The Master Craftsman, Albert Halliday (1882- 1949), was renowned for his award-winning designs and wrought-iron working, which included a national prize for his designs for Hampton Court Palace.
He was born in Baildon to parents, Mark Halliday, a local blacksmith, and mother, Susan. After leaving school, Albert followed in his father into the blacksmith and iron working trade, working from a forge in Manor Croft, Baildon.
Albert attended Bradford School of Art, part-time initially, and by 1906 was winning regional and national prizes for his designs and decorative wrought-iron working.
His designs for religious altar work and an inn sign gained him a silver medal and a £60 scholarship from West Riding County Council to enable him to attended a course at the Royal College of Art to study decorative ironworking. At the Royal College in 1907 he gained a national prize for his designs for ornamental ironwork, including gates and balustrades for the Hampton Court Palace (see below).
On his return to the district, Albert was awarded a contract to design and make the metal balcony surrounds for Bradford City Hall and by 1908 was working in his own business from the family forge and premises in Manor Croft. He continued to receive awards for his designs, including in 1908 a National Bronze Medal for a decorative church door handle and lock plate.
Albert married Ruth Brook in 1915 and they had a daughter, Mary, born in 1917. He continued to work locally and over the years gained a number of prestigious contracts for gates and railings, including gates for local parks, particularly the Oak Lane entrance to Lister Park, Manningham,; at Nothcliffe Park, Shipley; and at the entrance to The Dell, Baildon (made originally for Roberts Park, Saltaire, but kept in store until 1953 and the opening of The Dell). He also made the ironwork for the war memorial at Browgate, Baildon, and at the entrance to Charlestown cemetery, Lowerholme entrance; as well as ironwork for the Butterfield Homes almhouses in Baildon in 1929.
(With grateful thanks to Saltaire historian, Colin Coates, for his research on the life and work of Albert Halliday).