Queensbury is a village in West Yorkshire near Bradford. It is one of the highest parishes in the United Kingdom. It was the location of Black Dyke Mills a textile factory owned by thge company John Foster & Son. The Fosters built many amenities in the villae for the benfit of its residents and their workers.
Saltaire Railway station was part of the Midland Railway and opened in 1856.
The nearby railway, along with the canal, was likely an important factor in Titus Salt’s decision to build his model village on this site.
The station closed in 1965 as part of the widespread programme of railway closures. The orignal buildings were demolished in the 1970s. A new station was reopened in 1984 and has services to Leeds, Bradford and Skipton.
Originally named Saltaire Park, the 14 acre space opened in 1871 and was free for anyone to enjoy. However, there were strict rules enforced in the park. Among other things, political and religious demonstrations were banned, as were wheeled vehicles and unaccompanied children under 8.
By the early twentieth century Salts Mill and Saltaire were owned by Sir James Roberts, Roberts retired in 1918 and in 1920 gifted the park to Bradford Corporation for public use. At the same time, the part was renamed Roberts Park in memory of James's deceased son, Bertram Foster Roberts..
The park was originally reached by a bridge from the end of Victoria Road, over the valley to what is now the West entrance, at the lodge. This bridge had to be demolished after World War II, due to damage caused by tanks crossing to use the area for manoeuvres.
The Salt School building on Victoria Road opened in 1868 as the location for the Factory School associated with Salts Mill. Before this, the Factory School was housed in the Dining Hall further down the road.
There were both day scholars and half-timers, who would work at the mill for half a day and attend school for the other half. Boys entered on the right and girls on the left and the school was designed to cater for 750 children initially. In 1874, there were 806 half-timers and 454 day scholars, with an average attendance of 665. The schools were constructed with state-of-the-art technology: hot water central heating, gas lighting, and tip-up lavatories.
In 1878, the school moved to the newly-built Albert Road Board School (today Saltaire Primary School). The Victoria Road building became the Salt High School catering for both girls and boys. The High School eventually moved to a new site on the far side of Roberts Park. Today the original building, along with the Exhibition Building, Dining Hall and the Jonathan Silver building, forms Shipley College, a further education institution.
Outside the building there are two lions and two more on the opposite side of the road. Their names can just be made out, inscribed on their pedestals: Peace, War, Vigilance and Determination. Local legend has it that these were originally constructed for Nelson’s Column in Trafalgar Square. This is, unfortunately, almost certainly a myth.
Saltaire is an area on the Western edge of Shipley in West Yorkshire. The village was created from the 1850s onwards by Bradford industrialist Titus Salt as a location for a new textile mill and homes and amenities for its workers. The village had many public buildings and amenities including: shops, schools, a dining hall, a Club and Institute, and a public park with sporting areas.
Most of the village remains intact today. In 2001 Saltaire became a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The first building to be constructed in Saltaire, Salts Mill was designed to manufacture textiles on a truly industrial scale. Titus Salt’s intention was to incorporate all elements of the manufacturing process under one roof, rather than each taking place at a separate location as his previous mills in Bradford required.Employing around 4000 workers, the Mill was the very heart of Saltaire.
Part of Salt’s motivation to build Saltaire was his concern over the pollution and living conditions in Bradford. To prevent Saltaire suffering the same issues, each of the chimneys was fitted with an early device to remove pollutants from smoke.
The Mill changed hands many times over the years. Following the collapse of the textile industry in West Yorkshire, processes were gradually moved out of the Salts Mill building. In 1985, the last processes were relocated, and the empty mill put up for sale.
In 1987, Jonathan Silver purchased the Mill and refurbished it into the building we see today. Rather than a single manufacturing centre, the Mill is both the site of multiple new businesses and a cultural hub with shops, an art gallery and restaurant.
Scarborough is a seaside town on the east coast of Yorkshire. Scarborough was a traditional fishing village which became a popular seaside holiday destination during the nineteenth century, particulary for workers from West Yorkshire.
Scarborough was the home of the Congregationalist minister the Reverend Robert Balgarnie, a friend of Sir Titus Salt who wrote the first biography of the Salt.
Sheffield is a major city in South Yorkshire. Sheffield played a major role during the Industrial Revolution particularly for its steel-based manufacturing.
A green space of woods and open moorland on the valley side to the North of Saltaire. In the later nineteenth century it became the site of pleasure grounds including a toboggan run, switchback roller coaster and other amusements. It was very popular with the residents of nearby Saltaire, Shipley and Baildon as a place of recreation.
Town in West Yorkshire about 3 miles west of Bradford. Became heavily industrialised and expanded rapidly during the nineteenth century. Saltaire was built about 1 mile to the West of the town centre. Saltaire has always been part of Shipley for local government purposes.
Titus Salt built an infirmary in Saltaire to care for the village residents. It had enough wards and beds for 27 patients, a dispensary and a surgery for treating workers injured in Salts Mill.
The hospital was taken over by the NHS in 1948.
It was sold in 1974 and became a private nursing home. It has since been converted to private residences.
Skegness is a coastal town in Lincolnshire. In the nineteenth century Skegness bercame a popular seaside holiday destination for people from West Yorkshire.