Words and Music Event: What did the Georgians ever do for Calderdale?

Words: Dr Michael Gray and Terry Goodall. Music : Living with Machines - Annual Independent Venue Week Words and Music Gig.As part of Independent Venue week, BGR move away from our solely music gigs to present something a little different. We have previously had events discussing Anne Lister, Jack Kerouac and the Beat Poets and the Calderdale Coiners.This year we’re looking at Calderdale in the 1700’s . A time before Canals and Railways; and indeed before many of the local roads were built or improved by the Turnpike Acts. Packhorse routes were the main form of transportation for goods. And yet our somewhat bleak and inaccessible valley was a hugely successful and rich area for the manufacture, trading and export of textiles …why?This wealth, expertise and established connections enabled the ready adoption of steam power and machinery in the subsequent Victorian period which in turn produced the very wealthy textile magnates ( e.g. the Crossley, Fielden, and Ackroyd families) and the superb buildings present in our Valley towns.Woven into our event will be interesting stories of families involved in the trade and characters including Daniel Defoe and the local author Phyllis Bentley. Presenters : Dr Michael Gray and Terry GoodallMusic will be provided by “ Living With Machines” a Yorkshire-based folk collective specialising and breathing fresh life into songs and music of the North of England from the period. As with all our events a pie and pea supper and cask ales will be available before the gig and at the interval.