 | 27 December 2009 Accessibility help Text only |
|
|
| BBC Homepage | | |
| |||
| Contact Us Like this page? Send it to a friend! | | |
Local HistoryYou are in: Bradford and West Yorkshire > History > Local History > Halifax's "white elephant"? Halifax's "white elephant"?Winter may be a bit of a quiet time for those who look after our parks but gardeners at Manor Heath in Halifax have been keeping themselves busy by digging deep into the park's past.  Manor Heath's sunken garden - site of the Mansion Today Manor Heath is a public park open for all to enjoy but it once provided a home for one of Halifax's most famous industrialists. John Crossley, son of the founder of Crossley Carpets at Dean Clough Mill, built a mansion here in 1852. Nowadays the park's sunken garden is all that remains of Crossley's grand mansion which was demolished in the 1950s. Instead visitors can get a taste of the Tropics in the park's Jungle Experience!  Julie and Paul looking at old plans of Manor Heath Paul Marshall is Estate Manager at Manor Heath. He says the aim is to put together a historical guide to the park: "We thought it would be a great idea to find out about the history of the whole park before it was a park, and of the grounds before the Mansion, and after the Mansion as well." He believes there's a lot to be discovered: "It was quite a historical place." Gardener Julie Manogue (who also looks after the Jungle Experience) has been doing most of the delving into old newspapers and archives where's she's been relating her findings to what she can see on the ground: "Reading up about the Manor Heath estate has been quite fascinating. When you walk into the park you can see walls, and they must have been there when the estate was built. You can see where a grotto might have been because the stone work is still there."
 Manor Heath Mansion * Julie has discovered that what we now know as Manor Heath is called Southgrove Gardens on some old maps. Paul thinks that might answer at least one mystery: "We found a well about two or three years ago. One of the fairground lorries had broken the top off and slipped half way down the well. We thought, 'Why is there a well here?' It's a long way from the house and we thought there must be a reason." They now think the well might have been there to provide water for the Gardens. But, as well as looking for documentary evidence, Julie and Paul would like to hear from anyone willing to share their memories - whether as visitors or workers - of Manor Heath. Paul says: "We have a ranger here who remembers playing in the Mansion when he was a boy. They used to play there at night like boys do, and he remembers seeing some of the cupboards and other things in there."  The Jungle Experience is now a big attraction Julie has received a letter from a lady who worked in the park in the 1950s which suggests that bits of the house used to be harvested for use in the gardens: "They had to chip the plaster off the wall to use for compost for the carnations. It must have been lime plaster." Paul looks back on how Manor Heath played a very significant part in his own life. When the park was mainly used as a plant nursery, the staff would take their plant arrangements to the flower shows: "I saw the lovely displays that Halifax Parks Department used to do and it encouraged me to go into horticulture. Now I'm doing what they used to do." Today plants for Halifax's parks are still raised at Manor Heath. "We are very fortunate to do what we do."  The Crossley family and friends in the 1860s* Julie and Paul are hoping people will also send in any photographs they may have of the park, a very good way of showing how it has changed over time. In the meantime, although Julie has not found out who actually owned Southgrove Gardens, she's found much to excite her in old newspapers, including a reference to John Crossley auctioning his crops: "At this time I know there were summer houses, orchards and all types of vegetables being grown...It gets your imagination going because I know at the garden at the back there was a vinery...They must have been growing all sorts of things which now make you think 'Ooh!' I think they were growing ferns and tropical plants as well. That's what we do but they were doing it back in 1852." John Crossley died in 1879 but by then his daughter and Italian son-in-law had taken over the Mansion. It was bought by Halifax Corporation in the 1920s but it was left empty apart from a period during World War II when it was taken over by ARP (Air Raid Precaution) wardens. Eventually dry rot was discovered and Julie says: "By then they were describing it as a White Elephant really. They didn't know what to do with it so they made the decision to demolish it."  The walled garden in winter... But, while little use had been made of the Mansion, the grounds became a public park. Royal jubilees were celebrated there - a reminder, perhaps, of the royal visits seen there in John Crossley's day. And, during our visit to Manor Heath, Julie opens a letter from a lady who has fond memories of the 'Holidays At Home' that took place there during the Second World War. Julie shows us a notice for an auction at the White Swan Hotel, Halifax in May 1877. John Crossley's letter of resignation as MP for Halifax appears in the same issue of the newspaper but it's the auction details, listing everything from cow sheds to scent jars, which, Julie believes, tell us quite a lot about life at Manor Heath. And she is in no doubt what she'd have done if she'd had the chance: "The wines and spirits, that's what I'd bid for." No wonder then that Julie believes that John Crossley and his Mansion are "consuming my life. I was dreaming about it. I actually woke up this morning and thought 'John Crossley'. What am I doing?"  Plans help to tell us how Manor Heath once looked Send your memories and photos to Julie Manogue at Manor Heath Nursery, Manor Heath Road, Halifax HX3 0EB or email paul.marshall@calderdale.gov.uk.[photos marked * are (c) Calderdale Libraries, Museums and Arts and used with their permission] last updated: 09/02/2009 at 16:39 You are in: Bradford and West Yorkshire > History > Local History > Halifax's "white elephant"? 
 |
| | About the BBC | Help | Terms of Use | Privacy & Cookies Policy |