The Society is currently cataloguing two local history collections. In 2001 we were given permission to take the materials from Croft House in New Road, Hebden Bridge when it was about to be sold. The materials had been lying in a room undisturbed for over 50 years. One collection belonged to Abraham Gibson of Greenwood Lee and the other to Sutcliffe & Sutcliffe, architects. We hope that the latter will reveal their influence on the development of Hebden Bridge and surrounding areas. Perhaps this business was used when your house was built or altered or sold.

Abraham Gibson managed estates in Old Town and Heptonstall. Perhaps your property was on one of these estates.  The papers also include all the details leading to the controversial re-ordering of Heptonstall Church. There are also many old deeds relating to properties that the Gibson family owned. Some are in Latin and one of our members is arranging for their translation.

We successfully applied for a small Rural Development Grant from Calderdale Council and were awarded nearly £1000 towards purchasing archival storage and cleaning materials. We are organising at least one day when the collections will be packaged and labelled to put into the local history library and we hope that some of you will be able to help.

In the past year, we have recorded over 120 pages listing the materials and over 150 documents have been scanned onto the computer. The preliminary list is available to here. We have researched both the Sutcliffes and Gibson families.

In the coming year, some of the information we have discovered will be used for exhibitions and walks at Wainsgate Chapel and Heptonstall Slack Baptist Chapel.  The collections will also be used in future local history presentations.

This work is ongoing and volunteers are welcome. If you are able to help us with our research or if you have photos of Abraham Gibson who died in 1956 or James Henry Sutcliffe who died 1944, then please contact Diana Monahan (01422) 845982

List of documents from Sutcliffe Architects

List of documents from Abraham Gibson of Greenwood Lee