Marsden Liberal Club
Marsden Liberal Club
Although the
1893 Kelly’s Directory states that the Marsden Liberal Club was erected in 1874
at the club didn't hold its inaugural meeting until January 1877. The event began with a tea in
the Mechanics Hall followed by a meeting at which around 800 people were present, including Jacob Bright MP for Manchester. The club had been established at a cost of
around £1300 and had a membership of 130. The President described the club as
Bright addressed the crowd and urged the young men of the club
The evening was concluded
with a ball taking place in the hall. Huddersfield
Chronicle 13 January 1877; Buckingham Advertiser 20 January 1877.
“the best, most comfortable and commodious village club in the kingdom!”
Bright addressed the crowd and urged the young men of the club
“to attend to their political duties.”
Political
education through reading, debate and lectures was one of the aims of the club
and so a variety of lectures and talks were delivered over the years by a
variety of speakers. One talk, soon after the clubs opening, was given by John Bower Robinson, the club president, on “John Bright” was purely for the benefit of the club so there was only a
“moderate” attendance with the Mayor of Huddersfield, Alderman Joseph Woodhead presiding. Robinson gave a sketch of Bright’s life,
eulogising his political character and read extracts from his political
speeches. Huddersfield Chronicle 27 October 1877
Following
this in December, Henry Vincent of
London spoke on
He went
on to give sketches of “transatlantic life” in many different forms from his
own political and personal perspective.
There was a large audience in attendance who appeared to thoroughly
appreciate his views. Huddersfield Chronicle 15 December 1877.
“Impressions of five extensive journeys through the United
States in the good old cause.”
Other
lectures included –
Rev. Thornbeck, Independent Minister of Marsden, in
February 1878, speaking on
“The Religious aspects of Disestablishment”
to a
small audience who displayed “a considerable lack of enthusiasm!” Also in February Richard Battye addressed “a
crowded meeting” of members on the subject “Peace, retrenchment and reform.” Huddersfield Chronicle 2 & 8 February
1878.
Rev. T. W. Holmes of Sheffield on
The lecture room at the Mechanics Hall was this time reportedly
“well filled” as Holmes traced the history of Earl Beaconsfield from his birth
to 1805. Huddersfield Chronicle 26 March 1878
“Earl Beaconsfield" in
March 1878.
A very successful lecture
supporting the extension of the franchise to women was given to a very large
and “attentive” audience by Miss Lydia Becker
of Manchester, a prominent suffragette, at Marsden Mechanics Hall, under the auspices of the Marsden
Liberal Club in early December 1883.
Miss Becker spoke on
She described the objects of the society which she represented saying they were
She described the efforts already being made, the injustices suffered to that date by women and the how changes in the law, such as the Married Women’s Property Act, went some way to redressing those injustices. Miss Becker went on to state
The chairman F. Beaumont proposed the club membership support for this and put it to the meeting which voted unanimously in favour. Huddersfield Chronicle 6 December 1883
“The Rights of Women”.
“the political elevation of the women of
this country, who at the present time were politically considered beneath the
level of criminal and idiots!”
She described the efforts already being made, the injustices suffered to that date by women and the how changes in the law, such as the Married Women’s Property Act, went some way to redressing those injustices. Miss Becker went on to state
“that any measure
for the extension of the franchise will not be satisfactory unless it includes
females who are now qualified to vote in the election of poor law guardians,
town councillors and parochial officers.”
The chairman F. Beaumont proposed the club membership support for this and put it to the meeting which voted unanimously in favour. Huddersfield Chronicle 6 December 1883
The Rev. A. T. Gutthery delivered a lecture
at the club in November 1890 entitled
In this he went on at considerable length
about the inconsistency of the then government as a whole and the Liberal
Unionists.” Huddersfield Chronicle 13
November 1890.
“Political Pharisees.”
Another
lecture in February 1893 given by George
Sykes of Golcar was on
This was described as being a “very instructive and edifying paper” and
was followed by a pleasant discussion.
Huddersfield Chronicle 25 February 1893
“Human Happiness.”
Joseph Howes gave a lecture to the Liberal Club
members at the Mechanics Hall in January 1894 on
The meeting was moderately attended with
Alderman Robinson presiding. Howes
addressed the audience for about an hour on the subject referring to measure
that the government has passed. He said
that the Liberal government “had placed the great political machine in the
hands of weekly wage earners” Huddersfield
Chronicle 24 January 1894
“Liberalism and Labour.”
Later that
year there was a very well attended lecture given by Rev. Edgar Todd of Acocks Green Birmingham on
“National Old Age
Pension League”
of which he was the secretary.
The Old Age Pension League had had a great support from Sir James Kitson
in the past and Rev. Todd said
“if Yorkshire were set ablaze by this pension
scheme the rest of the country would soon recognise it.”
Huddersfield Chronicle 16 November 1894
January of
1878 saw the members of the club gathered together in large numbers to protest
against interference in the war that was going on between Russia and Turkey. John Bower Robinson, the club president
addressed the large crowd. A resolution
to be sent to the government was unanimously agreed that
“this meeting views
with unqualified abhorrence the idea of England being under any pretence
whatever committed to any action in favour of the Turkish government or the
continuance of its vile misrule over the finest provinces of Europe.”
Strong words from a newly formed village club. Huddersfield
Chronicle 10 January 1878
The club
held annual “soirees” usually in the Mechanics Hall which always had a good
attendance with tea being served followed by a meeting and club reports. and usually concluded with entertainments and dancing. In 1879 over 600 people attended and this
appears to have been the usual size of audience for such events.
1881 annual
meeting which was preceded by tea which was attended by 450 people and provided
by the members of the club (presumably the women?). The meeting was held in the Mechanics Hall
and had a large attendance. The secretary S.
Firth reported that membership was increasing but the club had a small
“floating” debt. He went on to say that “good order and sobriety had prevailed”. The
Liberal and Conservative Clubs of the village had been accused by a local
clergyman of encouraging “excessive drinking” and Firths statement was in
response to this. The club chairman, John Bower Robinson, (known as quite a
Radical) also responded at the meeting that such a charge against the Liberal
Club was unfounded. He went on to say that he believed the club was
“fostering
habits of sobriety instead of habits of drinking”.
Leeds
Mercury 24 January 1881
At the 1883
annual meeting, held in the Mechanics Hall, the secretary. Fred Beaumont, reported that the year had seen increased activity
at the club. No membership figures were
given but one can presume that they had increased. Yorkshire Post 31 December 1883
The annual
“soiree” took place at the Wesleyan Schoolrooms in January 1885 with an
for around 500 people, which had been provided
by the ladies, wives and daughters of members.
Fred Beaumont the secretary reported that the club had again seen
increased activity with membership rising from 100 in September to 150 in
December. Lectures and papers had been delivered at various meetings during the
year as well as social meetings and events all of which had been well
attended. His report shows that alcohol
was sold at the club, unlike others in the area which were strict Temperance
premises ,but Beaumont said that
I think that his statement may have been in
response to the criticism that the club had had previously from a local
clergyman. Huddersfield Chronicle 5
January 1884.
“excellent knife and fork tea”
“while there is perfect freedom in the sale of
intoxicants at the club excess or undue licence is unknown.”
A similar
event took place the following year with once again around 500 sitting down for
tea. After the tea a meeting was held in
the Mechanics Hall with John Bower
Robinson, the club President in the chair. The club secretary read out the
annual report which showed the drop in membership over the past year. This had been in part due to the relocation
of Marsden residents to other areas due to employment. After the meeting the hall was cleared and a
dance was held with music from an
“efficient quadrille band under the
leadership of S. Beaumont.”
Huddersfield
Chronicle 26 & 31 January 1885
The annual
meeting and social in 1886 was also something of a celebration of the return of
Henry Frederick Beaumont as MP for
the Colne Valley. Beaumont could not attend the event but Alderman Joseph Woodhead of Spen Valley did
attend. The proceedings began with a
tea in the Wesleyan Schoolroom as on previous occasions with nearly 600 people
sitting down to eat. This was followed
by a meeting in the usual venue of the Mechanics Hall where Richard Battye, club secretary read the
annual report. In this he stated that the usefulness of the Liberal club as
as they had worked to return to the Liberal Candidate for the division. The membership had increased and the club rooms had been repaired and painted to ensure they were comfortable. Leeds Mercury 9 January 1886. Later in the year Beaumont would lose the support of his constituency and be required to step down. Leeds Mercury June 1886
“the centre of political organisation and life had been fully manifested”
as they had worked to return to the Liberal Candidate for the division. The membership had increased and the club rooms had been repaired and painted to ensure they were comfortable. Leeds Mercury 9 January 1886. Later in the year Beaumont would lose the support of his constituency and be required to step down. Leeds Mercury June 1886
The club
also held other social events or “entertainments” to raise funds for the club or sometimes in support of local
causes. One such was held in the
Mechanics Hall in November 1888 when the entertainment was provided by the
Amateur Christy Minstrels and was declared
“a decided success.”
It was held by the club to support the Holme
Mills Brass Band and after the minstrels had played the evening continued with
dancing to music provided by the band. Huddersfield
Chronicle 3 November 1888
A bazaars
were often held across the district under a variety of different auspices at
Easter time and Marsden Liberal Club elected to hold one held on Easter Monday
1888. The bazaar had the aim of raising funds to
wipe out the £500 mortgage of the club which the President John Bower Robinson said had become a burden to them.
Huddersfield Chronicle 14 April 1888; Leeds Times 7 April 1888
An at “home”
social party was held by the club in
February 1890 with between 40 and 500 people gathered in the Wesleyan
Schoolroom for tea. The party adjourned
to the Mechanic Hall after tea for a public meeting where John Bower Robinson presided. It was reported that the hall was
“nicely filled”.
A variety of songs were
sung accompanied on the piano by H. W.
Wood of Greenfield. Hubert Sykes who
was only 11 years old did a solo on the piccolo to much applause. There then followed several addresses of a
political nature to the crowd interspersed with more music and song. The
evening was conclude with dancing to the music from Carter’s, Beaumont and
Rayner’s Quadrille Band with yet more songs performed by members and the whole
event did not end until 5 o’clock Saturday morning! Huddersfield
Chronicle 1 March 1890
Yet another
social evening was held in the Wesleyan Schoolrooms in 1892 organised and
served again by the women connected with the club and Liberal Association. At
six o’clock around 500 people sat down to tea and then retired to the Mechanics
Hall where a dance was held. The chairman John
Bower Robinson gave a short speech in which he said that the
Various people
spoke briefly during the evening but in the main these were in between dances
which
They obviously knew how to have a good time! Huddersfield Chronicle 23 January 1892
“current
accommodation” of the club were such that “anybody can spend an evening there
comfortably and quietly without any fear of gambling going on.”
“were kept up vigorously during the evening and into the early hours of
Saturday morning.”
They obviously knew how to have a good time! Huddersfield Chronicle 23 January 1892
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| James Kitson, MP |
The club
held a “festive gathering” in January 1898 and had invited Sir James Woodhouse, MP for Huddersfield to attend but although he
had accepted the invite he did not make an appearance however Sir James Kitson did attend. The celebration began with a tea in the
Wesleyan Schoolrooms followed by a meeting in the Mechanics Hall. The event was
held to commemorate two events important to the club. One was its “coming of age”, 21 years and
the other the
The club now had 126 members and the £200 debt
on the building had been finally paid off in 1897 so the club now owned the
building freehold. John Bower Robinson was the President of the club and had been so
since it had opened. On addressing the
meeting he said that during his time as President
He had a good relationship with all the members and there had never been
any misunderstandings or conflict and he thanked them all for their confidence. Leeds
Times 6 November 1897 & Huddersfield Chronicle 15 January 1898.
“successful struggling with the mortgage upon the premises.”
“no man was ever treated with
greater confidence or kinder consideration.”
The club
held a social evening in August 1900 which about 60 members attended and spent
a
The evening was hosted by Miss Hirst who provided the supper in “capital style” which members
The evening was spent with
The evening finished around 11 o’clock. It is unclear from the news report but it would suggest that this social was a purely male event. Huddersfield Chronicle 21 August 1900
“few hours in conviviality”.
The evening was hosted by Miss Hirst who provided the supper in “capital style” which members
“partook of the tempting
viands with evident relish!”
The evening was spent with
“song, toast and
sentiment being largely indulged in.”
The evening finished around 11 o’clock. It is unclear from the news report but it would suggest that this social was a purely male event. Huddersfield Chronicle 21 August 1900
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| Foundation stone laying for the extension of the club in 1905. |
Sir James Kitson opened the new wing of the Marsden
Liberal Club in December 1905. It had
been added to the existing club building at a cost of £1400. Joseph
Crowther had laid the foundation stone of the new wing earlier in the year
and he had suffered a fatal car accident the following day. His family donated £500 at the opening ceremony
in memory of their father. This donation
when added to the building fund collected totalled £1367. Sir James
Kitson was presented with a large silver key to open the building and he
afterwards unveiled a memorial to Joseph
Crowther. Leeds Mercury 4 December 1905
In 1907 a
portrait of John Bower Robinson, a
staunch Liberal, a founder and president of the club for many years from its
inauguration, was unveiled in the Marsden Town School. John, who lived at Inner
Hey, had died in January 1907 aged 80 and had been seen as a
He was born on 6
August 1826, the son of James and Hanna Robinson and had married Mary Ann Dowse, daughter of John Dowse, the local corn merchant and
miller, in April 1855. John founded
Robinson Bros., woollen manufacturers of Clough Lee Mills, Marsden, which he
purchased in 1860 and sold in 1903. All
his life he had been an active promotor of “educational and philanthropic
institutions” in and around Marsden. He had been one of the founders of the town
school and had taken a great interest in it visiting almost every day until his
death, even acting as a teacher at times. As well as being the first
President of the Liberal Club he was the first secretary, then chairman and
finally president of the Mechanics Institute; chairman of the Marsden District
Council and Chairman of the managers of the Town School. Additionally he was a County Councillor for
the West Riding of Yorkshire since its formation and an Alderman. The portrait had been funded by scholars,
teachers, managers and his many friends and was unveiled by James Bottomley who
was the oldest surviving scholar of the school.
John was buried at St Bartholomew’s Church, Marsden on 9 January 1907. Leeds
Mercury 15 June 1907
“pillar of the
community” in Marsden.
In 1915
there was a
held in Marsden Mechanics Hall with one of the foci being the war and the opportunity that it presented to women to influence the world around them. Reports were given from the delegates of the different district of the organisation including Marsden.
Lady Harriet (Hattie) Fisher-Smith presided and Mrs Glaisyer of Huddersfield was reported as having given “an eloquent speech.” Lunch and tea was given to the delegates in the Marsden Liberal Club provided by the Marsden Women’s Liberal Association. Huddersfield Daily Examiner 24 November 1915
“Conference of Women Liberals”
held in Marsden Mechanics Hall with one of the foci being the war and the opportunity that it presented to women to influence the world around them. Reports were given from the delegates of the different district of the organisation including Marsden.
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| Lady Harriet Fisher-Smith |
Lady Harriet (Hattie) Fisher-Smith presided and Mrs Glaisyer of Huddersfield was reported as having given “an eloquent speech.” Lunch and tea was given to the delegates in the Marsden Liberal Club provided by the Marsden Women’s Liberal Association. Huddersfield Daily Examiner 24 November 1915
Marsden Liberal Club and WW1
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| Marsden War Memorial. |
Private J B Hill aged 38 Australian Forces formerly of
Marsden was killed in action in April 1918.
He was previously a tailor in Marsden with his brother Harry. He had emigrated to Australia ten years
previously but maintained his membership of Marsden Liberal Club. He was unmarried and had joined the
Australian Army two years before his death arriving in France in September 1916.
Twice whilst on leave he visited his brother in Marsden. Huddersfield
Daily Examiner 18 April 1918
Private Norman Horncastle aged 33 served with the
Northumberland Fusiliers killed in action 1917.
He was the eldest son of Mr and Mrs J Horncastle of 20 Royds terrace,
Marsden. He had worked at Banks Bottom
Mills, Marsden previous to enlistment.
Norman had only been in the army about eighteen months before he was
killed. He was a member of Marsden Liberal
Club, attended Marsden Wesleyan Church and Sunday school. His two younger brothers were in the
navy. Huddersfield Daily Examiner 2 November 1917
