Looking to move to Huddersfield? You’re in the right place. This vibrant and diverse northern town is home to over 150,000 people and has a place for everyone. Did you know that 1 quarter of Huddersfield’s population are students? Well, that’s all the more reason to make Huddersfield your home as a young person!
Here are some interesting facts about Huddersfield you can share with your friends and family as you embark on your new journey here:
Huddersfield Train Station
Time Out magazine listed our magnificent train station as one of the best in the world. Being described as a “Corinthian palace of a station”, this Grade 1 listed neoclassical gem is nothing short of spectacular with its Bank of England like appearance and striking presence. Attracting around 3 million commuters each year, it is the second busiest train station in West Yorkshire with connections to major cities like Leeds and Manchester.
Harold Wilson
Our first fact leads us nicely onto our second. Huddersfield is the birth place of late Harold Wilson who served Prime Minister of the United Kingdom twice, from October 1964 to June 1970 and again from March 1974 to April 1976. His humble beginnings before being catapulted into the world of politics began on Warneford Road in Cowersley, you can even find a statue of him in St George’s Square at Huddersfield Train Station.
Greenhead Park
This picturesque Grade 2 listed Huddersfield park is a world away from the hustle and bustle of the town centre, not to mention it is award winning park in the U.K. The Green Award scheme recognises and rewards the best green spaces in the country and sets a standard for parks and green spaces to aspire to, factoring in sustainability, facilities and what the green space has to offer the local community. Greenhead Park has won this prestigious award again in 2023/2024!
Rugby League
Huddersfield is actually the birth place of rugby league, which is now a widely observed sporting tournament worldwide. It was in the George Hotel, Huddersfield on 29 August 1895 that 21 Lancashire and Yorkshire clubs held a meeting and by a majority of 20 to 1 voted to secede from the Rugby Football Union to set up their own Northern Rugby Football Union. In 1922, this became the Rugby Football League.
The Sex Pistols
Top punk band the Sex Pistols played their last two British shows at Ivanhoe’s nightclub in Huddersfield, on Christmas Day 1977. The gig has become part of Huddersfield’s musical mythology, partly because two weeks later the band had broken up, and shortly afterwards Sid Vicious was dead. The gig was held in aid of firefighters who had been on strike for nine weeks, and were struggling to feed their children.
Jodie Whittaker
For all you Doctor Who fans, the 13th and only female doctor – Jodie Whittaker is a Hudds’ lass and hails from the village of Skelmanthorpe! The Time Lord’s early life in acting started off at Shelley College and Huddersfield Technical College where she prepared for her career on the big screen.
Sir Patrick Stewart OBE
Another film legend for you, Sir Patrick Stewart is one of the leading stage and screen actors of our generation, with notable mentions like Star Trek and X-Men as part of his filmograph, he also made his mark as a deeply committed and Chancellor of the University of Huddersfield, championing for higher education of young people.
Want to learn more about Hudds?
– What it’s like to live in Huddersfield
– Why I chose to study in Huddersfield
