The True Tale of the Old Town Murder House

The True Tale of the Old Town Murder House, told by Matilda Wilding - with music from local folk band Pica Pica

This is the true story of a local murder, so there will be discussion of themes of violence, as such the event is not suitable for children.

By staging the event in the approach to Halloween, we hope to tap into an older tradition of oral storytelling when, as the nights drew in (adult) folk would gather around the fire and tell tales about how things were in the olden times…

From the Chartists to the Suffragettes to the Ten Hour Act, the Calder Valley has a history of speaking up for the oppressed. It is a history we cherish and rightly so. Local historian and writer, Matilda Wilding suggests the valley’s response to a 1933 murder, is a moment in that history of which we can be proud.

“History is the closest thing we have to time travel.” says Wilding; “The True Tale of the Old Town Murder House allows us to hear the voices of the likes of Irish emigre Elizabeth Agnes Rhodes and her unlikely champion, neighbouring disabled farmer, John Arthur Gill. These were people from the working class farming community, whose voices would otherwise almost certainly be lost to time. Often courageous and community-minded, these were real people, surviving against seemingly impossible odds, with a strong sense of social justice and a campaigning spirit.”

The True Tale of the Old Town Murder House is told as a fundraiser for Wadsworth Area Community Assets Limited (WACA) as they work to keep the Hare and Hounds Inn (a stone’s throw from Snow Booth) in the community.