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Temporary closure until Spring 2024

Following maintenance work in our home building, the Saltaire Collection will be closed to visitors until Spring 2024. Read more…

Latest news

Our Collection

The Saltaire Collection provides insights to the history and development of Saltaire, as well as its local and international connections. The collection is strong in its coverage of Saltaire’s buildings, people, economy and events. Salts Mill, the business, The Salt and Roberts family, and the village are amongst the highlights

The collection comprises around 6,000 items including paper documents, photographs, maps, plans, newspaper cuttings, artworks, books and objects. The time period covers the 1850s to the present day, with a particular strength in 19th century history.

We are currently updating the catalogue and digitising  more of the collection. During 2019 we will gradually make more available via the online catalogue.

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Online exhibitions

Learning Resources

Engaging with heritage is essential process for all of us to inform our identity and understand our place in history and the world. It allows us to develop socially, through the debates that these topics inevitably lead to; morally, by considering why we preserve some parts of the past and not others (both good and bad); spiritually, by considering why we feel the past has such intrinsic value; and culturally, by deepening our understanding of where we have come from, why our world is the way it is, and how we can influence the future.

Saltaire provides a unique opportunity for students to engage with heritage. As one of only two World Heritage Sites in Yorkshire (and the only continuously inhabited one), Saltaire allows visitors to engage directly with the past at a site of global cultural significance.

We are determined to support educators in getting the most out of Saltaire. In addition to supporting the Social, Moral, Spiritual and Cultural curriculum aims, all our learning resources are designed to satisfy National Curriculum expectations across the curriculum, while also providing an enjoyable experience for students (and, hopefully, teachers too!). We have been working closely with a small number of local and inner-city schools to trial resources and ensure they meet teachers’ and students’ needs.

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Upcoming Events

Biographies

Sir Titus Salt

Sir Titus Salt, 1803-1876

Titus Salt, born in 1803, was initially educated in a ‘dame school’ in Morley (near Leeds), then at Batley Grammar…

Sir James Roberts

Sir James Roberts, 1848-1935

James Roberts was a self-made man who rose from humble beginnings to be the owner of Salts Mill and Saltaire.…

Titus Salt Junior

Titus Salt Junior, 1843-1887

Titus Salt Jnr. was the fifth and youngest son of Sir Titus Salt and was aged only 10 years when…

Isabel Salt, 1876-1968

Family and family home Isabel was the youngest child and only daughter of Titus Salt Junior (youngest son of Sir…

Denys And Eva Salt 1995

Denys Geoffrey Crossley Salt, 1918-2014

4 May 1918 – 21 December 2014 Denys Salt was the Great-grandson of Sir Titus Salt, Grandson of Titus Salt…

Dorothy Sharp

Dorothy Sharp was a librarian and one of the founders of the Saltaire Historical Collection. Dorothy and her husband Alan…

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Testimonials

[Saltaire Collection Education Officer] Rachel’s vision, dedication, hard work and ability to bring people together to make the event a success was exemplary. She chaired meetings and succeeded to get the best cooperation from those present.

Representative for Shipley Glen Tramway

Rachel [Saltaire Collection Education Officer] has brought “leadership, experience and enthusiasm to the work we’ve been doing… it is a fantastic collaborative effort that could have an impact on the city’s memory of the fire in a positive way”

Reader in Urban History, Leeds Beckett University

The workshop was very well planned and had a clear structure. There was a good balance between adult input for information and learning activities for the children to complete which enabled the children to remain engaged. The adults leading the session were enthusiastic, passionate and had a secure knowledge of the subject matter they were delivering….The focus of unsung heroes was very powerful, and really made children challenge their understanding of what a hero is. Information about local residents who helped in the fire were very inspiring and gave children the opportunity to really understand how the community pulled together. I would thoroughly recommend this workshop;  it provided   lots of  information, was interesting and engaging and really helped children understand and learn about local history

Deputy Headteacher of local Primary School

“Multitude of ideas on cross-curricular links”

“The best training I’ve been on in ages…!”

“Loads of suggested ideas, resources, practical demonstration in the form of a historical walk – inspiring!”

Event attendees

Resources were tailored really well to then needs of the students.  Lovely interactive part with the use of the media clip to engage the students.

Head of English at local Academy school

Fabulous expertise, workshop very carefully thought through and very professionally delivered.

Designated Special Provision Lead at local Secondary School

Just a short note to thank you for your help with my archival research into Victorian approaches to town planning. Your knowledge of Saltaire is inspiring and you also provided some valuable resources to support my research. Thank you for all your help.

University Student (Post Graduate, Herefordshire)
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