Bankfield Museum, Halifax

In 1879, the Bankfield home of Edward Akroyd opened as a museum and library, with 12,000 books.

It was known as the Akroyd Museum & Art Gallery.

In 1887, it was bought for £6,500 by Halifax Corporation for use as a library, museum, art gallery, news room and public park.

It was formally opened on 19th December 1888. The opening ceremony drew the guests' attention to

• The Picture Gallery with a collection of pictures presented to the town by the late Mr Pickard

• The South Kensington Room with object lent by the Museum at South Kensington, London

• The Clayton Room with a collection of Indian, Chinese, Japanese and other objects collected by Councillor Clayton while visiting those countries

• Four Drawing Rooms with collections of sketches and engravings

• The Sculpture Gallery with collections of Cyprian Pottery on permanent loan from the Museum at South Kensington, London, Japanese Bronzes, and Terra-cottas from Naples lent by James William Davis

• The Halifax Art Society Room with pictures lent by members of the Society

• The Chapel which had been recently restored

• The Upper Galleries with
  • Oil paintings lent by W. F. Smithson
  • Early English watercolours
  • Water colours by Henry Sykes lent by James William  Davis
  • Artistic objects lent by Mr Schmillentzky
  • Oriental pottery lent by T. Smithson & Sons
  • Sèvres and Dresden china lent by James William Davis
  • Cork-work by J. Robinson

Curators at the Museum have included

• Henry Ling Roth [1890, 1912, 1926]
• George Reginald Carline [1926-1932]

The museum now presents an internationally important exhibition of costume, fabrics, textiles, and toys from around the world.

The Bread, Salt and Our Hearts gallery houses a unique display of textiles from Eastern Europe which were collected by Edith Durham.

Since 1960, it has housed the Museum of the Duke of Wellington's Regimental Association

See: George Reginald Carline / Halifax Literary & Philosophical Society / Halifax Teachers: War Memorial / Edwin Hardcastle / Middle Dean Street Chapel: Roll of Honour / Kennedy Collection / William Rothwell Verity

This & associated entries use material contributed by Alan Longbottom

Page Ref: MMB501

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