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 and William Rothwell Verity

Page Ref: MMB501

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