Cleckheaton Town Hall
Laying of the foundation stone

In April of 1890 the first workmen appeared on the scene of the site for the new Town Hall in Cleckheaton and immediately commenced work on making the foundations and cellaring for the premises. A grand ceremony took place on Saturday 21st June 1890 during which the foundation stone of the building was laid. The following is a lengthy and detailed report on the occasion which featured in the Leeds Mercury newspaper on Monday 23rd June.

A Town Hall for Cleckheaton
Ceremony of Stone-laying

Better than words can describe the accompanying sketch will indicate the character of the new Town Hall for Cleckheaton, whose memorial stone was laid on Saturday, amid much public rejoicing, by Mr Wm. Anderton, of Elm Bank. The Town Hall scheme is the outcome of a movement to celebrate the Jubilee of Her Majesty's reign. That movement, perhaps unconsciously to those who took the lead in it, has eventuated in an enterprise which gives expression in a concrete form to perhaps the distinguishing feature of the people of Spen Valley. Above all things they are jealous of their public rights - a people who have:

Some sense of duty, something of a faith,
Some reverence for the laws ourselves have made,
Some patient force to change them when we will.

In this peculiarity, in this desire not only to accommodate the local authorities as befits their position, but also to have a suitable meeting place upon all matters that touch their public life, is afforded the explanation of what is rare in our English communities - the provision of a Town Hall as a step antecedent to and altogether independent of the attainment of the rights and privileges of a corporate borough. This distinction perhaps cannot long be denied to what is sometimes spoken of as the metropolis of Spen Valley, if we may judge from the fact that scarcely a jarring note was heard on Saturday in the song sung by so many declaratory of the thriving condition which continues to mark the commercial, social and municipal life in Cleckheaton. More remains to be done, perhaps, as to its public affairs to emphasise the unassailable pre-eminence of the town in this particular district; but the Town Hall movement, the recent provision of handsome public baths and of gasworks suitable to present and prospective demands, shows that the situation has been fairly grasped and is being adequately met. The town has an estimated population of 13,000 and a rateable value of nearly £42,000.

The need for a Town Hall and public offices was mooted in 1885, and a committee, to consider the question, was appointed. Practical effect, however, was only given to the movement when the wish to celebrate the Jubilee of the reign of the Queen, who so long had kept her throne unshaken still, broad-based upon her people's will, aroused the inhabitants to action, with a result that very soon £3,000 was subscribed, and a basis of operations formed at which neither the people themselves nor their duly appointed representatives could look askance. This sum included contributions of £500 each by Messrs. Geo. Anderton and Sons, Samuel Law and Sons and E. Wadsworth and Sons; of £250 by Mr. B:H: Goldthorp; of £100 each by Messrs. C. Atkinson, Edward Goldthorp (London), Huddersfield Banking Company, J.H. Leather and an anonymous donor; of £50 each by Messrs. S. Roberts (Westgate House), Henry Ellison, Joseph Briggs and George Crossley; of £30 from Messrs. Edward Stead and Sons; and of £25 each by Mr. Wm. Gaunt and Mr J. Woodhead, MP (Spen Valley). The public subscriptions at present amount to £3,375, and of this £3,007 has been paid. But as the Town Hall scheme is estimated to cost £12,000, and the local committee have undertaken to become accountable for half of the amount, further effort will be necessary. The committee is, however, hopefully that their part of the price will be forthcoming when the building has been erected, so that the Town Hall, in the words of the committee's report read at the stone-laying on Saturday, "may be handed over to the Local Board as a permanent monument of the public spirit and enterprise of the people of Cleckheaton." 

The remaining £6,000 is to be contributed by the ratepayers through the Local Board, who have already received the sanction of the Local Government Board to the borrowing of the money for this purpose. Perhaps the very best position in the town has been obtained for the new buildings. This is the junction of Church Street and Town Street, where the Victoria Hall and the offices of the Huddersfield Banking Company are among the latest raised in the immediate vicinity, and then the parish church, too, is within a stone's throw of the spot. The site was secured by the purchase of the British School for £3,000 and other property for £550. The educational institute mentioned gained rather than lost by the transaction, since while in 1884-5 the school was said to be "so inconvenient for teaching the number of scholars in attendance as to make any but its present teacher despair," it has now new premises equipped on modern lines, as well as brought nearer to the doors of the population. The provision of a handsome Town Hall cannot fail to bring about the erection of other good buildings in the immediate vicinity, and the spot therefore may now be looked upon as the centre of the chief municipal and local life of the place.

To secure a good design for the Town Hall buildings the local committee very wisely offered prizes for competition. Eventually the plans sent in by Messrs. Mawson and Hudson were accepted out of half a dozen submitted. The work is estimated to cost £8,121, exclusive of the outlay upon the site. The new structure will supply accommodation to all the public officials of the town, and provide a large hall for over a thousand persons. Generally, although the building will be of a substantial character, it will have a light and attractive appearance. The main elevation, including a handsome tower, will face upon Town Street, and there will be a side elevation upon Church Street. The architects have sought to obtain picturesque grouping without excessive ornamentation; and the sketch plans show that this desirable result has been achieved. In harmony with the public convenience, the town's offices are to be located on the ground floor. The large hall, with retiring rooms at the platform end; the Local Board room and a committee room will occupy the second floor. The assembly room will be 90ft long and half that width. A broad flight of steps will reach from the street entrance to a vestibule and crush rooms connected with the assembly hall. The interior of the large hall will be effectively dealt with. The room will be divided into six bays, with semi-circular arches, and having medallions in the spandrils bearing the names of eminent composers. The side bays will also be arched, and the great centre ceiling will be in the arched form.  three-light window will occupy each bay. On the Pavement Street side of the building a courtyard, or area, is to be provided, so as to give air and light to every room. In the basement, approached form the level of Church Street, will be store rooms, accommodation for the Fire Brigade and their engines, and for the workmen of the Board, and a kitchen. The heating of the hall is to be on the low-pressure principle, while there will be open fireplaces in the rooms. By adjusting the outlets in the other rooms, three changes of air in the hour will be possible in the case of the large hall. For lighting the assembly room sunlight burners are to be employed. The building will be of stone, and roofed with Westmoreland slates. The contracts have been distributed as follows: Excavating and mason's work, Messrs. Holdsworth Bros., Wyke; Joiner's work, Mr. William Isherwood, Cleckheaton; Plumber's work, Mr Thomas W. Cragg, Cleckheaton; Ironfounder's work, Mr Robert Hird, Shipley; Plasterer's work, Messrs. Metcalfe and Lockwood, Staincliffe; Slater's work, Messrs. Alfred Hill and Son, Bradford; Painting, Mr Squire Nutter, Cleckheaton and Wood carving, Messrs. Howarth Bros., Manchester.

In the opinion of old inhabitants never did the people of Cleckheaton with one accord bedeck their houses, shops and manufactories so much with banners, nor assemble so generally to do honour to a single occasion as was the case on Saturday. Really it was a day of public rejoicing, beginning with a monster procession through the town, followed by the laying of the memorial stone, and ending with a banquet and gala. For quite an hour the procession occupied in passing through the principal thoroughfares, which were lined in various places with spectators. The order of procession was as follows: Cyclists Club, Cleckheaton Victoria Brass Band, mounted Police, members of the Cleckheaton section of the St. John Ambulance Association, members of the Queen of the Valley Lodge of Oddfellows, Spen Valley Lodge, Free Gardeners, Alexandra Lodge, National Independent Lodge, Birstall Old Band, Hartshead Moor Lodge of Oddfellows, Village Pride Lodge, British Crown Lodge, members of the Order of Rechabites (Vigilant Tent), Charity Lodge of Oddfellows, Friendship Lodge of Freemasons, Zetland Lodge of Freemasons, a four-in-hand containing twenty of the oldest inhabitants, tradesmen, general public, Wyke Temperance Band, Cleckheaton Fire Brigade, Cleckheaton Local Board and Town Hall Committees, private carriages and visitors, and Christian Brethren Temperance Brass Band.

At the site of the Town Hall splendid provision had been made for the accommodation of the spectators and very large numbers were able to have a capital view of the proceedings. The proceedings were in the charge of Mr Elymas Wadsworth (Chairman of the Town Hall Committee). That gentleman, after a selection by the Cleckheaton Band, called upon the Rev. J.A. Seaton, vicar and rural dean, who offered prayer, and next upon Mr W.H. Clough, the hon. sec. of the committee, who gave a succinct account of the movement. Mr Wm. Gaunt deposited in the cavity under the memorial stone a bottle containing newspapers, coins and documents and commended the Town Hall scheme. A selection by the Wyke Temperance Band followed, after which Mr Alfred Law presented a trowel to Mr Anderton, and the vicar (on behalf of Mr J.H. Leather) a mallet, both duly inscribed as mementos of the occasion. Mr Law observed that Mr Anderton was a gentleman held in high esteem by the whole of the population (loud cheers) and by by everyone who had the honour and pleasure of his acquaintance (cheers) and the committee had been well advised in asking him to take the principal place in the day's proceedings. He hope Mr Anderton would have many years to look upon the Town Hall, and that he would consider it another link in the chain of many events which had taken place during his long, useful and honourable connection with the town. (cheers)

Before performing the ceremony assigned to him, Mr Anderton assured those present that he appreciated very highly the honour conferred upon him by the committee and his fellow townsmen in the request to lay the memorial stone of the Town Hall. He would much rather have left the duty to some distinguished person from some other part of the country (No!). All the same, he should never forget this mark of esteem shown to him. He had been pleased to receive the trowel from a gentleman who had laboured hard in the interests of the ratepayers, and he believed it was due to him, to Mr Wadsworth and some others, that the position of the Cleckheaton ratepayers could compare well with those of many other districts in the country (Hear, hear). Then he was glad to have received the mallet from Mr J.H. Leather through the hands of the vicar, for many reasons, and not the least because he was a descendant of one of the oldest families of Cleckheaton. If they looked into the old town books, they would find for a hundred years past the name of the Williamsons, who for very many years took a leading part in everything useful in Cleckheaton. He was reminded also that the reverend gentleman was a descendant of the Manns, that two of that family were the first stuff merchants in Bradford, and that one of them erected a house called Mannville in Great Horton Road, and another built the house in Manningham Lane, which was the residence of one of the most respected merchants of Bradford, Sir Jacob Behrens). He supposed he had been chosen for this task because he was one of the oldest townsmen of Cleckheaton. He was born and brought up there. Some of the gentleman around him were not born at Cleckheaton, but they had come into their midst and by energy, perseverance and economy had built up large trades and they are honoured for it. 

As an old man he could not but look back to the Cleckheaton of the past. Since the beginning of the century he found that its population had doubled every thirty years. In 1801 the population was 1,637, and it was now estimated to be over 13,000. One of the striking evidences of the extension of the trade of Cleckheaton was that when the gasworks were erected, 50 or 60 years ago, the gasometer held 10,000 cubic feet, whereas the last erected had a capacity of 500,000 feet. In 1811 the rateable value was £1,476; it was now £41,757 (cheers). Then, he knew no place of the size of Cleckheaton, which had such a variety of trades. Originally the woollen trade was cultivated there; it was clear things were prosperous about 100 years ago, since there were several houses in the locality bearing the date of 1780. After that there was a time of great poverty and distress, and corn between 1790 and 1800 rose to £9 per quarter; and the gentry of Bradford were so impressed with this state of affairs, they determined to use one third less food than they were accustomed, that they might relieve the distressed. Then there were disturbances relative to the introduction of machinery, for though its invention had been a great blessing to the country, at first it was a dreadful trial to the working men accustomed to the simple and slow process of manufacture then carried on. A great many donkeys were kept in Cleckheaton, the cloth being carried to market by those animals. Even since he could remember, whenever a donkey brayed in Cleckheaton it was said, "there's another clothier dead" (laughter). Most of those little clothiers had now passed away, though some had large establishments, and were carrying on a large trade. 

He was born in Cleckheaton nearly 70 years ago, and remembered when the stream in the valley abounded in trout; but now it was almost the colour of ink. He remembered the founders of many of their large establishments, and used to look upon them as grand old men - the Goldthorps, the Atkinsons, the Williamsons, the Manns and others. In that day the voters for Members of Parliament had to walk or ride to York to record their votes. How changed were many of these things now. He was pleased that the designs for the Town Hall were the work of distinguished architects, and that the building was to be an ornament to the town and neighbourhood. He was pleased to find that the style of the building was to be adopted for their houses by the early and prosperous manufacturers in the neighbourhood of Halifax, and which he had often admired. He was sure the building would do honour to the architects and give satisfaction and pleasure to the inhabitants, and he had no doubt suitable accommodation would be provided for the Local Board, who certainly deserve a proper place in which to transact their business. He trusted that this day would long be remembered, and that when the young people grew up they would manifest the same interest in local affairs and in the well being of the town as had those who had gone before them (loud cheers).

Mr Anderton then laid the memorial stone, upon which an appropriate inscription had been placed (see end of article for a photo of the stone), and a selection of music from the Wyke Band closed the formal proceedings. A gala was then held in the Cleckheaton football field, a procession being formed from the site to the field headed by the cyclists and the Cleckheaton Band. Mr Robert Shackleton acted as gala manager and Mr G.H. Dyson as gala secretary. By Mr A Powolny of Leeds, an excellent banquet was served in the Victoria Hall, which had been appropriately decorated. Vocal selections were contributed by the Liversedge Glee Club, who deserve very high praise for the manner in which they acquitted themselves. Mr E. Wadsworth again presided, and among the hundred guests present there were Mr Anderton, The Mayor of Dewsbury (MR Geo. Clay), the Chairman of the Spen Valley Conservative Association (Mr F. Ellis), Chairman of the Cleckheaton Local Board (Mr Lewis Stead), Chairman of the Birstall Local Board (Mr H.C. Mason), Chairman of the Heckmondwike Local Board (Mr S. Wood), Mr S. Firth (representing the North Bierley Local Board), Mr A. law, Mr H. Roberts (Gomersal), Mr B.H. Goldthorp, Mr C. Dawson, Mr W.H. Clough, Mr W. Gaunt, the architects, and the Revs J.A. Seaton (vicar), R. Marley (vicar of Whitechapel), W.J. Davies (Congregational), and B.J. Tungate (Methodist Free Church). 

Letters of apology for inability to attend have been received from the Mayors of Bradford, Halifax and Batley; Mr Edward Goldthorp, Mr M. Fox, the Chairmen of the Liversedge and Hunsworth Local Boards, Mr T. Freeman Firth (Heckmondwike) and Mr J. Woodhead, MP for the Spen Valley Division. The latter wrote that he had watched with great interest the various steps which had successfully terminated in the laying of the memorial stone of the Town Hall. A town so important and enterprising needed such accommodation as the new building would supply, while the various uses to which it would be put would stimulate and benefit the public life of the town. Interest in municipal affairs could only deepen that public spirit to which England owed so much, and he felt sure that such a spirit would be fostered and the ties that bound them together as a community would be strengthened by the public gatherings which the Town Hall would witness. He congratulated the town upon the possession of men so alive to their duty as those who had promoted this important scheme.

After the usual loyal toasts, Mr A. Anderton proposed the "Health of the Clergy and Ministers of all Denominations." In the Bishop of the diocese, who had refused a higher appointment in order that he might carry out the task he had set for himself, the clergy had had a good example set; while it was an honour to Cleckheaton that its vicar should have been appointed Rural Dean of Birstall - The Rev. J.A. Seaton, who said he was not merely the oldest minister in Cleckheaton, but the only one who was a native of the town, responded, and expressed his pleasure that in the ceremonial of the day recognition of the Almighty had not been omitted. The Rev. W.J. Davies spoke of the cordial feeling existing between the religious ministers of the town. He was impressed with the important work begun that day, and hoped efforts would be made to make Cleckheaton a model for all similar towns in the neighbourhood.

Mr B.H. Goldthorp (President of the Cleckheaton Chamber of Commerce) proposed the health of Mr. Anderton, and testified to the exemplary life of that gentleman; and said that if his example were followed more closely, present day problems would very soon find solution. Mr. Anderton, in replying, spoke of the very great pleasure he had had in taking part in that day's proceedings. His first donation was made with much pleasure, and he should be glad further to help in clearing the debt upon the Town Hall. He was convinced that the ladies of the town would be glad, if necessary, to help on the movement to its conclusion. Mr. Anderton also spoke in high terms of the gentleman who had done so much to make Cleckheaton what it was.

Mr F. Ellis proposed "The Town and Trade of Cleckheaton," and Mr Jos. Law responding, attributed the prosperity of the town to the variety of trades carried on in it. He deplored, however, the falling off in recent years in the engineering business, and expressed hopes of an early revival in the flannel trade. The spiritual necessities of the people had been well attended to, and the inhabitants were to be congratulated upon the many splendidly constructed churches and chapels in the district. While of unoccupied dwellings there were 181 in Liversedge and 60 or 70 in Heckmondwike, there was a great need for many new houses in Cleckheaton. In the penny savings bank alone in Cleckheaton there is £30,487 due to depositors.

Mr J. Siddall proposed the toast of "The Visitors," coupling with it the name of Mr Geo. Clay, the Mayor of Dewsbury, who responded. Other toasts followed.

Other articles associated with this story:

Cleckheaton Town Hall - The Opening Ceremony

Cleckheaton Town Hall - The Clock & The Committee

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