FAQs
Q. How did this website come about?
A. This digital archive, which includes contributions from local groups and individuals as well as the library service, illustrates the diversity of life In Wakefield District through time. By sharing this collective experience through historic collections, individuals and communities can learn, grow and contribute to shaping their own future and the future of their city, town or village. There is a rich, diverse and never ending story to record about the Wakefield District. This online archive was first conceived back in 1995 and brought to life in 2003, it continues to educate, inspire and entertain visitors from all over the world.
Major project milestones:
1995 - first discussion of project at Library team meeting
1998 - first stage of grant application submitted to New Opportunities Fund
2001 - second stage of grant application submitted to New Opportunities Fund
2002 - January - grant received from New Opportunities Fund
2002 - April - Project equipment installed at Library Headquarters
2002 - June - Project Coordinator appointed
2002 - September - scanning and indexing of images begins
2003 - March - Project website officially launched
2013 – 'Twixt celebrates its 10th Birthday
Present – Twixt continues to be a popular site with many returning visitors across the world.
Q. What is Wakefield District's historic heritage?
A. The medieval market town of Wakefield is superbly documented in its well preserved set of administrative manuscripts, the Manor Court Rolls and became a city in 1888 at the height of its powers as a thriving inland cloth and grain port. It is still the 'County town' of West Yorkshire, hosting fine Victorian County and Town Halls. The Chantry Chapel of St Mary on Wakefield Bridge is one of the last surviving Medieval bridge chantries, and Wakefield Cathedral, which dates back to pre-Norman times has the highest spire in Yorkshire. Other notable buildings include a restored Elizabethan schoolroom and the Tammy Hall, where finished cloth products or 'tammy' were traded.
In terms of art and culture, Wakefield's Theatre Royal and Opera House was created by the distinguished theatre designer Frank Matcham (1854-1920) in 1894, and Wakefield's famous offspring have included sculptress Dame Barbara Hepworth, for whom the local art gallery was named, and novelist George Gissing. Wakefield and District is also known for its tradition of Rugby League and for being inside 'The Rhubarb Triangle' a small, yet peculiarly fertile area of agricultural land, which is particularly suited to large-scale production of this tasty pink-coloured vegetable crop.
Wakefield also gave rise to one of Britain's best loved nursery rhymes, 'Here we go round the Mulberry Bush': the 'Bush' from this rhyme was and still is situated within the walls of Wakefield Prison's exercise yard. Wakefield's reputed connection to the tales of Robin Hood stem from George-a-Green, the Pinder of Wakefield, who at first fought with Robin but then joined him and became one of his 'Merry Men'.
Many individual towns within the wider Wakefield District can also claim their own historical significance. The town of Castleford was named Lagentium by the Romans, who built several large forts there, although it is more presently known for its proud history of coal mining and outstanding Rugby League as well as for its most famous son, sculptor Henry Moore (1898-1983).
Pontefract, whose majestic castle once played host to Richard II and lengthy Civil War sieges, is now best known for its beautiful Parish Church, Market Cross and tradition of fine confectionery. The popular liquorice 'Pontefract' or 'Pomfret' Cake is its best known product, and Pontefract is one of the few places in the world where the Liquorice bush will grow with commercial success.
Horbury was home to renowned architect John Carr (1723-1807) and to the Reverend Sabine Baring-Gould (1834-1924) who wrote the well known hymn 'Onward Christian Soldiers' whilst he was resident there in 1865 and more recently for the author Stan Barstow.
Ossett is best known for its woollen trade links, especially to Mungo and Shoddy manufacture. The village of Walton was once home to Sir Charles Waterton (1782-1865), whose pioneering South American adventures and attitude to wildlife has caused his estate, Waterton Park to be referred to as one of the world's first private nature reserves.
The communities around South Elmsall and Kinsley are best known for coal extraction, and in 1905, the unique 'Kinsley Evictions' marked an important event in the history of workers' protest. Another such key event occurred at Featherstone in 1893, The Featherstone 'Massacre' where protesting miners were fired on by soldiers after The Riot Act had been read, killing some of those in the crowd.
Also known for its coal mining, the town of Normanton, which is mentioned in the Domesday book, has a parish church dating back to the 14th Century and played host to the Knights Templars of Newland Hall. The nearby village of Altofts was the birthplace of Elizabethan privateer Sir Martin Frobisher (c.1535-1594) and the village of Foulby, to the south of Wakefield is best known as the birthplace of John Harrison, who is responsible for the concept of Longitude.
Q. What is Wakefield Like nowadays?
A. The Wakefield District was brought together following local government reorganisation in 1974. The Cathedral City of Wakefield and the 40 surrounding towns and villages that make up the District are situated in West Yorkshire, England. Wakefield District covers an area of approximately 350 square kilometres and has a current population of approximately 325,000. Residents share the experience of living along the reaches of the Aire and Calder rivers over once rich coal seams. The M1, A1 and M62 motorways that now define the area dominate the modern landscape.
The City of Wakefield, the Five Towns (Normanton, Castleford, Pontefract, Featherstone and Knottingley), the 'shoddy' mill towns and the villages are fiercely proud and independent, some with their own town and parish councils to influence developments in their communities. The Wakefield area houses several notable attractions including The National Coal Mining Museum for England near Overton, Nostell Priory - a country house with an outstanding collection of Chippendale furniture, The Hepworth Gallery and the open air Yorkshire Sculpture Park at Bretton. Plan your visit at www.experiencewakefield.co.uk
Privacy Notice
Enquiries, Local Studies Donation including Twixt Aire and Calder and We Will Remember Them Websites Privacy Notice
Here at Wakefield Council, we take your privacy seriously and will only use your personal information for the purpose(s) listed in section 2 below. This notice provides details of how the Council collects and uses information (data) about you.
We will keep your information (data) secure at all times.
1. Who we are.
a) The Controller for the information we hold is Wakefield Council.
Contact details:
Telephone: 01924 306112
Email: dataprotection@wakefield.gov.uk
b) The Council’s Data Protection Officer is the Corporate Information Governance Team Manager.
Contact details:
Telephone: 01924 306112
Email: dpo@wakefield.gov.uk
2. How we use your data:
Where a donation or an enquiry has been received by the Library Service, we need to obtain the following personal data from you to provide our service:
• Name
• Address
• Preferred contact method: email address or telephone number
We use this information to:
• To maintain contact with you regarding your donation or enquiry, where necessary.
• To gather statistical data on the number of donations or enquiries made.
• To give us the necessary permissions to publish your donation on the Twixt Aire and Calder/We Will Remember Them website.
We will not share your personal information with any third parties.
In addition, your data may be accessed by Internal Audit and the Counter-Fraud Team as they are required to hold, or have access to, information from systems and processes across the Council so that we can:
• Fulfil legal (Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015, and Local Government Act 1972) and mandatory professional requirements (Public Sector Internal Audit Standards) to provide an internal audit function.
• Investigate referrals made under the Council’s Counter-Fraud Framework, including the Whistleblowing Policy.
• Participate in national and local counter-fraud schemes, such as the National Fraud Initiative, to help protect the public purse.
• Maintain the central register of applications for RIPA (Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000)
• Ensure the effectiveness of the Council’s governance, risk management, and control processes. This forms part of the Head of Internal Audit Annual Assurance Opinion, which is incorporated into the Annual Governance Statement.
• Facilitate the prevention, deterrence and detection of bribery, corruption, fraud and money-laundering committed against the Council.
3. What authority does the Council have to collect and use this information?
The law says that we cannot process your personal data unless we comply with at least one condition in Article 6 of the UK GDPR. The Article 6 lawful basis we rely upon for processing your information is:
Article 6 1 (a) Your consent. You are able to withdraw your consent at any time. You can do this by contacting Wakefield library Service lib.admin@wakefield.gov.uk Tel. 01924 302235
4. How long will we keep your data?
We will keep your personal information collected in relation to donations indefinitely, or until you withdraw your consent. This is for Archiving purposes in line with the Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964. We will keep your personal information collected as part of your enquiry, for 1 year, or until you withdraw your consent. The reason for keeping information for this period of time is for administration purposes and for any follow up questions or ongoing queries.
5. Your rights and your personal data
Under the GDPR you have the following rights:
Right of Access
You have a right of access to the personal information that the Council holds about you, and/or the right to be given a copy of the data undergoing processing.
Right to Rectification
You have the right to request that the Council corrects any personal data if it is found to be inaccurate, incomplete or out of date.
Right to Erasure
In certain circumstances, you may have the right to request your personal data is erased.
Right to Restriction of Processing
You have the right, where there is a dispute in relation to accuracy or lawfulness of processing of your personal data, to request that a restriction is placed on further processing.
Right of Complaint
You have a right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner, please find contact details below.
Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Tel: 0303 123 1113 (local rate) or 01625 545 745 if you prefer to use a national rate number
To exercise any of your rights, you should contact the Data Controller’s representative as shown in section 1b.
6. Further processing
If we wish to use your personal data for a new purpose, not covered by this Privacy Notice, then we will provide you with a new Privacy Notice explaining this new use prior to commencing the processing and setting out the relevant purposes and processing conditions.
7. Changes to this Notice
We will review this notice regularly, and no later than every 2 years, to ensure it remains accurate and relevant, unless legislative changes require this sooner.
