From Weaver to Web: Online visual archive of Calderdale History
Welcome to the online visual archive of Calderdale history. It gives you access to over 23,000 images, with supporting historical information.
The Calderdale area includes the towns of Halifax, Brighouse, Elland, Hebden Bridge, Sowerby Bridge and Todmorden.
From Weaver to Web provides access to a wide range of materials. These may be very useful to local and family historians interested in this area.
You will find photographs, postcards, maps, trade directories, handbills and many other types of historical sources.
Archive feature
Top of Crown Street, Hall End, Halifax (Demolished AD 1867).
From the print: "This View shewing the Street as it appeared in the year 1854 is respectfully dedicated to John Lister, M.A., of Shibden Hall, by his humble and obedient servant, J.R. Smith."
Print from 1888 drawn by Joseph Rideal Smith and printed by Stott Brothers, lithographers of Halifax, from Smith's series of a dozen views, "Old Halifax", the set selling for 50 shillings. So commercially successful were Smith's drawings that he became known as "Old Halifax".
Joseph Rideal Smith was born in 1837 at the Waggoners Inn, which was on the top side of Northgate. He studied as an architect, but due to ill health returned to Halifax in 1870, gaining employment at the Duke of Bedford's estate. After this he worked as the town's first sanitary inspector. He had great influence in building the Halifax goyte* system. He married Miss Empsall of Craven Edge in 1873 and they had one daughter. Smith died in 1915.
After showing one of his sepia drawings based on an old photograph to Alderman Ramsden of the Waggoners Inn, Ramsden was so impressed that he encouraged Smith's work. Smith went on to produce a set of prints bound into books with the original print on the front cover. Each print was dedicated to local patrons and people of standing.
*goyte: man-made underground passage to channel water.
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What's new
- Anne Lister Inspired Writing Workshop Zine
- Central Library and Archives, Square Road, Halifax
- Fielden Family Tree
- Anti Poor Law Riots, November 1838
- The Mankinholes Riot, November 1838 - testimony of Charles Ratcliffe
- The Mankinholes Riot, November 1838 - proceedings at the White Hart Inn (27th December 1838)
- Aftermath of the Mankinholes Riot - William Greenwood fined
- The Mankinholes Riot - William Greenwood's petition to the House of Commons
- Defrauding of the tolls, 1830
- The Mankinholes Riot - Magistrates meeting at Todmorden, 27th December 1838
Themes

World War One local newspapers
Browse or search the Halifax Weekly Courier 1914-1918 for news from the area we now know as Calderdale...