Eddisons Building, High Street, Huddersfield
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This building was built in 1874 for the firm Eddisons Estate Agents and Valuers, Surveyors and Auctioneers. It is a Victorian Gothic styled building with colonettes at the sides of the main windows made from a british granite not seen anywhere else in Huddersfield. This granite was brought from Wasdale Crags near Shap Fell in Cumbria. The surrounds to the windows (voussoirs) are made from local sandstone alternated with a pinker variety. Higher up the building the colonettes are grey, probably Rubislaw granite from the deep quarries in Aberdeen.
The building was designed by William Cocking an architect born in Huddersfield in 1817. Cocking designed several buildings in the towm, the most notable being Britannia Buildings, Huddersfield in St George's Square. Eddisons building was probably one of his last commissions and he died in October 1874 aged 57 years.
The property comprises three storeys including the basement. When originally built it housed the clerk's offices, storage accommodation and a public sale room in the lower floor. On the first floor were general offices, private offices for the partners, saleroom and Art Gallery. Sales and auctions took place almost every week since the business began.
Eddisons was founded by William Eddison in 1852; he is listed in the 1866 Huddersfield Directory as Auctioneer and Valuer, carrying out his business in High Street, but at premises above the non-conformist chapel higher up the road. He remained there until 1874 when he moved into his business at 6 High Street. After the death of William Eddison in November 1870, the business continued as Eddison and Taylor with Thomas Albert Taylor at the Helm. In 1896 John James Booth became a partner and the firm then became known as Eddison, Taylor and Booth. The company is still in existance in 2009 under the original name of Eddisons.
Plans for the Eddisons Building are available at WYAS: Kirklees under the reference numbers Central 169.
Records for Eddison, Taylor and Booth are available at WYAS: Kirklees under the reference numbers B/ETB and KC1011.