In 2024, Historic England awarded History in Action our second Everyday Heritage grant. The grants are given to celebrate working class history. This time the spotlight is on Ovenden, a sprawling estate high above the town of Halifax in Calderdale, and it’s Champion Jack Dupree, an international blues musician, who is at the heart of it all.
During the 60s, Champion Jack and his American station wagon were a familiar, if unusual, sight around Ovenden and Halifax. Jack had met and married a local girl, Shirley, and their Ovenden home became the base from which he continued touring, working with greats such as John Lee Hooker, BB King and Eric Clapton. Many well known names were welcomed back to his home after a gig to keep the party going and if they were lucky, Jack would cook up some New Orleans food.
History in Action recorded the oral testimony of those who knew and remembered Jack or who followed the Calderdale music scene at the time. The memories of Jack’s three daughters gave unique glimpses of life behind the scenes.
All the stories were woven into a specially written piece - Remembering Jack - which combined memory and music and was performed at the Grayston Unity, Halifax, Forest Cottage, Ovenden and the Cross Keys, Siddal, a pub run by Jack’s youngest daughter, Georgie.
An exhibition about Jack’s life, including a short film version of Remembering Jack is now on display at the Halifax Central Library (2nd floor) until the end of January 2025.
All the interview recordings and transcripts can be seen and heard at the West Yorkshire Archives by appointment. To arrange access, contact info@wyjs.org.uk
