We hope you have all had a good summer. Our programme begins again on Tuesday 20th September at 7.30pm at the Central Library, Halifax, with a talk from Paul Smith entitled ‘The establishment, expansion and decline of the cinema in Halifax and Calderdale’. We hope to see you there.

Day school—Cornelius Ashworth and His Diaries
Saturday 8th October 2011 at Heath United Reformed Church, Halifax

On Friday 4th October 1782, Cornelius Ashworth, a thirty year old farmer and handloom weaver, made the very first entry in his ’Book’. Thereafter he recorded events on a daily basis for over a year, a process which he repeated in 1785, 1809 and 1815. All four diaries have now been transcribed in full, and they provide some fascinating insights into an age when the world of work and worship were being transformed.  

We are delighted to announce further information on our day school looking in more detail at the world of Cornelius Ashworth. The event will begin with an introductory talk by Steven Caunce on dealing with diaries and autobiographies as sources for historical research. We will then hear from the three people who have transcribed the diaries—Richard Davies, Janet Senior and Alan Petford—each of whom will be looking at a particular aspect of Ashworth’s world. This promises to be an excellent event and the good news is that there is still time to sign up for it.

Tickets (priced £15 including refreshments and a sandwich lunch) can be obtained at the Society’s meeting on 20th September, or by sending a cheque made payable to Halifax Antiquarian Society to Corinne McDonald, 13 Grandsmere Place, Halifax HX3 0DP. If you have already applied, you will be receiving your ticket and a copy of the programme shortly.

The Diaries of Cornelius Ashworth 1782-1816—your chance to subscribe
Why not take advantage of the opportunity to order a copy of ‘The Diaries of Cornelius Ashworth 1782—1816’ in advance for a discounted price of £16 per copy by becoming a subscriber? Not only will you enjoy a substantial reduction on the cover price of £19 but you will have your name printed in the book itself and guarantee yourself a copy immediately on publication. To become a subscriber, fill in and return the attached form by 30th September 2011. The book will be available from early November.

We hope you have all had a good summer. Our programme begins again on Tuesday 20th September at 7.30pm at the Central Library, Halifax, with a talk from Paul Smith entitled ‘The establishment, expansion and decline of the cinema in Halifax and Calderdale’. We hope to see you there.

Tuesday 6th December—Open evening
The Society’s next open evening will be held on Tuesday 6th December at the Central Library, Halifax, and we are looking for people to help out with preparations and/or on the night. If you can help in any way or you have any ideas about what we could do to promote our work and the Society, Corinne McDonald would love to hear from you. Her contact details are at the end of this newsletter.

Halifax Antiquarian Society Syllabus for 2012
Corinne is currently putting together the syllabus for 2012. Would you be willing to do a talk for the Society, or do you know someone else we could approach. If so, please let Corinne know. Her details are at the end of this newsletter.

Tuesday 6th September
David Glover will be giving a talk at St John's Church, Windleroyd Lane, Warley, at 7.30pm on "Halifax Parish and the 1611 Bible Translators."Entry - including pie-and-peas supper - will be £3.00.Tickets at the door; all funds to the Bible Society.Everyone welcome.

Saturday 10th September
Dr John Hargreaves will be giving aHalifax Minster at 7.30pm, for Halifax Organists' Association. The subject is “Susan Sunderland (1819-1905) the Calderdale Nightingale and Yorkshire Queen of Song”, an accolade attributed to Queen Victoria. She was a founder of the Huddersfield Choral Society and the Mrs Sunderland Music Festival, both of which have gained great renown over the years. Entry fee not yet finalised.Everyone is most welcome.

INFORMATION OF INTEREST TO MEMBERS

Calderdale Council—Consultations

Suitable for both beginners and those with some experience, documents from different chronological periods can be tackled depending on experience. The art of indexing the documents will also be explained. Once transcribed and indexed the documents will help to find out more about aspects of local life in the past such as:

The course is part of a major three year project being run by the South Pennine History Group of which Hebden Bridge Local History Society is a founder member. The project is funded by LEADER and involves the Saddleworth and Marsden History Societies as well as Hebden Bridge. The transcribed material will appear on a website specially designed for the project as well as in print.

The course fee is £60. Booking is recommended but, provided places are still available, you may register for the course at the first meeting. If you wish to reserve a place please contact Nigel Smith on 01422 842847.

A new course taught by local historian and HAS Transactions Editor Dr John Hargreaves at Calderdale Central Library commencing Thursday 29 September (6.30 p.m. – 8.30 p.m.) for 10 weeks with Half Term break on 27 October and concluding on 8 December.

This course will trace the emergence of the kingdoms of Anglo-Saxon England, with particular reference to the kingdom of Elmet and assess the impact of the Anglo-Norman, later medieval, Tudor and Stuart monarchy on Yorkshire and the North, focusing on evidence from Calderdale. We will examine the devastating harrying of the North by William the Conqueror and the anarchy of Stephen’s reign. We will assess the significance of the Robin Hood ballads, Magna Carta and Simon de Montfort. We will explore the impact of conflict with Scotland, the Wars of the Roses and the English Civil Wars, the Restoration of Charles II and the Glorious Revolution of 1688 on the lives of northern people and especially those living in Calderdale. We will utilise extracts from primary sources and contemporary images to enliven our discussions and help us to understand the historical reputations of controversial monarchs such as William Rufus, Richard III, Henry VIII and Charles I.

A follow-up ten-week course, Crown and People in Calderdale and the North (2) coinciding with the Diamond Jubilee year of Queen Elizabeth II, will examine the relationship of Crown and People from the Revolution Settlement of 1688-89 to the present day and from the House of Hanover to the House of Windsor. It will start on 12 January and conclude on 22 March with a Half Term break on 16 February.

Fee for each course £60 (£3 for those in receipt of income-related benefits). Pre-enrolment enquiries to Anne Kirker 01422 823966 or Linda Croft 01706 818103 (e-mail lcroft@wea.org.uk) or enrol at the first session.

The next edition of the newsletter will be sent out in February/March 2012. If you have any contributions please e-mail them to mail@halifaxhistory.org.uk or post them to Corinne McDonald, 13 Grandsmere Place, Halifax HX3 0DP (01422 348863)