Scissett Conservative Association and Club

Scissett Conservative Association and Club

The Scissett Conservative Association included several of the surrounding villages in its organisation such as Shepley, Shelley, Denby and Clayton West. They held a variety of lectures, public meetings and social events across the area to promote Conservative ideas and principles. 

A meeting was held at the White Hart Inn, Denby Dale under the auspices of the Scissett Conservative Association in December 1867. C. H. Dickinson was the President. Apologies for absence and congratulation were given on the successful establishment of a Conservative Association in the Scissett area. Names of people applying for membership were read and considered and at the end of the meeting the membership stood at 75.  Huddersfield Chronicle 14 December 1867

The Yorkshire Post reported in January 1869 that the 

“Conservative working men” 

of Scissett dined together at the home of Mr Tippler of Langleys.   The meal was followed by a meeting when the Chairman of the local Conservatives A. Wilby of Denby Dale led the discussion.  Attendance was reported to be 

“very numerous and enthusiastic” 

and didn’t not end until late.  Yorkshire Post 16 January 1869

The Scissett Conservative Association seems to have been very active in the area holding a 

“Conservative demonstration” 

in November 1870 at the National Schoolroom in Denby which had been decorated for the occasion giving it a 

“gay and animated appearance.”  

The proceedings were presided over by John Foster from Clayton West due to the absence of the President H. C. Dickinson due to ill health. About 300 people sat down to tea prior to the meeting and Huddersfield Chronicle states 

“there was a cheering attendance of the fair sex!”  

After the meal the room was cleared and the audience increased in numbers causing the room to be “densely crowded”.   Many prominent Conservative from the area attended and the evening included entertainment at intervals such as “appropriate glees and songs!” Huddersfield Chronicle 12 November 1870

Another lecture was delivered in the National Schoolroom in Scissett in January 1881 by P. H. Bagnall a London barrister.  He spoke on 

“The present state of Ireland under a Liberal Government.” 

Thomas Norton, JP of Bagden Hall was chairman supported by other well-known local Conservatives and there was a 

“large audience of working men.”

 Huddersfield Chronicle 13 January 1881

In February of the same year, they held a tea, prepared by “the ladies”, followed by a public meeting in Shepley National School at which 500 people attended.  The schoolroom had been decorated with banners and with the names of Conservative statesmen and local Conservative leaders of the party.  The evening meeting had so many people that the room was reported as being “crammed to excess.”  Mr Sanderson of Wakefield had been due to speak at the meeting but was unable to attend at the last minute. Colonel Brooke spoke to the meeting and was greeted with great applause.  He said that he hope that the meeting would be the start of a long series of Conservative meetings in all the villages in the district as he felt that there had to be

 “a good balance of political opinion” with “men” being able to hear both sides.

The annual meeting of the Association was held that year in the National Schoolroom at Scissett in December 1881.  This took the form of a “knife and fork” tea at which there were around 200 people, followed by a public meeting. During the meeting Mr S Fitton spoke of two Conservative Clubs having been established in the district and that it was the Association’s intention to establish more. There was no mention in the report of the names of the clubs that had been opened but in October 1882 a billiards and whist match was held at Scissett Conservative Club against Kirkburton Conservative Club.  Huddersfield Chronicle 17 December 1881 &  28 October 1882

A very successful meeting of Scissett Conservative Club, chaired by Thomas Norton, JP and with a large audience was reported in May 1887 when the club met in the National Schoolroom, Scissett for a political lecture.  The subject for the evening was 

“The maintenance of the Union v Home Rule” 

an address given by William Church who was very well received by the audience when he proceeded to deliver his speech on Irish history and home rule. Belfast News 16 May 1887; Sheffield Daily Telegraph 14 May 1887.  
Later in the year a large Conservative meeting was held in the schoolroom again to hear an address by the prospective Conservative candidate for the Holmfirth Division, Harold Thomas who was a barrister.  The audience was reported as having a 

“large admixture pf the Radical element” 

who hooted and made themselves known when the gentleman and the chairman Thompson Beanland, took to the platform. The chairman pleaded with them to give Harold Thomas a fair hearing and begged them to listen quietly! When Thomas Norton took the stage he also was greeted with hooting and cheering. Sheffield Daily Telegraph 7 December 1887

The club is recorded in Kelly’s Directories for 1893, 1927 and 1936 but the club itself no longer exists in Scissett.