Statue of Edward Akroyd

 The statue of Edward Akroyd was a set of pictures I took using a Samsung Galaxy Tablet on the 15th February 2014. There are a total of 6 pictures which can be seen below or on Clickasnap where they are full size, resolution and un-watermarked.

Edward Akroyd was an textile manufacturer born in Ovenden, a district of Halifax in 1810. He inherited his fathers business in 1847, and concerned about the terrible social conditions of Victorian Halifax built up model villages around his mills at Boothtown (Akroyden) and Copley. These were built for the workers he employed with the intention of showing how housing conditions could be improved. These villages still stand today as a reminder of his intent. Other social improvements he was responsible for included, the first working mens college outside London, a local allotment society, a school for child labourers, workers pension scheme, and he contributed to a number of Anglican churches being built around the Halifax area including All Souls Church which his statue stands outside of.

He helped found the the Yorkshire Penny Bank, and Halifax Building Society, bring the railway to Halifax, became Lieutenant Colonel of the 4th Yorkshire West Riding Rifle Volunteers in 1861 and served as member of Parliament for Huddersfield (1857-59), and Halifax (1865, 1868-74). Due to failing health, Edward Akroyd left Halifax to live in St Leonards-on-sea and died there in 1887. His funeral held at All Saints Church was attended by over 15000 mourners.

The statue of Edward Akroyd was unveiled on the 29th July 1876 at nearby North Bridge before a crowd of 10000. It has a 9ft bronze statue set atop a 10ft high plinth. Bronze Panels sit on each side of the plinth to commemorate events from Colonel Akroyd's life. It cost £2000 and was sculptured by Ceccardo Egidio Fucigna and John Birnie Philip. It was moved to its current location on the 28th October 1901 so that North Bridge could be developed for trams. Grade II listed status was given to the statue on the 3rd November 1954.

The pictures below feature on the plinth and commemorate a scene from the life of Edward Akroyd.

This panel which can be seen on the plinth is to commemorate the
statue being completed by the townspeople of Halifax.

Colonel Akroyd is represented on horseback giving orders out to the 4th
West Yorkshire Rifle Volunteers, at his feet are Major Ingram, Major Holdsworth
and Captain Holroyde. Men from the regiment are visible behind
his horse.

This panel shows the laying of the corner stone at the nearby All
Souls Church on 25th April 1856. Some of the other men shown in the picture are
Mayor Joshua Appleyard, Bishop Longley of Ripon, Reverend Canon
Fawcett, Archdeacon Musgrave, Richard Carter Mayor of Barnsley and
Gilbert Scott architect of All Souls Church.

The picture on this panel shows the cutting of the first sod of the
Leeds, Bradford and Halifax Railway of which Edward Akroyd was
chairman. The picture is to show a scene from 1846 when the railway was
known as the West Riding Union Railway. In addition to Colonel Akroyd
some of the other men featured in the picture are Jonathan Akroyd, Lord Morpeth,
Charles Wood (Lord Halifax), Colonel Joshua pollard and the lines engineer
Sir John Hawkshaw.

Thanks for looking and please take a moment to share and follow me on social media. All the pictures can also be seen and purchased on Clickasnap full size, resolution and un-watermarked.

All the images remain the copyright of Colin Green.

Borders Sunrise and the Statue of J.B Priestley, Bradford.

Borders sunrise was a picture I took whilst at waiting at a farm near Kelso in October 2018. The sky was coloured with purples and reds and the farm featured a small lake that the sky reflected off. Sadly all I had with me was my LG phone but I think he picture turned out OK. It was taken on the 24 October 2018.

The next picture was taken in November 2013 using a Samsung Galaxy Tablet. It shows that statue of J.B. Priestley which stands outside the National Media Museum, Bradford. John Boynton Priestley was born on the 13 September 1894 in the Manningham district of Bradford. He was a novelist, playwright, screenwriter, broadcaster and social commentator, who's Yorkshire background was reflected in much of his work. He served with the Duke of Wellington's Regiment during Word War 1, being badly injured in June 1916. Despite writing before the war his first major success cam at the end of the 1920's with the novel The Good Companions. Priestley died of pneumonia on the 14 August 1984, his ashes being buried at Hubberholme Churchyard, Wharfedale. The exact location of his ashes have never been made public, only a very small number of people attending their burial. A Plaque at the church says they are buried nearby.

The statue made of Bronze, shows Priestley with his coat flapping in a Bradford Breeze. It was unveiled by his third wife Jacquette Hawkes on the 31 October 1986. The sculptor was Ian Judd.

Thanks for looking and please take a moment to share. All the pictures remain the copyright of Colin Green, they can also be seen on Clickasnap full resolution, size and un-watermarked.

Vintage Postcards - Prince of Orange Monument, Brixham

Anther couple of vintage postcards taken from my collection, these are of the Prince of Orange Monument, that can be found on the seafront at Brixham, Devon.

The card was posted in August 1935 from Paighton and features the following text on the back

It reads as best I can make out as
 Miss Joan Harding, Ivy Lodge, West Malvern, Worcestershire.

Here is a picture for your scrap book on _____  _____, for your history _____ book. I saw the statue on holiday when I went to Brixham. I also watched the fishermen cleaning the nets on the quay. Brixham is such a quaint place. I am delighted to here your better.
Love from W.U _____

Any words I could not make out I have left blank.

The postcard shows a monument constructed in 1889 to commemorate the landing of William of Orange and his army in the town on the 5th November 1688. The prince was to become King William III of England on the 11th April 1689.

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