A VILLAGE is paying tribute to one of its famous ‘sons’.

A blue plaque is being unveiled at the one-time home, Lees Farm Manor House, of author Halliwell Sutcliffe.

The tribute is being organised by Lees cum Cross Roads Village Association.

Anyone is invited to attend the unveiling ceremony, which takes place at the house – in Haworth Road – on Saturday, November 13, at 1.30pm.

Halliwell was born – on April 25, 1870 – at the house of a relative in Thackley, but the family home was at Lees.

He lived in Lees until he was three, when the family moved to Bingley on his father John’s appointment as headmaster at Bingley Grammar School.

Halliwell was educated at the school, where his father remained head until his retirement in 1901.

After leaving school, Halliwell went on to King’s College, Cambridge, where he gained a BA degree in mathematics.

He left Cambridge in 1893 and spent some time in teaching, but decided it wasn’t the career for him.

Whilst working as a tutor in London, Halliwell wrote articles, sketches and poems for various magazines and newspapers – including Vanity Fair and the Westminster Gazette.

His desire was to make a career in literary work – before heading to Cambridge he had written pieces about the moors and scenery around him, some of which had been published in newspapers. But his first two books, written whilst in London, were not a success.

Halliwell decided to return to Bingley and his next book – The Eleventh Commandment, published in 1896 – enjoyed some popularity.

Further successful works then followed – including A Man of the Moors, Ricroft of Withens and Shameless Wayne – and his career as an author became established, with new titles appearing regularly.

He went on to write more than 30 books.

Following his father’s retirement, the family moved the short distance to Crossflatts – where the garden of their home was portrayed in A Bachelor in Arcady and A Benedick in Arcady.

Halliwell was married to Mabel Cottrell in 1904.

Initially they lived at Embsay, for around a year-and-a-half, before settling at Linton-in-Craven.

He lived there until his death, in 1932.

Bev Underwood, for Lees cum Cross Roads Village Association, said: “Although Halliwell Sutcliffe didn’t spend that long in the village, his early years were here and for that reason we felt it was only right and proper we should recognise that fact.

“He wrote numerous books in his lifetime.

“This is our first blue plaque event but there will be others to follow.”