Batley Carr Conservative Club

Manchester Courier 20 Jan 1882

Although there are earlier reports of the club the Batley Carr Conservative Club building was formally opened on 19th January 1882 with an amount of pomp and circumstance by the Right Honourable James Lowther, MP. The Manchester Courier described

“a triumphal arch, consisting of evergreens and decorated with flags” 

that had been erected near the entrance of the club. Upon the front of the building was a welcome sign reading

“Welcome to the Right Hon, James Lowther, M.P.” 

who formally opened the new building. Amongst other people present was the Mayor of Dewsbury and former MP for Leeds, William St. James Wheelhouse who welcomed James Lowther and together they made an inspection of the building before an address was made to him and read by Mr A. J. Dixon the club.

In this address they made mention of the

“rise and progress of Conservatism at Batley Carr” and the “whole of the parliamentary boroughs of Dewsbury and Batley”.  

Commenting on the fact that although this rise was recent it had been

 “so vigorous and rapid as to justify our warmest hopes for the future”.  

Manchester Courier, 20th January 1882.

The opening was followed by lunch in the National Schoolroom and then in the evening a “soiree” which the Huddersfield Chronicle reported as

“a great demonstration in the Industrial Hall Dewsbury”

after the opening due to a large attendance of over 1000 people. The audience included many prominent Conservatives and members of other Conservative clubs in the area. Henry Wharton, President of the club said that it was felt that the “working men” of Batley Carr had realised after the Conservatives had been defeated in the General Election that they needed to establish a Conservative Club in Batley Carr. The club had started with a membership of just 30 in 1880 but by the opening of the club this had risen to 198 members. They had spent a total of £200 furnishing the club and had £12 in hand. Huddersfield Chronicle 20 January 1882

Upper Road, Batley Carr. From the Kirklees Image Archive (K000900). 

In 1883 tragedy hit the club when Morris Kilburn, who had been a prominent part of establishing the Conservative Club at Batley Carr, was found dead in the mill dam of Messrs Joseph Newsome & Sons, Albion Mills, Henry Street. He was 46 years old and manager of the said mills where he was held in high regard after holding that position for several years. He had got up at 4.30 on that morning but was found by one of the mill hands, Simeon Mills, floating in the dam at 7am. Although people around him knew that he was “not very well” nobody had suspected that he was so despondent to take his own life.

Various social events happened at the club. A week of social meeting saw suppers provided and between 40 and 50 people sat down to eat. Friends contributed to the entertainments and it was said that

“quite an array of talent was brought together”. 

After the entertainments and loyal toasts the rest of the evening was spent in

“singing glees, duets and songs both sentimental and humorous”

Following on from this week of events later in the year a series of musical evenings took place with supper provided followed by a variety of musical entertainment. Dewsbury Reporter 15 March 1884 & 25 October 1884

In 1887 a three day fundraising bazaar was planned and prior to this the club held a reunion tea in the rooms of the club to support the forthcoming bazaar which would be held at Easter. The tea was followed by various addresses and wished of condolence for the widow and family of Earl Iddesleigh. Singing and dancing concluded the evening.

The club held the planned bazaar in April and it was opened by Lord St Oswald, of Nostell Priory.. Afterwards a lunch was given at Batley Carr Church School, where Mr Frederick Ellis proposed the health of the visitor. Frederick Ellis was a prominent Conservative and President of the Divisional Association as well as Chairman of the Spen Valley Division and connected to the Conservative Club in Cleckheaton. When Lord St Oswald spoke at the club he said that he was looking forward to the time when John Simon, MP, would be replaced by a Conservative and stated that he felt:

“Yorkshire people were too shrewd to listen to such claptrap as Mr Gladstone had given utterance”.

Yorkshire Post & The Standard 12 April 1887

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Updated: 6.3.2019