John Edward Wainhouse

John Edward Wainhouse was born in 1817. He was the third son of Edward and Frances Ann Wainhouse. John had two brothers and three sisters, some of which, died in their infant years. His father died in 1852 at the age of 78. His mother died in 1829, aged 47 years. At this time, at the age of 12, John was sent to live with his Uncle Robert and his Aunt Hannah at Sapling Grove in Halifax.

John Edward Wainhouse 1817-1883

His Uncle Robert owned the dyeworks on nearby Washer Lane. Wainhouse worked alongside his uncle in the dyeworks until his uncle's death in 1856. Wainhouse was then 39 and inherited the dyeworks, along with various other properties and land. It is not certain whether Wainhouse personally managed the dyeworks, but it is recorded, that in 1870, the dyeworks were leased by Wainhouse to Mr Henry Mossman. Wainhouse sold the business to Mossman in 1873.

John Edward Wainhouse became devoted to improving his estate and was considered by his tenants as a conscientious landlord. He made use of the natural underground springs by building a number of wells around his estate to bring fresh, clean water to his tenants. He also served on the Skircoat township local board and took an interest in the maintenance and improvement of the local highways.

Wainhouse was elected as Chairman of the Skircoat Freeholders in 1866 where he worked to secure the acquisition of Saville Park, ensuring that it would be protected indefinitely for recreational use. Saville Park is maintained to this day, and holds such events as the annual Halifax Agricultural Show.

The Feud

Alongside Wainhouse Tower, Wainhouse is equally remembered for his famous feud with the local industrialist, Sir Henry Edwards. Edwards lived in Pye Nest mansion, the land of which, bordered Wainhouse's estate. Wainhouse served on the Skircoat township board and undertook a number of developments which sought to improve the local highways. The junction with Darcey Hey Lane and Rochdale Road used to be the site of Edwards's boundary wall. Edwards had boasted on several occasions that no one on the surrounding hillside could peer into his private grounds. At this point, Wainhouse was working to improve Rochdale Road, the plans included the raising of the road by 18". Edwards's was incensed at this, as he then knew that passers by would be able to peer over his wall.

Sir Henry Edwards of Pye Nest

It was this incident which contributed to the feud. Around the same time, Edwards was blamed for demolishing a newly constructed well that had been situated near his land. Edwards did all he could to prevent Wainhouse continuing with the works on Rochdale Road. He attempted to bring a charge against Wainhouse and his co-workers for leaving the road works in negligent state. Wainhouse, eager to clear the matter, was outraged when turning up at court, he found Edwards sitting on the bench as a JP!

The feud became increasingly hostile over the next two years and in some respects, quite childish. On the 30th August 1876, Wainhouse was called by one of his employees to a well on Darcey Hey Lane, a stone's throw from West Air. The well (known as Cocketts Well) was blocked up and preventing the flow of spring water. Wainhouse, took a pole and dug around in the well and discovered that it was blocked up with Hessian sacking. Upon taking a closer look, he noticed that the sacks had H.E printed on them, Sir Henry Edwards's trade sign from his local mill!

On the very same morning, Edwards had written to the clerk of the Rural Sanitary Board calling for the inspector to view and report on, the "filthy condition of the well".

Wainhouse, like many other Victorians during this time, was caught up in the pamphleteering mania and lampooned Edwards for his actions in a pamphlet entitled "Cockett & His Ghost". Wainhouse wrote many articles as such during the feud. Most of which purely intended to goad Edwards. In once instance, Wainhouse mocked one of Sir Henry's declarations that the Edwards family were "the only county family" in the area, although historically, the Wainhouse family had roots which went far deeper. Wainhouse also took to mocking Edwards' Masonic connections in a pamphlet entitled Yeomanry Cavalry.

The Halifax Guardian wrote a story on the 18th February 1874 referring to the feud between Wainhouse and Edwards, it was titled, "Uncivil War!"

Even though the pamphleteering campaign went on for many months, Edwards, seemingly a weaker correspondent never retaliated. Some of the many pamphlets written by Wainhouse are still kept on record at the public library in Calderdale. Some of the copies they retain are: -

• West Riding Law in Halifax
• Detached Duties
• Yeomanry Cavalry
• Smoke (Vouchers & Victims)
• Skircoat Lamps & Justice Lights
• The Only County Family - Edwards
• Cockett & His Ghost

John Edward Wainhouse died on the 26th July 1883, he was 66 years old. His official death certificate, signed by S.G Smith gives the cause of death as 'congestion of the lungs', a frequent given cause in those days. His official death was registered on the 28th July 1883 by R.H.Hartley of Halifax, who noted that Abraham Buckley, the stonemason who lost an arm during the construction of Wainhouse Tower, was present at his death. Abraham Buckley was the son of Isaac Buckley, the main site foreman. From census records, it appears that the Buckley family also lived in Sapling Grove originally alongside Wainhouse.

Wainhouse was buried at Holy Trinity Church in Halifax which, still stands although, these days the church has been converted into offices.  Up until only a few years ago, Wainhouse's grave was clearly visible, I think that the bodies in the graveyard may have been exhumed before the building was converted. 

Sadly, the gravestone went missing along with the bodies although, a record of its inscription has been kept.  Also, a plan of the original burial plots has been recorded.  Please follow these links for the documents.

Inscription on the Wainhouse family grave

Detailed plan of Holy Trinity Church burial plots

Sometime in the early 1920's, a former friend of Wainhouse, concluded to the Halifax Courier, that Wainhouse had reconciled with Edwards before his death.