Talk about #CultureDale! This weekend in Halifax alone, there were SO many events to enjoy and support.

On ‘The Moor’ aka Savile Park, was @Robinsonsfunfair famous travelling fun fair, here for two weekends (second is 8/9/10th July).

Down the hill at Manor Heath, today was the K9 Party in the Park fundraising fair, organised by www.rspcahalifaxhuddersfieldbradford.org.uk

Within a couple of miles was the return of the Bolton Brow Burner, (a fun run plus a 10k run) combined with a Great Get Together at Crow Wood Park, Pye Nest.

The Castle Carr Water Fountain was ‘let off’ today, organised by the The Rotary Club of Halifax. This is annual and a very special event to see. Castle Carr is private land, the fountain a throwback to the past #heritage #history #watergardens

Down at @TrueNorth Dean Clough @ViaductTheatre was live theatre from facebook.com/talkingstockproductions who’s founders, Catherine Pasek & Alan Stockdill of the Calderdale based Theatre Company, will be celebrating a 10 year anniversary in 2023 www.talkingstock.co.uk

Mr @SnowflakeMedia and I indulged in one of the Piece Hall’s summer concert’s. National treasure @Palomafaith singer songwriter #workingmama was here for a night. She was spotted supporting our town centre shops during the day by surprised Haligonians!

As a family, we were delivering our magazines today, packed with great articles, events and services available in our area. I met one home owner whilst delivering to her home, she commented that she reads the magazine cover to cover every month! What a thrill for me the #maker #curator to hear first hand ☺️

Our local NHS Charity is calling all tea-riffic teams to get behind this years NHS Big Tea on Tuesday 5^th July. NHS Big Tea is a national celebration of NHS staff, and has been mobilised nationally by NHS Charities Together.

You’ll be joining the nation, as thousands of par-teas are held and millions of tea bags squeezed in homes, schools, workplaces, community centres, church halls and hospitals. And by doing so, you will be helping to raise awareness and funds in support of NHS Charities like our own.

Emma Kovaleski is the manager of Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Charity. She said: “We are super excited for this year’s NHS Big Tea, and we can’t wait to see how people celebrate and fundraise. I will be raising a cup of tea and slice of cake in thanks and recognition of all the hard work that takes place at Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust. All of my colleagues continue to show kindness, compassion and care, they always go above and beyond for our patients, their loved ones and the communities we serve, and I couldn’t be prouder. Here’s to 74 amazing years of the NHS and many more to come.”

“It would be great if you could get involved where you can, and we would love to hear how you celebrate. CHFT Charity are always here to help you with your fundraising ideas/events, so don’t hesitate to get in touch.”

Ellie Orton, CEO of NHS Charities Together said:

“By hosting tea parties and inviting your friends, colleagues or classmates, the NHS Big Tea allows us to come together and say an enormous thank you to our incredible NHS. So, whether at home, in the office or in school, we’re asking the nation to pop the kettle on, grab the biscuits, and raise vital funds to help the NHS go further this July.”

Last year 4,820 hosts, including 150 NHS Charities, joined in with the NHS Big Tea and raise over £500,000 to support vital NHS projects.

The funds raised last year contributed towards the ongoing health and wellbeing support we have provided colleagues this year, for example, wellbeing bags and team building initiatives.

Every cuppa makes a difference, so take a look at our website for ideas, inspiration and resources – or get in touch with our Fundraising team: [email protected] or email [email protected]

Halifax was chosen as the venue for a major national conference on Friday 27 May 2022, highlighting Calderdale’s key part in the national debate on the role of towns in our economic recovery, levelling up and thought leadership.

The Piece Hall Trust, Square Chapel Arts Centre and Calderdale Council worked together to host the final day of ‘Restitch: The Social Fabric Summit’. Led by ‘Create Streets’ and ‘Onward’, this high-profile event enabled important conversations on ‘restitching’ our social fabric and rebuilding connection following the pandemic, connecting to our history and heritage in Calderdale and the North.

Over 100 influential people visited Halifax, making this a massive event in the town’s story and paving the way for major impacts in the future as we work towards the Vision2024 for Calderdale. Key figures from politics and the public and private sectors included Lisa Nandy, Shadow Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities; Tracy Brabin, the Mayor of West Yorkshire; Andy Haldane, Chief Executive of the RSA who wrote the Levelling Up White Paper; and Ben Page, Chief Executive of Ipsos. Guided tours of Halifax, Hebden Bridge and Todmorden also showcased Calderdale’s amazing heritage, community spirit and regeneration.

The summit was a great opportunity to promote our built environment and the borough’s work, especially in relation to community regeneration, civic pride, renewal and the role of towns in building a positive future, such as the Towns Fund investment in Brighouse and Todmorden. Speakers from the Council included the Leader, Cllr Tim Swift; Cllr Jane Scullion, Deputy Leader; and Shelagh O’Neill, Director of Regeneration and Strategy.

Cllr Jane Scullion also spoke at the Restitch summit’s stage-one event in London on Tuesday 24 May. Other speakers included the Rt Hon Sajid Javid MP, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, and Dame Sara Khan, the government’s advisor on social cohesion.

Cllr Scullion said “It was an honour to be invited to speak at the Restitch conference in London and to welcome part of the summit to Calderdale. This reflects our status at a national level for thought leadership addressing the key issues we face today – levelling up, inequalities and how we innovate to make our places strong and sustainable. We were able to shine the spotlight on some of the amazing things Calderdale has to offer, and which make us an enterprising and talented place.

“Welcoming such influential people to Calderdale was a huge deal for our place and a really important moment to get the ball rolling for future impacts as we work to revitalise our area.”

The key topics for discussion highlighted the jewels in Calderdale’s crown, including heritage, identity, community and the partnership approach to regenerating towns and bringing people together.

The year 2024 marks Calderdale’s 50^th birthday. Where do we want to be by 2024? What’s our ambition and what will be different? Find out more at www.calderdale.gov.uk/vision

Calderdale is ready to make the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in June, an occasion to remember for years to come. Communities across the borough are coming together to celebrate 70 years of Her Majesty’s service during the Jubilee Weekend from Thursday 2 to Sunday 5 June 2022.Events and activities throughout Calderdale are planned, from music and performances to gatherings and displays. The Mayor of Calderdale, Cllr Chris Pillai, said: “The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee is a landmark moment that everyone across our communities can get involved in. From sharing a cuppa with a neighbour on the doorstep for the Big Jubilee Lunch, to gathering in the iconic local venues holding events, it will be something to remember for generations to come. The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee events include:

The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Beacon Trail
A specially created outdoor trail happening across the country; visit a location, scan a QR code and see characters from Buckingham Palace come to life in augmented reality, learning about different decades in the Queen’s 70-year reign. Key locations in Halifax will feature on the trail, including Halifax Borough Market, The Piece Hall, Halifax Minster and Dean Clough. Players collect digital stamps, engage with the stories, answer questions, choose how to progress their own journey and take selfies with digital prize badges.

Civic celebrations at The Piece Hall include

Thursday 2 June
10am – 12.30pm: Trooping the Colour (BBC content shown on the big screen)
2pm: Town Crier proclamation announcing the 9.45pm beacon lighting
8pm: Procession of dignitaries from Halifax Town Hall followed by speeches by the Deputy Lieutenant, the High Sheriff, the Mayor of Calderdale, the Leader and Chief Executive of Calderdale Council and the Vice Chair of Calderdale Interfaith Council
9.30- 9.40pm: Music incl. Drummers, Piper playing ‘Diu Regnare’ , Bugle Call, ‘Majesty’
9.45pm: Beacon on Beacon Hill being lit (footage will be shown on the big screen in The Piece Hall). The Calderdale Choir will sing ‘A Song for the Commonwealth’

Halifax Minster events:
Thursday 2 to Monday 6 June: Flower Festival
Sunday 5 June, 6pm – 7pm: Jubilee Civic Service

More events at The Piece Hall

Friday 3 June: The Piece Hall will welcome teams from the emergency services for a Family Fun Day. Emergency service vehicles will attend to view close up and throughout the day, musical entertainment from a number of emergency service bands.

Saturday 4 June: The Piece Hall’s courtyard will be alive with music as it hosts a Concert for The Queen, featuring a broad range of local and national talent.

Sunday 5th June The Big Jubilee Lunch: On Sunday 5 June, people across the country will take part in the Big Jubilee Lunch. Why not have a cuppa with a neighbour on your doorstep or have a picnic, barbecue or street party with family, friends and neighbours? For more inspiration visit www.edenprojectcommunities.com/the-big-jubilee-lunch OR visit The Piece Hall to share friendship, food and fun with a traditional picnic-style Big Jubilee Lunch. There will be vintage musical entertainment throughout the day.

The Queen and Calderdale Exhibition at Bankfield Museum, Halifax
Throughout June, the Council will hold an exhibition at Bankfield Museum to celebrate Her Majesty’s reign and how it has been marked in Calderdale. Objects from the museum collection relating to the visit by the young Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip’s visit to Halifax in 1949, as well as Royal memorabilia from the Queen’s Coronation and the Silver and Golden Jubilees. Pride of place will be a dress said to be worn by the Queen at a garden party in the 1960s.

Calderdale Library activities
A variety of Jubilee themed crafting activities are planned as well as displays and activities showing what life was like in 1952, the year of the Queens Coronation.

For more information about the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, visit www.royal.uk/platinumjubilee

Halifax Comedy Nights May 2022

If you like going ‘out-out’ and having a laugh in great company then there’s plenty of live comedy planned to tickle your fancy this Spring. Check out the Comedy Night’s planned at a variety of Halifax venues, into the Spring of 2022…

Square Chapel Comedy Club Saturday 7th May 7.30pm
A new monthly comedy session, this month with Isabelle Mc-ing. She was ‘Funny Women Stage Semi Finalist’ in 2021, also appearing Yuriko Kotani and Liam Withnail. Visit the website to book or call 0343208 6016. Tickets £13.

CHUCKL.& Halifax Playhouse Comedy Night May 20th
Sit back, enjoy the show at Halifax Playhouse and ‘get ready to laugh like your socks off !’ The line up includes Robert White (Britain’s Got Talent Finalist), Ignacio Lopez, Eric Rushton and Stephanie Laing. Tickets are £14 each. Visit Halifax Playhouse, King cross St, Halifax. Find out more in the online brochure at www.halifaxplayhouse.org.uk

Stod Almighty at Stod Fold Saturday 26th May 2022 8pm
This regular session is hosted by Graeme Rayner AKA Gag-n-Bone man. This month, Kate McCabe is headlining and Mike Carter is appearing at the Stod Fold monthly Comedy night. Tickets £5.
Visit Stod Fold, Dean Clough. www.stodfolddeanclough.co.uk

Dick & Liddy’s Comedy Club at The Victoria Friday 27th May 2022, 8:30 pm
This monthly night has been on the comedy circuit for years. Dick & Liddy’s Comedy Club has hosted legends of stand up comedy and laughter such as John Bishop, Alan Carr, Ross Noble and Michael McIntyre early in their careers, when they were testing their comedy prowess. Tickets are £12.75 per person and monthly dates are available to book until November 2022. Visit The Victoria Theatre Green Room Bar, Halifax www.victoriatheatre.co.uk/whats-on/dick-liddys-comedy-club#performances

OR drop into

Sowerby Bridge Bar and Restaurant, Alexanders Bar for a comedy session on May 19th
Comedy comes to Sowerby Bridge ! Join MC and Host Andy Mitchell (“The First Person That Has Made Me Laugh In Two Months” – Joe Exotic, Tiger King) and 4 top comedians for a night of Comedy & Cocktails!
Your acts at Alexander’s Bar for the evening…
Pete Selwood
Jenny Hart
Kerry Robinson
Jack Wilson
Venue
Alexanders Bar, Canal Basin, Wharf Street HX6 2AG Sowerby Bridge, UK
Buy your tickets from
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/comedy-alexanders-tickets-326729405447?utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=listing&utm-source=cp&aff=escb

Dock Pudding is a local delicacy little-known outside the Calder Valley area of Yorkshire. The World Dock Pudding Championships was founded in 1971 to help preserve the dish.

I was nursing on the wards in the 1990’s, I once asked an elderly patient how to make it and she looked at me like I was mad. Why would I want to make it? I wanted to make it because I’d heard of the local competition to make the best in the world!

The World Dock Pudding Championships are back in 2022, taking place once more at Mytholmroyd Community & Leisure Centre. Competitors will gather at a Food & Drink Festival to prepare a whole cooked breakfast including the Dock Pudding and the winner receives a cup and the prestigious title of World Champion.

The judging takes place behind closed doors so that the competitors are unknown to the judges. In 2019, the judging panel included celebrity judges Jon Richardson (from 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown), Lucy Beaumont (Jon’s better half from Meet the Richardson’s) and Jon Mitchell (Meteorologist with ITV’s Calendar News).

The Pudding is made from the leaves of Polygonum Bistorta/Persicaria Bistorta (which is not the same as Common Dock, though they look alike) mixed with nettles, oatmeal, onions and seasoning, and served with bacon and eggs.

Join the fun on April 30th at the Mytholmroyd Community Centre, Food and Drink Festival. The audience can watch the cooking on stage in the hall, enjoy the delicious variety of food and drink and lots of entertainment.

Visit the Facebook page for more information www.facebook.com/MythomlroydCommunityCentre
Or www.visitcalderdale.com/event/the-world-dock-pudding-championships

Why do women find it hard to talk about achievement? Why, more than 100 years after women won the right to vote, are they still reluctant to say they are proud?

These questions were debated alongside readings and wine in a relaxed event on Wednesday 9th of March to celebrate International Women’s Day, when Halifax’s Piece Hall hosted the launch of a new book, 100 Voices at the Book Corner.   

The book was created by Halifax resident Miranda Roszkowski and is a bold and inspiring anthology of women sharing their stories of achievement. From making lemon curd to completing a marathon, or the story of a refugee eating English food for the first time, 100 Voices encourages women to give themselves permission to be proud – and loud about it.

The book features a foreword from Deborah Frances-White of the Guilty Feminist and contributors from across the country. We were treated to 3 of the contributors reading their work. Manchester’s Joanna Howard told of managing her life with twins in a comic and heart-warming reading, before Bradford’s Sharena Lee Satti read her rousing poem about a moment that changed her life. Miranda Roszkowski, who has recently moved to Halifax, spoke of the importance of hearing new and different stories.

 “100 Voices has something for everyone, it’s 400 pages of inspiration,” she said. “As a newcomer I am so happy the Book Corner hosted the launch – there are so many inspiring women all over Halifax.”

The audience were generous and enthusiastic,  “I like how you can dip into the book”, said someone who had bought the book the previous day and managed to read half already! 

100 Voices celebrates women’s remarkable resilience, creativity and above all, ambition. We would recommend it! Get your copy from the Book Corner, or in all good bookshops. 

Halifax Minster
Sunday 20^th March 2022

Lent 3 – Jane’s Farewell & Reflection on Monday’s Lent Course No. 3 Gender

Sermon from Revd David Carpenter

In the name of God: our wisdom and our truth.

Well – Goodbye Jane.

I say this with some regret, but also with joy.

Regret because I am losing a colleague, although not a friend. At least I hope not; friendship is something more durable than where your furniture is located.

Joy: Joy for you, because you have come to that next step in a much valued and appreciated ministry and it is for you to now take on responsibly in a new parish, in a different branch of the Anglican Communion, indeed in a new country.

So, it is with regret and joy I embrace you and bid you farewell as you move to Yr Eglwys yng Nghymru.

This Church in Wales – what is the difference between it and the Church of England?

I was once, rather patronisingly, asked that question, and I responded with a single word in reply: older.

The story goes that it was St Augustine who in the late 6th century was sent from Rome to England to bring Christianity to the Anglo-Saxons. He would ultimately become the first Archbishop of Canterbury, establish one of medieval England’s most important abbeys, and so kickstart the country’s conversion to Christianity.

This is not the complete story, so the tale goes.  When he came to the Afon Hafren (River Severn) he met with the Celtic Bishop and discovered that Christianity was long established with its own history and story to tell.

The legend goes that the Welsh bishops in deciding how to meet this emissary from Pope Gregory concluded that if he stood when they met, it was a sign that he counted them as equals and therefore there could be dialogue. If, however he remained seated, then it was to be considered as a sign of superiority and an attempt to usurp independence and to impose conformity to the see of Rome.

I’ll leave you to guess which way all this went, for ultimately the church in this land was to become what we were later to term the Catholic Church under the jurisdiction of the Pope.

That is until the reformation and the subsequent creation of what you and I know as the Church of England amongst other Christian groups through a period of reformation and counter reformation.

This is the brief history lesson over.

Why do I tell you this tale?

Well, it seems to me that much of this, as in so much else, often has to do with conformity. The desire for others to be like us, to get everyone on the same side, singing, as we say, from the same hymn book.

Isn’t it wonderful when people see things as we seem them; conform to our standards and expectations? We seem to favour conformity, or at least the things with which we are familiar, rather than diversity. We seem to distrust difference.

On Monday evenings, over the last three weeks, we have been engaging with the subject of inclusivity.  We have looked at disability, ethnicity and, last Monday, Gender.

At least one stand of thought that has emerged has effectively asked why we see often see difference as disturbing, rather than as ‘gift’.

So, it falls to me today to reflect on last Monday’s meeting and the topic of Gender.

It soon became very clear that ‘Gender’ is a much wider topic than sex.

We began, certainly, by reflecting on what we understood about Sex, Gender, Gender Identity and Gender Expression, but we soon moved on to some disturbing statistics about equality (or should I say inequality) and Gender discrimination. The world’s population is roughly equal in terms of male and female, yet:

• Nearly 70% of the population living in poverty are women, as opposed to 30% of men.
• Globally, nearly 80% of those occupied in agricultural work are female, compared with just over 20% of males.
• Whilst amongst those owning land just short of 100% are men and women occupy a percentage barely above zero.
• Amongst those involved in government some 20% are women, whilst 80% are men.
• It is less than 150 years since married women were permitted to own their own property, and only around 100 years since women were first permitted to participate in local government, and to vote.
• The first woman doctor 1865.
• The first woman accountant 1909.
• The first women priests 1994.
• The first woman bishop 2015 – Only seven years since.

I could go on, but you get the picture. There is a large gender gap.

Equally, I could argue that in their turn men have fought similar discriminations and inequalities.

In the Middle Ages most of us would have been serfs: tied to the land and to the Lord of that manor. Unable to vote, subservient to wealth and power.

For some, there may well be the feeling that little has changed.

So as I reflected, I began to wonder what as Christians we mean by ‘Salvation’?

Is it simply about what happens when we throw off this mortal coil?

Or, is it justice and liberation for all in this life?

I wonder how the women and children, the elderly and vulnerable people fleeing for their lives in Ukraine would answer that question?   What does salvation mean for you?

Perhaps it could be, should be viewed, as he right of everyone to be able to stand tall, speak up, and not be downtrodden?

And where do we as a church stand on this, as part of the Christian family here in Halifax, as we reflect on inclusivity?

Should we, could we, do we view disability, ethnicity, and Gender within a spectrum of diversity and view it as a gift to us all?

Are we tuned in to the amazing, wonderful creative diversity that God delights in and gifts to us?

Do we really take to heart the amazing truth that whoever we are, whatever others are, whatever the gifts, talents, abilities, disabilities, race, creed, colour, gender we are all loved and cherished by God; deserving of recognition, acceptance, and valued for who we are – beloved children of God.

In your heart of hearts, you will know how far we fall short of this heavenly, kingdom ideal.

You don’t need me to tell you that there is much in our world that screams inequality.

• Many struggle to make ends meet.
• Many are homeless, helpless underprivilege, undernourished.
• Many live in the shadow unrecognised and unwanted.

This is far from the world that Jesus envisaged, it is not the model that he calls us to embrace.

We need a better world and isn’t that a Gospel call, a Gospel imperative.

Each person unique, valued and above all saved from the inequalities of disability, ethnicity and gender. Each person a gift to us from God with love.

Finally – Jane, ewch gyda Duw. Ewch gyda’n cariad a’n bendith. (Jane, go with God. Go with our love and blessing.)

Amen.

No Smoking Day is one of the UK’s biggest health awareness campaigns, it provides a supportive environment for people to quit smoking. It also highlights the many sources of help and advice available to smokers who want to give up the habit. West Yorkshire Trading Standards is encouraging smokers to take the first step in giving up smoking for good, by making a pledge on No Smoking Day which takes place on Wednesday 9th March.

Stopping smoking for 28 days means you are five times more likely to stop for good.

Last year thousands of people successfully quit smoking with help and support. It’s clear that smoking tobacco is harmful to your health and the health of others around you, not to mention the environment and your bank balance. None of these facts are disputed, however many do still find themselves smoking regardless of the risks, as they haven’t been motivated enough, or felt that they had the right level of will-power to quit.

The Tackling Illicit Tobacco for Better Health Programme, which is funded by the five Public Health authorities in West Yorkshire, is helping people to stop tobacco use for good. Educating the public on the risks of tobacco and investigating traders who supply cheap and illicit tobacco. The programme utilises marketing campaigns and multi-agency enforcement to tackle the problems of the illicit trade.

Illegal Tobacco is often less than half the tax-paid price of legally sold tobacco.

This maintains smokers in their habit and encourages young people to start smoking. Illegal Tobacco trading creates a cheap source for children and young people to start smoking, severely impacting genuine businesses by undercutting them. It is also linked to organised crime, contributing to an underground economy worth billions of pounds. Victims of human trafficking are often being forced to sell these illegal products in order to pay off debts they may have, or even fearing harm to themselves or their families.

To date the programme has taken more than 8 million illicit cigarettes, and more than two and half tonnes of illicit hand rolling tobacco off the streets of West Yorkshire. With more inspections planned in the coming weeks, these figures are set to increase. Training sessions with thousands of members of the public and hundreds of front line professionals have been delivered to raise awareness about the dangers and wider criminality associated with the supply of illicit tobacco.

Linda Davis, Trading Standards Manager, said “Far from being a victimless crime, the illegal trade in tobacco costs government millions each year in lost revenue, makes it easier for children to start smoking, takes advantage of cash-strapped families, and helps fund organised crime. Members of the public should recognise the adverse health, economic and social impacts of the illicit trade of tobacco products, including the linkages with human trafficking and a wide range of organised crimes.”

Councillor Les Shaw, Chair of the West Yorkshire Joint Services Committee which oversees the work of Trading Standards, said “The illegal sale of tobacco in communities enables and encourages young children to buy it cheaply.  It is really great that so many partners are working to tackle traders that break the law.  I would like to thank members of the public for reporting illegal sales and encourage everyone to continue doing so to reduce the harm caused by tobacco in our communities. The people making money out of this do not care who they sell to.”

If you need to report a trader selling cheap and illicit tobacco please contact the Illegal Tobacco Hotline on 0300 999 0000 or report it at https://keep-it-out.co.uk/ anonymously.

More information about the campaign can be found on the website and anyone wanting help to quit can find their local Stop Smoking Service at

www.nhs.uk/better-health/quit-smoking/

Recently much filming activity has been ongoing in the centre of Halifax, which caused me to look back at earlier times when the town was used for similar purposes.  One such example was in 1958.

On the 11th June that year, Platform 1 at Halifax railway station was very busy with filming.  All around were film cameras, cables, arc lights, sound equipment, and many technicians.

They were working on a shot of actor Laurence Harvey arriving at the station for a scene in the film ‘Room at the Top’, much of which was being produced in the West Riding of Yorkshire. Bradford would predominate; and , as well as Halifax, Keighley featured too. Harvey was playing the character of Joe Lampton, a young man on the make in 1940s industrial Yorkshire, and his conflicting love interests.

The film was based on John Braine’s novel of the same name, launched the previous year.  It was directed by Jack Clayton and produced by John and James Woolf.

One of the earliest tasks on that June 1958 morning, was to take down the ‘Halifax Town’ signs and paste over one of them using a ‘Warnley Town’ sign for the film.  A special train had been provided for this scene by British Railways, in which Harvey arrived, and Mr J N Stainthorpe, public relations assistant for BR at York, was on the spot to supervise arrangements. He told the Courier reporter that morning “We have provided four carriages of the type used in 1946.  We managed to find some with teak exteriors of the type in common use at that time, and have made some slight alterations with numbers. The British Railways crest on the side of the engine, one of those in general use around Halifax, has been covered with black paper.” A reminder of railway nationalisation in 1948.

Four off-duty station staff were among the extras involved in the station scene. Three of them were porters and one was a shunter; they turned up in uniform to play their part.

In the afternoon, the film company transferred attention to the forecourt of the station to shoot the scene where actors Sir Donald Wolfit and Heather Sears were meeting Laurence Harvey. It was Sir Donald’s first visit to Halifax.

During the latter part of that week, the wedding scene for the film was shot at All Souls’ Church, Haley Hill, where Rev Henderson was happy to provide access.  He even allowed the church choir to participate in the occasion.  Viewers may recall that Harvey presented a grim appearance as he descended the steps after the wedding, and was weeping in the car.

The exterior of Halifax Town Hall stood in for Warnley Town Hall. Greystones, on Savile Park – once the home of John and Violet Mackintosh – was used to film exterior scenes of the Brown family’s mansion.  And The Clarence Hotel in Lister Lane was used for shooting some bar scenes; the landlord at the time was Donald Broadbent.

Launched in 1959, ‘Room at the Top’ with its gritty northern scenes proved a great success.  A two-part TV remake was launched in 2012; in my opinion not quite up to the earlier standard.

David C Glover – January 2022