In 1863, twenty years after the Rochdale Pioneers opened their co-operative, the North of England Co-operative Society was launched by 300 individual co-ops across Yorkshire and Lancashire. By 1872, it had become known as the Co-operative Wholesale Society (CWS).

Northgate’s Pioneer building was originally built to house the Dewsbury Co-op society, then known as the Pioneers’ Industrial Society. The hall seated over 1000 people, and later became the Pioneer Theatre and then the Pot Black snooker hall.

The impressive building was designed by Holtom and Fox architects, and built in 1872.

Henry Holtom was a prolific architect. Born in Stratford in the 1840s, he moved to Dewsbury in his early 20s. He became a member of Dewsbury town council, serving All Saints’ ward for three years in 1871, and in 1883 he was elected mayor.

During the 1880s his apprentice George Fox was made partner, and together the pair designed Dewsbury town hall, which was completed in 1889 for £40,000. As well as the Pioneer building and the town hall, Henry designed churches, schools and houses.

The building features a fantastic potts clock with a bell tower above.

Visited With Gibbo and Fluxxy, i'll not post everything i have to leave them scope to post some pics.















I'll leave the lift, stained glass, fantastic ballroom and clocktower pics to Gibbo and Fluxx.

[Fluxxyyy]

Good pictures there mate! And a great visit yesterday, thank you to you and Gibbo for arranging that with me. Here are some of mine from the visit.

[Fluxxyyy]

Hey everyone. Made another visit today with Nexus and we got on to the roof successully, and got a couple of nice shots while there. Pictures are below, enjoy.

[Gibbo]

Some of mine. Thanks to R1 and Fluxxxyy for not sticking the most photogenic stuff up!