On Saturday 10th October at Keighley Local Studies Library at 11.00am there will be a talk about Keighley’s Great War Poets by Andy Wade from Keighley’s Men of Worth project and regular writer in Keighley News.

The two definitive poets from Keighley wrote of their very different experiences of war.

Clara Jane Terry was born locally and was head dressmaker at Keighley Co-operative Society. Her poems were published under the pen name of Jean Clare.

This copy of her book called ‘Verses by Jean Clare – Songs of Peace and War’ is kept in Keighley library. The book was published in 1915 and includes a poem about refugees from Belgium, a tribute to British troops killed in action and a poem praising the actions of nurse Edith Cavell. Proceeds from the sale of the book were sent to the red Cross.

Clement Bartrim served in the army with the 3rd Battalion York and Lancaster Regiment.

Clement Bartrim

As 2015 sees the commemoration of Nurse Edith Cavell’s life and work, Keighley Local Studies can look again at contemporary correspondence regarding the Cavell Memorial Fund and a report for the Edith Cavell Homes of Rest for Nurses. These original documents are part of the large WW1 archive in Keighley’s Brigg collection, ref: BK 10/683/7/9.

Edith Cavell was born in Norfolk and trained as a nurse eventually moving to Belgium where she became matron of the first Nursing School as well as a reforming manager of hospitals, clinics and nursing homes. When war broke out she began serving on the front line in Belgium. Despite some criticism, Edith made it her mission to care for all soldiers at the Red Cross hospital, including German and Austrian. Furthermore, in order to prevent her Allied patients being shot, she very bravely became involved in the Belgian underground. In fact Edith helped to successfully smuggle over 200 soldiers out of hospital and into neutral Holland. Unfortunately, in 1915, the Germans discovered the network. Edith was arrested and tried for treason. On 19^th October, despite international protest, and still wearing her nurse’s uniform, Edith was shot by firing squad. She was just 49 years’ old.

In 1917, an appeal was launched, to provide homes of rest for nurses in need of temporary mental or physical respite. It became the Cavell Nurses’ Trust. Recently, Edith Cavell’s dedication and heroism has been acknowledged with a new commemorative £5 coin, issued by the Royal Mint to mark the WW1 anniversary years.

Harvest Festival time is upon us, as the local crops are gathered in and Churches, Chapels and many schools give thanks for the bountiful food that we enjoy today in this country. Particularly in more recent years, schools have been encouraged to teach practical food production and many schools now have their own garden plots, however, widespread and fervent participation by everyone was especially important during the years of both wars.

“Dig for Victory” or “Victory Gardens” were encouraged during both World Wars, and were vital to counteract the depletion of food supplies due to the closure of normal supply routes from abroad, as British ships increasingly came under attack.

These photographs are from a recently acquired archive collection at Keighley Library, Keighley Boys’ Grammar School, BK 609, and show pupils planting and harvesting their own produce.

Please give 24 hours’ notice to view the collection.