Batley is a very old town in the West Riding of Yorkshire. It was mentioned in the Doomsday Book in 1086 and was listed in the 1379 Poll Tax. The parish church, All Saints, dates in part, to the 15th century.

Today, other than the parish church, little remains of very old Batley.

There are still some vacant mills from the early 1800s and some Victoria buildings. The market square is still cobbled. Many of the buildings, both commercial and residential, are new.

The End of the Lands and Sykes Families in Batley

Law Land and Elizabeth Sykes left Batley for Ontario, Canada circa 1881. Law Land's father, John Land died in Batley in 1877. Law Land's mother, Lydia Law Land, left Batley with her remaining children and immigrated to Philadelphia in 1883. Elizabeth Sykes father, George Stell Sykes, died in Batley in 1898. Elizabeth Sykes' mother, Sarah Walker Sykes, died in Batley in 1910.

Photo courtesy of © Kirklees Image Archive at Kirklees Image Archive

The smoke stacks are gone and the air is cleaner.

"The Mills at Batley were still working well into the late 60's. When a Police Officer wanted a cup of tea he always sought out the places working late at night or with a watchman on duty. I used to call in and watch the workings which fascinated me. Particularly one or two Mills that were weaving carpets! The Police Station was in the Market Sq."

The church tower dates from the 13th century while the main body is 15th century. The graveyard was extremely crowed and the jumble of tombs and gravestones were organized under a scheme that unfortunately used many of the tombstones as paving stones for the walkways, eroding the inscriptions that were written on them.

Lydia Sheard, the second wife of Benjamin Law, was baptized in this church in 1781.

Benjamin Law and his first wife, Rachael Stubley, were married here in 1791.

All of the children of Benjamin Law were baptized in this church.

The memorial stone of Benjamin Law and his wives, Rachael Stubley and Lydia Sheard, is leaning against the last buttress at the back of the church.

An enlargement of the above photo shows the memorial stone.

To read the inscription go to Memorial Stone of Benjamin Law

Posted in 1904

Posted in 1924

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Tomb of Mirfield at Batley published by Robinson, Son and Holdsworth Leeds and J Hurst Wakefield March 1, 1816

Photo courtesy of © Kirklees Image Archive at Kirklees Image Archive

St Thomas Church Batley. Not posted.

St. Thomas the Apostle 1868

Intersection of Grosvenor Road and Rutland Road.

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Posted 1912

In March 2009 Janet wrote to say:

"I was interested to see the old photos of Commercial Street in Batley, on the first one, my uncle is the little boy on the left hand side.

His name is Joshua Craven and he was born in Batley and lived for most of his life on Cross Park Street. I have the same picture of him at home. I was born in Batley in 1951 but have not lived there for the past 35 years.

My grandfather worked in the Co-op Laundry and fell into a spin dryer whilst cleaning it and was "spin dryed" to death leaving my grandmother with 13 children. Most of my aunts worked in the mills and I remember the long hours and the bad conditions they worked in and the stories they had to tell. One particular story about a mill fire always sticks in my mind. Mill fires always drew a big crowd and my aunt remembered watching a fire in Taylors Mill, the roof crashed in and the windows blew out and suddenly a pack of hundreds of rats burst out of the building and filled the street running towards the beck. I have lots of old stories about Batley, photos and postcards and a lot of happy memories.

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The Batley Town Hall on the right of this photo was first erected on this site in 1853. In 1905 it underwent major renovations.

Cooperative Batley. Not dated.

The Zion Methodist Chapel was built in 1869.

The following quote comes from The Dalesman, Places to Visit

"BATLEY SHODDY TEMPLE This title refers to the Central Chapel in Batley square. The word "shoddy" indicates a type of cloth produced from new wool and old rags. It is claimed that many "shoddy" deals were performed on the church steps after Sunday services."

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Postmarked 1929

Postmarked 1914

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Batley Library

Batley Library opened in 1907. It was build with help form the American millionaire, Andrew Carnegie

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"Healy Lane is a courious mixture of old and new houses with the odd warehouse and a row of shops thrown in for good measure.

There is a row of cottage shops thought to date back to the 17th century when they were mill workers' houses and these tiny builings now house a pet shop, a wool shop and hairdressers'

Nearby, and standing on its own, is Cyril Collet's shop which sells furniture and other items perchased form homes where people have died."

Batley paper - date unkonwn.

Norman Ellis says

Most processes were carried out at the mills, from raw wool to finished cloth and, particularly in its early days, the firm was involved in rag grinding

The mill is on the right.

The houses are very similar to those on Blakeridge Road.

Posted 1905

"West Riding Union Bank, Batley Mssrs Sheard and Hanstock Archts, The Architect Jan 12, 1878."

Mr. Shread was Michael Sheard (b. 1833) was the son of Michael Sheard and Sarah Newsom. See Michael Sheard and Sarah Lister

Looking towards the Blakeridge Mills and the center of town.

The cemetery was laid out in 1865.

The mill lies in the valley between Blakeridge Road and Bradford Road.

Another view of Victoria Mills with older houses on Bradford Road and newer houses on the hillside.

"The building on the top of the hill is Batley High School which was opened in 1959.

The houses lower down are built adjacent to or on the old railway line from Batley station to Birstall. See Lost Railways Yorkshire "

Richard Bell, September 9, 2008

In the 1861 census John Land and his wife, Lydia Law, and their children, including Law Land, were listed at Wheats Croft. Lydia's parents, William and his wife, Marie, and their children were also listed at Wheats Croft.

Wheats Croft was located just off Wellington Street to the south, about where this modern building stands today.

In August 2008 Richard Bell wrote:

"I remember "Wheat Croft" as a path that ran along the boundary of Fox's Biscuits from Purlwell Lane down to Wellington Street. The track of this path is at right angels to Wellington Street. It was just wide enough for two people to pass each other. There was a high wire mesh fence on the Fox's side and waist or chest high garden walls on the other side. Near the bottom just before Wellington Street there was the stone side wall of a mill about two stories in height and opposite the wire mesh fence. The position of this path should still be evident from the position of the existing boundary beyond, which is about 30m to the right hand side of the building in the picture. I will try to locate its position on the 1956 OS map and forward it at a later date. Regards, Richard Bell. (I lived in Batley from being born in 1947 to 1971)"

"I forgot to mention that the houses with the garden walls marking out the Wheat Croft boundary have been demolished along with all traces of the path.

It's possible that there may have been a house named Wheat Croft that predated the path. I will try to find out from the library."

Benjamin Law lived on Wellington Street.

Wellington Street is just three blocks long. These buildings on Wellington Street, just below the building pictured above, were among the oldest looking buildings that we saw in Batley. Everything else on Wellington Street is new.

Posted 1909

Posted Batley 1906

Message (in part) to Miss M Elliott, Flatgate, Howden, E Yorks

Dear Maud

The third form the end the one with the blind down in the bedroom is our house.......

Dora

Photo courtesy of © Kirklees Image Archive at Kirklees Image Archive

"Benny" Parr was the brother-in-law and partner of of Benjamin Law. Benjamin Law's second wife was Lydia Sheard. Lydia's sister, Elizabeth, married Benjamin Parr. They also had a son named Benjamin Parr. I do not know who the woods were named after.

1912 postcard

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Chris Yeates of the Kirklees Image Archives suggests that the Benny Parr Woods was most likely what is now Howley Mill Lane. Chris emailed in September 2007

"Interestingly I haven't been able to find the name on any map, and yet it was clearly well known as is attested by all the postcards ..... you often find in this area that the name on the map is not that which the locals use"

"I suspect that the 'wood' was never much more than a relatively narrow band of trees, but it is interesting that it should appear on so many postcards"

"the ruins of the nearby 16th century Howley Hall were a popular weekend/bank holiday site in the past and it may well have been that the walk out from Batley took in Howley Mill Lane."

"Undated. The path to Benny Parr Wood by the side of Howley Beck on which Howley Lower Mill is situated. In the distance is the railway banking with the tunnel on the road cut through. The photograph is taken looking at the back of the mill with the dam in front of it. Before being made into a steam-powered mill, Howley Lower Mill was run by a water wheel which was connected to an outlet at the front of the dam and coupled to machinery in both main parts of the building. Although never an imposing, large textile factory, this mill was important as the place where Benjamin Law and Benjamin Parr discovered the concept of recycling old cloth e.g. rags or tailor's cuttings and making new threads from it by spinning fresh yarn, i.e. the beginnings of the shoddy cloth industry. Although the mill was partly in Batley and partly in Morley, because the beck was the boundary between the two townships, the mill had many more links with the Batley trade than that of Morley, though the discovery made there eventually became crucial to the Morley trade as well. Photograph from the David Atkinson Archive."

"April 1965. Howley Lower Mill was a water-powered mill later converted to steam, on Howley Beck, the boundary between Batley and Morley which flows through Birkby Brow Wood, Benny Parr Wood and Soothill Wood. It was here that two Batley manufacturers, Benjamin Parr and Benjamin Law, laid the foundations for the local shoddy trade by inventing the machinery for grinding up rags (rag pulling machine) and then tearing the fibres into more manageable material (willeyer) that could eventually be respun after scribbling and carding into reconstituted wool. All this happened about the year 1817 though the processes were kept secret for quite a time. As can be seen from the photograph half of the mill building has been converted into a modern bungalow, but the part on the extreme right is still somewhat dilapidated. Photograph from the David Atkinson Archive."

In the 1881 census Lydia Law Land and her children and Law Land and his wife, Elizabeth Sykes, were listed in Carlinghow. Today most of the buildings in Carlinghow are new.

According to Norman Ellis

"The original hall, build in 1521, had twenty-five apartments and oak panelling. Much of it was demolished in 1800. By the time this photograph was taken, the remains were in a sorry plight, but some of them lasted until 1969"

In the 1881census in Batley, Lydia Law and her children were listed in Carlinghow. Four of her children were listed with the following ocupations: Albert, son, age 20, piecer in woolen mill, Percy, son, age 18, piecer in woolen mill, Arthur, son, age 16, cloth finisher, and Harry, son, age 14, mechanic spinning machine. In that day and age most people lived close to their work making it possible that the Land boys were working at Carlinghow Mill.

John Blackburn Old Mill, Batley established 1850. John Blackburn also had mills in Germany. He was mayor of Batley in 1901. He married Eliza Rebecca Sheard, daughter of John Sheard and Sarah Ward. See Michael Sheard and Sarah Lister. and Wendy Rose's transcription of a 1909 Batley News article

George Sheard's "Mansion" is now the Bagshaw Museum. It was originally build by George Sheard the ninth child of Michael Sheard and Sarah Lister who became a prominent Batley manufacturer. See Sheard for information on the Sheard Family in Batley/Birstall. See Michael Sheard and Sarah Lister for more information on George Sheard.

The Bridge Batley posted 1924

The Bandstand, Baltey posted 1924

The Bandstand, Batley. Not posted

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John Heaps sent the following comments on the above images in April 2006.

I am a bit too young to have any really historic recollections but perhaps it is worth commenting on the contrast between the grimy image of industrial Batley on your first post card and the two views of Upper Batley.

During the second half of the 19th century, successful businessmen chose to build their houses on the southern slope of the town to get out of the crowded valley. The wealthiest made it to the top of the hill, creating Upper Batley, out-of-sight of the mills but only half a mile away for a daily commute.

The first view is looking up Upper Batley Lane. The building in the foreground is one of the three gatehouses that guard entrances to the parkland surrounding "The Rookeries". This could be the biggest house in the area but it is difficult to tell since the only part of it visible to the passer by is the top of a masonry tower above the trees. In the left foreground are the gates "Alton Lodge' and then to the left of this, high walls hiding other lesser villas from view.

The cottages on the second Upper Batley card give a hint of what the area was like before the big houses came. The trees on the right of this view belong to The Rookeries and sweep round to the gatehouse in card one, more or less opposite the cottages. The Gateway on the left of this view is the entrance to "Uplands", then above this you can see the substantial bulk of The Vicarage, home of the vicar of Batley who seemed to be sharing in the prosperity of the town.

"The pictures are dated 5/2/50. Marshfield was on the top of the hill, Carlinghow Lane. It is above the hospital, on the corner."

"Mill photo probably Dewsbury or Batley"

Close up of above photo

Another mill photo

Close up of above photo.

Kathryn Sykes wrote in February 2009

"The photo is of a junior class at Carlinghow Primary School, Batley, West Yorkshire. I am on the second row from the front 4th from the left. Batley Grammar Schools were single sex schools, one for boys and one for girls. At the present day the boys' school is now fee-paying and mixed and has a junior department and the girls' school is no longer in existence. Carlinghow primary school is a new building and is named Carlinghow Princess Royal School. I taught at Carlinghow Primary School from 1961-1996 so have had a long association with the school.

Best Wishes Kathryn Sykes (nee Stubley)

G. Z. WHITEHEAD
GENERAL MANAGER
JOHN FENTON & DAVID BRADLEY MILLS, LTD
WOOLEN MANUFACTURERS

Managing Director

In January 2007 Robin Tindale wrote to share the following wonderful Batley photos.

"My father Frederick Tindale was born in Batley in 1903, my mother Hilda Moizer was born in Halifax in 1903, but later moved to Batley.

The first three photos are of Harvest Festivals, probably in a Chapel or Church Hall, I think they were taken in the early twenties, the first two are the same year, and were taken by James Glen Photographic Artist Batley. The third photo was taken by A Foster Photographer, Hanging Heaton, but the venue appears to be the same.

Photo No. 1-
2nd left my grandmother, Stephenus Moizer
4th left my grandfather James Edward Moizer."

"4th top left Doris Moizer (aunt)
5th top left Fred Tindale my father
end top right Hilda Moizer my mother
bottom left stood Lily Moizer (aunt)
6th left seated Evelyn Moizer (aunt)"

"My grandfather Fred Tindale who I believe was a Batley Fire station Officer, with his wife Ada and their youngest child of ten, Agnes, standing in front of a fire engine. This was taken in 1921.

In January 2008 John Bastow shared the following splendid Batley photo.

...a charabanc about to leave on a day trip from Pearl St in Batley, probably around 1920. My mother and her mother are on this photo, Minnie Eaton and Ida Eaton respectively.

"my mother is the blonde poser in the white dress and right next to her in the funny hat is her mother, Minnie Eaton.

John Bastow, Janaury 2008

The following five images are part of a series. They are labled BAT 48, BAT 54, BAT 57, BAT 61 and BAT 62. Presumably there were at least 10 more cards in the series. They are quite interesting, as they are obviously not colored photos but black and white photos that have been tinted. The skies are kind of strange backdrops and the edges of the buildings look cut out.

Commercial Street, Batley

The Parish Church, Batley

The tombstone of Benjamin Law can been seen leaning against the wall.

The Wilton Park Cafe, Batley

Town Hall, Batley

The Memorial Park and Library, Batley

by Jonathan Webb

Malcolm Haigh a local Batley historian has written several books about Batley.

• The History of Batley contains many charming stories about Batley
• Historical Snapshots of Batley and Birstall is a lovely book of old postcards and photos with comments by Malcolm.
• His most recent book, Batley Pride, contains more stories of Batley folks.

64 Solway Road
Batley
West Yorkshire, England, WF17 6HH.

• The History of Batley is available at £12.95p (about $23.00)
• Historical Snapshots of Batley and Birstall is £10 (about $17.50)
• Malcolm's latest book, Batley Pride is £13.95p (about $24.00)

Orders, with sterling cheques can be made out either to Malcolm Haigh or The History of Batley Fund.

In April 2006 Alan Farrar and his daughter took pictures of historical points of interest in Batley. Click on the picture of the entrance to Carlinghow Mills to see Alan's photos.