Description and History of Site:-
The site comprises an original, four storey warehouse probably erected shortly before 1852 on the corner of Cross Street and Blackledge, a larger through warehouse fronting Horton Street and Blackledge built in 1852, and a third building comprising warehouse and offices, erected during 1878 on the site of the former proprietor's house of 1852. The oldest part of the premises, fronting Blackledge and Cross Street, is a stone-built, four storey warehouse dating from shortly before 1852, on a site chosen for its proximity to the new Halifax railway station created when the line was extended from Shaw Syke through to Bradford. A building plan approved in 1852 was for a second warehouse of similar height but more than double the size adjoining to the western wall of the first, but occupying the full depth of the site between Blackledge and Horton Street. Though otherwise plain, the new building incorporated a finely carved and decorated entrance surround in Horton Street, and was designed by Roger Ives for his client Thomas Whitley, woolstapler. Also erected at the same time was a two storey house for the new owner standing on the corner of Horton Street and Cross Street, and separated from the first warehouse by a yard. By 1874, however, the premises had already passed into the hands of another woolstapler, Thomas Wayman, who later purchased the adjoining premises at 25 Horton Street (qv). Wayman extended the corner house in 1878 to create the present Horton Street/Cross Street warehouse, and employed architect Richard Horsfall, to undertake the designs, distinguished from the earlier work by the adoption of a hipped roof; the ground floor office frontage may incorporate features from the original 1852 dwelling house. During the middle of the twentieth century, George Normanton used the building for a wool tops, and yarn merchant's business; thereafter a thriving wholesale glassware business was operated there by Messrs. Tordoff. During 2017 the property was converted for use by the Leeds Beckett University as a business enterprise centre.

Further Reading and References:-
Smith's Directory, 1874. White's General & Commercial Directory of Halifax, 1887, p. 316. Halifax County Borough Directory, 1936, p. 87.

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Key Words :- textiles woolstapler wholesale glassware business development

Viewing the Site :- The site can be viewed from Horton Street, Cross Street and Blackledge.

Address :- Horton Street, Halifax, West Yorkshire, HX1 1QE
Grid Ref :- SE 09543 24992
Co-ordinates :- Lat 53.721250 , Long -1.856862
Local Authority :- Calderdale Council
Pre 1974 County :- Yorkshire - West Riding
Site Status :- Site extant - Protected status unknown
Site Condition :- Site redeveloped to industrial / commercial use
Site Dates :- 1852 -
Record Date :- 7 April 2017

Copyright :- cc-by-nc-sa 4.0 © Peter Robinson