Meetings July 2021 Update

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Written by Administrator
Last Updated: 16 September 2021
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STOP PRESS - Meetings to Resume September 2021 

The CVLHG Committee are delighted to announce that our regular monthly meetings are to resume this September 2021, after being suspended for over 18 months due to the COVID-19 situation. Speakers are booked and, so far, we have a Diary planned through to December. We will look forward to seeing everyone again and welcoming any new people. Please note: COVID-19 considerations will be observed.

History Calendar 2021-2022 - meetings start at 19.30hrs  venue: St. John's Church, Cragg Vale

Thursday 16th September  "The Circus, Past, Present and Future", Steve Ward
Thursday 21st October   “Buried Alive?  – Past Funeral Customs in Calderdale”, David Glover
Thursday 18th November “Childhood Memories of an Evacuee”, John Benson
Thursday 16th December Our Christmas Extravaganza (sadly missed in 2020)

 

Of course, although we have not been able to hold our regular monthly meetings,  we have been busy with our plans to commemorate the Cragg Hall devastating Fire of 11th  August 1921. The Remembering Cragg Hall Diary of events will begin with a special Presentation on Thursday 12 August, in St Johns at 19:30. Our very own Shirley Daniel will be presenting, ably supported by our also very own, Roy Collinge.

The programme will continue with an Exhibition “The Story of Cragg Hall on the three following weekends. St Johns Church Registers will also be on show. On Saturday 14th August only, there will be Guided Walks around the locality and the Cragg Hall grounds. Please note most of the walk is on private land, with the kind permission of the landowners.

For further details and tickets see Remembering Cragg Hall Events

Any queries or comments, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or phone  Jane Frechette on 07733 326866.

Cragg Vale History Group - About Us

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Written by Martyn
Last Updated: 03 March 2020
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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
Last Updated: 30 May 2016
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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!