HONLEY would not be what it is today without input from generations of the Brooke family.

We know them today as the inheritors of Brooke’s Mill, Armitage Bridge, now an office and light industrial complex known as the Yorkshire Technology Park and North Light Gallery.

The latest publication from Honley Civic Society’s history group, The Brookes Of Honley, is pinned on the centenary of the death of a lesser scion of the Brooke dynasty, Canon Charles Edward Brooke.

Charles Edward is linked most closely to the building of the magnificent church of St John The Divine, Kennington, South London in the 1870s.

He was instrumental in reconciling serious differences between High Anglicans and Catholics at the time.

He also founded three schools – one still called the Charles Edward Brook School in Camberwell, London.

Charles Edward died on July 1, 1911 and, like many of his family, is buried in a modest plot in Honley graveyard.

Research for the book has been in the hands of group leader Peter Marshall, the Very Rev Henry Stapleton, former Dean of Carlisle and now a Honley resident, and researcher Maggie Booth.

“We wanted to produce a potted biography of Charles Edward and his brothers and sisters, who made good use of the money from cloth-making at Armitage Bridge Mills,” said Peter.

“The results of Charles Edward’s altruism and that of his brothers Thomas and William are still around us today.

“Sir Thomas Brooke was instrumental in the creation of the Huddersfield Technical School, now the Ramsden Building of the university.

“He was an avid bibliophile and bequeathed his substantial library to Charles Edward.”

William Brooke, or Mr Willie, was better known in Honley. He provided land for the cricket ground and recreation field and gave the land to create Station Road which was access to the new railway line.

William was also responsible for sweeping away the notorious Commercial Inn on Church Street and replacing it with the Parish Rooms.

It was not just the male side of the 19th century Brookes who made their mark on history. Three sisters were involved in benevolent acts in the village and district.

Miss Sarah sang in the choir at St Mary’s (Honley) and taught in the Bible class for more than 30 years.

Miss Octavia taught at Brockholes Sunday School before moving to Kennington to join her sister Edith and brother Charles Edward, where they worked among the poor.

“This has been one of the most satisfying histories of the village that we have done,” said Peter. “It has opened our eyes to the benefactors who helped shape life both here in Honley and further afield.”

The book is available from Faraday’s and Taylor’s shops in Honley and at the Holmfirth Tourist Information office, price £3.50.

The history group’s next project, already underway, will be on Lord’s Mill, Honley – the long-gone former manorial mill – and the area around Honley Bridge.