Upcoming West Yorkshire Events 2023

Walks in 2023

A walk in Wakefield, led by Kevin Trickett, MBE, Wakefield Civic Society President.

Date: Saturday 15th April

Time: 2-4pm

Start place, Westgate.

Ticket price: £5

The walk will include Westgate, now the subject of a Heritage Action Zone, and Wakefield’s ‘Civic Quarter around Wood Street before moving on to look at how residential development in the mid/late Victorian Era united the Georgian ‘new town’ development of St John’s with the medieval town centre.

Kevin is an experienced and knowledgeable guide on the history of Wakefield and has written three short books on the city. As well as being the President of the Society for over 20 years, Kevin also writes and talks about some of his favourite subjects including Art Deco, philosophy and travel.

Further details on booking. Book through [email protected]

A Crossley Heritage Walk, led by David Glover

Date: Saturday 20 May

Time: 2-4.30pm

Ticket price: £5

A look at how the Crossley Family of Dean Clough influenced the mid-19th Century expansion of west central Halifax. From the hillside above the works we begin by considering the beginning and end of what was the largest carpet manufactory in the world. Then, starting from the site of a nearby house where Joseph Crossley lived in the 1840s, we consider the family developments on nearby suburbs through the years that followed.

We shall visit two sets of fine Gothic Almshouses, and a Model Village which was the brainchild of John Crossley. We shall also view (externally) Francis Crossley’s mansion, and cross the remarkable public park he presented to the town in 1857. Then there are the stories of the Tower of Spite and of the Congregational Church. Along the route we look at a variety of workers’ housing, some built with the Crossley workforce in mind. Finally – we see the family vault and some little-known Crossley-related tombstones at Lister Lane Cemetery.

Meeting point: Angel Road near its entry near Pellon Lane, just above the Crossley Retail Estate HX1 5RS.

This is an uphill walk of just over 1km from Halifax town centre and slightly further still from Halifax railway station.

Car parking is available on the left hand side of Angel Road and also on the setted area adjacent. From the finish point attendees may either be accompanied back to the start or make their own way down into Halifax town centre.

Book through [email protected]

A Day in Keighley, led by Joyce Newton, Chair of the Keighley Local History Society.

Date: Sunday 25 June

Time: 11-4pm not yet finalised

Ticket price: £5

The day will start in Cliffe Castle. Now a museum, this glorious industrialist’s mansion, begun 1878 by George Smith, features largely in Brass Castles by George Sheeran.

It will be followed by a walk into the largely 19C Town centre, and a central tour including the Library and Town Hall, the Cavendish Street parade of shops, and churches by Pugin and Chantrell.

Further details to follow. To book please email: [email protected]