skip to Main Content

Links to other important Collections: Saltaire’s History and Heritage. 

There are other collections locally that hold more information about Saltaire amongst their collections.

The West Yorkshire Archive Service

has 5 district offices. These are in Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees, Leeds and Wakefield. Their searchable on-line catalogue allows a researcher to look for documents that can add much detail to any Saltaire related topic. Arrangements to view archive materials can be made by email of telephone.

Telephone: 0113 535 0152 (for Bradford)

Email:  archives@wyjs.org.uk

Website address: www.wyjs.org.uk/archive-service

Opening times may vary for each district office but, for example, the Bradford office is open on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 9.30 – 5pm.

Bradford Industrial Museum

The museum is part of the Bradford Museums and Galleries Service, City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council and is THE place to visit to see textile machinery and get the sense of a working textile mill. This museum also holds superb  collections that are relevant to Saltaire. Arrangements to view items or enquire about what is held can be made by email or telephone.

Telephone: 01274 435900

Email: industrial.museum@bradford.gov.uk

Website address: https://www.bradfordmuseums.org/venues/bradford-industrial-museum

The opening times are 10 am to 4 pm, Monday to Friday. Please check the website for details of events.

Bradford and District Local Studies Library

The Library is situated in the same building as the Bradford office for West Yorkshire Archive. The Local Studies Library houses a unique and comprehensive collection which covers the history and development of the area now covered by Bradford Council. There are two main centres in the district, one at Bradford and one at Keighley. It has an online searchable facility and for Bradford is based in Margaret McMillan Tower, Princes Way, Bradford. BD1 1NN

Telephone: 01274 433688

Email. localstudies@bradford.gov.uk

Website: https://bradfordlocalstudies.wordpress.com/

Opening times are from Monday to Thursday, 9 am to 7 pm and on Fridays and Saturdays from 9 am to 5pm. Do visit the website or contact the Library. Visitors can just call in to receive help and support from the staff.

Bradford College Textile Archive

This archive holds an extensive archive of textiles and related materials including fine silk jacquards, rayon, velvets, mohair and woollens and worsteds dating back from over the last 150 years.

Bradford College played a key role in the education of textile workers in the nineteenth century. We have an extraordinary range of work done by students and teachers: pattern books, designs, samples and more. The Archive is custodian of the archives of the Society of Dyers and Colourists. It offers visits, talks and workshops. To contact the Archive –

Telephone. 01274 433257

Website: https://www.bradfordcollege.ac.uk/galleries/bradford-college-textile-archive-gallery

The West Yorkshire Textile Heritage Project

The West Yorkshire Textile Heritage Project is a partnership formed by Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees and Wakefield Museums Services all of whom hold collection related to the textile industry in West Yorkshire, taking the raw materials, wool and alpaca to the finished products cloths, knitting wool or carpets.  The project has collections documentation and access, a textile trail leaflet, website and an online database.

Website; http://westyorkshiretextileheritage.org.uk/

Trail leaflet: http://westyorkshiretextileheritage.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Trail-leaflet.pdf

On line database; https://vads.ac.uk/collections/WYTH.html

Leeds University’s International Textile Collection

The purpose of the archive is to collect, preserve and document textiles and other related items from many of the textile producing areas of the world for the benefit of scholars, researchers and the public. The Collection is part of the University Library’s Special Collections, which has a huge range of archives and rare books accesible to the public (including archives focussing on the Textile industry and ones on Yorkshire).

International Textile Collection website: https://library.leeds.ac.uk/special-collections/collection/2576/international_textile_collection

Back To Top