100 years ago in Farnhill and Kildwick

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The aim of this page is to provide a monthly summary of events in Farnhill and Kildwick 100 years ago, as reported in the local newspapers of the time: the Craven Herald, Keighley News, and West Yorkshire Pioneer.

We begin our diary in May 1914, three months before the start of WWI.

If you have any additional material please email the web administrator.

Note: The Farnhill and Kildwick History Group would like to thank the staff at Skipton and Keighley libraries for their help with this project.

December 1915

Annual "At Homes"

The first of this year's "At Home" events was held on the evening of the 2nd at the Institute, which had been tastefully decorated with bunting for the occasion. The evening was hosted by the Mayor and Mayoress of Keighley, W.A. Brigg and his sister Mrs. Sharpe, accompanied by Mrs. Sharpe's daughter Dorothy. There was a very large attendance.

Other "At Homes" were held on the following Friday and Saturday. They raised £16-5s for Institute funds.

The Friday event was a "children's evening", hosted by Master W. Sugden and Miss M. Green. Entertainment was provided by the children of the Crosshills Methodist Sunday School.

Sources: Keighley News, 4th and 11th December 1915; West Yorkshire Pioneer, 3rd and 10th December 1915; Craven Herald, 10th December 1915

The Paxton Society plan ahead for 1916

The Annual Meeting of the Paxton Society (for local gardeners and allotment holders) was held at the Institute. It was decided that the Society would join local farmers in buying seed potatoes which it would then sell to individual members.

There was a discussion about when the 1916 Annual Show would be held. One member said that if the war was over before the date of the show it would be well attended. A date of July 29th 1916 was agreed.

Source: Keighley News, 4th December 1915

Christmas parcels for the troops

The Kildwick Women's Unionist Association announced that they had sent 20 Christmas parcels to the men of the 6th Duke of Wellington's Regiment serving at the front. Each parcel contained:

A pair of socks

A pair of mittens

A scarf

Christmas cake

½lb tin of mints

A wallet containing notepaper, envelopes and pencil

25 cigarettes

Source: Craven Herald, 17th December 1915

The Brass Band's serving men

Despite a reduction in numbers due to men joining the army, the Kildwick and District Brass Band committee decided to continue performances over Christmas and into the new year.

The band's serving men were listed as:

J. Smith (killed in action)

G. Inskip

C. Lee

J. Wellock

J. Tateham

H. Riddihough

F. Driver (discharged)

Harry Pollard

J.W. Ward

Attested under Lord Derby's scheme and expecting to be called-up:

W. Hopkinson

H. Walmsley

H. Barker

M. Dawson

R. Knight

Rejected:

J.W. Hartley

H. Heaton

S. Lister

Source: West Yorkshire Pioneer, 24th December 1915

Percy Walmsley spends Christmas and New Year at home

After his adventures in the Channel (see November 1915), the West Yorkshire Pioneer announced that Percy Walmsley had been released from hospital and was spending some time at home in Farnhill.

Source: West Yorkshire Pioneer, 31st December 1915

A "Silver Tree"

On December 27th, Farnhill Methodists organised a special charity concert at which people were invited to pin envelopes containing money (silver) to a Christmas tree. Songs, recitations and instrumental solos were given by members of the church. The evening raised over £8.

Source: Keighley News, 1st January 1916

National and International news

5th - Joint allied military conference - The first joint allied military conference of the war took place in Paris, hosted by the French commander General Joffre. A decision was taken to launch simultaneous and co-ordinated attacks on the Western, Eastern and Italian fronts during 1916.

10th - Haig takes command - Field Marshall Sir Douglas Haig was given command of British forces in France, replacing Sir John French. Haig had long been expounding French's defects in letters to the King, and George V referred to him as 'a sneak'.

20th - Evacuation of the Dardanelles - The Gallipoli expedition, "a terrible example of an ingenious strategical idea carried through after inadequate preparation", was drawing to a close. Suvla and Anzac bays were evacuated in late December, the last troops leaving before dawn on 20th December. The withdrawal was aided by the use of a "self-firing rifle", which had been rigged to fire by water dripped into a pan attached to the trigger.

23rd - "Britannic" used as hospital ship - The White Star liner "Britannic", sister ship of the Titanic, entered service as a hospital ship.

29th - Haig and Joffre meet - Haig and Joffre met privately in Paris to discuss the British army's role in 1916. Joffre insisted on a joint offensive to take place at the point on the front line where the French and British sectors met; in the valley of the river Somme.

Sources: "1915"; "1915 in the United Kingdom"; "HMHS Britannic"; "Gallipoli Campaign"; "The First World War" by A.J.P. Taylor

November 1915

W.A. Brigg's mayoral record

This month saw W.A. Brigg, of Kildwick Hall, become the longest-ever serving mayor of Keighley - as he began his fourth consecutive term.

Source: Keighley News, 6th November 1915

Village entertainments

Throughout the month there was a range of entertainments provided in both Farnhill and Kildwick:

On the evening of the 1st, there was a very well attended whist drive held at the Kildwick Conservative Club, which raised £2-10s in aid of the ladies sewing circle.

On Saturday the 6th there was a sale-of-work held at Kildwick School, followed by a concert given by some of the schoolchildren. The sale, which was organised by the ladies sewing circle, continued on the following Tuesday. A total of £61 was raised and handed over to the Kildwick Church Bell Fund. A further £21 remained to be raised to cover the full cost of the work on the bells, which was £620.

Over the weekend of the 6th/7th, the Farnhill Primitive Methodist Church choir held their anniversary services and related events. The principal performer was Mr. Harold Horton, of Manchester, who gave a series of humorous and dramatic recitals - in the school-room on the Saturday evening, and during the two Sunday services. Silver collections were taken on behalf of choir funds.

On Saturday the 13th, Leolin Brigg presided over a concert in the Institute, arranged to provide winter comforts for local servicemen. There were a number of performers and the concert included what must have been one of the very earliest performances of Edward Elgar's music-with-narration piece "Carillon" (first performed in London, in December 1914). The evening raised £11-10s.

Towards the end of the month members of the Methodist Church knitting guild held a concert in the church schoolroom, followed by a pie supper. The event raised £8-6s for the purchase of wool to be made up into garments for the soldiers.

Sources: Craven Herald, 12th November 1915; West Yorkshire Pioneer, 12th November 1915; Keighley News, 13th November 1915; West Yorkshire Pioneer, 19th November 1915; Carillon (Elgar); Keighley News, 20th November 1915; West Yorkshire Pioneer, 3rd December 1915

List of local serving men

In their reports on the concert held on the 13th (above) both the West Yorkshire Pioneer and the Keighley News provided lists of the men from Farnhill and Kildwick who have joined up:

J.W. Archer

A. Atkinson

H. Barker

S. Briggs

A. Bowers

A. Brown

T. Bulcock

A. Daffern

W. Hargreaves

T. Hargreaves

A. Hartley

G. Holliday

B. Holmes

R. Inskip

G. Inskip

W. Latham

F. Leese

H. Mosley

J. Pollard

J. Smith

W.L. Slack

C. Slack

B.T. Smith

L. Spence

J. Sunderland

E. Thompson

P. Walmsley

J. Whitham

W. Ward

Even before this list was published one of the men, Percy Walmsley, would find himself having a very eventful day; see below for details.

Sources: West Yorkshire Pioneer, 19th November 1915; Keighley News, 20th November 1915

A new clerk for Farnhill Parish Council

Following the resignation of Arthur Turner as clerk to the council (see October 1915), Farnhill Parish Council considered the range of applicants and then appointed Arthur's son, Tom, as temporary clerk.

Source: Minutes of meeting, 18th November 1915

Ladies acknowledge donations

The Kildwick Ladies Working Party acknowledged the various gifts made to their War Fund. Some of these were substantial sums raised at public events; £47-16s proceeds from a whilst drive, for example. Others were personal gifts of cash, including 6d from the children Cyril and Eric Eastwood.

The ladies were beginning to make up Christmas parcels to send to the front and, in addition to 10s to be spent on Christmas cake ingredients, Mrs. Woodrow had donated 1000 cigarettes; Mr. Hardy Smith gave 2s and 50 cigarettes.

Source: West Yorkshire Pioneer, 19th November 1915

Marriage of Cedric Horsfall

Cedric Horsfall, the elder son of Sir John and Lady Horsfall, took full advantage of the six-weeks leave he had been granted to recover from wounds received in France, to marry Miss Doris May Sutcliffe. The wedding took place in the bride's home town of Buxton.

The West Yorkshire Pioneer reported:

Among the workpeople of Hayfield Mill ... [he] is beloved, and that when in his patriotism and loyalty he offered himself for King and Country on the outbreak of war, their admiration for his courage and characteristic spontaneity for a good cause was tempered with a natural anxiety. This has not been allayed - we feel bound to refer to it - by the repeated occasion of his wounds on active service, and it is hoped on every hand with remarkable fervour that the time is not far distant when he and his bride may take up their abode locally in times of piping peace.

Source: West Yorkshire Pioneer, 26th November 1915

Percy Walmsley and the "Anglia" disaster

On 17th November 1915 the hospital ship "Anglia" hit a mine while transporting wounded and injured British servicemen home and sank just off Dover. One of those on board was Pte. Percy Walmsley, of Farnhill.

But for Percy, the sinking of the Anglia was just the start of a very eventful day. Read his own words, in the letters he sent home from hospital.

Sources: West Yorkshire Pioneer, 26th November 1915; Craven Herald, 27th November 1915; HMHS Anglia

National and International news

25th - General theory of relativity - In a lecture to the Prussian Academy of Science, Albert Einstein presented the equations underpinning the General Theory of Relativity.

Source: "1915"

October 1915

Institute annual meeting

A.E. Darby presented the annual report for the Farnhill Institute. 19 new members had enrolled in the past year, including one 17-year old admitted after the reduction of the minimum age limit; this was an increase of one to the roll. 48 members of the Institute had contributed one penny each per week to help those in distress as a result of the war; a total of £9-4s-4d was in the bank, ready to be called-upon when distress occurred. Nine members had joined the army and an unspecified number of others had volunteered but had been turned down on medical grounds.

Mr. George Bottomley objected to the distress fund, saying that he saw no need for it. Crosshills had accumulated a fund of £600 and they were only paying out 15s per week. The Chairman countered by saying "The distress has no come yet. The danger may be when peace is declared.

Income for the year was £106-6s, including:

Subscriptions: £19-18s
Billiards: £19-18s
Donation from the Brigg family of Kildwick Hall: £10-10s
Refreshments: £13-6s
Baths: £4-9s
"At Homes": £17-14s
Hire of rooms: £5-12s-6d

Sources: West Yorkshire Pioneer, 15th October 1915; Keighley News, 16th October 1915

It's all the fault of the Catholics, and Charlie Chaplin !

At a meeting held in Farnhill organised by the National Protestant League, A.R. Desmond, the Parliamentary agent of the Church Association, gave a talk entitled "The war, its causes and our duty". He was sure that the war was a judgement from God, and was caused by the Jesuits. If Germany had held fast to the teachings of Martin Luther there would have been no war.

He said there were traitors in the Church of England who had the audacity to have prayers and masses said for the dead. At the start of the war England had been steeped in the Continental religion of pleasure, and even at the present time people seemed to think more about Charlie Chaplin than about God.

Sources: West Yorkshire Pioneer, 22nd October 1915; Keighley News, 23rd October 1915

The clerk to the Parish Council enlists

At the monthly meeting of Farnhill Parish Council the clerk to the council, Mr. Arthur Turner, announced that he had joined the Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC) and would have to give up his position as clerk. He was thanked for his services and congratulated on his pluck.

Sources: West Yorkshire Pioneer, 5th November 1915; Keighley News, 30th October 1915

Fire at the parish rubbish-tip extinguished

At the August meeting of Farnhill Parish Council there had been a complaint about people setting fire to rubbish on the parish rubbish-tip in Farnhill Wood. This month, it was reported that the problem, which was a fire within the tip had been resolved by the fire brigade, using a water cart.

Source: West Yorkshire Pioneer, 5th November 1915

Fund-raising events at the Conservative Club

On the afternoon of the 6th, the Kildwick Conservative Club held its annual tea, which was held in the school and was attended by about 200 people. In the evening there was a concert, followed by a dance. The event raised £12 for the club's funds.

Sources: Keighley News, 6th November 1915; Craven Herald, 12th November 1915

National and International news

12th - Edith Cavell executed - British nurse Edith Cavell was executed by a German firing squad for helping Allied soldiers escape from Belgium.

14th - Bulgaria enters the war on the side of Germany - Bulgaria declared war on Serbia; the Bulgarian Army invaded Serbian territory, quickly taking control of the border area. Bulgarian involvement would help keep Austria-Hungary in the war until 1918.

20th - The first "Clippies" - A shortage of manpower and the desire of women to do more than simply knit socks and raise money led to the recruitment of women as bus and tram conductors.

Sources: "1915"; "1915 in the United Kingdom"; "Edith Cavell"; "Women at War"; "Bulgaria during WW1"

September 1915

Items for soldiers

The Ladies' Working Party attached to Kildwick Conservative Club announced that they had completed over 1200 articles of clothing which they had sent to the BEF, the Ghurkhas, and the Red Cross. Subscriptions of £43 19s 2d had been collected and distributed to the Mayoress of Keighley's fund and to local men from Kildwick, Farnhill, Junction, and Crosshills.

Source: West Yorkshire Pioneer, 10th September 1915

Methodist boat trip to Bingley

On Saturday afternoon, 4th September, members of the choir and Sunday School of Farnhill Methodist Church enjoyed a boat trip on the canal from Farnhill to Bingley, returning home at around midnight.

Note: The photo above may not be the 1915 boat trip (it would surely have been dark by the time the boat got back to Redman Bridge) but it is certainly from around that time and shows members of the Methodist Church.

Source: Keighley News, 11th September 1915

Cedric Horsfall wounded

Sir John and Lady Horsfall received news on the 15th that their elder son, Cedric, had received a shrapnel wound in the jaw and was in hospital. The wound was not thought to be serious.

Cedric was the older brother of Donald Horsfall, who had been married in Kildwick Church shortly after the start of the war.

Sources: West Yorkshire Pioneer, 17th September 1915; Craven Herald, 17th September 1915

Belgium and her needs

A public meeting was held in Farnhill Institute, addressed by Mr. W.A. Brigg and Rev. Woodfield, on the situation in Belgium and the plight of the Belgian refugees that had come to Britain. Mr. Brigg appealed for some form of regular support to be arranged in the village; and Mr. Appleby remarked that:

... the village was perfectly willing to receive a Belgian family with some little help from the Glusburn committee, but the arrangement had not been successful. Now was a great chance to help. The need was great.

The meeting concluded with a decision to conduct a door-to-door collection.
Sources: West Yorkshire Pioneer, 17th September 1915; Keighley News, 18th September 1915

National and International news

6th - First prototype tank tested - Agricultural machinery company William Foster & Company of Lincoln, began testing the world's first prototype tank. By the end of the month, the Number 1 Lincoln Machine, or "Little Willie" as it was known, had been superseded by a second prototype - called "Mother" or "Big Willie".

6th - German-Bulgarian Friendship Treaty - On September 6th, a secret non-aggression treaty was signed between Germany and Bulgaria.

21st - Sale of Stonehenge - Cecil Chubb purchased Stonehenge for £6600 at auction. He bought the site, on a whim, as a gift for his wife. She was not impressed.

25th - Battle of Loos - Between September 25th and October 14th British forces, including for the first time large numbers of Lord Kitchener's volunteer army units, fought for and took the French town of Loos. Casualties were high on both sides. British plans were ill thought-out, with reserves held too far behind the lines to be used effectively. The official British military history describes attempting to get the reserve into a forward position as "... trying to push the Lord Mayor's procession through the streets of London without first clearing the route". The offensive finally petered out without any significant territorial gain.
This battle saw the first use of poison gas by British forces.

Sources: "1915 in the United Kingdom"; "Little Willie"; "Cecil Chubb"; "The First World War" by A.J.P. Taylor

August 1915

Motor ambulance collection

The collection envelopes which had been delivered to homes in Kildwick and Farnhill raised £46 for the Craven ambulance fund. Very few people refused to make a contribution.

Sources: West Yorkshire Pioneer, 6th August 1915; Craven Herald, 3rd September 1915

Body found in the canal

Early on the morning of the 3rd the body of an unknown man was found in the canal at Farnhill.

There was nothing on the body to identify the man. Examination of the clothing revealed a pair of spectacles in a wooden case, an empty leather purse, a box containing tobacco, and a pipe.

At an inquest held in Skipton on the 5th the jury returned a verdict of "Found dead in the Leeds and Liverpool Canal at Farnhill, without any marks of violence on the body".

Source: West Yorkshire Pioneer, 6th August 1915

Reduced holiday bookings from Kildwick

It was reported that the number of rail bookings made at Kildwick railway station were much reduced from previous years. In the period from the 6th to the 9th of August the following journeys were made:

Friday (6th): 15 to Morecambe; 9 to Blackpool

Saturday (7th): 224 to Morecambe; 76 to Blackpool; 16 to Southport; 10 to Bridlington; 8 to Scarborough

Sunday (8th): 13 to Morecambe

Monday (9th): 11 to Morecambe; 2 to Harrogate; 1 to Blackpool; 1 to St. Anne's

Source: West Yorkshire Pioneer, 13th August 1915

Killed in Action - Thomas Lyal Taylor

Lance-Corporal Thomas Lyal Taylor, 8th Battalion West Riding Regiment, and late of Crosshills, aged 23 years was reported killed-in-action on August 7th during the landing at Suvla Bay. He had been on active service for just three months.

Sources: Craven Herald, 27th August 1915; West Yorkshire Pioneer, 27th August 1915; "Craven's Part in the Great War - Thomas Lyal Taylor".

National and International news

6th - Landing at Suvla Bay - On the evening of August 6, 1915, Allied forces commanded by Sir Frederick Stopford landed at Suvla Bay, on the Aegean Sea, to launch a fresh attack against Turkish and German forces on the Gallipoli Peninsula. The landing was made with little opposition but Stopford, whose previous post had been Lieutenant Governor of the Tower of London and who had never commanded in wartime, was asleep in a boat offshore and could not be roused to issue the commands necessary to consolidate the advantage. The Allied landing force camped on the beach while the Turks brought up men and armaments to secure vantage points on the overlooking cliffs. By the 7th all possible advantage had been lost.

Sources: "Landing at Suvla Bay"; "Sir Frederick Stopford"; "English History 1914-1945" by A.J.P. Taylor; "The First World War" by A.J.P. Taylor

July 1915

Kildwick and Crosshills men slightly wounded

The first issue of the West Yorkshire Pioneer for this month reported that Ambrose, son of Mr. and Mrs. Albert Bower of Kildwick had been wounded while on active service in France. In a letter home, he wrote: I have just returned from another very severe engagement, having received a scratch from a German bullet in the hand. I am not put out of action, the wound not being worth considering a wound.

The Craven Herald reported that Cpl. Ralph Gladstone had been wounded in the thigh by a piece of shrapnel, although the wound was not serious. In a letter home Cpl. Gladstone described his part in a recent engagement in which he was repairing a trench-line when the Germans suddenly attacked: We were charging with the infantry, but instead of using bayonets, we simply slaughtered them with our shovels. I had a felling-axe for cutting trenches through a wood.

Sources: West Yorkshire Pioneer, 2nd July 1915; Craven Herald, 9th July 1915

Rev. Middleton leaves Farnhill Methodist chapel

It was a time of some sadness at the Methodist church as the Rev. J.H. Middleton left the parish after serving as minister for six years. He delivered his last sermon on Sunday the 4th, prior to taking up a new post at the Alice Street chapel in Keighley.

At a special meeting in the Sunday School on the 6th July Rev. Middleton was presented with a roll-top desk by his parishioners and the people of Farnhill and Kildwick, inscribed "Presented to the Rev. J.H. Middleton as a token of respect by the members and friends of the Farnhill Primitive Methodist Society, July 1915"; Mrs. Middleton received a silver cake dish.

The new minister, Rev. J.E. Woodfield took up his post in time for the annual camp meeting on the 25th.

Sources: West Yorkshire Pioneer, 9th July 1915; Craven Herald, 9th July 1915; Keighley News, 10th and 31st July 1915

Deaf and dumb visit Kildwick Hall

On July 3rd, a group from the Deaf and Dumb Mission in Keighley visited Kildwick Hall, where they were met by the president of the mission, W.A. Brigg. Mr. Brigg surprised his visitors by demonstrating an ability to converse with them in sign-language without the aid of a translator.

Source: Keighley News, 10th July 1915

Oddfellows meet in Farnhill

The quarterly meeting of the Keighley District Independent Order of Oddfellows gathered in the Staincliffe Lodge Rooms, in Farnhill.

The meeting was told that over 80,000 members of the Oddfellows had joined up and it had been decided to make a levy of 1/2d per week on all members to support those members who were away on active service. It was also reported that the Manchester Unity had invested £174,000 in government war loans; this was in addition to the substantial sums invested by individual lodges.

Source: Keighley News, 17th July 1915

The Ambulance appeal

At a meeting held in Skipton at the beginning of the month, the Rural District Council set a target of £600 to be raised towards the cost of an ambulance for use at the front. On the 15th, Farnhill Parish Council decided to organise a door-to-door collection to be preceded by a public meeting to be presided over by Mr. W.A. Brigg.

Even before this collection could be organised, it was reported that over £450 had already been raised by Craven villages, with over £200 raised in Silsden alone. The press suggested that perhaps money could be raised for two ambulances.

Sources: Keighley News, 17th July 1915; West Yorkshire Pioneer, 23rd and 30th July 1915

Ladies' patriotic efforts

The ladies of Kildwick Conservative Club reckoned-up all the items they had provided for men at the front. These included: 351 pairs of socks, 29 pairs of bed-socks, 30 pairs of laces, 128 packets of cigarettes, 30 packets of tobacco, 14 tablets of soap, 36 pairs of mittens, 95 scarves, 109 body belts, 3 blankets, 2 capes, 1 overcoat, 48 day shirts, 34 night shirts, 25 invalid shirts, 4 helmets, 9 pillow-cases, 36 pillows, 60 bandages, 63 handkerchiefs, 28 nightingales, 39 swabs.

Source: Keighley News, 31st July 1915

National and International news

Radium treatment - After receiving a diagnosis of hyperthyroidism and being given just six months to live, the composer Herbert Howells becomes the first person in Britain to receive radium therapy. He died in 1983.

South Africans in German South-West Africa - The Union of South Africa annexed the German colony in South-West Africa. It would remain part of South Africa until 1990 when it achieved independence as Namibia.

22nd - Russian retreat - On the Eastern front, pressed by German armies led by Ludendorff and Hindenburg, the Russian army began a massive withdrawal from Poland and Galicia (part of modern-day Poland and Lithuania). By September the Russians will have lost over three-quarters of a million men in prisoners alone, and more territory than the whole of France.

Sources: "1915 in music"; "1915"; "Great Retreat"; "The First World War" by A.J.P. Taylor

June 1915

Full accounts for St. Andrew's new bells

The full accounts for the restoration of St. Andrew's church bells were published.

The total cost of the restoration was £618 15s 6d. Of this, Mr. J.W. Ackroyd had given £148 for the tenor bell and Mr. James Bairstow had given £48 for the treble bell; the bell-ringers had raised £50 15s; subscriptions accounted for over £271; and the Women's Help Society had donated £10. An outstanding sum of almost £75 remained to be paid.

Note: It must have been around this time that the small booklet "Kildwick and its Lang Kirk i' Craven" was produced, to raise money for the Bell Fund. It sold for 3d.

Sources: Keighley News, 5th June 1915; Keighley and District Digital Archive - booklet

Farnhill man wounded

It was reported that Private Albert Atkinson, of Starkey Lane Farnhill, had been seriously wounded and was in hospital in Colchester. Private Atkinson, of the Kings Royal Rifles, had been serving in India when the war started. Moved to the continent, he had been ill during the winter and invalided home earlier in the year, suffering from frostbite and rheumatism. He had recently returned to the front-line when he was shot in the chest, close to the heart.

Sources: West Yorkshire Pioneer, 11th June 1915; Keighley News, 12th June 1915

Inspector's report on Kildwick school

A schools' inspector described Kildwick school as "excellent in all divisions". There was a very reverend tone in the school and the singing of hymns was bright and expressive. The scholars answered questions readily and the written work was very well done.

Source: Keighley News, 12th June 1915

Craven and District Association of Village Institutes

Craven and District Association of Village Institutes held its AGM in Farnhill; the meeting chaired by Mr. T. Appleby. Lt. Cedric Horsfall was re-elected president, despite being on active service in France. The committee decided to send Lt. Horsfall a message conveying their hopes that, in due course, he would return safely to his home and friends.

It was decided that the association would spend 50s on "... a few books of a more stable and serious nature than those which were generally the stock of most Institute libraries."

Sources: West Yorkshire Pioneer, 18th June 1915; Keighley News, 19th June 1915

Spoils of war sent home

Private Herbert Barker, serving in France with the Duke of Wellington's Regiment, sent some interesting items belonging to German troops home, to his mother in Mary Street Farnhill; including: a leather pouch, a German bullet and part of another cartridge, part of a German shell, and various pieces of shrapnel. The items were shown to children at Kildwick school and were then put on display in the village.

Source: West Yorkshire Pioneer, 18th June 1915

The Craven Motor Ambulance Fund

At its monthly meeting, Farnhill Parish Council agreed to support an appeal made to Skipton District Council by the Red Cross to raise funds for a four-stretcher motor ambulance. The cost is expected to be £4,500, with a further £1,200 for upkeep.

Source: Keighley News, 26th June 1915

National and International news

16th - Women's Institute - The British Women's Institute was founded on June 16th 1915.

Sources: "Britain in 1915".

May 1915

A fracas on Farnhill Moor

On May 8th Thomas Lister, a mechanic from Farnhill, pleaded "Guilty under provocation" to the charge of assaulting Jackson Watson, a weaver, on the evening of April 23rd.

There had been an altercation between some lads on the moor earlier in the day, during which Lister and Watson's sons had come to blows. Later, the two families had encountered each other while out walking and Lister had knocked Watson down, cutting his mouth and causing him to bleed.

Lister was fined 19s 6d.

Source: Keighley News, 15th May 1915.

Not all Germans are the same

In a letter home, Joe Bancroft of Sutton wrote:

I have only seen one German yet. I had a pot at him, but he "bobbed". The troops opposite us I fancy are Saxons. They are so quiet. The last lot were Prussian Guards, a very noisy lot. One day some of our fellows shouted across to their trenches "To *** with the Kaiser." The answer came back, "Yes, we say the same. I wish I was back in London."

Bancroft also confirmed the truth of what the newspaper report called the "fabled Christmas incident". He wrote:

One of our soldiers I was speaking with says it would have happened at Good Friday [as well], but their officer said "No; you would be having tea with them.". Last week we were shelled in our billets, and they did some damage. Our aeroplanes seem to do far more work than those of the Germans, also our artillery. The aviators are very plucky. The buildings round here are more or less shelled and look very dilapidated. It is a shame to see nice farms ruined. If the people over yonder saw them they would waken up and do their part to get this job finished. You cannot understand what war is like until you see it.

Source: West Yorkshire Pioneer, 21st May 1915.

Traditional Whit-weekend events

All three local newspapers reported on the annual Whit-weekend events organised by the Farnhill Methodist Church and Kildwick St. Andrew's.

On Sunday both churches held their usual services. The Methodists were treated to solos by Fred Sugden, Annie Mosley, and Dorothy Hill, among others.

On Monday, the children of the Methodist Sunday School had their traditional walk around the neighbourhood, receiving a bar of chocolate each from Mrs. Riddihough at Farnhill Hall; after coffee and buns at the Sunday school, the children enjoyed games and sports on a field adjacent to Kildwick Hall, loaned by Mr. Leo Brigg. The children of St. Andrew's also had a walk round the village, tea in the school, and an evening of sports and games in a field on Skipton Road, loaned by Mr. Smith Redman.

Sources: West Yorkshire Pioneer, 28th May 1915; Craven Herald, 28th May 1915; Keighley News, 29th May 1915.

Recruitment meeting in Farnhill

At an open-air recruitment meeting held in Farnhill, J.J. Brigg called for the young men of Kildwick and Farnhill to come forward and join the colours. Mr. William Clough, the MP for Skipton, announced that over 1000 men had joined-up from Earby and he called for Kildwick and Farnhill to "stand their corner".

He said:

I am not asking you to fight for a Liberal Government or for a privileged aristocracy but for your own fathers, and mothers, and sisters, and brothers. Some of my Socialist friends [say] we should be as well off under German rule as under British. My advice to them is "Remember Belgium" ... if the German Army ever got to this country they would commit more violence, and show no regard for Socialist comrades. Everything that they held dear would be put into the fire and destroyed.

He doubted that there would ever be a need for conscription:

Some of you are saying "I will not go until I am fetched". I can say to you, you will never be fetched. We can get plenty without conscription. I detest it, and I don't believe there will be any need for it."

Only one new recruit was signed-up.

Sources: West Yorkshire Pioneer, 4th June 1915; Craven Herald, 4th June 1915; Keighley News, 5th June 1915

Farnhill Parish Council meeting
A number of matters were discussed at the meeting of Farnhill Parish Council held at the end of the month:

It was reported that the plan by the Rural District Council to build six new houses in Farnhill had been dropped.

Thanks were given to the RDC for the recent widening of Newby Road - it was almost like a market-place now. The road was to be paved with setts and the cost of this would be shared with the Canal Company.

Following the recent testing of the fire-hose, it was decided to move it from the side of the Methodist Chapel, where it received too much direct sunlight, to the west wall of the Institute.

A unanimous decision was taken to sell the pinfold. There was support for a sale by auction.

Sources: West Yorkshire Pioneer, 4th June 1915; Craven Herald, 4th June 1915.

St. Andrew's Sunday School raise funds for a YMCA hut

In response to a national appeal by Lord Kinniard, the pupils of St. Andrew's Sunday School raised 10s 6d towards the cost of a YMCA hut for soldiers.

Sources: West Yorkshire Pioneer, 4th June 1915; WW1 YMCA huts.

National and International news

7th - The Lusitania - British ocean liner RMS Lusitania was sunk by the German U-boat U-20 off the south-west coast of Ireland, killing 1,198 civilians en route from New York to Liverpool. 128 of 139 US citizens aboard died.

17th - End of the Liberal Government - The Liberal government came to an end when Prime Minister Herbert Asquith decided to form an all-party coalition.

31st - Zeppelin attack on London - German Zeppelins bomb London for the first time.

Sources: "Britain in 1915"; "RMS Lusitania".

April 1915

Death of Frederick Simpson - Killed in Action

Private Frederick Simpson, the second of the men whose names are included on the Kildwick War Memorial, was officially listed as having died on April 18th, 1915. He was initially reported as wounded during the engagement at Hill 60, south of Ypres; however in July 1915 this designation was changed to "wounded and missing". His death was not confirmed until after the end of the war.

Hill 60 was a mound of earth created during the building of the Ypres-Comines railway line; it provided excellent observation of the ground around Zillebeke and Ypres. On April 17th, the British 5th Infantry Division (including the 2nd Battalion, Duke of Wellington's Regiment in which Fred Simpson served) attacked and took Hill 60 as part of the allied preparations for the second Battle of Ypres.

The attack on Hill 60 was one of the first in World War 1 in which mines were used to significant effect. Six mines containing a total of 4500kg of explosive were detonated at the start of the attack. Debris was flung up to 300 feet into the air. Many of the German defenders of the hill were killed outright and the rest rendered so shocked as to be incapable of mounting a defence.

However although the hill was taken with very little loss of British life, it proved difficult to hold. On 18 April, three German counter-attacks took place which were only repelled with significant losses on both sides. It appears that it was during one of these that Fred Simpson was killed.

Sources: Craven Herald, 9th April 1915; West Yorkshire Pioneer, 16th July 1915; "Craven's Part in the Great War - Frederick Simpson"; "Battle of Hill 60 (Western Front)"

Lord Kitchener's sister visits Keighley

On the 16th of April Mrs. Parker, the sister of Lord Kitchener, paid a visit to Keighley and addressed the local branch of the British Women's Temperance Society at a meeting chaired by the lady Mayoress, Mrs. Sharpe, and attended by the Mayor, Mr. W.A. Brigg. Speakers encouraged the men of Keighley to "take the pledge" - at least for the duration of the war.

The following day, after marching through the town accompanied by a band and a contingent of Keighley Girl Guides, Mrs. Parker also addressed a meeting of the Keighley Women's Patriotic Club.

Sources: Keighley News, 17th and 24th April 1915.

Parish Council to test Farnhill's fire defences

Following a significant fire in Cononley, Farnhill parish council agreed that the village fire hose, attached to the wall of the Methodist Sunday School, should be tested and overhauled if necessary. The purpose of the hose is to help tackle a blaze until the arrival of Keighley Fire Brigade.

Sources: West Yorkshire Pioneer, 30th April 1915; Craven Herald, 30th April 1915.

National and International news

5th - Victory for "The Great White Hope" - Jess Willard defeats the African-American heavy-weight champion, Jack Johnson.

11th - Chaplin releases "The Tramp" - The first film to feature Charlie Chaplin's signature character, the little tramp, was released.

22nd - Second Battle of Ypres - The second of five WWI battles for the control of Ypres, in Western Belgium, started on April 22nd. This battle, which saw the first large scale use of poison gas on the Western Front (chlorine), continued until May 25th.

24th - Start of the Armenian Genocide - The Armenian genocide was the Ottoman Empire's attempt to exterminate the minority Armenian population within its borders. Up to 1.5 million people were killed or died as a result of executions or during "death-marches" into the Syrian desert.

25th - Start of the Gallipoli Campaign - On April 25th the Australia and New Zealand Army Corps (the ANZACS) landed at ANZAC cove in an attempt to take the Gallipoli peninsula. The action would continue until early January 1916. The entire allied force was subsequently evacuated from the peninsula, beginning in December 1915, without achieving any significant objective. Casualty figures are estimated at around 180,000 killed and wounded; including 28,000 Australians and 7,500 New Zealanders.

Sources: "1915"; "Britain in 1915"; "Second Battle of Ypres"; "Armenian Genocide"; "Gallipoli Campaign".

March 1915

Women's Unionist Association complete 1000 garments for soldiers and sailors

Early in the month, the first annual meeting of the Kildwick Women's Unionist Association was held in the new Unionist Club building. It was reported that "the women there [had] worked energetically on behalf of our soldiers and sailors, and it was hoped to complete a thousand garments this week."

The financial report showed a balance of £2.

Source: Keighley News, 6th March 1915

Village life goes on ...

Although the war was obviously in everyone's thoughts, typical village life still went on:

March 1st - Lecture on "Bronte Land": The final meeting of the season of the Methodist Band of Hope took place in the school-room and included an illustrated lecture given by the Rev. Middleton.
March 14th - Organ Anniversary: Celebrations took place in the Methodist Chapel, with collections taken for the organ fund.
March 14th - Whist Drive: A whist drive was held in the Unionist Club building. There was a good attendance, with the proceeds going towards the fund for heating apparatus.
March 20th/23rd - "The King of Sherwood": Not for the first time, and certainly not the last, the operetta "The King of Sherwood" was performed. A children's matinee and an evening performance took place on Saturday March 20th, and the piece was repeated on the following Tuesday when "a most enjoyable evening was spent by the large audience".

Sources: Keighley News, 6th March 1915; Keighley News, 20th March 1915; West Yorkshire Pioneer, 26th March 1915; Keighley News, 25th March 1915

Housing issue in Farnhill - the inspectors' investigations

Once again the topic of housing came up at the monthly meeting of Farnhill Parish Council and the annual ratepayers' meeting that followed it.

The Rural District Councillor, George Bottomley, reminded the people present that an inspection of the rural housing stock around Skipton, carried out in January 1914, had noted that a number of working class properties in the area were either overcrowded or unfit for habitation. Farnhill was found to have no workers' houses empty and on that basis a decision had been taken by the County Council to build six houses.

Mr. Bottomley went on to say that he was personally strongly opposed to this and that opposition had also been voiced by Farnhill Parish Council and Skipton Rural District Council, who had hoped the County Council would allow the matter to rest until after the end of the war. Mr. Bottomley said he "considered the county stupidly emphatic on the question. He could have understood their attitude if there were [currently] any necessity, but they had empty houses in the village today".

The meeting decided to ask the County Council to reconsider its decision.

Sources: Keighley News, 27th March 1915; West Yorkshire Pioneer, 2nd April 1915; Craven Herald, 2nd April 1915

Farnhill population statistics

Also at the ratepayers' meeting, George Bottomley announced that the population of Farnhill township was 670, living in 167 houses. 192 people lived in the village but worked elsewhere; and around 50 people both lived and worked in the village.

Source: Craven Herald, 2nd April 1915

National and International news

10th to 13th - Battle of Neuve Chappelle - A well planned and reconnoitred attack, with aerial photography carried out in advance, resulted in an initial breakthrough of the German lines. However the advance stalled due to communications failures, and the German defenders were able to receive reinforcements and dig a new line of defence behind the British break-in.

18th - Dardanelles failure - After bombarding forts at the entrance to the Dardanelles straits for a fortnight, one French and two British battleships were sunk when they struck mines; bad weather then led to the abandonment of a planned naval attack on Turkey. In fact the mines were strays that had not been picked up during earlier mine-clearing. The Turkish forces were already out of action or out of ammunition and, had the allied attack been continued, the channel could easily have been taken. A subsequent combined naval and infantry assault at Gallipoli will result in the slaughter of the ANZACs.

19th - Pluto - The first photographs of Pluto taken at the Lowell Observatory; in Flagstaff, Arizona. It is not recognised as a planet until 1936.

Sources: "1915"; "Britain in 1915"; "Battle of Neuve Chapelle"; "Dardanelles"; "The First World War" by A.J.P. Taylor

February 1915

1914 was a good year - for Kildwick Cricket Club

At Kildwick Cricket Club's AGM it was announced that 1914 had been a very good year. The team had ended up third in the West Bradford league with the record: Played 19, Won 9, Drawn 2, Lost 5.

It was unclear whether or not there would be a league in 1915.

Source: Craven Herald, 5th February 1915

A new company

The mill fires of 1905 and 1906 had severely reduced the number of jobs available in Farnhill, with the only surviving part of the wool industry being the weaving shed owned by William Sunderland.

This month it was announced that the Sunderland family were starting a new company in the village: William Sunderland and Sons, spinners and manufacturers, merchants and dealers in alpaca, mohair, wool, worsted, cotton, flax, hemp, silk, etc., wool-combers, yarn merchants, bleachers, dyers, and warehousemen.

Source: Keighley News, 13th February 1915

A fine display of snowdrops at Kildwick Hall

Once again there was a fine display of snowdrops in the grounds of Kildwick Hall, visible from Grange Road. In particular, it was noted that the design planted to celebrate the accession of the new King, in 1910, was clearly visible: "E.R. 1901 and G.R. 1910, with the crown over each".

Source: West Yorkshire Pioneer, 26th February 1915

Brass Band AGM

The AGM of Kildwick Brass Band could not pass without sympathetic reference being made to the death of the tenor horn player Joseph Smith, who had died on active service in September 1914.

Source: West Yorkshire Pioneer, 26th February 1915; Keighley News, 27th February 1915

Housing issue in Farnhill - and some plain speaking

At the Farnhill Parish Council meeting, George Bottomley announced that against his advice the District Council were determined to build six council houses in Farnhill. He had already voiced his opposition to this at the District Council meeting and said he was sure that: "... private enterprise would supply the district, if there was any call for cottages; but he failed to see how five-roomed houses could be built at the present high rates for material, so as to be let at moderate rents, and bring in a fair interest."

A member of the Parish Council said: "If we could get someone to build a mill, and find some work for people, then there might be a chance [of letting new property]. Under the present conditions it was no use building property, there was very little work in the village, nearly all of the workers were going out of the village."

Another, unnamed, member of the council then put his point rather bluntly: "I don't see a demand for high-rental property. There might be plenty of empty houses after the war."

The Parish Council noted its unanimous view that there is no demand for new homes at present.

Source: Keighley News, 27th February 1915; West Yorkshire Pioneer, 5th March 1915

Recruiting for a second "Bradford Pals" battalion

At the end of January, amid great fanfare, the 18th Battalion of the West Yorkshire Regiment - the first "Bradford Pals" battalion - had marched from Bradford, through the villages of the Aire valley, to their new purpose-built camp at Overdale Park in Skipton and throughout February the local newspapers had regular reports on the "Pals" as they settled in.

At the end of the month a decision was taken to create a second "Pals" battalion. With enthusiasm for recruitment on the wane, the following advertisement appeared in the Craven Herald.

Source: Craven Herald, 26th February 1915; Bradford Pals Memorial, Hebuterne

National and International news

1st - Passports - For the first time, British passports are required to include a photograph of the holder.

1st - Rationing in Germany - Rationing of bread and flour is introduced in Germany.

4th - German blockade begins - Germany declares a blockade on Britain, warning neutral countries that shipping around the U.K. was at risk of being sunk without warning by German U-boats. This leads to protests from the USA and is subsequently withdrawn.

12th & 16th - British air attacks on occupied Belgium - 34 aircraft, attached to the British Navy attack a series of targets in occupied Belgium.

19th - Attack on the Dardanelles - A combined force of British and French ships bombard forts at the entrance to the Dardanelles.

22nd - German bombing in France - German Zeppelins attack Calais and aircraft attack Reims causing serious damage to the roof of the cathedral.

22nd - German successes against Russia - Germany announces the total success of its operations against the Russian invaders in East Prussia.

In the USA, Mary Mallon, later known as "Typhoid Mary" (an asymptomatic carrier of the disease), infects 25 people. She is subsequently quarantined for life on North Brother Island, in the East River close to New York.

Sources: "1915"; "Britain in 1915"; "Typhoid Mary"

January 1915

Local Distress Fund

Total contributions to the local distress fund passed £1000. Contributions in the previous month included £10-17s-6d raised by Miss Nelson from the sale of potted meat. £95 had been paid out to aid Belgian refugees in the area.

Source: West Yorkshire Pioneer, 1st January 1915.

No telephone for Kildwick Post Office

The question of whether there should be a public telephone at Kildwick Post Office was again raised at the monthly meeting of Farnhill Parish Council. It seems that the stipulation by the Keighley Postmaster that the Parish Council guarantee to make up the takings to a minimum of £11 6s. per annum was unusual.

W. A. Brigg suggested that a group of individuals might be approached to guarantee a payment of perhaps a guinea each, adding "It does not matter to me very much, but I think it would be a good thing for the village."

Source: Keighley News, 2nd January 1915.

Dating the Saxon cross fragments at Kildwick Church

A substantial article, written by J. J. Brigg, summarised the work done by the archaeologist W. G. Collingwood on dating a number of stone cross fragments found in Kildwick Church during the work in 1903. Collingwood dated the majority of the fragments to around 950AD.

Source: Keighley News, 9th January 1915.

A talk on Gaping Ghyll

At the Institute on the 12th, Mr. J. J. Brigg introduced a talk by his friend Mr. C. Hastings on the caves at Clapham, including what was then the deepest and largest cave known in Britain, Gaping Ghyll. Mr. Brigg described it as "[a place of] difficult and dangerous adventures within a bicycle ride of Kildwick".
Source: Keighley News, 16th January 1915.

Restrictions on opening hours

Using powers allowing them to control the sale of intoxicants in areas where troops are stationed, the military authorities served notice that licensing hours were to be restricted throughout the Skipton area. Licensed premises were to be closed at 9pm and the sale of alcohol to members of the forces was to be restricted to the periods 12 noon to 1pm, and 6 to 9pm.

The general opinion was that the restrictions were "unduly severe".

Source: Craven Herald, 22nd January 1915.

Free Churches meet at Farnhill

On the 18th a meeting of the free churches in the area took place in Farnhill Methodist Church. The speeches made were noteworthy for their inclusion of ideas which must have been fairly remarkable at the time but which have since come to define the 1914-18 conflict.

A speech by Mr. F. H. Pickles included a perceptive insight into the extent of the war: "We are living in serious times ... we are in the midst of a world-wide war ...".

Later, the Rev. Sam Spencer of Crosshills suggested: "This war would only end war so long as it abolished the things that made war".

Source: Keighley News, 23rd January 1915.

A narrow escape in the canal culvert

George Bottomley, the rural district councillor, had a narrow escape when he stepped to one side to allow a cart to pass him in the culvert - into the path of an oncoming motor car. It was only thanks to a shouted warning that he was able to jump clear and avoid injury.

The report noted that the road is very narrow at that point and suggested that traffic signals should be installed to help prevent future incidents.

Source: Keighley News, 23rd January 1915.

"At homes"

At the end of the month a series of three "at homes" took place, to raise funds for the Institute. They were held at Prospect House, Garston House, and the Vicarage. A total of £17 was raised.

Source: West Yorkshire Pioneer, 29th January 1915; Keighley News, 30th January 1915; Craven Herald, 5th February 1915.

National and International news

1st - Harry Houdini - Made his first public performance of an escape from a strait-jacket.

2nd - Trench warfare - General Kitchener wrote to Sir John French, the commander of British forces in France: "I suppose we must now recognise that the French army cannot make a sufficient break through the German lines of defence to bring about the German forces from Northern France. If that is so then the German lines in France may be looked upon as a fortress that cannot be carried by assault". Sadly, Kitchener's advice was ignored and the policy of frontal attacks on German trenches continued throughout 1915.

13th - Italian earthquake - An earthquake near L'Aquila in central Italy killed more than 30,000.

19th - Zeppelin raids on East coast - Britain suffered its first casualties from an air attack. More than twenty people were killed when two German zeppelins, L3 and L5, dropped bombs on Great Yarmouth and King's Lynn.

25th - Long-distance telephone call - The first US coast-to-coast telephone call was demonstrated by Alexander Graham Bell.

31st - First use of gas - In an engagement west of Warsaw, the German army used 18,000 shells containing tear-gas against Russian forces. The cold weather caused the gas to freeze and rendered it ineffective.

Sources: "1915"; "This day in History - First air raid on Britain"; "Battle of Bolimov"; "The First World War" by A.J.P. Taylor