Woolshops

Woolshops

Woolshops in the late 1920's. It was a run down district by then, but it was the historic gateway to Halifax and this view shows why, for the outline of Beacon Hill can be seen in the background. In the middle ages, the Magna Via packhorse trail, which crossed Beacon Hill, was the principal route into Halifax and travellers would descend the hill and enter town via a sloping street where wool merchants would set up their stalls - hence Woolshops.

It had become a rundown, even notorious area by the late 19th century and the council began to hatch plans to improve it. Like most Halifax schemes it took a long time to get off the ground, but by the 1920's properties were being purchased and demolished by the local authority in order to make way for road widening.