GENUKI: Halifax

Lister Lane cemetery, Halifax, is the last resting place for many eminent and influential people who helped to shape the growth of Halifax and played an active part in political reform and social change. The Crossleys of Dean Clough, Ben Rushton (a popular Chartist), JD Taylor (Halifax Building Society) JH Whitley (Speaker of the House of Commons) and many other local people. There were approximately 13,000 burials on the site and a database has been compiled; for information on the database,
St. Paul's at Cross Stone: A full transcription of all the grave occupants, complete with a surname index. This church and burial ground served the folk of Langfield and Stansfield as a chapel of ease to Halifax Parish Church, and a sister church to Heptonstall. There are literally thousands of graves as the burial ground is still in use.
The work of transcribing all the graves was done by Todmorden enthusiasts Robert Priestley and Jean and David Uttley. It took about 25 years!
A fully searchable index of over 8,000 burials at St Matthew's Church along with around 300 headstone photographs, which is free of charge to view.
Shelf St Michael and All Angels MI's (on the South Bradford Local History Alliance website).
Here is a photograph of Wainsgate Cemetery, Hebden Bridge.
Here are two photographs of the graveyard at Luddenden Dean (the chapel burnt down in 1954).
- The Graveyard, view 1
- The Graveyard, view 2
The Cemetery Chapel, Rastrick.
The site of the Quaker Graveyard, Birds Royd Lane, Rastrick.
The Monumental Inscriptions for Halifax St. Paul's have been transcribed by Susan Johnson and Indexed by Patricia Hayward.
Monumental inscriptions of the Sutcliffe stones at Heptonstall St. Thomas by Melanie Whitehead.

Norwood Green 1841 Census (Hipperholme cum Brighouse Township) (South Bradford Local History Alliance website)
Not a Census, but a list of some Early residents of Halifax.
An index of persons gibbetted at Halifax, 1541 to 1650.
A list of Innkeepers of the Halifax Townships in 1845.
A list of Inhabitants of the House at the May Pole.
A list of the Residents of Luddenden Dean and Saltonstall circa 1850.
A list of the Northowram Constables 1370-1851.
A list of Surveyors of the Highways for Northowram, 1695-1796.
Index to names in The Development of Queensbury.
A list of those who laboured and supplied materials and transport for Highway maintenance at Shelf in 1733.

For Todmorden churches please see the Rochdale parish page.
Here are photographs and other information for:
- The churches in the town of Halifax.
- The churches in the parish of Halifax, places begining with letters A to G.
- The churches in the parish of Halifax, places begining with letters H and I.
- The churches in the parish of Halifax, places begining with letters L and M.
- The churches in the parish of Halifax, places begining with letters N to R.
- The churches in the parish of Halifax, places begining with letters S to W.
Lots of information on the following Churches and Chapels is to be found on the Todmorden and Walsden website:
- The United Methodist Chapel, Lumbutts. This includes the Monumental Inscriptions.
- The Methodist chapel, Heptonstall.
The following Churches have their own websites:
- All Saints, Elland.

New Road School was established in 1837 for non-denominational RI teaching, with Sunday evening services conducted by Baptists, Methodists and Independents. It was used as a day school in 1851 and later taken over as a British School until it became a Board School in 1881. It closed as a school in 1912 when Carr Green School opened, and is now a non-denominational chapel.[Humphrey Bolton 2006]
The Sowerby Town website has histories and photographs for:
- St. Peter's Church
- Boulderclough Chapel
- The Congregational Church
- Providence Chapel
- Rooley Lane Chapel
- Steep Lane Chapel
Norwood Green(Hipperholme cum Brighouse Township), St. George's Church History (South Bradford Local History Alliance website)
Sue Johnson has transcribed two unpublished works from circa 1877:
- Historical notes on the church at Sowerby.
- Historical notes on the church at Illingworth
A transcription of Queensbury Baptist Church History
A transcription of Todmorden Roomfield Baptist Church History
A transcription of Wainsgate Baptist Church History
A transcription of Hebden Bridge Birchcliffe Baptist Church History
A transcription of Halifax North Parade Baptist Church History
A transcription of Hebden Bridge Hope Baptist Church History
A transcription of Sowerby Bridge Steep Lane Baptist Church History
A transcription of Rishworth Baptist Church History
A transcription of Heptonstall Baptist Church History
A transcription of Todmorden Wellington Road Baptist Church History
A transcription of Brearley Baptist Church History
A transcription of Halifax Trinity Road Baptist Church History
A transcription of Norland Baptist Church History
A transcription of West Vale Baptist Church History
A transcription of Nazebottom Baptist Church History
A transcription of Sowerby Bridge Baptist Church History
A transcription of Halifax Lee Mount Baptist Church History
A transcription of Pellon Baptist Church History
A transcription of Huddersfield Salendine Nook Baptist Church History
A transcription of Blackley Baptist Church History
A transcription of Elland Edge Baptist Church History
A transcription of the Booth-Ebenezer Chapel Congregational Church History
A transcription of the Brighouse Congregational Church History
A transcription of the Elland Congregational Church History
A transcription of the Halifax Congregational Church History
A transcription of the Halifax-Northgate End Congregational Church History
A transcription of the Halifax-Square Chapel Congregational Church History
A transcription of the Halifax-Harrison Road Congregational Church History
A transcription of the Halifax-Park Church Congregational Church History
A transcription of the Halifax-Ovenden Congregational Church History
A transcription of the Lightcliffe Congregational Church History
A transcription of the Luddendenfoot Congregational Church History
A transcription of the Mixenden Congregational Church History
A transcription of the Northowram Congregational Church History
A transcription of the Rishworth Congregational Church History
A transcription of the Sowerby Congregational Church History
A transcription of the Sowerby Bridge Congregational Church History
A transcription of the Stainland Congregational Church History
Transcript of the entry for Halifax in the "Collections relative to Churches and Chapels".
Transcript of the entry for Halifax Holy Trinity in the "Collections relative to Churches and Chapels".
Transcript of the entry for Halifax St James in the "Collections relative to Churches and Chapels".
Transcript of the entry for Brighouse in Hipperholme cum Brighouse in the "Collections relative to Churches and Chapels".
Transcript of the entry for Coley in Hipperholme cum Brighouse in the "Collections relative to Churches and Chapels".
Transcript of the entry for Crostone in Stansfield in the "Collections relative to Churches and Chapels".
Transcript of the entry for Elland cum Stainland and Fixby in the "Collections relative to Churches and Chapels".
Transcript of the entry for St John's in the Wilderness in the "Collections relative to Churches and Chapels".
Transcript of the entry for Hebden Bridge in the "Collections relative to Churches and Chapels".
Transcript of the entry for Heptonstall in the "Collections relative to Churches and Chapels".
Transcript of the entry for Illingworth in Ovenden in the "Collections relative to Churches and Chapels".
Transcript of the entry for Lightcliffe in Hipperholme cum Brighouse in the "Collections relative to Churches and Chapels".
Transcript of the entry for Luddenden in Midgley and Warley Upper End in the "Collections relative to Churches and Chapels".
Transcript of the entry for Rastrick in the "Collections relative to Churches and Chapels".
Transcript of the entry for Ripponden in Barkisland in the "Collections relative to Churches and Chapels".
Transcript of the entry for Skircoat in the "Collections relative to Churches and Chapels".
Transcript of the entry for Southowram in the "Collections relative to Churches and Chapels".
Transcript of the entry for Sowerby in the "Collections relative to Churches and Chapels".
Transcript of the entry for Sowerby Bridge in the "Collections relative to Churches and Chapels".

An Index of marriages covering the period 5 April 1754 to 31 December 1812 has been produced by Steve Whitwam from the records of The Elland Church or Chapelry. included are many marriages of people from neighbouring parishes.
A scan of the 'Right of Burial in All Souls Burial Ground'.
On the South Bradford Local History Alliance website:
- Shelf, St. Michael and All Angels Parish Records
- Shelf, Non-conformist records
- Norwood Green, Non-conformist records (Hipperholme cum Brighouse Township)
A transcription from the Yorkshire County Magazine of the Halifax Parish Church Registers, 1542 to 1545.
The Marriages at Halifax St. John's for 1593-1599 have been transcribed by Tana Willis-Johnson:
- 1593-1595, 1597-1597, 1598-1599.
The Burials at Christ Church, Halifax from 1854 to 2012 have been transcribed by Glynn Helliwell:
- Surnames A to B, C to F, G to I, J to O, P to S, T to Z plus oddments.
The Burials at St. Thomas's Church, Halifax have been transcribed by Glynn Helliwell:
- Surnames A to D, E to I, J to R, S to Y.
A list of Church-Wardens within the Township of Northowram from 1675-1862.
Northowram Church Warden's Accounts 1636.
Some Baptisms at Northowram 1786 and 1788.
The Northowram Registers
Indexes to the Northowram Register
- Dickenson's Register, Burials
- Dickenson's Register, Marriages
- Heywood's Register, Marriages
- Heywood's Register, Burials
The whereabouts and dates of the Registers etc. for the Parish of Halifax.
The whereabouts and dates of the Registers etc. for the Chapelry of Brighouse.
The whereabouts and dates of the Registers etc. for the Chapelry of Coley.
The whereabouts and dates of the Registers etc. for the Chapelry of Crag Vale.
The whereabouts and dates of the Registers etc. for the Chapelry of Cross Stone.
The whereabouts and dates of the Registers etc. for the Chapelry of Elland.
The whereabouts and dates of the Registers etc. for the Chapelry of Halifax Holy Trinity.
The whereabouts and dates of the Registers etc. for the Chapelry of Halifax St James.
The whereabouts and dates of the Registers etc. for the Chapelry of Heptonstall.
The whereabouts and dates of the Registers etc. for the Chapelry of Illingworth.
The whereabouts and dates of the Registers etc. for the Chapelry of Lightcliffe.
The whereabouts and dates of the Registers etc. for the Chapelry of Luddenden.
The whereabouts and dates of the Registers etc. for the Chapelry of Rastrick.
The whereabouts and dates of the Registers etc. for the Chapelry of Ripponden.
The whereabouts and dates of the Registers etc. for the Chapelry of Southowram.
The whereabouts and dates of the Registers etc. for the Chapelry of Sowerby.
The whereabouts and dates of the Registers etc. for the Chapelry of Sowerby Bridge.
The whereabouts and dates of the Registers etc. for the Chapelry of Stainland.

Some Halifax Crimes in the 14th Century.
The Court Rolls 1651 Royds Hall and Shelf.

Malcolm Bull's Calderdale Companion web-site contains a vast amount of information about Halifax and Calderdale.
Here are photographs of various places in the parish:
- The Piece Hall, Halifax, with the spire of Square Congregational Church showing behind (opened 1857, built to accommodate the ever growing congregation of Square Chapel next door [which became the Sunday School].
- The School at Hebden Bridge (showing a part of St James' Church).
- Weavers' Square, Heptonstall during the Pace Egg Play.
- Ovenden Hall.
- Illingworth Jail.
- Illingworth Stocks.
- Looking up Luddenden Beck Valley from Luddenden Dean Graveyard
- Looking down Luddenden Beck Valley from Luddenden Dean Graveyard
- Northowram Hall, Northowram.
- The (ex) Oliver Heywood Bell School, Northowram.
- Back to back houses, Cornholme.
- Oats Royd Mill, Luddenden Valley.
Photographs of and from Wainhouse Tower, Kings Cross Halifax from Sue Johnson:
- Wainhouse Tower, King Cross, Halifax, built as a mill chimney but never used, open on certain days of the year, brilliant views from the top.
- another view of the tower from the other side (by Colin Hinson).
- Looking down on Sowerby Bridge, River Calder in the bottom
- Crossley Grammar School. The Building was first known as the Crossley & Porter Orphanage. Then it became the Crossley & Porter Grammar Schools (ie boys' & girls'). It has since become known as the Crossley Heath School after the merger with Heath Grammar School.[David Stacey, Feb. 2005]
- Looking down on Edwards Road and Pye Nest with Sowerby Bridge at the left back of the picture
- Looking down on King Cross, King Cross Methodist Chapel bottom right, Spire of Old St Pauls above.
Websites for Halifax:
- Halifax (Calderdale) Council.
- Garry Stockdill's Yorksview website contains a description and photographs of:
  - Halifax.

Transcript of the entry of "professions and trades" in the Baines's Directory and Gazetteer, Vol I, West Riding.
Transcript of the entry of "professions and trades" in the Pigot's 1829 Directory, Yorkshire section.
Transcript of the entry of "professions and trades" in the Pigot's 1834 Directory, Yorkshire section.
Transcript of the entry of "professions and trades" in the White's 1837 Gazetteer, History and Directory, of the West Riding.

There is further information about this parish from the Pigot's 1829 Directory, Yorkshire section.
There is further information about this parish from the Pigot's 1834 Directory, Yorkshire section.
There is further information about this parish from the White's 1837 Gazetteer, History and Directory, of the West Riding.
There is further information about this parish from the National Gazetteer 1868, Yorkshire extracts.
There is further information about this parish from the Lewis's Topographical Dictionary of England, Yorkshire extracts.
There is further information about this parish from the Stephen Whatley's Gazetteer 1750, Yorkshire extracts.
An index of the Halifax streets, lanes, roads, etc. transcribed from Whites 1853 Directory and Gazetteer.

Malcolm Bull's Calderdale Companion web-site contains a vast amount of information about Halifax and Calderdale.
Here is a photograph of The restored Halifax Gibbet, see Halifax History for information.
The Sowerby Town website contains a history of the town with photographs.
Sue has supplied some photographs of buildings in the Halifax area:
- Holdsworth House, Holmfield (transcribed from " Ancient Halls of Halifax"):
  Passing up the main read from Holmfield Station to the district known as Holdsworth, attention is attracted by iron gates at the entrance to the remains of what was once an avenue. This leads to Holdsworth House, a fine relic of old-time architecture, the external appearance, except for the ivy-covered front, being little changed from the original design. The southern and western gateways are interesting studies, and the house itself, built in three gables, is an imposing structure. A stone over the western gate bears the date 1680, but it is thought the house dates back to 1598. A cross, over one of the south gables, indicates that it was at one time part of the possessions of the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem.
  - Holdsworth House, Holmfield (view 1).
  - Holdsworth House, Holmfield (view 2).
- Shibden Mill Inn, view 1.
- Shibden Mill Inn, view 2.
- Websters Maltings, Ovenden Wood: An awful lot of money was spent on converting these maltings to offices, and then they closed the brewery down and they have been empty ever since. Nobody seems to know what is going to happen to it. At least it's a listed building so they can't pull it down.
- Websters Brewery, Ovenden Wood: A very sad photo of what was once a bustling industry, now it's just left there, rotting away, with a security man patrolling it every now and then.
- Long Cann is one of two houses in Ovenden Wood, both built about the same time, one is owned privately and this one by the brewery. It was restored - cost a lot of money - and used as a museum and reception centre until the brewery closed down. It was stripped of its museum bits but the central heating is kept on and security guards check it. Again what is going to happen to it no one knows.
  - Long Cann, view 1.
  - Long Cann, view 2.
An article about Grindlestone Bank (North and South), with a photograph of Grindlestone Bank South.
Sue Johnson has transcribed an unpublished work from circa 1877 entitled Historical notes on Bradshaw.
Here are various transcriptions by Tana Willis Johnson:
- Here is an article about the Coiners of Halifax and the way in which they were punished.
- A list of some Early residents of Halifax.
- An index of persons gibbetted at Halifax, 1541 to 1650.
- A list of Innkeepers of the Halifax Townships in 1845.
- A list of Innkeepers of the Halifax Townships in 1845. {House at the Maypole}
- A list of the Residents of Luddenden Dean and Saltonstall circa 1850.
- A list of the Northowram Constables 1370-1851.
- A list of Surveyors of the Highways for Northowram, 1695-1796.
- Index to names in The Development of Queensbury.
- A list of those who laboured and supplied materials and transport for Highway maintenance at Shelf in 1733.

For a detailed map of this parish see this parish boundaries map.
For a more detailed map of the parishes in the riding please see the Yorkshire parish maps page.
For a more detailed map of the county please see the Yorkshire map page.
Here is a map showing the wapentakes for the county.

The 1914-18 Memorial Plaque in Coley Church.
The World War I Memorial at St James, Hebden bridge.

A transcription by Tana Johnson of the members of the Second West Yorks Cavalry, 1845.
A transcription by Mark Andrew of the members of the Halifax Volunteer Corps of Infantry, 1802

The following places are within the boundaries of this (ancient) parish, but I have no further information on them other than the Ordnance Survey Landranger Grid reference shown:
- (SE122198) Ainley Top
- (SE148251) Bailiff Bridge
- (SE107198) Blackley
- (SE035171) Booth Wood
- (SE122297) Bracken Beds(Upper and Lower)
- (SE094197) Broad Carr
- (SD952247) Castle Street
- (SD974264) Charlestown
- (SD966286) Colden
- (SE087227) Copley
- (SE125214) Elland Lower Edge
- (SE125208) Elland Upper Edge
- (SE066210) Greetland Wall Nook
- (SD923272) Hawks Stones
- (SE065262) Highroad Well Moor
- (SD939253) Hole Bottom
- (SE030228) Hubberton Green
- (SD933228) Knowl Wood
- (SE094193) Jagger Green
- (SE043210) Kebroyd
- (SE055184) Krumlin
- (SE093216) Lindwell
- (SE053218) Longley
- (SD955234) Lumbutts
- (SD998286) Midgehole
- (SE142268) Norwood Green
- (SE088179) Outlane
- (SE039266) Oats Royd Mill
- (SD996294) Pecket Well
- (SE065184) Penny Hill
- (SE073226) Pickwood Scar
- (SE026178) Pike End
- (SE046174) Pike Law
- (SE133264) Priestley Green
- (SD907264) Pudsey
- (SD953291) Rodmer Clough
- (SD977286) Slack
- (SE080188) Sowood Green
- (SE146236) Thornhill Bridge (or Thornhill Briggs)
- (SE067295) Upper Brockholes
- (SD913262) Vale
- (SE097212) West Vale

Roger Beasley is in the process of going through the Sowerby Bridge Chronicle newspaper. He is putting lists of names of people from the Halifax area extracted from it online, along with scans of the pages.

The Halifax Courier.
Roger Beasley is in the process of going through the Sowerby Bridge Chronicle newspaper. He is putting lists of names of people from the Halifax area extracted from it online, along with scans of the pages.

A partial list of probate records for Halifax, 1400-1595 by Deb Walker.

On the South Bradford Local History Alliance website:
- Norwood Green, Polls 1841 & 1848 (Hipperholme cum Brighouse Township)
- Shelf Township Records (Polls, Bastardy records, etc)
A transcription of a paper presented by Mr H P Kendall to the Halifax Antiquarian Society in 1906 giving extracts from the accounts of the Sowerby Constables. This includes a full list of the constables.

The Halifax Antiquarian Society exists to research, preserve and record the long and rich history of the ancient Parish of Halifax.
The Hebden Bridge Local History Group was formed in 1949 and is a section of the Hebden Bridge Literary and Scientific Society.
The Charlestown History Group was set up in March 1998 with the aim of finding out the history of its own backyard.
RALHG as the group are known, is a small band of local people who have an interest all aspects of Rastrick history.
The group meet at 5.00pm on the second Tuesday of each month at Rastrick Library, Crowtrees Lane, Rastrick. New members are always welcome to discuss local history topics.
This parish is covered by the following Society:
- Calderdale FHS

Shelf Township Valuation 1817 (South Bradford Local History Alliance website)
A list of Collectors of the Land Tax within the Township of Northowram 1696-1792.
An index of those who paid the Hearth Tax, Northowram 1665.
An index of those who paid the Land Tax, Northowram 1704.
An index of those who paid the Hearth Tax, Shelf 1665.
An index of those who paid the Land Tax, Shelf 1704.
A list of the people chargeable for the Hearth Tax in Hipperholme and Brighouse in 1666.
A list of those paying the 1379 Subsidy Rolls (Poll Tax) for this parish.

The Ancient Parish of HALIFAX

Cemeteries

Census

Churches

Church History

Church Records

Community Websites

Court Records

Description and Travel

Directories

Gazetteers

History

Maps

Memorial Inscriptions

Military Records

Names, Geographical

Names, Personal

Newspapers

Poor Houses, Poor Law, etc.

Probate Records

Public Records

Societies

Taxation