The award of £50,000 will allow the volunteers of this community heritage museum to begin the restoration of a cottage and chip shop and incorporate them into the main museum building at Cliffe Ash in Golcar, Huddersfield. (The museum was able to purchase the end cottage and shop in 2008 through generous donations and pledges by local businesses, members of the museum and the local community and Kirklees Council.)

The work, which is hoped to commence later this year, will see vital repairs to the roof and restoration of the stone slates to the cottage, as well as replacement of the mullioned windows of this listed building. It is also hoped to re-site the original datestone so it can be more easily seen.
 
The row of cottages, known as Spring Rock, was built between 1840 and 1845 by James and Sally Pearson, and the datestone, which is located on the chimney stack of the end cottage is inscribed “J&SP 1845”. The shop, which was added at a later date and thought originally to have been a butcher’s, has been owned by the Wimpenny family since the early years of the 20th century and has been a fish and chip shop all that time. It will form a more accessible entrance and shop/café area and provide a ‘high street presence’ for the museum.

Commenting on the award, Chairman of the Trustees, Ivan Shaw, said: “We are delighted that the Heritage Lottery Fund has enabled this essential work to take place. The museum is desperately short of space, and incorporating the cottage and shop into the museum building will enable us to make our collection more accessible, both from a physical point of view and by allowing us to display our important collection of archive material, relating both to the cottage textile industry and local social history, which rarely sees the light of day. The extra space will also mean we can improve our services to schools, which is an important part of our raison d’être.

We celebrate our 40th birthday this year, so this is a marvellous birthday present, and thanks to HLF we will hopefully continue for at least another 40 years.”  

Explaining the importance of the award, Fiona Spiers, Head of Hertiage Lottery Fund - Yorkshire & the Humber, said: “The volunteers at Colne Valley Museum have spent many years working towards the expansion of the museum. HLF are very proud to be able to support this project which will transform the community led museum for future visitors to enjoy.”

Notes to editors

Colne Valley Museum website. 
      
Using money raised through the National Lottery, since 1994 the Heritage Lottery Fund has not only revitalised hundreds of museums, parks, historic buildings, landscapes and wildlife sites, but has also given new meaning to heritage itself. People from every walk of life are now involved with the heritage that inspires them, making choices about what they want to keep and share from the past, for future generations. HLF has supported more than 33,900 projects, allocating over £4.4billion across the UK, including £341million to more than 2,500 projects across the Yorkshire and the Humber region alone.

Further information

Anne Lord, Colne Valley Museum Publicity Officer on 078 252 77 902 or annelord@colnevalleymuseum.org.uk  

Janet Jobber, Colne Valley Museum Trustee on 01484 843071 or info@colnevalleymuseum.org.uk