Saltaire Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids
Saltaire
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Saltaire mills from the Leeds and Liverpool Canal
Location	City of Bradford, England
Criteria	Cultural: ii, iv
Inscription	2001 (25th Session)
Area	20 ha
Buffer zone	1,078 ha

Saltaire is a special village in West Yorkshire, England. It was built during the Victorian era (a time when Queen Victoria ruled Britain). This "model village" is located near Shipley, right next to the River Aire, a railway line, and the Leeds and Liverpool Canal.

A man named Titus Salt built Salt's Mill and the houses in Saltaire between 1851 and 1871. He wanted his workers to have much better homes than the crowded, unhealthy areas in nearby Bradford. The mill stopped making textiles in 1986. Now, it's a busy place with an art gallery, restaurants, and offices for a technology company. Saltaire is so important that UNESCO has named it a World Heritage Site. It's also part of the European Route of Industrial Heritage.

What is the History of Saltaire Village?
What is Saltaire Like Today?
What is Salts Mill Used for Now?
Saltaire in Movies and TV
Who are Some Famous People from Saltaire?
What Businesses Started in Saltaire?
Images for kids
See also

What is the History of Saltaire Village?

Saltaire was built in 1851 by Sir Titus Salt. He was a very important businessman in the wool industry in Yorkshire. The village's name combines his last name, Salt, with the name of the river, Aire.

Sir Titus moved his five wool mills from Bradford to this new site near Shipley. He chose this spot because it was close to the Leeds and Liverpool Canal and the railway. This made it easy to transport goods. He hired local architects Francis Lockwood and William Mawson to design the village.

An 1893 map showing Saltaire.

Sir Titus built nice stone houses for his workers. These homes were much better than the poor living conditions in Bradford. He also included wash-houses with running water, bath-houses, and a hospital. There was even an institute for fun and learning. It had a library, a reading room, a concert hall, and a gym.

The village also had a school for children, special homes for older people (almshouses), and gardens where people could grow food. There was a park and a boathouse for recreation. Sir Titus also encouraged activities like a drum and fife band for boys and a brass band for men. This brass band is now known as the Hammonds Saltaire Band.

This planned town was a great example of how to design a city in the 1800s. It offered good homes, jobs, fun activities, education, and social services. The main building work was almost finished by 1871. A count of people (census) in that year showed Saltaire had 800 homes and 4,389 people.

Sir Titus Salt passed away in 1876. He was buried in a special building next to the Congregational church. After his son, Titus Salt Junior, died, a group of partners took over Saltaire. One of these partners was Sir James Roberts.

Sir James Roberts had worked in wool mills since he was eleven. He owned Saltaire for a time. He gave the park north of the river to Bradford Council in 1920. He named it Roberts Park after his son.

The village of Saltaire was owned by the mill company until 1933. Then, it was sold to the Bradford Property Trust Ltd. The new owners worked with the local council to improve the village. They added main electricity, updated gas services, and improved sewers. They also removed some old houses to create more open spaces.

What is Saltaire Like Today?

Homes in Saltaire Village.

In December 2001, UNESCO named Saltaire a World Heritage Site. This means the government must protect the village. All the buildings in Saltaire are special "listed buildings." The Saltaire United Reformed Church (which used to be the Congregational church) has the highest level of protection.

The village is still very complete, but it faces challenges from traffic. A busy road runs through the Aire Valley, which is an important route. There are plans for a bypass road to reduce traffic in the village. Roberts Park has been restored by Bradford Council.

The United Reformed Church, Saltaire Village.

Saltaire is a "conservation area," meaning its historic character is protected. Victoria Hall (which was once the Saltaire Institute) is used for meetings, community events, and concerts. It also has a large Wurlitzer organ. The village has its own train station, Saltaire railway station.

The Saltaire Festival started in 2003 to celebrate the village's 150th birthday. It happens every September for eleven days. The Saltaire Arts Trail is another festival in May. It includes art shows, activities for children, and "Open Houses" where people turn their homes into art galleries.

Politically, Saltaire is part of the Shipley area. It is also part of the Shipley area for the UK Parliament.

What is Salts Mill Used for Now?

Salts Mill stopped making textiles in February 1986. The next year, a man named Jonathan Silver bought it and started to fix it up. Today, the mill is used for many different things. It has businesses, shops, places for fun, and even apartments.

Inside the main mill building, you can find:

The 1853 art gallery: This gallery has many large rooms filled with art by David Hockney. He is a famous artist who was born in Bradford. You can see his paintings, drawings, and even stage sets.
Companies: There are industrial companies here, including the electronics company ARRIS International plc.
Shops: In 2006, there were shops selling books, art supplies, jewelry, outdoor clothes, antiques, and items for the home.
Restaurants and cafes: You can also find places to eat and drink.

The "New Mill," which is on the other side of the canal, has offices for the local health service and apartments.

Saltaire in Movies and TV

Old film clips of Saltaire from 1914 are kept in the Yorkshire Film Archive. A short video from 1900 shows workers leaving Salt's Mill.

Saltaire has also been a filming location for several TV shows and movies:

2009: Spanish Flu: The Forgotten Fallen (BBC TV drama)
2014: The Hunter's Prayer (film)
2015: An Inspector Calls (BBC TV Movie) and Countryfile (BBC TV Series)
2017: The Hunter's Prayer (film)
2018: Funny Cow (film) and The ABC Murders (BBC TV Series)
2019: The English Game (Netflix series)
2020: Countryfile (BBC TV Series)
2022: Gentleman Jack (TV series) and Our Great Yorkshire Life

Who are Some Famous People from Saltaire?

Martha Brown (a servant for the Brontë family)
Arthur Raistrick (a geologist and archaeologist)
Tony Richardson (a film director and producer)
Sir Titus Salt (the businessman who founded Saltaire)
Jonathan Silver (the person who bought and renovated Salt's Mill)
Bob Stanley (a music journalist and musician from the band Saint Etienne)
Marie Studholme (an actor and singer)

In the early 2000s, three members of parliament lived in Saltaire. They were Chris Leslie MP (in the House of Commons), Lord Wallace of Saltaire (in the House of Lords), and Richard Corbett MEP (in the European Parliament).