For more images of the prison go to Wakefield Prison

At the back of South Parade, in George street, stand Zion Independent Chapel and new schools. Until lately the chapel was called "Bruce's," after the Rev. Samuel Bruce, the first minister: The present building was constructed in 1844 on the site of the original structure, which was opened, it is said, 1st January, 1783. The conveyance of the land bears date 22nd October, 1782, Rodney yard then being Fox yard, and George street Ings lane. The congregation previously met in the Great Bull yard. The schools were built in 1868.

Mr. Samuel Thompson, in 1840, being then 80 years, informed Mr. Ince that in 1778 the Rev. Mr. Ralph, an Independent minister, a relative of his uncle's, John Thompson's, of Westgate, innkeeper (Coopers' Arms), came here, and Sunday after preached in a house in Theatre yard (now Drury-lane). Samuel Thompson was then 18 years old, and lived with his uncle. Mr. Ralph being threatened for preaching in an unlicensed house, on the following Sunday preached at Flanshaw-hill to a large assembly. Immediately after, a room was taken in the Great Bull yard, Westgate, which was occupied about 2 years - part of the time by supplies. The Rev. Mr. Tappe officiated, and he expected to have been called to be minister of the new chapel, but the Rev. Saml. Bruce was called, and became the first minister. Mr. Bruce was succeeded by the Rev. J. D. Lorraine. The Rev. William Tappe's widow, whose maiden name was Clarkson, is buried in Zion chapel vard, "Mary, wife of Rev. Wm. Tapp, died 30 Aug., 1783, aged 28 years." This is the origin of modern Independency in Wakefield, established first by Mr. John Thompson and his nephew, Mr. Samuel Thompson. Mr. Thompson and his family were afterward attendars at Salem chapel. - T. N. I.

Walks in Yorkshire; Wakefield and its neighbourhood: with map, and fifty ... By William Stott Banks, 1870

This enterior was not what was seen by Charles Land and Elizabeth Dunford when their son, James, was baptized in this church in 1789. The church was rebuilt in the 1840s on the same site as the old church established in the early 1780s.

In May 2011 Richard Lowther wrote that the Zion Congregational Church is now luxury apartments.

Looking towards the church of All Saints

Looking towards the church of All Saints.

Not posted

On March 16, 2009 Terry Stead wrote:

"This is looking along Little Westgate, some of the buildings on the left are still there. You have another just further on looking down Bread Street. Bread Street runs parallel with Little Westgate in fact the buildings on the left of Little Westgate have their back in Bread St. If you compare the Cathedral in both you will see the it is the same aspect.

Westgate Common lies between Alverthorpe and Thornes on the north side of the road to Dewsbury just outside the town proper.

The map shows the locations of Westgate Common and Clayton Hills, two "addresses" connected with John Land, when he lived in Wakefield in the mid 1800s.

All of the area north of the road to Dewsbury is new. As a matter of fact, there was a lot of construction of new developments going on when we visited in June 2002.

A little further northwest just before getting to Alverthorpe is an area called, Flanshaw, where there was this group of "older" houses.

Date unknown

In June 2014 Jean Richardson wrote:

The photo is taken on Batley Road in Alverthorpe, just after the junction with Flanshaw Lane if you want to have a look on a satellite map. Both the buildings on the photo survive, the building on the right was Alverthorpe Methodist Chapel where I was baptised but is no longer used as a place of worship. The building on the left is the former Alverthorpe Infants School, where I went to school from age 4 years. It is now a community building where various groups meet. There are a number of photos of old Alverthorpe in existence and a comprehensive Wakefield Archive of information.

Date unknown

William Law and his family lived in West Ardsley from at least 1838 to 1840. Emma Law was born in West Ardsley in 1838 and Littice Law was born in West Ardsley in 1840.

Sandal (or Sandal Magna) is a suburb two miles south of Wakefield. It was recorded in 1086 in the Doomsday Book as having a church with a priest.

Sandal Church

Sandal Castle Ruins

Sandal was a medieval fortified castle belonging to the Manor of Wakefield.

The Ancient Manor of Wakefield was largely covered in forest. King Edward the Confessor (1003-1066) was the first known Lord of the Manor. After the battle of Hastings in 1066 the property passed to William the Conqueror. Yorkshire men rebelled against William in 1068. In retaliation William and the Normans ravaged the land destroying homesteads, villages and towns. The area was devastated. When the Doomdday Book was compiled 16 years later the value of the Manor of Wakefield was a forth of what it had been in the time of the Confessor.

In 1091 the manor was granted by the king to his nephew, William, 2nd Earl of Warenne and Surrey. The third Earl died in Palestine during the crusades. In 1204 the 6th Earl was granted a charter to hold a fair at the feast of All Saints. In 1258 he obtained an additional charter to hold a fair at the feast of St. John the Baptist. The 8th and last Earl died in 1347 without heir. The Manor of Wakefield reverted to the crown.

SANDAL CASTLE NEAR WAKEFIELD

Haselden Hall Wakefield (also called North Gate) was an old "burgage"* house built in Elizabethan times. It was located at the Northern extreme of the city of Wakefield and was the home of the Wentworths and Saviles.

"At an old mansion in Northgate, Wakefield, known as Haselden hall, and said to have derived its name from a family which lived in it in the reign of Henry VI. are other memorials of the Saviles. The date 1584 is frequently repeated on the ceiling, with shields of the arms of Savile, two of them bearing the differences of a crescent and a mullet, being the same as are carved on stone over the ancient gateway of Wakefield Grammar-school"

The Herald and Genealogist, Volume 7 edited by John Gough Nichols, 1873

"Haselden Hall is an old building that was chiefly wood, but which has been cut into two parts and re-fronted, whereby its ancient character and picturesqueness have been destroyed. The detached parts still contain memorials of the Saviles. After the death of Thomas Savile, without issue, it passed to Sir William Wentworth, and afterwards to the Lords Strafford, of the second creation, and at the death of the last Earl it went to his sister, Mrs. Hatfield Kaye, of Hatfield Hall, and afterwards by devise to Mr. John Harter, who took the name of Hatfield. Sir William Wentworth, father of the Earl. Sir William married Isabella, daughter of Sir Allan Apsley, Knt. Treasurer to the household of the Duke of York (afterwards King James II.), by whom he had issue five sons and six daughters. Sir William inherited the greater part of the Savile estates at Wakefield, in right of his mother. "In legal documents of the time," says Mr. Cartwright, " he is usually described as of that town, but it does not appear that he was for any considerable time a resident there, all his family with one notable exception having been born elsewhere. In 1672, his newly acquired estates in Yorkshire had given him such a position in the county that he was chosen to serve the office of High Sheriff; and there is every reason for believing that during his year of office he occupied Stanley Hall, near Wakefield, at the time the property of the Pilkington family. At any rate, his son Thomas was born there, if we may take an assertion of that fact in one of his own letters as true. The parish registers of Wakefield prove Thomas to have been baptized in the old church of that town on September 17th, 1672. Six months afterwards, that is about the time of the termination of Sir William Wentworth's Shrievalty, and of his election as Member of Parliament for Thirsk, the family moved up to London, where the influence of the Apsleys was sufficient to procure for Lady Wentworth, and for most of her children as they grew up, appointments of more or less value connected with the Court."

Worthies, Families, and Celebrities of Barnsley and the District By Joseph Wilkinson, 1883

The house no longer stands.

Peter writes: "It was bricked up in the early 18th century so the timber appearance was lost - also the east and west wings were pulled down leaving two separate buildings with their gables facing onto Northgate. The south wing was pulled down later in 20th century and finally the north wing was demolished in 1967."

In December 2015 Simon Booth shared this image of his great, great grant father, John Samuel Booth who was mayor of Wakefield in 1892 and owned Castle Bank Mills.

Birth: Circa 1846 to John Booth Morley Blacksmith and his wife Martha.

1851: Windmill Lane, Morley cum Chruwell, John Booth , 45, blacksmith, Martha 45, Mary Ann 19, sress maker, Elizabeth 15, Rebecca 13, Jane 11, Sarah, 9, John Samuel 5, Martha 3, James Brown, 23, journeyman blacksmith, Thomas Booth, 18, apprentice blacksmith

1861: Windmill Lane Morley, John Booth 56, smith and quarry owner, Martha Booth 56, Jane Booth 21, Sarah Booth 19, Martha Booth 13, John S Booth 15, James Wordsworth 18, blacksmith, James Wright 15, blacksmith

1867: Marriage March 7, parish church at Batley, John Samuel booth age 21 bachelor manufacturer, born Morley son of John Booth blacksmith, to Eunice Ann Holroyd 20 spinster, born Morley daughter of John Holroyd farmer.

1871: Belle Isle, Wakefield, John Saml Booth 25, wollen cloth manufacturer employing 44 hands, Eunice Ann Booth 24, John Holroyd Booth 3, Louise Booth 1, Sarah Holroyd 50, mother in law, Annie Hartley 17, servant

1881: Castle Bank House, John S. Booth 35, Cloth Manfr Employing 130 Hands, born Marley (Morley?) Eunice A. Booth 34, wife, Lois Booth 11, Constance Booth 8, Henry Booth 6, Eveline Booth 4, James Booth 8 months, Sarah Holroyd 60, mother in law, Edith Crowther 28, domestic, Emma Ashton 21, domestic

1891: Castle Bank House, John Samuel Booth 45, cloth manufacturer, born Morley, Eunice A Booth 44 John H Booth 23 Lois Booth 21 Henry Booth 16 Sarah Holroyd 70 Clara Foster 27

1885: John Samuel booth, Wakefield Manufacturer (History of the Free Grammar School of Queen Elizabeth at Wakefield)

1887: John S., Castle Bank mills, Wakefield, warehouse, Britannia street, and York place (The Commercial Directory and Shippers Guide)

1911: Castle Bank House Wakefield John Samuel Bootle 65, Chairman Of Company, born Morley, Eunice Ann Bootle 64 James Bootle 30 Sarah Glover 69 Mary Andrewartha 25 Jeannie Milward 24

1920: John S Booth, Date of Registration: Dec 1920, Age at Death: 75, Registration district: Wakefield, Yorkshire West Riding, Volume: 9c, Page: 69