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.