Photograph - Mono (Document ID: 100471)
Photograph of large Sunday School celebration at Piece Hall, Halifax, West Yorkshire.
Author: Unknown
Date: not dated
Location: Halifax
Format: Photograph - Mono
Document ID: 100471
Library ID: 35499278
Photograph of large Sunday School celebration at Piece Hall. Possibly late 19th century.
Built in 1779 the Piece Hall replaced the original cloth hall of 1572. This was due to the growing demand for textiles in the local area. The Piece Hall was built on land donated by John Caygill. There is debate as to who the architect was, though it is often attributed to Thomas Bradley. It contained 315 rooms where merchants were able to store cloth. The length of cloth was usually 30 yards.
From the 1820s the domestic cloth trade declined due to mechanisation. With the growth of mills, manufacturers found other ways to sell their products. The Piece Hall became used for other events including entertainment such as Blondin's tightrope walk in 1861. The Piece Hall was used as a vegetable and fish market from 1871 until the mid-1970's, when it was threatened with demolition, and saved by just one vote.
The Piece Hall is now a Grade I listed building. It is the only surviving, complete cloth hall in the UK. In 2017, a £19 million conservation and transformation programme was completed, which has greatly enhanced the Piece Hall as a visitor attraction.
The Piece Hall now houses a range of shops, bars and restaurants as well as heritage and art exhibitions and events are held regularly in the spectacular outdoor space. The award-winning Central Library lies just through the new east gate.
The Congregational Church can be seen in the right of the photograph
Congregationalists had held regular meetings in Halifax since at least 1763 and the Square Chapel was opened in 1772. Square Church, with its 235 ft (71.5 m) tower and spire was opened in 1857 and funded by the Crossley brothers, John and Sir Francis, of Dean Clough.
The main body of the church was demolished in December 1976, following 2 fires and a gale between 1971 and 1973, with the tower and steeple being preserved. The the steeple and remains of the church, including the rose window, are integrated into the new Central Library and Archives building which opened in 2017.
The Sunday School movement was in its heyday in the late 19th century. There are two related images in the Weaver to Web site:Document 100966.
Halifax Sunday School Centenary, Whit Tuesday 1890", watercolour by H.R. Oddy;and p11 - engraving of Sunday School 'Sing' of 1852.
