Your ‘Treasures of the Archives’ Winners are announced!

Voting closed at 5pm on Friday 17^th February, the votes were counted and verified, and today we have been revealing the winners from the five district offices in Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees, Leeds and Wakefield.

The winners are:

Bradford: The Alhambra Theatre

Calderdale: John Crossley and Sons Ltd

Kirklees: Fisher Family Letters

Leeds: Tetley’s Brewery

Wakefield: Nostell Priory, Winn Family Archive 

Thank you to everyone who voted, both online and at our Voting Days, hopefully your favourite treasure won! Displays on the winners will be in our offices soon, so keep an eye out!

 

Coming Soon: County Wide ‘Treasures of the Archives’

From March you will have the chance to select your favourite County Wide collection from the following:

• Notebooks of Thomas Taylor [County Coroner 1852-1900]
• Papers of Sir Alec Clegg [WRCC Chief Education Officer 1945-1974]
• West Riding Quarter Session Papers [1637-1974]
• Papers of the West Riding Pauper Lunatic Asylum or Stanley Royd[1814-1980s]
• West Riding Registry of Deeds [1704-1970]

More details to be released shortly!

Your Wakefield ‘Treasure of the Archives’ is… The Winn Family of Nostell Priory!

Voting closed at 5pm on Friday 17^th February, the votes have been counted and verified, and we can reveal the winner from the Wakefield district office is the Winn Family of Nostell Priory.

The voting results were as follows:

Nostell Priory, Winn Family Archive – 40.73%

HM Prison Wakefield, Convict Reception Register – 24.5%

Borough of Pontefract Records – 19.87%

Watson Architects – 7.62%

Diary and Terrier Book of Brotherton Parish – 7.28%

 

Winn Family of Nostell Priory (WYL1352)

 

The voting was very close for the majority of the time, but the Nostell Priory, Winn Family Archive raced to victory during these final weeks. The collection we hold ranges from the family papers to the estate records, and one of our highlights is an unassuming recipe book that contains numerous recipes for all manner of things, ranging from the edible to the remedial, and provides cures for both humans and animals.

The collection covers the management of the estate and details the running of Nostell Priory, including inventories and household accounts, whilst the personal papers of the family members give us an insight into who they were and how they lived. Call the Wakefield Office on 01924 305980 to step back in time and learn about the history surrounding this beautiful property.

Do you think the best Treasure won? Leave us your thoughts on the results.

Your Leeds ‘Treasure of the Archives’ is… Tetley’s Brewery!

Voting closed at 5pm on Friday 17^th February, the votes have been counted and verified, and we can reveal the winner from the Leeds district office is the Tetley’s Brewery.

The voting results were as follows:

Tetley’s Brewery – 33.5%

AW Hainsworth and Sons Ltd – 32.23%

Burton Group Ltd – 19.69%

Yorkshire County Cricket Club – 7.42%

Leeds Pious Uses Committee– 7.16%

  

Tetley’s Brewery (WYL756)

 

Winning by just a few votes, the Tetley’s Brewery collection is the perfect way to preserve it’s memory for future generations. It all started in 1822 when Joshua Tetleytook over William Sykes’ brewery in Salem Place with the idea to brew his own beer as well as selling malt. Ahead of his time he was met with resistance trying to change tradition, but he soon established the brewery, after WW1 bottled beer was also sold in great quantities, and by1950Tetley’s owned more than 400 licensed houses.

The full Tetley’s collection has the vast business records of the brewery, including mechanics’ notebooks relating to the brewing process, day books, experiment books, ‘Brewed and to Brew’ books, as well as staff records. Call the Leeds Office on 0113 214 5814 to find out all about the brewery that was the pride of Yorkshire.

Do you think the best Treasure won? Leave us your thoughts on the results.

Your Kirklees ‘Treasure of the Archives’ is… The Fisher Family Letters!

Voting closed at 5pm on Friday 17^th February, the votes have been counted and verified, and we can reveal the winner from the Kirklees district office is The Fisher Family of Almondbury Letters. 

 

The voting results were as follows: 

The Fisher Family Letters – 52.78%

George Cowley Papers – 17.5%

Women’s Social and Political Union, Huddersfield, Minutes – 11.94%

Florence Lockwood Diaries – 10%

Beaumont of Whitley: Family and Estate Records – 7.78%

 

The Fisher Family of Almondbury Letters (WYK1263)

 

A runaway winner since early on in the voting period, the Fisher Family Letters are a set of 28 letters from 1805-1818, and let us hear the voices of the Fisher family from 200 years ago.  These personal letters highlight the social problems and solutions of the time used to stop young men falling into bad company. However, forcing them to stay in the army for over 13 years seems a bit ruthless by today’s standards!

The majority of letters are from their eldest son, Thomas Fisher, whilst in the army, but he is not the only child in trouble, as we can see from letters by his younger brother William who has also been sent away to work as a planter’s clerk in Jamaica. They describe in detail their thoughts and feelings about what they have done, their situation and what they see during this time, including William’s moving account of the enslaved workers. Call the Kirklees Office on 01484 221966 to read these absorbing letters.

Do you think the best Treasure won? Leave us your thoughts on the results.

Your Calderdale ‘Treasure of the Archives’ is… John Crossley and Sons!

Voting closed at 5pm on Friday 17^th February, the votes have been counted and verified, and we can reveal the winner from the Calderdale district office is John Crossley and Sons, the carpet manufacturers of Halifax. 

The voting results were as follows:

John Crossley and Sons – 34.98%

The Diaries ofAnne Lister– 30.03%

The Fielden Brothers – 20.79%

Waterhouse Charities – 7.92%

Halifax Choral Society – 6.27%

  

John Crossley and Sons (DC, CRO)

Throughout the voting period John Crossley and Sons competed closely with the Diaries of Anne Lister, but took the lead in the final week and made it to the end! By 1879 John Crossley and Sons was the largest carpet manufacturing firm in the world, thanks mainly to their pioneering use and development of steam-powered looms, and their carpets were world famous, gracing the floors of places such as the Royal Opera House, Christiansborg Castle, Denmark and the Empress of India steamship!   

The firm and the family were also pivotal in the development ofHalifax and the locality, due to their philanthropic generosity. The Crossley collection held comprises some 920 boxes of staff and production records, deeds, maps, correspondence, accounts and other records which were saved from Dean Clough Mills in 1988 following the closure of the firm. Call the Calderdale Office on 01422 392636 to view this fascinating collection.

Do you think the best Treasure won? Leave us your thoughts on the results.

Your Bradford ‘Treasure of the Archives’ is… The Alhambra Theatre!

Voting closed at 5pm on Friday 17^th February, the votes have been counted and verified, and we can reveal the winner from the Bradford district office is The Alhambra Theatre.

The voting results were as follows:

The Alhambra Theatre – 35.78%

Brown, Muff and Co. Ltd – 22.94%

Jowett Car Club – 20.18%

William ScrutonScrapbooks – 13.3%

Oriental Arts – 7.8% 

 

The Alhambra Theatre (11D82)

A clear favourite from the start The Alhambra Theatre is well known and loved in Bradford and across West Yorkshire. Built in 1912 by Francis Laidler the stage has been host to many famous faces over the years, from Laurel and Hardy to Tommy Cooper, Joanna Lumley and Colin Firth!

The Alhambra Theatre collection has a vast amount of records including posters, scripts and programmes for a number of performances over the years, many of which were written by the proprietor Francis Laidler until his death in1955. Call the Bradford Office on 01274 435099 to view the collection and take a trip down memory lane.

Do you think the best Treasure won? Leave us your thoughts on the results.

Hurry! Voting closes at 5pm today!

Voting for the Treasures of West Yorkshire Archive Service closes at 5 pm TODAY with winners announced on Monday 20th February.

Here’s a reminder of the treasures that you can vote for;

Bradford: Brown & Muffs; The Alhambra Theatre; William Scruton Scrapbooks; Jowett Car Club and the Oriental Arts records.

Calderdale: John Crossley and Sons, Carpet Manufacturers; Fielden Brothers, Cotton manufacturers; Halifax Choral Society; Anne Lister Diaries and the Waterhouse Chaities records.

Kirklees: George Cowley Papers; Florence E Lockwood Diaries; Beaumont of Whitley Family & Estate papers; Fisher Family papers and the Womens Social and political Union minute book.

Leeds: Burton Group Limited, clothing manufacturer; AW Hainswrth & Sons Ltd; Leeds Pious Uses Committee; Yorkshire County Cricket Club records and Joshua Tetley & Sons Lts, brewers.

Wakefield: Diary & Terrier book of Brotherton parish; Watson Architects; Pontefract Borough records; Convicts Reception Register, Wakefield and the Nostell Priory, Winn Family archive.

The winning ‘treasure’ from each district will be the subject of a local display to highlight even more wonders contained within it!

To vote simply go to our treasures website  For further information on the Treasures of the Archives Campaign, please contact the Collections Team or call 0113 3939767.

 

Treasures of the Archives – Voting Closing Date Looms!

Vote for your favourite treasure of West Yorkshire Archive Service!

Across the country people have been voting in their hundreds but with the closing date fast approaching, you need to make sure that your vote counts. Voting closes at 5pm on Friday 17th February 2012.

Here’s a reminder of the treasures that you can vote for;

Bradford: Brown & Muffs; The Alhambra Theatre; William Scruton Scrapbooks; Jowett Car Club and the Oriental Arts records.

Calderdale: John Crossley and Sons, Carpet Manufacturers; Fielden Brothers, Cotton manufacturers; Halifax Choral Society; Anne Lister Diaries and the Waterhouse Chaities records.

Kirklees: George Cowley Papers; Florence E Lockwood Diaries; Beaumont of Whitley Family & Estate papers; Fisher Family papers and the Womens Social and political Union minute book.

Leeds: Burton Group Limited, clothing manufacturer; AW Hainswrth & Sons Ltd; Leeds Pious Uses Committee; Yorkshire County Cricket Club records and Joshua Tetley & Sons Lts, brewers.

Wakefield: Diary & Terrier book of Brotherton parish; Watson Architects; Pontefract Borough records; Convicts Reception Register, Wakefield and the Nostell Priory, Winn Family archive.

The winning ‘treasure’ from each district will be announced on Monday 20th February 2012 and will be the subject of a local display to highlight even more wonders contained within it!

To vote simply go to our treasures website  For further information on the Treasures of the Archives Campaign, please contact the Collections Team or call 0113 3939767.