Wainwright | Ref 1-1464 |
Wake | Ref 1-1032 |
This is said to have originated when the body was watched overnight to ensure that it was dead, thereby avoiding anyone being buried alive.
Wakefield, Capture of | Ref 1-417 |
Wale | Ref 1-217 |
Walk mill | Ref 1-W38 |
Walkers' Shears | Ref 1-69 |
The shears consisted of 2 opposing iron blades – about 4 ft in length – and the pair weighed about 50 lbs.
These can be seen in one of the drawings by George Walker.
An image of a pair of shears is inscribed on a gravestone in the porch at Halifax Parish Church. The stone has been dated to about 1150 and indicating the early presence of a woollen industry in the district
Wanto | Ref 1-1011 |
Wanty | Ref 1-1219 |
Wapentake | Ref 1-316 |
The West Riding comprised 10 wapentakes: Ainsty [until the 15th century, when it became a part of the city of York], Agbrigg & Morley, Claro Lower, Claro Upper, Ewcross, Osgoldcross, Skyrack Lower, Skyrack Upper, Staincliffe East, Staincliffe West, Staincross, Strafforth & Tickhill Lower, and Strafforth & Tickhill Upper.
Halifax lay within the Wapentake of Agbrigg & Morley.
The word comes from the Old Norse vapntak [voting by a show of weapons].
In Norman times, the Wapentake Court was known as the Sheriff's tourn
A modern translation of Wapentake would be District
War Graves Photographic Project | Ref 1-739 |
The searchable database gives access to the photos of the individual headstones & memorials
War Memorials | Ref 1-W37 |
War of 1812 | Ref 1-2369 |
War Shrine | Ref 1-1001 |
Warp | Ref 1-275 |
In the industrial production of cloth, the yarn is wound onto a cheese for loading on the weaving machinery.
Warp-stretching | Ref 1-286 |
Warping ough | Ref 1-W30 |
Warren | Ref 1-2825 |
The warren was the property of the lord of the manor and was managed by a warrener.
The word comes from a variant of the Old French garenne meaning a game park
See Free warren and Warner
Wars & Battles | Ref 1-105 |
Wars of the Roses | Ref 1-505 |
Wart stone | Ref 1-W18 |
Washing | Ref 1-232 |
Wassail | Ref 1-W13 |
The word is used in expressions such as here we come a'wassailing.
The word comes from the Old English wes hál, meaning be well
Waste | Ref 1-1617 |
The forces of William I marched north and punished the rebels, burning homes and lands and laying the countryside waste. This was known as the harrying of the north.
Domesday book uses expressions such as:
wasteas est
hoc est vasta
to describe much of the land as being entirely or partly waste, possibly a consequence of campaigns against such insurrections in the period 1068-1070.
In 1069, the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle says of Yorkshire that
... the king ... had laid waste all the shireMost of the castles in Yorkshire – including Richmond and Pickering – were built at that time to oppress the locals.
In some cases, waste might mean that the land was not suitable for agricultural use
Watch & ward | Ref 1-W4 |
Watch & Ward Act [1812] | Ref 1-2721 |
This was ...
An Act for the more effectual Preservation of the Peace, by enforcing the Duties of Watching and Warding, until the First Day of March 1814, in Places where Disturbances prevail or are apprehendedIt allowed members of the public to enrol as special constables armed to maintain law and order. This was generally unpopular
Water | Ref 1-2334 |
See Clough
Water closet | Ref 1-2274 |
Water-frame | Ref 1-81 |
By 1784, the water-frame was used in the production of worsted, and then for flax, but it was unsuitable for the shorter noils of woollen fibres where the spinning jenny was preferable.
The improved and faster steam-powered throstle appeared around 1800.
See Frame
Water power | Ref 1-1571 |
The first water-powered worsted spinning mill was built around 1784 near Lancaster.
When steam power began to replace water power about 1820, some of the smaller water-powered mills were abandoned, and others were converted to steam
See Cold Edge Dam Company and Water Dispute between Michael Foxcroft & Henry Farrer
Water shortages | Ref 1-W15 |
Water supply | Ref 1-8380 |
In the 17th century, Charles II issued permits for companies to pump water from the rivers and deliver it – via wooden pipes – to domestic customers.
Until the urbanisation of the 19th century, most domestic water in the towns came from wells, or it was purchased from street traders.
In Halifax, the town was supplied by water from Well Head and Highroad Well, channelled through wooden pipes and underground tunnels. As the town grew the water supply became polluted, causing illness and disease. Public health was threatened by water-borne diseases such as typhoid and cholera.
In 1890, the West Riding County Council required all authorities adjacent to the Calder to take action to purify the water in the river.
Wells and spas were the only source of water before municipal supplies were provided from reservoirs. Halifax Corporation engaged John Frederick La Trobe Bateman to solve the problem of bringing water from Widdop to Halifax.
In 1618, it is recorded that
Water was brought to Halifax in leaden pipes
In the mediæval period, the wells were used for baptisms.
From the middle of the 19th century, hydropathy at spas became popular.
See Act for supplying Halifax with Water [1762], Clifton Water Supply Company and Cold Edge Dam Company
This & associated entries use material contributed by Steven Beasley
Waterloo, Battle of | Ref 1-452 |
Conflict during the Napoleonic Wars in which the Anglo-allied forces under the Duke of Wellington and the Prussian army defeated the French under Napoleon.
The importance of the Battle is reflected in the number of streets and other features which are named Waterloo.
Local people who died in the Battle include:
Other local people who took part in the Battle include:
Waterwheels | Ref 1-3890 |
This & associated entries use material contributed by Marilyn Brichard
Waulking | Ref 1-185 |
Wayland | Ref 1-W35 |
Weather-spy | Ref 1-W24 |
Weavers' Act [1555] | Ref 1-1989 |
Weavers' strike | Ref 1-715 |
A strike began in July 1906, when Hebden Bridge fustian weavers discovered they were paid 2/- a week less than those in Lancashire, and asked that their wages be increased to the level of those in Bury and other Lancashire towns The employers refused, arguing that Hebden Bridge was at a disadvantage in being distant from the centres of yarn production and markets for cloth.
The first group of strikers walked out of Ashworth Brothers' Foster Mill and the dispute soon spread to the mills of Richard Thomas & Sons, E. B. Sutcliffe & Company, and Roger Shackleton.
Within a few months, 480 men and women had stopped work and 2,000 looms stood idle. Some went to work for firms not affected by the strike, others remained unemployed. The strikers made a weekly collection around the district to augment the strike pay which they received from the Weavers' Union. The strikers met at the Tin Mission, Hebden Bridge.
There were many demonstrations, and, in September 1906, mounted police were brought in to keep the peace. In February 1907, a crowd of 5,000 attended a meeting at the Co-operative Hall in February.
During the strike, a number of suffragettes and other women – including Lavena Saltonstall – were arrested following an attack on the House of Commons in March 1907.
In October 1908, around 150 weavers were still on strike. The Weavers' Union told them that their strike pay would be cut. On 31st December 1908, the strikers received their last strike pay. The strike was over.
The Eaves Self-Help Manufacturers' Society was established by the unemployed weavers.
See Thomas & Sons
Weavers' windows | Ref 1-2491 |
Weaving | Ref 1-195 |
Wedding anniversaries | Ref 1-W29 |
Wedding breakfast | Ref 1-W10 |
Wedding dress | Ref 1-W17 |
Wednesday | Ref 1-W20 |
Weeds | Ref 1-W16 |
Weeping cross | Ref 1-W9 |
Weeting | Ref 1-249 |
Weft | Ref 1-1041 |
Weights & Measures | Ref 1-708 |
Weiring | Ref 1-1400 |
Welch wig | Ref 1-W11 |
Weld | Ref 1-2459 |
Well-dressing | Ref 1-W5 |
See Spa Laithe
Welsh | Ref 1-973 |
Wergild | Ref 1-W23 |
Wesleyan Methodists | Ref 1-2375 |
Many Wesleyan Methodist preachers were itinerant.
In 1849, a number of Wesleyan Methodist ministers were expelled for insubordination and established the Wesleyan Reformers.
With the Methodist Union in 1932, the denomination of Wesleyan Methodist became Methodist.
This & associated entries use material contributed by John Hoyle & Ben Stables
Wesleyan Reformers | Ref 1-407 |
See Mount Pleasant Wesleyan Reform Chapel, Wainstalls and Wainstalls Wesleyan Reformers Church
West Coast of New Zealand Gold Rush | Ref 1-1255 |
West Coast of New Zealand Gold Rush | Ref 1-1257 |
It began to decline in 1867.
See Gold Rush
West Yorkshire Archive Service | Ref 1-2468 |
Located in
See Phyllis Ramsden, Halifax Central Library, Journals of Anne Lister and Nonconformist Records
West Yorkshire Regiment | Ref 1-1172 |
Westphalian series | Ref 1-2168 |
Lower Coal Measures of this period lie east of the Hebble.
See Coal mining
Wet nurse | Ref 1-W25 |
WHARFEGEN | Ref 1-571 |
Wheel window | Ref 1-204 |
An alternative name for apple-and-pear window and rose window
Whig | Ref 1-3043 |
Whinny | Ref 1-591 |
The element is used in many local place names – such as Whinney Field, Halifax, Whinney Fold, Halifax, Whinney Hall, Shelf, Whinney Hill, Brighouse, Whinney Hill housing estate, Whinney Royd Lane, Northowram, Whinney Royd, Northowram and Winnyfield, Skircoat.
The word comes from the Old Norse whin [gorse]? meaning a place where gorse grows.
See Windy
Whipcord | Ref 1-2916 |
Whipping | Ref 1-1624 |
There are no surviving examples of whipping posts in Calderdale.
Offenders were also tied to the rear of a cart and whipped as the vehicle was drawn through the streets.
See Cotton measures, Flogging and Scourge
Whisky Spinning | Ref 1-W2 |
Whit walks | Ref 1-2297 |
The participants singing hymns to the accompaniment of brass bands – to a park or the local place of worship where a tea was provided.
Hymn-singing, prayers and sports often followed the tea – see Sunday-school treat. Children traditionally wore their new clothes. These continued into the 1960s when entertainment became more sophisticated.
The walks were made on Whit Monday, but some places held them on the Friday of Whit Week.
White bread | Ref 1-1925 |
White Sewing Machine | Ref 1-1768 |
Whites | Ref 1-852 |
Whitesmiths | Ref 1-W22 |
Whitsun Ale | Ref 1-1810 |
Whitsuntide | Ref 1-719 |
Whit Monday was a holiday.
In 1971, it was replaced by the Spring Bank Holiday
See Piece Hall Sing, Whit Monday Fields, Whit walks, Whitsun Ale and Whitsuntide buns
Whitsuntide Buns | Ref 1-736 |
An 1884 recipe for the buns – as made by Dobson's of Elland – specified
to make 180 10-ounce buns24 lbs flour 5 lb butter 5 lb lard 8 lb sugar 8 oz salt 20 eggs 13 quarts milk 2 lb yeast 20 lb currants 5 lb peel
This & associated entries use material contributed by Les Forester
Whole cloth | Ref 1-2641 |
See Narrow cloth and Ullnager
Whooping cough | Ref 1-873 |
Widow auction | Ref 1-3035 |
a fine young widow, having worn 3 husbands
Despite enthusiastic bidding from 1 guinea up to £13, the widow did not reach the reserve price and the sale was abandoned after she declined to be bought
Widow's weeds | Ref 1-2052 |
Widow / Widower | Ref 1-1284 |
A widower is a man whose wife has died.
In some memorial inscriptions, the term is used for someone who has died but his/her spouse is still alive.
In contrast, the word relict refers to a woman who has died and whose husband died some time before her
Wife-selling | Ref 1-3034 |
These often took place at a local cattle market.
In the transfer, the woman was often delivered in a halter, and the sale formally announced that the woman was henceforth the property of the new buyer.
In August 1881, a Brighouse man sold his wife for 2d. The woman had documents drawn up to prevent him buying her back.
Wildbore | Ref 1-W32 |
Records for Akroyd's mill show that they produced the fabric in 1803
Will | Ref 1-1595 |
In addition to houses, land and money, the will contained instructions for bequests of clothing, furniture, household goods, and animals.
It was common for a man to leave a horse or a cow to the local vicar, as a burial fee.
Until 1858, the church had responsibility for proving wills. Will were proved in the Prerogative Court of York (if the person had property in the North of England), or in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury (if the person had property in the South of England, or in both north and south).
In 1858, the state took over this responsibility.
All wills proved since 1858 are held at the Public Record Office in London, the County Records Office, and possibly the local Diocesan Registry. Wills before 1858, may be held anywhere.
The Yorkshire Indexers website is compiling indexes to Wills and Admons recorded in the Deeds Registry [1901-1920]. The Indexes are to be found at URLs of the form
where the final letter = A in this instance = indicates the initial letter of surnames on that page
See Effects, En ventre sa mère, Estate, Halifax Wills Volumes I & II, Halifax Wills Volume 2 and Probate
This & associated entries use material contributed by Alan Longbottom
Will o' the wisp | Ref 1-W27 |
Willeying | Ref 1-171 |
A stage in cloth-making when the dried wool – or other raw material – from the bales was beaten to remove dust, to disentangle the material, to open matted locks, and to blend the staples into a consistent material.
The worker who did this was known as a willeyer, a willey girl, a willeyman, a willower, or (possibly) a woollier.
When mechanised, in the late 18th century, the work was done by revolving spiked cylinders on a willeying machine.
This technique also allowed rags and scrap cloth to be recycled
This & associated entries use material contributed by Stan Mapstone
William IV | Ref 1-W2496 |
He married Adelaide.
He was succeeded by his niece, Victoria.
Willow | Ref 1-198 |
Willowing | Ref 1-W41 |
Willying | Ref 1-W28 |
Wilton carpet | Ref 1-997 |
It is woven on a wire loom.
The method was used at Wilton, Wiltshire, from the 16th century until 1995, when the Wilton Royal Carpet Factory closed. In the 18th and 19th century, Wilton was roughly twice the cost of Brussels carpet, and it became common to have a Wilton carpet in the best room, and to use Brussels carpet in less-important areas of the house.
Winding | Ref 1-253 |
In cone winding, the yarn was held on a metal or paper cone-shaped core.
The work was done by a winder
Winding hole | Ref 1-1017 |
The word is pronounced as in the wind (of weather) and not as in to wind (of wool)
Winding sheet | Ref 1-2077 |
Window Tax | Ref 1-1572 |
The tax influenced domestic architecture for many years. Many houses had some of their windows bricked up to avoid paying the tax, and others were built with fewer or no windows, and, in 1746, excise duty was imposed on glass.
Windrow | Ref 1-1872 |
Windy | Ref 1-602 |
Wine | Ref 1-W3 |
Wine & Beerhouse Act [1869] | Ref 1-547 |
It was followed by the Wine & Beerhouse Amendment Act [1870].
Wine & Spirit Merchants | Ref 1-3840 |
Winnack | Ref 1-W33 |
Various spellings of the word may be encountered : whinnack, whinacke
Winning hole | Ref 1-1021 |
The Winthrop Fleet | Ref 1-487 |
It was the greatest fleet ever assembled to carry Englishmen overseas to a new homeland.
The Ships of the Fleet were
Wire drawing | Ref 1-711 |
The process was carried out by a wire drawer.
See Charles Henry Broughton, Carrington Binns, Halifax Wire Drawers' Association, Healey & Healey, Solomon & Frederick Pitchforth, Solomon & James Pitchforth, Thomas Popplewell, James Royston, Son & Company, Siddall & Hilton Limited, Small Wire Drawers' Society, Frederick Smith, Town Woodhouse, Wood's John Wood & Sons and James Woods & Brothers
Wire loom | Ref 1-731 |
Wire-making | Ref 1-363 |
Witch | Ref 1-W8 |
See Drum witch
Witch ball | Ref 1-1044 |
Witch bottle | Ref 1-1769 |
Witch ladder | Ref 1-2748 |
A ladder could be used as a general charm for protection and good luck, and for a specific purpose, such as acquiring knowledge, health or prosperity. A ladder could be used to cast a spell over a person, in which case the witch hid the ladder so that the victim could not find it, as the only remedy was to find the rope and untie the knots
Witch mark | Ref 1-2716 |
The term was also used for an inscription or graffito – such as might be found in a church – to ward off evil. These were often simple symbols of the cross, or might be more complex geometric designs intended to confuse and trap evil spirits. They were frequently place near the font, to protect the child during baptism
Witch peg | Ref 1-1004 |
Witch post | Ref 1-3028 |
It might be made of the wood of the rowan tree and marked with cross-shaped designs.
A crooked sixpence was often kept in a hole in the post. The coin would be retrieved with a knitting needle and put into the churn on occasions when butter would not turn
This & associated entries use material contributed by Kai Roberts
Witch stick | Ref 1-1064 |
Witches & Witchcraft | Ref 1-449 |
Wite | Ref 1-W7 |
Withens | Ref 1-600 |
Locally, the element is found in names such as Withens Clough, Withens, Withinfields, and Withins
This & associated entries use material contributed by Vicky Morgan & David Nortcliffe
Wizard | Ref 1-1939 |
Wolf | Ref 1-813 |
Women's names | Ref 1-2429 |
For example in the Inquisitionis Post Mortem of Geoffrey Stansfeld (of 1508), both his wife Katherin, and Agnes – the wife of his son Ralph – are referred to as Margaret.
Earlier, in the mid-15th century, instances have been found where a lady whose name was not known has been called Isabella in a document. Anne may also have been used in this way
This & associated entries use material contributed by Joanne Backhouse
Woodbines | Ref 1-W14 |
Woodhouse | Ref 1-598 |
Woof | Ref 1-161 |
Wool exchange | Ref 1-1240 |
See Cloth Hall
Wool export | Ref 1-579 |
In 1496, the Magnus Intercursus encouraged the export of wool to the Netherlands.
See Mr Kyte and Woollen industry
Woollen industry | Ref 1-358 |
See Buried in wool, Cloth-making and Industry
Woollen register | Ref 1-1432 |
Woolsorter's disease | Ref 1-39 |
It is also recorded as alpaca poisoning when caught by workers sorting alpaca wool
Workers' Educational Association | Ref 1-1090 |
The first WEA class in Halifax was given at the Municipal Technical College in 1909.
See Sir Dryden Brook and Halifax Workers' Educational Association
Workers' Housing | Ref 1-466 |
Local examples include:
Workhouse Matron | Ref 1-1962 |
Workhouse Test Act [1722] | Ref 1-2290 |
Working | Ref 1-1328 |
Working hours | Ref 1-2138 |
By the 1840s, professionals usually worked only half a day on Saturday, and had Sunday off.
In the 1850s, a Birmingham engineering company, Wordsells, gave its workers Saturday afternoon off, and the practice soon spread throughout the industrial north.
In 1867, Brighouse cloggers closed at 5:00 pm on Saturdays and at 7:30 pm on other days.
In 1872, workers at Sugden's Flour Mills went on strike for a working day from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm.
In shops, the hours were longer, many closing at midnight.
See Child labour, Half-timer, Early-closing day and Licensing hours
Working Men's Clubs | Ref 1-W26 |
World War I | Ref 1-2540 |
Many of those who died in the war are buried in any of several Military Cemeteries, maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
See 1914-15 Star, 1914 Star, Battle of the Somme, Brighouse Chums, British Expeditionary Force, Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Conscription, Dead Man's Penny, German U-Boats, Halifax Great War Trail, William Henry Johnson, Military Cemeteries, Pals Battalion, People who Died in World War I, Shell Shock, US aliens in World War I, War Heroes and War Shrines
World War II | Ref 1-2549 |
See Battle of Britain, Conscription, German U-Boats, Military Cemeteries, People who Died in World War II, War Heroes and World War I
Worms | Ref 1-2616 |
Worsett | Ref 1-W31 |
Worsted | Ref 1-242 |
A piece of fine cloth made of long, smooth woollen staples. The shorter strands were combed out to make noils, rather than being carded as with woollen cloth. The fibres were twisted, and the resultant yarn was strong and smooth and did not require fulling.
It was often used for bed-clothes, and then later for gowns, doublets and other clothing.
The name is derived from the village of Worstead, Norfolk, where much of the cloth was produced in the pre-industrial period.
At the start of the 18th century, these superseded the coarser kerseys. Unlike the kersey, worsted was typically red, blue or green in colour.
The first water-powered worsted spinning mill was built near Lancaster in 1784 and this supplied yarn to the Halifax district.
The technique came to Yorkshire from East Anglia around 1787.
The earliest worsted factory is said to have been at Dolphin Holme, near Lancaster, which was built in 1784 – see Thomas Edmondson.
Samuel Hill was famous for his worsted cloth.
The Luddites did not smash machines which processed worsted materials.
The production of worsted material came to Halifax at the end of the 18th century, and by 1830 – when worsted mills out-numbered woollen mills – Halifax and Bradford were major centres for worsted production. Worsted manufacturing reached Brighouse about 1800.
Wool with longer staples came from Lincolnshire and Leicestershire.
In 1926, the Courier records that there were 12,000 workers in Halifax providing one seventh of the country's worsted production.
Bay, a mixture of combed and carded yarns, was popular in Lancashire, and came to Yorkshire later.
See Callimancoe, Halifax, Bradford & Keighley Insurance Company, Industry and Noondoo
Worsted Act [1777] | Ref 1-1996 |
Worsted Committee | Ref 1-749 |
prevent frauds and abuses committed by persons employed in the manufactures of combing wool, worsted, yarn, and goods made from worsted, in the counties of York, Lancaster, and Chester
Recorded on 3rd January 1820, when the Quarterly Meeting was held at the White Swan, Halifax
This & associated entries use material contributed by Ivan Birch
Wort | Ref 1-689 |
Wortern | Ref 1-W6 |
Worth | Ref 1-690 |
Most of the worths in the district are found on high ground
Worth | Ref 1-W21 |
Wough | Ref 1-241 |
Wringing machine | Ref 1-1860 |
Wuzzing | Ref 1-302 |
Wuzzing holes – where one end of the pole was fixed to the wall whilst the other end was held in the hands – can be seen in walls, the stone-work of some weavers' cottages, and elsewhere in the district. These are about the size of a finger
WYAS | Ref 1-W40 |
Wyrth | Ref 1-W19 |
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