New discovery reveals driving force behind education in Huddersfield
This year marks 200 years of technical and professional education in Huddersfield with a series of events and activities throughout 2025. The anniversary marks the establishment of Huddersfield’s Scientific and Mechanic Institute in 1825, which was set up to bring the “acquisition of useful knowledge” within the reach of all, particularly the trading and working classes.
As part of the celebrations the University of Huddersfield has been researching its own history which stretches back into the first half of the nineteenth century. For the first time, all five young men who founded what is now the University of Huddersfield have been named. Researchers at Heritage Quay, the Archive Service at the University have painstakingly pieced together the evidence to give recognition to the people whose ambitions created higher education as we know it in the town. Only two of them, along with their benefactor Frederic Schwann, were previously known.
Public Engagement Officer, Dave Smith, who works in the archive, explains:
“The long-accepted story was that it was five young men who worked for local businessman Frederic Schwann who formed the ‘Young Men’s Mental Improvement Society’ in 1841. Two of those men stayed quite involved in the running of the organisation and were regularly mentioned but the others never received their due. Using contemporary accounts and rare archival material, we have been able to correct that.
We rediscovered an account which stated that the five were connected with the Schwann business warehouse. One of our documents listed all the early members and the first five listed (after Schwann himself) all had warehouse jobs. That was the eureka moment. One of the amazing things is to see how young they were, between 14 and 18, and yet so motivated to better themselves and others. We are so pleased to be able to share this information and demonstrate that it truly was working people who are responsible for us being here today.”
The research has shown that it was the introduction of a library for staff by Schwann that inspired the young men, who wanted to share the excitement of learning with others in the town. From the group of 20-30 of them who started meeting in that year, historians can trace a direct line to the modern University and, thanks to some shared heritage, Kirklees College.
The five young men
John Fligg Brigg, was 18 and living on Birkhouse Terrace, Crossland Moor in 1841. He went on to become Mayor of Huddersfield as well as President of the organisation he helped found. He was a successful businessman who had a large part in the development of Victorian Huddersfield.
George Perkin Beaumont lived in Brook’s Yard, Huddersfield in 1841. This was the location of Frederic Schwann’s business, and his father also worked in the warehouse. He was about 16. Beaumont was also a key member of the organising committee in the following years before moving to Bradford. He had a very successful career there as a merchant and was also an Alderman (unelected member of the council).
Benjamin Sharp lived in the ‘Salford’ area of Lockwood (around the bottom of Woodhead Road) and was around 14 in 1841. He eventually moved to Leeds and was a prosperous coal merchant.
Henry Lister lived in Hillhouse and was about 15 or 16. He spent his whole life in the Birkby/Fartown area and represented the latter in the first Huddersfield town council in 1868. He was a clothing manufacturer. His house on Halifax Old Road is now Grade-II listed.
Anthony Armitage aged 15-16 lived on the same street as Benjamin Sharp. Armitage did not stay in Huddersfield but moved to Chicago in 1848 to become a stone mason. He died there in 1897.
Many of the other early members also had a connection with the warehouse and the archive service are now asking for the public’s help in finding out more about them. Dave Smith commented: “From the research we’ve undertaken into the first five members, it has been clear how education transformed their lives. We want to know more about the other people who attended those early classes, but there are so many we need some help.”
The archive service has digitised the records from 1844, and these are open for local history fans, genealogists and anyone else to take a look and share any information they have. The details are available here: Heritage Quay 1844 project
The story of what happened next, and how the Young Men’s Mental Improvement Society became the University of Huddersfield, will be told in Heritage Quay’s upcoming exhibition “The Town that Taught Itself” which opens on 27 May 2025. Find out more at www.heritagequay.org.