HCS Members’ Update April 2025
If you didn’t make it to our AGM you may not know that I formally stood down as chairman after seven years in the post. It will be a few weeks before committee colleagues take up some of my work tasks so I’ve agreed to make this my final Update before passing the baton on.
HCS AGM and Presentation by Historic England, March 26, 2025
Our AGM, details of which will be published on the website shortly, was followed by a fascinating insight by Charles Smith, Policy Director at Historic England, called Heritage – Looking To The future’. Charles, who lives in Huddersfield, outlined key policy changes and drivers being initiated by the current government, providing various challenges and opportunities in the way heritage would be considered within wider the objectives of growth and economic development.
I hope a fuller summary will be prepared for the HCS website shortly.
Discover Huddersfield Walks’ Programme 2025
Over the coming month there’s an opportunity to book two further walks on what, I feel, is one of the most varied programmes to have been offered by the Discover Huddersfield group.
On Sunday, April 6, John Bowen and Linda Beever from Huddersfield and District Archaeological Society will conduct a tour of the hill revealing its history from Mesolithic to modern times.
And on Sunday, May 4, our good friend, local historian and author, David Griffiths, will be ‘Exploring Greenhead Park’, outlining how the park came to be established and how it evolved since it opened in 1884.
Walks cost £5 per person and bookings can be made up to 14 days before each walk. There are 20 walks to choose from. Full booking details can be found via Eventbrite by going to: https://bit.ly/40YAPnj
Tour of Daphne Steele Building, University Health Innovation Campus, Southgate.
Our tour of the Daphne Steele Building, the first to be completed on the University’s Health Innovation Campus, will now take place on Thursday, May 15, at 6pm.
The evening will include a short guided tour and talk to outline the vision behind the building and the future Health Campus, the ‘WELL’ standard achievement and time for questions. The evening is expected to last between 90 minutes and 2 hours and there will be no charge for this event.
Those attending should meet at the entrance of the building on the corner of Leeds Road and Southgate.
Please email: to reserve your place (s).
Wednesday, May 21 at 6pm: A Walk Around Penistone Town Centre
We were very sorry to have to cancel our walk around Penistone last September because of torrential rain.
The good news is that we have a new date – this time an evening in May.
Marlene Marshall from Penistone History Archive and Friends of St John Baptist Church will lead the tour, providing a background to the history of this market town and showing how the area has changed over the centuries. The starting point will be the Grade 1 listed St John’s the Baptist church, Shrewsbury Road, Penistone, Sheffield S36 6DY. It is expected to take between 90 minutes and 2 hours. Please email to reserve your place (s).
The walk will cost £2.50 per person (£3.50 for non-members) and payment should be made direct to the HCS account as follows: Huddersfield Civic Society, Sort Code: 20-43-04, Acc No: 50525022. Please add the reference: Pstone + your surname + numbers booked to help our treasurer reconcile those who have paid with bookings received.
Thursday, June 12, 10am: Guided Tour of Sunnybank Mills, Farsley,
There are still a few places available if you wish to join us on this tour of mill which has been restored and adapted to exhibit its textile heritage and provide a cultural destination with a contemporary art gallery, growing studio artist community, creative courses and events, plus a tearoom and shop. The tour lasting approximately 45 minutes will reveal the history of the mill, the mill owners and mill workers and explore the fascinating objects in the collection. It is a great opportunity to experience the heritage of this former worsted-producing business.
Please email: to reserve your place (s).
The charge for the tour will be £7 or £8 for non-members. Payment should be made direct to the HCS account as follows: Huddersfield Civic Society, Sort Code: 20-43-04, Acc No: 50525022. Please add the reference: Sunnyb + your surname + numbers booked to help our treasurer reconcile those who have paid with bookings received.
Heritage Open Days 2025
Planning for this year’s Heritage Open Days festival has begun with HOD Committee, represented by HCS’s Sylvia Johnson and chaired by David Griffiths. This year’s dates are September 12-21 and the (optional) national theme in 2025 is Architecture.
As always, a printed and online brochure will be produced listing all Kirklees events, with full details on the national website (the link for which is: national website) – and the HOD committee will also be developing its social media profile.
If anyone wants to plan an event or would like more information contact Sylvia Johnson on . Full details will be required by Friday, July 4.
The possibility of holding an online and/or in person meeting for anyone involved with churches, chapels and other places of worship, to share tips on running a successful Open Day is being considered, particularly as Saturday, September 13 is also Yorkshire Churches Day (NB the Yorkshire Historic Churches Trust offers grants to churches of all Christian denominations in Yorkshire.) https://www.yhct.org.uk/yorkshire-churches-day/
Mills Transformed, Monday, September 15
As part of the 2025 Heritage Open Days festival and following a successful exhibition at Bradford Industrial Museum, HCS and Huddersfield Local History Society have invited photographer Neil Horsley and John Lambe, Historic Places Advisor for Historic England, to give a presentation based on the exhibition but with additional local examples of successful conversion projects.
Further details and booking arrangements will be provided in later bulletins.
Planning Issues
Castle Hill
For many years HCS has campaigned against a series of inappropriate proposals for development at the summit of Castle Hill, our town’s main archaeological site and iconic viewpoint. A further, but incomplete, set of recent proposals is currently awaiting a decision by Kirklees Council. We are delighted to see that Historic England, the government’s statutory body for consultation on such matters, advises strongly against these latest proposals. It’s recent submission is now on the Kirklees Council planning website and can found at https://www.kirklees.gov.uk/beta/planning-applications/search-for-planning-applications/filedownload.aspx?application_number=2024/93494&file_reference=1079125
Shopfronts, John William Street.
In my last update I raised concerns regarding the lack of action to improve shopfronts along John William Street despite a grant being offered under the town centre Heritage Action Zone programme. I had forgotten just how substantial this grant was until I dug out the report for the improvement of these shopfronts at 19-33a John William Street, approved at the Council Cabinet meeting of December 21, 2023. Despite this substantial grant (over £610,000) no work has yet begun although I now understand this may commence in April. One to keep an eye out for as well as the request for enforcement over the installation of illuminated signs on the adjacent property.
The Former Huddersfield Infirmary
One thing that was announced by Charles Smith at his presentation (see above) was the recent announcement by Historic England of funding, totalling £15 million, available for Heritage at Risk, providing grants for repairs and conservation to heritage buildings at risk, focusing on those sites with most need. Given the former infirmary, about which HCS has made continual calls for action and improvement, is included on HE’s national register of buildings at risk, it would seem appropriate for HE to discuss with the new owner and Kirklees Conservation officers how this grant could help towards the restoration and re-use this important building.
The Light Cinema and Entertainment Venue at Kingsgate.
We’re delighted to hear that the 6-screen cinema along with state-of-the-art bowling and skittles, a next-generation Star Quest laser experience, adventure climb offering 26 different climbs, a film-themed 10-hole mini golf course featuring a 4m animatronic dinosaur, electric shuffleboard, interactive darts, axe throwing, curling and an interactive football experience, opens on April 11.
The venue will also offer a range of food and drinks including pizzas, burgers, platters and a range of main meals and snacks throughout the day.
This will provide a much-needed destination for residents and visitors and help support and restore retail and the economic vibrancy within the town centre.
The Foundation of Huddersfield Civic Society
And, finally, I recently realised that I had saved a copy of the inaugural meetings to form Huddersfield Civic Society in 1964, which Andy Hirst has now added to the website under ‘About Us’. This is the link to the page: Foundation of the Society in 1964 – HUDDERSFIELD CIVIC SOCIETY
The first meeting, held on September 10 in the Mayor’s Reception Room at Huddersfield Town Hall, was attended by 89 representatives from the council, corporation officials and local organisations.
At the meeting the Mayor, Mrs MC Gee, said ‘the eventual outcome might be the formation of a civic society which would be of great benefit to Huddersfield.’
I leave you with these words in the hope that the society will long continue in its efforts in helping preserve the town’s unique heritage and provide ‘different slants of opinion which could help anyone who had to make difficult decisions …. (so) that good beneficial results were obtained.’
Best wishes to you all.
David Wyles