Halifax, West Yorkshire

Halifax

Halifax Coat of Arms.jpg
"Except The Lord Keep the City"[1]
Halifax, West Yorkshire (West Yorkshire)
Halifax, West Yorkshire

Halifax shown within West Yorkshire
Population 82,056 (2001 Census)[2]
OS grid reference SE335205
Metropolitan borough Calderdale
Metropolitan county West Yorkshire
Region Yorkshire and the Humber
Constituent country England
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town HALIFAX
Postcode district HX1-7
Dialling code 01422
Police West Yorkshire
Fire West Yorkshire
Ambulance Yorkshire
European Parliament Yorkshire and the Humber
UK Parliament Halifax
List of places: UK • England • Yorkshire

Halifax is a large market town within the Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale, in West Yorkshire, England, with a population of 82,056 in the 2001 Census.[2] It is well-known as a centre of England's woollen manufacture from the 15th century onward, originally dealing through the Halifax Piece Hall. Internationally famous for its Mackintosh chocolate and toffee (now owned by Nestlé), the Halifax Building Society and Shibden Hall.

Contents

History

Toponomy

The name Halifax is said to be a corruption of the Old English words for Holy and Face, part of the local legend that the head of John the Baptist was buried here after his execution. The legend is almost certainly medieval rather than ancient, though the town's coat of arms still carries an image of the saint. (The oldest written mentions of the town have the spelling Haliflax, apparently meaning "holy flax (field)", the second l having been subsequently lost by dissimilation. An alternative explanation for the name of the town could come from a corruption of the Old English/Old Norse words Hay and Ley for 'hay' and 'field' respectively and flax. Anecdotal evidence for this alternative and plausible explanation can be seen in the presence of Hayley Hill, the nearby hamlet of Healey (another corruption). The fact that the surnames Hayley/Haley which are derived from Hay and Ley and are most abundant around the Halifax environs, also gives credibility for this explanation.[3])

Early history

Halifax Parish Church, parts of which go back to the 12th century, has always been dedicated to St John the Baptist. The church's first organist, in 1765, was William Herschel, who went on to discover the planet Uranus.The coat of arms of Halifax include the chequers from the original coat of arms of the Earls Warenne, who held the town during Norman times.[4] Halifax was also notorious for the 'Halifax Gibbet', an early form of the guillotine used to execute criminals by decapitation, it was last used in 1650. A replica of the gibbet has been erected on the original site in Gibbet Street. The original gibbet blade is on display at Bankfield Museum, Halifax. Punishment in Halifax was notoriously harsh, as remembered in the Beggar's Litany[5] by John Taylor (1580–1654), a prayer whose text included "From Hull, from Halifax, from Hell, ‘tis thus, From all these three, Good Lord deliver us.". Daniel Defoe was also a one time famous resident of Halifax.

More recently

Halifax has given its name to a bank, Halifax plc which started as a building society in the town. Nowadays Halifax is a trading name of Bank of Scotland plc, as part of the HBOS Group. Halifax is a twin town with Aachen in Germany. The A58 has a stretch called Aachen Way, with a plaque on the town-bound side of the road. Halifax has benefited from Single Regeneration Budget, European URBAN II and the Home Office’s Community Cohesion Fund money through Action Halifax who have a vision for "a prosperous, vibrant and safe centre where all sections of the community can access opportunities to enhance their quality of life."

Governance

Halifax was incorporated as a municipal borough in 1848 under the Municipal Corporations Act 1835, and with the passing of the Local Government Act 1888 became a County Borough in 1889. Since 1974, Halifax has been the administrative centre of the Metropolitan District of Calderdale, part of the metropolitan county of West Yorkshire.

North Halifax is noted for its local support of the far-right British National Party; the suburb of Mixenden became the first area in West Yorkshire to popularly vote in a BNP councillor, with Illingworth soon to follow.

Geography

Topographically, Halifax is located in the south-eastern corner of the moorland region called the South Pennines. Halifax is situated about 4 miles (6.4 km) from the M62 motorway close to Bradford, Huddersfield and Rochdale. The Tees-Exe line passes through the A641 road, which links nearby Brighouse with Bradford and Huddersfield, The town lies 65 miles (105 km) from Kingston upon Hull and Liverpool, and about 200 miles (320 km) from the cities of London, Edinburgh, Belfast, Dublin and Cardiff as the crow flies. The major waterway is the River Calder.

Halifax comprises the market town of Halifax, the chapelries of Coley, Elland with Greetland, Heptonstall, Rastrick and Sowerby, together with the townships of Barkisland, Erringden, Fixby, Hipperholme with Brighouse, Langfield, Midgley, Norland, Ovenden, Northowram, Southowram, Rishworth, Shelf, Skircoat, Soyland, Stainland, Stansfield, Wadsworth and Warley.

Demographics

As of 2004,[2] Calderdale had a population of 192,405, of which 82,500 live in Halifax. The main ethnic group in Halifax is Caucasian (87%), followed by Pakistani (10%). Over 90% of people aged 16–74 were employed, mostly full-time. 64% of residents had qualifications. Halifax is home to a large South Asian community mainly of Pakistani Muslims from the Kashmir region. The majority of the community lives in the west central Halifax region of the town, which was previously home to immigrant Irish communities who have since moved to the outer suburbs. North Halifax, in contrast to west central Halifax's ethnic diversity, consists mostly of white, indigenous Protestant residents. In the 2001 census,[2] 5% stated they were Muslim, 16.3% of no religion, and 63.8% of Christian background. 12.8% did not disclose their religion. The population density of Halifax is 530/km2.

Economy

Joseph Crossley's Almshouses, Halifax

As well as the unforgettable significance of the Halifax Building Society (which merged with the Bank of Scotland in 2001), the town has associations with confectionery. John Mackintosh and his wife, Violet, opened a toffee shop in King Cross Lane in 1890. Violet formulated the toffee's recipe. John became known as The Toffee King. A factory was opened on Queens Road in 1898. A new factory at Albion Mill, at the current site near the railway station, opened in 1909. John died in 1920, and his son Harold not only continued the business but took it to the present size and range of confectionery it has today. Their famous brands, including Rolo, Toffee Crisp and Quality Street of chocolate and confectionery are not just popular in the UK, but around the world including the USA. It was merged with Rowntree in 1969, which was then bought by Nestlé in 1988.

Halifax was a busy heavy industrial town dealing in and producing wool, carpets, machine tools, and beer. The Crossley family began carpet manufacture in modest premises at Dean Clough, on the banks of the Hebble Brook. The family was philanthropic and Joseph and Sir Francis Crossley built and endowed Almshouses for their workers, which exist to this day and are run by volunteer trustees.

Transportation

Main article: Halifax railway station

First Calderdale & Huddersfield operate most bus services in Halifax, while Arriva operate services that link Halifax with Dewsbury and Wakefield. Halifax is well connected to Huddersfield and the nearby cities of Bradford and Leeds with the First services 503, 508 and 576, serving these destinations every 10–20 minutes during Monday to Saturday daytimes. First also run services into other counties, including 528 to Rochdale via Ripponden and Littleborough, 590 to Rochdale via Todmorden and Littleborough and 592 to Burnley via Todmorden. Other bus operators in the town include T.J. Walsh (also known as The Halifax Bus Company) and Halifax Joint Committee which use the livery of the old Halifax Corporation buses, used on the town's buses until 1974. Unlike many other bus stations, Halifax is noted for having much character, with many listed buildings being incorporated on the site.

Halifax railway station is on the Caldervale Line, with links to Manchester Victoria, York via Bradford and Leeds, Blackpool North and via Brighouse to Huddersfield and Wakefield Westgate. All services are operated by Northern Rail. Many services are subsidised by the local-government public transport coordinator, MetroTrain. Passenger representation is organized by the local users' group, the Halifax and District Rail Action Group (HADRAG).[6]

The railway leading from Halifax due north towards Keighley (and thus towards Skipton, Morecambe and Carlisle) with a further branch to Bradford via Queensbury saw its last through services in May 1955, although parts of the route, which was extremely heavily engineered with long tunnels and high, spectacular, viaducts, have now been repaired and revived by Sustrans as a walking and cycle route. The transportation in Halifax is managed by the West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive.

Education

Halifax is home to two selective state schools, which are the co-educational North Halifax Grammar School in Illingworth[7] and Crossley Heath Grammar School, near Skircoat Green.[8] Both schools achieve excellent GCSE and A-level results with both schools achieving a large proportion of A* to C grades at GCSE level. In 2005, the Crossley Heath School was the highest ranking co-educational school in the North of England. The Crossley Heath School was formed when Heath Grammar School, an all boys' school given its charter by Elizabeth I of England, and The Crossley and Porter School, a mixed school founded with his brothers by Sir Francis Crossley, 1st Baronet which started as an orphanage, were combined in 1985. There are other schools in the area, including the Holy Trinity Church of England Senior School and St Catherine's Catholic High School, both of which are located in Holmfield. In January 2006 Holy Trinity was designated a Specialist College for Business and Enterprise, whilst St Catherine's, was designated a Specialist Technology College. Calderdale College is the local further education college on Francis Street, just off King Cross Road, to the west of the town. In December 2006 it was announced that Calderdale College, in partnership with Leeds Metropolitan University, would open a new higher education institution in January 2007 called University Centre Calderdale.[9]

Culture

Victoria Theatre, Halifax
Laying up of 1981 stand of Regimental Colours of the 1st Battalion Duke of Wellington's Regiment

The Yorkshire Regiment's 3rd Battalion (Duke of Wellington's) formerly The Duke of Wellington's Regiment (West Riding) Halifax Area Headquarters is based at Wellesley Park on the junction of Gibbet Street and Spring Hall Road, in the former Wellesley Barracks Museum and Education Centre building. The Regimental Museum has been re-located within the Bankfield House Textile Museum on Haley Hill. The former Barracks was converted into an educational school in 2005.

Former Regimental Colours of the 'Duke's' are laid up in the Halifax Parish Church. The 1981 set of colours, were taken out of service in 2002. They were marched through the town from the town hall to the parish church accompanied by two escorts of 40 troops, the Regimental Drums and the Heavy Cavalry and Cambrai Band on Sunday (31 March 2007). The troops were then inspected by The Lord Lieutenant of West Yorkshire, [Ingrid Roscoe|Dr Ingrid Roscoe BA, PhD, FSA]] and the Mayor of Halifax Cllr Colin Stout making a total of eight stands of colours within the Regimental Chapel. The Regiment was presented with the 'Freedom of Halifax' on 18 June 1945. Eureka! The Museum for Children was inspired and opened by Prince Charles in the summer of 1992 and is located in part of the railway station. Once the home of the diarist Anne Lister, Shibden Hall is located just outside Halifax in the neighbouring Shibden Valley. Dean Clough, a refurbished worsted spinning mill, is the home of Barrie Rutter's Northern Broadsides Theatre Company and the IOU theatre company as well as providing space for eight art galleries.

Halifax, and in particular the Victoria Theatre (originally the Victoria Hall) is home to the oldest continually running amateur choral society in the country and possibly the world. Halifax Choral Society was founded in 1817 and has an unbroken record of performances. The Choral Society has a strong rivalry with the equally eminent choral society of neighbouring town, Huddersfield. The Victoria Theatre contains a large concert organ originally built by William Hill & Sons, installed in 1901 and rebuilt after internal modifications were carried out in the building in the early 1960s.

The Playhouse, Halifax‎

There is plenty to occupy lovers of amateur theatre. Halifax Thespians and the Actors' Workshop present plays of all kinds, and musical theatre is represented by Halifax Amateur Operatic Society, Halifax Light Opera Society, Halifax Gilbert and Sullivan Society, and All Souls Amateur Operatic Society. Halifax YMCA Pantomime Society presents its annual show in late January each year. Young people interested in drama are catered for by Halifax AOS and Halifax LOS, which each have a junior section, and another group, Stagedoor Theatre Co, specialises in dramatic activities and performances by children and young people. The Halifax & District Organists' Association, is one of the oldest organists' fellowships in the country.

As well as conventional cultural attractions, the Calderdale area has also become a centre for folk and traditional music. The Traditions Festival, held at the Halifax Piece Hall in the town centre, is a celebration of traditional music and dance from around the world, whilst the Rushbearing, held in Sowerby Bridge and the surrounding villages, is a traditional festival which was restarted to celebrate the Queen's Silver Jubilee and attracts Morris dancers from all around the country. The Square Chapel Centre for the Arts offers music, dance, plays, comedy as well as community events such as tea dances. The Victoria Theatre, opened in 1901 and seating 1,568 people, or 1,860 for a standing concert, hosts a variety of performances.

Halifax town centre has a busy night life with lots of clubs and bars. To help with those who become vulnerable whilst enjoying and using Halifax's night life, Street Angels was launched in November 2005. Street Angels patrol the town centre on Fridays and Saturdays between 9 p.m. and 3 a.m.. In the first year police report violent crime has fallen by 42%. Street Angels work in partnership with St. John Ambulance, Nightlife Marshals, Police Community Support Officers, Police and doorstaff as well as the Halifax Ambassadors who patrol in the daytime.

Landmarks

Sports

The town has relatively successful sport clubs. Its rugby league club, Halifax RLFC (formerly the "Blue Sox"), plays in League One, and the town's football team, Halifax Town A.F.C., currently plays in the Blue Square Premier (formerly the Conference League) after twice being relegated from League One. Both teams share The Shay football ground, which is the largest ground used by a non-league football club in England. In the 1960s Halifax Town played Millwall in a Fourth Division match that had the lowest attendance ever recorded for a professional match in England. The Crossley Heath Grammar School normally excels in nationwide school rugby union competitions.[10][11][12]

Motorcycle speedway racing has been staged at two venues in Halifax. In the pioneering days of 1928–1930 a track operated at Thrum Hall. A Halifax team took part in the English Dirt Track League of 1929. Speedway returned to Halifax at The Shay Stadium in 1949 and operated until 1951. The team operated as the Halifax Nomads in 1948 racing three away fixtures. The Halifax Dukes, the name they took once The Shay was opened, operated in the National League Third Division in 1949 before moving up to the Second Division in 1950. Riders including Arthur Forrest, moved on to Bradford. The Dukes re-emerged in 1965 as founder members of the British League and operated there for many years before the team moved en bloc to Odsal Stadium, Bradford. The steeply banked bends of the track at The Shay have been buried under stands at either end when the spectator facilities were squared off.

Religious buildings

The Assembly Rooms and Trinity Church in Halifax from A Complete History of the County of York by Thomas Allen (1828–30)

The 15th century parish church dedicated to St. John the Baptist did not achieve cathedral status when a new diocese was being considered for the West Riding (Wakefield Parish Church became the cathedral in 1888 and was extensively altered and enlarged). There is a collection of rare Commonwealth white glass as well as a series of Victorian windows. Another feature is the complete array of Jacobean box pews. The pair of Gothic organ cases by John Oldrid Scott now house the four-manual instrument by Harrison & Harrison. The belfry holds fourteen bells and an Angelus. The Serbian Orthodox Church dedicated to St. John the Baptist, in the Boothtown area, formerly the Mount Carmel Methodist Chapel, was acquired in 1956 and after extensive refurbishment was opened in the early part of the 1960s by the towns Serbian community.[13]

The currently mothballed mid-Victorian All Souls' Church by Sir George Gilbert Scott standing part way up Haley Hill to the north of the main town centre is now vested in the Historic Churches Preservation Trust. Its lofty (236-foot (72 m)) spire and white magnesian limestone exterior stand as a very personal statement in 13th century French style of the mill owner Colonel Sir Edward Akroyd, who paid solely for its construction as the centre-piece of a purpose-built model village ("Akroydon"). All Souls' boasts an unusually complete sequence of windows by the leading artists of the 1850s, including William Wailes, John Hardman and Clayton & Bell. The large organ by Forster & Andrews inserted in 1868, ten years after the building was completed, is currently unplayable and many of its surviving parts are in storage awaiting restoration. The tower houses a ring of eight bells.

Other churches include the Georgian Holy Trinity Church (now converted to office use) and the late neo-Gothic (1911) St. Paul's, King Cross, by Sir Charles Nicholson. St Paul's is notable not only for its fine acoustics but also for an unusual and highly colourful west window, specified by Nicholson, showing the apocalyptic vision of the Holy City descending upon the smoky mills and railway viaducts of Halifax as it was before the First World War.

The spire of the Square Church, not far from the parish church at the bottom of the town, paid for by the carpet manufacturing Crossley family, is all that remains of the Gothic Congregational church built by Joseph James in 1856–58 as a rival design to All Souls', Haley Hill. The building was closed in 1969 and arsonists caused severe damage to the building two years later leading to its partial demolition.[14] The rather comic story of the rival spires runs that the two buildings' towers were nearing completion simultaneously; the architects were ordered to stop work within a few feet of the top of the spires to see who would finish first. After some time, the Crossleys lost patience and finished their spire at 235-foot (72 m), prompting the immediate completion of the rival building one foot higher. The neighbouring and earlier (Georgian) Square Chapel (1772) survived a hundred years of use as a church hall and Sunday School for the larger church.

Notable Haligonians

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Psalm 127:1 A Song of Ascents, of Solomon. Unless the LORD builds". bible.cc. Retrieved on 2008-10-10.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 "2004 Calderdale Ward Digest - Census 2001 (August 2004)" (PDF). Calderdale Council (August 2004). Retrieved on 2008-10-11.
  3. ↑ Eilert Ekwall (1936). The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Place-Names (Fourth edition 1960 ed.). 
  4. ↑ Arms of Halifax, Civic Heraldry of England and Wales, civicheraldry.co.uk
  5. ↑ Yorkshire History - Halifax Gibbet
  6. ↑ Halifax Courier Article Halifax and District Rail Action Group
  7. ↑ "League Tables: The North Halifax Grammar School". BBC News (2007-01-11). Retrieved on 2007-05-16.
  8. ↑ "League Tables: The Crossley Heath School". BBC News (2007-01-11). Retrieved on 2007-05-16.
  9. ↑ See http://www.lmu.ac.uk/the_news/dec06/halifax_centre_post.htm
  10. ↑ "Crossley Heath upset Warwick", Daily Mail (2005-02-09). Retrieved on 2008-10-11. 
  11. ↑ "In Focus: Crossley Heath", Daily Mail (2005-02-23). Retrieved on 2008-10-11. 
  12. ↑ Jim Hooley (2005-04-25). "Channing chips in", Daily Mail. Retrieved on 2008-10-11. 
  13. ↑ St. John the Baptist Church history
  14. ↑ "The Rise And Fall Of Square Chapel". Square Chapel. Retrieved on 2008-07-10.

External links

Arts

Museums