remembrance

KEIGHLEY’S revised Great War roll of honour was formally unveiled during an event at Keighley Local Studies Library on 9th November. The names of 102 servicemen and one woman who gave their lives during the First World War had been missed from the original roll.

The unveiling was performed by three-year-old Libby Griffiths, Ryan Firth, 16, and Liam Firth, 14. All three are descendants of Private Jowett Coulton, who was born in Keighley and lived in the town before emigrating to Canada, where he enlisted in the army. He was killed in action in France.

Libby Griffiths unveiling the Roll of Honour with Deputy Town Mayor Cllr Chris Herd and Andy Wade, of The Men of Worth.

The signature page of the updated Roll with its 103 new names, signed by the parties involved in its creation.

The Updated Roll of Honour on display upstairs in the Local Studies Library, Keighley Library.

The Men of Worth Project were awarded funding by the National Lottery’s Heritage Fund in early 2024 and this has been supported with funding from Keighley Town Council.

The purpose of the grant was to add more names to the Borough of Keighley Roll of Honour and to celebrate the centenary year of the original book and our wonderful Borough of Keighley War Memorial, which was unveiled in Keighley’s Town Hall Square on 7th December 1924, attended by several thousand people.

Lord Mayor of Bradford Councillor Bev Mullaney, Bradford Council Leader Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe, Director of the Men of Worth Project Andy Wade and Bradford Councillor Caroline Firth.

Other relatives of those honoured were present, together with guests including West Yorkshire Deputy Lieutenant David Pearson, MP Robbie Moore, Lord Mayor of Bradford Councillor Bev Mullaney, deputy town mayor Cllr Chris Herd, Bradford Council leader Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe, district and town councillors and standard bearers.

Head of Libraries & Archives, Christine May talks about the libarary’s history with the Roll of honour.

Irene Lofthouse portrays Frances Hildred Mitchell, the first woman to be added to the Roll.

Cultural historian Irene Lofthouse adopted the guise of Frances Hildred Mitchell – the first woman to be recognised in the roll alongside the men. Frances was a Queen Mary’s Army Auxiliary Corps worker she died aged just 23, from influenza and pneumonia while still nursing in military hospitals a year after the war had ended.

Deputy Town Mayor Councillor Chris Herd with Standard Bearers

The new Roll of Honour and the original Roll of Honour are on permanent display upstairs in Keighley Local Studies Library and an exhibition by The Men of Worth Project on all those added to the new Roll of Honour is on display until December the 6th 2024.

December the 7^th marks the 100 year anniversary of the War Memorial and Roll of Honour, at noon, an interpretation plaque will be unveiled at the town’s war memorial. For more information about the project please see the link below.