The Cowcliffe milestone once stood near the Shepherd's Arms public house at the top of Cowcliffe but was removed to the safety of the rose garden behind the Tolson museum around 1970 because "it was just lying around and could have been lost or stolen" according to the curator at the time. It reads "Here parts Fixby and Firtown 1764".
Nearby stands the forlorn plinth of the statue of Robert Peel which once stood in St George's Square. His dates, 1788-1850 are now barely visible beneath his name.
Huddersfield Prison
Close by lies this interesting inscription which reads
"This house and prison, erected Anno Domini 1831, at an expense of £ --- by loan from Sir John Ramsden, Bart,
at £500 and on public subscription of £---
Joseph Beaumont, Constable.
The "prison" referred to was actually the police station erected in The Shambles in 1831 which had cells for holding prisoners beneath it and in a yard behind. The Shambles used to continue onto Bull and Mouth Street, named after the famous pub, but the whole area was later pulled down, including the old market hall, and redeveloped. It now forms part of the Piazza at the side of the Library. This old police station was at one time known as "Towser's Castle" after the dog owned by the police constable then. It needed cells to retain prisoners either overnight or until they were able to be taken to the Guildhall, built as a courthouse, nearby. Sometimes, prisoners had to be taken by a horse drawn "black maria" to the railway station for transport to courts in Wakefield and Leeds. When this police station was demolished and replaced by new premises on Peel Street in 1898, the shop built in its place belonged to the Incandescent Light Company. Some of the small holding cells remained intact beneath it. The plaque above was saved and incorporated into the building opposite the "Bull and Mouth" public house, and removed for safety to the grounds of the Tolson Museum once this building too was demolished.
Earlier, the then Huddersfield "Towser" housed suspects taken during the Luddite risings of 1812, at which time it was not only inadequate but in poor condition. Prisoners had to be divided between the Towser, described as "very small and confined" and the guardhouse. The Towser was deemed too cold and conditions too miserable for prisoners to sleep there.
St. Paul's School
All that survives of this old school is this inscription on the side of the old Co-operative building in Princess Street. The carving was uncovered during renovation work to create a new Wilkinson store in September 2000.
St. Paul's Church of England School, associated with St. Paul's church near the University, was built by parliamentary commissioners in 1830 on a site given by Sir John Ramsden. It later became the National School and had departments for boys, girls and infants. In 1857 the
headmaster was a William Schofield. In 1861 he was elected the President of the Yorkshire District of the Associated Body of Church schoolmasters and was obviously an influential figure. In January 1863 he resigned his post as headmaster, which he had held for 15 years, to enter commercial life. He was presented with a purse of sovereigns and 3 volumes of Mant's Bible on this occasion, as a testimonial of respect from the managers, supporters, parents and pupils of the school, and a speech was given by his successor, Mr. J. Taylor, who had been selected from 106 candidates for the post. Clearly the school was of high repute at this time. Mr Taylor eventually moved to the headship of Lockwood Boys' School at the princely salary of £20 per annum.
In 1891 pupils at the school took part in Whitsuntide services, tea and games in the grounds of Longley Hall, probably an annual event. By 1900 there were 290 full time and 7 half time pupils on the register, although average attendance was only 238. In addition there were 216 infants. The school was still in existence as recently as 1946.
The Riding School
This building was once the military riding school of the 2nd West Yorkshire Yeomanry Cavalry, who had their headquarters here. Originally built in 184, in 1905 it was converted into a theatre, the Hippodrome, by the architect W. Cooper. In the 1960s a fire destroyed much of the auditorium, at which point the theatre was adapted for use as a cinema. The building has been used as an armoury, music hall, cinema and pub over the years.
The Drill Hall
Indian elephants feature prominently on the insignia of the Duke of Wellington's West Riding Regiment which
adorns the Drill Hall in St. Paul's Street. Lord Roberts laid the foundation stone of the Hall, which was erected for the 2nd Vol. Batt. Duke of Wellington’s West Riding Regt., on 4th May 1899. He returned on 9th May 1901 to open the building, which had been designed by one of the officers, Captain W. Cooper. The building cost over £8,000 and a bazaar had to be held to clear the £4,000 debt still owed on it.
The Drill Hall was the barracks and depot of the 90th Territorial Force until 1917 when it became a World War I military hospital. Since the previous year part of the grounds had been given over to growing food as part of the "Digging For Victory" campaign.
Inside the building are memorials to the many local men
who participated in the Boer War and World War I and II.
This particular plaque commemorates 90 men from Paddock who served in the 1st World War, many of them in the Duke of Wellington's Regiment. It was formerly housed in All Saints Church in Paddock, but was removed here in 2008 when the church was sold.
The Hall is now maintained, and the military units who meet there supported, by a Trust on behalf of the people of Huddersfield.
Iron Man
This sprightly figure appears outside the H. Downs & Sons foundry at the Peacock Works on Leeds Road. The company was actually founded in 1946 by Walter Downs, who had worked for the previous owner after leaving the army, and bought it from him for £400 borrowed from a relative. He put the company in the name of his father, Horace.
The works were originally on St. Andrews Road, Huddersfield.
The foundry produces castings up to a maximum of 10 tons in weight, including, from time to time, artistic castings as evidenced by the cast figures outside the works. The company is now run by Walter’s sons.
Walter himself was something of a war hero but suffered a serious shoulder injury which ended his war effort. He was also something of a boxer and later he and his sons flew helicopters as a hobby.
Huddersfield Marble Works
Mr Leonard Fisher, marble mason, was born in Sibthorpe, Nottinghamshire, around 1820 and served an apprenticeship with a stonemason at Newark. He then moved to Huddersfield and appears first in White's 1853 Directory in business alone at Bath Buildings, Huddersfield. Soon after he gained a business partner and moved to Brook Street to establish "Roberts and Fisher, sculptors and marble masons for tombs, tables, register stoves etc." By 1866 the business was "Fisher and Dyson" and 4 years later they were described as "stone and marble merchants and wholesale and retail ironmongers" with premises both in Brook Street and in Halifax. In 1871 the business had expanded enough to employ around 50 hands. By 1879 Leonard, who had brought his family up at the Brook Street premises, has moved out to Sibthorpe Terrace, Fartown, and his apprentice, Leonard Fisher junior, was running the business (without Dyson), from Northumberland Street. The advert shown here dates from this period. The business passes on by 1901 to Leonard junior's son, Walter, and again changes location to nearby Friendly Street.
Leonard Fisher senior seems to have been an excellent designer and sculptor in marble, a master craftsman. In 1855 a beautiful marble monument to James Armitage esq. which he had created was placed in the north choir of Kirkburton parish church, an elaborately carved and coloured tribute which did "great credit to Mr. Fisher". His reputation evidently extended far and wide, for by January 1856 he was reported to have executed another grand monument for John Dickie esq. of Welshpool, to be placed in Llansaintfraid church, Montgomeryshire. It is described as " a fine monument in the Grecian style.......a fine specimen of the lapidary art. The tablet is of the sarcophagus shape, of white marble on a black marble ground; size 6' by 4'. The base is massively moulded with finely carved corbels. The pediment has a beautifully carved cornice with shield and scrolls, over which drapery gracefully folds. The monument altogether has a bold and massive appearance". The company also created an elaborately sculpted lectern support in memory of a Mrs Taylor of Newsome, which was placed in St. John's church, Newsome in July 1877.
An interesting case arose connected to the marble works in February 1857 when one Noah Bridgwood was arrested, by police officer Akroyd, early one Sunday morning, coming out of the works in Brook Street with pieces of marble in his arms and pockets. Akroyd took the offender to the town's lock-up, and after relieving him of the marble pieces in his pocket, put him in a cell, although the cells had just been condemned by the Superintendant as too cold and damp to accommodate prisoners after a recent suicide there. Shortly afterwards, another prisoner went to Bridgwood's cell and found him with his throat cut. Surgeons were called who managed to save Bridgwood's life with some difficulty and afterwards sent him to the Infirmary. A search of the cell was then undertaken and a knife found along with 2 recently broken pieces of marble which together would have measured over 3 feet long and weighing over 20 pounds, which the prisoner must have had on him when arrested. Both knife and marble were left in place. Akroyd meanwhile returned fom his search of the prisoner's home and was shown the items in the cell, along with two other officers, after which the knife disappeared. On the following Tuesday, the Watch Committee of the Improvement Commissioners met to enquire into the case and the previous suicide, and under interrogtion, police officer Akroyd admitted to having taken the knife and thrown it down the privy. The enquiry also proved he had disobeyed orders in placing Bridgwood in the cell and in not removing the knife or all the marble from him beforehand. For his disobedience, the committee immediately dismissed Akroyd.
Iron Man
This sprightly figure appears outside the H. Downs & Sons foundry at the Peacock Works on Leeds Road. The company was actually founded in 1946 by Walter Downs, who had worked for the previous owner after leaving the army, and bought it from him for £400 borrowed from a relative. He put the company in the name of his father, Horace.
The works were originally on St. Andrews Road, Huddersfield.
The foundry produces castings up to a maximum of 10 tons in weight, including, from time to time, artistic castings as evidenced by the cast figures outside the works. The company is now run by Walter’s sons.
Walter himself was something of a war hero but suffered a serious shoulder injury which ended his war effort. He was also something of a boxer and later he and his sons flew helicopters as a hobby.
Huddersfield Marble Works
Mr Leonard Fisher, marble mason, was born in Sibthorpe, Nottinghamshire, aound 1820 and served an apprenticeship with a stonemason at Newark. He then moved to Huddersfield and appears first in White's 1853 Directory in business alone at Bath Buildings, Huddersfield. Soon after he gained a business partner and moved to Brook Street to establish "Roberts and Fisher, sculptors and marble masons for tombs, tables, register stoves etc." By 1866 the business was "Fisher and Dyson" and 4 years later they were described as "stone and marble merchants and wholesale and retail ironmongers" with premises both in Brook Street and in Halifax. In 1871 the business had expanded enough to employ around 50 hands. By 1879 Leonard, who had brought his family up at the Brook Street premises, has moved out to Sibthorpe Terrace, Fartown, and his apprentice, Leonard Fisher junior, was running the business (without Dyson), from Northumberland Street. The advert shown here dates from this period. The business passes on by 1901 to Leonard junior's son, Walter, and again changes location to nearby Friendly Street.
Leonard Fisher senior seems to have been an excellent designer and sculptor in marble, a master craftsman. In 1855 a beautiful marble monument to James Armitage esq. which he had created was placed in the north choir of Kirkburton parish church, an elaborately carved and coloured tribute which did "great credit to Mr. Fisher". His reputation evidently extended far and wide, for by January 1856 he was reported to have executed another grand monument for John Dickie esq. of Welshpool, to be placed in Llansaintfraid church, Montgomeryshire. It is described as " a fine monument in the Grecian style.......a fine specimen of the lapidary art. The tablet is of the sarcophagus shape, of white marble on a black marble ground; size 6' by 4'. The base is massively moulded with finely carved corbels. The pediment has a beautifully carved cornice with shield and scrolls, over which drapery gracefully folds. The monument altogether has a bold and massive appearance". The company also created an elaborately sculpted lectern support in memory of a Mrs Taylor of Newsome, which was placed in St. John's church, Newsome in July 1877.
An interesting case arose connected to the marble works in February 1857 when one Noah Bridgwood was arrested, by police officer Akroyd, early one Sunday morning, coming out of the works in Brook Street with pieces of marble in his arms and pockets. Akroyd took the offender to the town's lock-up, and after relieving him of the marble pieces in his pocket, put him in a cell, although the cells had just been condemned by the Superintendant as too cold and damp to accommodate prisoners after a recent suicide there. Shortly afterwards, another prisoner went to Bridgwood's cell and found him with his throat cut. Surgeons were called who managed to save Bridgwood's life with some difficulty and afterwards sent him to the Infirmary. A search of the cell was then undertaken and a knife found along with 2 recently broken pieces of marble which together would have measured over 3 feet long and weighing over 20 pounds, which the prisoner must have had on him when arrested. Both knife and marble were left in place. Akroyd meanwhile returned fom his search of the prisoner's home and was shown the items in the cell, along with two other officers, after which the knife disappeared. On the following Tuesday, the Watch Committee of the Improvement Commissioners met to enquire into the case and the previous suicide, and under interrogtion, police officer Akroyd admitted to having taken the knife and thrown it down the privy. The enquiry also proved he had disobeyed orders in placing Bridgwood in the cell and in not removing the knife or all the marble from him beforehand. For his disobedience, the committee immediately dismissed Akroyd.
See also Huddersfield pages 1 and 2