Haughton Dale Mill School

'the Iron School'

Haughton Green
In 1853, James Walton of Sowerby, Halifax, Yorkshire, acquired Haughton Dale Cotton Mill, which he extended and converted into a wireworks that specialised in card manufacture and wire drawing and subsequently this became known as James Walton & Sons Ltd. In 1858, Walton constructed a large school in Haughton Dale situated between Meadow Ln and Worth's Ln. Because iron was used in its construction and it had distinctive iron vents on the roof, it became known locally as the Iron School. Its purpose was to promote the education and well-being of his workforce as well as providing day and Sunday schools for their children. The origins of the Iron School can be traced back a little earlier to a school room in a cottage, which was then moved to a room in the wireworks.

In 1903/4, school inspectors closed the school and condemned the building, which was demolished shortly after Nov 1905.

In 1906/7 a large detached house called Sunnyside was built on the site by Turner, Atherton & Co Ltd for Albert Turner and his wife Lilly Ross. By 1939 the residents were James Alfred Bevan and his wife, Elizabeth ‘Lily’ Hodgson. James Alfred Bevan was born at Cape Town, South Africa, on the 5 Apr 1864 and he married Elizabeth Hodgson (b.27 May 1879) at Wigtown, Cumberland, in 1900. Their daughter, Hyldred Joan Bevan, was born at Heaton Norris, Stockport in 1905. James Alfred Bevan was the proprietor of James Bevan & Co, a Denton hat manufacturer.

This house had a chequered career and it was demolished in 1997.

Top: Haughton Dale Mill School, c.1900.
Bottom left: James Bown, the Head Master, with teachers at the school, late 19th century.
Bottom right: A school class, late 19th century.