The Mother of the Brontës: when Maria met Patrick.

An illustrated talk by author, journalist and scriptwriter Sharon Wright.

• Keighley Local Studies Library
• Saturday 18th January
• 10.30am

Free event, all welcome

Keighley Local Studies Library will host a talk by author, journalist and scriptwriter Sharon Wright about the subject of her recently published book ‘The Mother of the Brontës: when Maria met Patrick’.

The book tells the previously untold story of Maria Branwell from her early life as a well-to-do lady of Cornwall, to her life in Apperley Bridge, Thornton and Haworth. The author explores the enormous, often overlooked influence that the brave and intelligent Maria Branwell had on her daughters Charlotte, Emily and Anne.

Sharon Wright, who now lives in London with her family, started her journalistic career as a reporter at the Keighley News. She has since worked as a writer, editor and columnist for national newspapers, the BBC, Disney, Glamour, Red and the New York Post. Her first book, ‘Balloonomania Belles’, was published last year.

The venue for the talk, Keighley Local Studies Library, is home to an excellent collection of Brontë literature, critical works, articles and news cuttings. The history of the collection dates back to the nineteenth century and includes the archives and some book stock from the Keighley Mechanics’ Institute, of which Patrick Brontë was an active member, and where the family attended lectures and gained some art tuition.

This is a great opportunity to meet Bradford-born bestselling author Sharon Wright in the historic cultural setting of Keighley Library and to find the exciting discoveries that can be made through a well researched and illustrated book on a fascinating local subject.

This month marks the bicentenary of the birth of Anne, Maria’s last child on 17th January 1820.

The talk will be held on Saturday 18th January at 10.30am on the first floor of Keighley Library.

This is a free event and all are welcome.

For more information contact Keighley Local Studies Library on 01535 618215 or email keighleylocalstudies@bradford.gov.uk

Have you ever wondered how to get started with researching your Family Tree and using the array of records available?

Or have you already started your quest and reached a point where you need a helping hand?

Wherever you are on your journey into your past, the friendly helpful experts from Bradford Family History Society will be on hand in Bradford Local Studies Library to give help and guidance with this fascinating and rewarding pastime.

Thursday 28th November.

Drop in anytime between 10.00am and 12 noon.

Ilkley Library was the venue for the launch of a new book by local author and historian Mark Hunnebell.

Mark, of White Wells, gave a talk about his new book Secret Ilkley and also signed copies.

Mark Hunnebell

Secret Ilkley goes behind the façades of the familiar to discover the lesser-known aspects of the Ilkley’s long and illustrious past.

The inspiration for this book originally came from an information card available for visitors to White Wells in the 1950’s. The card was produced by the Ilkley Gazette office and provided a useful guide to some of the prominent features that could be seen in the valley from White Wells on the moors above the town.

Mark writes in his introduction:

‘This book is a record of many of the developments and changes that occurred in Ilkley during the second half of the nineteenth and throughout the twentieth century, much of the information being sourced from efforts to compile an index of the Ilkley Gazette for my own interest in local history. Many of the articles referred to have not seen the light of day since their original publication and the details simply lost or forgotten. I am grateful that the Ilkley Library holds old copies of the local newspapers.”

In the book, Mark takes the reader on an enlightening and entertaining journey through the past, delving beneath the surface to reveal dark deeds and strange tales with long-forgotten facts and amusing stories. This book lifts the lid on the hidden secrets that even most local people don’t know.

Supporting Mark at the book launch were his parents Edwin and Margaret Hunnebell and his partner Joanne Everall. Also there was Sally Gunton who kindly supplied many images for the book.

Frazer Irwin, Mark Hunnebell, Edwin Hunnebell, Margaret Hunnebell, Sally Gunton, Joanne Everall

Mark said: “It was very well attended and was a pleasure to talk about “Secret Ilkley” to so many familiar faces. And thanks to everyone who bought a copy too!”

Secret Ilkley by Mark Hunnebell: ISBN 9781445684475

On Saturday Bradford Local Studies Library hosted a talk by Rob Grillo, author of several sporting histories. His new book ‘Late to the Game’ covers the introduction to and early years of football in Bradford as it took over from rugby as the main winter sport. However it took the round ball game a long time to come to the West Riding and to Bradford in particular. The book is the sixth in a series of volumes in the Bantamspast series published by John Dewhirst who introduced the talk.

In his talk Rob explained how Bradford had many early failed attempts to create a successful soccer team in the late 1880s and how the current Bradford City AFC was founded in 1903. In the book there is a section on the women’s game and the reporting of early exhibition games before the FA banned women from playing on FA grounds in 1921. The book covers the successful Bradford schoolboys team, English champions in 1916 as well as details of all of the teams around the city including Bingley and Shipley.

A big thank you from Local Studies to Rob Grillo for a great morning and for sharing his expert knowledge and detailed research in this often neglected area of Bradford’s social history.

‘Late to the Game: The origins of association football in Bradford and the story of its pioneering clubs’ by Rob Grillo (bantamspast 2019) 9780956698490