The Crossley Orphan Home and Schools were founded in 1864 by three brothers, John, Joseph and Francis Crossley, sons of Martha and John Crossley. John was a hand weaver. Hard work and thrift made it possible for him to buy Dean Clough, a small mill. Martha is reported to have said then “If the Lord does bless us at this place, the poor shall taste of it.” John died in 1837, but Martha lived to see her sons rich, their firm at the head of the world’s carpet industry, and employing five to six thousand workers. From the first the brothers put aside one tenth of the profits of the mill for philanthropic purposes. They made large gifts to the town, and the greatest was the Crossley Orphanage.

The building was designed by John Hogg of Halifax in the northern Renaissance style. The orphanage was open to any fatherless child of either sex, and children between the ages of 2 and 10 years were admitted from all over Britain. In the first 25 years, 1100 entered, receiving free board and lodging, clothing and education. The girls remained until the age of 17, the boys until they were apprenticed at 15. For many years the school was known as “The College” by the people of Halifax and the naming of a nearby row of houses “College Terrace” testifies to this.

Thomas Porter, a Manchester yarn merchant, made a number of anonymous gifts to the Foundation and in 1887 gave ?50,000. Other than his financial support he had no connection with the school and never actually entered it. It was a condition of his donation that his name be added to the charity and a Royal Charter of the 31 January 1887, named the institution “The Crossley and Porter Orphan Home and School”. In 1985, Crossley and Porter Schools amalgamated with Heath Grammar School, founded in 1585, to form The Crossley Heath School