Flinders Mill
Edward Flinders, the founder of this old corn milling business, was born at New Whittington, Chesterfield around 1884, the son of blacksmith Tom Flinders and his wife Emily. He did not follow his father's occupation but instead became a baker. In 1901, as a young man, he was a journeyman baker in the household of Albert Storey, himself only 27 and a baker and confectioner in Mexborough, South Yorkshire. But by 1906 he had settled in the Holmfirth area, marrying Mary Ellen Thorpe on 3rd February at Upperthong. In 1911 they were residents of Netherthong with two 4 year old sons, Frank and Walter, Edward being 27 by then. Edward seems to have had a social conscience, serving on the Huddersfield Board of Guardians of the Poor, probably on the Deanhouse (Honley) sub committee, from which he resigned in March 1914 because he was going into business in Huddersfield and presumably no longer had much free time. He was described as "the Deanhouse baker" at this time, the workhouse's baker. He must have been well thought of, as his resignation was accepted "with regret". There was a workhouse in Honley at this time whilst the main Huddersfield workhouse was located on Blacker Lane, Birkby, an area he would become strongly associated with.
At some point Edward decided to grind his own flour, the essential ingredient for baking bread and cakes. Perhaps he was unhappy with his usual suppliers or with the price of flour. In any case, he set up his own cornmill on Back Blacker Road, Birkby, and became the principal in the company "Edward Flinders and Sons".
He must have done well, as by his death on 11th April 1945 he was living at a mansion known as "Ockley" on Bradley Road, Huddersfield, an affluent area at that time. He died aged 61, mourned by his wife, Mary Ellen, and his family and was interred in Edgerton Cemetery. He left £9,952 in his will according to The Yorkshire Post of 1st January 1947.
Since that time the mill has been used for a variety of purposes, at one time as a decorators' merchant, for storage and for vehicle servicing, becoming more dilapidated over the years. In 2010 plans were put forward by the then owners to renovate the two storey red brick building for more upmarket commercial use, but these do not seem to have been achieved just yet.
The "Teapot" Chapel
The Chapel was founded as a Free Wesleyan Chapel by a breakaway group from the Brunswick Chapel, Huddersfield in the early 1870s., later becoming part of the United Methodist Church. Its strange name was adopted by locals perhaps because of the
ornamental urn atop its front gable, or perhaps because funds to build it were raised mainly at Chapel teas. members of the chapel were known locally as "Teapotters". Apart from its religious role with Sunday and mid-week services and Sunday School, the chapel became the centre of social and sporting activities in the area. There was the Teapot Tennis Club with its two grass
courts, where the Whitsuntide Treat was usually held. A young men's club started in the Sunday School offering billiards, darts and table tennis, similar to a youth club. In the inter-war years a big musical production was staged each year and their were other entertainments including choir meetings, music and dancing. There were the usual bazaars and jumble sales too and an opportunity to debate issues or listen to speakers. In October 1948 the chapel also gave rise to the "Home Circle" when women
who found it difficult to attend the Sunday services decided to meet in their own homes instead. They developed as a social group with their own outings and gatherings and offered mutual support. Attendances at the chapel itself eventually dwindled, however, and it closed in 1962, but has been given a new lease of life as an Islamic Centre and mosque and is continuing to undergo renovations, with the risk of losing some of its historical features, as witnessed by one of these photos.
Ghostsigns and Walter Turton
Commercial premises in St John's Road, Birkby, displaying their faded advertising signs. The Chemist shop is particularly intriguing as it is written over earlier signs, perhaps advertising a photographic studio or an insurance company. This may well have been the photographer Walter E. Turton's shop which stood at 61 Blacker Road. His shop is pictured below.
Walter was Huddersfield Town Football Club's early official photographer and photographed many of the players. He also photographed scenes in and around Huddersfield between about 1880 and the 1930s. Contact us if you know more.