History
The Poll Tax of 1379 records that there were only seven families living in Heckmondwike, (approx 35 people). Mostly they lived in small, isolated farmsteads such as Stubley Farm, on the high ground overlooking the marshy Spen Valley floor.
Like many of the towns in the West Yorkshire Heavy Woollen District, Heckmondwike developed as a mill town, and was famous for its blankets. In 1684 there were around 250 people in the township, occupying 50 houses. By 1811 a Blanket Hall was built for the trade of the town's primary industry, and a second hall was erected in 1839, on the road now called Blanket Hall Street in the town centre. Elizabeth Gaskell's biography of the novelist Charlotte Brontë in 1857 described the inhabitants of Heckmondwike as "a chapel-going people, very critical of their sermons, tyrannical to their ministers and violent radicals".
What was left of the first Blanket Hall was demolished in spring 2008, along with a number of other old buildings including some former Co-op buildings that had a short spell as the town's post office and former "George" public house - formally known as "The George and Dragon". Current redevelopment of this area is to include the building of a new library, bus terminus and improved road system.
In 1894 Heckmondwike Urban District Council was established to deal with civic matters, and maintained independent control over local affairs until the local government shake-up of 1974, resisting requests from neighbouring Spenborough Council for Heckmondwike to become incorporated into their administration.
In its heyday the Heckmondwike footwear company Goliath, otherwise known as the Co-op Boot Company, made football boots for Sir Stanley Matthews, who had a long and illustrious footballing career with Blackpool, Stoke City and England. Every year he went through several pairs of light boots and he often made the trip to the Heckmondwike factory in Brunswick Street to see how they were made and meet the workers. He put his name to a special brand of boot also made in Heckmondwike. Another footballing connection was a visit by Pele to the Mileta factory.. The Brunswick Mill site is currently being redeveloped for new housing; which has included retaining three of the external walls of the mill to form apartments and townhouses. The development is called "Brunswick Place".
A new health centre for the town was opened in July 2010, and brought together two former doctors practices.
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