Alderman John Aspinall Robinson : Biography

ALDERMAN JOHN ASPINALL ROBINSON

The gentleman whose portrait we have the pleasure of presenting to our readers this week is one whose name is familiar to the residents in all parts of the new Borough, and who in length of public service in the interests of the ratepayers has a very long and serviceable record. We allude to Alderman John Aspinall Robinson.

Alderman Robinson is a native of Brighouse and has spent the whole of his life within a few yards of the place where he now resides, Wood Villa, Brighouse Wood. He was the eldest son of the late James Robinson and was born October 1833 at Brighouse Wood. There were nine children. Four sons and five daughters, his father was a stone worker and as wages were low and work scarce especially in the winter season, the family were not always in flourishing circumstances.

Alderman Robinson retains very lively recollections of the conditions of things which prevailed in the stirring period from 1840-50. As a lad he followed the mob who came along Elland Road to Brookfoot and went to Holland's Mill on plug drawing interest. After drawing plugs from the boilers, the mob went to Slead House the residence of Mr Holland, who however spoke to them in a conciliatory manner and by distribution of a large amount of food and other refreshments appeased their wrath and so the rioters went away without further damage.

Alderman Robinson received very little in the way of school teaching, for almost as soon as he could do anything at all he accompanied his father to the quarry and commenced his connections with the stone trade by carrying (?) from the quarry to the blacksmiths. As he grew older, he was put to other branches of work and in time he became a stone hewer and better paid. For a time, he worked for Mr Freeman of Southowram and also G. Hirst of the same place, who at that time was engaged quarrying the hillside at Brighouse Wood.

As a collector for Mr Hirst, Alderman Robinson had to traverse all parts of the district and thus became well acquainted with the locality. He worked in various parts of the district, Southowram, Elland Edge, Rastrick and Halifax. Subsequently, he commenced trading by contract the hewing of stone, and amongst work he contracted for was the hewing of the stone required for the erection of Woodvale Cotton Mills. Afterwards he commenced business as a stone merchant, buying and selling stone, and subsequently on the suggestion by his brother they opened the firm of J. A. & A. Robinson, Stone Merchants, at Nab End, Hove Edge, on land belonging to the Ashwater family. The firm had no less than five shafts and subsequently quarries were worked by the firm at Toothill Bank, Rastrick, Needless Hall, Halifax Road, and in Lightcliffe Road, Brighouse.

For many years, the firm prospered and Messrs Robinson erected the large amount of cottage property in Lightcliffe Road, Brighouse. In 1868, they erected Wood Villas, Elland Road, on land where as boys they spent hundreds of hours in play.

On Lightcliffe Road shafts were being worked out, so Alderman Robinson sank new shafts in Rayner Road on land connected with Mark Blackburn's estate, where operations are now going on.

Alderman Robinson has done a great deal for the development of the local stone trade which is now one of the staple industries of the district. He has also done a great deal in the direction of altering and improving the conditions of the workers engaged in that industry. Time was when it was the general custom for the quarrymen to have to assemble at public houses to receive their wages, and each man was expected to spend a given sum – frequently the price of a quart of beer – for the good of the house so to speak. This practice was most pernicious in its influence and having seen so much that was injurious arise from the system, Alderman Robinson determined when he became an employer that his workmen should not have to go to public houses for their wages. His example was followed by other quarry owners and thus a bad practice was abolished.

Public works.

Appointed on the Committee of the blind – Position held for twelve years, along with Mr Crossley. Laid solid foundations for the Co-Operative Society. Subsequent astounding and marvellous success