Library archive session – 18th October 2025

October 28, 2025Bradford Libraries Leave a comment

The History Society recently held the third of its Local Studies Library Archive sessions at the library in Keighley. We’ve been organising these sessions because we know that between our 70+ members, we have some people working on individual projects who use these sessions as a spur to progress them further, and because we know that some members won’t be fully aware what a terrific resource the Local Studies Library is with its comprehensive collection of documents, maps, directories, photographs, plans and so on.

This time a couple of committee members thought it would be helpful to focus on how to research the history of particular properties (most usually the one people now live in). I personally had attended an open-session on this very topic at the library a couple of years ago, so I knew how beneficial it would be, plus I’d moved house in the meantime and had a new property I wanted to find out more about! Properties of interest to other members included a former vicarage, a converted barn, a farmhouse, a manor house, a nursery and numerous other properties dating from the seventeenth to early twentieth centuries.

The session started with Angela and Gina giving a presentation on the various collections and resources available within the library. These included the more obvious (you might think) local maps, and building plans, and expanded to census records and electoral records which would help you discover who was in your property before you. But then they talked about resources like court records from the 17^th century, taxation records and rate books, and a whole host of other avenues to take your research down.

After the presentation, Angela, Gina and Janet were on hand to take our members through the various examples of records they had brought out, and that covered virtually every available surface in the upstairs library. They had also prepared a number of packs for individuals with details for some of the properties people were interested in. This included, for myself, a plan of a property linked with my own, that I am now keen to share with my neighbours who occupy said property.

Over twenty members of the History Society came along to the session (including one member who actually came to donate a plan of her previous home to the library). The morning was extremely well-received by our members. But I’ll let them say that in their own words…

“I found Saturday’s Archive session most helpful and enjoyable. The librarian ladies had gone to great lengths to help us further our study of the property we are researching which I greatly appreciate and wish to thank them again for the print outs of various documents and maps. Without their expertise and great knowledge of our Library’s resources I would have been overwhelmed.” – Eveline Rhodes

“I really enjoyed the session at the Library on Saturday. The preparation and presentation of archive materials was as always extensive. The members of the Team were knowledgeable and informative, offering links to people at various stages of their genealogical journey in addition to those seeking information about houses and buildings of interest, the two of course being closely intertwined. The Team are enthusiastic and readily accessed individual historical materials when requested. Keep up the good work.” – Eileen Whitley

“The Library Ladies, Angela, Gina and Janet, presented an impressively comprehensive array of information sources for us to consider. They had also prepared an individual pack of ‘site-specific’ information plus maps, to identify the age of my particular dwelling. This was immensely helpful and I am grateful for their time and focussed effort.” – Graham Mitchell

“I found the library session very useful and the staff gave a good presentation on what resources were available – and where to find them in the library. A few good tips too on which resource to use and when. I had not realised there were so many useful sources of information other than old OS maps and I can see myself calling in quite often now to try and dig out bits of history relating to a couple of projects I am working on; some listed buildings in Cross Roads and the history behind bridges in the Worth Valley and Keighley.” – Roger Grimes

“The library team are very knowledgeable and organised. Always helpful and will help with ideas on how to move forward. The archives themselves are well kept and organised and on Saturday they pulled together a lot of useful books and documents. Their handout is a very helpful and informative document. The session was really useful and it has inspired me to get back into my research on our house and local hamlet.” – Sally Morgan

“Following an interest in when my barn in Ingrow was built and its history, I attended the recent Property History Research lecture at the Local Studies library. I was amazed and excited by the range and depth of the physical records held in the library. This demonstrates to me how vital the Local Studies library is in curating and preserving the history of our town.” – John Rodger

We are all looking forward to future archive sessions in 2026.

Tim Neal

Keighley & District Local History Society

The History Society and the Library

December 11, 2024Bradford Libraries Leave a comment

The Keighley & District Local History Society was formed in late 2004. It was created to focus on the history of the town and the surrounding area, looking at the industries and mills, the shops and streets, the parks and buildings, key players such as business people, mayors and politicians, and was designed to complement the Keighley and District Family History Society which already existed (and which continues today as Airedale and Wharfedale Family History Society).

The history of the History Society is inextricably linked with that of Keighley Library, although there are no official or formal bonds. The need for the existence of the History Society emerged from discussions around how to celebrate the centenary of the Public Library, which was 100 years old in 2004. One of the key players in those discussions was Pauline Barfield, who was Senior Information Manager in the Local Studies Library at the time. Pauline was also the guest-speaker at the very first open meeting of the society, held in the Local Studies Library on Wednesday 15th December 2004, and was later made Honorary President of the society.

Another important crossover figure is the late Ian Dewhirst, who was Reference Librarian at the Library from 1967 to 1991. As well as being a driving force behind building the invaluable collection of locally focussed documents, photographs and paraphernalia that now form the backbone of the Local Studies Library’s collections, Ian also wrote over twenty books focussed on the history of the town and the wider Yorkshire area that brought awareness and knowledge to a broad and grateful readership. It was only natural that Ian was supportive of the idea of a local history society for the town. Although never formally involved in its running, Ian gave at least half-a-dozen talks to the Society before his untimely death in January 2019.

With very few exceptions, the History Society has held open meetings on the second Wednesday of each month ever since it started. These have mainly been held in the Local Studies Library (and we are extremely grateful to the Library for facilitating this) – which is a very natural fit, committed as we both are to “preserving and sharing” the stories of the town and surrounding area. For various reasons (including when the Library was undergoing a major facelift for most of 2007) we held our meetings in other local venues. These have included the Swire Smith Hall of Keighley College (when it was on the other side of North Street to the Library), the service room of The Knowle funeral home, the Civic Centre, and St. John’s Church in Ingrow. Of course, along with the rest of the world, we had to move our meetings in 2021 onto Zoom as a result of the coronavirus outbreak, and we continue to offer this ‘innovation’ today as we broadcast the majority of meetings over Zoom live from the Library for those members unable to join us in person.

But the Library has always been our main home, and we have held around 200 hundred monthly meetings and other events there. Guest speakers over the years have included former town mayor Graham Mitchell, Haworth historian Steven Wood, principal curator of the Bronte Parsonage Museum Ann Dinsdale, Ian Walkden and Andy Wade from the Men of Worth Project, former Keighley News journalist Sharon Wright, postcard collector Kevin Seaton, textiles expert Pam Brook, art historian Colin Neville, local stalwart Charlie Bhowmick, Bradford historian Kathryn Hughes, and many many others. And the range of topics is way too expansive to even start listing.

The success of the History Society is stronger now than it has been at any point in its twenty year history. We continue to meet on the second Wednesday of each month, mostly still upstairs in the Library. We have over 75 members who live both locally but also come from further afield – people keen to maintain links with a town that was important to them in their past. We try and spread the word about the fascinating history of the town at events like Keighley Show, the Heritage Open Days, Yorkshire Day celebrations, and other history-related celebrations.

Our single objective remains “to preserve and share” the history of the town and the surrounding area. People continue to be extremely generous and continue to loan or donate items that enable us to do this. We record and catalogue these items, from personal photographs, postcards, leaflets, publications – all sorts of items! – which we then seek to share via our digital archive on Flickr. Our Flickr site currently has over 25,000 items available to view by anyone, and continues to grow.

If you’d like to find out more about the History Society, please look us up on our website or our Facebook page – or better still drop into one of our meetings on the second Wednesday of the month in Keighley Library!

Tim Neal
Keighley & District Local History Society
keighleyhistory.org.uk
facebook.com/keighleyhistorysociety
flickr.com/keighleyhistory

All the photographs are “courtesy of the Keighley & District Local History Society”. The one of Tim Neal on his own at his desk is by “Cath Muldowney Photography”

National Dementia Awareness Week: Memory Boxes

May 15, 2017Bradford Libraries 1 Comment

14^th-20^th May is National Dementia Awareness Week as the Alzheimer’s Society asks people to unite against dementia, to raise awareness and to offer help and understanding.

Memories, first hand recollections and experiences of people are extremely important and valuable to us all and thoughtful and engaging use of reminiscence when used well can be especially effective for those with dementia.

With this in mind we have refreshed and updated the Memory Boxes available to borrow from the Local Studies library.

The packs contain a selection of multi-sensory objects, pictures and memorabilia plus a beautifully illustrated book which reflects the topic.

We all like an occasional trip down Memory Lane and reminiscence can be great fun for everyone involved, as well as being an important activity that affirms our sense of identity. These Memory Boxes can stimulate arts, history and memory groups. They can be used in a variety of settings including social and community groups, day centres and residential homes.

Our boxes include a book in the series of ‘Pictures to Share’ books designed for people with dementia. These books can help and encourage communication and discussion when shared with carers, provide a calming activity for the person to do alone, and promote a feeling of worth and well-being.

memory books

Pictures to Share books are based on a variety of general themes. They include a wide selection of powerful, colourful and attractive images and texts.

For more details please see our leaflet here:

Memory boxes for reminiscence

Bradford Libraries would like to thank the ‘The Memory Bank’ forum for creating the original concept and sourcing artefacts which form the basis of these collections.

Camps Libraries in WW1

September 1, 2015Bradford Libraries Leave a comment

International Literacy Day, 8^th September 2015, should remind all readers of the importance of books and libraries of books, whether hard copy or digital, as a means of education but also of enjoyment, and escape and comfort in difficult times. This was certainly the case during WW1.

The Camps Library was THE organisation officially recognised by the War Office for the distribution of literature to British soldiers, sailors and prisoners of war. It was also the medium of distribution for the War Library which supplied the hospitals and hospital ships.

This unique archive is from Keighley Library’s own Brigg collection, BK 10/683/4/6 and also outlines the role played by the British public in helping to stock those war libraries.