Halifax Bank Offices

These pictures were taken in June 2014 using a Polaroid is2132 bridge camera, they show the head office of the Halifax Bank on Trinity Road and it's predecessor on Commercial Street.

Until 2022 this building the former head office of the then Halifax Building Society was still trading as a branch of the now Halifax Bank. Despite it's historical importance the branch was closed and now awaits a plan for the future.

The building was built by Alexander Scott in 1903 for his drapery business and became the head office of the Halifax Permanent Building Society in March 1921. The buildings were known as York Buildings and could be found on Commercial Street. The building became headquarters to the newly created Halifax Building Society in January 1928 after the mergers of the Halifax Equitable Society, Halifax Permanent Building Society (1853) and the Halifax Permanent Building Society (1900).

In the late 1960's the Halifax purchased the former Ramsden's Stone Trough Brewery at Ward's End and work commenced on building a new head office for the building society. This was opened by HM Queen Elizabeth II on the 13th November 1974.

The former Fremason's Hall is visible behind the glass. The hall was built 1868-69 and the frontage was Grade II listed when the Halifax offices were extended in the early 1990's, the decision was made to incorporate the front in the new building.

The paths and patio areas around the offices used to feature ornamental fountains and gardens as I recall, these have long since been removed which is a shame. Many people in Halifax do not like the award winning design of the building, thinking it too large, overpowering and not in keeping with the town's Victorian heritage. My only concern is for the future, what will happen when Lloyds decide the the building is no longer needed or is too far away from the banking action of London or Edinburgh, I can't imagine what would happen to the site in that circumstance.

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

All the pictures remain the copyright of Colin Green.

Saint John in the Wilderness, January 2015

The Church of Saint John in the Wilderness has served the community of Cragg Vale since 1817. The church is also known as Cragg Church and Marshaw Bridge Church and sits across Cragg Brook from the Hinchcliffe Arms.

The current church that occupies the site was opened in 1839 funded by the million pound act at a cost of £2130. It was built to replace the earlier church on the site which had opened in 1817, a few years after the foundation stone had been laid in March 1813. This earlier church had accommodated 250 worshipers but is larger replacement could now house 800. This was useful when the church was responsible for control of the area as the vicar had the power to force people to attend services and often demanded people leave the nearby pubs to do so.

In 1844 the church was given independence from the Parish of Halifax and the prominent local Hinchcliffe family became more involved with the church, donating and supporting the church in funds and activities. A number of the families graves can be seen within the grounds. It is said the church was visited by the Bronte Family often, this could be due to Branwell Bronte's time spent working as a clerk at the nearby Luddenden Foot Railway Station. Another famous although now notorious celebrity with links to the church is Jimmy Saville who was made an honorary church warden in 1967.

The pictures were taken using a Polaroid is2132 bridge camera on the 10th January 2015. They can be seen here and on Clickasnap.

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Luddenden Dene Wesleyan Chapel, August 2022

 

Luddenden Dene Wesleyan Chapel opened on Christmas Day 1828 and for a small chapel in a very rural location served the local congregation until November 1978. It had cost £459 17s 7d to build and was popular with the local community. The chapel could hold a congregation of around 200 and often did at Christmas, anniversaries and celebratory times, although normal services around 25 people would attend.

Luddenden Dene Chapel was destroyed by a fire that started in the boiler room in January 1954, after this the congregation met in the Sunday School that they had opened in the 1890's. This continued until 1978 when the congregation had reduced to just 8.

In the cemetery grounds, there are 2 plots that were purchased by Calvert's Mill at nearby Wainstalls for the burial of orphans that dies whilst employed there. Grave 183 which has a headstone and grave 184 which is unmarked. Many of the children were girls from Liverpool and died of disease and malnutrition, some are said to have been buried illegally on the locals moors and to date over 140 have been identified. The picture below shows grave 183.

These pictures were taken on the 16th August 2022 using a Nikon d3300 SLR camera. They can also be seen and purchased full size, resolution and un-watermarked on Clickasnap.

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Ponders End Lock, February 2015

 A small set of pictures taken whilst on my lunch. I'd been to the nearby flour mill and whilst passing my lunch break by took these pictures of Ponders End Lock on the River Lee Navigation.

They were taken using a Samsung Galaxy Tablet on the 11th February 2015. There are 6 in total which can be seen below and on Clickasnap.

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Cova de Can Marca, Port de San Miguel, Ibiza.

 

The Cova de Can Marca is a former smugglers cave near Port de San Miguel, Northern Ibiza. The entrance steps give outstanding views across the bay and Mediterranean.

The cave is one of the most popular attractions on Ibiza, taking approx 40 mins to tour and offering a show of water light and sound in a natural environment. The tour also included a light show based around natural waterfall that was once a natural feature of the cave.

The pictures were taken using a Polaroid is2132 bridge camera on the 12th July 2014, they can be seen below and on Clickasnap full size, resolution and un-watermarked.

Entrance steps to the cave

Exit stairs from the caves.

Clicking any image should open a link in another window to the version on Clickasnap.

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All the pictures remain the copyright of Colin Green.

Mytholmroyd Railway Station October 2013

 Mytholmroyd Railway Station was opened in May 1847 by the Manchester & Leeds Railway with temporary platforms and buildings, several years after the railway was completed through the Calder Valley. These temporary buildings were replaced by a new station with platforms overhanging Mytholmroyd Viaduct in December 1871 and thats how things remained for over 100 years. In the 1980's some of the buildings that overhung the viaduct were removed, in 1985 the station became an unstaffed stop, and by the decades end the Grade II listed former ticket office and entrance had been bordered up and closed, after new platforms were constructed to the eastern end of the station, the platforms overhanging the viaduct were also removed around this time.

Mytholmroyd Station has limited facilities including a small car park, bus shelter cover on each platform and electronic ticket machines. No refreshment or toilet facilities can be found at the station. In the last full years of passenger numbers the station was used by 45912 passengers. This was for the year 2020/21 during the covid pandemic and was an approx average of 882 per week, down from an average of 3884 per week pre covid.

These pictures were taken using a Samsung Galaxy Tablet on the 26th October 2013. They can be seen below or on Clickasnap full size, resolution and un-watermarked.

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All the pictures remain the copyright of Colin Green.