The Calverley Information
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CALVERLEY HISTORY NOTES An aerial view of Calverley in the 1930’s would show the home of Dr. Hughes (Shaftesbury House) on Capel Street with the Trinity Methodist Church and Sunday School (now demolished) located in Clarke Street. One would also see Town Gate as well as Blackett Street on the left and the steep pitched roof of the Mechanic’s Institute which was originally opened in 1874. Church corner would highlight the Georgian style houses located around the church. As the amount of auto traffic increased over the years, it became necessary to widen the corner. As late as the 1930’s there were still a fair number of open fields surrounding this area, most of which have since been built upon. Calverley Bridge was originally built in 1710 by Sir Walter Calverley and had to be rebuilt in 1775 after the original weir was damaged by a rather severe storm. This bridge dates from the 13th century and had lasted for more than 650 years before ultimately being lost in the Second World War. Looking upstream from the bridge, one would see on the right the site of the former Calverley Mill which was originally a corn mill but later becoming a fulling mill. This site was also demolished, but was located on what is now known as Mill Lane. The Holly Park Mill Company, which is located on the edge of the village, commenced production in February 1868. Its first “mill engineer” was Stancliffe Cordingley. As a commercial operation, its work consisted of scouring, scribbling, spinning and spilling, especially, however, for other firms renting the premises within the mill. Some of these firms were: Isaac and Thomas Hollings, John Walton and Son and Arkinson Brothers, all of which installed power looms for the production of their woollen cloth. As time progressed, sadly, skilled handloom weavers became redundant. With the dismantling of the old beam engine in 1948, the dam was no longer used and the mill began operating on electricity. Production ceased, however, in 1971, despite all attempts at modernisation, and its machinery was sold off. In February 1949, the entire premises were bought up by “Anglia’ Textiles, the manufacturers of fine worsteds. Situated on the Green (Town Wells) one would find the little workshop of Eric Waters – a soldier who had served in the first World War. This workshop was a tinsmith and locksmith business, and many fine cottages and even the post office were located in the immediate area. Clover Greaves Mill, as it is known today, was originally erected in 1838 as the Kellen Brown Company, Ltd. The company held ownership of the land and buildings but leased room and power to other companies. One of those principle occupiers was Grimshaw Brothers, Ltd., which made tweeds and whipcords as well as Bedford cords. Airforce cloth and khaki were manufactured there during wartime. The mill burned in 1909 and eventually the chimney was taken down on 1st August 1930. The mill was subsequently rebuilt and continued operation until 1970 at which time the area was demolished to become the site of a small estate of private homes. The general offices of Lydgate Mill, as well as its main entrance, manager’s office and mill engineer’s cottage can easily be seen from the top of the Cutting, across from Carr Road. William Cordingley (fondly known as Bill) was the first mill engineer who started with the company in February 1901. The operation of the mill, however, did not commence until 17 May of that year when Mrs. John Halliday, the daughter of Mr. John Walton (the owner), started the mill engine. The engine itself was subsequently given the name of “Irene Maud” after Mrs. Halliday. With a horsepower rating of around 220, the engine consumed an average between 21 and 22 tons cwt. of coal per week at the outset, and continued that usage for the first several years. Lydgate Mills had its 120 foot high chimney taken down on 15 December 1976 by a dynamite charge activated by “Miss Yorkshire Television.” In 1765 Calverley was already noted as being a centre for the fulling of woolens, so this event was a memorable occasion in the history of the city. Indeed, woollen cloth had been produced here for at least 700 years. In the twenty years prior to 1976, all the local mills had ceased production for a variety of economic reasons. John Will, A Cornishman who lived in Apperley Bridge, was the first to open a commercial quarrying operation in Calverley Wood – sometime in the early 1830’s. There were many succeeding companies, with Thomas Clough and Sons opening in 1896. It was this company that saw the end of all great quarrying companies in 1905. Clough and Sons operated with stabling for as many as 8 horses and included a cart shed, a smithy and a stone yard where the material was dressed prior to being loaded by crane onto the carts. Finished product was transported via cart to the canal where it was sent to the village. From there it was hauled up an incline in the wood and along Wood Lane, the whole route being paved with flagstone. Were one to look today, they would still be able to see many of the ruts made by the iron rims of the cart wheels. A spring flowing into a stone trough, known as the “Tomlin Well”, was once freely accessed by all, being on the footpath from Calverley to Apperley Bridge through the wood. It was also adjacent to a great broad track from the quarries to the canal-side. As the word Tomlin may be a diminutive of the name Thomas, so the site may once have been known as “Little Tom’s Well.” In about 1900, the Tomlin Well had become rather well hidden by heavy undergrowth, including a large Holly tree or two and had become a pleasant visiting place by local children. Some of those children were Ada Rich, Marian Parkinson and Louie Swaine. Ada’s father was a railway signalman whereas Marian’s father was a carter for a local mill. Fred Swaine (Louie’s father) was a weaving overlooker and a celebrated local artist. LOCAL GOVERNMENT The parochial affairs of the township were, for many generations, vested in a Town’s Committee, which I find to have been in existence more than a century ago. The jurisdiction of this body was somewhat extensive, judging from the number and variety of the resolutions which appear in their “minute book.” I learn that at a Committee meeting held July 1st, 1771, it was ordered that “the Chapel Wardens and Overseers of the Poor pay to the informer or informers of housebreakers, garden or orchard robbers, gates, and stile breakers, etc., on conviction the sum of two guineas. The dog fanciers of that day had not much sympathy from the local authority, for at a meeting of the Committee held July 9th, 1792, it was resolved, that “any person having relief from the township of Pudsey, and shall after the date hereof keep a dog, all such person or persons so doing shall be excluded from any relief till such time as the said dog or dogs are put away.” At a meeting of the Committee held March 18th, 1793, it was ordered that “two shillings of each fresh subscriber towards having such persons as are awanting in the Militia.” At a meeting held on the 2nd of Dec., 1807, it was resolved that “Wm. Hutchinson (who is balloted for the Militia), be assisted with the requisite sum to hire a substitute, by the Town, provided that the Township have the advantage of receiving the sum of money which is to be returned according to the Provisions of the Militia Act. N.B.---The above Indulgence and Assistance is granted in consequence of his kindness to his father.” PUDSEY MILITIA The following is a “List of the Militia hired for the Township of Pudsey, 1803,” and the substitutes named therein were sworn in for five years, or during His Majesty’s pleasure. The amount of bounty given to each is named: Ballotted Men Substitutes Bounty John Hinchcliffe James Whaley, Horton 11 6 6 Stephen Moorhouse Willm. Rushforth, Closehead 11 6 6 John Sutcliffe, baker John Wilson, Denham Cliff 11 0 6 James Hutchinson, R. Lane Jos. Newall, Bradford 10 10 6 Joseph Nichol, School, Fulneck Jonas Fix do. 11 11 6 James Liley do. Joshua Ferrand, Manningham 9 9 0 Saml, Moss, Junr., Greenside Michael Baistow, Illingworth 10 6 6 Charles Moss, Willm. Son Willm. Turner, Wadsworth, nr. Hx 10 10 6 Martin Crowther Jann. Simpson, Sticker Lane 10 15 6 Joshua Farrer, Hall Robt. Stead, Bradford 10 15 6 John Webster, Lowtown Joseph Pyrah, do. 8 8 6 Joshua Robinson, do Willm. Gowan, Bierley Chapel 9 6 6 Wm. Hemsley, do. Isaac Stephenson, Bradford 9 6 6 Isaac Gledhill, Stanningley Francis Simpson, Idle 9 14 6 In 1809, a further ballot was necessary, and the following persons formed the “Pudsey Supplementary Militia” for that year: Ballotted Men Substitutes Bounty Mark Wheater Jo. Ward 6 6 9 John Whitfield Israel Wood 6 6 9 Sam Wilson Wm. Varley 6 6 9 George Grave Joseph Cockcroft, Allerton 6 6 9 William Boys Jeremiah Moor, Thornton 6 6 9 Joseph Walton Jehu Brear do. 6 6 9 George Harrison John Benton do. 6 6 9 Charles Robinson John Robinson do. 6 6 9 Joshua Gibson John Broadbelt, Rawden 6 6 9 John Pape John Leanc 6 6 9 Joshua Lumby James Cockcroft, Thornton 5 5 9 Jonathan Ackeroyd Adam Taylor 6 6 9 James Procter Thomas Booth, Pudsey 5 5 9 Willm.