Made by Keith Overend, this documentary features aspects of the history of Keighley.  The film uses archive photographs and newspaper cuttings to illustrate Keighley’s history as well as readings from historic documents.  The film was made with the help of the Yorkshire Arts Association. Title – Yorkshire Arts Association The film begins showing a photograph of the corner shop of John Massey.  This is followed by many more old black and white photographs of the streets and houses of Keighley....

Made by Keith Overend, this documentary features aspects of the history of Keighley.  The film uses archive photographs and newspaper cuttings to illustrate Keighley’s history as well as readings from historic documents.  The film was made with the help of the Yorkshire Arts Association. Title – Yorkshire Arts Association The film begins showing a photograph of the corner shop of John Massey.  This is followed by many more old black and white photographs of the streets and houses of Keighley.  The narration tells of the appalling conditions and of the complaints made about these. Title – This Horrid Place A film by Keith Overend. The next photograph shows portraits of the seven members of the Board of Guardians who were imprisoned in York Castle for refusing to co-operate with vaccination against smallpox.  This is followed by more photographs and a front page of the Keighley News, dated Saturday, August 12th, 1876, which reports on the arrests and the protests in their support.  The newspaper itself condemned their behaviour.  Some of the poor conditions are highlighted, especially Eastwood Row. It also reports on the crime and well-known local personalities, such as Timothy Feather, the last of the hand-loom weavers.  The film then provides a brief history of the town, illustrated with lots of archive photos and to the accompaniment of Pink Floyd’s ‘One of these Days’. Among the events highlighted are: the first Friendly Society Gala, on June 23rd 1877; the first town council in 1882,  with the board of health having already been formed in 1855; the history of the town clock and local tram services, firstly horse drawn, and then electric.  The film then moves onto the current period, 1974, with the music of Tangerine Dream’s Phaedra accompanying images of modern Keighley. Title – Narrator John S. Bell Voices: Stanley Boardman, Susan Kelly, Edwyn Hodgson, Jack Longbottom, Edwin Smith, John Overend. The loan of photographs by the following is gratefully acknowledged:  Mr I Dewhirst, Miss A Ward, Keighley Public Library, Cliff Castle Museum. Financed by Yorkshire Arts Association