Burley Woodhead - its history - people, industry, farming & housing.
Follow the link above for a few notes on its history & some photos. If you have anything to contribute, please get in touch with us via the contact form.
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Burley Woodhead Mills - History of the textile mills at Woodhead. (Research by Alun Clark (BLH&AG) Draft).
Moorville House (Moor House), Moor Road, Burley Woodhead
The house was built c1848-9 by James Hirst Whitehead (d1859) of the Leeds firm of Whitehead & Botterill. According to the 1848 Electoral Roll James H Whitehead was living on Cow Pasture Road, Ilkley at the time & the OS1851 map only shows an elongated farm structure which we believe is (now called) Moor Cottage(s).
[Whitehead & Botterill were stuff dyers & finishers, with premises on Kirkstall Road, Leeds].
[Whitehead & Botterill were stuff dyers & finishers, with premises on Kirkstall Road, Leeds].
1855 June - James H Whitehead put the house & contents up for sale by auction. It was bought by Thomas Dunn & his wife Carolina.
[Thomas Dunn (1795-1857)(born Farnley, Otley), in the 1820s he became a wealthy merchant in Funchal, Madeira, Portugal. In April 1830 married Carolina Antónia Menezes de Freitas Drummond Aragão (1805-1861) in Funchal, Madeira. They returned to Leeds in the 1850s & moved to Moorville in 1855].
In 1857 Thomas Dunn died (buried Otley) and Carolina let the property to Edward Hirst Hudson (1834-1871).
1861 On Carolina's death in Jersey, Edward H Hudson bought Moorville.
1871 Edward Hirst Hudson died without issue and Moorville appears to have passed to his brother Robert John Hudson (1839-1913).
1879 - the house & contents including the wine cellar are put up for sale by auction. Who bought it, is currently unknown.
1881 Aug - the house is again up for sale by auction. Hepper & Sons are the auctioneers.
1882 June - its again up for sale or there were no buyers in Aug 1881.
64 acres of land and a mansion – 4 large reception rooms, billiard room, 12 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, stables & greenhouses.
64 acres of land and a mansion – 4 large reception rooms, billiard room, 12 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, stables & greenhouses.
Believe it was bought by Walter Bairstow (1857-1935) & his wife, who lived there until c1889.
[Walter Bairstow - woollen spinner & manufacturer of the firm of T&M Bairstow, Sutton Mill, Sutton-in-Craven, Keighley. Married Marion Sharp (1860-1946) in Keighley in 1882].
[Walter Bairstow - woollen spinner & manufacturer of the firm of T&M Bairstow, Sutton Mill, Sutton-in-Craven, Keighley. Married Marion Sharp (1860-1946) in Keighley in 1882].
9th Jan 1887 - Wharfedale & Airedale Observer article:
A new Constitutional Club was opened at Burley by Mr. Byron Reed, M.P. The building has been erected by the president, Mr. Walter Bairstow, on his own land and stands in the centre of the village facing the Lecture Hall. Archive Notes: The Constitutional Club was renamed the Conservative & Unionist Club, the original one was at 95 Main Street, Burley in Wharfedale. It later to moved to 109 Main Street. The club closed in 2020. |
1889 - Moorville put up for sale by auction, possibly no buyers.
By 1891 it had been acquired by Peter Garnett (d1900) of the Otley paper mills family.
In the year 1900 the estate & house was put up for sale by auction by the executors of the will of Peter Garnett.
1900 - house briefly owned by George Atkinson (an architect), who promptly sold it again in 1901.
1901 - Moorville was bought by William Simpson Hannam (1855-1936) a solicitor and his wife Hannah Mary Hannam nee Hirst (1858-1941). They changed its name to Moor House.
1936 - William S Hannam died & Moor House passed to his son Cecil Denbigh Hannam MC (1884-1975).
[William Hannam had become a leading figure in Leeds and Wharfedale musical activities, and senior partner of the firm of Messrs North and Sons, solicitors].
[William Hannam had become a leading figure in Leeds and Wharfedale musical activities, and senior partner of the firm of Messrs North and Sons, solicitors].
1938 - Its believed that Cecil D Hannam sold the house to James W. Broadbent (1878-1965), a music publisher from Leeds.
[In 1942 James Broadbent offered the grounds of Moor House for a week-end camp for women war workers. The camp was organised by the Central Council of Recreative Physical Training].
[In 1942 James Broadbent offered the grounds of Moor House for a week-end camp for women war workers. The camp was organised by the Central Council of Recreative Physical Training].
1945 - James W. Broadbent sold the house to the Youth Hostel Association (YHA).
Burley Woodhead Youth Hostel at Moor House
1945 Jan - Freehold purchase by Ministry of Education grant-aided to Youth Hostel Association (YHA) Trust as Moor House.
Opened Easter 1945 as a 100 bed youth hostel.
The first season saw significant business, though the property was acquired in a dilapidated state.
The first season saw significant business, though the property was acquired in a dilapidated state.
Badge images courtesy of Badge Collectors Circle
1972 The Youth Hostel closed.
Mary & Harry Sutton Chorley
Moorville Cottages, Burley Woodhead
First came across Mary Chorley & her husband Harry Sutton Chorley, when researching the Burley Brass Bands of Burley District & Wharfedale.
From c1912 they allowed the Burley & District Brass Band to use a barn on their land as a rehearsal room. This later became known as the Fellowship Barn. |
Mary Chorley & Burley Woodhead School children c1920s at the Wharfedale Music Festival, Ilkley.
A number of children have been identified on the photograph above.
Back Row from right: Lance Renton & Kathleen Craven later Fordham.
Middle Row on far right below Lance Renton is his sister Daisy Renton.
Also on the middle row to the left of Mary Chorley is Elsie Craven (later Pickard) (sister of Kathleen above) & next to her is Winnie Morritt later Clough.
To the right of Mary Chorley is Olga Oliver.
Front Row: On the left is believed to be Leonard Whetzel & on the right Harry Renton (b1914).
Back Row from right: Lance Renton & Kathleen Craven later Fordham.
Middle Row on far right below Lance Renton is his sister Daisy Renton.
Also on the middle row to the left of Mary Chorley is Elsie Craven (later Pickard) (sister of Kathleen above) & next to her is Winnie Morritt later Clough.
To the right of Mary Chorley is Olga Oliver.
Front Row: On the left is believed to be Leonard Whetzel & on the right Harry Renton (b1914).
It now transpires Mary Chorley revived the Burley & District Brass Band in 1910 with William Warburton as conductor. Then post World War 1, Mary Chorley helped William Warburton rebuild the band, after twelve members of the original had been killed in the Great War. She was instrumental in enabling the band to raise £126 for new uniforms & then in 1926, over £500 to pay for new silver-plated instruments. (£500 in 1926 would be worth £20,000 today).
Quite a lot was already known about Harry S. Chorley, as he was a well respected architect in Leeds, from 1891 to his death in 1939.
But for Mary Chorley née Kimber, little was known. Our research may help to redress the balance.
But for Mary Chorley née Kimber, little was known. Our research may help to redress the balance.
As the research results have grown, we've found the need to create two new web pages one for Mary & the other for Harry.
Click on the names below.
Click on the names below.
Shops & Business Premises at Burley Woodhead
Forge - Woodhead Green, junction Moor Lane & Moor Road, Burley Woodhead. Owned by the Rayner family.
The Hermit Inn, Moor Road, Burley Woodhead
Robert Peel's (1891-1965) parents John W. Peel (1858-1910) & Jane Peel (1859-1940) were the licensees from c1895 to 1910.
Closed November 2020.
Re-opening 2021 - Burley Woodhead Pub Company
Re-opening 2021 - Burley Woodhead Pub Company
The Hermit Inn history by Nick Hooper
Prospect Row, Burley Woodhead
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5 Prospect Row, Burley Woodhead
1950s W. E. Rodgers - The Shop - sold Groceries, Provisions, Fancy Goods, Daily Papers, Periodicals & deliveries.
1968 G.O. & I Weyman Grocers.
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Oddities:
Cavalcade July 1949 - "Striptease at the Wedding" by Frank A. King (p32/33)
“May 1808. At Otley, Yorkshire Mr. George Rastrick, of Hawkesworth, aged 73, to Mrs. Nulton, of Burley Woodhead, aged 60. In compliance with the vulgar notion that a wife being married in a state of nudity exonerated her husband from legal obligations to discharge any demands on her purse, the bride disrobed herself at the altar, and stood shivering in her chemise while the marriage ceremony was performed."
Cavalcade July 1949 - "Striptease at the Wedding" by Frank A. King (p32/33)
“May 1808. At Otley, Yorkshire Mr. George Rastrick, of Hawkesworth, aged 73, to Mrs. Nulton, of Burley Woodhead, aged 60. In compliance with the vulgar notion that a wife being married in a state of nudity exonerated her husband from legal obligations to discharge any demands on her purse, the bride disrobed herself at the altar, and stood shivering in her chemise while the marriage ceremony was performed."
Hag Farm, Hag Farm Road, Burley Woodhead
Resided/owners: Walter Holmes 1904 - 1922 (In 1910 according to Taxation records, Hag Farm & its lands were owned by Frederick Fison, a director of Wm Fisons & Co. Ltd); William Popplewell 1923 - 1939; Eric Layfield 1939 - 1961; Joseph Greaves 1961 - 2019.
Burley Community Library & Burley Archive, Grange Road, Burley in Wharfedale, West Yorkshire England LS29 7HD
Opening Times: Monday, Tuesday and Friday 10.00am to 5.00pm, Thursday 2.00pm to 7.00pm, Saturday 10.00am to 1.00pm. Closed Wednesday & Sunday
Burley Archive & Local History Group: Drop-In Sessions Friday 2.30pm to 4.30pm. For other times please contact us
Burley Archive & Local History Group: Drop-In Sessions Friday 2.30pm to 4.30pm. For other times please contact us