Music brought to life!

One of the albums in our Flickr digital archive is a copy of the musical score for the “Cliffe Castle Gavotte” (a dance piece), composed for piano by German composer Franz Behr. It was commissioned by and dedicated to Henry Isaac Butterfield (the owner of Cliffe Castle at the time). It is presumed to have been written between 1885 and 1886. Keighley local history enthusiast Loraine Petyt asked local musician David Boddy to record the piece and she has made the recording available on her Vale’n’Dale website – have a listen here!

 

Sutcliffe Dustjackets from the 1930s

Two glorious dustjackets from the 1930s for novels by Halliwell Sutcliffe. Sutcliffe was a prolific author who wrote over 40 books between the 1890s and 1930s. Many of his novels are historical romantic dramas set in Yorkshire (including a series set in Haworth, renamed as the fictional Marshcotes). He was born in Thackley in April 1870. At the time the family was living at Cross Roads, but then moved to Bingley. He married in 1904, and had two sons, and the family lived in Embsay then Linton-in-Craven. He died in January 1932, aged 61. The covers are part of the History Society’s digital archive.

Dustjacket cover for Ricroft of Withens by Halliwell Sutcliffe (Wright & Brown, 1934)
Dustjacket cover for A Bachelor in Arcady by Halliwell Sutcliffe (Wright & Brown, 1930s)

TRICO Adverts

The Rustless Iron Company was founded in Keighley in the 1890s and was based at Lawkholme Lane for 112 years. They operated under the brand name TRICO and continue to trade today as Trico Vitreous Enamellers, albeit from Bingley. Here are three adverts for the company from across the decades.

TRICO advert from 1905. Part of the KDLHS digital archive.
TRICO advert from 1938. Part of the KDLHS digital archive.
TRICO advert from 1963. Part of the KDLHS digital archive.

July Guest Speaker Talk

A reminder that next Wednesday’s (11th July) guest speaker talk will be given by History Society chairperson Joyce Newton, talking about the Church Green area of Keighley and its pivotal role as the social and commercial heart of the town.

The monthly talks are held on the second Wednesday of each month. They are held upstairs at Keighley Library. Doors open at 7pm and the talk starts at 7.30pm (usually lasting until around 8.30~8.45). Anyone can attend and there is an entrance fee of £3 (£1 if you are a History Society member). Tea and coffee is served before the talk starts.

Postcard of Church Green, circa 1900. Part of the digital archive.