Alexander & Allan Smith Memories

Alexander Smith

Alexander Smith was born in 1915 and lived at Cromer Avenue  at Ingrow, he  had the foresight to take many pictures of Keighley, his son Allan had the same idea some years later. The Keighley shown on this pictorial record is long gone.

Allan, has shared the many photographs which Alexander took as an 18 year old boy - this is a fantastic archive of old pictures.

Allan still has his fathers Ensign Carbine bellows camera. Allan is immensly proud of what his father was, and his memory lives on in his many pictures of our town.

As a lad, Alexander  worked at Frank Butterfield's shop in the Royal Arcade in Low Street, for the princely sum of thirty shillings per week. He swept the arcade every morning.
He tells Allan of how, when houses were being built at Hospital Road, Riddlesden, he pushed a wheelbarrow containing .all the nails and screws across Station Bridge and down Bradford Road.
Alexander and his wife were married for almost 63 years, and died within seven weeks of each other in 2004.

His legacy lives on

Once again, no dates are given, but as a kid I remember seeing the RAF roundals painted on the doors.
 
I have read that the last service was held on 29 May 1937.

Nice to see old cars with mudguards parked in Cooke Street in a more leisurely age.

Allan Smith.

We were talking Keighley Fairgrounds on the Forum and Allan was reminded of the Fair which came to the bottom of Oakworth Road, on the site now occupied by 'The Oaks' and the former doctors' surgery. He thinks it was a 'one-off' and says he certainly doesn't remember another, either before or since.He remembers some of the old streets on the site, one of which was Bengal Street.
 
These are Allans pictures which he took on 21 August 1970. Note the prices in pre-decimal currency on the close-up of the hoop-la stall 

Enjoy!

Allan Smith