HCS Members’ Update December 2024

HCS Christmas/New Year Social Event, January 15, 2025

Westin Drives, St Andrew’s Road, Huddersfield HD1 6NA

Due to the popularity of previous events, we are again planning a social event on Wednesday, January 15, 2025, arriving between 6.30pm and 7pm.

We are very grateful to our Deputy Chairman John Eastwood who has kindly offered to host the event in the magnificence and splendour of his beautifully renovated private function room in Westins Mill off St Andrew’s Road.

Food and drink will be provided as well as the chance to win a prize by taking part in our chairman’s famously challenging annual quiz based on the Heritage of Huddersfield and, of course, the opportunity to meet and chat with other members of Huddersfield Civic Society.

On offer is a Bolster Moor hot beef sandwich with gravy and wedges/coleslaw or a chickpea and tomato curry with rice/wedges (vegetarian, vegan and gluten free) along with a free alcoholic or soft drink (cash can be exchanged for further beverage tokens).

Places are limited on a first-come basis  so If you (guests welcome too) would like to join us at £10 per head (cash on the night please), please email , with subject heading of “Social Event” and let us know your name and how many places you would like to reserve. If you don’t have access to email, please text your name and above details to Laura West on 07730 598542.

We look forward to seeing you there.

‘Mills Transformed’ Exhibition and Book.

An exhibition that features work carried out at Grove Works, home of Westin Drives, and owned by HCS Vice-Chair John Eastwood, is on display in Bradford.

The Mills Transformed exhibition runs up until January 26 at Bradford Industrial Museum with pre- publication (January 28) copies of the book (£25) available to purchase from: the Museum, Dean Clough and Salts Mill – see link for info about the book and exhibition https://mills-transformed.com/exhibition. A very good extract from the Mills Transformed website on https://mills-transformed.com/grove-works. features the outstanding renovation work at Westin Drives, Grove Works, the venue of the HCS Social Evening (see above) 

Town Centre Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Plan

Having known about work being undertaken by heritage consultants Purcell on behalf of Kirklees Council to address issues, concerns and proposals regarding the town centre conservation area for over a year, we were rather frustrated when Kirklees offered just two weeks in mid-November for responses to this lengthy and detailed report. A response was submitted, which has just been posted on the HCS website’s News section. Having voiced our concern over this very short consultation period we now understand there will be a second round of consultation from Monday, December 9 to Friday, December 20. On Monday, December 9 there is a bookable Public Engagement Workshop from 1pm to 2pm at Civic Centre 1 in Huddersfield town centre. To view the documents go to: https://www.kirklees.gov.uk/beta/trees-listing-and-conservation/conservation-consultation.aspx

Town Centre Masterplan – Huddersfield Open Market

Kirklees is seeking feedback to shape the future of Huddersfield Open Market, a key project within the Huddersfield Blueprint. The consultation is taking place until Monday, December 23: https://www.kirklees.gov.uk/beta/markets/huddersfield-market-consultation.aspx

This follows the government’s announcement in November 2023 to allocate £16.5millon of funding for the regeneration of the Open Market site. The project team is now able to share the designs in more detail and provide an opportunity for comments to be considered. The HCS committee will be preparing a response in the next fortnight so if you have any specific views or concerns, please let me know.

Electricity Junction Box Listed by Historic England

An electrical junction box (pictured below) dating back to 1895 on Fitzwilliam Street in Huddersfield town centre has been Grade II listed by Historic England thanks to the efforts of former HCS Chairman Chris Marsden.

Consumer electricity began in Huddersfield in 1892 when a generating station was built on St Andrew’s Road and the Electricity Department’s showroom was opened in August 1895 in Imperial Arcade on New Street. The junction box was designed to control the electrical supply to several buildings in the surrounding area and this one was produced in 1895 at the Huddersfield foundry of GW Tomlinson, whose tender for supplying the boxes was approved by the corporation’s Electric Lighting Committee in June that year.

In 2023 Chris recently led a group of 20 people on a Discover Huddersfield walk entitled ‘Not Any Old Iron’ which looked at vintage architectural metalwork. He said: “When I showed the group the junction box I found none had ever noticed it. It may be quirky but it’s also significant … it’s the best surviving piece of electricity supply infrastructure of the time.”

Missing Sculpted Heads

Following my last update regarding these sculpted figures from the former HSBC/Midland Bank I am pleased to announce they are now safely stored at Westin Drives, St Andrew’s Road, thanks to the help and support of Westins owner and HCS Vice-Chair John Eastwood. 

I had previously understood there to be 6 sculptured heads but, in fact, there are nine, all of which will look magnificent when displayed. To this end I have contacted Davis Shepherd, Strategic Director of Regeneration at Kirklees, to ask whether they could be hung within the new library currently being developed as part of the Cultural Heart development.

Membership Renewals

Over the next week or so members will receive their annual letter regarding renewal of membership. As I have tried to demonstrate over the year in my updates every effort has been made by the society to promote the architecture, heritage and future of the town and I hope we will be able to benefit from your valuable support which helps with all the activities we are engaged with over the year.

I wish you a very happy Christmas and winter break and hope to see you in 2025.

Best Wishes

HCS Chairman David Wyles