Welcome
The Spen Valley Historical Society was founded in 1972 and 2023 is our 51st year of continuous existence.
We meet on the second Wednesday of each month, with the exception of August when we do not have a meeting. The meetings start promptly at 7:30 pm at Our Lady & St. Paul of the Cross Catholic Church Hall, Dewsbury Road, Cleckheaton.
Our programme of talks for the 2023/24 season is we hope both interesting and varied:-
Our next talk on 13th December is presented by Father Nicholas Hird and is titled One Faith: Three Churches.
Our other talks for the 2023/24 season are:-
10th January - The Local Spen Valley Railways - MaxRathmell
14th February - Richard III - David Pinder
13th March - Mary Seacole - Trish Atkinson
For more information our contact details are
spenvalleyhistoricalsoc.chair@gmail.com
tel 0786 631 0162
--------------+++++--------------------What's New--------------------+++++-------------
12th April 2023 - Joe Frogatt is seeking information about Mercer Pneumatics that had premises on Moorside (next door to Stoneacre) which have now been converted to residential use.
13th February 2023 - Improved images of George Batley, Joseph Brearley, Alfred Hinchcliffe, Tom Hinchcliffe, Raymond Lister, William Parker, Albert Quarmby, James Schofield, John Scorer, Edgar Sutcliffe, Norman Walshaw and Harold Wright added. Our thanks to George Hall and Heckmondwike Grammar School.
12th February 2023 - Image added to obituary of James Broderick our thanks to Hightown Liversedge and Spen Valley Photos & Memories on FaceBook.
10th February 2023 - Images added to obituaries of Frederick Batley and Louis Gladman
2nd February 2023 - Additional information added to obituary of A C Moffatt
22nd January 2023 - Madeleine Lee is seeking help researching a property in Heckmondwike built in 1802, 18 Oldfield Road, and her grandfather Wilfred Lee of Cleckheaton.
5th January 2023 - Avril Ravenscroft is seeking help in finding out more about a knitting wool known as Cleckheaton that was manufactured by Fred James Worsted Spinners.
15th December 2022 - Clare Dunne is seeking information about the location of The Old Red Chapel in Cleckheaton.
4th November 2022 - Batley History Group are seeking potraits of the missing Batley Mayors. We are pleased to announce that images of the missing mayors have been found but if you are able to provide images of better resolution they would be greatly welcomed.
24th October 2022 - John Small is seeking information about the Bentley family from Scholes who ran a Blacksmiths in Low Fold
5th June 2022 - Sarah Nattress is seeking images of Turnsteads once home to the Wadsworth family.
31st May 2022 - Obituary for Clifford Hirst updated.
13th May 2022 - Obituary for Percy Orman updated
20th April 2022 - Professor Calvin Schermerhorn of Arizona State University is seeking help with Jacob Green (b. 1813), a Black author, abolitionist, and formerly enslaved migrant who lived in Heckmondwike in 1864.