In 1876 the Victorian historian William Cudworth published Round About Bradford, a guide to 42 places within 6 miles of the then Borough. The book must have been based on the articles he wrote for local newspapers. This work is a treasure house of description, information, and anecdote. Even today many local history projects effectively begin with the question: ‘what did Cudworth say about it?’ Despite this he, like all of us, is not totally reliable and makes the occasional mistake. But few, if any, modern historians would attempt to paint on such a wide canvas, but would undertake far more geographically limited investigations.

In modern times the work is available in paperback and CD format. The original hard back edition might easily set you back £75 if you can find a copy. If you decide to make such an investment do check that the volume’s original maps have not been lost. After the initial index there is a simplified geology map of the area showing the Elland Flagstones and the four principal coal seams (Soft Bed, Hard Bed, Better Bed and Black Bed). At the rear is a topographical map of the locations covered. For obvious reasons these do not include Bradford centre but, for example, Heaton and Shipley are shown since they had yet to be assimilated by their powerful neighbouring council. The map is nothing like as detailed as an Ordnance Survey map, of course, but the date of c.1876 fits conveniently between the first (c.1850) and second (c.1890) OS maps. It is excellent when other maps and contemporary research can augment the information Cudworth provides.

As an example of the style of the second Cudworth map I’ve attached a detail of the Tyersal area. Today historic Tyersal is split between Bradford and Leeds. Of the railways mapped the Bradford & Leeds Branch survives. Crossing it, approximately at right-angles is the Laisterdyke to Shipley line, and a Bowling Junction to Laisterdyke line. I believe that these closed, to passengers at least, in the pre-War period. The Holmewood Estate has replaced the woodland in the bottom right-hand corner. I think that the main roads are essentially unchanged. Leeds Road and Barkerend Road are present and on the map the unnamed Killinghall Road crosses them both. Tyersal Lane still exists.

Cudworth states that the Tyersal manor and estates (636 acres) were sold by auction in 1792 to three purchasers, named Walker, Ingham and Whitacre. Jonathan Walker was one of three men and he built Tyersall House for himself, which is present on the map. Cudworth further states that for many years a John Drake was his tenant. These facts were noted by eminent local historian Mary Twentyman who has been working on the Drake family – from whom Rev. Godfrey Wright, once Bradford largest landowner, was descended through his mother.

We have an earlier map of Tyersal in the Local Studies Library reserve collection: dated 1854. This portion of the estate is being sold by the trustees of Mr & Mrs Stables who Cudworth states were only relinquishing part of their holdings. The estate lies north of the property belonging to a Miss Walker of Masbro’ House. She was the daughter of Jonathan Walker, and she sold her own holdings at Tyersal in 1857.

The map is broadly divided, by colour, into occupation by three tenants: Tetley, Hartley and Denison. The Great Northern Railway track is marked on the plan but it is unlikely that the track has actually been constructed by the time the map was surveyed, since the word ‘parts required by the railway’ are employed on the rubric. This track is present on the first Ordnance Survey map of the area from 1852. At that time the line went from Laisterdyke Station via Birkenshaw & Tong, to Drighlington and Gildersome Street.