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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
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 and
William Rothwell Verity
©
Malcolm Bull
2023
Revised 21:32 / 21st September 2023 / 5664
Page Ref: MMB501