The Heavy Woollen District: Dewsbury
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Welcome to Dewsbury
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Dewsbury has its earliest roots circa 627AD when Monk
Paulinus, the first Archbishop of York, founded a Christian settlement on
the banks of the River Calder. The name could derive from Dewi's Burh, meaning
fortification. Dewi, a British name - and still popular in Wales - is the
equivalent of David in modern language.
During the Industrial Revolution, Dewsbury became the
centre of the Heavy Woollen District. The local invention of the rag-grinding
machine in 1813 allowed discarded cloth to be reprocessed. This cloth was
called "shoddy and mungo" and as a result Dewsbury became a major manufacturer
of quality blankets, coats and military uniforms.
Shoddy and mungo was the result of a local man, Benjamin Law,
who invented a machine for grinding up rags. Old and new material (shoddy
and mungo) was mixed with new wool and the quality blankets and uniforms
were the result.
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Business boomed in the so-called Heavy Woollen District and
shoddy barons, a shoddy king and even a shoddy temple were created.
Many of the old mills have gone and given way to modern industrial
premises and processes. However, the town's heritage is preserved with many
Victorian town centre buildings and shops, a particularly good example is
the town hall.
Around town
King George V and Queen Mary visited in
1918 to thank the people of Dewsbury for their help
during the First World War when many of the shoddy
and mungo mills were producing army uniforms.
Two Dewsbury soldiers were awarded the Victoria
Cross for their bravery during the war, they
were Sergeant William Ormsby V.C. and Private
Horace Walker V.C. who now have roads named in
their honour.
Dewsbury has a famous market with more than 300 stalls
- you'll find the market trading on Wednesdays
and Saturdays.
Dewsbury has become very multi-cultural in the last
50 years and now boasts one of the biggest Asian
populations in West Yorkshire. The town's
MP is Shahid Malik and the Commons connections
continue with one of Dewsbury's most famous daughters,
Betty Boothroyd, the former Speaker of the House.
Dewsbury railway station is mid-way between Leeds
and Huddersfield and has up to four trains an hour
on the transpennine line.
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Dewsbury's famous market
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Dewsbury Rams'
stadium
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The town's main sporting club is the Dewsbury Rams.
They play their home games at The Tetley's
Stadium, a purpose built ground to the north
of the town. Completed in 1994, the stadium
took three years to complete.
During their heyday the Rams were one
of the top rugby league teams in the country.
However, the early 1990s were a depressing time
for the Rams after the original ground at Crown
Flatt burnt down, thanks to the handy-work of
vandals.
The Rams have had a number of players
selected for international duty during their
history. Viewers of rugby league on Sky
Sports will know the name of Mike "Stevo" Stephenson.
Stevo captained the championship winning Dewsbury
side of 1973 and won several Great Britain caps.
The town is not short of stories to tell
about other famous people. Legend has it that
Stan Laurel's family lived in the area too, although
there are conflicting reports as to whether or
not the great comedian ever visited himself.
Tennis fans familiar with Greg Rusedski may be
surprised to learn that his mother is from Dewsbury!
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Other Dewsbury facts
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Dewsbury has the only Minster church in West Yorkshire.
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Every Christmas Eve, a team of bell ringers toll a bell
at the Minster beginning late in the evening and ending at the stroke of
midnight. It proclaims God's sentence of death on all that is evil.
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According to legend, the ancient custom concerns Sir Thomas
de Soothill, a local nobleman and Lord of the Manor, who suffered from a
terrible temper. On one occasion, he murdered a servant boy and hid his body
in a mill pond. Some time later, he realised what he had done and wanted
to cleanse his soul so he presented All Saints' Church (now known as Dewsbury
Minster) with a thirteen hundredweight tenor bell on the condition that it
be tolled every Christmas Eve at a slow pace. The exact number of strikes
should represent one year since Christ was born.
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In 1593 an outbreak of plague in Dewsbury was so severe
that people had to be buried on their own land instead of in the churchyard.
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