NEWSLETTERS
We publish one newsletter each year in September previewing the following season's lectures. Short articles on local and family history are usually included. These can be accessed here.
Enews November 2025
LECTURES
12th November a talk about the High Hirst Meadows by Paul Knights;
24th November The Staffordshire Hoard with Stephen Dean;
10th December Making of Sowerby Bridge with Julian Carr
Reports on previous lectures are on the website
Made in Manchester; Victorian Stained Glass; Pecket Well area walks
https://www.hebdenbridgehistory.org.uk/lecture-report
LOCAL HISTORY EVENTS
Calderdale Heritage Walks
There are several interesting walks coming up.
Transport Links in Sowerby Bridge 16th November; Chaos in Shelf 30th November and Victorian Halifax on 7th December
Website: https://calderdaleheritagewalks.org.uk/winter.html
Cragg Vale History Group Thursday 20th November: Calderdale - talk by Michael Peel https://www.craggvalecommunity.co.uk/index.php/history-group
Hebden Bridge Town Hall Exhibition 185 years of Train Travel – until 28th November
Heptonstall Museum Museum closed until Spring but there may be talks later in the year. Website for news: https://heptonstallmuseumfriends.org.uk/
Mytholmroyd Historical Society 14th November Jowett – The Yorkshire Car. Barbara Atack 12th December Annual General Meeting
Todmorden Shared Histories Project: Commonwealth soldiers in World War II Thursday 20th November 7 – 8.30 pm Speaker: Jahan Mahmood at Todmorden College
Todmorden Antiquarian Society Next events: Tuesday at 7.30pm at Todmorden Learning Centre and Community Hub 18th November 2025 The Peterloo Massacre. Speaker– Mike Brennane 2nd December 2025 Magic of the Musicals. Speaker– Marilyn Shalks Tuesday 16th December 2025 Life on the Stage – The Story of Sam Ranson and Blanche Slater. Speaker – Anne Mealia Details: https://www.todmordenantiquarians.co.uk/speaker-events/
Todmorden U3A 20th November 2025 at 2 pm. The Impact of the Industrial Revolution on the Ordinary Person: Speaker - Bob Hayter. At Todmorden Learning Centre and Community Hub
FAMILY HISTORY
Family History Federation Useful summary of resources. The latest issue includes an article on Emigration from the UK in C19: https://www.exploreyourgenealogy.co.uk/files/1003-1-1.pdf
Calderdale Family History Society Recently moved to online meetings only – coming up this year https://www.cfhsweb.com/documents/Syllabus.pdf General website: https://www.cfhsweb.com/
FACEBOOK – local groups of interest
Hebden Bridge History and Memories https://www.facebook.com/groups/538333474995431/
Hebden Bridge Local History Society https://www.facebook.com/hebdenbridgelocalhistory
Heptonstall Museum https://www.facebook.com/FriendsofHeptonstallMuseum/
Mytholmroyd and Cragg Vale Local History Page https://www.facebook.com/groups/791138454297392/
Ryburn Valley History Society https://www.facebook.com/groups/879719096808975/
AND SLIGHTLY LESS CURRENT NEWS THAT MIGHT PIQUE YOUR INTEREST
Extract from: Annals of Todmorden 1552-1913: A record of people, events and circumstances from Earlier Times. Compiled by Dorothy Dugdale
Nov and Dec 1875 (150 years ago)
• Christ Church, Todmorden, was re-opened after being closed for about two months for repairs and painting. At the same time a splendid new organ, built by Messrs Gray and Davidson, of London, was used for the first time.
• Laying of the corner stone of Wesleyan Chapel, Shade.
• The 11th annual Soiree of the Walsden Institute and Working Men’s Club was held in St Peters Church (Crossley’s) School. Miss Becker of Manchester, and several gentlemen addressed the meeting.
• Mr John Whittaker of Langfield House, Todmorden, gave his annual dinner for 25 of aged and infirm poor.
• John Duffield, aged 44, plumber, Dale St, Todmorden, accidently killed in Winterbutlee Tunnel.
Nov and Dec 1900 (125 years ago)
• At the annual meeting of the Todmorden Town Council, Ald W Ormerod, of Scaitcliffe Hall, was elected Mayor of the borough by the unanimous vote of the council.
• The annual show of poultry and pigeons in connection with the Cornholme and District Fanciers’ Society, was held in Springwood Mill, Cornholme, and was well attended by local fanciers. The entries numbered 114.
• Pte Robt Allister, of the 1st King’s Royal Rifles, one of the Todmorden soldiers who passed through the siege of Ladysmith, arrived home, having been in the hospital for some defect of the eyes.
• Mr John Howard, of Manchester, formerly a grocer in Water St, and afterwards a manufacturer, was appointed Weight Clerk for the Todmorden Corporation, at 15s per week. There were 23 applications.
• At a special meeting of the Watch Committee, it was unanimously resolved that Mr Edward Haywood, of Oldham, be appointed Superintendent of the Todmorden Corporation Fire Brigade, and driver of the engine, at a salary of 30s per week, with house, coal and gas.
• Mr E B Fielden MP, was sworn in and took his seat in the House of Commons.
• At the White Hart, Todmorden, Mr J Gledhill offered for competition Clough House, Walsden, the property of Miss Lord of Blackpool. The bidding reached £340, at which figure the bid was withdrawn.
Enews September 2025
Lectures
The first lecture of the season for 2025-26 is on 24th September is by Brian Groom entitled Made in Manchester -the astonishing story of the people of Manchester and the surrounding towns (including Hebden Bridge) from Roman times to the present day.
This is followed on 8th October by “A story of Victorian Stained Glass” a talk by David Smalley including details of our local St James Church.
And on 22nd October Paul Degnan will be taking us around Pecket Well and telling us about the making of the Village Walks leaflet, the latest in a series of leaflets about our local area.
Publications
The Society has published 2 new titles and full descriptions are in the Autumn Newsletter.
Heptonstall Court Rolls 1570 – 1626 edited by Nigel Smith and Neville Ingrey
Everyday Life in Seventeenth-Century Calderdale by Peter Brears
Copies can be found in local bookshops or ordered through the Society website
https://www.hebdenbridgehistory.org.uk/pages/publications
LOCAL EVENTS
The Annual Sowerby Bridge Rushbearing
Walk around the local landscape following the Rushbearing cart : visit churches and be entertained by traditional dancing and rest at local inns. 6 & 7th September
https://rushbearing.com/this-years-rushbearing/route-schedule/
Heritage open days are coming up from 12th to 21st September. Details can be found at https://www.heritageopendays.org.uk/whats-on.html
I spotted Ted Hughes’ birthplace, Wainsgate Chapel, the Birchcliffe Centre and Todmorden Unitarian Church when I did a search but there are more….
Pennine Horizons and Pennine Heritage Digital Archive
13 & 14 September Heritage Open Days at Birchcliffe Chapel
https://www.pennineheritage.org.uk/
Sharing Moor Stories – Peatzine project
https://turquoisearts.org/projects/
Events on Saturday 13 September at Tod College and Saturday 27 September Mytholmroyd Community Centre
https://turquoisearts.org/sharing-moor-stories-a-drop-in-heritage-gathering/
Calderdale Heritage Walks
There are several interesting walks coming up.
Coke, Coal and Corves on 28th September. A new walk led by Mary Twentyman around
Norwood Green.
David Glover leads a walk about the Lost Churches and Chapels of Halifax on 5th October.
Another Side of Skircoat Green- another new walk on 12th October led by Anne Kirker.
And further up the valley Anne Mealia will be leading a walk on 26th October called Todmorden Folk -find out about the people who have made Todmorden such a great place.
https://calderdaleheritagewalks.org.uk/summer.html
LOCAL GROUPS
Cragg Vale History Group
https://www.craggvalecommunity.co.uk/index.php/history-group
Meetings are at 7.30 pm, on 3rd Thursday each month from September to June.
Venue: St John's Church, Cragg Vale. (no programme on website yet 24/08/2025)
The Lit & Sci (Hebden Bridge Literary & Scientific Society)
https://hblitandsci.org.uk/
Meetings at the Town Hall
Saturday 27 September 2025 Giles Duley – Legacy of War Foundation
Founder of the Legacy of War Foundation, Giles Duley, will share his extraordinary experiences.
Saturday 11 October 2025
Some Highlights from Three Decades with Historic Buildings
Alan Gardner, Head of Climate Adaptation for Buildings at Historic England
Heptonstall Museum
https://heptonstallmuseumfriends.org.uk/tag/local-history/
6th September 3pm. Author Talk: Sophie Calon & Kathryn Tann – In Conversation https://heptonstallmuseumfriends.org.uk/event/sophie-calon-kathryn-tann-in-conversation/
Mytholmroyd Historical Society
https://www.mytholmroydhistory.org.uk/ Monthly meetings at 7.30pm on Fridays at St Michael’s Church, Mytholmroyd
· 12th September Brian Harkness – Halifax Diamonds.
· 10th October Peter Thornton (Pathways films) who will show his new film, Calderdale Heritage by Air.
Ryburn Valley History Society
9 September Kevin Illingworth: Lesser Houses open to the public
14th October Martin Parrott talking about the civil war (amendment to programme)
Meet 7.30 at Ripponden Club (contact via Facebook)
FAMILY HISTORY
Family History Federation
Useful summary of resources. This month’s includes an article on Body Snatchers, and info on the Metcalfe family, mainly north Yorkshire. Latest publication:
https://www.exploreyourgenealogy.co.uk/files/1000-1-
1.pdf?utm_source=brevo&utm_campaign=FHF%20August%202025%20FHF%20REALLY% 20USEFUL%20Bulletin%202025%20No%2060&utm_medium=email&utm_id=531
Calderdale Family History Society
Recently moved to online meetings only – coming up this year
https://www.cfhsweb.com/documents/Syllabus.pdf
General website: https://www.cfhsweb.com/
OTHER NEWS
Calder Civic Trust- a recent notice
After six decades of dedicated service, it is being proposed that Calder Civic Trust will be formally wound-up in the next few weeks. Founded in 1965, the Trust sought to promote high standards in architecture and town planning, and to preserve the unique beauty and heritage of the Calder Valley. The Trust also played a pivotal role in saving Hebden Bridge from demolition in the 1960s, helping to preserve its character and charm for future generations. The Trust has continued to work with Calderdale and Hebden Royd Councils contributing to the plans for the Hebden Bridge Conservation Area including the successful re-development of Hebden Bridge Town Hall. As we prepare to close this chapter, we invite any interested parties who may wish to carry forward aspects of the Trust’s work or preserve its archives to contact us by 12 September Please direct enquiries to: caldercivictrust@gmail.com. Thank you to all who supported the Trust.
New Book on Halifax
John Patchett, formerly of the West Yorkshire Archive Service, has recently published “A New Guide to the Town Centre of Halifax” A very detailed book with many illustrations and historical pictures. Order a copy by contacting John on 01422 346088 or 07828 947849 or Email j.patchett@btinternet.com