HALIFAX, a thriving market-town, municipal and parliamentary borough of Eng land, in the West Riding of Yorkshire, is situated principally on the right bank of the river Hebble, a feeder of the Calder, on the slope of an eminence rising above the river, and is almost wholly surrounded by hills. It is 43 in. s.w. of York, and 217 m.
of London. Its situation is pleasing, and its general appearance handsome; while its ample supply of water-power and of coal, its facilities for transport both by water and by leading lines of railway, and its position in proximity to many of the great towns of the north of England, contribute materially to its manufacturing and commercial importance. The ecclesiastical architecture of Halifax strikes every visitor. The parish and Trinity churches, "All Souls," an Episcopalian church completed in 1861 from designs by sir George Gilbert Scott, are fine specimens of Gothic. The "Square Church," belonging to the Congregational body, erected in 1863; and another connected with the same sect, built in 1867, are conspicuous featureS. The town-hall, opened by the prince of Wales in 1863, is a very ornate erection. The Piece hall, a large quad rangular stone building, erected in 1779, ata cost of £12,000, and comprising 315 apart ments or warehouses for the reception and sale of manufactured goods; and the assem bly rooms, Mechanics' institute, and theater. Among the numerous public and private educational institutions of Halifax are the Heath grammar school—founded in 1585, with an endowment of £270 a year—and the Blue Coat school. In 1857 Mr. F. Cross
ley, M.P. for the West Riding, presented a magnificent park to the town. It contains the largest carpet-works in the world. The manufactured goods, besides carpets, are chiefly shalloons, tammies, calamancoes, duroys, eyerlastings, moreens, shags, seines, merinoes, as well as baizes, narrow and broad cloths, cassimeres, and bombazines. Cotton fabrics, wool-cards, and paper are manufactured. There is also some trade in corn, in mill-machinery, and in raising coal and slate. Pop. '71, 65,510.
A strange old local law, known as the Halifax gibbet law', was enacted here at an early period of the woolen manufacture for the protection of the manufacturers against the thievish propensities of their hands, who were in the habit of robbing their employ ers by keeping to themselves a portion of the material which ought to have gone into the cloth, so that when manufactured the fabric was discovered to be of inferior weight and body. The gibbet law provided that all persons within a certain circuit, who had stolen property of or above the value of 13d., were to be tried by the frithburgers within the liberty, and if found guilty, were handed over to the magistrates for punishment, and were executed on the first market-day following by means of an instrument similar to the guillotine. The stage or platform on which the executions took place is still to be seen, and the axe is preserved in the old jail in Jail lane.