Walter Holdsworth

The Halifax Piece Hall is a building in the town centre of Halifax, England, originally built as a sales centre for woollen handloom weavers, where John Holdsworth was one of the first tenants, in Room 12. It opened on January 1, 1779, with over 300 separate rooms arranged around a central courtyard. The term piece refers to pieces of wool that were sold. As factories started up in the early nineteenth century the trade in handwoven wool declined and around 1815 the rules were changed to allow the sale of cotton goods.

The Hall is in a central part of Halifax, next door to the outdoor Woolshops shopping complex, outside the bustling Market Street, and is close to the Bus and Train Stations.

On the exterior on the Market Street side are a pair of handprints, which, according to folklore, are cursed, as many attempts over the years have failed to eradicate them.

The Piece Hall is now home to specialist shops, an art gallery, the Tourist Information Centre and other organisations.

• Halifax Textile Society

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