Matthew Drake and the Civil War

 If you lived in Hartshead, West Yorkshire, during the English Civil War (1642–1651), you would probably have supported the Parliamentarian (Roundhead) side—but it’s not quite that simple. Here’s a breakdown:

🟢 Likely Parliamentarian Leanings

• Hartshead is in West Yorkshire, a region that saw strong Parliamentarian support, especially in towns and textile-producing areas.
• The West Riding had many Puritan and Nonconformist sympathies, which aligned with Parliament’s religious and political stance.
• Halifax, Bradford, and Huddersfield (all nearby) were Parliamentarian strongholds. Local militias from these towns often clashed with Royalist forces.

🔴 Nearby Royalist Pockets

• York was a key Royalist city and a major base for King Charles in the north.
• Some local gentry in Yorkshire supported the King out of loyalty to the monarchy and fear of social upheaval.
• Leeds and Wakefield, though close, switched sides a few times depending on who controlled the area militarily.

🧑‍🌾 If You Were a Commoner in Hartshead…

• You’d probably be a yeoman, weaver, or smallholder, and your priorities would include local security and stability.
• Since the textile towns supported Parliament (due to economic ties and Puritan leanings), you’d most likely side with Parliament too—especially if local landowners or church leaders leaned that way.

👀 Fun Fact:

The poet Patrick Brontë, father of the Brontë sisters, was once curate of St Peter’s Church in Hartshead, though that was long after the Civil War (1810s). Still, the area retained a Nonconformist, independent streak.

🧭 Conclusion:

If you lived in Hartshead in the 1640s, you’d probably fight for Parliament—though, as always in civil wars, local dynamics and personal loyalties could complicate things.