[1] Following significant population growth, largely associated with the textile, bleaching and mining industries, the local board of health, which had been formed in July 1866, established offices at the corner of Spring Lane and Water Street.

[3] Finding this arrangement inadequate, civic leaders decided to demolish the old local board offices and to erect a new building on the same site.

[4] The new building was designed by W. M. Gillow and R. Holt in the Edwardian Baroque style, built in red brick with stone dressings at a cost of £15,000[5] and was completed in 1911.

[6] A war memorial in the form of an obelisk flanked by bronze statues, which was designed by Sydney March and built by F. M. & H. Nuttall, was unveiled across the road from the town hall on 26 November 1922.

[12] It was acquired by the North British Housing Association in July 1997,[13] and, following conversion, it was reopened as private accommodation for homeless families in February 1999.