Shipley, West Yorkshire
Encyclopedia
Shipley is a town
in West Yorkshire
, England
, by the River Aire
and the Leeds and Liverpool Canal
, north of Bradford
and north-west of Leeds
.
It is within the Metropolitan Borough of Bradford
but is outside Bradford itself (it was also outside the pre-1974 Bradford county borough
boundaries, forming an urban district
in its own right) although the town forms a continuous urban area with Bradford. It has a population of approximately 28,162.
: the village of Saltaire
, which was planned by the industrialist Sir Titus Salt
to house the workforce at his mill. Salt built the mill beside the Leeds and Liverpool Canal
for the manufacture of alpaca
and woollen cloth. Salts Mill
is no longer used for textile production, but now contains the 1853 Gallery, dedicated to the work of David Hockney
, along with a variety of shops, restaurants and local businesses, including Pace Micro Technology.
To the north of Shipley, across the River Aire
, is a wooded ridge called Shipley Glen (the word "glen" referring to the little valley beneath the ridge). This has long been a popular beauty spot, and in 1895 the Shipley Glen Tramway
was built to carry visitors up to the top. The tramway has weathered periods of neglect and even closure, but at present (2008) it runs most weekends, staffed by volunteers.
serves the town, and has an unusual triangular layout, corresponding to the Skipton to Leeds line, the Leeds to Bradford (Forster Square) line, and the Bradford to Skipton/Ilkley lines. There is also a railway station in the suburb of Saltaire
. There is a small bus station in Shipley Market Place.
was born in Shipley in 1928 and directed films including, "Look Back in Anger
" in 1959, "The Entertainer
" in 1960, A Taste of Honey
in 1961 and The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner
in 1962.
England spin bowler Jim Laker
is from Shipley. He still holds the world record for the number of wickets taken by one player in a first-class cricket
match - 19 out of a possible 20 (Old Trafford
1956, vs Australia
). A residential street in the Moorhead district of Shipley has been named Jim Laker Place, in his memory.
TV actor Steven Hartley
comes from Shipley.
Actor Bryan Mosley
(Alf Roberts
in Coronation Street
) lived in Shipley for many years until his death.
Richard Corbett
, the Labour MEP, lives in Saltaire, as does Liberal Democrat peer Lord Wallace of Saltaire.
2007 BRC Stars of the Future Rally Champion Luke Pinder
is from Shipley.
Joseph Wright
, author of the English Dialect Dictionary
and one of the earliest users of phonetic notation, was born in nearby Thackley but grew up in Windhill (now east Shipley). He wrote a book, A Grammar of the Dialect of Windhill.
in the town centre as well as budget supermarkets and convenience shops around the town. The town has a market hall known for its 1960s brutalist architectural design, in particular its clock tower. There is also a pedestrianised market square, an Arndale Centre and many other shops. Notable retailers include Laura Ashley
, Argos, Boots and until recently, Woolworths
. A pedestrian precinct with some shops and leisure businesses links Asda and its multi-storey free car park with Market Square. This area also includes the Shipley Library. The town is known to be busy as it is the main route for traffic between Bradford and the towns of Bingley
, Keighley
and Skipton
.
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
in West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, by the River Aire
River Aire
The River Aire is a major river in Yorkshire, England of length . Part of the river is canalised, and is known as the Aire and Calder Navigation....
and the Leeds and Liverpool Canal
Leeds and Liverpool Canal
The Leeds and Liverpool Canal is a canal in Northern England, linking the cities of Leeds and Liverpool. Over a distance of , it crosses the Pennines, and includes 91 locks on the main line...
, north of Bradford
Bradford
Bradford lies at the heart of the City of Bradford, a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, in Northern England. It is situated in the foothills of the Pennines, west of Leeds, and northwest of Wakefield. Bradford became a municipal borough in 1847, and received its charter as a city in 1897...
and north-west of Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
.
It is within the Metropolitan Borough of Bradford
City of Bradford
The City of Bradford is a local government district of West Yorkshire, England with the status of a city and metropolitan borough. It is named after its largest settlement, Bradford, but covers a far larger area which includes the towns of Keighley, Shipley, Bingley, Ilkley, Haworth, Silsden and...
but is outside Bradford itself (it was also outside the pre-1974 Bradford county borough
County borough
County borough is a term introduced in 1889 in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland , to refer to a borough or a city independent of county council control. They were abolished by the Local Government Act 1972 in England and Wales, but continue in use for lieutenancy and shrievalty in...
boundaries, forming an urban district
Urban district
In the England, Wales and Ireland, an urban district was a type of local government district that covered an urbanised area. Urban districts had an elected Urban District Council , which shared local government responsibilities with a county council....
in its own right) although the town forms a continuous urban area with Bradford. It has a population of approximately 28,162.
History
In Shipley is a World Heritage SiteWorld Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
: the village of Saltaire
Saltaire
Saltaire is a Victorian model village within the City of Bradford Metropolitan District, West Yorkshire, England, by the River Aire and the Leeds and Liverpool Canal...
, which was planned by the industrialist Sir Titus Salt
Titus Salt
Sir Titus Salt, 1st Baronet , born in Morley, near Leeds, was a manufacturer, politician and philanthropist in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. His father Daniel Salt was a businessman and was sent Titus to Batley Grammar School...
to house the workforce at his mill. Salt built the mill beside the Leeds and Liverpool Canal
Leeds and Liverpool Canal
The Leeds and Liverpool Canal is a canal in Northern England, linking the cities of Leeds and Liverpool. Over a distance of , it crosses the Pennines, and includes 91 locks on the main line...
for the manufacture of alpaca
Alpaca
An alpaca is a domesticated species of South American camelid. It resembles a small llama in appearance.Alpacas are kept in herds that graze on the level heights of the Andes of southern Peru, northern Bolivia, Ecuador, and northern Chile at an altitude of to above sea level, throughout the year...
and woollen cloth. Salts Mill
Salts Mill
Salt's Mill is an art gallery, shopping and restaurant complex located in Saltaire, Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. It is inside a former mill, built by Sir Titus Salt. The 1853 gallery takes its name from the date of the building in which it is housed...
is no longer used for textile production, but now contains the 1853 Gallery, dedicated to the work of David Hockney
David Hockney
David Hockney, CH, RA, is an English painter, draughtsman, printmaker, stage designer and photographer, who is based in Bridlington, Yorkshire and Kensington, London....
, along with a variety of shops, restaurants and local businesses, including Pace Micro Technology.
River Aire
The River Aire is a major river in Yorkshire, England of length . Part of the river is canalised, and is known as the Aire and Calder Navigation....
, is a wooded ridge called Shipley Glen (the word "glen" referring to the little valley beneath the ridge). This has long been a popular beauty spot, and in 1895 the Shipley Glen Tramway
Shipley Glen Tramway
The Shipley Glen Tramway is a historic funicular tramway situated in the wooded Shipley Glen near the village of Saltaire in the English county of West Yorkshire....
was built to carry visitors up to the top. The tramway has weathered periods of neglect and even closure, but at present (2008) it runs most weekends, staffed by volunteers.
Transport
Shipley railway stationShipley railway station
Shipley railway station serves the town of Shipley in West Yorkshire, England.Train services are mostly commuter services between Leeds and Bradford, the Airedale Line , and the Wharfedale Line...
serves the town, and has an unusual triangular layout, corresponding to the Skipton to Leeds line, the Leeds to Bradford (Forster Square) line, and the Bradford to Skipton/Ilkley lines. There is also a railway station in the suburb of Saltaire
Saltaire
Saltaire is a Victorian model village within the City of Bradford Metropolitan District, West Yorkshire, England, by the River Aire and the Leeds and Liverpool Canal...
. There is a small bus station in Shipley Market Place.
Notable residents
Oscar-winning film director, Tony RichardsonTony Richardson
Cecil Antonio "Tony" Richardson was an English theatre and film director and producer.-Early life:Richardson was born in Shipley, Yorkshire in 1928, the son of Elsie Evans and Clarence Albert Richardson, a chemist...
was born in Shipley in 1928 and directed films including, "Look Back in Anger
Look Back in Anger
Look Back in Anger is a John Osborne play—made into films in 1959, 1980, and 1989 -- about a love triangle involving an intelligent but disaffected young man , his upper-middle-class, impassive wife , and her haughty best friend . Cliff, an amiable Welsh lodger, attempts to keep the peace...
" in 1959, "The Entertainer
The Entertainer (film)
The Entertainer is a 1960 film adaptation of the stage play of the same name by John Osborne, which told the story of a failing third-rate music hall stage performer who tried to keep his career going even as his personal life fell apart....
" in 1960, A Taste of Honey
A Taste of Honey (film)
A Taste of Honey is a 1961 British film adaptation of the play of the same name by Shelagh Delaney. Delaney adapted the screenplay herself, aided by director Tony Richardson, who had previously directed the first production of the play...
in 1961 and The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner
The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner
"The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner" is a short story by Alan Sillitoe which was set in Irvine Beach, and published in 1959 as part of a short story collection of the same name. The work focuses on Colin, a poor Nottingham teenager from a dismal home in a blue-collar area, who has bleak...
in 1962.
England spin bowler Jim Laker
Jim Laker
James "Jim" Charles Laker was a cricketer who played for England in the 1950s, known for "Laker's match" in 1956 at Old Trafford, when he took nineteen wickets in England's victory against Australia...
is from Shipley. He still holds the world record for the number of wickets taken by one player in a first-class cricket
First-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
match - 19 out of a possible 20 (Old Trafford
Old Trafford (cricket)
Old Trafford is a cricket ground situated on Talbot Road in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester. It has been the home of Lancashire County Cricket Club since its foundation in 1864, having been the ground of Manchester Cricket Club from 1857...
1956, vs Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
). A residential street in the Moorhead district of Shipley has been named Jim Laker Place, in his memory.
TV actor Steven Hartley
Steven Hartley
Steven Hartley is a British actor known for his television, film and theatre roles. He has appeared in leading roles on British television since 1985, including the series EastEnders from 1987-1989 and The Bill 2000-2002...
comes from Shipley.
Actor Bryan Mosley
Bryan Mosley
Bryan Mosley OBE was a British actor, known best as grocer Alf Roberts in the long-running ITV soap opera Coronation Street.- Early life :...
(Alf Roberts
Alf Roberts
Alfred Sidney "Alf" Roberts was a fictional character in the British ITV soap Coronation Street. He ran a grocery shop at No. 15 and was heavily involved in local politics, including two spells as mayor of Weatherfield...
in Coronation Street
Coronation Street
Coronation Street is a British soap opera set in Weatherfield, a fictional town in Greater Manchester based on Salford. Created by Tony Warren, Coronation Street was first broadcast on 9 December 1960...
) lived in Shipley for many years until his death.
Richard Corbett
Richard Corbett
Richard Corbett was a Member of the European Parliament for the Labour Party for Yorkshire and the Humber, serving between 1996 and 2009...
, the Labour MEP, lives in Saltaire, as does Liberal Democrat peer Lord Wallace of Saltaire.
2007 BRC Stars of the Future Rally Champion Luke Pinder
Luke Pinder
Luke Pinder is a 27 year old British rally driver from Shipley, West Yorkshire. Pinder has been involved with motorsports since the age of 13 having started competing in Autograss and moving to rallying when he passed his driving test at the age of 17....
is from Shipley.
Joseph Wright
Joseph Wright (linguist)
Joseph Wright FBA was an English philologist who rose from humble origins to become Professor of Comparative Philology at Oxford University.-Early life:...
, author of the English Dialect Dictionary
English Dialect Dictionary
English Dialect Dictionary is a dictionary of English language dialects, compiled by Joseph Wright.The English Dialect Dictionary, being the complete vocabulary of all dialect words still in use, or known to have been in use during the last two hundred years; founded on the publications of the...
and one of the earliest users of phonetic notation, was born in nearby Thackley but grew up in Windhill (now east Shipley). He wrote a book, A Grammar of the Dialect of Windhill.
Economy
The town today is typical of many of its size. It has one major supermarket, an AsdaAsda
Asda Stores Ltd is a British supermarket chain which retails food, clothing, general merchandise, toys and financial services. It also has a mobile telephone network, , Asda Mobile...
in the town centre as well as budget supermarkets and convenience shops around the town. The town has a market hall known for its 1960s brutalist architectural design, in particular its clock tower. There is also a pedestrianised market square, an Arndale Centre and many other shops. Notable retailers include Laura Ashley
Laura Ashley plc
Laura Ashley plc is a British textile design company now controlled by the MUI Group of Malaysia. It was founded by Bernard Ashley, an engineer, and his wife Laura Ashley in 1953 then grew over the next 20 years„“ to become an international retail chain. Sales totalled over £276 million in 2000...
, Argos, Boots and until recently, Woolworths
Woolworths Group
Woolworths Group plc was a listed British company that owned the high-street retail chain, Woolworths, as well as other brands such as the entertainment distributor Entertainment UK and book and resource distributor Bertram Books...
. A pedestrian precinct with some shops and leisure businesses links Asda and its multi-storey free car park with Market Square. This area also includes the Shipley Library. The town is known to be busy as it is the main route for traffic between Bradford and the towns of Bingley
Bingley
Bingley is a market town in the metropolitan borough of the City of Bradford, in West Yorkshire, England. It is situated on the River Aire and the Leeds and Liverpool Canal...
, Keighley
Keighley
Keighley is a town and civil parish within the metropolitan borough of the City of Bradford in West Yorkshire, England. It is situated northwest of Bradford and is at the confluence of the River Aire and the River Worth...
and Skipton
Skipton
Skipton is a market town and civil parish within the Craven district of North Yorkshire, England. It is located along the course of both the Leeds and Liverpool Canal and the River Aire, on the south side of the Yorkshire Dales, northwest of Bradford and west of York...
.