A talk by Chris Cobley on Samuel Cunliffe Lister

24th Apr 2026
10:15 am - 12:00 pm

COFFEE MORNING

Chris Cobley is a local historian and author who will present on the topic of his book Samuel Cunliffe Lister: Bradford’s Most Eminent Victorian. Bradford owes to Lister many key landmarks: Cartwright Hall, Manningham Mills and Lister Park. Before this book no one had written the biography of Lister.

Tickets to attend the talk are £5

Tickets can be purchased online via TicketTailor or in person at the Box Office when Ilkley Manor House is open. Tickets may be available on the door but will be subject to availability.

Arrive at Ilkley Manor House at 10:15am to have time to get a hot drink and biscuit. The talk will start at 10:30am, lasting roughly an hour, with time for questions at the end.

Accessibility Information
Coffee morning talks usually take place on the ground floor in the housebody, however, if numbers require, the event may take place upstairs, accessed via a staircase of 18 steps with no lift. Please let us know beforehand if this would be an issue.

Why was Lister the most eminent Victorian in Bradford?

Lister developed the first wool-combing machine to work well in addition to developing and registering no fewer than 150 patents, most relating to the silk and wool-combing and later stages of weaving.

Lister made a fortune in wool and built Manningham Mills, the largest silk mill in Europe. He developed a successful wool-combing machine which enabled Bradford’s world lead in worsted manufacture.

So successful, he sold Lister Park for less than half its value to Bradford Corporation and financed Cartwright Hall and Manningham Mills, the largest silk mill in Europe. He was the opposition in the Manningham Mill strike of 1891. That led to the formation of the Labour Party. His life spanned the entirety of Victoria’s reign.

Join us on 24 April to learn about Samuel Cunliffe Lister: Bradford’s Most Eminent Victorian. A talk by Chris Cobley