Gomersal Liberal Club
The Gomersal Liberal Club
The Gomersal Liberal Club was formed in August 1886 and opened in in November the same year by Alderman Joseph Woodhead, MP for Huddersfield and Mr J. B. Firth of Chelsea. The club had around 180 members at that time.
The building contained
a large billiard room, a reading room committees and other rooms. The opening ceremony took place in the
billiard room and was so crowded that many were unable to enter. The President of the club explained the
circumstance under which the club had been established, although this was not
elaborated on in the news report of the time.
When Alderman Woodhead addressed the crowd he stressed that men had a
political duty as well as a domestic one.
He stated that if they were to discharge this duty then
“they must
strive to obtain political education”
and the club would promote this. He hoped that they would compare
Conservative and Liberal Newspapers and after the comparison he believed
“that they would be better Liberals than before”
or at any rate better able
to contend with “the enemy”. He also believed that the club would be a
valuable resource as a means of promoting “united action” at election times. Leeds Mercury 15 Nov 1886
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| Leeds Times |
The club was used for a variety of lectures to be given. One such lecture was given by Joseph Woodhead on
“The Social and Political Progress of the 19th Century”.
Similarly social events were held under the auspices of the club. One such was a fundraising picnic held in the grounds of Hill Top House which had kindly been lent to the club for the occasion by Mr Burnley. It was a popular event with the Cleckheaton Victoria Brass Band providing entertainment with a selection of music and a variety of sports and dancing taking place. Around 400 people attended the picnic, so one would think that it could be deemed a successful day.
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| Leeds Times |
As well as political and social events the club was used for public inquests. One such inquest was reported in the Leeds Times. This was the death of a local man named Mark Barber, a teamer who was employed by W. M. Crowther, a chemical manufacturer. Mr Barber had been found in the stables after putting the horses away for the night. He was doubled over as though as though he had been kicked but was in so much pain he could not speak so could tell no one what had happened. He died an hour after his discovery and the inquest gave a verdict of death by natural causes.
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| Leeds Times |
At the annual meeting of the club in 1887 a resume of the club’s history was given to current members. After a summary of accounts by the treasurer, which showed the club to be in deficit, the state of membership was discussed. Despite being active the club membership had fallen in 1887, losing 40 members. The hope was that with the winter months approaching membership would increase.
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| Leeds Times 1887 |
Unfortunately it appears that membership continued to fall as at another annual meeting, a few years later, it was reported that membership stood as just 82 which was 9 less than the previous year. However the club must have survived the falling membership as they met in 1901 for their annual meeting when they expressed their sympathies on Queen Victoria's death. An entry in Kelly's Directory of 1927 also show the club at Oxford Road in Gomersal.
