Ilkley, West Yorkshire

Early years of my life

I was born in 1936 in Shipley nursing home and we lived at 1 The Green, Micklethwaite until 1944. My father died in 1941 and my mother was left with me and brother John, surname Walker, to bring up on her own.
I remember the shop owned by Mrs Hay, with a daughter Eunice, and my friend was Jennifer Midgely.We went... [more]

Mrs Cladd

Anyone remember Mrs Cladd who lived in a converted railway carriage - at least I think thats what it was - just up from Fairfax Hall, opposite the house called Farthings? She was an old lady who grew what we now call cherry tomatoes, but they were a delicious novelty then, and she sold them for a shilling a pound.... [more]

The ballad of Davy Crockett

When we went to "Dick's" for lunch, there would be me, my kid sister, my parents and my maternal grandparents plus Mum's youngest sister. She was only 5 years older than me- "Auntie Betsy"- and more like a big sister. She was the prodigy of the family, learning to play the piano, and Grandma always used to pressure a reluctant Betsy... [more]

Sunday treats

When I was a kid in the 50s, we often used to walk across Shipley Glen, having first travelled on the Glen Tram, to "Dick's" for Sunday lunch- it was always very popular- and catch the bus home from the bottom of the hill- the terminus was the Acorn Inn. A special treat was to go by bus to Bingley, where... [more]

Grandfather

It's not really memory but a request. I come from Bedlington in Northumberland and have found out my grandfather was born in Otley on 24/03/1901. He was born in 16 Burras Lane. Today I visited with only this scant information and I was fortunate to see it was still as least a street but the house gone, although the church closeby... [more]

Otley revisited

I'd visited Otley the town in the 1960s, walking and rockclimbing as a lad of 18 /20 with friends I met at work in the woollen mills of Bradford and Shipley. My first memory is of looking down from the Chevin to this beautiful view of Otley. My new girlfriend Rosemary Finn and I had walked from Yeadon one summer evening... [more]

Teacher Training College

I was so excited to come here - the start of the rest of my life. The night time views over the valley - so many lights - were thrilling. I couldn't wait to get out and walk all round the area, the air was so clear I grew an inch! For the first time I had central... [more]