The Old Cock, Halifax

The Old Cock stands on 27/31 Southgate, Halifax.

Around 1580, the building was a town-house built by William Savile.

In 1879, John Leyland wrote that the house was built by Sir Henry Savile

It became an inn in 1668.

The pub was a well-known meeting place for the coiners. The coiner, King David Hartley, was arrested here on October 14th 1769

In the mid-18th century, there was a theatre here and the Harmonic Society met at the inn.

It had a warehouse at the rear for visitors trading at the Piece Hall.

The Oak Room on the first floor is oak-panelled and has a stained-glass window with 20 lights – some of the glass is original.

It was at a meeting of the Loyal Georgean Society in The Oak Room, that the decision was made to establish what became the Halifax Permanent Benefit Building & Investment Society.

A group of friends, including Branwell Brontë, met here and at other local pubs. Branwell ran up bills at the pub, and, in 1848, Mr Nicholson wrote to Rev Brontë demanding settlement of the bill.

The inn is said to be haunted by the ghost of the husband of a 17th century landlady at the inn, who ran away to London and married bigamously.

This is discussed in the book Halifax Pubs.

See

• The Halifax Circulating Library
• The Harmonic Society
• The Halifax Music Club
• The Halifax Smoke Club
• The Loyal Georgean Society
• The Old Cock Library, Halifax
• Old Cock Yard
• The Probity [No 61] Masonic Lodge
• The Surrogate's Office, Halifax

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© Malcolm Bull 2017 / [email protected]
Revised 09:03 on 19th August 2017 / kk_96 / 9