Brighouse and District Heritage Newseum No. 17

BRIGHOUSE & DISTRICT

Heritage Newseum

Issue 17 Summer 2022

Edited and Published by Chris Helme

Hove Edge ordnance survey map dated 1907. There is a lot of open space and the map shows where
some of the shafts were sunk for quarrying purposes. Looking at other maps, I have some which show

shafts dating back to the mid-nineteenth century.

Some of the street names have now long since been forgotten. Jerry Lane, following the building of
some new houses in the 1920s became Newton Park, named after Mr Newton Brooke, the Chairman of
the Brookes Nonslip Stone Company. Wellgreen Road, which is clearly shown on the map, at some point

was renamed Well Green Lane.

As more and more building work took place in Halifax Road the new houses needed an address. This
resulted in Halifax Road having to be be re-numbered. When this is done it does create difficulties for
family history enthusiasts. Tracing your family in Halifax Road you could be looking at the wrong house

altogether after the renumbering was completed.

© Christopher D. Helme (2022), 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, research, criticism, review or as otherwise 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: The Bailiff Bridge fountain which was presented by Lady Janet Firth to the residents of Bailiff
Bridge on July 31, 1911. She left it in the care of the Hipperholme Urban District Council and donated a sum of
money for its upkeep, so as not to be a burden on the council’s budgets. In 1962, a decision was
taken by the Brighouse Borough Council to remove it at a cost of £500. Rather than re-erect it somewhere else
in the village it was dumped on what was described as a ’council depot’ near Norwood Green, but in reality it had
the appearance of a road hardcore tip. The two granite troughs with the two lines visible on the outside were sold

off privately.

BRIGHOUSE & DISTRICT

HERITAGE NEWSEUM

From the Editor Issue 17 Summer 2022

Welcome to the Summer 1 Notes from the Editor.
edition of the Newseum. It is 2 The missing telephone box - Bailiff Bridge.
going to be a year of 4 Snapshots in time - 1909.
Platinum celebration with 5 St John Cadet section.
events big and small taking 6 Clifton Britannia Cricket Club.
place all over the country and 7 From a Malt Kiln to a Dental Practice.
many miles beyond as well. 9 May festival 1987.
10 Coronation celebrations - 1912.
In this edition we have some fascinating stories 11 Coronation medals.
about coronations of the past and a story 12 Contrasting images of the canal.
about some local coronation medal recipients in 13 Big changes in Briggate.
1911. Have you still got your Coronation Mug? 14 Sweeping changes for the new bypass.
15 The General Strike of 1926.
With cricket matches back, in this issue we take 16 Memories of St Martin’s Parish Church.
a look at the very successful Britannia team at 17 Memories from the Council Chamber - 1926/27.
Clifton. 18 Jubilee celebrations Norwood Green - 2002.
19 The annual summer treat to the seaside.
The General Strike of 1926 nationally has been 20 Walterclough Valley - a history.
well document but what was the effect locally? 21 In the Shadow of Lightcliffe's Old Tower’.
22 A Letter from Macau in China.
Two new local books have been published
recently and are excellent publications. They
have been written by three local authors. Two of
them collaborated for their book. If you are
a collector of local history books or you
are looking for that early present for someone
well both of these are worthy of consideration.

Our regular ’Letter from…’ story from someone
born locally or who lived in the area for many
years and then moved overseas, comes all the
way from Macau in China.

Once again we take a look back at the Remember to look at our website where you can
new bypass of the 1970s and what streets had to also contact the editor and you are able to
be demolished to help the new road carve purchase various local books, including some that

its way through the town centre. are no longer in print, through the online shop,

We are always pleased to hear from where PayPal is available:

readers who would like to share their www.chrishelme-brighouse.org.uk
memories or photographs… Enjoy!

Cʕʢiɡ Hɰʙȷɏ

1

Postmaster General Anthony Wedgewood Benn to the rescue

The UK currently has around 21,000 public It should be remembered that in 1964 only one or

telephone boxes. Ofcom says they are regularly two householders had a telephone which meant the

used for urgent calls. In the year to May 2020, box was a vital service to the whole community.

150,000 calls were made to the emergency The Brighouse telephone authorities investigated
services, whilst and discovered that it
25,000 calls were was they who were at
made to Childline fault. In fact, it was
and 20,000 were they who had
made to the authorised its removal.
Samaritans.
Brighouse thought
Six months ago, it was situated within
there were about the Bradford boundary
21,000 telephone and had asked
call boxes across Bradford if it could,
the country. and would be in order

Call boxes have to move it closer to the

gradually been notorious Red Lion

decommissioned. (Wyke Lion) cross-

Phone box use roads. I t w a s

has gone down, July 2, 1965, 14 months after the story began that Alderman Edwards considered a better
with 96% of the oversees the engineer returning the telephone to its rightful place. and nearer location if it
population now was needed following

owning a mobile phone. an accident to be used to call the emergency

More than 6,000 have been put to an alternative services.

use, ranging from housing a small library to I t w a s l a t e r suggested that this was done

becoming a home for a public defibrillator. knowingly by Bradford. Once the telephone box had

Vandalism caused to the telephone boxes has been resited that would effectively be Brighouse’s
loss.
always been a problem. It was during the 1960s

when the then British Telecom, BT, produced This brought the local residents out in force to

vandal proof kiosks. These were large enough to complain.

take bigger and more directories, cashcard facilities Alderman Harry

and digital push-button numbering. Edwards, a well

But in April 1964, a well used telephone box which Ernest Marples MP, who later known member
had been situated at the junction with Huddersfield of the Brighouse
Road and Mayfield Grove, Bailiff Bridge, Borough Council
approximately 50 yards from the Bradford boundary, and Chairman
for more years that most could be remembered, of the Brighouse
vanished. Watch
Committee,
It disappeared in the blink of an eye, 45 minutes
became Lord Marples. contacted the

after the last person to use it and the next came to Post Office Advisory Council, but no help was forth
use it the box had gone.
coming. He then contacted the local Member of

Nobody had seen anything: the local police were Parliament, Michael Shaw.

called. They contacted the Brighouse telephone As all else had failed Mr Shaw took up the
authorities, ’We want it finding, or another one question about the stolen box with the Postmaster
installed to replace it’, was the cry from the General Ernest Marples, but he too came and went.
residents.

2

The residents were now very impatient because So it was on July 2, 1965, some 14 months after the

seemingly nothing was happening and submitted a story began that Alderman Edwards duly turned up

petition which demanded its return. for the party only to find that he and the engineer were

Mr Shaw came and went. Colin Jackson was the only two there.

elected the new local A postscript to this story came from the post

Member of Parliament. It official who commented afterwards, ’Bradford will

was his turn to take up probably start their own campaign to get it back’.

the case of the alleged Thankfully stupidity was not taken to that extent and

stolen telephone box. the phone box stood at the bottom of Mayfield

The new Member of Grove in its rightful position for many years.

Parliament took the matter Sadly, the telephone box is no longer there:

up with the now new perhaps it was removed as part of the

Postmaster General, who improvements in technology resulting in telephone

by this time was no less a boxes being needed less often. Fast-forward to the

Right Honourable Tony person that Mr Wedgewood 21st century and modern phone technology in
Benn MP in 2012.
-Benn MP (who was later to your pocket and those telephone boxes that are still

be known as the Right Hon- in use are often being solely card phones. The tele-

ourable Tony Benn MP), yet still nothing happened. phone box at the bottom of Mayfield Grove served

The residents were even more frustrated at the the local residents for many years but is now a
lack of action. memory from a bygone era.

Eventually action was in sight in the form of the Clifton Road Railway Station memories
then Mayor, Councillor Mona Mitchell OBE, JP,
who also contacted the Postmaster General. Now Clifton Road railway station closed on September
everyone who can remember Mona Mitchell will 14, 1931. From the end of the nineteenth century to
recall she had a way with words like few others. about 1925 the station master was Mr Kitson Gore.

Here is Mrs Mona Mitchell OBE, JP, at Eastfield He was described as being perfect for the job, and
School, Lightcliffe presenting attendance certificates from his appearance could have been a character
from a Victorian theatre play. He always dressed in
to students on November 8, 1982. a frock coat and had a very distinctive white
moustache and incredible side whiskers.
It was not long after that she proudly announced ’it’s
coming back’.

To the residents of the Mayfield estate, it was as if He was a stickler for the rules and was very quick

a long-lost relative had turned up - the jubilation to point out to those passengers offending the ’No

was unbelievable. Once the word had got around smoking and Spitting’ sign.

that it was finally coming home people were saying Mr Gore kept hens under the arches of the
that a ’welcome home’ party was going to be held viaduct. It was always rumoured he kept a whip in
with local councillors and the GPO officials his office, not for unruly passengers, but for any of
in attendance. his hens that strayed on to the platform.

3

Snapshots in time — May 1909

Looking back to the opening weeks of May 1909 Bank when suddenly the elephant took fright and

there was certainly an animal theme running through bolted down the hill. Fortunately, there was no harm

the local ‘Brighouse News’. done to the elephant, the band or any members of

At the Albert Theatre (now The Calder, public house the public. The elephant finally came to a halt when
and restaurant and one of the 333 properties it stumbled and fell over in the road.

operated by the Stonegate Group) there was Miss The newspaper reported that it managed to brush

Ella’s three lions. This spectacle was part of a variety itself down with its huge trunk and then carry on as

show, which saw the three lions caged up at a safe if nothing had happened. Before the zoo closed for

distance from the night the

the paying managing di-

customers. rector, Mr

With all the McKrill fed all

audience the animals

probably never and described

having seen to the local

real lions newspaper

before, the reporter that

Albert, the elephant

according to had an elegant

newspaper appetite, what

reports, was ever that

having one of meant.

its best week’s It was also

for quite some an eventful

time, with a Looking from the end of Bethel Street with Holroyd’s Building, a triangular shaped month for nine
full house building in the centre. It was built c1850 with Bethel Street continuing to the left -year-old
every night.
and then joining with Briggate, the road to the left is Union Street which also joined W a t s o n

However, it into Briggate. This building even in 1912 was causing traffic hold-ups and had to go. Carling. Now I

was not just the lions making the news – 1909 saw wonder if this brave young lad stayed and grew up

the opening of the Halifax Zoo at Chevinedge, in the town and made it is home town throughout his

which is between Exley and Siddal. The Brighouse life may be still has family in Brighouse.

News reported on May 12, 1909, that the zoo’s first Watson and his younger brother Harry lived at 7
elephant had arrived.
Albert Square, on Waterloo Road. Both boys were

The new elephant was to join the camels, a with friends down at Brookfoot playing near the

Japanese bear, an Australian Wallaby and a Yak canal. Whilst playing young Harry fell into the dark

along with a number of other animals from the wild. and dirty canal. Whilst struggling in the depths,

What a way to make an entrance. Try and picture Watson reacted immediately by jumping in to help
the scene - the King Cross Band conducted by the Harry.

legendary conductor Arthur O. Pearce, who in 1911 The bravery of Watson was formally recognised,

left the band following his new appointment as the with the presentation of an award in the form of a

conductor at Black Dyke Mills Band, where he testimonial, which was printed on vellum from the

stayed until his retirement in 1947. Royal Humane Society. If you are related to this

The parading elephant followed the band with Arthur brave young man and there is a photograph of him
at the helm, much to the delight of the watching and still around please let the editor know.

cheering crowds. The budget was having an impact in the town as

The procession was making its way down Exley well. The members of the Brighouse and District

4

Licensed Victuallers, Wine & Beer Sellers Retail It is always interesting looking through the town’s

Association had decided to meet at the Ship Tavern old newspapers where you can capture a snap shot

on Ship Street, to discuss them having to increase in time of the daily lives of our ancestors.

prices again. St John’s Cadet section
One of the largest property sales also took place

on May 7, 1909, at the Royal Hotel, Brighouse,

when the triangular town centre property known as Once the Cadet movement in the St John Ambulance

Holroyd’s Buildings, in the heart of the borough on Brigade started it became possible for boys and girls

land formerly a part of the old village green. This of 11 years of age to take up studying ambulance

property, which had been built c1850, came on the work and other subjects, as Cadets, and then

market following the death of its owner, W. Swinden transfer when old enough to the adult Ambulance

Barber, a local architect. The property included six and Nursing Divisions.

shop properties and a dwelling house. These were In 1938 a team of Cadets entered and won the
occupied by a Miss Hopkinson; Messrs, Radcliffe; Corfield Trophy (No.5 District Boy Cadets
Joseph (‘Skinny’ Joe) Marsden, greengrocer; Competition).
Samuel Wilkinson, painter, decorator, and all things

pictures and framing and F. Hopkinson, along with

the Brighouse Conservative Club. The total annual

rent on these properties was £136.00.

The bidding was brisk and soon levelled off at
£2,000, then £2,200 and then in one hundreds to
the hammer finally coming down at £2,525. The
identity of the successful bidder was not released at
the sale.

As it was being sold probably no one at the auc-
tion would have expected that within four years it
would be demolished, and the vacant space left

Looking at Thornton Square from the end of Bethel This was a great achievement and the first time the
Street as it is today. cup had been won this side of Wakefield (classified
as the west side).
would then be renamed Thornton Square after
the Mayor of Brighouse Robert Thornton. The average age of the team was 14. The
members as seen in this photograph are, back row,
But who did buy the property? It was later an- from the left Cadet E. Goulding; Cadet Captain F.
nounced through the press that it was the borough Thomis and Cadet Cpl K.G. Beaton. Front row from
council that had purchased it. the left: Cadet Officer F.Hudson; Cadet
Superintendent P. Beaton; and Cadet Sgt G.
Thomis.

There was also a thriving Cadets Parents’
Association. The members were always ready and
willing to help with any function and most importantly
they were always ready to help raise funds for the
benefit of the Cadet movement as a whole. There
were not many Cadet Parents’ Associations in the
area.

What ever happened to the Corfield Trophy?

5

Clifton Britannia Cricket Club

Delving into local cricketing history there were four professional player on their staff. The Clifton club

leagues at the end of the nineteenth and the early continued playing for many more seasons with play

twentieth centuries. They were the Halifax Amateur only being suspended for the First World War.

Cricket League, which started in 1892; the Halifax In 1936 the club was served with a notice to quit
and District Cricket League which was started in as the owner had decided to let the Blakeboroughs
1896; the church was also represented with the Sports Association use the ground. The cricket club
Halifax and District Church Sunday School League; left the village and joined forces with the works
and finally the Halifax and District Nonconformist team at Turner and Wainwrights at Brookfoot and
League, which was started in 1908. became known as the Turnwright’s and Clifton

team.

Sadly, as the years went by and the failure of the

once famous toffee company, the remaining

members of the old Clifton team either retired or

joined other local teams. This meant that another

aspect of local village life had come to an end.

Some readers may remember hearing the old

stories about the match day teas which were always

held at the Armytage Arms and served up by the

Ramsden family.
The Clifton Britannia Cricket Club had been long-
established, operating since at least 1870.They had Returning to the photograph. Unfortunately, none
been in the Brighouse League throughout its of the back row can be identified. Middle row from
the left; Unknown; E. Brear; J.T.Barty; J.Wade;
existence, joining the Halifax & District Cricket
League in 1906. They remained there until 1913 A. Baxter; A. Hargreaves, who is related to Roger
and after a breakaway of clubs from this league Hargreaves the creator of the Mr Men series of
books; and G.H.Wilkinson, the scorer. Front row,
became founder members of the Halifax Parish
Cricket League (now known as The Halifax Cricket from the left: H. Parkinson; F. Harrison; Frank
White, who for many years was the club captain
League) in 1914.
and played for Clifton except for two years all his
No doubt the Clifton players were drawn from the playing career; R. Sykes; W. Filby, the club captain;
local workforce of the coalmines and farming F. Collins; C. Wright; and L. Harrison.
communities. This rare photograph is dated c1910
The Challenge Cup has been called the Halifax
includes team members and the officials, and was
taken to celebrate their most successful season up Parish Cup since at least when this 1925 photograph
to that date. They were the outright winners of the was taken. But, the Silver Shield, there lies a
Silver Shield in the Halifax and District League, the mystery, if anyone knows of its current
whereabouts, please contact the editor.
Charity Challenge Cup (Parish Cup) and to

complete the treble, they also won the league title.

The 1910 season had been a major achievement
as they had only joined the Halifax and District
League in 1906. Most of the other teams in the
league had been members much longer.

When the shield had been presented to the club
captain, Mr W. Filby, the audience at the King Cross
Conservative Club, Halifax, all echoed his com-
ments that it had been a truly remarkable season in
that Clifton’s team was made up entirely of local
players, where many other teams included a

6

From a malt kiln to a dental practice in just less that 140 years

These two photographs date back to the end of the Square is today! The building on the right is Holroyd

19th century, the clue to the age of the top one is the Buildings, which had been built in the mid nine-

gas exhibition sign on the lamp standard. That teenth century which then created a road between it

exhibition took place at the Town Hall (the present and the long building directly opposite, which was

Civic Hall building) in July 1885 and interestingly the the old Malt Kiln. This was a building that had been

organisers used the advertising slogan ‘Fuel of the on this site from the 1600s but, following the

Future’. decision that the

One of the main town needed a new
exhibitors was purpose built town
Joseph Lawson, who hall, it was decided
was a well-known that it had to go and
plumber and glazier that would be the
in the Brighouse site for the new
town centre and wider building standing
area. His large shop next to what was the
was at 68 Commercial first bank in
Street. Brighouse having
been built in 1875
I t w a s estimated
(the date stone is
that more than 8,000
high up on the
people attended the
front elevation).
exhibition during the
eight days it was held A rare 1885 photograph of Union Street, which was to become With the completion
and during that time part of Thornton Square when Holroyd Buildings, on the right, of the new town hall
traders reported in 1887 gradually the
selling 150 cooking was demolished in 1912. cobbled road known
and heating stoves as Union Street
and washing became a bottle neck
machines. These for town centre traffic
would have been the and in 1912, to
domestic luxuries of relieve that situation it
the time. was decided that
Holroyd Buildings
This scene of
would be demolished.
almost 140 years
This also meant that
ago has changed
Union Street would
almost beyond
also disappear.
recognition, gone is
the building on the Having got this
right and the long
building behind large open space
where the people
are standing on the what do you do with
pavement: in fact the
road has it? Robert Thornton
disappeared as well.
The Town Hall c1887. It is noticeable there is no clock or who was elected on to

balustrade on the front elevation roof-line. That would be added Brighouse Borough
c1914. The building to the left is the bank and was opened Council in 1902, was
in 1875.
appointed Mayor from

1909 through to 1916, one of the longest serving
Some readers may have difficulty in just working mayors. He died in October 1918 and it was his
out where this is in the town centre, so you may well name that was given to the open space,
be surprised when we tell you it is where Thornton ‘Thornton Square’.

7

World War era when the bank next door was
encouraging people to buy War Bonds. The story
takes you through to the 1940s when Thornton
Square was flooded. There are a number of other
fascinating images each with its own 250-word
caption.

There is one very large frame with two A3 images

which shows the town hall site as it was in 1885 and

then on a sunny day in September day in 2013.

Between these two photographs is a 1,000-word

story about its development from one to the other

Alderman Robert Thornton, Mayor of Brighouse in and some of the history of the town hall.

1912, setting off from the town hall to meet King Dr Rangzeb and his staff are delighted with the

George V and Queen Mary at the railway station as series of photographs that creates a story of the
they passed through Brighouse in July 1912 as part of premises his business now occupies. He has also
told me that anyone who would like to see the display is
their West Riding tour.

It is now almost 10 years since I completed a series welcome to call in when it is open and when Covid
of commissioned framed photographs at the Town r e s t r i c t i o n s p e r m i t t o h a v e a l o o k a t t h e
photographs.
Hall dental practice of Dr Imran Rangzeb, who

became the proud owner of this town centre land- Courting disaster
mark of local history. He is the principal dental

practitioner. Dr Rangzeb wanted to tell the story of It is difficult to imagine that the photographer who
the town hall from the days when the site was took this picture just happened to come across this
occupied by the old Malt Kiln to the present day with picturesque gathering at the ford crossing in
his new practice occupying the premises.
Thornhill Beck Lane.

I designed the photographic history as a story-
board. The completed work has 10 photograph
frames each with one A4 image and then underneath a
detailed caption. The storyboard takes the reader on
a journey through time from the town hall’s earliest

It was taken in September, 1904, and shows there
was beauty in Brighouse only a few minutes walk
from the mills that were associated with the town in
those days.

To give the ford a solid base the council used
some of the town’s old road setts.

The photographic story of Brighouse Town Hall from Many motorised courting couples have been
before it was built through to when Brighouse Borough caught out trusting the base but forgetting the depth
Council came to an end in 1974 and as a town hall the of the water and being left stranded in the middle.
The was one occasion when the normal tranquil
building was no longer needed.

days through the First World War rallying meetings, beck was turned into a raging torrent and once the

when Mayor Robert Thornton JP stood on the town couple got out of their Mini it was washed away

hall steps addressing the large crowd that had gath- downstream. It certainly left them with red faces

ered to listen to him. Then on through to the Second when a local garage had to tow them out.

8

May Festival 35 years ago Dining out at a British Restaurant

This 1987 St Andrew's School May Festival gathering British Restaurants were communal kitchens created

will now see these children in their early 30s. But during the Second

what was happening in the wider world all those World War to ensure

years ago? communities and

Fulton MacKay was playing the part of long suffering people who had run
pompous prison officer Mr MacKay on the TV sitcom out of rationing
Porridge; Patrick Troughton was the popular actor coupons were still
who played the second Doctor Who from 1966 to able to eat.

1969; and Eamonn Andrews, the man with the They were set up

famous This Is Your Life red book. All three passed by the Ministry of

away in 1987. Food and run by

local committees on

a non-profit making basis. Meals were purchased

for a set maximum price of 9d (equivalent to just

under 4p, about £1 in today’s purchasing power) or

less.

No one could be served with a meal of more than

one serving of meat, game, poultry, fish, eggs, or

cheese. Restaurants in the UK were not subject to

rationing but some restrictions were placed on

These children were more likely to remember some them, for instance, no meal could be more than

of the new children's television programmes being three courses and the maximum price was five shillings

aired for the first time in 1987. Chuckle Vision with (equivalent to 25 pence today, but £5 in today’s

the Chuckle Brothers and I am sure they will all buying power).

have been watching Fireman Sam, which was first Originally called 'Community Feeding Centres',
shown in 1986 on Welsh TV but then the following the name British Restaurants was preferred by
year went nationwide. So popular was this Winston Churchill.
programme with children it was sold to more than
40 countries around the world and was adopted and By mid1941 more than 200 of these restaurants
existed in the London County Council area, although
used on fire safety publicity for many years.
the Wartime Social Survey conducted in 1942 - 43
These children are Jennifer Akroyd, Ian Duckworth, indicated they were more popular in London than in
Clare Binks, Chara Bowers, Carl Sherrif, Victoria the rest of the country. In November 1942 there
Jackson, Lucy Barraclough, John Holmes, David
were 1,899 restaurants, in November 1943 there
Binks, Joanne Hall, Kelly Mitchell, Damian Heyhoe, were 2,145 and in December 1944 there were
Andrew Farrar, Mai Loan Nguyen, Keeley Beevers,
Robert Snell, Joanne Wilson, Eve Flockton, Lindsay 1,931. A total of 546 authorities made profits and
203 made losses, though they were set up to be not
Booth, Simon Huscroft and Lucy Brierley.
-for-profit.

Much will have happened to these children since Some smaller places did not qualify for a British
the May Festival of 1987 - secondary and higher Restaurant but instead had what was termed as a
education will have been and gone. Many will be in Cash and Carry Restaurant with meals being
the world of work and I am sure some will have delivered from a British Restaurant in the area.
young families of their own.
The three restaurants in the Brighouse district
I hope that looking at this photograph they can all were not being used enough by the end of the war
reflect on the happy times they spent at St Andrew's
and probably think it only seems like and started to lose money. They were closed down,
the last one in Park Row, off Park Street,
yesterday and where have all the years gone since
that day. closed after serving its final meal in March 1946,
having opened in June 1941.

9

Local Coronation celebrations for the new King and Queen

On Friday, May 6, 1910, King Edward VII died. The The letter is asking Clifton residents to make a
new monarch was King George V and he wrote in voluntary contribution towards a treat for all the
his diary, "...I have lost my best friend and the best village children under the age of 15 and for the
of fathers ... I never had a cross word with him in Sunday School scholars and teachers and also to
my life. I am heart-broken and overwhelmed with entertain all the aged people of the village. It made
grief but God will help me in my responsibilities and a reference that Sir George Armitage had already
darling May will be my comfort as she has always donated £10. A copy of the balance sheet shows
been. May God give me strength and guidance in 214 people donated to the cause. A number of
the heavy task which has fallen on me..." the subscribers were local businesses.

As soon as the passing of the King was
announced in Brighouse flags were raised to half-mast
on all public buildings and all the main public events
of the day were postponed. All places of amuse-
ments closed their doors as a mark of respect
for the late King.

Preparation and guarding the bonfire at Lane Head
recreation ground.

Celebrations were planned throughout the
borough. One of the largest bonfires was in the
recreation ground in Halifax Road.

Proclamation of King George VI in the town centre. The big day of celebration was on June 22, 1911.
There was a civic procession to St Martin's Church.
On the following Tuesday (10th) the ceremony of On the same day new choir screens bearing a
proclamation announcing the new King to the brass plaque with the following inscription - 'To the
throne was observed in Brighouse town centre. It honour and glory of God, and in memory of Sam
was 1pm in the afternoon when a large gathering Wood, who died 7th May 1887 and Elizabeth Wood
assembled in the Borough Market. From a hurriedly who died 4th August 1908'.
erected platform the Mayor (Alderman Robert
Thornton JP) read the royal proclamation. There was an ox roasting in Rastrick and similar
commemorations at Elland, Hipperholme, Norwood
On the day of the King's funeral, (May 20th) Green and many other places.
numerous church services were held in and around
Brighouse. Factories and workshops were silent. Back at Clifton the celebrations got underway at
Many shops were closed, clubs and public houses 1.30pm, Thursday June 22, when the procession was
all paid tribute to the new King. marshalled by the Sunday School Superinten-
dents (the Rev A. M. Parkes and Mr E. E. Rukin)
Following the King's funeral life in Brighouse and was timed to start at 2pm headed by the
carried on, everyone was waiting for the coronation Clifton Brass Band.
of the new King George V and his Queen Mary.
Hymns specially chosen for the occasion were sung
Interestingly, I have a copy of a letter dated April at Westgate, Alegar Street and the top of Clifton
28, 1911, from George Wilkinson the secretary of Common and were accompanied by the band
the newly formed Clifton Coronation Committee. with conductor James Oldfield.

10

At 9pm, the day of celebration drew to a close with
all the children gathering in the cricket field to sing
the National Anthem accompany by the Clifton
Brass Band.

That June day was 111 years ago and I wonder
how many of the Coronation Mugs have survived
the test of time and family members of their rela-
tives who attended still have one?

The Coronation procession makes its way down Coronation Medals
Clifton Common to sing some of the specially

selected hymns at the top of Alegar Street. Here is another interesting find on eBay and with

Following a short service conducted by the vicar, the coronation celebrations I felt it was just too good
which was held on the Green, in the centre of the to miss.
village Coronation Mugs were distributed to all
Sunday school scholars and teachers and to other It is a commemorative medal which was
children who were aged under 15 and resided in the presented to Councillor Thomas Holgate JP, the
village. Chairman o f t h e Hipperholme Urban District

As the day of celebration reached 4.30pm it was Council. It is dated June 22, 1911.
time for tea, coffee and buns to be served up in the
school then it was the highlight of the afternoon for There is also a mention of the council clerk
the children with organised sports in the cricket George Wharton Thompson, who in 1918 lived at 1,
field. Amisfield Road, Hipperholme. The medal was
presented to celebrate the coronation of King
These were all the traditional school sporting ac-
George V and Queen

tivities with the girls and boys running races in the Mary.
different age ranges for the under 10s. For the 10 to
12 year olds they could compete in the egg and The medal has little
spoon races (girls only), the boys only three legged monetary value but to
race, skipping for girls and the wheelbarrow race for a local history collector
the boys. it is priceless. It is the
only one I have ever
There was a bolster competition which attracted a seen for Hipperholme

first prize of 5/- (25 pence in modern money) and UDC. Whether any

more have survived
2/6 for the runner–up. But what exactly was a the test to time we would be very pleased to hear
bolster competition? if you know and even took
about it.
place in such an event the editor would be pleased
Not only did Hipperholme issue a medal,
to hear from you.
Brighouse Borough Council did the same thing. The
Adults had their own events ranging from races council members presented a similar one to
for men and women aged over 50, in separate
Alderman Robert Thornton JP, the Mayor of
races of course. Then the 16 to 24 year olds had Brighouse. Like the Hipperholme medal this was
their running events as well.
also created by Fattorini and Sons Ltd, the gold and

Those wishing to take place in any of the events silversmiths of Bradford.

had to register their participation with any of the fol- It was the first British Royal commemorative medal
lowing sports committee members: Messrs J. R.
to be awarded to people who were not in attendance
Hirst, Grave Lane; R. Firth, The Hives; G. Brock- at the coronation and those involved in the ceremony,
lehurst, Towngate; H. Hirst, Foresters Terrace;
it was given to selected dignitaries, officials and
James Seed, Hartshead Moor; J. Nicholson, Clifton; members of the armed forces, both in Britain and
H. Pinder, Bailiff Bridge; A. Todd, Clifton Common; across the Empire. This would indicate there was a
and S. Walton, Towngate.
large number minted.

11

Flashes Contrasting images of the Calder and Flashes
Hebble Navigation Canal
The Civic Hall opened in During the post-war
October 1868 and was In 1757 an Act of Parliament was passed to make shopping era in
the River Calder navigable from Wakefield to Brighouse town centre
privately own by the Salterhebble at Halifax by constructing a canal. some readers will
Town Hall Company Ltd. Three years later Brighouse had its own canal, remember Collinson’s
It was a hall built for the constructed by James Smeaton, the engineer tea and coffee merchants
use of townspeople and who built the Eddystone lighthouse assisted by
James Brindley who was to become the foremost in Briggate.
not as a civic building. canal building expert of his time.
Over the years it has
had many uses. Including In 1949 the manager Mr
a courthouse, orchestral Giles retired after
concerts, entertainments,
early ‘animated pictures’ working at the shop for
and eventually was to 40 years.
become the Savoy
Cinema, where Stafford The decline of the local canal network started soon Just before his last day
Cripps addressed the after Brighouse opened its first railway station in he was interviewed
Brighouse Labour Party. 1840 and even more so with the expansion of road
transport. about his years at the
Sir Stafford Cripps, shop. He recalled more
Labour politician. grander times when the
well-to-do families drew
In 1964 after being up outside the shop in
brought up to modern
day standards it became their broughams (a
the Brighouse Civic Hall. horse-drawn carriage
Sadly, the hall is now with a roof, four wheels,
closed and no longer and an open driver sat in
required by the council. front) complete with a
It is one of a number
closed in Calderdale liveried coachman.
under the Council’s
Future Council plan in This is just an example of
order to make savings. the kind of carriage that would
What will happen to this pull up outside Collinson’s.
Brighouse town centre
asset, as yet no one Here are two photos showing the canal. The top Those were the days
one shows the canal having been drained during when customers would
knows. the 1960s and the second one is 2017 and looking be ‘Sir or Madam’ and
at its best .
although the shop
Today, the canal has seen a new lease of life with an closed at 8pm Madam
increase in the number of pleasure boats. Looking had still not made her
out across the canal basin today try and imagine mind up, then the shop
the bygone era when it was a thriving inland port. would stay open until

she had.

12

Big changes in Briggate - out with the old and in with the new

These two photographs first appeared in the boatmen, I will not be alone when I say that whatever

Brighouse Town Guide Book of 1943 which was the the new name is to countless residents, it will

year the Brighouse Borough celebrated its Golden always and remain simply the Anchor.

Jubilee after its incorporation It was in 1905 with all
in 1893. this older property having

The older of the two deteriorated into a poor

photographs shows property state of repair that news-

which is thought to have paper reports of the day

dated to Queen Ann’s reign suggested it was in a

(1702 – 1714). However, dangerous condition and

the history books tell us practically falling down.

that during the Civil War Local architects were

period soldiers picketed invited by the local

these buildings, therefore it Queen Ann’s Square, Briggate c1884. Freemasons to submit
is likely to have been possibly plans for their new premises

another hundred years older than 1702. and a new Borough Club. The plans that were finally

The row of properties was named Queen Ann’s accepted were drawn by E.C.Brooke who had his

Square but other than it being named after the own offices in Huddersfield.

Queen herself there no historical evidence to show The completed building was designed as to fit
how the street got its name, who built there or who between the Anchor Inn and the Bow Window - a
lived there at the time either. name that needs little introduction to most readers.

They were built before This I suppose could be

the opening of the canal in considered to have been

1757 and if they were still Brighouse’s first takeaway

standing today would have in the modern sense. The

certainly been the oldest business was started in

properties in the town centre. 1864 in Huddersfield Road,

Just below these buildings but it will always be asso-

on the left are the proper- ciated with 72, Briggate

ties called Daisy Croft when of course when it

which were demolished was owned by the Stake

after 1905 and form the car Brothers. How many of

park area around the The Brighouse Assembly Rooms in 1943. you can almost still taste

Golden Hind fish shop and where we are now being the finest sausages, pies

assured is where the new swimming baths will be and muffins for miles around when they were open

situated. between 5.30 and 11 every night.

This road for many years formed part of the principal The new Assembly Rooms were officially opened
roadway through the town and with The Blue Ball on July 17, 1906. The facilities from those early
Inn being situated within the Daisy Croft properties days have changed now but back in those first days
it was a busy stopping off point for travellers. it included a card room, reading room and of course
the obligatory Billiard Room for such a place. The
The gable end on the right of the older main room upstairs measured 63’x 30’ with a
photograph is the Anchor Inn although in recent second room used as a supper room measuring 42’
times it has had a name change and is known as x 21’.
The Barge. I can see the logic in this name, but
having been called The Anchor since the mid- Over the years these premises have been used
eighteenth century, and having been built for the for many local functions, along with the activities
of the Freemasons.

13

The demolition of Well Street to
make way for the Bypass

Well Street was a small row of houses that ran The present day bus station was built on the demolished
down the side of the Oddfellows Hall in Bradford streets of Back Bonegate, Oxford Street, Well Street
Road. Like many small streets and passageways it
too was destined to be demolished during the early and Upper Oxford Street.
1970s as part of the town centre redevelopment
plan. Another eBay gem - that did not sell

You may remember some of the people who As regular readers of this magazine know we like
lived in the remaining eight houses in 1969: to keep an eye on eBay for any local history gems
that are offered for sale.
20. William Henry Garling and
Marion Garling This cup is the most recent one. It is dated 1902
and was offered for sale at £585 plus £12.50
18. Muriel Farnworth
16. Mabel Edwards delivery insurance.
14. Rose A. Howlett
12. Sam Astin and Lilly Astin This is the Victory Coronation
Cup and was ‘Presented by a
8. Stanley Dearnaly and few Gentlemen to the Members
Alice Dearnaly of the Albion Bowling Club,
September 1902’.
6. Mary A. Hoyle
4. Catherine Irving and The names of each winner
has been engraved on it.
Elizabeth Less
One name that is shown on
It was not just the houses that were swept aside but the cup is Janet Clarke (who is
neighbours who had lived side by side for generations now Mrs Janet Hopper) who won the cup in 1988.
Janet recalls that it was the first year in the
were all moved to different comers of the borough, competition’s history when lady bowlers were
where they would have to rebuild their new community. invited to take part. There were about 30 bowlers
taking part both in teams and individual competitors.

Janet was delighted to
be the first lady bowler in
the 86 year history of the
event. Whilst she was not
given the original cup she
was given a keepsake,
which she still has today.

To date the original cup has not been sold and
has been withdrawn from eBay.

14

Brighouse during the 1926 General Strike

The general strike in the United Kingdom lasted for For the first few days Brighouse had about 200 men

nine days, from 4 to 12 May 1926. out on strike, which included printers, transport men

It was called by the General Council of the Trades and wireworkers. Public transport was at a stand
Union Congress (TUC) in an unsuccessful attempt still with no trains, trams or buses.

to force the British Government to act to prevent The Mayor visited the two cinemas in town to

wage reductions and worsening conditions for appeal for volunteers to man the gasworks, should

1.2 million locked-out coal miners. Some 1.7 million the need arise. As the days slipped by more and

workers went out, especially in transport and heavy m o r e wo r k e r s c a m e o u t o n s t r i k e , w i t h

industry. The Government was prepared, and enlisted Blakeboroughs having half its workforce out.

middle-class volunteers to maintain essential As the strike was almost at an end there had been
services. There was little violence, and the TUC no interference with local gas supplies.
gave up in defeat.
On May 12, 1926, the TUC General Council visited

10 Downing Street to announce its decision to call

off the strike if the proposals worked out by the

Samuel Commission were respected and the

Government offered a guarantee there would be no

victimisation of strikers. The Government stated that

it had "no power to compel employers to take back

every man who had been on strike". However, the

TUC agreed to end the dispute without such an

agreement. Various strikes continued after this as

their unions negotiated deals with companies for

The Brighouse gasholder looms high above the their members to return to work.
canal basin. The town slowly began to settle down but the

The first official mention of the strike was at the unemployed number was devasting. Prior to the
Borough Council’s General Purposes Committee on General Strike there had been only 1,012 registered
May 3, 1926. The committee chairman was the unemployed but by the middle of May this had
Mayor, Albert Marsden Denham, and the 25 grown to 3,414. The figures revealed that 284 were
totally unemployed and 3,130 were on short time.
members of the committee were both Aldermen and
A concert was held by the Trades and Labour
Councillors.

The first item on the agenda was to consider the Council at Thornhill Briggs Club to raise distress
situation with regards to the proposed General relief for the mining communities.

Strike and its effects on the gas works. Even though the government had take

It was resolved that Summer Street Lighting be precautions by stockpiling coal, the shortage had
put into force immediately and that volunteers be raised coal prices to levels not seen before. In
asked to enrol in order that the gas works would not October 1926, the Government introduced lighting
be compelled to close down completely. restrictions under the Coal Emergencies
Regulations. This had little effect on Brighouse

Other measures taken were under the Coal shops where they had no outside signs to be

(Emergency) Regulations 1926. The powers under illuminated, and shops were not lit up when they

these regulations were delegated to a committee were closed.

which consisted of representatives from local coal At the end of October coal was rationed to one
merchants and two council representatives. hundredweight every two weeks. About 300 tons of

Other measures involved appointing a food coal a day was being mined at Bradley Woods and

rationing committee. Throstle Nest.

15

Memories from St Martin’s Parish Church

St Martin‘s Parish Church celebrated an important
event in 1981. It was the 150th anniversary of the
church being built, with the aid of 100% grant from
what is referred to as the Second Parliamentary
Grant.

The anniversary would have had a number of

special events to celebrate this important time. One

of these is a small booklet and it would be surprising

to hear if any have survived the 41 years since it

River Calder from Brighouse Bridge c1960s with the was published.

old gasholder in the distance. ’A Miscellany of Memories of Brighouse Parish

Image courtesy of www.alanburnett.com Church - In its 150th Year’. It is a compilation of

The miners finally went back to work in December short stories from parishioners and friends of the
1926, but before then some had already returned to church.

work. The lighting restrictions were gradually lifted The first memory was written by Gertrude

through November. The railways which had cut Chambers (nee Wyman). It was on July 18, 1903,

their services were gradually returning to normal. my parents, John J. Wyman and Annie Gough

With the strike coming to an end coal prices were the last couple to be married in the Parish
began to come down. Other prices that had been Church before it was closed for the new Chancel to

affected were also coming down too. This included

textile prices and in November 1926 you could buy

a suit for 42 shillings. At Brighouse Co-op you could

buy an overcoat for 59s 6d to 90/-, coal was 34/- to

55/- per ton and a pound of bacon was 1/5d and a

pound of butter was 1/10d.

This image shows a very frail and elderly Mrs Kaye
Aspinall being the chief guest at the laying of the
foundation stone of the new Chancel in July 1903.

Lower Briggate 1950s. On the right is the Black Swan be built. The service time had to be changed to an
public house 47, Briggate (now called Millers Bar & earlier hour to fit in with the time of the Church’s
Food). The building immediately behind the motor car closure.

outside the public house was used as the Co-op Gertrude also wrote that she was the first baby to
unloading bay. Coal barges would draw up to this be baptised after the dedication of the Chancel and
building on the canal. The coal was then unloaded the re-opening of the Church in December 1904.
and then bagged and taken away for delivery by
The Vicar, the Rev. Oscar Sydney Laurie, at the
horse and cart. time she wrote made a point on commenting on the
link between the two dates.
One local event after the strike was the
presentation made to Gilbert Lawson, the secretary We would be interested to hear from anyone who
of the Trades and Labour Council, for his still has one of these booklets. More stories from
efforts on behalf of the women and children during this publication will appear in future magazine.
the miners’ strike.

16

Flashes Notes from the Council Chamber 1926/27 Flashes

Can you remember The Health Committee, which met on September Now here is a first for
that special place at 19, 1927, were asked to consider a letter received Rastrick. The first
from Mr G.H.Wilcock of Garden Road. The letter chauffeur employed by
Southowram? requested that he be given compensation for loss William Smith, the owner
of business when he had to close his shop on of Badger Mills, Rastrick,
During the pre-Second account of smallpox. The claim was agreed at the used to drive a horse
War World buying meeting held on October 17, when Mr Wilcock was and carriage. But things
awarded an ex-gratia payment of £5 in light of the certainly changed when
sweets for most children special circumstances. Mr Smith bought a
was an expensive luxury. The Education Committee meeting at the Town beautiful new Daimler.
But up near Withinfields Hall on April 12, 1927, was asked to consider al- This was the first car
lowing the use of the Open Air School, Blackburn in Rastrick and the local
School there was a Road by the Brighouse Lawn Tennis Club on Satur- residents would all turn
special place known only day afternoons during the months of May and June out just to watch it go by.
to the youngsters in the commencing on May 1, 1927. A deputation consist- From driving the horse
ing of Dr Thomas Wright Arnison and Thomas drawn carriage the
village. Helm were in attendance. It was agreed subject to chauffeur was given his
the payment of 10/- per week. new brown uniform
Every Wednesday after- complete with a peaked
noon at about 2pm Some readers may remember many years after that cap and leather leggings.
meeting the days of cycling proficiency instruction and
Mackintoshes used to tests being carried out on the old tennis courts at the What a sight that would
dump all their seconds, have made as it being
which included misshapes Open Air School. driven from Rastrick into
and the sweets which Brighouse town centre.
the company had rejected. The Water and Baths Committee met on February
22, 1926 to discuss the conversion by laying a cover Now here is something
When the school bell over the top of the swimming bath in Mill Royd for a gala event. This
went for home time Street to create a concert room during the winter event was a regular at
about 3.30pm, it was like months. The Borough Engineer was tasked with Rastrick in the days of
a plague of locusts preparing an estimate for the work required for the their carnival at Round
swarming up to the tip. next meeting. Hill. There was all the
Chewing gum was a
favourite and although Searching through the council minutes for 1926 usual games, side
it was misshaped the and 1927, this matter does not appear to have shows and there was
wrappers were still intact been resolved. There is no record of an estimate even a boxing event.
and then it was sweets having been presented. This was organised by
an ex-boxer from the
all round. If it had and been passed and carried out it may Huddersfield Borough
have been similar to the one they had at Sowerby Police . The highlight of
A wartime memory — Bridge. During the winter months it was known as the day was without
Aerograms were letters Princes Hall and regularly held events. doubt the ’greasy pole’
from troops which were event. The organisers
photographed and trans- fastened a joint of meat
ferred onto microfilm so at the top . The first one
that they could be trans- up to the top won the
meat. The trick was to
ported by air in their go after a few people
thousands. When they had tried, that would
arrived in England they wear off most of the
were developed and the grease and you win.
posted on. It is a thin
lightweight piece of
foldable and gummed
paper for writing a letter
for transit via airmail, in

which the letter
and envelope are one

and the same.

17

Jubilee celebrations at Norwood Green Power to the people in 1909

‘Norwood Green News’ Jubilee Edition 2002 has That is a good example of the business diversi-
stood the test of time. It may only be 20 years ago ty of Brighouse. The bargemen are loading up
but I wonder if any of these children are still living in what appears to be another delivery of sand, and it
the village? all takes place under the watchful gaze of a number
of towering mill chimneys. This scene was set to
change when this small wharf was lost when the
new Borough of Brighouse Electric Works (transformer
station) was opened in Huddersfield Road in 1909.

Martin O’Malley was the Chairman of the Norwood
Green Residents Association and his opening
address in the programme summed up what both
the event and the village was about.

The event was for the whole village to celebrate It was Mr A. B. Brook, a manufacturing electrician,
Her Majesty The Queen’s Golden Jubilee. Not who started a small and modest business in the
even intermittent showers could dampen the spirits cellars of Town Hall Buildings in September 1892.
and spoil picnics in the delightful setting of Eric and He soon needed larger premises and moved to Hall
Margaret Harrison’s paddock. Street, off Bethel Street, behind what is now the Civic
Hall. He employed seven people and his own
premises were lit with electric light.

All electric lighting at that time was controlled from
his premises. He also installed lighting at Brighouse
Co-op in King Street, and one of his most important
installations was at Woodhouse and Mitchell’s, one
of the largest engineering works (and new foundry)
in Brighouse.

Here are those children who took part in the guinea
pig show. The girl on the back row 4th from the left
is holding what appears to be the winning rosette.

The event raised £440 for the Association’s funds,
and the bric-a-brac stall run by Mrs Binns for the
RSPCA raised £100.

Well Norwood Green, it is 20 years on, did you In 1904 the use of overhead electric cables came to
have another party for the Platinum Jubilee? an end with them being moved underground. Once
these were laid the new transformer station
(shown above) in Huddersfield Road was opened.

18

The annual summer treat to the seaside

There was always something special about the an- really interested in these fixed times as the coach

nual outing, a buzz in the air, a sense of excitement travellers were. This saw the guest houses having

when we were kids. Maybe, it was just to Sunny to change or go under, the bed breakfast and evening

Vale just as your grandparents had done a generation meal booking became more popular.

or two earlier. But fingers crossed it would be to the Many readers might remember the days in a
seaside, which guest house when
would have usually you had to provide
meant Blackpool. your own food and

Those families would be allocated

which had started some space on the

taking the post-war sideboard top, along

holidays to Blackpool with all the other

would have found guests’ shopping.

the standard full Going back further

board daily rate was in time you not only

12/6 a day which had to provide your

was 4/6 more than it own food but your

was during the mid-1930s. Whilst this does not own bedding as well.

sound much, don’t forget these were austere times By the end of the 1960s the days of providing
and rationing did not come to an end until 1954.
your own food had ended some years earlier but

The ‘package holiday’ is something that we tend was surprisingly making a comeback and the words

to associate with the 1960s and those early ‘self-catering holidays’ were a growing trend.

holidays to Spain. But in 1948 the Blackpool Boarding Between 1961 and 1971 the number of hotels
House Association prepared a scheme which they and guest houses in Blackpool had fallen from
described as a ‘package holiday’ and had calculated 3,297 to 2,055 with many of them being converted
it at an all-inclusive price of £4.19.6d per week. into holiday flats. The British holiday was changing

This included full board and nightly entertainment year by year as the customers’ expectations and

and no doubt as many will recall would have included aspirations grew.

at the bottom of the bill the words ‘Cruet Set Extra’ Returning to our featured photograph, these
which added just a little to your bill. The final bill children were setting off on the Thornhill Briggs
had to be settled the Saturday morning you left. annual outing and I believe is dated c1950.
This was a day often referred to as ‘turn round
Included amongst the children are: Derek, Keith
Saturday’ because as you left the landlady had
barely a few hours to ‘turn round’ getting everything and Mary Hudson, who had some nice new pumps
for the outing; Harry Wilkinson snr, who is pictured
ready for her next arrivals.
on the back row in the middle; Vincent Marsh;
Even by the early 1960s the standard daily rate at Marie Lawson; David Crabtree; Tom Mitchell; Elmer
a guest house was still £1. These were the early Prest; Alan Moody; Albert Barker, who I understand
days when the motor car was becoming increasingly in later life emigrated to Canada; Jeffrey Berry; two
popular and affordable for many families.
brothers called Sharp and two more called Mason;

The one car that many families bought as their Marjorie and Philip Gillson; Colin Heap; Peter

first would have been the Ford Popular or as it was Bryan; Audrey Martin; Peter Bottomley and a young

often referred to the ‘Ford Pop.’ This was manufactured girl called Rhoda who after she left school went to

in England between 1953 and 1962. Those of you work at Woolworth’s.

who bought one of the first would have paid £390 Can you remember your annual summer treat

and even in 1960 the price had only risen to £494. trip?. We would be pleased to hear from you and hear

Once families had become mobile they were not all about it and maybe a photograph to go with it?

19

‘Walterclough Valley — A History’

In recent weeks there have been two new local The Walterclough Mill and Pit, along with Allen’s

history books published. Whilst they are very different Brickworks and Slead Mill, are all the commercial

from each other, the one thing they do have in industries that have employed many local people,

common is they have both been very well both in and around the valley. These all worked

researched and very nicely presented. alongside the farming community at Sutcliffe Wood

The first book, ‘Walterclough Valley — A History’, Bottom Farm, Southolme Farm, and other
has been written by John Wharton. I have personally farmsteads.

known John for many years and knew when this This book is a must, not only for students of our

book arrived on my desk, it would be packed with local history, but for anyone living in and around the

meticulously researched detail from the valley he Walterclough Valley.

knows and John Wharton was born in Halifax and has lived in
where he the valley for over 40 years. Following his early
lives. retirement from his work with the Post Office

Many people Telephones and BT, he had more time to pursue his

knew little of interest in walking and exploring the beautiful

Walterclough Walterclough Valley. This led to his interest and

Valley but in research into its history and subsequent publication

this book the of this book.

reader will In the book’s postscript John says the history of

find the real the valley has been waiting to be discovered and
story of the hopes he has done it justice. I am sure once you
Sowden family have read this book you will agree that he has done
who are
what he set out to achieve .
mentioned in
the television The book has been published by the Lightcliffe
and District Local History Society.
series

’Gentleman Jack.’, which is a series based on the ISBN: 978-9162983-3-0
lives of Anne Lister of Shibden Hall and Ann Walker
of Crow Nest, Lightcliffe. Some of the characters and The book is £10 and sold as a not-for-profit
families mentioned and portrayed on the programme venture and is available at Hipperholme News.

did live in the valley. Chris Helme

The book is A4 and has 48 pages, with almost all
the pages having a rich selection of high-resolution
photographs and illustrations of the valley.

The Walterclough Valley separates Southowram
and Hipperholme and is the southern continuation of
the Shibden Valley. Along with its historical
connections with both the Lister and Walker families
it is known as the home of the former Sunny Vale
Pleasure Gardens, but John’s research takes the
story of the valley much further.

The origins of the valley’s name, which John Sutcliffe Wood Bottom Farm, a photo taken by a member
points out came from Walterclough Hall, a property of the Brighouse Photographic Society c1910 and is
whose physical presence has long since faded into
the history books. This was the most famous and from the Chris Helme Collection. The two gentlemen
most ancient building in the valley and dated back to are not known, but this house has been photographed
1379, the then home of the Hemmingway family.
many times and looks almost just the same today.

20

‘In the Shadow of Lightcliffe's Old Tower’

It is about 50 years since the old St Matthew’s book. In the end we agreed a final deadline and

church in Lightcliffe was demolished leaving its bell anything new after that was not included. By mid-

tower isolated in the churchyard. The church had December 2021 our first draft was ready for the

been redundant printer. There followed a nervous wait until we saw

since a new church the initial proof. At that stage, seeing what it might

had been built in look like gave us the confidence to make minor

1875 and, for good adjustments and go for the print run. The book

reasons, no alterna- In the Shadow of Lightcliffe’s Old Tower was

tive uses could be launched in mid-February 2022 and has been

found. Over the selling steadily ever since.

past 10 years a Dorothy Barker and Ian Philp
Friends group has
been restoring the Price £10. Available locally at Hipperholme News,
churchyard which Hipperholme Post Office, Lightcliffe Tea Rooms, St.
Matthew’s Church and The Sun Inn. Then further
had become very afield at Brighouse Books, Halifax Hub and Shibden
overgrown. We Hall. Alternatively the book can be sent by post, at
have also uncov- an additional cost of £2.50, by emailing the authors
ered stories from at [email protected] -or-

the earliest burials in 1670 and have been surprised [email protected]
Details of how to pay will then be explained.
by the information that we can find. This led to the
articles about WW1 soldiers and then others that we

have published on our website Lightcliffechurch- The modern fire appliance
yard.org.uk in a section known as People of Interest.

These back stories then formed the basis of our In 1893 the Borough Council had its first official fire

book In the Shadow of Lightcliffe’s Old Tower : service. Up to the incorporation of the borough the

Two churches and a churchyard. local fire service was made up entirely of volunteers.
This started with Samuel Baines Victoria Mills (the
Families featured in the book include the site where Sainsbury’s Supermarket is today) volunteer
Armytages of Holme House, the Hollands of Slead fire brigade and ’Neptune’ a horse drawn appliance
Hall, the Holmes of Smith House, the Watkinsons of was the fire engine he provided for them.
Woodfield House and many more individuals. The

TV series Gentleman Jack has created an interest

in not only Ann Walker’s family but also some of the

other characters in the series, for example, Samuel

Washington and Samuel Sowden. A number of

these real Crow Nest and Shibden Hall estate ten-

ants are also mentioned in the book.

Writing the book was an interesting and new ex-

perience for both of us especially as the coronavirus

restrictions were brought in as we started. Some of

the material we already had to hand but further re-

search was needed both online and at West York- In this photograph dated July 1911 it shows the
shire Archives once they reopened. During lock- presentation and naming of the new Borough Council
down the draft chapters were shared by email. We fire engine by the Mayor, Robert Thornton JP. This was
had made an early agreement that each of us would the first motorised appliance and the start of a new
be open to suggestions and criticism as the material tradition when a new fire engine would be named
was exchanged. What we did find was that as we after the sitting mayor. Having been road tested the
completed a chapter, a new piece of information vehicle could easily maintain a speed of 20 mph.
would often be found which needed adding to the

21

Letter from a sports journalist in Macau, China

It was the summer of 1976 and I was strolling around calming, lost in my own world with my own words.
Brighouse town centre. Even though I was only 16
and had just taken my O Levels at Hipperholme Even now, 42 years on from my first day at the
Grammar School, I already knew what I wanted to Courier, I feel the same. Any problems, any stress,
be: a sports journalist. any issues in life…they all disappear when I open
my laptop and start to hit that keyboard.

A few years later I fancied a change of scenery,
After six great years at the Courier school of
journalism, starting as a trainee in 1978 and moving
into the sports department in 1981, I joined the
Huddersfield Daily Examiner in 1984 as full-time golf
and rugby union writer, with a bit of squash thrown
in.

A few years later I fancied a change of scenery,

away from my West Yorkshire roots. I had always

loved the vibrancy of the North East through my

auntie and uncle in Berwick on Tweed and applied

Lightcliffe Post Office and Newsagents c1990s. Not for a position as football writer at The Northern Echo –

much has changed from the days when Jeremy was a a morning paper based in Darlington but covering
paperboy here in 1972. the “big three” of Newcastle United, Sunderland and

Why not go into the Echo office and ask if they have Middlesbrough as well as York City, Hartlepool United,
Scarborough and the local club Darlington.
a vacancy for a trainee reporter, I thought.

The Echo office was in West Park Street. I walked A few days after reporting on golf at Fixby and
in, without a care in the world and asked if they had rugby union at Waterloo I am sitting next to Paul
any vacancies. Gascoigne at the Newcastle United training ground.
It was December 1986 and he was injured
The receptionist made a call and soon I was (Gascoigne, groin). We got on really well, even
being led upstairs to see the Editor, Edward Riley. though he couldn’t understand a word I said with my

We had a long, friendly chat and I was informed Brighouse accent and vice-versa with his Geordie

that 16 was, indeed, too early to become a trainee (Dunston).

reporter. I was advised to finish my A Levels and, There wasn’t much of an age gap between us,
after two more years, try again. about eight years, and I would become quite close

Two years later I tried again after seeing an to him over the next year and a half, until he signed

advertisement in the Halifax Evening Courier for a for Spurs. We went fishing on his day off, played

trainee reporter. It was just my luck that Edward tennis on public courts near his house (he was

Riley was now Deputy Editor of the Courier and brilliant) and I even drove him down to Bradford one

remembered me from our chat. evening for a social function with the West Yorkshire

My first day at work at the Courier was September branch of the Newcastle United Supporters’ Club,
accompanied by Gazza’s best mate and bodyguard,
4, 1978, and my salary was £46 and 5 pence a
Jimmy “Five Bellies” Gardner. It was during my time
week.
in the North East that my marriage broke up, after
How did I know my destiny so early in life?
12 years together as boyfriend and girlfriend,

Well, my two favourite subjects at school - at Bailiff husband and wife.

Bridge Junior and Infants and then Hipperholme The tough decision to separate - much tougher

Grammar - were English and PE/sport. I loved than staying together - was made on a Thursday
writing essays and poetry; I found it therapeutic, evening, and two days later I bought the UK Press

22

Gazette to see if there were any decent jobs the right place at the right time to capitalise on my

overseas. The following advertisement jumped out experience in England and in Hong Kong.

of the page: “Wanted - Sports Reporter, South Sure enough, my plan came to fruition and I was
China Morning Post, Hong Kong”. able to play a prominent role in the development of

In February 1989 I moved to Hong Kong to begin football coverage in the English language media.

a new life. The SCMP was one of the most influential I even had a weekly column in a popular Japanese
and prestigious English language newspapers in
football magazine, contributed to a Japanese
Asia, and most certainly the richest due to the
football website and was invited to write a book, to
colossal blue chip
advertising revenue. The be translated into Japanese,
about my experiences of
standard of sport in
Hong Kong was much football in England and
Japan. It was called “Home
lower what I had been
and Away” and was
used to in England, but
published in 2009.
the variety and opportu-
Although many people
nities to travel with the
think sports journalists have
national teams of Hong
an easy life they don’t see
Kong more than made up
the sacrifices such as
for this: Cricket in Kuala
giving up weekends, working
Lumpur; rugby union in
on public holidays, the 16
Singapore, Sri Lanka
hours a day at an Olympics
and Japan; the multi-
or World Cup, the pressure
sport Asian Games in
of deadlines, the stress
Beijing in 1990 and East
Asian Games in Shanghai This was taken in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, after a seminar of laptop con nect ion
in 1993; the Olympics in Jeremy was presenting on “Career Opportunities in malfunctions, stupid editors…..

Barcelona in 1992; Sports Media’ to athletes at the National Training Centre. Approaching 50 years

football in Saudi Arabia, old, I knew I couldn’t

South Korea and various cities around the Chinese continue like this. So, in 2009, I changed my life
mainland.
again – for the final time, thank goodness!

From the moment I arrived in Nagoya, to cover a The Olympic Council of Asia, which is based in
two-test rugby union series between Japan and Kuwait and serves the interests of 45 National
Hong Kong, I adored Japan. Olympic Committees, was looking for an editor to
launch an official OCA magazine and provide website
In 1996, after seven years in Hong Kong and 18 content. I was asked if I would be interested in this
years of non-stop work since leaving Hipperholme job, due to my 20 years’ experience in Hong Kong
Grammar School in 1978, I needed a break. and Japan, and replied. That will do nicely!

I was down by the Star Ferry in Hong Kong one The OCA organises five international multi-sport
lunch time and bought The Japan Times. “Come to events, including the Asian Games and Asian Winter
historic and beautiful Kyoto. Study Japanese. Six- Games, and my work since joining this organisation in
month course for beginners”. 2009 has taken me all over the continent, including
Bhutan, Mongolia, Oman, Vietnam, Uzbekistan,
That will do nicely! Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Cambodia
and even to North Korea.
In April 1996 I moved to Japan and stayed there
until 2009.

Sensing a very American influence in the sports I have worked for the Olympic Council of Asia for
pages of the four English language newspapers in 12 years – twice as long as my previous record, six
Tokyo, and with the FIFA World Cup coming to years at the Courier from 1978 to 1984. I have lived
Japan and South Korea in 2002, I thought I was in in Macau – a one-hour ferry ride across the South
China Sea from Hong Kong – since 2012.

23

I miss the green of Yorkshire. I miss driving The Prime Minister visits Bailiff Bridge
through the Dales and stopping at a country pub
in Linton or Grassington or Appletreewick. I have no doubt the children in this photograph will
remember this special visitor who took time out to
talk to them. It was Monday January 31, 1994,
when the Prime Minister John Major and local MP
Sir Donald Thompson visited Firth’s Carpets.

On his arrival into Victoria Road, Bailiff Bridge
and before being taken by senior representatives
from the company for a guided tour a crowd had
gathered, which included children from Bailiff
Bridge school. The Prime Minister took time out to
speak to them.

The Old White Beare c1987, Norwood Green, this
was always a Walker family favourite, where over the

years many happy hours were spent.

I miss the Black Horse at Clifton, always a family
favourite, and the walk from the Black Horse down
to Thornhills Lane, past our old house, No. 50, past
the scarlet fever hospital on the corner, along the
country lane with the picturesque stone cottages,
then turn sharp left down the hill, under the viaduct,
over the stream and on to Bradford Road.

Wellholme Park brings back memories of Brighouse The Prime Minister with some of the children from
Sunday League football and the lawn green bowling Bailiff Bridge School, were you one of the lucky ones
club where we spent our lunchtimes when working
at the Echo. to speak to him?

I miss the walk from our old family house on Looking back to the day he visited the company,
the corner of the Stray, across Lightcliffe Golf Club, few would have known that it was to later close
over the railway line and past Lightcliffe Cricket Club down. In 2000, the company finally closed and
where I used to play and then up to Norwood brought the curtain down on 133 years of history.
Green, past the Old White Beare and the trickling
stream of Priestley Green. This company had employed generations of local
people from Bailiff Bridge and many of the
©Courtesy of Chris Wells surrounding towns and communities.

Lightcliffe Golf Club - the clubhouse and function suite. Once it was sold, apart from the offices, it was
demolished and then redeveloped for housing.
As for memories of my youth in Bailiff Bridge,
Brighouse, Clifton, Lightcliffe and Hipperholme….that
will do nicely.

Jeremy Walker

China

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.

This is now also available as an audiobook at Calderdale Library
Service and other audiobook sources on the internet.

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:

[email protected] — 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: This is a scene from Brighouse Gala procession in Bradford Road but
can you say what year it was? It is certainly pre–April 2000 when M&Co opened their Brighouse branch in the
former Co-op Food Fair. In 2020 during a restructuring of M&Co nationally when it was announced 57 stores

were to be closed fortunately Brighouse was not one of those. It is still a popular store in the town centre.

The blue whale was a float provided for the procession by Power Tool Rentals at Hipperholme - perhaps that
is a clue to when this photograph was taken. If you know please contact the editor — 07854-755756.