Coronavirus Cancellation
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- Written by Administrator
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Last Updated: 17 March 2020
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Hits: 113
History Calendar 2019-20
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- Written by Administrator
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Last Updated: 03 March 2020
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Hits: 939
Calendar Dates
2019 |
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| April 18th | AGM & 'Your Mystery Item is?' |
| May 16th | Early Inns and Ale Houses of the Upper Calder Valley, Peter Robinson |
| June 19th | Visit to Calderdale Museum |
| July/August | - Summer Break |
| September 19th | Behind Closed Doors (Bronte Scandal), Pat Osborne |
| October 17th | Hebden Bridge Cooperative, Andrew Bibby |
| November 21st | The Triangle Mill Sisters and Standsfield Hall, Ruth Beazley |
| December 19th | Christmas Extravaganza |
2020 |
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| January 16th | The New Cragg Hall and Hinchliffe family photgraphs, Roy Collinge |
| February 20th | Ann Lister and the Walker Dynasty, David Glover |
| March 19th | Childhood memories of an Evacuee, John Benson |
| April 16th | AGM |
Cragg Vale History Group - About Us
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- Written by Martyn
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Last Updated: 03 March 2020
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Hits: 152
The Cragg Vale Local History Group was formed in 2008 and we are still going strong. We are an informal, friendly and sociable group and we would love to welcome more people into the group, either as regular attendees or to drop in for individual sessions.
Meetings are at 7.30 pm, on 3rd Thursday each month from September to June. We take a summer break in July and August but try to arrange a visit to an interesting location during the break.
Venue: St John's Church, Cragg Vale. Refreshments are available at each meeting.
Membership: Just £15 for the year or £3 per meeting for visitors. Just turn up on the night.
If you are interested in joining, please just come along to one of our meetings.
For further information, contact Jane Frechette on 07733 326866
Spaw Sunday
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- Written by Historian
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Last Updated: 30 May 2016
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Hits: 3459
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Upper Calder Valley folk had no need to travel far afield to spa towns such as Harrogate, or Buxton to “take the waters” - their own local spa was right here on their doorstep! Cragg Vale Spaw is reputed to be at least 300 years old and, with many nearby places bearing its name, has clearly been of historic importance - Spa Laithe Farm, Spa Terrace, Spa Bridge etc. In medieval times and before, winter was a very difficult time. The long season of cold and darkness, with limited food, caused hardship and ill health. So with the coming of warmer weather in spring people looked forward to gathering at the spa to celebrate the passing of winter and to drink the water, to cleanse themselves of winter ailments, and give them strength to face the coming year. Whether the water had a medicinal effect is debatable, but there are anecdotes from a number of local octogenarians of the curative and restorative properties, attributing their long standing to regular draughts of Spa water! In the 19th century the gatherings were usually on the first Sunday in May - “Spaw Sunday”. |
Children in their Sunday best 'taking the waters' in 1911. |
It was said that on this day the water at Cragg Spa took on “an especial different taste”. All you needed was a medicine bottle in which, the spa water and a stick of liquorice (to make it more palatable for drinking) were thoroughly shaken together and – if you didn’t want to look like a cissy! – swigged down in one. The sulphurous water from the spa was deemed to be excellent for making tea, although some recommended a pinch of bicarbonate of soda to take the edge off the “bad eggs smell”.
Over time Spaw Sunday became quite popular: in 1906, one report noted that only 500 people went afterwards, with the Hebden Bridge band, to the White House, Blackstone Edge ! And about this time, the Independent Labour Party saw an advantage in playing an important part in “spaw” celebrations, and early religious orators gave way to politicians. The Second World War ended “Spaw Sunday “. The event was briefly revived in 1987, but soon the Spa fell into disrepair, and its presence unknown to many Cragg Vale inhabitants – until 2009 when work was undertaken to restore it to its condition at the turn of the 19th Century, with landscaping, and steps for easier access. In 2010 a simple Spaw Sunday celebration was revived, and the hope to re-establish old traditions continues!
TAKE A SMELL of the sulphourous water; taste if you wish – but at your own risk!