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You might read elsewhere about the history of an Ossett House, like Longlands Hall, or an Ossett Farm , like Owlers, or an Ossett district like Sowood Manor or Haggs Hill or an Ossett family, like the family Marsden , Illingworth, Nettleton, Wilby, Mitchell, Pickard…..and so on.
These are places and families that made Ossett what it is today. Many of the family names still populate the town and many of the places they made, and where once they lived, still exist. You can read about those families, their homes and their work places in only one place. They are here for the reader to share..
In this section of Ossett Heritage the detailed studies in PDF format of many of Ossett’s historic places, houses and families can be read or DOWNLOADED should you wish to learn more about them and their lives in times gone by. Available only here they contain a mine of information for genealogists and those interested in social history. The studies are here to be shared but only the few real historians whose research this is know of the hard work and effort which created them.
Use that work by all means but do not abuse it. Facebook pages might be where you read snippets of these histories but it’s not where they originate; although you might be led to think so.
Accreditation is simple. Please do not misrepresent the efforts of the researchers who share their work with you.
This section also includes LINKS to other historical sites which the reader and researcher might find of interest and which offer further context.
War Memorial Project 2018
This is the so far untold history of the Ossett War Memorial Project 2018; a Project which delivered its objective. It is November 2021, three years after the engraving and unveiling of the names of The Ossett Fallen on 11th November 2018, a whole century to the day after the 1918 Armistice was signed to end The Great War 1914-1918
HAGGS HILL OSSETT
Haggs Hill has been my home for almost 40 years; first living on the 1970‟s Teall Court development and more recently in one of the two remaining 18th century cottages on Haggs Hill Road. The name of the district has long intrigued me and this is a study of the area and its history.
A History of Ossett Spa
This history of Ossett Spa began as a short history of Spa Mill which once stood on Spa Lane. I had long hoped to research the history of Whinfield Terrace and the Spa Baths and the combination of these three topics inevitably led to this more detailed study of the area known as Ossett Spa.
History of Owlers Farm
Owlers Farm is situated in the Flushdyke district of Ossett to the north of the Wakefield to Dewsbury Road. Today the district is dominated by industrial and commercial businesses but less than 100 years ago it was a thriving residential area.
A History of Sowood House on The Green, Ossett
In the 18th, 19th and 20th Centuries four generations of the Greenwood Family were General Practitioners, Surgeons and Apothecaries with a practice in Ossett.
A HISTORY OF LINDALE FARM KIRKHAMGATE 1711 – 2014
Lindale Farm is situated on the Wakefield and Batley Road at Kirkhamgate just to the west of the junction with Park Mill Lane which leads to nearby Ossett. The Farm stands just beyond the Ossett boundary which is situated only several hundred metres to the south of the farm.
A HISTORY OF LONGLANDS HOUSE
Longlands Industrial Trading Estate is situated at Flushdyke, Ossett on the south side of the A 638 Dewsbury and Wakefield Road. The Estate is a product of the mid 20th century industrialisation of the area which swept away much of the thriving Flushdyke community.
THE MANOR OF SOUTH WOOD GREEN – SOWOOD OSSETT
The following pages of notes and references were collected in 2012 during research of Sowood Farm which is believed to have been situated within the area of the Manor of Southwood Green or Sowood.
A HISTORY OF SCOTT‟S YARD GIGGAL HILL OSSETT
Scott‟s Yard, situated on Giggal Hill, Manor Road Ossett, sits between the Victoria Hotel on the west and an area on the east once known as Happy Land. It seems likely that the Yard, and adjacent land originally extending to more than an acre, earned its name from the Scott family who once owned the land and the properties built upon it.
A History of Sowood Farm Ossett
Sowood Farm stands on the eastern side of the B6184 road from Ossett to Horbury in West Yorkshire. Situated on the very boundary dividing the two towns, the Farm owes its long history to its location.
THE HISTORY OF BLEAK HOUSE – MANOR ROAD OSSETT
Standing to the west of the junction of Manor Lane and Manor Road Ossett is a double fronted house having the appearance of a mid Victorian dwelling probably built for a family of some means. In 2009 the dwelling has an address of 98 Manor Road but a map of 1890 shows that it was then known as Bleak Cottage. Property Deeds reveal that it was also known as Bleak House.
The History of Rock Cottage, Westfield Road, Horbury circa 1860-1960.
This is the history of a dwelling known in its day as Rock Cottage which was situated on Denton Lane (now Westfield Road) in Horbury Parish. Situated on Sowood Bend on the opposite side of the road to Sowood Farm (in Ossett Parish) there now remains very little evidence of the property’s existence.
THE HISTORY OF ROCK COTTAGES, THE ROCKS – STORRS HILL OSSETT
This is the fourth in a series of histories about Sowood and the Marsden family researched and written in 2012 and 2013. The original focus of the research was the history of the Grade II Listed Sowood Farm built in 1689 by Francis Marsden.
Springstone House, The Street. Owners and Occupants c.1830- 2021 With emphasis on William Wood Wiseman (1810 – 1885)
The current address of Springstone House is Dewsbury Road, Ossett but formerly it has been known as The Street, Upper Street or Streetside. Springstone House was Grade II listed by Historic England in May 1988.
THE HISTORY OF GREEN MOUNT, THE GREEN By Alan Howe
Green Mount, situated at the junction of Southdale Road and Ossett Green, is an elegant residence, erected on the site of the cottage tenanted by successive generations of Pickards.
The History of the War Memorial Community Centre. By Alan Howe
A History of the War Memorial Community Centre and the owners and occupiers of the nine roomed dwelling, Prospect House, which once it was.
The Red Baron and the Vicar of Ossett
The fascinating story of how the Reverend George H. Marshall D.S.O, M.A., the vicar of Trinity Church, Ossett, between 1931 and 1943 was linked to the death and burial of the famous WW1 German flying ace, Baron Manfred von Richthofen, better known as the Red Baron.
HEALEY PEOPLE & THEIR HOMES
The following pages contain the analyses of Census and other information used to research and write a brief history about the people of Healey and their homes at the locations shown below. This aforementioned brief history is included in the Healey & Millbank pages of this website.
THE MARSDEN FAMILY OF OSSETT AND HORBURY
The Old Halfway House and Matty Marsden Lane Horbury – Who was Matty Marsden?
Reverend Thomas Taylor (c.1766-1853) and his son Reverend Thomas Rawson Taylor (1807-1835)
Reverend Thomas Taylor was the Minister at the Ossett Green Independent Congregational Church between 1795 and the 16th September 1808 when he left to become the minister of the Little Horton Lane Congregational Chapel, Bradford.
Ossett Men at War for OHS 27-4-2015
100 Years On. Why did we do it – Importance of remembering. No names on the town memorial. We wanted to give names to the men who died. To know who they were & to shake their hands. To understand and to tell the story of their lives and their deaths. To provide a 2014 Memorial & Roll of Honour of these men which would survive the next 100 years. To make a difference.
The Ossett War Memorial Project
A Presentation to Ossett Historical Society and Ossett Library in November 2018 which recorded the progress of the Project from its beginning in summer 2017 to its ending in November 2018.
Brammer’s Ossett
A Presentation by Douglas Brammer to Ossett Historical Society 28th November 2016
The Good, the Bad, and The Ugly
A Presentation to Wesleyan Methodists & Ossett Historical Society 17th & 24th February 2020 which brought together Ossett’s Good, Bad and Ugly for an evening presentation.
Life in Ossett in the 18th & 19th Centuries
Influenced by the late John Goodchild take a wander through Ossett in the 18th and 19th Centuries.
Highfield House, South Ossett
Off Horbury Road, Highfield House featured in one Estate Agent’s Brochure, produced sometime after 1970, stating that the Cottage was built in 1730 whereas another, more recent one, stated around 1780. With this information in mind Joan began her search….
Clarendon Villas, South Ossett
The next part of Joan P. Smith’s trilogy of grand South Ossett’s houses is a detailed history of Clarendon Villas available for download by clicking ont the link above (5MB PDF)
Greystones, South Ossett
The final part of Joan P. Smith’s detailed house histories is this history of Greystones.
This work is part of a much larger publication entitled “The South Ossett Triangle”
History of the formation of Christ Church, South Ossett 1851-1964
Ossett historian Joan P. Smith has recorded the words written in the church log books by those of influence who were there in the mid and late 19th Century. It pulls no punches regarding the characteristics of the, mainly, non conformist Low Common residents and provides a fascinating first hand analysis of life at the time of the creation of the South Ossett Parish, its church, its school and the two Missions at Healey and Junction Lane.
History of the RGS Pattern Book Company Ltd, Ossett by Richard Donovan Glover
Richard Glover relates the history of this Ossett company: 1953 – 2005, which employed many Ossett people. By the 1980s, the RGS Group had over 175 employees and a turnover of over £7 million. Ossett Health Village was built on the land of the old Gedham Mill, which at one time housed the RGS Pattern Book Company.
The History of Gedham Mill
Richard Glover’s detailed history of Gedham Mill, which was established by his grandfather John Henry Glover and Walter Ellis in the early 1900s after being built by originally by Robert Elston Phillips circa 1898.
Gedham Mill, Ossett
A description of Gedham Mill, Ossett by the Royal Concession of the Historical Monuments of England, Yorkshire Textile History dated December 1986 and provided by Richard D. Glover, owner and proprietor of Gedham Mill until closure. (100K PDF)
A walkabout at Ossett Common
Neville Ashby’s account of our local history walk around Ossett Common. (500K PDF)
Another walkabout at Ossett Common
Another walkabout at Ossett Common looking at Ossett’s rich local history by Neville Ashby. (800K PDF)
A walkabout to Millbank on the 26th January 2011
Neville Ashby’s article describing our follow-up walk to Millbank, Thornhill along the banks of the Calder & Hebble canal from Healey, Ossett to look for evidence of the reputed underground canal linking Thornhill Combs colliery to the canal. (370K PDF)
A walk to Millbank Lock on the Calder & Hebble canal
Neville Ashby’s account of our walk along the Calder & Hebble canal to Millbank Lock at Thornhill on the quest for relics of our local history. (500K PDF)
A walkabout in South Ossett on the 18th May 2011
Neville Ashby’s write-up of our wander around South Ossett on the lookout for historical remnants of Ossett’s rich and varied past. (750K PDF)
The Ossett Town Centre Heritage Trail Booklet
A re-run of the 1984 edition of Ossett Inner Town Trail.
A walkabout on the High Road on 16th May 2012
Neville Ashby’s excellent write-up described our latest Ossett walk along the ancient High Road through Ossett, which was used in medieval times for herding cattle from place-to-place.
A “ROUND HOUSE” IN THE FIELDS OF SOUTH OSSETT.
Neville Ashby’s account of the Roundhouse at Ossett Spa, the probable site of a Newcomen atmospheric steam engine in the late 18th century at Naylor’s Pit possibly also known as Lights’s Pit. (270K PDF)
IN GRATEFUL MEMORY OF
The Ossett Men Who Lost Their Lives In The Great War 1914-1918
The ossettheritage WWI Ossett Roll of Honour includes, in a single line the name and much more information which tells of their lives from birth to death and has direct links to the biographies of the WWI Ossett Fallen. It shows that their lives were, more often than not, chaotic and their deaths premature. It shows that they loved and were loved and that they would be missed by parents, wives, children and often by a great many siblings. Wives, children and grandchildren would grow old without knowing what we now experience thanks to their dedication, bravery and sacrifice. These men deserve never to be forgotten.
The Ossett Roll of Honour WWI database is presented as an excel spreadsheet: OSSETT FALLEN WWI which you can download by clicking on the link. This unique Ossett 2018 Roll of Honour database and the WW1 biographies are available only on this website. It is provided on a non-commercial usage basis and it is free to be used by local historians, family historians, libraries, schools and all interested parties.
IN GRATEFUL MEMORY OF
The Ossett Men And Women Who Lost Their Lives In World War Two 1939-1945
A database comprising the details of Ossett servicemen & women who died in WW2.
The ossettheritage WW2 Ossett Roll of Honour includes, in a single line, the name and much more information which tells of the lost lifes from birth to death and has direct links to the biographies of the WW2 Ossett Fallen. It shows that 80% of the Ossett Fallen in WW2 were under 30 years of age; 36% were under 25 years old. It shows that they loved and were loved and that they would be missed by parents, wives, children and often by a great many siblings. Wives, children and grandchildren would grow old without knowing what we now experience thanks to their dedication, bravery and sacrifice. These men and women deserve never to be forgotten.
The Ossett Roll of Honour WW2 database is presented as an excel spreadsheet: OSSETT FALLEN WW2 which you can download by clicking on the link. This unique Ossett 2018 Roll of Honour database and the WW2 biographies is available only on this website. It is provided on a non-commercial usage basis and is free to be used by local historians, family historians, libraries, schools and all interested parties.
Electoral Registers
If you’re looking to discover your family tree and want to make a start, or, if you’ve started and hit a brick wall, then this Ossett Heritage Guide might help you to check for names on Electoral Registration. There’s more online since this was written but it’s still a useful source of information.
Presentation by Alan Howe to The Ossett Family and Local History Group 2012.
House History Documentary Sources
If you want to research the history of a house, yours or otherwise, this Ossett Heritage Guide will help you find a way back in time. You may be surprised by what you find. Give it a go….you won’t be disappointed.
Presentation by Alan Howe to The Ossett Family and Local History Group 13th July 2012.
If you have found Ossett Heritage enjoyable, informative and or useful, you may enjoy these links.
The Ossett Fallen in WWI & WWII Group
Ossett Historical Society – Aspects of Ossett History by David Scriven.
Ossett & Horbury Family History Joan Smith
Leodis by Leeds Libraries – A photographic archive of Leeds
Historic England Listed Buildings
Historic England Ossett Listings direct link
Horbury & Sitlington History Group
Twixt Aire & Calder direct link to “Ossett”
Twixt Aire & Calder link to Ossett Heritage Trail. A personal selection by David Scriven
