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Keighley ( ) is a market town and a civil parish in the City of Bradford Borough of West Yorkshire, England. It is the second largest settlement in the borough, after
Bradford Bradford is a city and the administrative centre of the City of Bradford district in West Yorkshire, England. The city is in the Pennines' eastern foothills on the banks of the Bradford Beck. Bradford had a population of 349,561 at the 2011 ...
. Keighley is north-west of
Bradford Bradford is a city and the administrative centre of the City of Bradford district in West Yorkshire, England. The city is in the Pennines' eastern foothills on the banks of the Bradford Beck. Bradford had a population of 349,561 at the 2011 ...
city centre, north-west of
Bingley Bingley is a market town and civil parish in the metropolitan borough of the City of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England, on the River Aire and the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, which had a population of 18,294 at the 2011 Census. Bingley railwa ...
, north of Halifax and south-east of Skipton. It is governed by Keighley Town Council and
Bradford City Council City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council is the local authority of the City of Bradford in West Yorkshire, England. It is a metropolitan district council, one of five in West Yorkshire and one of 36 in the metropolitan counties of England, ...
. Keighley sits between the counties of West Yorkshire, North Yorkshire and Lancashire.
Historically History (derived ) is the systematic study and the documentation of the human activity. The time period of event before the invention of writing systems is considered prehistory. "History" is an umbrella term comprising past events as well ...
in the West Riding of Yorkshire, it lies between Airedale and Keighley Moors. At the 2011 census, Keighley had a population of 56,348.


History


Toponymy

The name Keighley, which has gone through many changes of spelling throughout its history, means "Cyhha's farm or clearing", and was mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086: "In Cichhelai, Ulchel, and Thole, and Ravensuar, and William had six carucates to be taxed."


Town charter

Henry de Keighley, a Lancashire knight, was granted a charter to hold a market in Keighley on 17 October 1305 by
King Edward I Edward I (17/18 June 1239 – 7 July 1307), also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, was King of England and Lord of Ireland from 1272 to 1307. Concurrently, he ruled the duchies of Aquitaine and Gascony as a vassa ...
. The
poll tax A poll tax, also known as head tax or capitation, is a tax levied as a fixed sum on every liable individual (typically every adult), without reference to income or resources. Head taxes were important sources of revenue for many governments fr ...
records of 1379 show that the population of Keighley, in the wapentake of
Staincliffe Staincliffe is a cross-over district of both Batley and Dewsbury, in West Yorkshire, England. Historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, the name is believed to derive from ''staine'', meaning stone and ''cliffe'', cliff. The area is ...
in the West Riding of Yorkshire, was 109 people (47 couples and 15 single people).


1700s and 1800s

From 1753, the Union stage coach departed on the
Keighley and Kendal Turnpike The Keighley and Kendal Turnpike was a road built in 1753 by a turnpike trust between Keighley in the West Riding of Yorkshire and Kendal in Westmorland, England. The primary instigators were in Settle. The road followed a modified ancient rou ...
from what was the Devonshire Arms coaching inn on the corner of Church Street and High Street. Rebuilt about 1789, this public house has a classical style pedimented doorcase with engaged Tuscan columns in the high fashion of that age. The original route towards Skipton was Spring Gardens Lane – Hollins Lane – Hollins Bank Lane. Keighley was to become an
intersection In mathematics, the intersection of two or more objects is another object consisting of everything that is contained in all of the objects simultaneously. For example, in Euclidean geometry, when two lines in a plane are not parallel, their i ...
with other turnpikes, including the Two-Laws to Keighley branch of the Toller Lane – Blue Bell turnpike (1755) from
Bradford Bradford is a city and the administrative centre of the City of Bradford district in West Yorkshire, England. The city is in the Pennines' eastern foothills on the banks of the Bradford Beck. Bradford had a population of 349,561 at the 2011 ...
to Colne, the Bradford to Keighley turnpike (1814), and the Keighley— Halifax turnpike. The 1842 Leeds Directory description of Keighley reads, "Its parish had no dependent townships though it is about long and broad, and comprises of land (including a peaty moor of about ) and a population which amounted, in the year 1801, to 5,745."


Christopher Ingham

Utley Cemetery contains the grave of Christopher Ingham, a veteran of the conflict against
Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...
. He was a member of the Duke of Wellington's elite 95th Rifle Regiment and fought in ten battles against the French in Spain, France and Belgium, including the Spanish Peninsula War and the Battle of Waterloo, for which he was awarded several medals, including the Peninsula Medal. He died in 1866. Some local historians believe Mr Ingham's heroism may have inspired the author Bernard Cornwell's saga about Major Richard Sharpe. The TV series episode ''
Sharpe's Justice ''Sharpe's Justice'' is a British television drama, the 13th of a series that follows the career of Richard Sharpe, a fictional British soldier during the Napoleonic Wars. Unlike most of the other instalments of the series, this episode was n ...
'', which focuses on the roots of the title character, is set in and around Keighley.


Hindenburg parcel

On 22 May 1936, the Zeppelin Hindenburg crossed Yorkshire in a diversion of her normal route between the United States and Germany. As the airship passed over the town, a parcel was dropped and landed in the High Street, where two boys, Jack Gerrard and Alfred Butler, picked it up. The parcel contained a bunch of carnations, a small silver and jet crucifix, some postage stamps, a picture postcard and some Hindenburg notepaper. The note was written by John P Schulte, who called himself the first flying priest. The note requested that the carnations and crucifix be placed on the grave of his brother, Lieutenant Franz Schulte, who had died of Spanish flu, during the deadly
influenza Influenza, commonly known as "the flu", is an infectious disease caused by influenza viruses. Symptoms range from mild to severe and often include fever, runny nose, sore throat, muscle pain, headache, coughing, and fatigue. These symptoms ...
pandemic of 1918, as a Prisoner of War at Raikeswood Prisoner of War Camp, Skipton, originally built as a training camp for the Bradford Pals, in 1915. Schulte was, at that time, buried at Morton Cemetery, east of Keighley (though the letter stated that he was buried at Skipton, which was incorrect). The carnations were placed on the grave and the two boys kept the postage stamps and the postcard. The crucifix was placed in St Anne's Church to avoid it being stolen.


Governance


Constituency

Keighley is represented in the House of Commons by Conservative Member of Parliament (MP)
Robbie Moore Robert David Moore (May 3, 1954 – January 7, 2022) was a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who played for the Philadelphia Flyers and Washington Capitals. He played his college hockey at the University of Michigan and the Universi ...
, who won the seat by defeating his predecessor
John Grogan John Joseph Grogan ( ; born March 20, 1957) is an American journalist and non-fiction writer. His memoir ''Marley & Me'' (2005), was a very best selling book, about his family's dog, Marley, in real life. Early life Grogan was born to a Catholi ...
at the 2019 general election. Grogan had a majority of just 249 over the previous incumbent, Conservative
Kris Hopkins Kristan Frederick Hopkins (born 8 June 1963) is a British Conservative Party politician, who was formerly the Member of Parliament for Keighley in West Yorkshire. Elected in 2010, he served as Vice-Chamberlain of the Household, a government wh ...
. In 2015, Hopkins won the seat at the 2015 general election – securing a second term. Hopkins increased the Conservatives vote share in the area from 41.9% in 2010 to 44.3% in 2015. The Conservatives won the seat in 2010, taking over from
Ann Cryer Constance Ann Cryer JP (''née'' Place; born 14 December 1939) is a British former politician who was the Labour Party Member of Parliament (MP) for Keighley from the 1997 general election up until she stood down at the 2010 general election ...
, who had been in office since 1997. Keighley was contested by the British National Party (BNP) in the
May 2005 general election May is the fifth month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars and is the third of seven months to have a length of 31 days. May is a month of spring in the Northern Hemisphere, and autumn in the Southern Hemisphere. Therefore, May ...
, when the party's leader Nick Griffin stood for Parliament. He was defeated by Ann Cryer, one of a small number of
Labour Labour or labor may refer to: * Childbirth, the delivery of a baby * Labour (human activity), or work ** Manual labour, physical work ** Wage labour, a socioeconomic relationship between a worker and an employer ** Organized labour and the labour ...
MPs with an increased majority. In March 2006, the town's mayoress, Rose Thompson, announced she had joined the BNP and was immediately dismissed by the mayor Tony Wright.


Parish

The town was incorporated as a municipal borough on 28 July 1882 under the provisions of the
Municipal Corporations Act 1882 The Municipal Corporations Act 1882 (45 & 46 Vict. c.50) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It replaced existing legislation governing municipal boroughs in England and Wales, and gave the corporations powers to make byelaws and ...
in the West Riding of Yorkshire. In 1938, the boundaries of the borough and civil parish of Keighley were expanded to include the former urban districts and civil parishes of Haworth,
Oakworth Oakworth is a village in West Yorkshire, England, near Keighley, by the River Worth. The name "Oakworth" indicates that the village was first established in a heavily wooded area. Oakworth railway station is on the route of the Keighley and W ...
and Oxenhope, along with the parish of Morton from the abolished Keighley Rural District and a small part of the
Bingley Bingley is a market town and civil parish in the metropolitan borough of the City of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England, on the River Aire and the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, which had a population of 18,294 at the 2011 Census. Bingley railwa ...
urban district. On 1 April 1974, Keighley borough became part of the
City of Bradford Metropolitan District The City of Bradford () is a local government district of West Yorkshire, England, with the status of a city and metropolitan borough. It is named after its largest settlement, Bradford, but covers a large area which includes the towns and ...
in accordance with the
Local Government Act 1972 The Local Government Act 1972 (c. 70) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that reformed local government in England and Wales on 1 April 1974. It was one of the most significant Acts of Parliament to be passed by the Heath Gov ...
in the newly formed county of West Yorkshire. The merger caused a lot of bitterness among Keighley people, who resented being 'taken over' by Bradford and accused the city's council of neglecting the town. Civil parish status was restored to Keighley in 2002, providing it with its own town council. The council's 30 members elect a mayor from amongst their number once a year. The parish boundaries are based on but not identical to the pre-1938 borough boundaries. In June 2006, the leader of Bradford District Council, Conservative Councillor Kris Hopkins, was quoted in the '' Craven Herald & Pioneer'' as suggesting it might be a good idea for Keighley to become an independent authority once again. The town has a local history society,
Keighley and District Local History Society The Keighley and District Local History Society (KDLHS) is an English local history society covering the town of Keighley, West Yorkshire West Yorkshire is a metropolitan and ceremonial county in the Yorkshire and Humber Region of Englan ...
, and a family history society, Keighley and District Family History Society.


Arms


Geography

File:Cavendish Street, Keighley.jpg, Victorian era terraced buildings on Cavendish Street File:Victorian Terraces of Keighley.jpg, A ground-level view of the Victorian commercial quarter File:Keighley070805.jpg, North Street File:Keighley railway station (geograph 7027473).jpg,
Keighley railway station Keighley railway station serves the town of Keighley in West Yorkshire, England. The station is located on the Airedale line, with electric services to , and provided by Northern, along with longer distance services to and . The station is ...
Keighley lies at the
confluence In geography, a confluence (also: ''conflux'') occurs where two or more flowing bodies of water join to form a single channel. A confluence can occur in several configurations: at the point where a tributary joins a larger river (main stem); o ...
of the rivers Worth and Aire in Airedale, in the South Pennines. It benefits from an electrified railway service with connections to Leeds,
Bradford Bradford is a city and the administrative centre of the City of Bradford district in West Yorkshire, England. The city is in the Pennines' eastern foothills on the banks of the Bradford Beck. Bradford had a population of 349,561 at the 2011 ...
, Shipley,
Bingley Bingley is a market town and civil parish in the metropolitan borough of the City of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England, on the River Aire and the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, which had a population of 18,294 at the 2011 Census. Bingley railwa ...
, Skipton,
Carlisle Carlisle ( , ; from xcb, Caer Luel) is a city that lies within the Northern England, Northern English county of Cumbria, south of the Anglo-Scottish border, Scottish border at the confluence of the rivers River Eden, Cumbria, Eden, River C ...
and
Morecambe Morecambe ( ) is a seaside town and civil parish in the City of Lancaster district in Lancashire, England. It is in Morecambe Bay on the Irish Sea. Name The first use of the name was by John Whitaker in his ''History of Manchester'' (1771), w ...
. The town’s northern boundary is with Bradley and its southern limit is the edge of Oxenhope. To the west, the town advances up the hill to the suburb of Black Hill, and in the east it terminates at the residential neighbourhoods of
Long Lee Long Lee and Thwaites Brow is a suburb about one mile to the south east of the centre of the town of Keighley, West Yorkshire, England. Features Long Lee is a partially rural area which encompasses a primary school, a public house, a churc ...
and Thwaites Brow. The outlying northeastern suburb of
Riddlesden Riddlesden is a suburb of Keighley (historically a separate village) in the county of West Yorkshire, England and on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal. The village lies east of Keighley town centre and is on the B6265 road between Keighley and Bi ...
is sometimes incorrectly referred to as a separate village but is part of the town. Past Black Hill and via Braithwaite Edge Road lies Braithwaite village, which leads to
Laycock Laycock is an English surname, likely originating from the placename Lacock, in Wiltshire (which is pronounced ''Laycock'') or Laycock in West Yorkshire. According to the 1990 United States Census, Laycock is the 22,119th most common surname. No ...
, which was also mentioned in the Domesday Book. Laycock is a conservation area which overlooks the hamlet of Goose Eye. The River Aire passes through north eastern Keighley, dividing the neighbourhood of Stockbridge and running roughly parallel to the Leeds and Liverpool Canal. The Worth links up with the Aire in Stockbridge and runs south-westerly, dividing eastern Keighley from central and western districts of the town. The Worth is lined with abandoned, semi-derelict industrial sites and tracts of waste ground dating from the period when Keighley thrived as a major textile centre. Parts of Keighley are prone to flooding, and the town was particularly badly hit by floods in 2000. Since then, millions have been spent on strengthening flood defences. Other outlying villages around the town are
Oakworth Oakworth is a village in West Yorkshire, England, near Keighley, by the River Worth. The name "Oakworth" indicates that the village was first established in a heavily wooded area. Oakworth railway station is on the route of the Keighley and W ...
, Cross Roads, Haworth,
Stanbury Stanbury is a village in the Haworth, Cross Roads and Stanbury civil parish, and in the metropolitan borough of the City of Bradford in West Yorkshire, England. The name Stanbury translates as ''Stone Fort'' from Old English. Geography The ...
and Oxenhope. The two main settlements to the north are Silsden and Steeton. Although these villages are often referred to as separate places, they are part of the wider Keighley area. These areas add a total of 22,669 people to the Keighley area, taking the population of the wider Keighley area up to 74,098 ( 2001 Census). To the north east is Rombalds Moor, which contains many signs of
Stone Age The Stone Age was a broad prehistoric period during which stone was widely used to make tools with an edge, a point, or a percussion surface. The period lasted for roughly 3.4 million years, and ended between 4,000 BC and 2,000 BC, with t ...
and Bronze Age occupation, including cup and ring marks; as it drops back down into Wharfedale and the town of Ilkley, approximately five miles away, it becomes the more famous
Ilkley Moor Ilkley Moor is part of Rombalds Moor, the moorland between Ilkley and Keighley in West Yorkshire, England. The moor, which rises to 402 m (1,319 ft) above sea level, is well known as the inspiration for the Yorkshire "county anthem" ...
.


Demography

† The 1939 population is estimated from the National Registration Act figures. The 1941 census did not take place because of the Second World War.


Economy

The town's industries have typically been in
textiles Textile is an umbrella term that includes various fiber-based materials, including fibers, yarns, filaments, threads, different fabric types, etc. At first, the word "textiles" only referred to woven fabrics. However, weaving is not the ...
, particularly wool and cotton processing. In addition to the manufacture of textiles, there were several large factories making textile machinery. These included Dean, Smith & Grace, George Hattersley & Son, and Prince, Smith & Stell. The first of these operated as a manufacturer of CNC machine tools, particularly precision
lathe A lathe () is a machine tool that rotates a workpiece about an axis of rotation to perform various operations such as cutting, sanding, knurling, drilling, deformation, facing, and turning, with tools that are applied to the workpiece to c ...
s, until 2008. Keighley is home to
Timothy Taylor Brewery Timothy Taylor's is a family-owned regional brewery founded in 1858 by Timothy Taylor. Originally based in Cook Lane, Keighley, West Yorkshire, England. Timothy Taylor's moved to larger premises in 1863 at Knowle Spring in Keighley, where they re ...
, the makers of CAMRA, Champion Beer of Britain award-winning ales Landlord and Boltmaker (previously known as 'Best Bitter'). They also brew Ram Tam, Golden Best, Dark Mild, Knowle Spring and a new French style blonde ale, Le Champion, which was first brewed for the Tour de France in 2014 and has been brewed for the Tour de Yorkshire in 2015 and 2016. They also own many pubs in the area, including the Albert Hotel, Boltmakers Arms, Lord Rodney, Royal Oak and The Fleece Inn in Haworth.


Community and Culture

Much of the town centre has been pedestrianised. Keighley has three large supermarkets, Morrisons, Sainsbury's and Asda. There are several budget supermarkets situated in small retail parks around the town. The Airedale shopping centre is a large indoor shopping precinct which houses most of the town's high street retail chains. The Airedale Shopping Centre housed the tall statue of the giant Rombald holding a boulder above his head. It was moved to a different part of the centre when a glass ceiling was added to the whole complex. A public consultation favoured placing the statue on the Beechcliffe roundabout on the A650 road approaching Keighley from the east. According to local legend, the giant Rombald threw a giant rock at his enemies (or in some versions of the tale his wife) killing them. The rock is the "calf" of "cow and calf" rock fame, which can be seen today at the top of Rombald's Moor on
Ilkley Moor Ilkley Moor is part of Rombalds Moor, the moorland between Ilkley and Keighley in West Yorkshire, England. The moor, which rises to 402 m (1,319 ft) above sea level, is well known as the inspiration for the Yorkshire "county anthem" ...
. Keighley has one cinema, The Picture House on North Street. It opened in 1913, making it one of the oldest in Britain. A brief closure in the mid-1990s prevented it from being listed as one of the oldest in continuous operation – a record that goes to the Curzon Cinema, which opened in Clevedon, Somerset, in 1911. It was restored from its derelict condition in 1996 by Northern Morris Associated Cinemas and operates to this day. Keighley has a popular local music scene. There have been various venues where local bands play. Most notable was the now-defunct CJ's bar (also known as Chrome, VW's, Cheese and Trumpet) that played host to many popular touring bands. Examples of local bands are
the Sailmakers The Sailmakers are an English psychedelic rock band from Keighley, West Yorkshire, England. The band formed in 2008. BBC Introducing The band were selected along with five other acts to perform at The Venue, Leeds College of Music as part of ...
, the Undecided,
Foxes Faux Foxes Faux are an English band that play a mixture of folk, punk and rock music. They formed in Keighley, West Yorkshire, England and played their first gig at Victoria Hall in their home town in January 2009. Originally, they choose to busk or ...
, Random Hand, the Get Guns, Eyesore Angels and Dead Message, who recently parted ways after 9 years. The British rock bands
Skeletal Family Skeletal Family are an English rock band formed in Keighley, West Yorkshire, in December 1982.Kelly, Danny (1985) "Waiter, There's a Bone in my Curry!", ''NME'', 2 February 1985, p. 8 The band was formed from the remaining members of an earlie ...
and Terrorvision were also originally formed in Keighley.


Town twinning

Keighley has the unique record of having the first recorded town twinning agreement in the world, having entered into an agreement with
Poix-du-Nord Poix-du-Nord () is a commune in the Nord department in northern France. Heraldry Town twinning * Keighley, West Yorkshire, United Kingdom See also *Communes of the Nord department The following is a list of the 648 communes of the Nord de ...
, France in 1920. This actually followed an even earlier sister city arrangement with two communes on the outskirts of Paris, France – Suresnes and
Puteaux Puteaux () is a commune in the western suburbs of Paris, France. It is located in the heart of the Hauts-de-Seine department, from the centre of Paris. In 2016, it had a population of 44,941. La Défense, Paris's business district hosting the ...
– starting in 1905. *
Poix-du-Nord Poix-du-Nord () is a commune in the Nord department in northern France. Heraldry Town twinning * Keighley, West Yorkshire, United Kingdom See also *Communes of the Nord department The following is a list of the 648 communes of the Nord de ...
,
Nord Nord, a word meaning "north" in several European languages, may refer to: Acronyms * National Organization for Rare Disorders, an American nonprofit organization * New Orleans Recreation Department, New Orleans, Louisiana, US Film and televisi ...
,
Hauts-de-France Hauts-de-France (; pcd, Heuts-d'Franche; , also ''Upper France'') is the northernmost Regions of France, region of France, created by the territorial reform of French regions in 2014, from a merger of Nord-Pas-de-Calais and Picardy. Its Prefectu ...
, France * Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, US * Manzini, Eswatini


Landmarks


Architecture

Like many other British towns and cities, Keighley was extensively remodelled in the 1960s and lost many historic buildings. However, the town managed to retain some of its heritage and has many
Victorian Victorian or Victorians may refer to: 19th century * Victorian era, British history during Queen Victoria's 19th-century reign ** Victorian architecture ** Victorian house ** Victorian decorative arts ** Victorian fashion ** Victorian literature ...
buildings. The local millstone grit gives many of the buildings a distinctive look.
East Riddlesden Hall East Riddlesden Hall is a 17th-century manor house in Keighley, West Yorkshire, England, now owned by the National Trust. History The hall was built in 1642 by a wealthy Halifax clothier, James Murgatroyd. The hall is a Grade I listed buildin ...
, Cliffe Castle Museum and Whinburn Mansion are fine
country house An English country house is a large house or mansion in the English countryside. Such houses were often owned by individuals who also owned a town house. This allowed them to spend time in the country and in the city—hence, for these peopl ...
s. There are large townhouses along Skipton Road, which contrast with the cramped rows of terraces in the streets behind them. The town's central library was the first Carnegie library in England, opened in 1904 with a grant of £10,000 from Andrew Carnegie. The library has undergone refurbishment, which was completed in 2007. Many of the town's former mill buildings are still intact. The town centre contains modern buildings, such as Leeds City College, and examples of Victorian commercial architecture, including the long terrace of Cavendish Street with its 220-yard (⅛ mile/a furlong) ornamental canopy. There is a bus station which opened in 2002 near the Airedale Shopping Centre. There are several tower blocks in Parkwood Rise, Holycroft and
Ingrow Ingrow is a suburb of Keighley, West Yorkshire, England that lies on the River Worth. The name Ingrow comes from Old Scandinavian which means 'corner of land in the meadow.' The suburb is located on the A629 road and is south west of Keighley t ...
and a central multi-storey car park. Amongst the modern houses in Laycock, outside Keighley town centre, is a 17th-century, three-storey manor house (which is said to be the former wing of a much bigger property), converted barns and 18th-century cottages.


Attractions

On the outskirts of town is Cliffe Hall, also known as Cliffe Castle, now Keighley Museum. The
Keighley and Worth Valley railway The Keighley & Worth Valley Railway is a heritage railway line in the Worth Valley, West Yorkshire, England, which runs from Keighley to Oxenhope. It connects to the National Rail network at Keighley railway station. History Inception and ...
is a heritage steam railway, which links the town with Haworth, Oakworth, Oxenhope and the Bronte Country. Keighley is the location of the
Keighley and Worth Valley Railway The Keighley & Worth Valley Railway is a heritage railway line in the Worth Valley, West Yorkshire, England, which runs from Keighley to Oxenhope. It connects to the National Rail network at Keighley railway station. History Inception and ...
, a
heritage railway A heritage railway or heritage railroad (US usage) is a railway operated as living history to re-create or preserve railway scenes of the past. Heritage railways are often old railway lines preserved in a state depicting a period (or periods) i ...
that passes through Haworth (part of the Brontë Country, home of Anne, Charlotte and
Emily Brontë Emily Jane Brontë (, commonly ; 30 July 1818 – 19 December 1848) was an English novelist and poet who is best known for her only novel, ''Wuthering Heights'', now considered a classic of English literature. She also published a book of poet ...
) and terminates at Oxenhope. At Ingrow is the
Museum of Rail Travel The Museum of Rail Travel at Ingrow, England is operated by the Vintage Carriages Trust (VCT), a charity based just north of Ingrow (West) railway station on the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway in West Yorkshire. Founded in 1965, it became a re ...
.
Top Withens Top Withens () (also known as Top Withins) is a ruined farmhouse near Haworth, West Yorkshire, England, which is said to have been the inspiration for the location of the Earnshaw family house Wuthering Heights in the 1847 novel of the same nam ...
and the Brontë Waterfall are within walking distance of
Stanbury Stanbury is a village in the Haworth, Cross Roads and Stanbury civil parish, and in the metropolitan borough of the City of Bradford in West Yorkshire, England. The name Stanbury translates as ''Stone Fort'' from Old English. Geography The ...
, a mile and a half from Haworth.
East Riddlesden Hall East Riddlesden Hall is a 17th-century manor house in Keighley, West Yorkshire, England, now owned by the National Trust. History The hall was built in 1642 by a wealthy Halifax clothier, James Murgatroyd. The hall is a Grade I listed buildin ...
is in Riddlesden. Keighley Police Museum is in the Keighley Civic Centre opposite the Town Square. The old police station has many pieces of police memorabilia, including a Victorian horse-drawn Black Mariah.


Education

Local high schools are
University Academy Keighley Carlton Keighley (formerly Greenhead Grammar School, Greenhead High School and then University Academy Keighley) is a coeducational secondary school located in Utley (a suburb of Keighley), in the English county of West Yorkshire. Previously a ...
in Utley,
Beckfoot Oakbank Beckfoot Oakbank is a mixed secondary school and sixth form located in Keighley, West Yorkshire, England. It is situated near ''Ingrow Lane'' on ''Oakworth Road'' (B6143) in the west of Keighley. History Grammar school Oakbank was founded from ...
, Parkside School in
Cullingworth Cullingworth is a village and civil parish in the City of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. Within the boundaries of the historic West Riding of Yorkshire, it is west of Bradford and south of Keighley. The surrounding countryside is mainly u ...
and the Holy Family Catholic School. Keighley College, the local campus of
Leeds City College Leeds City College is the largest further education establishment in the City of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England with around 26,000 students, 2,300 staff, with an annual turnover of £78 million.
, formerly known as Park Lane College, is situated near
Keighley railway station Keighley railway station serves the town of Keighley in West Yorkshire, England. The station is located on the Airedale line, with electric services to , and provided by Northern, along with longer distance services to and . The station is ...
on Bradford Road. In 2010, the college opened this new £30 million campus, moving away from the former site on Cavendish Street, which was in need of repair and has since been demolished. The college includes an Industrial Centre of Excellence and a nationally acclaimed Star Centre facility, designed to encourage more young people to study
STEM Stem or STEM may refer to: Plant structures * Plant stem, a plant's aboveground axis, made of vascular tissue, off which leaves and flowers hang * Stipe (botany), a stalk to support some other structure * Stipe (mycology), the stem of a mushro ...
subjects (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). This features a mock mission control centre, a
planetarium A planetarium ( planetariums or ''planetaria'') is a theatre built primarily for presenting educational and entertaining shows about astronomy and the night sky, or for training in celestial navigation. A dominant feature of most planetarium ...
, a simulated rocky planet surface and many other space-related items.


Religion

Keighley has a parish church, Keighley Shared Church, and is home to many
Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...
denominations. It has churches and places of worship for Anglicans, Methodists,
United Reformed The United Reformed Church (URC) is a Protestant Christian church in the United Kingdom. As of 2022 it has approximately 40,000 members in 1,284 congregations with 334 stipendiary ministers. Origins and history The United Reformed Church resulte ...
,
Mormons Mormons are a religious and cultural group related to Mormonism, the principal branch of the Latter Day Saint movement started by Joseph Smith in upstate New York during the 1820s. After Smith's death in 1844, the movement split into several ...
, Quakers,
Salvation Army Salvation (from Latin: ''salvatio'', from ''salva'', 'safe, saved') is the state of being saved or protected from harm or a dire situation. In religion and theology, ''salvation'' generally refers to the deliverance of the soul from sin and its c ...
and
Jehovah's Witnesses Jehovah's Witnesses is a millenarian restorationist Christian denomination with nontrinitarian beliefs distinct from mainstream Christianity. The group reports a worldwide membership of approximately 8.7 million adherents involved in ...
. Keighley has a significant Roman Catholic, minority re-established following the repeal of the penal laws. The Catholic population was boosted in the mid-19th century with the arrival of Irish immigrants escaping the 1840s Great Famine, who came to work in the textile and weaving industries. Keighley has two Roman Catholic churches (St Anne's – 1840 and St Joseph's – 1934) and four Roman Catholic schools (St Anne's – 1857, St Joseph's – 1922, Our Lady of Victories – 1960 and Holy Family – 1964). The first
spiritualist Spiritualism is the metaphysical school of thought opposing physicalism and also is the category of all spiritual beliefs/views (in monism and dualism) from ancient to modern. In the long nineteenth century The ''long nineteenth century'' i ...
church in Britain was founded at Keighley in 1853 by David Richmond, who, although not originally from the town, stayed for many years and helped to establish the movement throughout the country. Spiritualism was at its height during Victorian times and Keighley Spiritualist church remains open.
Muslim Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abrah ...
s make up the second-largest religious group in the town. According to the 2011 census, there were more than 12,400 Muslims in Keighley in March of that year. Most had started coming to Britain in the 1960s from the Mirpur region of
Azad Kashmir Azad Jammu and Kashmir (; ), abbreviated as AJK and colloquially referred to as simply Azad Kashmir, is a region administered by Pakistan as a nominally self-governing entitySee: * * * and constituting the western portion of the larger Ka ...
, in Pakistan, and the
Sylhet Sylhet ( bn, সিলেট) is a metropolitan city in northeastern Bangladesh. It is the administrative seat of the Sylhet Division. Located on the north bank of the Surma River at the eastern tip of Bengal, Sylhet has a subtropical climate an ...
region of Bangladesh. As of 2013, there were eight mosques in Keighley, including the purpose-built Markazi Jamia Masjid ('Central Community Mosque') in Emily Street and the purpose-built Jamia Masjid Ghosiyah (Ghosiyah Community Mosque – named after the saint Abdul Qadir Jilani), on Skipton Road. The rest are buildings which have been converted into Mosques, with the oldest being the Shahjalal Jami Masjid and Jamiah Quraniah (ShahJalal Community Mosque and Quran Teaching School – named after the saint Shah Jalal), on Temple Row, which was previously the Wesleyan Methodist Church, 1845–46. There is a Buddhist centre on Lawkholme Crescent, in the town centre. The Keighley Kadampa Buddhist Centre is used by lay and ordained Buddhist practitioners and also runs day and evening classes for newcomers to the faith.


Sport

Keighley Cougars are a semi-professional rugby league team based at Royd Ings Avenue. The ground's historical name is
Lawkholme Lane Cougar Park is a rugby league stadium in Keighley, England, which is the home stadium of the Keighley Cougars. Its capacity is 7,800 people. It also hosted a match during the 1995 Rugby League World Cup. From 1899 until 1995, it was known as '' ...
but has been known as
Cougar Park Cougar Park is a rugby league stadium in Keighley, England, which is the home stadium of the Keighley Cougars. Its capacity is 7,800 people. It also hosted a match during the 1995 Rugby League World Cup. From 1899 until 1995, it was known as ...
since 1992.
Keighley RUFC Keighley Rugby Union Football Club is a Rugby Union club based in Keighley, West Yorkshire, England. The club currently play in Yorkshire 1. Club history Keighley R.U.F.C. (or the Keighlians Old Boys R.U.F.C. as it was originally named) was ...
rugby union team are based at Rose Cottage, Utley, and play in the amateur Yorkshire Second Division. Keighley Central F.C., was a
football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
club that won the Yorkshire Football League Division 3 title in 1964. On 6 July 2014, Stage 2 of the 2014 Tour de France from York to Sheffield, passed through the town. It was also the location of the stage's intermediate sprint after . The 20 points for the Points jersey was claimed by Blel Kadri of AG2R La Mondiale.


Filmography


Film

Keighley was the setting for the film ''
Blow Dry ''Blow Dry'' is a 2001 British romantic comedy film directed by Paddy Breathnach and based on the screenplay ''Never Better'' by Simon Beaufoy. The film stars Alan Rickman, Natasha Richardson, Rachel Griffiths, Rachael Leigh Cook, Josh Hartnet ...
'', starring Josh Hartnett, Alan Rickman and Bill Nighy. ''Blow Dry'' opens with the announcement that the small town of Keighley will host the year 2000 British Hair Championships. Keighley's mayor ( Warren Clarke) is thrilled about the news, but when he announces it to the town's press, they all yawn disapprovingly. The film, although set in Keighley, was shot in several locations. Most of the 2004 film '' Yasmin'' was shot in Keighley. Written by
Simon Beaufoy Simon Beaufoy (; born 26 December 1966) is a British screenwriter. Born in Keighley, West Riding of Yorkshire, he was educated at Malsis School in Cross Hills, Ermysted's Grammar School and Sedbergh School, he read English at St Peter's College ...
and mostly filmed in Lawkholme, it tells the story of a British Muslim woman who has her life disrupted by the impact of the September 11 attacks on America. Beaufoy said the film was originally set in Oldham, but "worked its way across the Pennines". The
Keighley and Worth Valley Railway The Keighley & Worth Valley Railway is a heritage railway line in the Worth Valley, West Yorkshire, England, which runs from Keighley to Oxenhope. It connects to the National Rail network at Keighley railway station. History Inception and ...
(KWVR), running steam trains from Keighley to Haworth and Oxenhope, has been used in several films, including ''The Railway Children'', ''
Yanks ''Yanks'' is a 1979 drama film directed by John Schlesinger, and starring Richard Gere, Vanessa Redgrave, William Devane, Lisa Eichhorn and Tony Melody. The film is set during the Second World War in Northern England and features no combat scen ...
'', the film of the
Pink Floyd Pink Floyd are an English rock band formed in London in 1965. Gaining an early following as one of the first British psychedelic music, psychedelic groups, they were distinguished by their extended compositions, sonic experimentation, philo ...
musical ''The Wall'' and an episode of the long-running situation comedy, ''
The Last of the Summer Wine ''Last of the Summer Wine'' is a British sitcom created and written by Roy Clarke and originally broadcast by the BBC from 1973 to 2010. It premiered as an episode of '' Comedy Playhouse'' on 4 January 1973, and the first series of episodes fo ...
''. '' A Touch of Frost'', starring David Jason, was also filmed at the railway line close to Ingrow West. The 1950s set British feature film '' Between Two Women'' (2000) was filmed extensively in and around Keighley and its mills, in particular around the railway and close to the main town railway station. The same director's next film, ''
The Jealous God ''The Jealous God'' is a novel by John Braine which was first published in 1964. Set in the early 1960s among the Irish Catholic community in a small Yorkshire town, the book is about a 30-year-old mummy's boy and his attempts at liberating hi ...
'', (2005) also featured
Keighley railway station Keighley railway station serves the town of Keighley in West Yorkshire, England. The station is located on the Airedale line, with electric services to , and provided by Northern, along with longer distance services to and . The station is ...
and nearby streets. The film God's Own Country about the young life of a sheep farmer was filmed in
Laycock Laycock is an English surname, likely originating from the placename Lacock, in Wiltshire (which is pronounced ''Laycock'') or Laycock in West Yorkshire. According to the 1990 United States Census, Laycock is the 22,119th most common surname. No ...
and also at Keighley bus station


Television

The 2004 documentary Edge of the City, about the City of Bradford Social Services, and the people and problems they deal with, was partly filmed in Keighley, and concerned sexual abuse of underage white girls by some
Asian Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
men. A great part of the 2004 BBC television drama ''
North and South North and South may refer to: Literature * ''North and South'' (Gaskell novel), an 1854 novel by Elizabeth Gaskell * ''North and South'' (trilogy), a series of novels by John Jakes (1982–1987) ** ''North and South'' (Jakes novel), first novel ...
'' was shot on Keighley, with
Dalton Mills Dalton Mills is a 19th century Grade II* Victorian former textile mill located in Keighley, West Yorkshire, England. It was roughly in size. Previously used as a set for ''Peaky Blinders'', it was once claimed to be the largest textile mill in ...
being one of the serial's main locations.


Notable people

The following people were born in Keighley, have lived there in the past or are currently resident in the town. *
Simon Beaufoy Simon Beaufoy (; born 26 December 1966) is a British screenwriter. Born in Keighley, West Riding of Yorkshire, he was educated at Malsis School in Cross Hills, Ermysted's Grammar School and Sedbergh School, he read English at St Peter's College ...
(1967–), an Oscar, Bafta and
Golden Globe The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of t ...
award-winning British screenwriter who was born in Keighley *
Steve Binns Stephen John "Steve" Binns (born 25 August 1960 in Keighley) is a male British former long-distance runner. Athletics career Binns competed in the 1988 Summer Olympics. He rose to prominence in 1979 as a junior athlete. First he took the indi ...
(1960–), long distance runner who competed in the 1988 Olympic Games. * Gordon Bottomley (1874–1948), poet. *
Asa Briggs Asa Briggs, Baron Briggs (7 May 1921 – 15 March 2016) was an English historian. He was a leading specialist on the Victorian era, and the foremost historian of broadcasting in Britain. Briggs achieved international recognition during his lon ...
(1921–2016), historian and academic. * Brontë Sisters, lived in the village of Haworth, which is two miles (3 km) south of Keighley. ** Anne (1820–1849), novelist. ** Charlotte (1816–1855), novelist. ** Emily (1818–1848), novelist. * Alastair Campbell (1957–), former Labour party
spin doctor In public relations and politics, spin is a form of propaganda, achieved through knowingly providing a biased interpretation of an event or campaigning to influence public opinion about some organization or public figure. While traditional publi ...
. *
John Tiplady Carrodus John Tiplady Carrodus (1836–1895) was an English violinist. Life Carrodus was born on 20 January 1836, at Keighley, in the West Riding of Yorkshire. He took violin lessons from his father Thomas Carrodus, who was a barber and music-seller. H ...
(1836–1895), violinist. *
Peter Dixon Peter John Dixon (born 30 April 1944) is a former England international rugby union player. Dixon played for Oxford University RFC in four consecutive Varsity Matches from 1967 to 1970. He played for Cumberland at county level alongside Da ...
, British Lions and England rugby union Captain * Kiki Dee (1947–), singer-songwriter, originally from
Bradford Bradford is a city and the administrative centre of the City of Bradford district in West Yorkshire, England. The city is in the Pennines' eastern foothills on the banks of the Bradford Beck. Bradford had a population of 349,561 at the 2011 ...
. *
Ian Dewhirst Ian or Iain is a name of Scottish Gaelic origin, derived from the Hebrew given name (Yohanan, ') and corresponding to the English name John. The spelling Ian is an Anglicization of the Scottish Gaelic forename ''Iain''. It is a popular name in Sc ...
, local librarian and historian. * Sandra Dorne (1924–1992), actress in 1940s and 1950s films, and parts in TV series. *
Roma Gill Roma Gill OBE, M.A. Cantab., BLitt. Oxon. (29 September 1934 – 3 August 2001) was a British academic, writer and noted scholar on the works of Shakespeare and Marlowe. She edited more than 30 texts including three in the Oxford School Marl ...
(1934–2001), academic and literary scholar. * Jeff Hall (1929–1959), footballer for
Birmingham City FC Birmingham City Football Club is a professional football club based in Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, it was renamed Small Heath in 1888, Birmingham in 1905, and Birmingham City in 1943. Since 2011, the first tea ...
and
England FC The England national football team has represented England in international Association football, football since the first international match in 1872. It is controlled by The Football Association (FA), the governing body for football in Engl ...
. Born in Scunthorpe but raised in Keighley. * Willis Hall (1929–2005), playwright, lived in Oldfield near Keighley in the 1970s and 1980s. * Peter Hartley, (1960–), former county cricketer for Yorkshire, Warwickshire and Hampshire. *
Denis Healey Denis Winston Healey, Baron Healey, (30 August 1917 – 3 October 2015) was a British Labour Party (UK), Labour politician who served as Chancellor of the Exchequer from 1974 to 1979 and as Secretary of State for Defence from 1964 to 1970; he ...
(1917–2015), a Labour
Chancellor of the Exchequer The chancellor of the Exchequer, often abbreviated to chancellor, is a senior minister of the Crown within the Government of the United Kingdom, and head of His Majesty's Treasury. As one of the four Great Offices of State, the Chancellor is ...
and Secretary of State for Defence. * Mike Hellawell (1938–), footballer for Birmingham City, Queens Park Rangers,
Sunderland Sunderland () is a port city in Tyne and Wear, England. It is the City of Sunderland's administrative centre and in the Historic counties of England, historic county of County of Durham, Durham. The city is from Newcastle-upon-Tyne and is on t ...
and 2 appearances for
England FC The England national football team has represented England in international Association football, football since the first international match in 1872. It is controlled by The Football Association (FA), the governing body for football in Engl ...
. * Trevor Hockey (1943–1987), Welsh international footballer, who also played with
Bradford City Bradford City Association Football Club is an English professional football club in Bradford, West Yorkshire. The team competes in League Two, the fourth tier of the English football league system and are currently managed by Mark Hughes. Th ...
and Birmingham City. *
Sir Isaac Holden, 1st Baronet Sir Isaac Holden, 1st Baronet (7 May 1807 – 13 August 1897) was an inventor and manufacturer, who is known both for his work in developing the Square Motion wool-combing machine and as a Radical Liberal Member of Parliament. Life Holden was ...
(1807–1897), inventor and manufacturer, known for Lucifer Matches, and served as Liberal MP for Keighley 1888–1895. *
Lesley Horton Lesley Horton is a British novelist and author of a series of crime novels featuring Bradford based Detective Inspector John Handford. Horton is a former schoolteacher who took early retirement in order to begin a career as a writer. She is also ...
, crime novelist and author of the detective inspector John Handford series lives in Keighley. *
Paul Hudson Paul David Hudson (born 27 February 1971) is an English weather presenter for BBC Yorkshire and BBC Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. Hudson was born and raised in Keighley, West Yorkshire. He was made an Honorary Fellow of Bradford College in 2014 ...
(1971–), local television weather forecaster. * Keith Jessop (1933–2010), salvage diver and marine treasure hunter. *
Alexander Keighley Alexander Keighley (3 February 1861 – 2 August 1947) was an English amateur photographer who became one of the most influential members of the Pictorialist movement in Great Britain in the 20th century. Biography Alexander Keighley was the so ...
(1861-1947), pictorialist photographer & member of the Linked Ring group. * Henry de Keighley (−1313), Lancashire knight, granted the first charter to hold a market in Keighley on 17 October 1305 by
King Edward I Edward I (17/18 June 1239 – 7 July 1307), also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, was King of England and Lord of Ireland from 1272 to 1307. Concurrently, he ruled the duchies of Aquitaine and Gascony as a vassa ...
. * Dougie Lampkin (1976–), born in Silsden, a motorcycle trials rider. * Tommy Lee (1986–), footballer who is a goalkeeper for
Chesterfield Chesterfield may refer to: Places Canada * Rural Municipality of Chesterfield No. 261, Saskatchewan * Chesterfield Inlet, Nunavut United Kingdom * Chesterfield, Derbyshire, a market town in England ** Chesterfield (UK Parliament constitue ...
. * Robin Ling (1927–2017), orthopaedic surgeon. *
Leigh Marklew ''TerrorVision'' is a 1986 American science fiction horror comedy film directed by Ted Nicolaou, produced and written by Albert and Charles Band and composed by Richard Band, all of whom would go on to found and work with Full Moon Features in 1 ...
(1968–), of Bradford rock band Terrorvision. * Peter Mayhew (1944–2019), British actor who played
Chewbacca Chewbacca ( ), nicknamed "Chewie", is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. He is a Wookiee, a tall, hirsute, bipedal, intelligent species originating from the fictional planet of Kashyyyk. Chewbacca is the loyal friend and firs ...
in the
Star Wars ''Star Wars'' is an American epic film, epic space opera multimedia franchise created by George Lucas, which began with the Star Wars (film), eponymous 1977 film and quickly became a worldwide popular culture, pop-culture Cultural impact of S ...
films, lived in Keighley between 1987 and 2000. * Chris Melling (1979–), professional pool player and former world number one. * Sir Tom Moore (1920–2021), former British Military Officer, fundraiser for NHS Charities during the COVID-19 pandemic. * Herbert Morley (1883-), Victorian explorer. *
Ian Mosey Ian James Mosey (born 29 August 1951) is an English professional golfer. Early life Mosey was born in Keighley, West Riding of Yorkshire, and is the son of cricket writer Don Mosey. Professional career Mosey turned professional in 1972 and spen ...
, professional golfer. Winner of two European Tour events. *
Reynold A. Nicholson Reynold Alleyne Nicholson, FBA (18 August 1868 – 27 August 1945), or R. A. Nicholson, was an eminent English orientalist, scholar of both Islamic literature and Islamic mysticism and widely regarded as one of the greatest Rumi (Mevlana ...
(1868–1945) was an English orientalist, scholar of Islamic literature,
Rumi Jalāl al-Dīn Muḥammad Rūmī ( fa, جلال‌الدین محمد رومی), also known as Jalāl al-Dīn Muḥammad Balkhī (), Mevlânâ/Mawlānā ( fa, مولانا, lit= our master) and Mevlevî/Mawlawī ( fa, مولوی, lit= my ma ...
and Islamic mysticism * George Nicholson (1760–1825), printer.Oxford Online Dictionary of National Biography – George Nicholson * Matty Pearson (1993-), professional footballer for Huddersfield F.C. * Eric Pickles (1952–), former Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government and a former Chairman of the Conservative Party. * Michael Sams (1941–), murderer. *
Geoff Smith Geoff Smith may refer to: *Geoff Smith (music composer) (born 1966), English composer, academic and vice chancellor of Regent's University London *Geoff Smith (footballer, born 1928) (1928–2013), English footballer *Geoff Smith (politician) (born ...
(1928–2013), former Bradford City goalkeeper, lived in Keighley. *
Michelle Smith Michelle Smith de Bruin (born 16 December 1969 in Rathcoole) is an Irish lawyer and retired Olympic swimmer. She won three gold medals at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, for the 400 m individual medley, 400 m freestyle and 20 ...
(1983–), rifle shooter who won Silver at the
2010 Commonwealth Games The 2010 Commonwealth Games (Hindi: 2010 राष्ट्रमण्डल खेल), officially known as the XIX Commonwealth Games and commonly known as Delhi 2010, was an international multi-sport event that was held in Delhi, India, f ...
in Delhi, India. *
J. Keighley Snowden James Keighley Snowden (23 June 1860 – 17 January 1947) was the author of about fourteen volumes of fiction from 1893 to 1937 in addition to several works of non-fiction. Writing also as Keighley Snowden, today his writings are largely forgo ...
(1860–1947), journalist and novelist. * Philip Snowden, (1864–1937), the first Labour Chancellor of the Exchequer. Editor of the Keighley Labour Journal. MP for Blackburn. * Mollie Sugden (1922–2009), television comedy actress. * Sir John Taylor, Baron Ingrow, Lord
Ingrow Ingrow is a suburb of Keighley, West Yorkshire, England that lies on the River Worth. The name Ingrow comes from Old Scandinavian which means 'corner of land in the meadow.' The suburb is located on the A629 road and is south west of Keighley t ...
(1917–2002), a soldier and politician. From 1985 to 1992 he was
Lord Lieutenant of West Yorkshire The office of Lord Lieutenant of West Yorkshire was created on 1 April 1974. *Kenneth Hargreaves: 1 April 1974 – 1978 (previously West Riding Lieutenant since 1970) *Sir William Bulmer: 1978–1985 *John Taylor, Baron Ingrow: 1985–1992 *John ...
. * Timothy Taylor (1826–1898), local brewer who opened the
Timothy Taylor Brewery Timothy Taylor's is a family-owned regional brewery founded in 1858 by Timothy Taylor. Originally based in Cook Lane, Keighley, West Yorkshire, England. Timothy Taylor's moved to larger premises in 1863 at Knowle Spring in Keighley, where they re ...
in 1858. *
Percy Vear Hermann "Percy" Vear (12 July 1911 – 16 March 1983), born in Crossflatts, Bingley, West Riding of Yorkshire, England. He was a British professional boxer during the 1920s and 1930s. Brought up in Crossflatts during the First World War, Vear ...
(1911–1983), a British professional boxer during the 1920s and 1930s. * Ricky Wilson (1978–), musician and part of Leeds five-piece Kaiser Chiefs. * Margaret Wintringham (1879–1955), the second woman to take a seat in the House of Commons.Oxford Online Dictionary of National Biography: Margaret Wintringham * Frank Whitcombe (1913–1958), Bradford Northern & Great Britain rugby league footballer. *
Frank Whitcombe Jr Frank William Whitcombe (21 July 1936 – ) was a rugby union footballer of the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s who played Rugby Union (RU) for Bradford RFC, Keighley RUFC Northern Command and Army Rugby Union, playing at Prop, i.e. number 1 or 3, and r ...
(1936–2010),
Bradford RFC Bradford & Bingley Rugby Football Club is an English rugby union team based in Bingley, West Yorkshire. The club runs four senior sides, including a veterans side, and eleven junior teams. The first XV plays in North 1 East. Bumble Bee Barba ...
,
Keighley RUFC Keighley Rugby Union Football Club is a Rugby Union club based in Keighley, West Yorkshire, England. The club currently play in Yorkshire 1. Club history Keighley R.U.F.C. (or the Keighlians Old Boys R.U.F.C. as it was originally named) was ...
, Yorkshire RUFC & North Eastern Counties RUFC. *
Martin Whitcombe Martin Alun Whitcombe (born 14 September 1961 in Keighley, West Riding of Yorkshire) is an English former rugby union footballer who played in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, and coached in the 2000s. He learnt to play rugby at Keighley RUFC and ...
(1961–),
Leicester Tigers Leicester Tigers (officially Leicester Football Club) are a professional rugby union club based in Leicester, England. They play in Premiership Rugby, England's top division of rugby. The club was founded in 1880 and since 1892 plays its hom ...
, Bedford RFC,
Leeds Tykes Leeds Tykes (formerly Leeds RUFC, Leeds Carnegie and Yorkshire Carnegie) is an English rugby union club in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, playing in the National League 1. The club was founded as Headingley FC, but renamed in 1991 when it j ...
, Yorkshire RUFC & England 'B' International Rugby Union player. *
Jake Wright Jake Maxwell Wright (born 11 March 1986) is an English footballer who last played as a defender for Boston United. Wright started his career with Bradford City, but played only one senior game for them, before he joined Halifax Town where he ...
(1986–), professional footballer who plays for
Oxford United Oxford United Football Club is a professional football club in the city of Oxford, England. The team plays in League One, the third tier of the English football league system. The chairman is Grant Ferguson, the manager is Karl Robinson and th ...
.


Local books of interest

Books by
Ian Dewhirst Ian or Iain is a name of Scottish Gaelic origin, derived from the Hebrew given name (Yohanan, ') and corresponding to the English name John. The spelling Ian is an Anglicization of the Scottish Gaelic forename ''Iain''. It is a popular name in Sc ...
, local historian: *A History of Keighley *Gleanings from Victorian Yorkshire *Gleanings from Edwardian Yorkshire *In the Reign of the Peacemaker *Keighley and District in Edwardian Photographs *Keighley at War *Keighley in Old Picture Postcards *Keighley in the 1930s and '40s *More Old Keighley in Photographs *The Story of a Nobody: A Working Class Life, 1880–1939 *Old Keighley in Photographs *Scar Top and Other Poems *The Handloom Weaver and Other Poems *Victorian Keighley Characters *Yorkshire Through the Years *You Don't Remember Bananas Books by other authors: *A Century of Yorkshire Dialect: Selections from the "Transactions of the Yorkshire Dialect Society" *Ancient Bingley: or, Bingley, its History and Scenery, 1897 by J Horsfall Turner *Babbage Report, Haworth, 1850 *Haworth – Past and Present: A History of Haworth, Stanbury & Oxenhope *History of Bradford, and its Parish by John James *Keighley's Darkest Secrets by Malcolm Hanson *Keighley Past and Present; An Historical, Topographical and Statistical Sketch of the Town, Parish and Environs of Keighley *Keighley Murders and Other Tales by Lewis Parker *Robert Collyer Methodist preacher and blacksmith *Tales of Old Airedale: A Miscellany by Lisa Firth *The life of Charlotte Brontë by Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell *The History and Topography of Bradford, (in the county of York) by John James *The History of Lees Methodist Church by Maurice Baren *The Master Spinner; A Life of Sir Swire Smith *William Grimshaw, Incumbent of Haworth, 1742–63 by Robert Spence Hardy


Freedom of the Town

The following people and military units have received the Freedom of the Town of Keighley.


Individuals

* Benjamin Septimus Brigg (First Mayor) * Sir John Brigg * W A Brigg (Mayor) * Henry Isaac Butterfield (Textiles Manufacturer and owner of Cliffe Castle) * Andrew Carnegie *
John Tiplady Carrodus John Tiplady Carrodus (1836–1895) was an English violinist. Life Carrodus was born on 20 January 1836, at Keighley, in the West Riding of Yorkshire. He took violin lessons from his father Thomas Carrodus, who was a barber and music-seller. H ...
: 5 February 1895. * John Clough (mill owner and owner of Haincliffe House) *
William Clough William Clough (13 May 1862 – 11 May 1937) was a British Liberal Party (UK), Liberal Party politician. Background A son of Thomas and Hannah Clough, he was educated at Steeton Provident School, Keighley Trade School and Pannal College, Harroga ...
* 8th Duke of Devonshire *
Sir Isaac Holden, 1st Baronet Sir Isaac Holden, 1st Baronet (7 May 1807 – 13 August 1897) was an inventor and manufacturer, who is known both for his work in developing the Square Motion wool-combing machine and as a Radical Liberal Member of Parliament. Life Holden was ...
* H C Longsdon (Mayor in 1901) * James Lund (Mill Owner 1829-1903 and builder of Lund's Tower) *
Captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...
Sir Thomas Moore: 16 April 2020. * Sir Swire Smith: March 1918. * Sir Bracewell Smith : 6 February 1957. * Lord Snowdon of Ickornshaw


Military Units

* The Yorkshire Regiment: 2011.


See also

* Baildon *
Bingley Bingley is a market town and civil parish in the metropolitan borough of the City of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England, on the River Aire and the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, which had a population of 18,294 at the 2011 Census. Bingley railwa ...
*
Bradford Bradford is a city and the administrative centre of the City of Bradford district in West Yorkshire, England. The city is in the Pennines' eastern foothills on the banks of the Bradford Beck. Bradford had a population of 349,561 at the 2011 ...
* Cowling * Cross Hills * Cross Roads *
Cullingworth Cullingworth is a village and civil parish in the City of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. Within the boundaries of the historic West Riding of Yorkshire, it is west of Bradford and south of Keighley. The surrounding countryside is mainly u ...
*
Damems Damems is a village near Keighley, within the City of Bradford Metropolitan District, West Yorkshire, England. It is in the BD22 postcode area and uses the 01535 dialling code. Until the mid-19th century it was also known as ''Dam Elms'' or ''Dam ...
*
East Morton East Morton is a small village which lies north of Bingley and east of Keighley, in the county of West Yorkshire, England. The small hamlet of West Morton lies to the north west. The village has a population of 1,169 according to the 2011 cen ...
* Eastburn *
Hainworth Hainworth is a hamlet south of Keighley in West Yorkshire, England. The hamlet faces north across the lower end of the Worth Valley with a steep wooded incline towards Keighley. History Hainworth is mentioned in the Domesday Book as ''Hageneuu ...
* Harden * Haworth *
Ingrow Ingrow is a suburb of Keighley, West Yorkshire, England that lies on the River Worth. The name Ingrow comes from Old Scandinavian which means 'corner of land in the meadow.' The suburb is located on the A629 road and is south west of Keighley t ...
*
Laycock Laycock is an English surname, likely originating from the placename Lacock, in Wiltshire (which is pronounced ''Laycock'') or Laycock in West Yorkshire. According to the 1990 United States Census, Laycock is the 22,119th most common surname. No ...
*
Long Lee Long Lee and Thwaites Brow is a suburb about one mile to the south east of the centre of the town of Keighley, West Yorkshire, England. Features Long Lee is a partially rural area which encompasses a primary school, a public house, a churc ...
*
Lumbfoot __NOTOC__ Lumbfoot or Lumb Foot is a hamlet in the Haworth, Cross Roads and Stanbury civil parish, and the City of Bradford metropolitan district, England. It is situated approximately from Haworth and less than half a mile north-east from Stan ...
*
Oakworth Oakworth is a village in West Yorkshire, England, near Keighley, by the River Worth. The name "Oakworth" indicates that the village was first established in a heavily wooded area. Oakworth railway station is on the route of the Keighley and W ...
* Oldfield * Oxenhope *
Riddlesden Riddlesden is a suburb of Keighley (historically a separate village) in the county of West Yorkshire, England and on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal. The village lies east of Keighley town centre and is on the B6265 road between Keighley and Bi ...
* Ryecroft * Silsden *
Stanbury Stanbury is a village in the Haworth, Cross Roads and Stanbury civil parish, and in the metropolitan borough of the City of Bradford in West Yorkshire, England. The name Stanbury translates as ''Stone Fort'' from Old English. Geography The ...
* Steeton *
Sutton-in-Craven Sutton-in-Craven is a village, electoral ward and (as just Sutton) a civil parish in the Craven district of North Yorkshire, England that is situated in the Aire Valley between Skipton and Keighley. Historically part of the West Riding of Yo ...


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Keighley Town CouncilKeighley Shared Church
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Keighley Online
– News, business and Keighley community site * {{navboxes , list1= {{City of Bradford {{West Yorkshire {{Authority control Towns in West Yorkshire Market towns in West Yorkshire Geography of the City of Bradford Civil parishes in West Yorkshire