HISTORY 2
History 1
(to 1853)
There is a shorter Salt time-line on
the World Heritage page
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Titus
Salt - the
Founder
Titus Salt 50 years old
20th September 1853 Saltaire mill is opened on Titus Salt's
fiftieth birthday
The Mill represented the bleeding edge technology of its time
integrating all the processes of the trade from woolcombing
through spinning to dispatch under one roof. This development had
been made possible by the progressive mechanisation of worsted
manufacture over the previous fifty years and by the huge
accumulation of capital which resulted from them and from Britain's
domination of world trade. Around the mill Salt built housing for
his workers incorporating utilities and sanitary services. Over
the following decades he added churches, a hospital, almshouses,
a school, a park and the Saltaire Institute containing a library,
meeting rooms and a gymnasium
1854 The
first 150 houses completed at Saltaire
1855
Joseph Wright, later Professor of Philology at Oxford
born at Thackley.
1856
Titus Salt president of Bradford Chamber of Commerce
Death of Cabet
1858
Saltaire Congregational Church begun and
completed in the following year.
1859
April - General Election. Salt elected
liberal MP for Bradford. At the same time Edward Baines jnr is elected for Leeds and
James Stansfield for Halifax. Francis
Crossley, who had previously represented Halifax,was
returned for the West Riding. It is at this
point that the realignment of British Politics is completed with
a meeting on 6th June atWillis' Rooms, St James's London, of the
various minority groups in the Commons. The decision
taken there to bring down Lord Derby's Conservative ministry; this marks the foundation of the
Liberal Party
First block of Jean-Baptiste Godin's Familistère built at Guise. Godin,
manufacturer of iron stoves,has previously helped to fund a Fourierist
Phalanstery
1860
Anglo-French commercial treaty
1861
Titus Salt, finding that Parliamentary life is badly
affecting his health resigns, his seat in Parliament. He is
succeded by W.E.Forster
1862
Joseph Wright begins work at Salts As he is only seven years old
he works half-time for 6d(2.5p) per week and attends Salts School's
class for half-timers. Death of Robert Milligan
- he is given a civic funeral.
Titus Salt 60 years old
1864 After
laying the foundation stone of the new Wool Exchange at which
ceremony he subject to a hostile demonstration Palmerston visits Saltaire.
Shortly afterwards Gladstone is met by thousands when he visits Newcastle
1865
The Governor Eyre question. Following the supression of a revolt
on the island of Jamaica the issue of the alleged cruelty with
which the Governor of the colony acted becomes a cause
celebre. Salt serves on the committee
calling for Eyre's prosecution alongside John Stuart Mill,
Herbert Spencer, Edward Miall, Thomas Hughes and John Bright
Such is the importance of the Saltaire Mohair trade that when Titus
Salt junior visits Constantinople as a tourist he is
mistaken for his father and his arrival causes a sensation on the
stock exchange.
1866Saltaire
Methodist Church begun
1867
Reform act
giving the vote to many working men. Carlyle's phrase sums up the
feelings of many "repectable" people -"shooting
Niagara".
Paris Exhibition. Prize of 100,000Fr (£4,000)
offered for best welfare scheme. Salt is urged to enter. His
reply, quoted by Balgarnie, is characteristic of the man:
What has been
attempted at Saltaire arose from my own private feeling and
judgement,without the most remote idea that it would become a
subject of public interest and inquiry. A sense of duty and
responsibilty has alone actuated me,and I would have avoided
publicity.................If the answers given to the questions
of theImperial Commisioners, or if any of the facts, which
experiment or experience has elicited, prove of benefit to the
public, or should lead others to adopt, and enable them to
surpass the result of my effort, I shall be thankful.
For myself,I can enter into no competitive rivalry for welldoing,
and the particulars and illustrations furnished of the
establishment of Saltaire, are placed at the service of His
Imperial Majesty's Commissioners on the distinct understanding
that they are not given in competition for any prize, nor subject
to the abitrament of a jury.
Napoleon III was duly impressed and awarded
Salt the Legion d'Honneur and thus Salt
won - on his own terms.
1868
Death in Sheffield Workhouse of George
White Bradford Chartist and Trades Union leader.
1869Titus Salt created baronet; he is
granted the crest which he has been using for the previous
nineteen years as his coat of arms.
Peter Bussey, former Bradford Chartist, dies at Horsforth
near Leeds never having lived down his flight from from the
planned insurrection of 1839. He is buried at Farsley under
the inscription "a Citizen of the United States"
1870 Sir
Titus Salt one of a group of Manufacturers led by Samuel
Morley who provide financial support for the Beehive a trades Union newspaper. In return the editor, George Potter, feels able to support Liberalism
Franco-Prussian War. Joseph Wright,
who is illiterate, gains a desire to learn to read through having
to rely on others for news of the campaign.Teaches himself to
read using the Bible and Bunyan's Pilgrim's
Progress.Death of Henry Forbes. Fall of Napoleon III
1872
Salt one of a group of Manufacturers including Henry
Ashworth who oppose A.J.Mundella's bill
to reduce the hours worked women in factories. (Saltaire is
dependent on female labour and the British textile industry is
beginning to feel the effects of competition from other countries
but Salt's action is consistent with Liberal prejudices against
regulation.)
800 houses now completed at Saltaire
Sir Titus Salt,Bart 70 years old
1875Strike
at mill. Joseph Wright takes the opportunity to leave. He goes to
Germany where he studies and returns after about three months to
a job as a school teacher at £40 per year. In 1882
he returns to Heidelberg to study Philology.
1876
The Sunday School is built. This is the last
building completed in Saltaire.
29th December 1876 Sir Titus Salt,Bart dies at his home at Crownest,Lightcliffe.
15th January 1877 Bradford gives Salt a civic funeral. The procession is
watched by 100,000 people. He is buried in the mausoleum at
Saltaire Congregational Church (now United Reform)
Sir Titus Salt, Bart
1803 - 1876
Any interpetation which may be reasonably inferred from the above
facts is related to my opinion and mine alone. This history
page does not represent the views of
the Saltaire Village Society on
the history of Saltaire or its relationship to
the history of town planning(DB)
This page is incomplete it will improve over the coming period with the addition of references and more hyperlinks.
If the various historians who have contributed to this page feel ill done by there is no need - your work will be acknowledged as the page develops; some of the existing references can be deduced by reference to the Bibliography
Do you have any Saltaire Ephemera?
The Saltaire Village Society is always looking for printed material related to the village. They are particularly interested in photographs and other images of the Washhouse.If you think that you any items of interest then please contact:
Clive Woods at Falcon Books
13/13a Victoria Rd, Saltaire
BRADFORD BD18 3LQ
West Yorkshire, UK
Phone: 01274 584275 (international: +44 1274 584275)
Wednesday - Sunday 13.00 - 17.00
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History 1 (to 1853)
* Getting to Saltaire* Pictures of Saltaire * Books at
Saltaire* Tourist information
*Books about Saltaire* The Marble Likeness of their Liberal Master *Links
* a walk along Albert
Terrace *
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