Town Hall showcases unique Silsden in Art exhibition of paintings and photographs

Silsden in Art, a major exhibition of paintings by local artists and images by local photographers, takes place at Silsden Town Hall over the Easter weekend. Pictured  above is Colin Neville, author of the Silsden in Art book, which accompanies the unique showcase of the arts scene in the area past and present.

The show has been organised by representatives of Silsden Local History Group, Silsden Photography Group, the Town Hall and Colin's Not Just Hockney art project. The picture above from the exhibition is a work by one of Silsden's most successful artists, Joseph West, who painted this scene of Raikes Road (now Bradley Road) looking towards the town, in 1919.

The exhibition illustrates how Silsden and the surrounding countryside was portrayed by artists in the past and how it is seen today. Many of the artworks have been loaned by local residents. The above view of Lumb Clough Bridge on Holden Beck was painted in 1900 by William Lambert, either just before or as a memorial just after the old structure was swept away in a flood in July of that year. Information boards will highlight other renowned Silsden-born artists of yesteryear. There will also be a display about Silsden's long-gone Picture Palace cinema.

More than 50 paintings will be featured and there will be over 100 pictures of local scenes by present-day photographers. The above image of the canal between Silsden and Kildwick was taken in 1900 by Alexander Keighley, a pioneer of pictorial movement in photography, who lived at Steeton Hall. The modern photograph below of canal boats near Silsden was taken by John Moody and will also be on display.

There will be art demonstrations by local artists and a cafe on the Saturday. Funds raised by the exhibition, including profits from sales of the Silsden in Art book, will go to the community-run Town Hall. The event opens at 9.30am on Easter Saturday, March 30th, and at 2pm on Easter Sunday, closing at 4pm on both days. Entry is free although donations for the upkeep of the Town Hall will be welcomed.

A Land For All Seasons booklet celebrates our precious fields and urges action against more losses to come

Pictured above are Carol Morrell Smith and granddaughter Evelyn Shaw with a copy of a new booklet being published by the Silsden Campaign for the Countryside. A Land For All Seasons tells the story of the fields between Hawber Cote and ancient Brown Bank Lane where, despite unprecedented objections, builders Persimmon have been given permission to site 138 houses. 

The book features words and pictures contributed by local people and combines a celebration of the history and wildlife of these much-loved, footpath-crossed fields with a lament for what will be lost.  Campaign chair Mark Wogden says the book is also a call to action to save remaining farmland for future generations. As reported in my blog of May 9th 2022, Persimmon controls a much larger adjoining area from Brunthwaite to Brown Bank where, subject to planning permission, a further 150 homes could be built by 2030 following completion in 2026 of the first phase of 138 homes. 

Carol Morrell Smith, whose family history in Silsden goes back centuries, is among  residents who have contributed memories of happy times walking the fields that are now threatened.

The book includes work by local artists Jo Whitehead, Fran Elliott and Louise Limb, stunning wildlife images by nature photographer David Dimmock and the thoughts of local children, who express their fears about climate change and loss of biodiversity. Priced at £4.99, the book will be launched at a coffee morning (9.30-11.30) at St James' Community Hall on March 9th before becoming available in local shops.

A dry day at last: it's enough to bowl you over

After dreary December and seemingly weeks of woefully wet weather, with unseasonably mild temperatures, the first weekend of January brought sunshine and cooler conditions more like we'd expect at this time of year. A cue for winter walks in Silsden's precious countryside and lanes. Also, as shown above, an unlikely opportunity to bend the knee and flex the muscles several months in advance of the new bowling season. Pictured left to right are Richard Gornall, Michael O'Neill and Brian Moorhouse, whose combined ages total 239 years. They are all senior members of Silsden Playing Fields Bowling Club, whose crown green and HQ are in Silsden park. The club welcomes new members of all ages for the new season, which starts in April.   

Fun run gives the New Year a traditional start

Silsden's 40th New Year's Day fun run brought out local families determined to defy the dismal weather that has prevailed over the holiday period. The event, raising money for charity, was instigated by Paul Buckley in 1983. Still competing, veteran Silsden runner Paul is pictured above on the right in the light-yellow training top. At the back on the left, in the red top holding his son Lennie, is Stephen Throup, whose late father, Dave Throup, set the course record of 15 mins 25 secs in the early 1990s. Stephen takes part  each year, this time with daughter Gracie, aged 8, and, making his debut, five-year-old Lennie.

The three-mile course has a stiff uphill start from The Green in Bradley Road and then goes along Hole Lane to the Heights before coming downhill into Horne Lane and finally Bradley Road. Holly Fitch (Wharfedale Harriers), of Silsden, on the right, led the women home with No.29 Annie Chambers (Keighley and Craven Athletic Club) second.

The men's race was won by Nathan Hird (right), of the well-known Silsden running  family, with Jake Norris (left) second.

The race, organised by Wharfedale Harriers, started in a chilly shower but otherwise there were some pleasant sunny intervals. The race has been held annually since 1983 with the exception of 2021, when it was cancelled because of the Covid restrictions.

Silsden families were to the fore. Pictured above are the Raven family: dad James, mum Emma and their daughters Amelia, 10, and Annabel, 8.