Halifax people suffered the devastating impact of two world wars in the first half of the twentieth century and also experienced the more prolonged economic and social effects of the decline of manufacturing. The Parish Church became the focus of civic remembrance particularly after the establishment of the Duke of Wellington’s regimental chapel in the Parish Church in 1951 and the re-location of the war memorial to a site adjoining the Parish Church in the 1980s.


The Halifax War Memorial, modelled on the cenotaph in Whitehall, was dedicated by the Right Reverend Bishop George Horsfall Frodsham, Vicar of Halifax from 1920 to 1937, on 15 October 1922. Originally situated in Belle Vue Park, it was re-located to a site adjacent to the Parish Church in Duffy’s Park in the 1980s.

It commemorates no fewer than 2,226 victims from Halifax of the First World War(1914-1918), some 588 victims of the Second World War (1939-1945) and also members of the armed services who lost their lives in the Korean War (1950-1953) and later conflicts.

The Chapel of the Resurrection at the east end of the south aisle was adopted by the Duke of Wellington’s Regiment in 1951 as their regimental chapel, containing the Regimental Book of Remembrance and the Colours of the 33^rd Regiment of Foot, later to become the Duke of Wellington’s Regiment, including those carried in the Waterloo and Crimean campaigns.

The Chapel of the Resurrection at the east end of the south aisle was adopted by the Duke of Wellington’s Regiment in 1951 as their regimental chapel, containing the Regimental Book of Remembrance and the Colours of the 33^rd Regiment of Foot, later to become the Duke of Wellington’s Regiment, including those carried in the Waterloo and Crimean campaigns.

During the post-war era, the Reverend Eric Treacy (1907-1978) became one of the most influential and respected Vicars of Halifax. Holding office from 1950 to 1962, he was dubbed ‘the Ecclesiastical Mayor of Halifax’. He later became successively Bishop of Pontefract and Bishop of Wakefield.



He initiated the scheme to provide a pedestrian precinct around the church involving the closure of Upper Kirkgate and the lower part of Causeway to vehicles and gained distinction as a railway photographer. A monument under the tower of Halifax Parish Church records his sudden death on Appleby Station.

Text researched and written by Dr John A. Hargreaves

Images:

Artist’s impression of a gargoyle at the top of the Bell Tower; the Cenotaph in Duffy’s Park to the north of the church, and the archway into the churchyard (both G Farr); the Duke of Wellington’s Regimental Chapel and the exterior view of the church (both Chris Lord Photography)