrs Brook and Booth, who in time times, on an ad hoc basis. This will also be creating
through personnel changes became known as conference solutions for freelancers, remote
Brook and Ogden. workers and growing firms to create a new base for
working. With current plans in place this new
business could be opened by the summer.

This is a new innovation in Brighouse and will be
the town’s first ever shared workplace environment.
As with any new business to open in Brighouse, we
wish them well for a lasting future.

However, in 1884 it was a taken over by a James
William Prynn (b: 1857; d:1907), who came to
Brighouse from Hull. From that time the business
traded as Prynn and Co.

In a trade directory the brewery was described as
extending over quite a large area, with its main

4

The Laurie Command

In 1908, when the first issue of ‘The Scout’ was cases on a cart.

circulated, a number of free copies were distributed I n 1 9 1 3 , t h e Brighouse Association was
amongst the pupils at St Martin’s School in Church formed and the Laurie Command became
Lane.
Brighouse.

The boys readily When the war broke
soaked up all there out in 1914 the troop
was to know about was preparing to
the Scouts and spend the holiday
decided this was week at Conway but it
what they wanted to was cancelled. It was
have in Brighouse. held on Waterloo

Most of the boys Road playing fields

were choirboys at instead.

St James’s Church. All the Scout leaders
enlisted for war service
The curate, the and the troop had to
be organised by the
Rev. E. Ide Mack older Scouts.

was approached One of the earliest photographs of the Brighouse Scouts.
and he sponsored

this new movement in Brighouse After the war the troop was organised by the
Rev. P.C.A.Carnegy, the minister at St Martin’s
A loft at Slead Syke was rented as the Scouts’ Church. Although he was new to scouting he was
new HQ and most of the time there was spent in helped by the older scouts.
making rugs to raise funds. A camp was held at
Clifton and altogether this was a fair grounding in
what scouting was all about. Soon after this a few The Laurie Command was represented at all the
more groups were formed, one at the Church large national and international rallies. Summer
camps went on to be held at a number of
Institute and one at Bethel Church. The three
amalgamated and met at a new HQ at the Stotts coastal resorts in addition to one held in Belgium.

Arms pub stables This story appeared in the centenary issue of the

This change did not work out too well with the Brighouse Parish Church magazine 1831 — 1931.

two church groups going off on their own meeting

at the Church Institute.

In March 1910, the first meeting of the Elland
Divisional Boy Scouts Association was held and
the Brighouse Church Troop joined. It was now
known as the 3rd Elland Troop with Mr F. Stirk as
the Scoutmaster, Mr George Crowther as his
assistant and the Rev. Oscar Sydney Laurie,
as chaplain with the troop then renamed the 3rd
Elland or The Laurie Command.

From this time a high standard of Scout work Some of the leaders and members of the Central
was achieved and with the quality of officers in Brighouse Scouts in 1991. Back Row, from left: Mike
charge the troop produced very keen Scouts. The Dawson, David Radley, Linda Clegg. Middle Row: Nick
troop’s HQ was in Milnes Fold but this proved to be Hewland, Neil Edmonds, Garry Pierce, Tom Ogilvy,
inadequate and a move to Upper Bonegate followed. Richard Robson Front Row: Phillip Crouch, Unknown,

The troop attended regular summer camps, one Andrew Clegg, Unknown, Richard Dawson.
in particular was talked about for many years after.

During a railway strike the troop had to march
from the summer camp at Lytham dragging their

5

Equality on the Bench

To see lady magistrates officiating on the local The Home Secretary of the time felt strongly that
Bench is a familiar sight these days. However, this lady magistrates should be present as he described
was not always the case as it was traditionally an them as possibly having a ’softening influence’ and
all male-dominated role. being a practical help to the court.

When Brighouse gained its Borough status in Those defendants who

1893 there was not a local magistrates’ court in the found themselves standing

town. Brighouse in those days formed part of the in the dock before these

Petty Sessional Division of Halifax with all the local first lady magistrates would

cases being heard at the Halifax Court. have quickly discovered

There was a strong case for dealing with local that ladies were not a soft
offenders in Brighouse. An application was made to touch when it came to
the Secretary of State in July, 1898, for a separate punishments but were just
Commission of the Peace, an application that was as understanding and as
granted the following month. firm as their male
counterparts.
The commission contained the names of 13 new
magistrates: William Camm, Arthur Travis Clay, This also included all the
John William Clay, John Fairburn, J.J. Goodall,
Samuel Edgar Hirst, Dennis Crowther Holmes, Retiring Magistrate lady magistrates who
Richard Kershaw, John Watson Miller, William Mrs Nancy Marshall in followed. During the 1980s
Pilling, William Smith, Alexander Oldfield Stocks 1992
and Henry Sugden. These were 13 of the most one of the most well known
prominent men in the town...but no women.
magistrates was Mrs Nancy Hirst, who later married

Dr. Kenneth Marshall. I had sat in her court many

times as a Court Usher and whilst she was very

Although women were eligible to serve as firm she was always fair. But, I remember even

some of the ‘big lads’ in Brighouse back in those
magistrates it appears that for the next 35 years no days would often ring in sick if they discovered Mrs
women were actually appointed.
Marshall was sitting rather than attend.

But, times were changing and with the enactment I knew her for many years and if we met in town
of the Young Persons Act of 1933, which included shopping whilst we never discussed cases or court
the reforming of the way juveniles had to be dealt appearances we often shared a greeting and a
with at courts, the make-up of the Bench was also laugh and tried to solve the world’s problems.
set to change. No more could it be an all-male-

Bench at each sitting but had to include one female

magistrate or one male in three. With the Brighouse

Bench still not having any females, the first three

lady magistrates were quickly appointed.

One of the first three was Mrs Sarah Bunce, Hove

Edge, who was the Mayoress to Mayor George

Percy Bunce in 1942. Her father, Mr J. Gommersal,

had served on the Hipperholme Local Board (the

fore-runner to the local council) for many years.

Then there was Mrs Mary Deasey, also from Hove Two former Brighouse Magistrates Court Chairmen,
Edge, who was the second female to be elected as John Vincent Floyd Bottomley and Michael Armitage
a councillor in 1935, and served until 1938. The
in 1995.

third magistrate was Mrs Frances Robinson of Brighouse Magistrates’ Court closed in 1992 and in
Slead Syke. Mrs Bunce and Mrs Robinson had 1995 the building was purchased and set to
the distinction of being the first two to sit on August re-opened as the new Brighouse Salvation Army
22, 1934. Citadel.

6

A Life Shaped By Brighouse

Memories are slippery things you hold some firm with bits of meat of some kind, milk puddings

while others escape, re-emerge and change shape. (tapioca and barley kernels) which we wolfed down

All you can do is grab onto the ones still in the tank whether we liked them or not. Occasionally we

and be thankful for them. received ’treats’ of cocoa powder mixed with sugar

At the age of 84 looking back to and dried milk, courtesy of the
the beginning is a formidable task USA. We were supposed to take
but, like my old filing cabinet, the the paper cones home, but they
papers stuck firmly at the back never got any further than the
remain while the recent ones fall school door. Bright red shiny
out for lack of space. apples were sent to us by Canada.

In March 1937 I, Marlene Drew, Despite the lack of amenities

was born at Lyn Lea Nursing at school, we were never short

Home in Clifton, Brighouse. of places to play. The ’Rec’ at

Whether I was a welcome gift is Lane Head, Wellholme Park, ’Up

debateable as parents already in Thornhills’ and down ’The Valley’,

middle age with a grown-up family all green spaces with endless

were unlikely to plan an addition. possibilities for adventure and

I was baptised at Bethel Methodist we made the most of them,

Chapel in Brighouse and given playing out until it got dark or

the name Marlene after the film when our empty stomachs

star Marlene Dietrich. Marlene aged 10, caught on camera called us home.
My dad, Richard Tyrell Drew whilst on a family holiday. I was one of the fortunate

(Dick), was a flour miller, originally ones and in 1948 I became a
from York, as were the rest of my family. Dad proud pupil of Brighouse Girls’ Grammar School.

moved to Brighouse when work was scarce in the When the end of the war was declared we

early 1930s and found a job at Thomas Sugden and celebrated in a crowded Thornton Square outside

Sons’. Before the rest of the family could join him, the Town Hall and jumped up and down in excitement

he lived in lodgings on Rastrick Common. around a huge bonfire built by the council on the

In their early Brighouse days, my family lived in Rec at Lane Head, but it was some time before my
Rastrick and Brookfoot before moving to Marion brothers were able to come home and a long time
Street at Waring Green. Brighouse was a collection before life became easier as shortages lasted well
of neighbourhoods each with its own shops, into the 1950s.

schools, churches, chapels and pubs. In 1948 when I was 11, my Dad was a mill foreman,

In 1941, aged four, I started school at St Andrew’s so Sugden’s offered him the chance to move to
Infants School on Garden Road: my two brothers Brook Cottage, on Mill Royd Street, next to the mill’s
were away fighting for King and Country. My sister offices but a separate building then. The house

Dolly lived two doors away in Marion Street, but her hadn’t been lived in previously but was used as the
husband was fighting in Italy so much of her time Home Guard’s Mess Room during the war. My dad
was a sergeant in the Home Guard as he’d served
was spent at our house.
in the First World War and was considered to know
Aged eight I moved schools to St Andrew’s Junior what he was doing!
school on Thornhill Briggs Lane. We walked in
crocodile fashion up the street to Waring Green The property was badly affected by the severe
Community Centre each day where pre-cooked floods of 1946 and required new floors, skirting
dinners were served. Lots of cabbage and potatoes boards etc, and a lot of modernisation.

7

Dad decided we would move to Brook Cottage as it Many Brighouse residents will remember when the
was convenient for him and my stepmother who new grain silos were erected alongside the canal, in
worked at a factory on Mill Royd Street. 1959. We’d moved from Mill Royd Street then, so
they didn’t play any part in my early years.

I could have worked harder at school, but my head
was filled with other things — acting in particular, both
as an enthusiastic member of the Brighouse
Children’s Theatre.

Despite the distractions, I managed to gain several
O levels, but I was heartbroken when I left school at
16 as I longed to go into higher education.

My first job was at the Head Offices of the Halifax
Building Society in Halifax. The work was mind-
numbingly boring.

The 1946 floods in Briggate when a rowing boat But one-life changing event there marked my
was the only transport fit to use. A sight Marlene future. A young man was working on top of a metal
racking being erected for yet more files. Little did I
would have seen from her childhood home.
suspect that he would become my husband and we
There were a couple of old single-storey cottages at would be together for more that 60 years. Arthur
the bottom of the street opening onto Briggate. And
some rows of houses on the other side of Sharkey, an apprentice sheet metal worker was one
Briggate, the main street from the Town Hall square, of my earliest boyfriends, but the one that lasted.

over the canal bridge. I moved to Ambassador Radio and Television

It was a bleak environment, but it was convenient Company but was soon on the move again. I started
working at the newly opened Kosset Carpet Company
for my stepmother but far too convenient as it
at Brookfoot and loved every minute there.
turned out as a constant stream of flour mill workers
October 1956, saw us walk up the aisle at
turned up at our back door at all times of the day
and night wanting him for one reason or another. Brighouse Parish Church and I became Mrs Sharkey.

Dad was bald from an early age and always wore In late 1957 we moved in to a small cottage on
a trilby hat. His working ‘uniform’ was a brown suit Thornhill Briggs Lane, the house had no electricity,
covered by a white overall plus his trilby. During his no hot water and was lit by gaslight with old gas
time spent in the mill, it was covered in finer flour mantles and an old coal fire to heat the whole
dust which got wet when he crossed the mill yard in house.
the rain. After a period of time, his hat turned into a
‘crust’. He never changed it. He was the original Mr Arthur loved his rugby and played for several local
Pastry! teams and in 1960 he signed for Bradford Northern,
playing in the second team.

Just a few minutes away on Briggate stood the Arthur applied to become a Police Officer and
Black Swan pub (Millers Bar now) where my dad became a Probationary Constable in the West
went on Sunday lunchtimes for his gill of beer. On Riding Force in Brighouse. As he already knew
the opposite side just before the Assembly Rooms many people and was well known in most pubs, it
and Masonic Hall was the old Bow Window. This was a bit like poacher turned gamekeeper and had
was a very small shop down a few steps from the many memorable occasions in those early days. He
street where a large cauldron of mushy peas was offered a transfer to Hebden Bridge and another
bubbled away. aspect of out lives started.

Customers who had money could buy a bowl of It is true to say that my early childhood and
peas and a sausage but us kids, if we had a penny growing up in Brighouse formed the basic values of
or two could have half a tea-cake dipped in pea my life and I have much to thank them for.
juice — it was delicious. Marlene Sharkey

8

Who was Evans of the Broke?

‘Haven't they done well’? Brighouse Special when he was offered the post of second-in-

Constables, from the left: Mick Scott, Mandy command on Robert Falcon Scott's ill fated expedition to

Stevens, John Richardson, Nick Peace, Carol the South Pole in 1910 – 1913, as Captain of the

Shelmerdene and Chris Holt. expedition ship Terra Nova. He accompanied Scott

The cup is the 'Evans of the Broke', an annual to within 150 miles of the Pole, but later became
award for the best team of Specials in the force seriously ill with scurvy and only narrowly
area which have gone a through a series of tests survived the return journey. Since the entire
and exercises. The Brighouse Specials were led by team that continued towards the Pole died, the
Inspector David Whitteron and the specials under life-threatening scurvy indirectly saved his life.

his command won Following his return

this award three years he was engaged

in succession, a touring the country

tribute to his giving lectures and

leadership and their returned to his naval

dedication. duties as a Commander

During my years in the summer of
1914. He spent
working at Brighouse the First World
War as a destroyer
Police Station, I Captain, and becoming
famous as ‘Evans of
often worked with the Broke’ after
the Battle of Dover
members of the

Brighouse Specials,

keen as mustard The Evans of the Broke winning Special Constable team 1992

sums them up. Strait in 1917.
They were always wanting to get involved

and help the regulars in a professional manner. Between 1939 – 1945 he was appointed a

I often wondered about the award, what or who London Civil Defence Commissioner and it was
was 'Evans of the Broke'. A little bit of research during this role that he was involved with around
revealed that it referred to Admiral Edward Ratcliffe 130,000 Special Constables acting as the wartime
Garth Russell Evans, 1st Baron Mountevans, police reserve, supplemented by retired police
KCB, DSO, SGM, who was born in 1880 and died officers recalled to duty to assist.

in 1957. He was known as ‘Teddy’ Evans and was While many became full time 'regular' police

a British naval officer and Antarctic explorer. officers, others contributed duty hours whenever

He was seconded they could, while carrying on with their full-time
from the Navy to responsibilities. After the end of the War, the
the Discovery number of Specials declined sharply.

Expedition of the The West Yorkshire Police are currently looking to

Antarctic in 1901 – recruit more Special Constables.

1904, when he The West Yorkshire Police website asks: Could
served with the crew you be a Special Constable?
of the relief ship. It

was after this that We're recruiting now. Same Uniform, Same
he began planning Pride, Same Purpose, Be Special. Full details
his own Antarctic can be found here:
expedition.
https://westyorkshire.police.uk/bespecial
These plans were

soon suspended

9

Learning the Ropes Just One More Brick in the Wall

It is funny how experts or those who have been I have often illustrated some of the many local
doing something for a long time make a task look items that are offered for sale on eBay. One of the
strangest of items was offered for sale a few
so easy. weeks ago.

A few years ago I I have seen modern day milk bottles for sale
attended a funeral and the old pop bottles with the glass ball in the
and heard the church neck. But, I have never seen a single brick for
bells ringing both sale until this one came up for auction.
before and after the
service. It is clearly a brick that
was manufactured by Joseph
Looking around the Brooke, of the Lightcliffe and
church at other Hipperholme company. The
members of the dark patterning is actually dark
congregation I blue.
noticed the bell
ringers busy ringing During the lifetime of the
the bells at the back company it produced all kinds of bricks, with most
of the church in of them being far less ornate than this one.
what I believe is called the ringing chamber .
The seller of this brick states that it was
Watching for a few minutes I thought to myself manufactured c1860 and was initially inviting bids
how they made it look so easy. in excess of £100,although it has now been
reduced to £85. If anyone is interested check it
I almost felt like having a go but then I out on eBay.
remembered watching bell ringers on the television
when things have not gone as it should have. If these lads working at one of the Brooke’s brick
Ringing out of turn or pulling it so hard you end up yards only knew that some of the bricks they were
going up with the rope. Or worse the bell comes working with would be one day worth more than the
crashing down.
equivalent of three years of their wages.
No, not for me, I think I will stick to enjoying watching
and listening to the experts do it.

This photograph dates back to January 1983,
showing the expert band of bell ringers at
Lightcliffe’s St Matthew's Church. They are Peter
Kirby, Arthur Talbot, Andrew Ray, Katie Boylan,
Judith Talbot and Jean Howard.

Before the First World War regular hand bell
ringing competitions were held at Sunny Vale.

Local teams from in
and around the
Brighouse area were
always well in
attendance with
some of the teams
being r e g u l a r p r i z e
winners .

10

Flashes Notes from the Council Chamber 1950 Flashes

March 27, 1950, it was The Water and Baths February 7, 1955,
reported in the local Committee met on May Brighouse Borough
23, 1950. The Town Clerk Council voted against
press that the Brighouse submitted a letter from Sunday cinema shows.
Labour MP Frederick Automatic Hair Cream
Arthur Cobb had died Vending Machines Ltd. March 18, 1960, Michael
suddenly in a London This company was Shaw was elected as
hospital. offering to supply free of
charge two Brylcreem the United Liberal and
February 24, 1951, Vending Machines, Conservative candidate
T.F.Firth & Co received together with a bulk supply for the Brighouse and
a large order to supply of Brylcreem for use at the Spenborough constituency
carpets for the new United public baths. The council by-election . He was the
Nations building in New would retain one third of first non-Labour MP for
York. Sadly, how the all monies collected from the machine. The Brighouse since 1945.
mighty have fallen with committee on behalf of the council accepted the
offer. Can anyone remember those machines? He was defeated in
the company closing 1965 but went to be the
down in 2000. The Housing and Property Committee met on June MP for Scarborough for
20, 1950, and one of the items discussed involved
March 7, 1953, Mr a letter the Town Clerk had received from 20 years. He was
J.W.Houseman retired Mr J.D.Marsden of Southowram. He was requesting knighted in 1982 and
permission to use a field adjoining the Nursery appointed a life peer in
as head teacher of School being part of Cain Lane housing estate, for 1994 as Baron Shaw
Hipperholme Grammar the purpose of a cycle speedway, until such time of Northstead, of
School, after 34 years at as the land is required by the council for housing Liversedge He died aged
development. 100 on January 8, 2021.
the school with 25 of
them as the head After a long discussion the council agreed to the April 24, 1951, the
request subject to a number of safety measures, Health and Cleansing
July 4 ,1954, Fourteen stewards in attendance, appropriate insurance, the Committee had to
years of food rationing in cycle track is roped off and there was to be no consider a nuisance
Britain ended at midnight collections at these meetings. complaint from 10
when restrictions on the residents on Maryville
sale and purchase of meat The Town Planning Committee met on September Avenue. This concerned
18, 1950, one item on the agenda involved corre- the burning of rubber
and bacon were lifted. spondence from the Ministry of Works, together and the trespass of
with a plan in connection with open cast coal turkeys and goats. The
This was a new production in Lightcliffe. The plan highlighted part decision was there were
experience for many of the golf course, the cricket field and houses in no grounds to take action.
shoppers. Whilst eyeing Valley Avenue. The Ministry correspondence
up what was now on offer mentioned a desire to sink boreholes to assess
in the local shops, what whether coal was present. In further correspondence
did come as a shock it was suggested by the Ministry the cricket field
were the new and and Valley Avenue would not be affected.
much higher prices
displayed, with Rump The meeting decided that whilst not having any
steak at 4s 4d a pound, objection to the prospecting, it did object most
which was an increase strongly to any proposal to carry out opencast mine
of 10d since the lifting of working in this residential area.

rationing. 11

‘Fork In The Fish’ ...a new face in Bradford Road

It smells of fish and chips on the street. A turquoise During those years I have learned and seen how
shop front! I don’t remember seeing that before. I the fish and chip shop business works. I saw
step inside. The walls are shiny with white and grey an opportunity here and finally, I decided to put my offer
tiles. There’s also a drinks fridge full of colourful in.
cans.
I didn’t tell my wife about my offer, until I had
done it. I called her to tell the news. The line was
quiet for a while. Then she said that she didn’t want
to work in a chippie. I told her not to worry, as we
would keep the same staff working there. With
time, I have got her approval. She has even been in
the shop to help and has enjoyed it.

Fork in the Fish — A new face in Bradford Road. As soon as the deeds changed hands, I started to
renovate the restaurant part. We also made some
A lady is standing behind the counter, another by a small changes on the takeaway side. As its lock-
frying range. There is a cheery hello. I can imagine a down anyway, it is a good time to go ahead with
smile behind the mask. building.

“Could I have a portion of fish and chips please?” The previous owner had done a renovation on the
takeaway side, which I was a part of, so I knew the
“Sure! One fish please!” the lady shouts over her building was in a good condition. The frying range
shoulder. The other lady gets a fish and drops it in was also changed to a new one then. The takeaway
the frying range. It crackles. The fish is cooked by has been running all the time, regardless of the
order. changes.

My fish is ready and the lady sets the battered The shop front was changed on a weekend and
fish on a pile of golden chips. “Any scraps, salt and we gave the chippie a new name. We thought about
vinegar?” different names for a long time. My wife had a couple
of A4 papers full of name suggestions. In the end
“Yes please!” I nod “and lots of vinegar”. we went for ‘Fork In The Fish’. The colour was
something that we agreed about nearly straight
away.

The lady gets some scraps and adds them to my We are looking forward to opening the restaurant
pile. Then she splashes vinegar on it. side when the lockdown is over. It will be interesting
to see how the business starts running when it’s
“We have new batter. It’s thin and crispy”. I can see back to normal”.
excitement in her eyes. “Enjoy your fish!” she
wishes, before I step outside with a warm dinner in Rebecca Blair
my hand. It’s traditionally wrapped in paper.
The new owners were keen to know a little bit about
In the middle of COVID-19 lockdown, Mr Cleveland the history of the shop before they took it over.
bought a fish and chip shop in Brighouse. He told
us his story. Let me take you back in time — 20 years, 50
years no, not even 100 years ago, let us go back to
“You must think I’m crazy starting a business in a the end of the 18th century. This is long
time like this” He laughs. “The chippie had been on before this section of road was called Bradford
the market for some time. My sister said to me one Road. In terms of a street name how does ‘Ball
day, that ‘Ben and Eddie’s’ is still for sale”. Flash’ sound.

I had thought for years that I would like to have The earliest reference to any buildings in this
my own chippie. I have worked closely for about a small section of the town centre I have been able to
decade with fish and chip owners, helping them to find is 1795.
build, refurbish or renovate their shop premises.

12

The present numbering includes the art gallery shop
at number 7, the Brighouse Bid office is number
17, then the Cakemaker is 21, the new fish and chip
shop is 23 and 25, a double fronted shop. Next door
(upstairs) Rebecca’s Hairdressers is 27. The bread
shop is 29 / 31, 29a was Taylor’s Training Hair-
dressers and Marshall and Marshall is 33. The old
White Swan / Lloyds Bank is 35.

In this early and rare photo the first building on the left In a 1915 trade directory we appear to have lost
is the Freemasons Arms, which opened in 1850 and some numbers with 31 shown as the White Swan,
29 was a Pawnbrokers shop, 27 a butchers, 25 a
closed in 1947. chemist and 23 The Freemasons Arms, beerhouse.
Allowing for the change in numbering it is likely the
Without the benefit of detailed maps Ball Flash is new fish shop is 21, which was then a confectioner
basically the stretch of Bradford Road from the and 19 was the Volunteers’ Arms, beerhouse with
Bethel Street corner to the Lloyd Bank corner with number 17 as a drapers shop. With these changes
Commercial Street. and later changes the numbering begins to become
very confusing.

In 1746, Eli Clegg of Brighouse was appointed as
the Overseer of the Poor. In his Will of 1795 he
leaves property to his son also called Eli, but he
died in 1815, with the estate being left to members
of his family. The property left in the Will included
Ball Flash which was sold in 1819 by John Clegg to
Rowland Ramsden for £19 guineas. There is
further evidence where relatives of Ramsden
purchased additional land and property through the
trustees of Sir George Armytage.

In 1823, a Bill was passed through Parliament for The 1960s, when the fish shop was the accountants
the making and maintaining of a Turnpike Road Kilby and Sutcliffe’s offices.
from Wibsey Bankfoot through to Huddersfield

which would include Brighouse. In more modern times it was the Far Pavilion Indian

The road was opened on May 23, 1825. It is likely restaurant and has been a fish shop which went on
that the name Ball Flash disappeared and formed to include a restaurant section as well and traded
part of the new Turnpike Road. But why Ball Flash under a number of different names.

in the first place? One suggestion was the name Some might say its claim to fame came when

caught on after a gun shot was fired up a chimney Tony Blair visited Brighouse on the election trail and

to clear the soot, which set the house on fire and called in when it was the called the Happy Haddock.
the neighbouring house. However, that was dated Complete with photographs both he and the fish

in 1855 and documents show the name Ball Flash shop became national news both in the newspapers

existed almost a 100 years before that. So there is and on the news channels.

still research to be done. From the days when this section of Bradford Road

One of the difficulties when trying to identify and was called Ball Flash countless shops have come
research old property without the complete deeds is and gone. We are now up to the present day and
when the property is not numbered and uses just owners, we wish them well with their new business
the owner’s name. Or when streets are renumbered, venture.

unless you know when and if that has taken place Chris Helme
you can end up researching the wrong property

altogether.

13

More Leisurely Times in the Town Centre

To duplicate the scene in the older of these three During his quieter moments he could safely hang
photographs would be impossible. Any of these his cape hung on a nail at the George corner and
pedestrians trying to get across Commercial Street take a walk around the town centre. Of course no
today would be taking a risk. one dare touch it let along move it or even consider
stealing it.

Those days came to an end in August 1931 when the
‘robots’ or traffic lights were first introduced in the town.

George Corner looking towards King Street c1910 That first day for the town centre motorist ended
up as a bit of a farce. Once the lights had been
erected the point duty policeman left his point to
deal with another and more pressing matter
somewhere else in the town centre. Motorists were
left in a quandary with many sat at the lights for a
few minutes not really knowing what to do and
wondering should they go through or not.

Mind you, when this photograph was taken the
sight of a motor vehicle would have been a rare
event. The only horse power you would have
come across would have been the four legged
variety.

On the right hand side is what until the 1990s
was the White Swan pub.

The family group stood on the corner would George Corner looking towards King Street late 1980s.
present a problem these days for any motorist
wanting to turn right out of Bradford Road into In the old photograph on the right hand corner
King Street. The sight line for on coming motor with King Street, or as it used to be always called
vehicles along Commercial Street would be Tates Corner, after the drapery shop, much later
impossible. when it was referred to as Co-op corner and you
could look through the windows at the men’s out-
fitters. These days to many it is now the corner
occupied by M&Co, but a century before it
was the former home of a Dr Brown, complete
with iron railings around its frontage.

In the top right hand corner of this old photograph
are the tell tale signs of the Pawnbrokers sign, a
relic predating the 1914-1918 war.

Commercial Street looking towards the Bradford Road Whilst those days, the history books tell us,
crossroads c1950s. were more leisurely times, where as now

Once the motor vehicle had begun to take over everyone seems to be running in the fast lane.
our lives a traditional and necessary sight at this But, as with then the pace of your life is often
busy crossroads for many years was the policeman what you make it.

engaged in daily traffic duty.

14

Town Centre Changes For Consideration!

Between August and September 1972, a study of Commercial Street is not the only part of the town

the environment in Brighouse was carried out by centre to be featured in the survey. The Canal

the Yorkshire and Humberside Regional Office of Basin is included with reports of both empty and

the Department of the Environment. The completed buildings in a poor state of repair. It even

survey is a 99 page document. suggests a new public house to help to increase

This is a map highlighting visitors to the canal basin area.

the suggested changes to With the enhancement of

the town centre. What is Victoria Works and the arrival

particularly noticeable of ‘Jeremy’s at the Boathouse’,

are the number of trees wine bar and restaurant many

surrounding the car park years after this report was

outside the Central published they have certainly

Methodist Church, which made a huge difference to this

are still there. area. Millroyd Apartments the

The trees shown on the towering property that over-
boundary of what is now looks the canal basin and the
Wilko’s (in 1972 it was back of Sainsbur ys Super-
Hillards Supermarket), market which replaced large
and the trees on the areas of empty mills, added to
boundary of the car park, the major improvements to this
on the approach to the part of Brighouse.

bus station appear not to The town was chosen for this

have ben planted. But, study because at the time the

the trees on the bend into council were active in environ-

Elland Road are still mental and economic develop-

there and there are some ment. In 1972 the town had

of the trees that line parts of the Ludenscheid Link many schemes in hand, but plans only affected a

that tower over the road as you drive by them. small part of the town's wider area. What the report

There are strong voices talking about the planned suggested is that the ’Total Approach’ be adopted
changes in Commercial Street with ‘parklets’ which would deliver dividends to the town.

according to reports in the press and on news

websites.

When you look at this map of 1972 shown in the Canal Basin events have proved to be popular.
town centre survey the suggestion being put forward Hopefully, when life returns to a degree
was, as you will see on the west end of Commercial
Street up to the Briggate junction, that it should be of normality after Covid-19 there might be a
pedestrianised, with trees planted at the end of return to these kind of events The Canal Basin
Commercial Street, the junction of Market Street. water festivals have been held on a few
It would also include the end of Market Street occasions over the last 20 years. Here is a
being included in the pedestrianisation and the end
of Hutchinson Lane leading to the bus station as reminder of one that took place in 1984.
well.

The report suggest the need to break-up the
large open spaces that the new by-pass would create
and around carparks.

15

‘Will it Float, is it Watertight?

Peter Lord, one of our regular subscribers, was when one visit was made towards the completion of the

prompted with a story about his father, who worked first one.

at T.W.Helliwell’s on Birds Royd almost all his working ‘Will it float, is it watertight’, was the stern
life. He was at the company when representatives of inspector’s question. ‘How can we get it down to the

the Government called and commissioned them to canal at the end of River Street’ says Frank. With
manufacture the wartime landing craft, a wartime what some would describe as choice engineering
business which was highlighted in issue 12.
language the reply came ’You fill it with water, and

Frank Lord married Marion Jowett, during the look for leaks’.

1930s and moved into a nice house in Woodhouse It took several days with a hose pipe, during which
Lane. What a change this was having a large time my father would go back in the middle of the
garden and a bathroom with hot running water night to check that all was well. It took all of
from a fire back boiler. They rented this property several days to empty it !!!
throughout their entire married lives.
The Landing Craft did not have a name but was
Frank left Victoria School and went to work for just referred to as LCM 7161. Once it was built and
T.W. Helliwell, on Birds Royd and spent all his tested for leakage it was transported by road to the
working life with the company and its different owners. Manchester Ship Canal. Following further tests and
He always walked down Woodhouse Lane to work declared fit for duty it would be taken by its parent
as he never owned a car. However, as a very ship to the Far East.
skilled engineer at a young age, he was a works
foreman before the war broke out. Whilst bearing the identification number it also had
a brass plate in the wheelhouse with the inscription
I believe that the company was visited by ’Built by Messrs Helliwell and Co. Ltd, Patent Roof
government officials who requisitioned or may be Glazing and Steel Casement Manufacturers.
the Government instructed the company to turn their Brighouse, Yorkshire .Year 1945’
skills to building Landing Craft.
Just what happened to this Landing Craft during
‘Oh how I wish I had spent more time talking its wartime exploits will require much further
about his life with my Father’. The work-force must research. I do hope to find out sometime in the
have been reduced during the war years, but my future.
father was classed as in a reserved occupation.
Whilst not being called up and still living at home Peter Lord

during the war he was safe. It must have been Field Lane Day Trippers
difficult socially, knowing that you may not see

friends and colleagues again, must have been

very difficult.

I just remember snippets of information. The
Government official gave them plans and blue
prints, which must have been daunting to staff who
had just been used to cutting steel bars to size and
welding to manufacture window frames.

I remember my father saying he lost a lot of All wrapped up and ready for the off. Here are a group
sleep, worked long hours, and it took nearly 12 of day trippers from Field Lane Community Centre
months to complete the first one. I believe they
went on to finish 10 or 12 more before the end of caught on camera during the 1970s before setting off
the war. on the waiting ‘Chara…’

The Government inspector would visit periodically
to inspect progress, put right mistakes and even
possibly advise. I remember my father just relating

16

The Festival of Britain in Brighouse

The Festival of Britain was a national exhibition
and fair that reached millions of visitors throughout
the United Kingdom in the summer of 1951.

People flocked to the South Bank site, to wander
around the Dome of Discovery, gaze at the Skylon,
and generally enjoy a festival of national celebration.
Up and down the land, lesser festivals enlisted
much civic and voluntary enthusiasm.

You can see from the front cover of the free

programme the town played its part in local

celebrations. Ravensprings Park, there is no date for this photograph

The Brighouse Festival of Britain event started on but it could be dated between the late 1950s to mid 1960s.

June 2, with the Festival Art Exhibition at the

Rydings Art Gallery and would On June 16, the Brighouse Society of Model and

be open for one month. The actual Experimental Engineers had an open day at
official opening of the Brighouse Ravensprings Park, with demonstrations and rides
on the railway — 3d for adults and 2d for children.
Festival was held on Saturday,

June 9, 1951, in Wellholme Park There was a diverse choice of musical events
by the Mayor, Alderman George with Brighouse and Rastrick Band conducted by
Stillingfleet JP. John Harrison BBCM in Wellholme Park. The
Brighouse Music Club Concert was given by the
Following the opening there Horton Singers with conductor Frank Mumby.
was a continuous afternoon of entertainment which
included Professor Beaver’s Punch and Judy Show, There was Gilbert and Sullivan’s opera ‘Iolanthe’
the Alsatian Security Dog Display, a Yorkshire Radio presented by the Brighouse Amateur Operatic and
talent contest which was run by representatives from Light Opera Societies joint production.

the Bolton theatrical agency Bernard M. Woolley Ltd. Youth activities included a Girl Guides ’Open’
weekend camp which was held at the Girls Grammar
The there was Gray’s world famous marionette School field, with a similar weekend camp for the
theatre with a puppet orchestra, the Sandow Brothers, Boy Scouts being held in Wellholme Park.
strong man act, the Kerry Pipers Prize Pipe Band
and dancers. As the night was drawing to a close For the more athletic members of the town there
one of Brighouse’s orchestras provided the music was a youth sports meeting at the Brighouse
for open air dancing. The night closed with Standard cricket field which was organised by the council
Fireworks providing a ’Grand Firework Display’. youth service.

The 6th and 7th of June at Waring Green Community The Savoy Picture House presented a series of

Centre there was an exhibition of needlework which films for organised parties.

was opened by Miss Dorothy Hylton the organising Towards the end of the month-long series of
secretary of Yorkshire Women’s Clubs. events a united church service was held in Wellholme
Park. This was preceded by a Procession of Witness
At the Brighouse Library was an exhibition of from Thornton Square. The service was led by the
books with the theme ’The British Social Services’. Rev. Donald Moxon MC and the Rev Ronald Wilmut.
This was organised by the Brighouse Branch of
the Association of Yorkshire Bookmen. Whilst I do have an original programme for this
event I have never seen any photographs of what
‘The Joker and the Knave’ was a play presented by was obviously one of the largest community
the Brighouse Children’s Theatre at the Parish Hall events to take place in Brighouse. We would be
in Church Lane. interested to hear from anyone who attended
these events — 70 years ago.

17

Community Focus The 1976 Gala Queen Travelling in Style Community Focus

The Low Moor Looking back through the history books we know that Elizabeth Priestley, a
Explosion was a fire and King Henry VIII was often carried around on a sedan local singer worthy of
a series of explosions at chair and it took four of his strongest male servants praise.
a munitions factory in Low to carry him.
Moor, Bradford, between But who was she ?
Living in Leyburn Avenue,
the 21st and 24th Lightcliffe, she was
August 1916. On the educated at Bradford
day of the explosion, at Girls’ Grammar School.
3:16 pm, a huge explosion It was whilst at Bradford
rocked the site which that she started her
killed six of the fire- musical training as a
fighters and destroyed soprano singer.
their fire engine, pieces
of which w e r e f o u n d In 1943, she was
at Heckmondwike railway asked by Dr Malcolm
station several miles Sergeant, at a moment’s
notice to take a small
away. part in Verdi’s opera
‘Aida’ in London.
Here in Brighouse St
Her professional
Andrew’s Infant school singing career eventually
took off and she
submitted a claim became part of the
Ibbs and Tillet
through the Ministry of Looking at this photograph dated June 26, 1976, I London Agency. This
Munitions of War am sure the King would have been jealous of this was between 1906 and
department. The school version of the sedan chair or maybe we should call 1990 the legendary duo
received a claim form in it a Sedan Bed. of classical music
May 1917. On August 8, artist management.

1917 inspectors were Not content with just four burley servants to push

sent to the school to the sedan bed around but Deborah Holdsworth the

assess the damage. 1976 Brighouse Charity Gala Queen, has 11 young

The claim was agreed men pulling and pushing the bed through Hove
and Easton and Haslam Edge.

the Leeds based loss Now this is travelling in style — as long as the
adjustors agreed to the weather keeps fine. I am sure many readers will
claim and the full amount remember that summer of 1976, glorious sunshine
of £1. 5 shillings.7pence but not forgetting the drought that came with it as well.
was paid. For damage

caused to the school

through the explosion.

The distance from the
Low Moor works to the
school is about four miles.

This gives an indication of Rastrick Carnival 1950 — Look at the two lads at the front, Along with the
the distance of the blast one of them appears to be sticking his tongue at someone Wigmore Hall in London
damage. The claim was and the one standing next to him almost looks as if he is she appeared all over
answering a mobile phone. Who is that playing the bugle? the UK.
submitted by Henry
Prince Metcalfe, who But, there is little
lived in Marion Street documented history of
and was a confectioner her life after 1945. Can
by trade. He was a Vice you remember
President of the Brighouse Elizabeth Priestley?
Photographic Society.

18

Brighouse Gala is Back!

As the Brighouse Charity Gala website says, ‘We Who was the Liverpool footballer chosen to be the

are back…’, with September 11, as the planned face of the Harry Fenton advertising campaign? –

return date. Traditionally, Gala Day is when the Kevin Keegan. In 1982 the advertising men put a

whole town comes together for this annual event, let new face to the ‘ad campaign’ – Erica Roe the

us hope it can return on what is a much later date ‘Twickenham Streaker’ but she was dropped after a

than usual. month.

Our featured photograph Freeman Hardy and

shows a small part of the Willis, one of the High
gala procession back in Street’s favourite shoe
the 1960s. shops was established in
1875 and named after
In this small section of three employees of the
Commercial Street takes company.
you back to the days of
some very familiar High The business grew to

Street shops which are no such proportions that it
longer with us. The extreme had a branch in nearly

right-hand side is F.W. every town in the United
Woolworth, the store where most of us as school
Kingdom.

children visited before the new school term started In 1929 the company was acquired by Sears. Its
to stock up on pencils, rulers and everything else subsidiary, the British Shoe Corporation, based in
you would need for that first day back at school. It Leicester, also owned the Trueform, Curtess, Dolcis,
was also the place to stock up on the Pick ‘n’ Mix Manfield, Saxone and Lilley & Skinner brands. The
sweets. Back in the days of not having so much name was also changed to simply Freeman Hardy
spending money left, it was always a bag full of the Willis in order to have bolder lettering on shopfronts.
lighter weight sweets.
In the early 1990s the British Shoe Corporation
For almost a century the F.W. Woolworth chain of converted half of its 540 branches into Hush Puppies
shops had more than 800 branches throughout the shops and sold the remainder to an entrepreneur
UK. The company was one of the original American from Sheffield. Unfortunately, after only a year, his
five-and-dime stores. The first store was opened in business empire collapsed. and after providing
Pennsylvania, with a loan of $300, in 1879 by Frank "Shoes for all the Family" since 1875, Freeman Hardy
Winfield Woolworth. Willis was no more by 1996.

The name was soon to be become one of the Moving to the left-hand side of the photograph is
largest retail chains in the world. A claim that lasted the shop everyone from 60s will remember as Alf
well into the 20th century, until it was in terminal decline Fawcett’s Stationers. Today, it is Fawcett Cards &
Gifts Ltd but to many is still simply called Fawcett’s.
from the 1980s. In 2009, the last 200 stores in the
UK closed including the one in Brighouse, with Now who is that lady in the road ?, she would

everything being sold and customers snapping up
bargains including the shop’s fixtures and fittings. have to be quick, or the Pipe Band would march
right through her.
Next to Woolworth’s is the gents’ outfitters shop
Just as Commercial Street was lined with people
Harry Fenton. This chain of gents fashion shops
was started in London and its success soon spread all those years ago, for the procession come Saturday
to many towns and cities throughout the country. September 11, the current generation of local people
will be there again, watching and cheering as the
With changing High Street styles in fashion, it was procession passes by.
certainly the ‘new kid on the block’. In Brighouse,

the staple gents’ outfitters had been for many years

limited to such shops as Burton’s, the Co-op Mens https://brighousecharitygala.org.uk/index.php

Outfitters, Sladdin’s’ and O S Wains.

19

In the Public Eye — General Elections of the 1950s

With another round of local elections having been of the smallest margins, 25,588 to 23,456. During

fought over many might be thinking, ‘Did I put the the election Frederick Cobb was dying but manage

Cross in the right place?’. Well, only time will tell. to soldier on until the election result. He died

Some will say not to go out and use your vote is far in hospital the following week.

from being a good thing. You have the vote, so use it. This caused a by-election to be held and the

Back in 1950 the General Election Labour Party adopted L. John Edwards to take on

had a touch of sadness when the election. He was born in

the newly elected Labour Aylesbury in 1904 and was

Member of Parliament for Brighouse the son of a railwayman. He

and Spenborough Frederick attended local schools and

Cobb suddenly became ill from Grammar School he

and sadly died in hospital. This worked at Lloyds Bank for four

created the need for a by-election. years and then went to Leeds

Frederick Cobb, was the son of a schoolmaster University. In 1928 he was
turned farmer and his mother was a young widow awarded a BA with honours in
with two babies to care for. Economics and Political Science.

He was educated at St. Thomas’s Elementary In 1938, he was the General Secretary of the Post
School, Winchester. He did a milk round before he Office Engineering Union. After serving on the Leeds
went to school to help supplement the meagre City Council from 1933 to 1936 and unsuccessful
family finances. standing for Parliamentary elections in the 1931
and 1935, in 1945 he was elected as the MP for
After leaving Winchester school he had numerous Blackburn. In 1945 he was appointed by Sir Stafford
jobs ranging from an office-boy at the Town Hall, he Cripps as his unpaid Parliamentary Secretary.
served in the Merchant Navy during the 1914-1918 Following his Blackburn seat being affected by
war. He also worked at the BBC as an engineer. He redistribution of voters he narrowly lost his seat.
was also associated with the Labour Party for many
On May 4, 1950, at the Brighouse and Spenborough
years and was particularly involved in the Fabian by-election he was elected with the narrow margin
Society during the war years. of 26,105 with William Woolley on 23,828.

In 1945 he was elected the Member of Parliament At the General Election of 1954, this time John
for the Elland Division which included the Brighouse
Edwards was up against the National Liberal candidate
area. At the time he was managing director of a F.W.H.Cook and won the seat with another slim
company making radio valves and cathode ray
majority, of 1,626.
tubes for television.

In the 1945 election his opposition At the election of 1959 John Edwards stood again,
was William Edward Woolley for this time against the young Michael Shaw. The vote
could not have been closer with an even slimmer
the National Liberal Party with
majority of 47. Within seven weeks John Edwards
support from the Conservative
had died and the seat gained a reputation for killing
Party. He was born in Lancashire off its members.
and was educated at Woodhouse

Grove School at Rawdon, Michael Shaw returned at the by-election and what

Bradford. was now clearly a constituency of narrow margins

He was a manufacturing chemist saw him being elected by 666 votes against the Labour
candidate Colin Jackson.
and had served on the Blackburn Town Council

from 1935-43. He was the Member of Parliament The narrow margin successes would continue

for Spen Valley 1940 to 1945 when he lost his seat. through the 1960s, even to the present day.

The 1950 election saw Frederick Cobb win by one

20

Dramatic Fire at Lightcliffe Rosebud and Potterer ?

Dramatic scenes in Wakefield Road at the junction In the March issue (number 12) this photograph
with Smith House Lane. On a summer’s day in July of Rosebud and Potterer was shown on their
1986, a double decker bus caught fire and was wedding day but who were they?
completely destroyed. An incident which some
will still remember.

Sunday Bandstand Radio Show Thanks to Stuart Sands, who lived in
Brighouse for many years and following a
Sunday Bandstand is a weekly brass band programme number of years living in Wales now lives in
that I have been producing and presenting since Halifax. He quickly identified them as his mother
December 2007. The show is played across 10 Nellie and father Ernest W. Sands
licensed community radio stations in the UK and
through four other stations in Australia, New Zealand, The name of Ernest Sands may be familiar to
Italy and Ireland. It is also sent directly to almost 200 some readers as he spent most of his working
individual enthusiasts around the world. life writing for the Brighouse Echo, until his
retirement in 1974.
The programme can he heard on Phoenix FM 96.7
between 2pm and 4pm Rosebud and Potterer were pen names they
every Sunday. The station both used whilst writing about cycling activities
is based at Dean Clough, in in the Brighouse Echo.
Halifax. If you would like
to receive the show direct to They were married at Lightcliffe
your computer at home all Congregational Church in 1934, on a very
that is required is your wet Saturday morning before pedalling off on
email address. Please their tandem to Bradford. They travelled by
contact the magazine editor train to Bristol, then cycled to Weston-Super-
Mare, Somerset, the base for their honey-
on enquiries@chrishelme-brighouse.org.uk if you moon.
would like to receive the show.
The photograph also shows their sisters,
from the back left; Alice Firth and Vera Sands
(unable to attend because of the bad weather
was Ernest’s brother, Cyril W. Sands, who had
the popular cycle shop in Sowerby Bridge).

Ernest never passed a driving test but cycled
to the end.

Rosebud and Potterer died on consecutive
days in March 1987. Fixby Crematorium was
filled to overflowing for their double funeral.

21

A Letter from Doreen in Australia

At the age of 52, looking back eight years, I was I moved to Lightcliffe just as I finished junior school

possibly more emotionally prepared than most to where I attended Eastfield Secondary School and

make a move to the other side of the world. had a whole new area to explore in my teenage

I grew up living on Clifton Common, near the bottom years.

of the hill luckily, just where the old viaduct once It became apparent several teachers knew my

stood with the sweet shop opposite, our only two uncles who had previously attended this school.

communication device the red telephone box over I think the teachers watched with interest to see if I

the road. was of the same mould: scallywags but well-

The traffic on the common must have been far mannered with a smile so not all that bad. My play-
less by today’s standards because I don’t remember ground changed to the areas around Jasper Hill
(great memories for sledging), the old Coach Road

and the surrounding fields.

At the age of 13, I watched the process of my only
Uncle and Aunty deciding to move to Canada to
follow Uncles and Aunties’ footsteps by emigrating.
I had visited Canada in 1976 aged eight with my
mum and sister, when the UK had the famous and
still talked about hottest summer on record and
drought. I remember the standpipes on the street
and filling up the pans for water.

Although the bridge has been demolished Harvey’s It was these years living in Lightcliffe that Chris
favourite childhood little shop premises are still there. Helme was the local Bobby. It seemed Chris knew
everybody and if you got up to anything Chris also
my parents being too worried about us crossing the knew about it soon after. He just seemed to appear
road to buy our daily 10pence tuck shop supply from round the corner like magic, I guess that’s what
before walking to Brighouse to catch the bus to a good local Bobby should be like.
school, Woodhouse Primary, one mile away.

Living at the bottom of the Common was the
best. We had the old railway embankment to
explore on our bikes, all the way to the Ford behind
Brighouse Police Station. Out of the prying eyes of
our parents we could be gone all day. If we felt
adventurous, we would cycle down to the car
auctions and the M62 motorway bridge,
underneath it of course and right next to the River
Calder, scary thoughts now.

I remember on a Sunday being able to ride

around the deserted streets of Brighouse town centre

going the wrong way down the roads because there

was no traffic or shops open back then on a

Sunday. Hillards (Tesco, now Wilko’s) car park

was our racetrack. Huddersfield Road during the late 1950s. Not a lot has
Brighouse swimming pool and Wendy’s fish and changed since Harvey used to call at Wendy’s fish and
chip shop many years later. The shop is the one to the

chip shop was the Saturday morning routine for right of the van approaching the pedestrian crossing.

the pre-secondary school years.

22

I remember one occasion when my parents had Hipperholme, who took on apprentices every couple
fallen asleep and not come to collect me. He of years. That kind person was the mother of
walked me home and delivered me to my parents Chris Helme, yes, my local bobby and friend of the
and I think got a cuppa for his troubles. family by now.

I scraped by in school completing my exams and Attending the interview, my new boss to be was
getting very average grades in most CSE subjects fully aware of my shortcomings (not passing the
and having very little idea what job I was going to test) but was encouraged to give me an interview,
do. I thought I could go and work for my Stepdad, a nice lad from a good family. We went through
how wrong I was. No handout
here but it proved to be a good all the usual Q&As and at the
life lesson for me. end was asked what sport I
liked. ‘Table Tennis’, I replied.

I soon learnt I would not be My soon to be boss’s expression

working for my Stepdad and changedfromoneof disappointment

showed no motivation to go out at my lack of engineering

and get a job, I had no idea what knowledge to one of curiosity.

I wanted to do. He looked at my name on his

My Mum insisted I get an pad and asked if my Dad was

apprenticeship just like my David Lamb. It turned out my

uncles had done. She drove Dad was his adversary in the

me down to the Armytage local table tennis leagues. He

Road industrial estate to knock thought my Dad was a great guy

on doors and ask if they had any and that was enough for him

apprenticeships going. I must even though I had zero

have looked a right sight in my Being a James Bond movie fan Harvey knowledge of engineering. I
brown suit and tie and looking a could not resist visiting the Tower Karst think I was at the back end of

couple of years younger than in Thailand. This was used in the 1974 the days when people used and

16. film ’Man with the Golden Gun’. trusted their gut instinct to give

I was the smallest kid in my year as well. Another somebody a go.

life lesson that has stayed with me and has been I completed my four years of training and now had
my City & Guilds Certificate in Engineering and
passed on to my children: If you don’t ask you
passport to get to those countries which required
don’t get.
you to have a skill to live and work there.
Somehow, I ended up getting an interview to
attend an aptitude test to get on the Calderdale I changed job after completing my apprenticeship
Apprenticeship Training Scheme known as YTS to and now engineering had become my career. I have
become an engineer. I got called back a week later travelled to as many as 15 countries, some more
to discuss the results and was told I had failed, and my than a couple of times for my work and pleasure.
results were that of someone with an aptitude of It has given me a taste for a life outside of Brighouse.

a 14-year-old, not 16, Ouch! Could they not have A funny experience I can share was when I

sent me a letter informing me I had not been got into a taxi in Lagos (notorious for kidnaps

successful. Again, another life lesson, develop a and robbery) only to find out the driver and his

thick skin, it served me well in the years to come. companion would not let me out until he got me to

Lucky for me, it was who I knew, not what I knew part with much more money than we agreed on. I
that came to my rescue. Or, more importantly, who was told unless I paid up I wouldn’t be making my
my parents knew. next plane. Like a true Yorkshireman, I argued until
such a time I realised I was travelling further away
I got a call from somebody else (more from my supposed destination. Heck, it wasn’t even
compassionate) at the training centre who knew my my money I was parting with, I had expenses. But
parents, asking if I could attend an interview at as the saying goes, “You can’t take the
Womersley & Broadbent Engineering company in Yorkshireman out of the boy”. So true to this day.

23

During this time, my sister moved to New Zealand and regret would be we didn’t make the move when I

I had moved to live in Derbyshire for a new job. was in my 30s.

Again, it all seemed like an easy decision at the time I am working as a sales engineer selling industrial
and no big thing. I knew you can always move back 3D Printers, these are just part of the new and very
if you do not like it, right.
exciting world of technology.

At the age of about 40, I was asked if I would be Is Australia forever? Who knows, it is just another
interested in moving to Sydney for a job. When I got move away right? And the best thing is, my boys
home from work, I asked my wife Debbie how do think exactly the same thing.
you fancy moving to Australia?

A Real Treat For The Children

In 1920, the Bradford Dyer’s Association bought Elm
Royd, a large house set in its own grounds at the
top of Brighouse Wood Lane. The house then
became known as the Dyer’s Club.

This photograph was taken on Saturday, June 19,
1948.

The event coming three years after the war would
have been a real treat for the children, with all the
fun of a garden party.

From Brighouse to posing for this photograph with
Sydney Harbour bridge as the backcloth!

We had three boys by this stage all in various stages
of school and friendships but not being one to turn
down an opportunity we pressed ahead.

By the time we had everything in place, the GFC
(Global Financial Crisis) hit and three months before
we were due to move the company I was going to
work for wrote and said sorry we cannot hold the
position open for you.

Not to be deterred I started to look for another job

to justify the hard work Debbie had put into getting

our Visas. At this stage, it was such an easy call to

say oh well let's just carry on as normal in the UK, The event had been organised by the Halifax and

but we didn’t. District Labour Women’s Advisory Council with

We now live just 40km from the wonderful city of guest speaker MP Arthur Blenkinsop, who had
Melbourne in a suburb called Doreen, sharing the travelled down from his North East constituency
area with the local wildlife, Kangaroos, Wombats especially for the event.

and Possums, yes Possums are a real thing and not Those looking on at the game include: Dryden

just a Dame Edna saying. We have lived here for Brook MP for Halifax, Frederick Cobb the MP for

eight years now and have only seen a couple of Brighouse and Spenborough area, Joseph Mallalieu

snakes and a few infamous redback spiders. the MP for Huddersfield. With a number of children

Australia likes to talk it up maybe to stop more Poms watching on as the adults tried their hand at the

from filling the place up. Australia is up there being game and were all probably thinking and knowing

one of the best countries to live for young families. they could do a lot better.

The outdoor lifestyle is something else and my only

24

Brighouse at Work - From a small hamlet and a bridge, the town of
Brighouse in Calderdale grew rapidly with the building of the Calder and
Hebble Navigation in the late eighteenth century. This led to the development
of the town’s successful textile industries. This is a book where almost a
few lines will tell the reader something about the industrial heritage of
Brighouse and its surrounding communities.
The book is £14.99 + £3 postage packaging, for overseas orders please
contact the author. PayPal is available as are cheques.

All in a Day’s Work — During the 1950s, Chris Helme was often
asked by relatives: 'What do you want to be when you grow up?' A
policeman was always his answer. A child of the Fifties, he was
brought up to respect the local police who seemed to know everyone.
All in a Day's Work: 30 Years as Brighouse Bobby is his journey to
achieving that ambition culminating with being awarded the British
Empire Medal for services to his community in 1990. A local bobby had
to deal with everything that happened on his 'patch'. This book takes
the reader through a catalogue of sad, humorous, and almost
unbelievable incidents in the life of a local policeman. £12.00 + £3 p/p.

Brighouse Through Time - 96 pages of both black and white and
coloured images of aspects with views of Brighouse and its surrounding
communities. Fascinating scenes displayed in a of 'then and now'
format. £12.99 + £3.

Sunny Vale Pleasure Gardens, near Brighouse, opened as a
garden in 1880 but with the inclusion of amusements in 1883 it
became a hugely popular venue for Sunday strollers, local Sunday
School groups and day trippers from around the north of England for
the next seventy-five years. This collection of more than 180 images,
complemented by detailed captions and reminiscences of the Gardens
throughout their long history, will delight all who remember visiting as a
child and provide a fascinating insight into this vanished, but
not-forgotten, institution. £12.00 + £3 p/p.

All these books can be purchased through www.chrishelme-brighouse.org.uk from the on-line
shop or by contacting Chris Helme email: enquiries@chrishelme-brighouse.org.uk — or by
telephone 07854-755756 and Harrison Lords, Bradford Road Brighouse. If you wish to advertise
your book on the website or in this magazine please contact the publisher.

Back page outer cover photograph — Wakefield Road, Lightcliffe with two forms of transport passing each
other outside The Harrock. This was once the home of Dr Mills, the local community doctor. What is now the
small attached cottage was the doctors surgery. He was one of the first people in Lightcliffe with a crystal set.