Page revised 9 April 2002

EDWARD LAW

HUDDERSFIELD & DISTRICT HISTORY

These notes were written up in 1990, and have not been updated in respect of subsequent events. They are intended to give brief biographical details of Huddersfield people, or their children, who have held titles. To pursue relationships of a more distant degree would be difficult and of little relevance. However, two examples will be met with who do not conform to this general plan but had very real local connections.

Some of the names are well known, but through the passage of time there are many which will not be generally known.

The ready availability of material relating to some of the titled, land-owning families of the area has led to their inclusion in relatively brief form, e.g. the Ramsdens. Nor has any account been given of the earliest titled families, the Quarmbys, Beaumonts, Croslands, de Lacys, Tyas's etc.

Examples of all three will be met with.

For those who wish to delve more deeply into the subject, extensive genealogical details relating to Peerages and Baronetcies will be found in the peerages, baronetages, knightages etc. of Dod, Lodge, Burke, Debrett and others.

The descendants of some of the subjects of these notes, particularly of the families with hereditary titles, for example the Armytages, Ramsdens and the Earls of Dartmouth, subsequently married into other titles. These more distant connections have not been listed.

The author presents the following notes as the most complete listing available of the titled families and individuals of the Huddersfield area, but is well aware that it cannot be described as a complete list; he will be grateful to be informed of omissions.

ARMITAGE, SIR CHARLES CLEMENT - KNIGHT. Born in 1881 Charles Clement Armitage was the son of Charles Ingram Armitage of Woodleigh, Edgerton and Highroyd, Honley, a descendant of the mill-owning family who lived at one time at Milnsbridge House. His first wife whom he married in 1915 was Hilda Caroline Hirst of Meltham Hall whose two sisters were married successively to Henry Clayton Darlington (see Lady Darlington).

General Armitage had a distinguished military career, and was knighted in 1938. He lived at Lechlade in Gloucester for which county he was Deputy Lieutenant.

ARMITAGE OF KIRKLEES, YORKSHIRE - BARONETS. The present title, held by Sir Martin, the 9th baronet, is a creation of 1738. However, the title was created to succeed a baronetage which became extinct in a collateral branch to the present family in 1737. The earlier title was created in 1641 and failed for lack of issue against all odds. The 2nd baronet had 13 children, but none of his sons, three of whom successively held the title, left male issue. The 6th and last baronet was a cousin who also died without issue. The line which holds the present title are descended from an uncle of the 1st Baronet and were thus unable to enter to the ancient title.

The family have resided on their Kirklees estate for over 400 years and were, until very recently, unique in this area as the holders of an hereditary title who had not forsaken their origins. Unfortunately this distinction has been all but lost with the proposed sale of Kirklees Hall, though the family will retain a residence upon the estate.

BAIRSTOW, SIR EDWARD - KNIGHT. Edward Cuthbert Bairstow, Mus. Doc., Litt.D, FRCO, was born in Trinity Street in 1874, the son of James Oates Bairstow and grandson of Oates Bairstow, the founder of Messrs Bairstow, clothing manufacturers of Fitzwilliam Street, whose impressive warehouses still adorn the street. Sir Edward received his knighthood in 1936. He had been Master of Music at York Minster from 1913 and Professor of Music at Durham University from 1929. He married in 1902, had a son and two daughters, and died in 1946.

BEAUMONT OF WHITLEY - BARONET. Richard Beaumont, the builder of the old Whitley Hall, was knighted in 1603. He was MP for Pontefract in 1625 and was created a baronet l5th August 1628. He died unmarried in 1631 when the title failed. His heir was his cousin, Sir Thomas Beaumont (qv).

BEAUMONT, SIR THOMAS - KNIGHT. Cousin and heir of Sir Richard Beaumont, Bart. (qv). He was born at Lascelles Hall and played a prominent part in the Royalist cause in the Civil War for which he was knighted at the restoration of Charles II.

BEHARRELL_, SIR GEORGE EDWARD - KNIGHT. Born in 1899, the son of (Sir) John George Beharrell (qv). He was chairman of the Dunlop Rubber Co., from 1957 to 1967, and received a knighthood in 1961.

BEHARRELL, SIR JOHN GEORGE - KNIGHT. He was born in 1873 at Almondbury, where his father, a native of York, conducted the Wesleyan School. He was educated at St. James's school, Almondbury, became Managing Director of the Dunlop Rubber Co., and was knighted in 1919. He was the father of Sir George Edward Beharrell (qv).

BROADBENT OF BROOK STREET, Co. LONDON, AND LONGWOOD, YORKS – BARONETS. William Henry Broadbent was born at Lindley in a house which still stands in West Street, early in 1835, the son of John Broadbent. His grandfather, also John, had been a clothier at Longwood Edge and established a small manufactory there to which the family eventually removed c.1840.

A biography, Life of Sir William Broadbent by his daughter was published in 1909. He qualified as a doctor in 1860, was created a baronet in 1893, served Queen Victoria as Physician Extraordinary and King Edward VII as Physician in Ordinary. The baronetcy passed on his death to his son, John Francis Harpin Broadbent, also a physician. The 4th and present baronet is George Walter Broadbent, a squadron leader in the RAF.

The first baronet's brother, Benjamin, was a prominent townsman, Mayor of Huddersfield 1904-6, and a Freeman of the Borough, 1918.

BROOKE OF ARMITAGE BRIDGE, ALMONDBURY, WEST RIDING OF YORKSHIRE - BARONET. Thomas Brooke, JP, DL, was created a baronet in 1899. He was the son of Thomas Brooke of Northgate House, Honley, and a descendant of a family which had carried on the cloth trade in the area continuously from the days of Henry VIII. The business John Brooke & Sons of Armitage Bridge mills is reputed to be the oldest family business in Britain.

Thomas lived close to the family mills at Armitage Bridge House, though he retired from trade at a relatively early age and devoted himself to public service and antiquarian pursuits. He died in 1908 when the baronetcy became extinct, his son having predeceased him without male issue.

BROOKE OF ALMONDBURY, WEST RIDING OF YORKSHIRE - BARONET. The title was conferred upon John Arthur Brooke of Fenay Hall, son of Thomas Brooke of Northgate House, Honley, and younger brother of Sir Thomas Brooke, Bart. (qv), in 1919.

John Arthur and two of his brothers, Thomas and William, shared a unique distinction in Huddersfield in that all three were created Freemen of the town. They might have shared another rare distinction, for it is said that William more than once refused the offer of a peerage.

The title continues in the person of Sir Alistair Weston Brooke, 4th Baronet, though the family have not resided in Huddersfield for many years.

BROWN, SIR DAVID - KNIGHT. David Brown was born in Huddersfield in 1904, the son of Francis Edwin Brown, and grandson of David Brown who in 1860 at the age of 17 had laid the foundations of a great industrial concern in the town.

The knighthood was awarded to Sir David in the New Year Honours of 1968 for services to export. He lives now in Monte Carlo.

BRUCE, SIR ROBERT - KNIGHT. The son of the Rev. Robert Bruce, pastor of Highfield Congregational Church, he was born at Huddersfield in 1853, and received his education at Huddersfield College. In 1905 he became Controller of the London Postal Service, and was knighted in 1913 for his services in that post and as the Secretary of several important Royal Commissions. He died in 1931.

CROSLAND, SIR JOSEPH - KNIGHT. Joseph Crosland was born in 1826 the son of George Crosland who founded the extensive woollen manufactory of George Crosland & Sons at Crosland Moor.

He lived at Royds Hall, which he built, and stood for parliament on several occasions, being finally elected member for Huddersfield in 1893. His brother Thomas Pearson Crosland of Gledholt Hall also served the town as Member of Parliament, in 1865-8.

The knighthood was awarded in the 70th Birthday Honours of Queen Victoria in May 1889. Sir Joseph died in 1904 and is interred in Huddersfield cemetery.

DARLINGTON, LADY DAISY MARY – KNIGHT’S WIFE. Daughter of Thomas Julius Hirst of Meltham Hall, she was the second wife of Henry Clayton Darlington who received a knighthood in 1925. His first wife was her sister Mabel Ann. Another sister, Hilda Caroline, was the first wife of Sir Charles Clement Armitage (qv).

DARTMOUTH - EARLS. The local connection with the Earls of Dartmouth arose from the marriage of Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Arthur Kaye of Woodsome (qv), to George, Viscount Lewisham, the eldest son of the first Earl of Dartmouth. Their son, William, born in 1731 succeeded to the Earldom on the death of his grandfather in 1750; the title is presently held by Gerald Humphrey Legge, the 9th Earl.

As well as holding Woodsome, the Kayes were Lords of the Manors of Slaithwaite and of Farnley Tyas, and their estates there devolved on the Earl of Dartmouth, leading to a connection which has endured for some 250 years.

FIRTH, LADY NELLIE - KNIGHT'S WIFE. Daughter of Charles Rawlinson of Huddersfield, she married Harris Firth in 1903. He was knighted in 1933.

GILSTRAP, LADY ELIZABETH - BARONET'S WIFE. Born in 1822 Elizabeth was the daughter of Thomas Haigh, a cotton spinner at Slaithwaite, who soon after removed to Colne Bridge where he leased and built extensive mills.

In 1847 Elizabeth married William Gilstrap, of Newark, a maltster. Although they removed to Suffolk in 1862 William retained a strong interest in the Newark area, and in the 1880s he gave the town its library together with generous endowments from himself and other members of his family. The Gilstrap library was opened by Mrs Gilstrap in 1882 and still stands in the main street of the town.

William was created a baronet in the title of Gilstrap of Fornham, Suffolk, in Queen Victoria's golden jubilee honours list in 1887. Lady Gilstrap died in 1891; there was no surviving issue of the marriage and the title lapsed with the death of Sir William in 1896.

A volume of Lady Gilstrap's poetry, published posthumously in 1894, The Harp of Colne serves to remind of her origins.

HANSON OF EDGERTON, LORD - LIFE BARON. James Edward Hanson was born in 1922, the son of Robert Hanson of Huddersfield. A leading industrialist, he commenced his career with the family firm in Huddersfield. That firm had its origins over 150 years ago with a Joseph Hanson of Longwood who in 1817 was an innkeeper, but by 1821 was being described as a carrier.

The firm prospered through the 19th century; when much of their carrying was for the textile trade, bringing raw materials into the area from the canal and railway sidings, and delivering the woollen pieces to the cloth hall or to manufacturer's warehouses in Huddersfield. There was steady growth in the 20th century, but a period of marked expansion was heralded by the arrival of motor vehicles, and between the wars the firm became a household name in Huddersfield, operating passenger transport and motor coaches as well as the haulage side.

James Hanson was first honoured with a knighthood in 1976 in Sir Harold Wilson's (qv) resignation honours, and was subsequently created a life Peer in 1983. He took the title of his peerage from the district of the town where he spent his childhood.

HIMSWORTH, SIR HAROLD PERCIVAL - KNIGHT. The son of Joe Arnold Himsworth of Longley Road, he was educated at Spring Grove School and Almondbury Grammar School. He became Professor of Medicine at the University of London and the Secretary of the Medical Research Council. He was awarded a knighthood in the New Year honours of 1952 and the following year was appointed Honorary Physician to the Queen. He has written a number of medical and scientific works.

HINCHCLIFFE, SIR GEORGE RAYMOND - KNIGHT. George Raymond Hinchcliffe was born in 1900, the son of Arthur Edward Townend Hinchcliffe of Woodside, Huddersfield, a partner in the firm of Armitage, Sykes & Hinchcliffe, solicitors. He was educated at Huddersfield College.

A judge, he was recorder of Leeds from 1950 to 1957, and received his knighthood in the latter year. He was also chairman of the West Riding Quarter Sessions.

HIRST, SIR AMOS BROOK - KNIGHT. A native of Outlane, Amos Brook Hirst was educated at Longwood Grammar School and Huddersfield College, and practised in Huddersfield as a solicitor.

He is best remembered for his founding connection with Huddersfield Town football club. He was chairman of the Football Association from 1941 to 1955, received the OBE in 1948 and was knighted in 1954. He died the same year and is interred at Salendine nook Baptist chapel.

HORTON OF CHADDERTON LANCASHIRE - BARONETS. The wife of William Horton, who was created a baronet in 1764, was Susannah, the daughter and heiress of Francis Watts. Francis operated the forge at Colne Bridge and was related through marriage to the Beaumonts of Whitley.

HOYLE OF LONGWOOD IN THE W RIDING Co. YORK - BARONET. Emmanuel Hoyle was born at Longwood in 1866, the son of Joseph Hoyle who in the previous year had left his employment to commence trading on his own account. The firm prospered, and by 1939 employed a workforce of 2,000.

Emmanuel Hoyle was awarded a baronetcy in the birthday honours of 1922; it is said that he would have been offered a peerage but that a seat in the House of Lords did not appeal to him. The baronetcy expired when he died in 1939. His tombstone in Longwood Wesleyan burial ground is adorned with his coat of arms and the insignia of the OBE, which was awarded for his wartime services in home defence transport. He resided at Banney Royd, Edgerton, and had an estate at Penrith.

JACKSON, SIR PERCY RICHARD - KNIGHT. Born in 1869 Percy Jackson was the son of William Michael Jackson of Sheepridge. He was educated at Fartown Grammar School and Huddersfield Collegiate school before joining the firm of Field & Botterill of Skelmanthorpe. His uncle was a partner in the firm and Percy joined the partnership in 1890 and retired in 1927.

A County Councillor for the West Riding for over 30 years, he had a particular interest in education, and was a member of the Court of Leeds University from 1918.

He was created a knight in 1925, and died at his residence, Woodlands, Scisset, in 1941.

KAYE OF HUDDERSFIELD Co. YORK - BARONETS. A baronetcy conferred in the New Year honours list of 1923 upon Joseph Henry Kaye of Norwood Grange, Edgerton. He was born in 1856, the eldest son of Henry Kaye of Lindley, and was a principal in the firm of Kaye & Stewart whose mills were included in a royal tour of Lockwood in 1918. He also held directorships in the London, Midland and Scottish Railway and Lloyds Bank. He stood as a candidate for parliament for Huddersfield in 1910, and played a leading part in establishing Royds Hall military hospital.

Sir Joseph held the title for less than a year for he died in December 1923 and is interred in Huddersfield cemetery. The title descended to his son who lived at Grice Hall, Shelley, and to two grandsons, one of whom, David Alexander Gordon Kaye of Brisbane, Australia, is the 4th and present baronet.

KAYE OF WOODSOME - BARONETS. A creation of Charles I, the first baronet was Sir John Kaye of Woodsome who died in 1662. His grandson had no male heir and his Woodsome estate devolved on his daughter, Elizabeth who married firstly Lord Lewisham (see Earls of Dartmouth), and secondly Lord North and Guilford (qv). The baronetcy passed to Elizabeth's cousin, Sir John Lister Kaye and became extinct with the death of his son, the 5th baronet.

The last baronet, Sir John, left his estates to a kinsman of the same name who in 1812 had a baronetcy conferred upon him (see Lister-Kaye).

LECHMERE, LADY LOUISA KATHERINE - BARONET'S WIFE. Louisa Katherine Haigh was born in 1837, the only daughter and heiress of John Haigh of Whitwell Hall, York. Her father, the son of a wealthy textile merchant with origins in Golcar, was born at Spring Grove, Huddersfield in 1805.

In September 1858 Louisa married Sir Edmund Lechmere, baronet, of a family which continues to hold lands at Hanley in Worcestershire which they had from William the Conqueror.

The present baronet, the 6th, is descended from Louisa.

LISTER-KAYE OF DENBY GRANGE, YORKSHIRE - BARONETS. John Lister-Kaye was created a baronet in 1812 in what was, in effect, a renewal of the extinct baronetcy of Kaye of Woodsome (qv).

The present holder of the title is the 8th baronet, Sir John Phillip Lister Lister-Kaye.

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