Huddersfield Mechanics' Institution, records

An almost complete archive, this is a vital source of information about the working-class people of Huddersfield and the local industrialists concerned with education who governed the Institution. Minute books of the governing body and its committees (1843-1884); programme books with agenda and class reports (1859-1878); annual reports (1845-1886); buildings records including building fund accounts and plans (1859-1903); membership records including class rolls, general registers and rules (1844-1889); subscriptions (1845-1885); student records (1863-1882); teachers records (1856-1881); Huddersfield School of Art register 1872-1884, financial records including invoice books with bills for technical apparatus and equipment, (1845-1886) and Penny Savings bank ledgers (1850-1870); the accounts of the Penny Savings Bank; correspondence including letter books (1855-1904); press cuttings, miscellaneous papers including library register, address book with addresses of J Crosland, and Peace Sykes (teacher), indexes of members, portraits including those of Frederic Schwann, Edmund Eastwood, George Tomlinson, William Marriott, and John Shaw, (1845-1887)

Open by appointment

The Institution was established in 1843, the successor to the Young Men's Improvement Society which started up in 1841. Huddersfield Mechanics' Institution continued as such until 1884 when it, together with the Female Educational Institute (1843-1886), merged to form the Technical School and Mechanics' Institute. This became the Technical College in 1896 and was succeeded by the College of Technology in 1958. In 1970 the College and the Oastler College amalgamated to become Huddersfield Polytechnic. The Polytechnic became the University of Huddersfield in 1992.

The Penny Savings Bank started in Huddersfield Mechanics' Institution and was the forerunner of the Post Office Savings Bank.