Huddersfield p2

The former Co-operative Stores in New Street consists of two buildings in completely contrasting styles (see photos).

The older of the two was built in two phases, being opened in 1886, extended and officially opened again in 1906. The style is Neo-Classical but with extravagant foliate decoration such as this angel amongst wreaths of flowers, 1910. The second building of 1936, by contrast, is bold and simple in design and has impressive art nouveau style motifs and lettering.

The Huddersfield Industrial Society was formed after a meeting at the Shears Inn on Beastmarket between members of the Bolton Unity of Oddfellows and a group of Huddersfield men who had been meeting at the Factory Inn in Factory Lane. The new society first opened a small grocery store in Johnson's Buildings in Buxton Road (now New Street). With new building work in 1886/7 on the corner of Buxton Road and Princess Street, this became the central co-operative store. Later, Johnson's Buildings were demolished to allow a new development, which was officially opened on 8th September 1906. Further extensions in 1936 meant the department store now occupied the whole of Buxton Road between Princess Street and Chapel Hill. The interior was renovated in 1993 but in 1999 the Society moved out and sold off the building. Besides the central store, between 1860 and 1901 the Society opened 22 smaller stores in surrounding districts and villages.

The pictured mural entitled "Facets of the Local Scene" above a cafe on the corner of New Street and Princess Street was designed by Mural Consultants Ltd. in 1967.

The mosaic pictured is entitled "Development of the Woollen Industry" shows how a cottage industry changed in the run up to the Industrial Revolution. It was designed by Harold Blackburn and the mosaicist was Professor Lavagno. It was created in 1967 and is situated above shops on Ramsden Street.

The public library in Princess Alexandra Place (see photos) has classical reliefs and two seated figures one of which is a "Youth Awaiting Inspiration" designed by James Woodford R.A. in 1939. The figures represent the youthful spirits of Literature and Art, listening to the whispering voices of Inspiration, which is symbolised in six small panels carved on the back and sides of their thrones.

The murals consist of groups of figures symbolising various cultural activities. Plaster casts of these panels were exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1939 and casts of the figures were in an exhibition there in 1940.

This figure of a medieval lady adorns the terracotta and pink granite Prudential Assurance building in New Street and dates from 1898. This building was designed by one of the great Victorian architects, Alfred Waterhouse, who had designed Manchester Town Hall and the Natural History Museum in London. He was President of the Royal Institute of British Architects from 1888-91. The "Prudentia" statue was sculpted by Birnie Rhind.

The Sculptured head pictured is one of several adorning a now empty building in High Street near the junction with New Street.

Decorative work on a building on Cross Church Street featuring a King George IV 1829 coin. This was once the "Sun Inn", established in 1803, which may account for the motifs used. The inn offered stabling, refreshments and accommodation to coach and horse travellers. The archway through to the yard behind is still there. The Sun Inn was right next door to a similar establishment, the White Lion, and between them they could stable 100 horses. The inn was rebuilt in 1893 at a cost of £8,000 in 'Queen Anne' style.

The entrance to the Waverley Buildings on Kirkgate, which dates from 1888.

This building housed the Waverley Hotel in the early 20th Century.

The Huddersfield lion stands proud above Lion Chambers, built 1852-4, in the heart of the town. The present lion is a fibreglass copy of the original which was made of Coade stone.

The main doorway of the current Lloyds Bank on Market Place is beautifully ornate. The architects were Gibson, Skipwith and Gordon and it dates from around 1912. The style is Neo-Classical Baroque. The outer doors have carved panels with images of local landmarks - the Parish Church, Castle Hill, the Civic Centre and the Railway Station.

The Face in stone above the Kirkgate Buildings (formerly Bulstrode Buildings) on Byram Street, typical of many to be found around the town.

The buildings date back to 1880, and were designed by William Henry Crossland for Sir J. W. Ramsden. Crossland went on to design Rochdale Town Hall.

The Symbol above the "Boy and Barrel" public house on Beastmarket which may well disappear in time. The town's cattle market was held in this area until the Corporation got around to building a new livestock market in the 1880s.

For more on the "Boy and Barrel" please see this website: www.JohnnysHistory.com

The Huddersfield Coat of Arms beautifully adorns the market building, formerly the wholesale market. The building was designed by Richard Dugdale, Borough Surveyor, and erected in 1887-8.

Memorial Plaque to Factory Fire Victims

This plaque on John William Street near the junction with Viaduct Street commemorates those who lost their lives in the factory fire at H. Booth and Sons clothing factory on 31st October 1941. The fire broke out in the fitting room at aound 8am, just as work began for the day. The factory was 5 storeys high, with a steel frame but timber floors and staircases. Shortly after 8am the managing director, Wilfred Booth, discovered a fire emanating from coats hung on a coat rack in the fitting room. Flames were already reaching the ceiling, but his first instinct was to tackle the blaze with a fire extinquisher. He then asked Mr Senior, a colleague, to telephone the fire brigade. However the fire spread rapidly and dense black smoke soon filled the factory. Many of the injured had fractured bones as they were forced to jump from the building. They were conveyed to the infirmary by the police who had arrived on the scene. The majority of workers did manage to escape the factory and were taken to the nearby premises of Messrs. Bairstow and Son in Fitzwilliam Street, where they were provided with refreshments. Other employees were not so lucky, some being unable to escape at all and some being burnt beyond recognition. Forty nine employees died in all, one such, a girl aged just 14, had only started work there the previous day.

An inquest was held a few days later. Mr Booth was asked if there had ever been a fire at the factory before, to which he at first answered "No", but then remembered that about a year before there had been a smoking coat - Mr Senior's - caused by a tobacco pipe, not having been properly put out, being in the pocket. Under questioning, William Rhodes Senior said that on the day in question he had arrived at work at about 5 minutes to 8 and put his tweed coat on the rack. He had been smoking beforehand, but had knocked his pipe out before entering the building and placing it in his pocket. He agreed his pipe had caused the incident the previous year, but he had been very careful since then. He had phoned the fire brigade and pressed the alarm, but it is not clear if it actually sounded. There was much discussion too about the lack of an external fire escape. However, a verdict of "accidental death" was returned, after which Mr Booth expressed his heartfelt sympathy with the families of the victims. The police had done an excellent job in taking people to hospital, consoling relatives, and helping with the identification process, and certain of them were commended.

The committal and memorial services were held at Huddersfield Parish Church, the services being conveyed by loudspeaker to the crowds lining the streets outside. The King had already sent a message of sympathy. Buses were laid on to take the 700 mourners to Edgerton Cemetery. The dead were buried in a communal grave there and hundreds of wreaths and crosses surrounded the graveside, whilst poppy leaves were dropped onto the coffins. The town council paid for the funerals, but soon afterwards a public subscription was raised to provide a substantial monument at the gravesite and to help the dependant relatives.

See also Huddersfield pages 1 and 3