A History of Roberttown Village

Click here to read about the History of Liversedge

HOW DID ROBERTTOWN GET ITS NAME?

The name is thought to be derived from the de Liversedge family who lived

in Liversedge Hall 1086 —— 1316. Rudolf de Liversedge was a knight, he

only had a daughter Alica. She married a Robert Flaneburghe (or

Flamborough) who then became the Lord of the manor upon Rudolf’s death

and he took the name Robert de Liversedge. They had a son and called him

Roger. Roger had a son who was named Robert de Liversedge and was the

last male de Liversedge to be connected with Liversedge Hall because he

didn’t have any sons. His daughter married into the rich Neville family, they

then lived in Liversedge Hall. We are not sure whether Roberttown is

named after grandfather or grandson. Roberttown was called Liversedge

Robert. Because of the division of township there were many faction

fights between Liversedge Robert and Liversedge Essolf. Relics of these

fights could be heard not so long ago, as children would sing,

‘Heyttahners allas feyt

Robertahners here every year’.

ROBERTTOWN CHURCH AND CHURCH RECORDS

Up until 1845 when All Saints Church Roberttown was

consecrated, Roberttowners had to attend church in

Birstall as Roberttown was technically in the parish

of Birstall. All Saints Church was known as a

‘Chapel of Ease’, because it was easier for Robert- 4

towners to go there instead of trailing all the way

to Birstall, but in 1870 it became a parish church

in its own right.

The church records can provide an abundance of

interesting information on a number of things.

For instance, the first baptism was that of boy called

George Hirst in 1854, and the first marriage was between

william Durrans and Sarah Hirst in 1851. The early

records include a high number of infant mortalities, this

reflects the social and environmental climate of that time.

The first burial at All Saints was recorded in 18&5.

Before compulsory education in the early 1900′s quite a

lot of people who were married at All Saints Roberttown

signed the register with a cross; as they did not know

how to write, someone would then sign for them. The last

entry of this kind was as late as 1910.

It is also very interesting to see the main occupations in

the village. Roberttown was very much a mining area, this

is reflected in the number of colliers and teamsters on

record. The other two main occupations were in the textile

industry and agriculture. Very few women in the village had

jobs, they were usually employed in the textile industry,

or as seamstresses or maids.

 

 

THE LUDDITES IN ROBERTTOWN

On the 11th April 1812 the Luddites gathered in a field

belonging to Sir George Armytage behind the Dumb Steeple

at the Three Nuns. From here they crossed the fields

behind their pre-arranged meeting place to mount the

attack on Rawfolds.

The siege of Rawfolds lasted only 20 minutes but during

that time several Luddites had been wounded, two mortally

and they were fast running out of ammunition. The alarm ·

bell at the mill was ringing constantly and the Luddites

feared the soldiers may arrive at any moment. Reluctantly

they withdrew, leaving behind two of their comrades

bleeding copiously.

Samuel Hartley of Halifax and John Booth of Huddersfield

were both badly wounded and were treated by the local

doctor in Rawfolds until the arrival of the Militia.

On Sunday 12 April Booth and Hartley were taken to the

Yew Tree Inn (no longer an inn, now known as Headlands Hall)

this was an important coaching house, directly opposite the

toll—house.

Before long a great crown began to gather outside the inn.

The Military were ill at ease as so many people had sympathy

with the prisoners, so much so that they eventually had the

two men taken to The Star Inn at the centre of Roberttown.

Here a large crowd again gathered, so large this time as to A

need horse-soldiers to keep them under control.

Both men were questioned closely by Parson Roberson of ·

Liversedge who was a very militant Tory and a great hunter

of Luddites, and regarded by many at the time as being more

of a Spanish Inquisitor than an Anglican parson. Rumour had

it that the captives had been tortured as traces of Aqua

Fortis (nitric acid) were found on the sheets, it was

claimed to have been used to cauterize Booths wound.

whether or not the two men had been tortured neither

divulged any information to lead to the capture of their

comrades.

At 6.am that morning Booth died at The Star Inn of his wounds.

There is a story that when he knew he was dying, he beckoned

to Roberson and whispered “Can you keep a secret?”

Roberson replied that he could, Booth then

answered, “so can I” , without saying another word

Booth died. Hartley died the following morning}

After the siege at Rawfolds the Luddites scattered

for fear of reprisals, although no arrests were

made immediately, five men were later hanged in

York for their part in the siege.

ROBERTTOWN RACES

Roberttown races began early in the 19th century which were

tun on Peep Green which was then an open tract of wast land.

They soon became an important village event and were

patronised by turf men of note. The course stretched from

the bottom of Low common by the Star Inn to The Grey Ox Inn.

On each side of the course were booths to sell drinks for

which licences were not necessary. Gestivities would last

for three days in mid—summer.

The races were watched by large crowds of people, cottages

were rented out just for the race. At Prospect House, on

Prospect Lane, there can be seen railings on the roof, from ·

here people got a grandstand view of the race as the horses

came up from Low common, past Prospect House and on towards

The Grey Ox Inn.

At one point the course crossed the Old Leeds and Huddersfield

Road, a fatal accident happened when horses were in collision

with a fully loaded haulage wagon, in this a jockey was killed.

This led to the abolition of the meeting, although annual

local races were still run for a few years, then they gradually

developed into a country fair.

 

 

ROBERTTOWN ‘OLD FOLKS TREAT’

The fair also became very popular. In 1898 a snowman called

Harry Ashington (he had a puppet show locally known as

‘The Bob Dolly Show’) had enjoyed such a good fair that he

felt he should do something for Roberttown. He decided to

give the old people of Roberttown a free tea. This was the

start of the Roberttown Old Folks Treat. Due to the ·

admirable work of subsequent committees a treat has been

given every year since, this year will be the 85th Treat.

The ‘Treat’ was originally a tea followed by a concert, but i

now ‘The Old Folks’ are taken on an outing. In spite of two

world wars the annual treat has neven missed, but one year

there was no tea given because rationing was very severe at

the time, but they enjoyed the usual concert.

To pay for these treats the hard working committee over the

years have had various functions to raise the money required.

It is on record that one year a live Nanny Goat was raffled.

One person decided to beg no more than one old penny from

any(onefperson. Now the committee go round house to house

as ing or donations for this worthy cause.

 

A WHIT MONDAY IN ROBERTTOWN AS TOLD BY

THE RESIDENTS IN ROBERTTOWN GRANGE

On Whit Monday Roberttowners all looking smart in their

best Whitsuntide clothes would gather at the church or

chapel. They would walk around the village and sing

hyms at various points. At the school they would stop

for a cup of tea and a long bun without butter!

Everyone then went to the cricketfield, where a band

played and they would enjoy themselves singing and

dancing. The teenagers would form a large ring,

alternate boy then girl all holding hands, this was

called a kissing ring. A boy would stand in the

centre of the ring and the rest would skip round

him singing;

King william was King James son

All the royal rest was done

Upon his breast he wore a star

pointing to the royal heart

Choose in the east

choose in the west

choose the one that you love best

down on this carpet you may kneel

as the grass grows in the field

salute your bride and kiss her sweet

rise again upon your feet

the boy would then choose a girl from the ring and

kiss her, the girl would then stand in the middle

while they sang the rhyme again, the girl would

then choose a boy to kiss and so it went on.

Many a Roberttowner met their husband or wife at

the whit Monday kissing ring.

 

 

HEADLANDS HALL

Headlands Hall was built in 1690, it is situated at the

junction of Roberttown Lane and Huddersfield Road.

It was built by Josiah Farrer, who was at one time

Chief Constable of Liversedge.

Josiah gave the Hall to his son John when he married.

Sadly John died at the early age of 23, he left a son

called Josias. Josias, grandson of builder of

Headlands Hall “endowed the town’s school at Liversedge

with eight pounds per annum for teaching and instructing

16 poor children in that town.”

Headlands probably became an inn during the 17th century

(perhaps this is a little ironic as Josiah Farrer was a

preacher) and later gained fame as a fine coaching inn.

It was called the Old Yew Tree, it gained national fame

after the Luddites attack on Rawfolds Mill, because two

badly wounded Luddites, John Booth and Samuel Hartley

were taken there. A large angry crowd gathered after they

saw what rough treatment the two men had been given in an

effort to make them confess. The two Luddites were then

moved to the Star Inn at Roberttown, there they both died.

After the Luddite rising, spies were sent by the government

to stir up plots against the government. The spies would

then tell the authorities. when the men had been incited

and were arrested and sentenced, the spy would collect a

reward. One of the most famour, or maybe we should say

infamous spies operating in the Roberttown area was known

as ‘Oliver the spy’. Two local men, Edward Fletcher and

Michael Waller met Oliver in the Old Yew Tree, he

encouraged them to meet ‘other’ plotters in Thornhill Lees

at the Sportsmans Inn, there the troops waited and arrested

them.

The Old Yew Tree had a carriers business and was also a

staging post for the ‘Tally ho’ coach.

In 1979 a 20 ft deep well was discovered in the

fruit garden of Headlands Hall. It seems

there are plenty more interesting things to y

discover at Headlands Hall (and at Roberttown)

which could shed more light on its fascinating

history.

 

ROBERTTOWN’S COTTON INDUSTRY

A Lancashire man called John wright came to

Roberttown and set up a cotton industry, perhaps

this was a little unusual in a predominant woollen

textile area. Why he should choose Roberttown in

which to establish his cotton industry remains a

puzzle. Maybe he thought labour was cheap, and

cotton weaving was not totally unknown in Roberttown.

He brought cotton weavers from Lancashire with him,

and took on young people as apprentices to work on

the looms for small wages.

John Wright had built a row of brick cottages, probably

for the purpose of hand loom cotton weaving, these

cottages were known as the Cotton Row. These cottages

were situated in the centre of Roberttown on what is

now derelict land, as the Cotton Row was demolished in

the early 1970′s.

On Lumb Lane there was a cotton mill, it was built in

It was a five storey building with a large chimney,

which was a landmark for miles around. Cotton spinning

was carried out until the 1939·45 war, when the building

was utilised as a Government Storage Depot.

when the Government no longer required the building, it

was found to be unsafe and so the top two stories were

removed, also the mill chimney was demolished.

The building was then used by Bondlite Ltd. Plastics.

On 5 November 1975 a fire, described as ‘one of the

fiercest blazes in Spen Valley for years’, completely

gutted the building. The ruin was cleared away, and

bungalows are built on the site.

 

INDUSTRIES ON CHILD LANE ROBERTTOWN

There is evidence on old ordnance survey maps

that chemical works with Coperas tanks was once

on Child Lane. The lower stones of the houses at

the corner of Child Lane are turning blue, this is

further evidence that copperas tanks were once

situated there.

In 1919 until 1926 the ‘works’ became a wire drawing

mill under the name of B Sumner & Co. John Cotton

(Jute) Ltd now at Mirfield, took over the old works.

It was a two storey building, but after a fire it was

restored to a one storey building. when John Cotton

moved to Mirfield the works changed hands many times.

First part of the building was taken over by Stanley

Hughes Motors (now at Whitehall Road, Birkenshaw) when

Stanley Hughes left, the building was taken over by

wire Brushes Ltd. They manufactured all types of brush

for export and the home market. In 1968 wire Brushes Ltd

were taken over by the present owner E & D Laycock

Engineers, who do a large amount of work for North Sea

Oil Rigs.

Towards the end of Child Lane were the glass works,

it was only a small building until the outbreak of

war and was owned by Saxtons Glass Workers. During the

war it was enlarged and became part of The Rockward

Glass Co., eventually the work at Roberttown ceased and

was taken to Doncaster. However the building was taken

over by Resinform and Regina Glass Co. subsidiaries

of B B A group of companies.

 

 

EDUCATION IN ROBERTTOWN

Roberttown has two old schools, they stand opposite

each other on Roberttown Lane (one is now the Community

Association H O, the other stands empty).

Compulsory education only started in the early 1900′s, before

this there had only been a Church school, but with compulsory

education came a ‘board—School’. This was managed by the

school board, hence the name. There was great rivalry between

the two schools, and you can still hear elderly Roberttowners

say “I went to the board school”.

Below we have listed a few comments from some Roberttown

school reports:

 

EDUCATION DEPARTMENT REPORT ON ROBERTTOWN SCHOOL

1OTH JUNE 1872.

‘The school is in very fair order and needlework is

taught with care, but the results, if any, are poor’.

The next part was written by a teacher in 1873 over a

period of two days.

1. ‘Taught the children not to pronounce the indefinite

article ‘a’ like the ‘af in the word ‘day’, and to

pronounce the long sound of ‘of as in ‘mo’, ‘go’

‘know’ etc.’

2. ‘Punished Albert Tordoff, Thomas walker, John Thomas

Wornald and Henry Wilkinson for indecent conduct to

one of the girls, when returning home yesterday evening.’

School Report 1890

Nov 3rd Heckmondwike fair. Very poor attendance consequently.

Nov 2Ath Children commenced to come to school at 1.30 in the

afternoon instead of 2 for the winter months.

 

SUMMARY OF H M INSPECTORS REPORT

17 OCTOBER 1893

MIXED SCHOOL

“The school is in a fair state of order and efficiency.

The organization of the work of the various classes in

two rooms with the present staff needs very careful 4

management. Special care is also needed to make the

lessons in reading, grammar and arithmetic exercises for

the intelligence of the children. The supply of books

and maps needs consideration.”

 

 

INFANTS SCHOOL

“The children are kindly and diligently taught. Their

attainments are creditable. The younger children still

need special care.”

From a school report dated June 1910/

“The physical instruction of the boys as taken on the day

of inspection by the headmaster was of little point or value.”

“Practical mending has been introduced and the girls

are trained to do their own fixing. The correct use of

thimbles needs some attention.”

 

 

SCOUTING IN ROBERTTOWN

The present Roberttown Scout movement was founded in 1933.

The Scouters in charge were the Vicar, Mr J Mitchell and

Mr J Moorhouse. Fourteen boys were selected and the troop

met in the vicarage garden, here they held camp each week-

end. The Owls and Eagles were the first two patrols, but as

numbers grew the Hound and Squirrel Patrols followed. During

the winter months the cellar ‘ole or vicarage cellar was used

for the indoor H.Q. Here Scouts could enjoy Ping—Pong,

woodwork, Electrical work and even Chemistry.

In November of the same year a Cub pack was formed by

Mr F Smith and continued under the guidance of Mr Mitchell

as Cub Master and Mr Moorhouse as Assistant. The unit now

became a group with the Vicar as Group Scoutmaster and

Mr Beaumont as Scoutmaster. Over the years following, various

alterations were made to the original camp on the vicarage

land. Cubs and Scouts alike made trips to other summer camps

and on the 12 May 1937, Scouts and Guides held a celebration

camp fire to listen to the coronation speech from the new king.

ln 1956 the Scouts reformed in the Mirfield and Heckmondwike

district, and are presently housed in a new brick built H.O.

in the Roberttown recreation field, which has recently been

refurbished. The present Group Scout Leader is Mr G Nind,

the Scout Leader is Mr A Firth and the assistant Scout Leader

is Mr S Nicholls. The Cub Scout Leader is Mrs M Knapton

and her assistant is Mr G Stead. -

 

 

SUMMARY

This webpage has attempted to show the development

of the village of Roberttown through the ages.

Historic details have been researched and recorded as

accurately as possible by various members of the community.

It has not, unfortunately, been possible to include

details of many of the cottage industries which existed

in the past. Cotton and textile weaving flourished for

many years, as did wire brush making and larger industries

such as open cast mining. Although these industries no

longer exist, descendants of the weavers and brush makers

are still active members of the community.

It is hoped, however, that this page, albeit brief

has proved both interesting and enjoyable, and it may

prompt further research from the reader on his own

account.