Longwood Conservative Club
The Longwood Conservative Club was formed at its second attempt on 7th January 1879 by 10 or 12 working men and held its inauguration in July 1879. The club held a tea to celebrate the inauguration of the club in the National Schoolroom followed by a public meeting.
The occasion was very well attended with Friend Heppenstall as chairman.
In his opening addressed Heppenstall said that he was glad to meet such
a large crowd on the opening. He went on
“Other boats similar to theirs had been launched before and he hoped that the
Longwood Conservative Club would be able to override the tempest tossed waves
of the political ocean.”
When the club had been formed in the January it had
been seen as being under
“very disadvantageous circumstances”
as there were
very few Conservatives in Longwood and the club had opened with a membership of
just 20. However this number had
increased steadily and by their inauguration there were 42 members on the
books. The rooms of the club were considered to be
“pretty well furnished”
and
had a good supply of daily newspapers and the committee members had the
determination to make the club a success. The hope was that numbers would
increase year on year and that the club would become a
“power of great
political importance.”
A glee party had
entertained the audience between speeches with a selection of songs. Huddersfield Chronicle 7 July 1879
In November
1882 the club held its “annual soiree” in the National Schoolroom, Longwood,
where the chairman was R. Welsh. The
secretary of the club gave the annual report which stated that they had seen an
increase in members and their funds were in
“a satisfactory condition”.
No figures were given for either. After the
official business was concluded the meeting was entertained by singers and a
string band. Manchester Courier 20 November 1882
When the
club met for the annual meeting and tea in November 1884, Edwin Clegg, club secretary read the report. They had 60 members
which was an increase of 10 on the preceding year and the club finances were
seen as sound. During the year they had
spent money fitting up the club rooms and had bought a billiards table which
had cost between £50 and £60,
“the greater part of which had been paid.”
He went on to say that the club still aimed
to hold lectures but they had been unsuccessful in that they needed larger and
more
“suitable rooms”
to achieve this.
A string band and a “glee party”
provided intervals of entertainment throughout the meeting. Huddersfield
Chronicle 17 November 1884
The club
held a two day bazaar on Easter Monday and Tuesday in April 1886, with the
purpose of raising funds towards either purchasing or building a new club in
the village. Their rooms at that point
had become inadequate for their increasing membership. They had about 80 members at that point. They had purchased a billiard table and made
alterations to the club rooms but it was still too small. Although games were played in the club no
gambling was allowed, neither was
“intoxicating” drink allowed.
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| Sir Joseph Crosland |
Joseph Crosland, JP, opened the bazaar in the Longwood National
School and addressed a large audience. The schoolroom had been decorated
especially for the occasion during the morning prior to opening. A sit down lunch was served at 1pm which a
large number of people enjoyed.
A wide
variety of stalls were laid out with articles such as rugs, fancy stalls,
flowers stall as well as tea and refreshments. All the work on the stalls was
made and provided by members or at least mainly the women connected with the members,
which is to say friends, wives and daughters.
In addition to the stalls were a variety of other amusements and
entertainments – a weighing machine, a “galvanic” battery, a bran tub, a
fishing pond, a gipsy fortune teller and a
“museum of curious and interesting
objects!”
These attractions proved very
popular with the visitors throughout the day. When Joseph Crosland addressed the gathering he congratulated them on
their efforts and hoped that they would have “a larger, more commodious club”
before long. He went on to say that it
was obvious that the club had the support of the ladies as it was their efforts
that had enabled the bazaar to take place.
He advocated the establishment of
“a habitation of the Primrose League”
in Longwood so the
ladies could have a greater partnership.
In regard to the place of the women in the club he said
“The Ladies were
a power in the land and as far as politics were concerned would be much more so
in the future than in the past.”
During
the afternoon and into the evening Oliver Ainley’s String Band played and a
similar format was followed on the second day. One wonders if this was the same Oliver Ainley who later held the post of club secretary for so many years.
A well-attended
annual tea party, prepared and served by the ladies once again, and meeting was
held in November in the Church School. The secretary read his annual report and
noted that membership was at 62. This
was considered
“very satisfactory”
in light of the small accommodation that
they were still in as they would not be able to accommodate any more. The financial condition of the club was
healthy as they had a balance in their favour and this was due to the success
of the Easter bazaar which had enabled them to settle their debt owed on the
billiard table leaving around £40 in the bank. There was £40 worth of material
left from the bazaar and the intention was to hold a sale of work to use this
and raise more funds towards the building.
The chairman appealed once again to the women to come to their
“assistance”
in order to raise £100. The continuing
hope was to be able to build a new club as the feeling was that they could not
progress any further as a club in the premises they were using at that time.
Reference was made during the meeting to Golcar
Conservative Club’s achievement of a new building which had cost over £1000
and they had started with less than forty shillings in the bank! Once again the
club was praised for its policy of not selling alcohol on its premises.
Apparently there were only two Conservative Clubs in the Huddersfield area at
that time which sold intoxicants! Huddersfield Chronicle 27 April & 29
November 1886
The clubs
efforts were proved successful and the cornerstone for the new premises was
laid on a fine day in June 1887 by Mr Joseph
Crosland. The intention had been for his wife to lay the stone but she was
indisposed on the day. Plans showed
that the main elevation of the club was to be in the Tudor style with
“segment
heads and label moulding, terminating on each side of the windows with carved
bossed, and on the sides of the doors with carved heads of the late Lord
Beaconsfield and Iddesleigh.”
A description of the building on its formal opening proved that this decoration was indeed the case. The building was to have a basement containing a living
room, kitchen and two bedrooms for the caretaker in addition to four bathrooms
for the use of members and the heating apparatus for the hot water heating system. On the ground floor was to be an entrance hall and
vestibule leading to bar, reading, card and billiard rooms and a toilet. The
first floor contained a large lecture room of 43 feet by 25 foot 6 inches and
an ante room. There was a double lift from the basement level to the lecture
room on the first floor. Most of these features did become part of the completed building.
At the time the
corner stones were laid it was estimated that the building would cost around
£800.
Arthur Shaw
of Golcar was the architect together with the following local contractors –
Firth,
Townend and Walker of Golcar – Masons
Isaac
Balmforth of Longwood – joiner
Thomas
Alison of Milnsbridge – plumber
W.E. Jowett
of Huddersfield – slater
W. & S.
Thornton of Huddersfield – heating
Dan Shaw of
Golcar – plastering
Andrew
Dodson of Longwood – painter
The
proceedings began at 3pm and the audience at the ceremony was reported to be
“very enthusiastic” giving a “hearty cheer” to Ashmead Bartlett. Although
the day was fine there was a
“chilly wind”
but despite this the open air event
was of
“enthusiastic character”
which said a lot about the political allegiances of those attending. Those in the crowd sported rosettes or ribbons of blue or
of red, white and blue, with a fair number also wearing the badge of the
Primrose League.
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| Primrose League Badges |
Albert Shaw, club president, presided over the event. The Lindley
Prize Brass Band had played prior to the ceremony throughout the village and
went on to play and arrangement of
“Hollingworth’s glee – “Here’s Life and
Health to England’s Queen”
outside the site.
A silver trowel with an ivory handle and a rosewood mallet were
presented to Joseph Crosland. These had been engraved with
“Presented to
Mrs Joseph Crosland of Royds Wood, by the Longwood Conservative Association on
the occasion of laying the corner stone of the new club, June 11th
1887.”
The stone
had also been inscribed with the words
“This stone was laid by Mrs Joseph
Crosland of Royds Wood, June 11th 1887”
and before it was lowered
into place the cavity beneath it was filled with mementoes of the times
including copies of the Huddersfield Chronicle and other newspapers of the same
date, a few coins issued during the year, and other unknown articles. The Conservative Club was the first political
club to be built in Longwood.
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| Royds Wood, C1920. Kirklees Image Archive |
After the formal
ceremony concluded a long procession made its way accompanied by Lindley Brass
Band to Royds Wood (sometimes referred to as Royd’s Hall), Sir Joseph Crosland’s home where he had opened the grounds for the
occasion.
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| Royds Wood C1920. Kirklees Image Archive |
The band performed a range of
marching music and
“national airs”
and the route they processed along was lined
with spectators many of whom wore the blue colours of the Conservative Party or
the tricoloured badge of the Union. When
they arrived in the grounds a large crowd had already assembled there to greet
the procession. The crowd totalled over 4000 people at the beginning if the
meeting. Ashmead Bartlett, MP attended
the opening and the meeting and addressed the large crowd. He was greeted on
the platform by representatives of all the Conservative Clubs in the district
who presented their “addresses” to him. One address from “Dalton and Bradley Mills (Churchill) Conservative Club was
something of a novelty at the time. It
was bound in red Moroccan leather in book form, with the address photographed
on card on the left hand side and a memento of the royal jubilee, a photo of
the Royal Family, on the right hand side. When William
Brooke rose to address the crowd he was greeted with loud applause and a
round of
“For he’s a jolly good fellow”
showing his popularity in the
village. Huddersfield Chronicle 10 & 13 June 1887; Leeds Times18 June 1887;
Manchester Courier 18 June 1887; Preston Herald 15 June 1887
As the new
building approached its completion the club held a Christmas bazaar in the new
assembly room, which was described as
“one of the prettiest little bazaars held
in the neighbourhood for some time.”
The total cost of the new building was estimated
to be around £850 at that point, of which the club had secured about £400. They hoped that the bazaar would raise
another £150 to add to the total. The
general committee of the club had joined together with the
“ladies sewing
committee”
to prepare and set up the bazaar.
Nearly all the members of both committees were also stall holders at the
event. Albert Clegg and Brook Rhodes had decorated the assembly room for
the sale posting banners with political texts and mottoes around the room. The banners had been made by Joe Ainley. Goods on sale had either been made by the
ladies and friends connected with the club or had been donated by well-wishers
to their cause. One gift had come from
America from Foster Ainley, a former
treasurer of the club who had settled out there. His gift took the form of badges which he had
had designed for each official of the club and each member of the
committee. The stalls were reported to
be well laden with a variety of goods as well as refreshments. The bazaar was
opened by Mrs Brooke who was introduced by Albert
Shaw, club president and there was a very good attendance. Mrs Brooke
implored the crowd to
“open your pockets and spend freely!”
Mr Ainley’s Orchestral Band entertained
throughout the evening. Over the three
days that the bazaar was opened a total of £110 was raised just falling short
of their target for the event. Huddersfield
Chronicle 31 December 1887
One of the
first major meetings held after the completion of the club building but prior
to its official opening, was a public debate on
“Home Rule”.
This was held in the “large and commodious
assembly rooms” of the club. The Conservatives and Liberal Unionists arranged
themselves along one side of the hall and the Gladstonians on the opposite
side. Many people contributed in the
debate which proved to be a lively exchange of views. The meeting started at 3.30pm and did not
conclude until 10.30pm! Huddersfield
Chronicle 24 March 1888
After
several postponements December 1888 saw
the formal opening of the new club building by Colonel Brooke, JP and Conservative Candidate for Colne Valley, together
with Joseph Crosland, Conservative
Candidate for Huddersfield, , Edward Armitage, Albert Shaw president of the
club and Harold Thomas, Conservative
Candidate for Holmfirth Division. The
club was situated on the main road leading from Longwood to Huddersfield and
was described on the day as being “a plain, yet substantial structure. The front elevation had mullion windows with
the stone work being as previously described in the plans. Unlike the original
plans for four bathrooms for members there were only two on completion. All
other areas had gone to plan. No intoxicating liquors were to be sold in the
club.
Also there
was the architect of the building Arthur
Shaw who presented Colonel Brooke
with a “handsome” silver key in a case.
The key was manufactured by William
Fillans, a silversmith of Market Walk, Huddersfield. Brooke used the key to
open the main door of the building and declared the club open. After the crowd
had entered the building and inspected the different rooms they collected
together in the lecture hall where the opening ceremony continued with
speeches. The club were still in debt
and would need to continue to raise funds to pay this. The cornerstones to the
club had been laid eighteen months previously. Immediately after the meeting a
“capital knife and fork tea”
was held in the National Schoolroom and a large
number attended. At 6.30 everyone went
back to the large lecture room of the club for a public meeting at which the
club secretary delivered his report. The
total cost of the building and furnishings was £980 6s 10 ½ d. Total
subscriptions towards the cost had been £409 1s 6 ½ d and the Christmas Bazaar
£85 16s 11d. The remaining debt was £484
18s 8d. Membership of the club had nearly
doubled during the year, rising from 80 to 140.
During intervals in the evening meeting a glee party entertained with
music and song. The meeting ended around
9pm. Huddersfield Chronicle 10 December
1888; Yorkshire Post 10 December 1888
The club
held another fund raising bazaar in December 1889 over three days of the weekend.
The proceeds amounted to £125 which after deducting expenses of £30 left a balance
of £95 to aid the reduction of the club debt. . Huddersfield Chronicle 1 & 4 January 1890
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| Sir Joseph Crosland, MP. Illustrated London News 1893 |
Sir Joseph Crosland was once again the guest of honour when
the club held its 10th annual tea and meeting held in November
1890. The weather was reported as being
“inclement”
but nevertheless about 100 people sat down for tea and this number was increased
at the following meeting. Tom Whiteley, club president, chaired
the meeting supported by Joseph Crosland and other club officials on the
platform. Oliver Ainley, club secretary delivered his report for the year
with the numbers of members having increased to 128. There remained an outstanding debt on the
club building of £340 but the committee were of the belief that this could be
wiped clean in the coming year. All in all the feeling was that the club was
financially and numerically in a good position for the future. As was the custom a
“glee party”
consisting
of four men gave several renditions throughout the evening. Huddersfield Chronicle 29 November 1890
When Sir Joseph Crosland was successfully
returned to Parliament in February 1893 the club held an event to
celebrate.
“A capital tea”
was served
to 230 people followed by a meeting interspersed once again with music and
enttertainments. Tom Whiteley,
chaired the occasion and congratulated Crosland on his victory. Reference was made once again to the fact
that the club did not sell intoxicants unlike their Liberal counterparts at the
time. After all the official speeches the floor was cleared and people danced
until the early hours of the morning. Huddersfield
Chronicle 18 February 1893
The club
annual meeting was held at the club in February 1899 where around 150 people
enjoyed
“a substantial knife and fork tea”
prior to the meeting. The meeting
was held in the large assembly hall with a much larger audience than at
tea. Various reports and addresses were given
and this was interspersed with performances from the Huddersfield Handbell
Ringers plus songs being sung at intervals. The meeting was chaired by the club
president Dr Parke who opened the
meeting by pointing out what a successful year they had had. The club had reduced its debts by £140 and it
was hoped that the remaining amount of £280 would be paid off by the proceeds
of a forthcoming bazaar. A. Brook, club secretary gave his
report, stating that it was the best one since the formation of the club 19
years previously, although he did not quote membership numbers. It was to be December of the following year
before the club held a three day bazaar with the intent of clearing the £280
debt which was still outstanding. There
was a large attendance at the event which was opened on the Wednesday by J. A. Brooke. The function was styled as a
“Union Jack
Bazaar”
with the seven stalls all being named after prominent statesmen of the
day plus several Generals who had taken part in the South African War. Different types of entertainments were
performed in the large hall (concert room) which enhanced the proceedings. It was reopened on Thursday by Joseph Hoyle. Huddersfield
Chronicle 11 February 1899 & 29
December 1900
Oliver Ainley was the club secretary for eighteen
years, for which he was presented with a
“handsome clock”
which Ainley gave a “prominent
place” to at his Harrogate home when he retired in 1924. Leeds Mercury 21 January 1924
Social events
The large hall was the venue for concerts given by the Longwood Conservative club in January and October 1890.
January’s was a “smoking” concert and
the programme was described as
“somewhat lengthy”
including songs and “glees” by a large number of people. However it was reportedly “successfully delivered” and provided an enjoyable evening for all concerned.
including songs and “glees” by a large number of people. However it was reportedly “successfully delivered” and provided an enjoyable evening for all concerned.
In October the committee had hired a
variety of musicians and entertainers for the event – Ellen Haigh, soprano;
T.W.Berry, basso; J.H.Rayner, solo flute; W.E Sykes, elocutionist and dramatic
reciter and C. W. Cave, accompanist. They had put together a
“good programme”
for
the evening which went down well with the audience with the concert being
hailed as
“a very good one.”
The club held a very successful ball in
December 1896 with L. B. Crowther acting as M. C. and A. Brooks Quadrille Band
providing the musical entertainment. Huddersfield
Chronicle 25 January; 9 October 1890; 2 December 1896
The large assembly room of the club
proved a popular venue for many social, as well as political gatherings, often
being hired or loaned to other associations for social occasions.
In November 1892 the club was host to a social
evening for All Saints Church Choir from Paddock.
Titus Calverley and Sons of
Milnsbridge used the hall as the venue for its workpeople’s social in February
1894. The company itself covered most of
the cost of the evening for its employees as well as giving each employee a
“full
day’s wages”
as a Christmas gift. The
meal was supplied by John Iredale, confectioner of Milnsbridge.
In 1899 the Cliffe End Branch of Industrial
Society held their annual tea and social event in the hall with 140 people
attending. The tea was followed by
dancing and musical entertainment. Similarly the workforce of Hamer & Sons
were treated to a social event including a tea and a dance in the hall in
January 1899 with over 100 people present.
Huddersfield Chronicle 18 November 1892; 8 February 1894; 18 January
& 22 February 1899
Sports & Games
The
billiards team from Lockwood’s Liberal and Conservative Clubs met to in “friendly
rivalry” to play a billiards match in January 1899. The match was held in the Liberal Club rooms
and the home team were victorious. Huddersfield
Chronicle 21 January 1899
Another
friendly match occurred in December 1900 between Golcar and Longwood
Conservative Clubs. They met at the
Golcar club to lay friendly games of whist and billiards. On this occasion the Longwood team was
victorious.
In addition
to billiards being played at the club, chess seems to have been a popular
pastime with members. In 1894 the Huddersfield Chess Club held a contest at
their club premises and Longwood Conservative Club was represented by G. C.
Hirst who scored the first win of the evening. Although the Longwood
Conservative Club was beaten overall by the Y.M.C.A. Huddersfield
Chronicle 8 October 1894
The club was
based at 23 Thornhill Road, Longwood, Huddersfield and it is unknown when the
club ceased to exist, but the building was bought in a state of disrepair in
2004 and converted to a private home. https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/special-features/former-conservative-club-turned-spacious-9989031
