Joseph Rideal Smith [1837-1915]

Contents:

• Biography

• The Old Halifax Prints

Biography

Joseph Rideal Smith was born on 30th December 1837 at the Waggoner's Inn, Northgate, where his father, Isaac Smith, was licensee.

He became a well-known local artist. He studied as an architect. He worked for the Surveyor's Department at Halifax Corporation. In 1874, he set up in business as an architect.

In 1845, the family left Halifax to live in London.

In 1856, he survived cholera and the family left London to farm on the Duke of Bedford's estate.

In 18??, he and his father farmed in Essex.

In 1868, he returned to Halifax because of ill health. He became the town's first sanitary inspector with Halifax Corporation and was instrumental in installing the goux system of closets in the town.

In 1873, he married Ann, daughter of Samuel Empsall.

Children:

1. Harriet Rideal [1876-19??] who married Robert G.  Whiteley

The family lived at 2 Craven Edge, Halifax [1881, 1891, 1901, 1911].

His artistic talents were recognised by Alderman Alfred Ramsden who had seen one of his sepia drawings of the Waggoner's Inn, and suggested that Smith make sketches from some of the pictures he had in his possession.

He produced a set of 12 drawings with views of the House at the Maypole, the Waggoner's Inn, Northgate, the Malt Shovel Inn, Northgate, Crown Street, Silver Street, Hall End, Woolshops, and North Bridge between 1888 and 1893. These were copied from other pictures or drawn from memory, and were possibly idealised. Each print was dedicated to local patrons and worthies – which were published by Stott Brothers as a bound volume which sold for £2 10/- under the title Old Halifax. These were so successful that Smith became known as Old Halifax.

He died on 21st February 1915.

He was buried at St Paul's Church, King Cross

He was buried at St Paul's Church, King Cross

The Old Halifax Prints

Between 1888 and 1893, Joseph Rideal Smith produced a set of 12 drawings depicting views of the streets and buildings in the centre of Halifax. These were copied from other pictures and photographs, or were drawn from memory. Many of them were probably idealised.

Each print was dedicated to a local patron or worthy, and these originally appeared as postcards. The collection was published by Stott Brothers as a bound volume under the title Old Halifax. These were so successful that Smith himself became known as Old Halifax.

The set of drawings included the following titles

• Crown Street, Halifax: Shows Crown Street, looking west, with the old White Swan and part of the Castle, as the area appeared about the middle of the 19th century

  Dedicated to Thomas Shaw

• Crown Street, Halifax: Shows the south side of Crown Street, compiled from photographs taken in the year 1881

  Dedicated to Alfred Ramsden

• Crown Street, Hall End: Shows the top of Crown Street at Hall End, as it was in 1864

  Dedicated to John Lister

• Hall End, Halifax: Shows Hall End, and parts of Silver Street, Copper Street and Swine Market, as it appeared in 1862

  Dedicated to Mayor James Booth, the Members of the Town Council and Burgesses of the Borough of Halifax

• North Bridge & Bowling Dyke, Halifax: Shows North Bridge & Bowling Dyke as seen from The Mount, Haley Hill, some time before 1864

  Dedicated to Major Joseph Moxon Kirk

• Old Market and Corn Market, Halifax: Shows Old Market and Corn Market, and the House at the Maypole as it appeared in 1886

  Dedicated to Alderman James William Davis

  Click here to see the image

• Old Market and Crown Street, Halifax: Shows Old Market, and part of Crown Street, and the Castle, as they appeared about 1886

  Dedicated to Charles Lindley Wood

• Silver Street, Halifax: Shows Silver Street as it appeared in 1868

  Dedicated to Thomas Henry Morris

• Silver Street, Halifax: Shows Silver Street, as it appeared in 1868, seen from Hall End, with the offices of the Commercial Bank, the White Lion Hotel, and the Globe Inn

  Dedicated to William Ambler

• Waggoners' Inn, Northgate, 1840: Shows the Waggoners Inn, Halifax and the nucleus of the carrying trade in Halifax

  Dedicated to H. C. McCrea

• Woolshops Halifax: Shows Woolshops, looking north

  Dedicated to Sir Henry John Selwin Ibbetson of Down Hall, Essex, 7th Baronet

• Woolshops & Market Street, Halifax: Shows the top of Woolshops & Market Street looking from the bottom of Old Market, as it appeared around 1890

  Dedicated to Sir Savile Brinton Crossley

Page Ref: QQ_163

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