Welcome:

Welcome to Kirklees Local & Family History Site Formerly Kirkheaton OPC

If you would like to advertise in this area please Contact Me

16 December 2011

If you would like to advertise in this area please Contact Me

16 December 2011

If you would like to advertise in this area please Contact Me

16 December 2011

WhatsNew:

Website Name Change: New Roll of Honour: Newspaper Thomas Hamer of the Crimia Inn: Huddersfield Library List

New for Next Year

Database January 2012: Roberttown Gravemap: Villages Almondbury & Kirkburton: Memorial Inscripsions Roberttown & Hartshead

Duke of Wellington

Duke of Wellington West Riding Regiment

This database will list all men who served in the regiment during the Great War, not only the men who died but those who survived, and PoWs.
It’s expected to come online at the end of 2012 and will be an ongoing project, records taken from newspapers, Church Magazines and other documents.
If you have any information please contact me.

Roll of Honour:

New Roll of Honour

The Roll of Honour is split into two areas of Kirklees, Huddersfield and Dewsbury.
It is ongoing project and is updated at regular intervals; it will contain all the men Killed during the Great War.
There are link on the list to other websites, including Kirklees War Memorials.
if you have any information please contact me:

Updated: 16 December 2011

The name "Kirklees" was chosen by the merging councils from more than fifty suggestions, including "Upper Agbrigg", "Brigantia" and "Wooldale".
It was named after Kirklees Priory, legendary burial place of Robin Hood. The site of the priory is now Kirklees Park Estate, situated mid way between Huddersfield and Dewsbury and the location of Kirklees Hall, and is in the district of Calderdale. Kirklees District’s administrative centre is Huddersfield, which is the largest town in England without city status.
Kirklees also encompasses the smaller towns of Batley, Birstall, Cleckheaton, Denby Dale, Dewsbury, Heckmondwike, Holmfirth, Kirkburton, Marsden, Meltham, Mirfield and Slaithwaite.
Most of the settlements of the District are old mill towns. The District’s growth during the Industrial Revolution was based on the woollen textile industry, as well as industries such as coalmining.
Settlements were created or expanded to provide housing for the workers required.
The construction of canals and railways enabled the commercial growth of these sectors. Huddersfield built its reputation on fine textiles and its woollen worsteds are still widely exported.

HUDDERSFIELD

Huddersfield is the chief seat of the Woollen Manufacturing; is to the South West of Halifax, it is 35 mile South East of York and about 14 mile from Leeds. Huddersfield stands in the valley of the river Colne.
The town of Huddersfield all the houses are built of stone and the streets are clean and well paved, and the general aspect of the place is attractive.
There is a large Cloth Hall for the transactions of the business connected to the Woollen Manufacturing of the town.
The chief production of the town is Worsted, Silk, Cotton, manufacturing Shawls and Waist coating.

DEWSBURY

The ancient importance of Dewsbury is connected more with ecclesiastical than civil history, in the time of the Saxon’s it was one of most extensive parishes in England and covered a area of 400 square Miles.
Dewsbury is a thriving manufacturing town, and the class of good’s here are heavy woollen, Fancy, Blankets, Carpets and Rugs.
The river calder gives a partial supply of water needed for this type of manufacturing.
But pure water is needed for Scouring, Dyeing and Finishing Heavy Woollen; the water is obtained from a large catchment area lying between Penistone and Manchester.