Todmorden Town Hall, one of the most impressive buildings in the Calder Valley, is about to celebrate its 150th birthday, as Margareta Holmstedt told Hebden Bridge Local History Society. She has lived in Todmorden since 1970, serving as a town councillor for many years, and as a volunteer guide and member of the Town Hall Friends is both knowledgeable and enthusiastic.
Todmorden had no real identity before the Industrial Revolution. Its position on the county boundary of Lancashire and Yorkshire meant it looked more towards Manchester and the cotton industry, growing rapidly in the 1800s. There was very little local government. Local decisions were taken by church vestry committees; boards of health and magistrate courts met in local pubs. A growing sense of civic pride led to a desire for a more dignified and prestigious place.
In 1860 a committee was formed to build a town hall, a site chosen and foundations laid. But the timing was wrong, as the American Civil War cotton boycott meant they ran out of money. It was the pre-eminent and wealthy Fielden family, (Radical MP John Fielden and his nephews) who ten years later bought the site and engaged the architect John Gibson, who had designed such different Fielden-linked buildings as Dobroyd Castle and the Unitarian church.
On the first floor was to be a grand ballroom, and the ground floor was to be the new home of the Magistrates’ Court. It was completed by 1875, costing the Fieldens £54,000. The Magistrates now had a dignified place to conduct their business, with rooms for the police, a dock for the accused and seats for the public to see justice done. But the pride of the place must have been the glittering ballroom, reached by a sweeping staircase, wide enough for the ladies’ voluminous skirts. There was a sprung floor for the dancing, but also a stage and balcony for musical performances. The decoration was superb, with the best stucco and numerous sculptures and relief medallions. Todmorden could also show off its cutting edge technology, with ultra-modern ‘gasoliers’ – gas chandeliers, which elegantly provided ventilation through hidden vents, allowing stale air to rise and be expelled through the roof.
The opening ceremonies in April 1875 were lavish – with a procession lasting 4 hours and a banquet of nine courses for 400 people. Todmorden finally had a building to be proud of, in a classical style, and topped with a beautifully sculpted pediment celebrating the dual heritage of Lancashire and Yorkshire skills. However it was its position, literally built on top of the river marking the boundary that left Todmorden as a proud possessor of a town hall but no town. It was not possible to incorporate a borough that was in two counties. The boundary was redrawn in 1888, so that Todmorden was in Yorkshire. It was not until 1896 that Todmorden was granted its charter as a town, but some families still haven’t forgiven the betrayal.
Guided visits are regularly available and look out for lavish celebrations in March 2025.