Writing to the Huddersfield Chronicle in December 1886, J.W. Scholes listed 17 suggestions which he thought could benefit the town. His was an ambitious list which included a free library, a public art gallery as well as a museum and comfortable waiting rooms with toilets in different places. However, two of his ‘improvements’ related to the railway station and one to the Square itself.

10.- Lavatories at the railway station for both ladies and gentlemen.

11.- A booking-office at both ends of the railway station for Tuesdays, Saturdays and busy days.

AND

17.-Fountains and trees in St George’s Square, with a statue of the Queen, in commemoration of the jubilee.

Huddersfield Chronicle, 16 December 1886

Mr Scholes was referring to the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria due to take place in the following year.

In the same week S. R. from Calton Street wrote to the Huddersfield Daily Examiner with his suggestion relating to the ‘clock at the station’.

SIR,- Will you kindly allow me a little space in your valuable paper, just to say when passing through St George’s Square, yesterday, and looking to where the clock should be, I could not help hoping that the next time it showed its face it would be accompanied by some fire (gas), not only to keep it warm, but at dark to light up its face, so that railway travellers might see the exact time, and it would also be a boon to the public.

The station clock lit up during the Festival of Light 2006, image courtesy Christine Verguson