Low House, Cleckheaton

Low House, Cleckheaton - Located on Westgate between Peaseland Road and Hill Street and through the decades has always been the residence of local doctors.

The origins of the house haven't yet been established, but the earliest mention of it is found in the 1861 Census when we find Dr. Joseph Blacker Bennett residing here. He was married to Mary Williamson, from a well-known local family and who had previously resided at The Grove, Rawfolds.
7 Apr 1861 - Census entry - Low House, Cleckheaton
Joseph B BENNETT  Head  M  42  Member Royal College Surgeons, London Licentiate Apothecaries Company & General Practitioner  Almondbury
Mary BENNETT  Wife  M  38  Liversedge
James BENNETT  Son  4  Cleckheaton
Elizabeth PAPE  Serv  U  32  House servant  Newton, Yorks
Julia MORTON  Serv  U  19  House servant  Liversedge
William REID  Serv  Wid  59  House servant  Fulford

In 1871 the same family is residing at Westgate, the house is not named, but presumably still at this location:
2 Apr 1871 - Census entry - West Gate, Cleckheaton
Joseph B BENNETT  Head  M  52  General Practitioner  Almondbury
Mary BENNETT  Wife  M  48  Liversedge
Mary Elizabeth BENNETT  Dau  U  20  Cleckheaton
Annie PAVOR  Serv  U  19  Cook  Snaith
Mary LODGE  Serv  U  18  Housemaid  Pontefract

Not long after the 1871 Census, Mrs Bennett died and is buried at St. John's church. A couple of years later, Dr. Bennett then had a further marriage to Elizabeth Eyre Williamson, who was his widow's cousin. Following Dr. Bennett's own death in 1897 a new stained-glass window was installed at St. John's church and was dedicated "To the memory of the late Joseph Blacker Bennett, surgeon, who for thirty years practised in Cleckheaton."

In 1881, Dr. Edward James Wallace was residing here. He was born in Italy to Scottish parents. His father was Chief Engineer to the King of Naples.
3 Apr 1881 - Census entry - Low House, Westgate
Edward Jas WALLACE  Head  M  29  Doctor of medicine (General Practitioner)  Italy (British Subject)
Constance WALLACE  Wife  M  33  London
Infant child WALLACE  Son  Under 1m  Cleckheaton
Rose MARKHAM  Nurse  Wid  52  Monthly nurse  Steeple Aston?, Oxf.
Margaret MILLER  Serv  U  30  Housemaid general servant  Scotland
Margaret STENHOUSE  Serv  U  25  Parlourmaid general servant
Hannah BEAUMONT  Serv  U  33  Cook domestic  Birstall

Dr. Wallace remains at the house until the mid 1880s and is then replaced by another doctor, Dr. John Alexander Sutherland, a Scot. He remains at this location for the next 40 years, until his death in 1926.

Although the premises are not named in the 1891 Census, electoral registers confirm it was Low House:
5 Apr 1891 - Census entry - 74 Westgate, Cleckheaton
John A SUTHERLAND  Head  M  36  Physician & Surgeon M.B.C.M.  Scotland
Marion SUTHERLAND  Wife  M  38  Hoxton, London
Jessie W SUTHERLAND  Dau  10  Scholar  Cleckheaton
Kenneth W SUTHERLAND  Son  8  Scholar
Helen WESTRAN  Serv  U  20  Housemaid  Austinfield, Yks
Jane E CLARK  Serv  U  27  Domestic cook  Brough 

31 Mar 1901 - Census entry - Low House, Cleckheaton
John A SUTHERLAND  Head  M  45  Surgeon  Scotland
Marion SUTHERLAND  Wife  M  47  Shoreditch, London
Jessie W SUTHERLAND  Dau  U  20  Cleckheaton
Emma TAYLOR  Serv  U  28  Cook domestic  Gomersal

2 Apr 1911 - Census entry - Low House, Cleckheaton (12 rooms)
John A SUTHERLAND  Head  M  55  Physician & Surgeon (OA)  Dunbar ...?, Haddington
Marion SUTHERLAND  Wife  M  57  (32y, 2/2)  Hoxton, Mdx
Sarah STIRLING  Serv  U  22  Cook domestic  Whitby
Ida SCOTT  Serv  U  24  Housemaid domestic  Rotherham

National Probate Calendar - 1915
Marion SUTHERLAND of Low House, Cleckheaton, Yorkshire (wife of John Alexander Sutherland) died 24 Dec 1914. Administration Wakefield 29 Jan to the said John Alexander Sutherland, physician & surgeon. Effects £402 in the United Kingdom.

Following his wife's death, in 1916, Dr. Sutherland had a further marriage to Effie Gertrude Cole. She had been a nurse from a young age and was later Matron at the North Bierley Joint Hospital near Oakenshaw.

19 Jun 1921 - Census entry - Low House, Cleckheaton (13 rooms)
John A SUTHERLAND  Head  M  65y 9m, Dunbar, East Lothian, Physician & Surgeon (OA), At home
Effie G SUTHERLAND  Wife  M  53y 5m, Bradford, Home duties
Maria OATES  Serv  U  65y 5m, Fulneck, Cook domestic

National Probate Calendar - 1926
John Alexander SUTHERLAND of Low House, Cleckheaton, Yorkshire died 18 Feb 1926. Probate London 27 Apr to Effie Gertrude Sutherland, widow and John Bowran, solicitor's clerk. Effects £21290 4s 11d.

Following the death of Dr. Sutherland, we then see another doctor, Norris Pick and his wife Ada Mary, residing here until 1931.

In 1932 we then see Dr. Arthur Leslie Mitchell and his wife, Catherine Grace residing here.

29 Sep 1939 - 1939 Register entry - Low House, Westgate
Arthur L MITCHELL  b. 29 Apr 1902  M  General medical practitioner
Catherine G MITCHELL  b. 12 Aug 1904  M  Unpaid domestic duties
(2 closed records)
Sarah A SMITH  b. 3 May 1916  S  Domestic servant (later married name ATTER)

Electoral registers confirm that the Mitchells continue to reside here until at least 1948.

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