Milnsbridge Conservative Club
Milnsbridge
Conservative Club
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| Milnsbridge Postcard |
The
Milnsbridge Conservative Club, also known as the Milnsbridge Working Men’s
Conservative Association, was formed around 1871, with the first meeting being
held in the Four Horseshoes Inn. Those
present, about 31 men, decided to form themselves into a Conservative
Association and took rooms in Chapel Lane, Milnsbridge to hold meetings
although many meetings seem to have been held at the Four Horse Shoes,
especially for recruitment of new members! Numbers rose quickly and within a few weeks of
their beginning they had 53 members.
The success
of the club was such that by 1872 it was necessary for them to look for
“more
extensive and commodious premises.”
A
committee was appointed to search for more suitable accommodation and they
found a suitable
“suite of rooms”
in the centre of the village which were
fitted out and furnished for their use. Their
intention was to provide a place where
“various amusing and instructive
recreations will be provided for the members use, including chess, draughts and
bagatelle.”
Huddersfield Chronicle 2
November 1872
By December
of 1872 their numbers had risen to 100 and they held a public meeting at
“the house of J.
W. Halls, the Four Horse Shoes Inn”
to celebrate their move to the larger site. Members and friends were invited to the event
and 60 “gentlemen” sat down
“to a substantial dinner provided by Mrs Hall and
her assistants.”
After the meal the tables were cleared away and Ginnethon
Dyson, club president (woollen cloth manufacturer and councillor), addressed the meeting and introduced F. F. Abbey to speak. Abbey told the crowd that when he had been
invited he had been told that there would be no speech making
“but that they
were going to enjoy themselves with music and singing!”
He had been asked to
give the toast as he was in “trade” and had been all his life. The toast was
“Success to the Merchants and
Manufacturers of Milnsbridge.”
When
Abbey gave the toast he referred to the prosperity of the area saying
“He did not
think that there were many merchants in the locality of Milnsbridge but anyone
on looking around the place would see there were a great many mills in the
locality, and that meant manufacturers, and where there were so many mills it
was sure sign of prosperity.”
A great
number of speeches followed from other prominent local Conservatives before
singing, music, recitations and “other pleasant recreations” could take place. Huddersfield Chronicle 14 December 1872
Going from
strength to strength the club held a bazaar in December 1881 for the purpose of
clearing a small debt that they had and to put their finances on a sound
basis. The sale was held in the
National School, Milnsbridge with the room decorated especially for the
occasion. Flags, banners, bannerettes and scrolls adorned the walls and
ceiling. At one end hung a large banner
loaned from the Huddersfield Central Conservative Association. Attached to the
ceiling beams were scrolls with a blue background with white lettering and a
black border one bearing the word
“Beaconsfield.”
Others bore the inscriptions
“Our army and
navy,” “Peace with honour,” “Empress of India,” “Church and State,” “Defence
not defiance,” and “God save the Queen.”
Scrolls on the walls displayed the
names of the various bills passed by Conservative Governments. When the president of the association took
the platform to speak he said that he was confident that such were the efforts of
those involved that he felt they would have a
“nice little surplus” at the end
of the day.
Edward Armitage opened the
event and he referred to the start of the club ten years previously and the
fact that they now had over 90 members and hoped that they would increase in
strength. There were a number of stalls on the day but the most popular by far
proved to be the refreshments stall.
Other attractions included a
“galvanic battery” and “stereoscopic
views.”
In the evening there was entertainment in the form of a vocal and
instrumental concert of songs, duets, violinist, pianist and cornets. The
receipts for the first day totalled £50 and the sale continued the following
day. Huddersfield Chronicle 10 December
1881
By 1883
Conservatism in the area was flourishing so much so that they were
contemplating the enlargement of their club premises. The report in the
Huddersfield Chronicle opens by referring to
“The Milnsbridge and Lower
Linthwaite Conservative Association”
and so it is a little unclear as to how
Linthwaite fits in with the Milnsbridge Conservative Club, whether they were
one and the same or two separate bodies. The toast given by Edward Armitage at an event at the Armitage Arms would
suggest that they were separate entities.
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Armitage Arms, Market Street, Milnsbridge.
Kirklees Image Archive
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The
President invited all the members of both village clubs to dine at the Armitage
Arms, Milnsbridge in December 1883. The Armitage Arms seems to have been an apt
place to meet with several of the Armitage family being present – Charles Armitage presided, supported by
Edward Armitage, J. A. Armitage, and A.
Armitage. The room at the inn was decorated especially for the occasion
with the names of the most prominent Conservative statesmen placed around the
walls. After an
“excellent repast”
and the usual toasts the formal meeting and
addresses began. When Edward Armitage addressed the meeting
he proposed
“Success to Milnsbridge and kindred Conservative Associations.”
He
had been informed that at that time they had 150 members and that they were
also in a very healthy financial position.
As they had money in hand he felt that the time was right for them to
“extend their borders”
and prepare for the next election. Once again as seemed
to be the custom the meeting was concluded with entertainments this time by a
“quartet party” who rendered a number of songs. Huddersfield Chronicle 22 December 1883
The annual
report, given by the club president, J.
Walter Sykes, in December 1888, showed that there had been a large increase
membership putting the club in a comfortable position. They were also financially sound having a
large balance in hand to carry forward that year. Huddersfield Chronicle 1 December 1888
The
Huddersfield Conservative Association arranged a series of lectures for the
clubs in the area in order to spread knowledge and information about political
matters and the Conservative principles.
The feeling was that people would need the knowledge in order to place
their vote effectively in elections particularly along Conservative lines. One of the 1889 series of lectures given at
the Milnsbridge Club was by A. Morris on the subject of
“Home Rule – What is
it?”
Local press reported that there was a very “attentive” audience. Huddersfield Chronicle 16 March 1889
Some year’s after
the 1883 enlargement of rooms the membership had grown so much that once again they
needed larger premises and moved to a new property. However numbers continued to increase and
those premises also had to be enlarged but once again numbers rose until the
rooms were too small and unsuitable for their purpose. The landlord of the premises was Charles Ingram Armitage, who made the
club a generous offer. He would pull
down the building they were occupying and build a new club on the same site.
The understanding was that the club would then purchase the new building from
Armitage at cost price.
By 1891 the new
building was complete and club membership stood at 230 members despite the fact
that they had never sold alcohol on the premises, proudly running the club on
Temperance principles. The new club was to continue with these principles with
the object being to
“maintain the club in a high condition of respectability
and to educate members by means of lectures and entertainments, so as to place
them in such a position as to give proper consideration and come to correct
decisions on the great political questions.”
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| Wiki Commons |
Opening
ceremony of the new club premises held at 6pm on 28th February 1891
with the formal opened by Sir Albert K Rollit, MP. Huddersfield Daily Examiner 21 February 1891
At Easter that year the club held an
“International Bazaar”
over three days in the large
assembly room of the club. It was opened
on Easter Monday by J. A. Brooke in front of a large crowd and was held with
the intent of raising funds to purchase the new club building from Charles Ingram Armitage. The actual
cost of the premises was £2085, of which some monies had already been paid, but
proceeds from the bazaar they hoped would enable the full purchase to be
completed.
The room had been
“tastefully decorated and
the stalls effectively arranged”
by Mr Womersley of Leeds. Each stall
represented a characteristic of the country whose name it bore with
stallholders wearing costumes of the various nations represented. Those countries represented on the day were –
China, Germany, Greece, Spain, France, England, Switzerland and Italy. In addition to the International Stall there
was a tearoom, Bran Tub and Fortune Tellers.
The far end
of the room had a large painted canvas scene of Windsor Castle and banners
bearing the names
“Salisbury” “Smith” and “Goschen”
hung opposite the
canvas. Lines of coloured streamers were
strung from side to side with the occasional Japanese lantern in between. An
unusual feature of this particular bazaar was the publication of the bazaar
“official
handbook.”
The book was the work of A.
Jubb and gave a brief history of Milnsbridge, the names of all the stallholders
and lithographed portraits of Lord Salisbury, Mr Smith, Mrs J. A. Brooke, Mr
Balfour, Mr Goschen, Sir Albert K. Rollitt, Sir Joseph Crosland, the Brooke
brothers Colonel Brooke, W Brooke and J. A. Brooke, Charles Ingram Armitage, T. P. Crosland, R. Welsh and J. Spivey,
treasurer of the club. These portraits were considered to be faithful
likenesses of those concerned and expected to be kept as mementoes of the
event. A smoke room proved to be popular feature of the bazaar and was well
patronised. During the afternoon a
variety of entertainments were given including a “dramatic representation" of Cinderella
was by the children and a performance by the “Yankee Po Minstrels”
amongst others.
On the
Tuesday Mrs Charles I Armitage re-opened the event watched by a small
gathering.
J. Walter Sykes, club president, greeted her on behalf on the club
and stated that the previous day had netted £120 in cash plus some donations
which would take it to £150. Charles I
Armitage said in his address to the crowd that if the bazaar did not raise the
desired amount he was quite willing to allow the club to stay as tenants until they
were in a position to pay the debt.
Wednesday,
the third and final day, saw Mrs J Walter Sykes do the honours of re-opening
the bazaar. At the close of the sale the
proceeds amounted to £290 in sales and a promise of donations to the sum of
£260 bringing the total to £550. Huddersfield
Chronicle 4 April 1891.
Over the
years a variety of prominent Conservatives and candidates visited the club to address
the members on current political topics and issues. William Rolley, Conservative Labour Candidate for Barnard Castle
addressed an audience in the large room of the club in 1893. He had previously visited the club when he
had supported the campaign of the local candidate Sir Joseph Crosland, who had
been returned to his seat. Discussion and questions followed his addressed and
showed the enthusiasm and interest of the Milnsbridge membership. Rolley
replied at length and in detail to their enquiries and thereby received an
enthusiastic and unanimous vote of thanks at the close of the meeting.
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| Huddersfield Chronicle 28 June 1892 |
Sir Joseph Crosland had spoken on several occasions at
Milnsbridge when on his election campaign trail. When he had opened his campaign in 1893 he had chosen Milnsbridge as his
first venue. His feeling had been that Milnsbridge was of great importance in
the area and he wanted to start the contest from that “important centre.” A huge crowd had gathered in the large
assembly room of the club to hear him speak. William Brooke, the brother of the club president J. A. Brooke, was chairman of Sir
Joseph’s election committee.
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| Sir Joseph Crosland |
Sir Joseph Crosland spoke once again to a crowded
audience when he visited again in July 1895 to gather support for his
candidature. William Brooke opened the proceedings and introduced Sir Joseph
although he was well known in the area to most people and had spoken at the
club before. Sir Joseph spoke at length
on a variety of topics including Irishmen in government, expansion of trade and
commerce, old age pensions and poor law administration. Charles
Ingram Armitage proposed a vote of confidence in Sir Joseph but added that
there was “a necessity of some restriction being placed on the immigration of
foreign pauper aliens into the country.” An argument that seems all too
familiar in these modern days of Brexit! Huddersfield
Chronicle 20 January, 2 December 1893; 11 July 1895
Social
events connected with the club were held in the large assembly room. The Ladies Sewing Committee associated with
the club and its fund raising efforts gave a tea party and ball in 1890. This proved to be a popular event with over
200 people sitting down for tea which reports say was
“well served and
gracefully presided over by the ladies of the committee.”
The room was cleared
for dancing after tea which was described as being “indulged in with much
spirit and vigour to the strains of an efficient quadrille band!” Huddersfield Chronicle 29 November 1890
The club
rooms were a popular venue for dances, fancy dress balls, celebrations and
events not connected with the club.
Reports of birthday and wedding celebrations as well as annual social
gatherings for local industry and other community organisations, such as the cricket
club, were frequent in the local press during the 1890s. Sir
Joseph Crosland held
“an excellent knife and fork tea”
in the assembly room
for his employees in January 1893. The
tea was provided by A. J. Haigh which was served by the ladies of Sir Joseph’s
firm, they had also set the tables out in the room prior to the event. After
tea there was games and dancing with Mr O. Ainley’s Band providing the
music. The highlight of the evening
apparently was J. Brown who
“brought the house down with his song and pop
bottle dance!”
We can only wonder what that involved!?
There was
even a
“Gas Exhibition”
in April 1896 and May 1899 given by the Longwood Gas
Company, which hoped to extend the use of gas for cooking and heating purposes.
Huddersfield Chronicle 21 January 1893, 16
February 1895, 25 April, 7 March 1896, 18 February 1899
Eventually
in 1913 the club moved premises again taking up residence in an
“historic old
country” house called “Milnsbridge House.”
The formal opening ceremony was held on 24 May 1913. The house had been the home of the Armitage
family since around 1822 when Joseph Armitage took up residence there, although
they did not buy it until 1825. It
remained in the possession of the Armitage family until 1919 so one can presume
that the club must have lease the premises from the family in 1913 as they already
had close ties with the Armitage family through Charles Ingram Armitage and their previous property. Milnsbridge
House had been in decline since the turn of the century and by 1906 was “hemmed
in on every side by mills and the serried dreary rows of homes of the hardy
artisans of Milnsbridge.” The club could
only have been there a few years as the Armitage family sold the building in
1919 to the “Armitage Lodge of Freemasons.” Leeds Mercury 26 May 1913
At the
outbreak of WW1 men enlisted for service and began to be trained around the
country. The 7th Colne valley Reserve Battalion were billeted in
Milnsbridge in 1914 which transformed the district into a miniature garrison
town. It became a familiar sight to see khaki clad soldiers on the streets as
they were trained in the serious business of war. As these men were expected to have leisure
time on their hands despite the training local people were urged to welcome
them and involve them in the Milnsbridge community. The advice was that facilities ought to be
granted to the men to use the local clubs and schools for reading, writing and
games. The suggestion was that they
could be invited to lectures as “mens minds require food as well as their
bodies.” The YMCA of the village took up
the advice but it is unclear whether the political clubs of the area were as
welcoming. Huddersfield Daily Examiner
15 December 1914
The women of
the area began to develop a political voice and opinion at this time and formed
womens groups which met in much the same way as the mens political clubs. The
Milnsbridge and Lockwood Women Unionist Association met at the Milnsbridge
Conservative for their meetings. In 1914 they met to hear a talk from Miss
Farnsworth dealing with the subject of Home Rule for Ireland and the National
Insurance Act. Huddersfield Daily
Examiner 12 March 1914
Presentations
were made to long standing club members in March 1914 when the club held a “smoker”
for the occasion. Mellor Addy, president
of the club, mad the presentation of a fountain pen to A. Donkersley in
recognition of his services as club secretary.
Donkersley had been presented with “a handsome dinner service” by the
club in 1900 on the occasion of his marriage.
The billiard
cup of 1914 was presented by Alderman Woolven of Huddersfield to Reg Howarth
and a cue to the runner up F. Hinchliffe.
As usual speeches were made to the members and “musical items” were
contributed by some of those present. Huddersfield
Chronicle 8 September 1900, Huddersfield
Daily Examiner 13 March 1914.
