OSSETT TOWN HALL OFFICIALLY OPENED IN JUNE 1908....

Ruth Nettleton of Ossett Historical Society explains why it was built.

In 1890 Ossett became a Borough. Council meetings were held in the Temperance Hall, rates were collected and education was organised from the offices in New Street and the council meet in the Technical School. The Choral Society which was flourishing held it's concerts in the Wesleyan School which was used as both Sunday School and weekday school. On the day of the concert the school had to be closed so that chairs could be brought in from other premises and arranged for the evening performance.

A site purchased in Bank Street, at the corner of Illingworth Street did not meet government approval and so no funds were forthcoming. The Grammar School building in the Market Place was below standard and had occurred a bad report from the inspectors. Other properties to the north and east were lined up for purchase, An outbreak of smallpox at Flushdyke spread rapidly, through the immediate area. The source was night soil exported from Dewsbury by rail to Flushdyke Station and spread on the fields. The smallpox hospitals on Storrs Hill could note cope. Tented accommodation was erected and Park House was purchased. Once the epidemic was controlled, Park House was no longer required for medical purposes. It was however suitable for conversion into a school and this assisted in the clearance of the Market Place site.

Tenders were put out for the design of the town hall and the contract was awarded to A.W Hanstock & Sons of Batley. The first part of the Town Hall to be completed was the Public Hall, so it was appropriate that the first event to be held in the building was a grand choral concert in 1907. London soloists were hired and the orchestra included members of the Halle. The official opening was in June 1908 and from that point all Borough Council meetings were together under one roof. Ossett now had a focal point. Celebratory events like coronations and jubilees were centred on platforms erected in front of the main entrance. Dances were a big feature of the events held in the Public Hall, the weekly ones being preceded by whist drives.

This handsome building both inside and out was a great asset to Ossett and still remains to be.

OSSETT HERITAGE

In the 19th century Ossett was an independent community but in the last 25 years of the 1800's its pride showed when the Local Board portioned Queen Victoria for incorporation as a Municipal Borough under the act of 1882 writes Alec Metcalfe.

As Dewsbury had plans to extend its boundaries into Ossett and Soothill, the charter was granted on 30th June 1890. With this news, rejoicing was carried into the market place with a great procession from the Ossett station. Soldiers were in full state uniform on foot and horse, the streets were decorated with flags and bunting, it was a day for pride in a thriving town.

The Borough's first Mayor was Edward Clay a rag and mungo manufacturer. (The business still remains in Wesley Street).Ossett was ahead of its time in recycling clothing. It was the centre for manufacturing shoddy and mungo, with fifty plus enterprises. Wool rags from all over Europe came here to be sorted. * Click here to read the story of the Ossett Clay's....

Looking at local Town Halls we find most of them were incorporated with a public hall for concerts. The grand scale of the Ossett design and build shows the pride and independence of the 12,000 residents and the wealth of some businesses. There was immense enthusiasm when then the town Hall was opened in the summer of 1908. The original decoration of town hall had a wonderful floor mosaic and wall tiles. Also the interesting fact that the clock took nearly an hour to wind !

Although Ossett doesn't have an 'official' coat of arms the design pictured left has been accepted as the town coat of arms. The Ossett coat of arms shows three white rose which represent the three ridings of Yorkshire. The four circled pictures represent different aspects of Ossett heritage.

* A coal mine pit head

* A sheep for the wool trade

* Factory buildings for local manufacturing

Underneath is the latin motto Inutile utile ex arte which rougly translated reads That which is useless is made useful through skill.