CLIMATE, VEGETATION AND MAN
IN THE HUDDERSFIELD DISTRICT
BY T.W. WOODHEAD

PREFACE

The district of which the County Borough of Huddersfield is the natural centre, lies among the foothills of the Southern Pennines, in the ancient wapentake of Agbrigg. The Borough has grown up around the junction of several small rivers issuing from the Pennine uplands, and is surrounded by many populous villages, the inhabitants of which are engaged in the textile and allied industries; they are closely linked up by many common interests and form together a natural geographical unit. To the west is the great anticlinal fold of the Pennine axis, which here sweeps round to the south-east in a great amphitheatre, and its summit forms the irregular and massive plateau which extends to the Peak in Derbyshire. Throughout the ages this ridge has played a dominating part in the history and development of the plant and animal life of the district.

The district we are specially concerned with occupies an area of about 300 square miles, and includes the southern half of sheet 77, and the northern half of sheet 86, of the one inch to the mile maps of the Ordnance Survey. To the west of Cheshire and Derbyshire. On the north it approaches the boroughs of Halifax, Brighouse and Dewsbury, and on the east and south-east districts related to Wakefield, Barnsley and Sheffield.

The series of models exhibited in the museum in room 1, Geology, illustrate some of the results obtained in a regional survey of the district of around Huddersfield made between 1900 and 1928, especially in connection with courses on Local Geography which I gave to teachers in the Biological department at the Technical College. To aid us in this survey several forms of maps of the area were prepared on the one square inch to the mile scale, and on these a wide range of facts and observations were recorded. For the same area relief models, contoured for every 100 feet of altitude, were made and extensively used for the purposes of the survey; also maps and models on the six inch and 25 inch scales. A large number of duplicates were made from the one inch model and distributed to many schools for teaching purposes. Such casts have here been used to record my conclusions as to the postglacial changes in the vegetation of the district. For the detailed evidence on which the results are based, reference should be made to Museum Handbook V, on “The History of Vegetation of the Southern Pennines” and the literature there quoted.

The series at present consists of 14 models, and three small but significant words serve as a title – SPACE, HABITAT, CHANGE. Their aim is to emphasise the universal fact that in any given space or locality where life exists certain factors are essential – light, heat, air, water and soil. When organisms occupy any given space and make it their habitat, they necessarily modify the conditions of that habitat, and inevitably change takes place. The models are coloured to show the Geology, topography, climate and vegetation of the district and the influence of these on the distribution of man, also the changes brought about in consequence of his activities. A study of these shows that not only have geology, topography, and climate exerted great influence on the development of vegetation and on the distribution of activities of man throughout the ages, but that in his turn man has greatly modified the conditions of the habitat.

Further, this series of studies provides the outlines of the scheme for the development of the Museum, which aims at a complete study of out local environment, and thereby a better appreciation of all that tends towards the intelligent exploitation of our resources and the advancement of our community.

For the details relating to the Geology of the district the Memoirs of the Geological Survey should be consulted; “The Geology of the Country around Huddersfield and Halifax,” by Wray, Stephens, Edwards and Bromehead; also the “Geology of Yorkshire” by Kendall and Wroot, and for the facts bearing on the history and distribution of man, reference should be made to the following Museum handbooks: - Early Man in the District of Huddersfield; Huddersfield in Roman Times; Angles, Danes and Norse in the District of Huddersfield; and the Mining Industry in the Huddersfield District. A study of all these is essential to a full appreciation of the facts recorded on the Models.

Records of these results, in this form, would not have been possible without the aid of many willing helpers, and to all of them our sincere thanks are due; it is one of the many illustrations in the Museum of the value of co-operative effort: - Mr. J. F. Broadbent, Mrs. M. M. Neaverson and Miss M. G. Edwards helped in preparing the original maps and models; the casts were made by Mr. J. Jowett and Mr. Edgar Lockwood. Mr. B. Morley devoted much care and interest in preparing and colouring the models; Dr. D. A. Wray, of the Geological Model; and the case containing it was presented by Messrs. W. C. Holmes & Co., Ltd. Mr. C. Mosley printed the labels, and the careful lettering on the models was done by Mr. E. Westerby. To Mr. W. H. Sikes has fallen the task of making the photographs from which the illustrations in this Handbook have been prepared. We are much indebted to all helpers for their ready and generous assistance.

The substance of this handbook was read before the International Botanical Congress in Cambridge, July, 1930.

T. W. W.

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