A new chapter for Kirklees' archives

A new chapter for Kirklees' archives is set to begin at Huddersfield's Our Cultural Heart, with the district's unique and irreplaceable collections moving into a dedicated new home as West Yorkshire Archive Service (WYAS) prepares for a phased reopening of its Kirklees office.

A new chapter for Kirklees' archives is set to begin at Huddersfield's Our Cultural Heart, with the district's unique and irreplaceable collections moving into a dedicated new home as West Yorkshire Archive Service (WYAS) prepares for a phased reopening of its Kirklees office.   The move forms part of the wider transformation of Huddersfield town centre through the Our Cultural Heart project, which is creating a new cultural destination centred around learning, creativity, heritage and community.   Since closing to the public in August 2025, archive staff have been carrying out a major programme of conservation, cleaning and preparation work to ensure Kirklees' important collections can be safely relocated to their new home.   More than 32,000 archive items have already been cleaned, processed and packaged, with work continuing throughout 2026.   The new Huddersfield Library Hub is due to open in September 2026. From that point, visitors will be able to see a special pop-up exhibition in the new archive search room, showcasing the extensive work that has taken place behind the scenes to prepare Kirklees' archives for the move.   Essential archive enquiries will continue to be supported, with limited access to records available for legal and other urgent purposes where required.   The full WYAS Kirklees public service, including access for family history researchers, local history enthusiasts and academic researchers, will reopen in January 2027 once all archive collections have been safely transferred and installed.   David Shepherd, Executive Director for Place at Kirklees Council, said:   "Bringing the West Yorkshire Archive Service into Our Cultural Heart is an important part of creating a destination that celebrates the heritage, creativity and stories of Kirklees.   "Archives preserve the history of our communities and make it accessible for current and future generations. We are delighted that they will have a dedicated new home within the Huddersfield Library Hub.”   Teresa Nixon, Head of Heritage at West Yorkshire Joint Services, said: "Our collections contain centuries of Kirklees history and include thousands of irreplaceable records.   "Preparing archive collections for a move of this scale is a complex and highly specialised process. Since closing to the public, staff have been carefully cleaning, conserving, packaging and cataloguing thousands of items to ensure they can be safely transferred into their new home. The new state-of-the-art facilities in Our Cultural Heart will better protect and showcase Kirklees’ archives for generations to come.   "We're excited to share our move preparation work with the public through our exhibition later this year and look forward to welcoming researchers and visitors back when the service fully reopens in January 2027."   The new archive facilities will be an integral part of the new Huddersfield Library Hub, creating a modern and accessible space where people can explore local history, family history, archives, learning and culture in one location.   Further information about opening arrangements and the exhibition programme will be announced in the coming months.