Huddersfield Local History Society

04/06/2026

03/06/2026

23/05/2026

Huddersfield Local History Society is proud to present its 2026-2027 Journal, hot off the press! And we believe we can say that with 100 pages and many illustrations this is indeed a bumper issue.

In this case it is possible to judge a work by its front cover as we celebrate the centenary of Huddersfield Town becoming the first club to top the table of the English Football League three times, a success chronicled here by James Chisem and Lee Morris. But 2026 is also the 75th anniversary of the Festival of Britain commemorated by Chris Marsden who goes beyond family memories to investigate the many ways in which the Festival was celebrated across the district.

Our rich musical tradition is reflected in two articles - Anne Brook follows the career of a giant ‘serpent’, in this case a musical instrument made in Huddersfield while John Sanders explores the life of Golcar soprano Belinda Whitwam who achieved national fame, but whose life ended in tragedy.

Stan Sagan concludes his exploration of Smith Carter’s ‘comic-commentary’ postcards and his work as a photographer in the first decade of the 20th century, this time focusing on Lockwood as well as the man and his times. Amongst other things Smith Carter was a shopkeeper in Netherton and Otto Garsed and Elwood Marlow, Year 6 pupils at Slaithwaite Junior and Infants (Two Gates) School describe ‘Slaithwaite SHOP!,’ a project focusing on the parade of eight shops in Carr Lane completed in 1925. David Griffiths looks at Alfred Lunn’s role as a property developer and his contribution to social welfare.

Glimpses of social welfare in the late 17th century are provided by Richard Hobson, based on his examination of petitions by Civil War veterans. Last but not least, Chris Ellis traces the history of Lindley Library from its beginnings as a Mechanics’ Institute in 1849 to the struggle in recent years to keep it open. As Chris concludes, today the building is home to local groups and hosts a variety of events.

The Huddersfield Local History Society Journal is produced annually, priced at £5. In addition to articles it contains Society news including our programme for 2026 – 2027. The Journal will be available in local outlets including Kirklees Local Studies Library, Handmade in Huddersfield, Waterstones and the Barmpot in Lindley from Tuesday 26 May and will also soon be available for purchase from the Society’s website (https://www.huddersfieldhistory.org.uk/)

05/05/2026

This rare electricity junction box was installed in 1895, 3 years after consumer electricity first arrived in Huddersfield. 💙

This example is a remarkable preservation of Victorian engineering, offering a fascinating glimpse into the early development of electricity distribution and the infrastructure that powered Britain’s electrical revolution.

The box was designed to distribute electricity to different consumers in the neighbourhood, playing a crucial role in the development of electricity as a mass-consumed utility.

It was listed at Grade II in 2024. 👏

03/05/2026

Want to learn more about what life was like in Wakefield more than 200 years ago? Our good friends at Wakefield Historical Society are adding the diaries of Matthew Tomlinson to their blog!

Tomlinson was a tenant farmer living in Lupset in 1764-1842. He wrote several journals covering the years 1806-1812, 1832-1834 and 1836-1839. They reflect how an ordinary man from Wakefield viewed the war, politics, explorations and even visits to the dentist!

Read his fascinating journals for yourself here: https://matthewtomlinsonjournals.wordpress.com/2026/01/04/matthew-tomlinsons-journals/



Wakefield Museum Wakefield Council West Yorkshire Archive Service

28/04/2026

A Community Group is calling for a Memorial Garden at the former Storthes Hall Hospital Site.

The Memories of Storthes Hall Hospital Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/418787018232700' is calling on the public, former staff, families, local residents and heritage supporters to help persuade the site’s developers to include a memorial garden in the redevelopment plans for the former hospital.

The group represents people with long-standing ties to Storthes Hall, including former employees, relatives of patients, and members of the surrounding community who are concerned that the history of the site risks being lost as redevelopment progresses.

Storthes Hall Hospital opened in 1904 and, at its peak, more than two thousand patients lived within its grounds. Many stayed for years; some spent their entire lives there.

The hospital also employed hundreds of staff from Yorkshire, Ireland, the Caribbean, Africa, Mauritius and Malaysia, forming a diverse workforce whose care, humour and dedication shaped the community for decades.

“For many families, Storthes Hall was a place of deep emotion,” said Paul Hartley, speaking on behalf of the group. “People visited loved ones for years. Some found comfort knowing their relatives were safe and cared for. For others, the hospital grounds were the last place they saw a parent, a brother, a sister or a child. These memories are still very real.”

The group believes a memorial garden would provide a quiet, respectful space to honour the patients, staff and families connected to the hospital. It would also help new residents understand the history of the land they are joining.

“As the site changes, people fear that this history will simply disappear,” Hartley added. “A memorial garden is a modest, achievable request, a way to link the past with the future and ensure that the stories of those who lived and worked at Storthes Hall are not forgotten.”

The group is now appealing for public support to strengthen their case to the developers. They are also hopeful of securing backing from local history groups and local politicians who recognise the cultural and emotional importance of the site.
The group is asking anyone with an interest in the history of Storthes Hall — or in preserving local heritage more broadly — to contact them, share their experiences, or express support for the proposal.

For further information, statements of support, or to get involved, please contact: Memories of Storthes Hall Hospital Group Facebook site.

We hope that they are successful in their plans to ensure Storthes Hall is remembered in this way.

24/04/2026

Don't forget this Monday (27 April) the Society will be holding this year's Luddite Memorial Lecture, organised in association with the University. Read all about it below thanks to our friends at Huddersfield Hub

A lecture in Huddersfield will focus on a pioneer who spearheaded newspaper publishing in the town and was involved in creating St George’s Square. Joshua Hobson will be the subject of the Annual Luddite Memorial Lecture 2026 at Huddersfield University next Monday, April 27. The speaker will be un...

07/03/2026

This weekend we celebrate and to do so we look at the life of a Huddersfield nurse who is less known than other pioneering women of our town.

Elsie May Harling (nee Hallas) was born in 1899 and on the 1901 census she is living with her grandparents in Dalton. She appears to have had a childhood living with various relatives, but one which apparently did not affect her education.

She commenced nursing training in 1922 at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary, then at a nursing home in Leeds, and finally at another back in Trinity Street in Huddersfield. She then received six months specialist training in midwifery. Reports of the time say she was 'A bright, intelligent nurse, kind and sympathetic. She has a pleasant manner'.

Records also report that she was a keen cyclist, reminding us today of the TV programme 'Call the Midwife'.

However, her claim to fame is that she trained herself to become one of the first nurses to dispense contraception, going on to help hundreds of Huddersfield women, at a time when this was not widely available.

During WW2 she served in the Air Raid Precautions Auxiliary Reserve for St John's Ambulance. Other achievements include the inauguration of the HRI's blood donor service and being Vice President of the Huddersfield Branch of the United Nations. She later founded the League of Friends of Huddersfield Hospitals, of which she was Chair.

Elsie clearly was a lesser known Huddersfield 'Woman of Substance'. She died aged 89 on 30 December 1988 at Mill Hill Hospital.

24/02/2026

🗓️ Thu, Mar 05 | 🎟️ £3.00

21/02/2026

A GoFundMe page has been launched and Huddersfield artist Emily Bamford hopes to have 10 murals completed by the summer of 2027