C Whitehead & Sons

Leeds Mercury 30th April 1883

FOUNDATION-STONE LAYING AT RAVENSTHORPE.

On Saturday afternoon the foundation-stone of the new stores for the Self-Help Co-operative Society, Ravensthorpe, was laid, but the weather being wet the proceeding s were got through as quickly as possible. Afterwards a tea party was held in celebration of the event, and there was a very large attendance. The building is from the designs of Messrs. Kirk and Sons, aichitects, of Dewsbury and Huddersfield, and will occupy the site of the old stores belonging to, the society, and of several cottages adjoining, and which is on the west side of North-road at its junction with Huddersfield-road. The structure will be three stores high, with (cellarage under the whole), and will give accommodation ample for all requirements for the grocer's, draper's, bootmaker's, and butcher's departments; the first and second having a frontage to the main road. Besides these departments and shops there will be a large hall for public meetings, 62ft. long by 45ft, wide, and 22ft high, lit with 13 large circular-headed windows having enriched and moulded plaster imposts, and moulded archivats. Two stone staircases of good dimensions lead to the hall for ingress and egress. In addition to the chief building there will be at the back, slaughter-house, stable, corn-crushing room, shoemakers' workshop, and other places, all conveniently arranged for business purposes. The style of architecture of the new store is Italian of a plain character, and the front to Huddersfield-road is to

have an ornamental pediment prepared to receive a clock, and that to North-road an ashlar inscription gablet. The exterior walls will be of pitch-faced delph stone, with asular dressings, the interior walls being of brick. The contractors are—Masons. Messrs. C. Whitehead and Sons; joiners, Messrs. Fothergill and Schofield ; plumber, Mr. E . Walker; slater, Mr. J. Thornton; plasterers, Messrs. Grange and Cookson; painter,Mr. J.C. Ledgard; and ironfounders, Messrs. Marsden and Co. The execution of the contracts will be carried out under the immediate supervision or Messrs. Kirk and Sons, the architects, and no time is to be lost in completing the building, which will be a decided ornament to the village of Ravensthorpe.