Key Collections Series: Politics

Huddersfield’s fascinating political history is brought to life in Heritage Quay by the extensive range of collections that document the area’s 20th and 21st century political story. The overarching influence of the labour movement and the Labour Party on this narrative is keenly reflected through the collections. From the emergence and development of the Party’s grass roots (Huddersfield Labour Party Archive, Colne Valley Labour Party Archive and the Denby Dale Labour Party Archive) to the upper echelons of Westminster (J H Whitley, MP and Speaker of the House of Commons and JPW Mallalieu, MP Archives; Robert Blatchford Collections) and New Labour politics (Mick Clapham, MP Archive).

 

Signed photograph of Victor Grayson speaking a rally, c1907
Signed photograph of Victor Grayson speaking a rally, c1907
William Glenvil Hall, Colne Valley MP, 1939-1962.
William Glenvil Hall, Colne Valley MP, 1939-1962.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These collections reveal the local realities of the national party political system, and how this system has been informed and influenced by the unique character of Huddersfield’s political landscape. The library of famous statistician G.H. Wood covers economic and social history, education, health, housing and women’s history during the late 19th and early 20th century, and complement more contemporary left-wing publications including the Left Book Club and modern periodicals.

 

JPW Mallalieu, General Election leaflet, 1959.
JPW Mallalieu, General Election leaflet, 1959.
JPW Mallalieu canvassing, 1970s.
JPW Mallalieu canvassing, 1970s.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Catalogued Collections

Library of Arthur Gardiner – http://heritagequay.org/archives/AG/

Library of Alistair Wilson – http://heritagequay.org/archives/AWI/

Robert Blatchford Archive – http://heritagequay.org/archives/BLA/

Colne Valley Labour Party Archive – http://heritagequay.org/archives/CVL/

Denby Dale Labour Party Archive – http://heritagequay.org/archives/DDL

George Henry Wood Collection – http://heritagequay.org/archives/GHW/

Garth Pratt Co-operative Society Library – http://heritagequay.org/archives/GPC/

J H Whitley Archive – http://heritagequay.org/archives/JHW/

Sir Joseph Percival William Mallalieu, MP Archive – http://heritagequay.org/archives/JPM/

Noreen Logan Archive (Relating to Huddersfield Labour Party) – http://heritagequay.org/archives/NL/

 

You can browse through and download a hard copy version of these catalogues on our ISSUU profile here: https://issuu.com/heritagequay/docs/heritage_quay_politics_collections_

 
Uncatalogued Collections

Bow Group Publications Library – http://heritagequay.org/archives/?keyword=bow+group

Huddersfield Labour Party Archive – http://heritagequay.org/archives/HLP/

Independent Labour Party Pamphlets – http://heritagequay.org/archives/ILP/

Left Book Club Publications Library – http://heritagequay.org/archives/?keyword=left+book+club

Mick Clapham, MP Archive – http://heritagequay.org/archives/?keyword=Clapham%2C+Mick

 

Pursue your own research using the collections

Find out about our events exploring the collections- many free

 

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