The books on this CDrom will be of interest to anyone researching their ancestors in the Halifax area. Sue Johnson and Janet Ogden have written short reviews of the CDrom.

Navigation of all of the books on this CD rom is enhanced by the use of "Active Links" on all the index and contents pages, and all of the books are machine searchable (i.e. you can do a word or phrase search with your computer).

The History and Antiquities of Halifax covers the history and Antiquities of the parish up to the 1770s. It includes information about the Gibbet law, and also the townships within the parish etc. There are additionally a few plates, including a plan of the town of Halifax.

• Please see the transcribed index of the book for details.
• The Title page, dedication and first 5 pages of the Introduction are given here in pdf (Acrobat) format.(large file)

The ancient Halls in and around Halifax contains 50 drawings of Halls around Halifax, along with short descriptions and histories of each.

• The Title page, the contents, and the first of the drawings from the book in pdf (Acrobat) format.

The Halifax Guardian's Almanac 1937 includes photographs and information on people and places and happenings for the year 1937. There are lots of names of individuals, include lists of those on the council etc. On the CD rom, the contents page uses active links and the whole book is machine searchable.

• Unfortunately there is no real index to this book, however the contents page is transcribed below.
• 4 sequential pages taken from the back of the book in pdf (Acrobat) format.

The above Acrobat files were extracted from the main pdf file and show the quality of the images. You will need at least version 5 of Acrobat to open this file. If you do not have an up to date version please go to the Adobe web-site to obtain a free version of Acrobat Reader.

Contents of the Halifax Courier's 1937 Almanack:

• The Mayor and Mayoress: A Brief Sketch
• Calendar for the Year
• A Strong, Great and Wise Authority: Centenary of Halifax Board of Guardians
• Local Places of Amusements and Capacity
• Local Masonic Ledges
• Halifax in A Novelist's Impressions
• Pioneer of Cheap Literature: Wm.Milner's Life Story
• Centenary of Halifax Post Office .Local Events with many Illustrations
• The Lily Lane Boiler Explosion Disaster in (8)
• Halifax Books and Authors
• Local Rates and Comparisons
• Heywood Congregational Church
• Town Council Review
• Local Wills of the Year
  • Local Information
  • Parliamentary Representatives,
  • Honorary Freemen,
  • Surviving Past Mayors,
  • Borough Magistrates.
  • West Riding Justices,
  • County Court Details,
  • Town Council Members,
  • Committees,
  • Officials,
  • Statistics,
  • Schools, Teachers, and Accommodation,
  • Museums,
  • Libraries,
  • Public Assistance Committee,
  • Post Office,
  • Insurance Com mittee,
  • Assessment Committee,
  • Rural District Council,
  • Public Vaccinators,
  • Registrars,
  • Banks and Building Societies and their Managers,
  • Licences,
  • Old Age Pension Details,
  • Local Places of Worship,
  • Social and General Organisations,
  • Charitable,
  • Political,
  • Musical,
  • Brass Bands,
  • Trade and Professional,
  • Sport and Pastime,
  • Juvenile Organisations,
  • Friendly Societies,
• Annals of an Antiquary
• District Information .
• Trades Directory and Classified List of Advertisers .

A short review of the CD by Susan Johnson of Halifax:

When Colin asked me to write a review of latest CD containing, "The History & Antiquities of Halifax", by the Rev. John Watson MA (1775), "The Ancient Halls of Halifax" by Arthur Comfort (1913) and the "Halifax Courier's Almanack for 1937", I said I would give it a go even though I've not written a review before. Please bear with me.

I got home from work at 4pm and 3 hours later was still flipping through the pages. This is a fantastic CD which you will keep going back to time and time again.

The "Ancient Halls of Halifax" contains wonderful sketches of houses in and around Halifax and gives a brief history and lists some of the owners.

"Halifax Courier Almanack 1937" is full of interesting information which is still in living memory. It contains photos, adverts, list upon list of societies and committee members, schools and headteachers, churches and ministers, lists of wills for the year with the amounts left, council business etc, etc, the list is endless.

"The History & Antiquities of Halifax" along with the ancient history of Halifax contains a wonderful piece on the Halifax Dialect and how to pronounce.

Another short review by Janet Ogden of Northowram:

This new CD is well constructed and very easy to use, from the links at the beginning.

Historical Almanac 1937. Is jam packed with information: of how our ancestors lived, the old style advertisements, on what was worn, there are adverts of Ladies and Gents Wear, Children's Outfitters. An insight on what they ate and drank, to how they cured their Aces and Pains.
The Furniture they bought and Steam Laundries they used.
A List Wills for the year 1937.
Lots of local information, on the Town's People, & Council Matters. Transport, how they got around, from the Cars they drove, to Bus and Tramway Services they used. Where they went for Entertainment; Clubs, Pubs, and Dance Halls, and places such as The Palace Theatre Halifax.
Information on Births Deaths & Marriages. Pensions and how much they were paid. Churches & Chapels with dates they first opened. The List is endless. If your Ancestor was from Halifax at this time, you could find them amongst these pages.

Ancient Halifax Halls published in the Halifax Courier 1913
There are 50 well known Halls depicted with a write up on each, some alas now long gone. They date from the 13 century, telling you who lived in them, and how they passed from Family to Family. Some of these Halls were used as backdrops for very well known Books

Watson's Halifax. A Book every Halifax historian would like to own

Tells of the 26 Townships or Hamlets in the Halifax area. From Druids, Romans and Saxon times. The Historical Memoir of Charles; the 1st insight to trade in those days. Copyhold Accounts; Graveships; & Knights Fees. An Extract from the Survey of the Manor of Wakefield made in 1314. Topography Accounts of Religious Houses, Churches and Chapels. Remarks on Dialect and Vocabulary of uncommon words. Wills of Halifax people, and a Catalogue of Plants.