Author: Admin Tim

Tim is a committee member of the Keighley and District Local History Society, with responsibilities for archiving the physical and digital collections, and managing some of the social media channels. He moved to Keighley about 15 years ago and joined the Society to learn more about the area.

Steven Wood Talk

A reminder that this month’s guest speaker talk is Haworth historian Steven Wood giving the talk “Old Haworth in Photographs (1870-1970)”. The date for the talk is Wednesday 13th March 2019.

The History Society’s monthly guest speaker talks take place upstairs in Keighley Library. Doors open at 7pm and the talks start at 7.30pm (and usually last around one hour). Tea and coffee is available. Admission costs £3 (£1 for History Society members). If you are interested in becoming a member and supporting what we do it costs £10 a year and membership can be purchased at any guest speaker meeting.

Haworth historian and author Steven Wood (right) visits the Old School House in Haworth in 2007. Photograph taken on behalf of the Keighley and District Local History Society by Barbara Klempka.
Detail from a J. Valentine & Sons Ltd. postcard from 1939, part of the History Society’s digital archive.
Haworth from the War Memorial. A Lilywhite Ltd. postcard, circa 1925. Part of the History Society digital archive.

Peaceful Women

‘Peaceful Women’ is an event happening in Keighley Local Studies Library this Wednesday (6th March) at 1.15pm. Local author, playwright, actor and historian Irene Lofthouse wil bring to life the stories of local women who campaigned for peace during WW1 and for social justice following the end of the war. The event lasts for 90 minutes and there will be the opportunity to view local archive materials from the time. It is free to attend.

Postcard of Keighley Library, circa 1904. Donated by Norma Galvin.

Graham Mitchell Talk

A reminder that next week’s guest speaker talk is coming up. Graham Mitchell is returning with the real story of King Richard III, the last king of the House of York, who died at the Battle of Bosworth.

The History Society’s monthly guest speaker talks are held upstairs in Keighley Library. Doors open at 7pm and the talks start at 7.30pm (usually lasting around one hour). Tea and coffee is available. Admission costs £3 (£1 for History Society members). If you are interested in becoming a member and supporting our work you can join for £10 a year at any guest speaker meeting.

King Richard III, by Unknown artist © National Portrait Gallery, London

1929 Factory Fire

This is a newspaper clipping from the 8th of February 1929. It shows a terrible fire at the Trinity Works of firm Smith Peace (Keighley) Ltd., who manufactured cast-iron saw benches, hand mortisers, spindle moulders, and planing and band saw machines. The company survived the fire as it was still advertising in the Ironmonger Diary and Hardware Buyers Guide of 1938. The clipping is from a scrapbook kept by George Crowther of photographs he took and articles he wrote for various publications, including the Keighley News.

The Final Chapter of a Keighley Bookshop

Reids Bookshop in Keighley closed its doors for good eight years ago in January 2011. The bookshop’s final location was on the ground floor of Airedale multi-storey car park at 87 Cavendish Street. The final owner was Gerald Brooksbank. He first joined the business as a partner in 1973. Keighley historian Ian Dewhirst dates Reids back to 1899 when a Wilsden man called Luther Smith began a book and stationery business at 10 Cavendish Street. He said that the bookshop’s name dated from 1927 when it was bought by J. W. Reid & Co. The bookshop moved to its final location in 1995. The photograph was taken by the History Society’s original secretary, Barbara Klempka in May 2006 and the advert is from a 1948 edition of St Andrew’s Review, the magazine produced by Keighley Parish Church.

Stan Boardman at the Kildwick & Farnhill Village Institute

Fifty years ago, in December 1968, Keighley artist and sign-writer Stanley R. Boardman (1915-1996) painted three murals on the wall of the Kildwick and Farnhill Village Institute. These murals are still there in 2018 (and are looking good for their age!). They have recently been photographed by History Society member Tim Neal. Boardman went on, in the 1970s, to find fame for his series of 1920’s Boy paintings.

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When Hollywood Came to Keighley

Forty years ago, Hollywood came to Keighley! The climactic finale of the film ‘Yanks’ was filmed at Keighley railway station and the goods yard at the end of Cavendish Street (now Sainsbury’s car park) in the summer of 1978. Filming also took place at Steeton where an entire US Army Base was recreated. The film was directed by John Schlesinger and starred Richard Gere alongside over 800 extras including many recruited from the town. The film is available on Blu-ray and DVD from Monday 3rd December.


Yanks director John Schlesinger in a publicity shot taken in the railway goods yard at the end of Cavendish Street. The Victoria Hotel can be seen in the background.

The railway goods yard at the end of Cavendish Street, before it was cleared to make way for Sainsbury’s. Photograph by G. L. Kitchen, taken from the History Society’s digital collection.

The railway goods yard as it is today – the Sainsbury’s car park. Photograph taken by History Society member Tim Neal in 2018.