Regeneration at Stakehill

Work is being carried out to improve the long-term condition and biodiversity of Stakehill Plantation, a shelter break, at the moorland junction of Hole Lane, Heights Lane and Dennis Lane. Some 100 of the 500 trees, predominantly sycamore, are being felled in two stages, this year and next, so that light can penetrate and allow ground-cover plants and trees to regenerate naturally. To minimise disturbance, logging horses worked by Peter and Carole Coates, of Cottingley, are doing the fetching and carrying. They are pictured above with Murphy, an experienced working cob. As the Airedale Woodman, Peter is regenerating the plantation on behalf of Bradford council, which probably inherited the 2-acre wood from Silsden in 1974. Up to 1947, it was owned by the Skipton Estate. The improvements will benefit flora and fauna, and brash (the small branches) is being left as habitats for wildlife and insects.

The Local History Group has presented the town with a handsome oak-framed interpretation board telling of Silsden's history. The board, sited near the nail sculpture in the flower bed by the Wesley Place car park, was unveiled on December 18 by children from Hothfield Junior School's archaeology group.   

Hothfield school head teacher James Procter (left) and two of the pupils are pictured at the unveiling with ward councillor Andrew Mallinson (second from right) and History Group chairman David Mason. The £1,600 cost of the professionally-designed board was met by a £1,000 grant arranged by Councillor Mallinson from Bradford council's Keighley Area Committee and £600 from the History Group. 

The Hothfield School pupils who attended the ceremony are pictured above. At the back, the school's history lead teacher Becky Carter (third from left) is chatting with two of the History Group members.

The Hair Design Centre (pictured above) is one of Silsden's longest-established salons, having been opened at 44 Kirkgate in 1986 by Annette Russell, who started in business in 1976 as Ginger's at No. 10a Kirkgate, which is now Curry Corner.

The Hair Design Centre was taken over in 1992 by Judith Russell (pictured above), Annette's daughter, who has run the business ever since.

 Nicky Fowler (above foreground) is senior stylist . Working beyond her is Kim Smith.

Long-serving Jackie Cook (above) has worked at the Hair Design Centre for both Judith and Annette.

Melissa Holgate is pictured concentrating on an intricate design for a customer.

Most people will remember the premises next door as two shops until they and the basements were converted into Bonaparte's restaurant and wine bar, in 1999, by local entrepreneur Neil Albone. After three successful years, he sold the business, since when changes made by subsequent owners have been short-lived.

Just at No. 46 and Pennine Television and Electrical at No. 48 were neighbours after Annette Russell had opened the Hair Design Centre at No. 44 in 1986. The hoarding on the prominent gable-end wall of No. 44 advertised Carr's grocery, which had previously occupied the premises. Duckworth's followed Carr's but the hoarding went unchanged. (Photograph by courtesy of Silsden Camera Club.)

This photograph shows the Hair Design Centre with a new-look window and the prime advertising site taken over by the Elegance Beauty Salon opposite in Aire View. Elegance is still in Aire View.

The Hair Design Centre has subsequently regained the gable-end wall to promote its "as individual as you are" business. The nearby street furniture presumably is a temporary distraction.

Carr's grocery was established at No. 44 in the 1950s. This photograph was used in my January 2013 post to draw attention to Driver's Milk Bar on the opposite side of Kirkgate.

   

Edward Boothman, of Silsden, one of the country's foremost suppliers of pullets, is the new chairman of the Poultry Club of Great Britain, which, founded in 1877, protects the interests of pure and traditional breeds and is guardian of the British Poultry Standards. He was vice-chairman for six years before becoming acting chairman in May and then permanent chairman in September. His leadership will include overseeing the National Poultry Show's move to modern, larger premises at Telford next year after traditionally being held at Stoneleigh, which it has outgrown. Entries have been rising annually and exceeded 7,500 at last month's farewell Stoneleigh show. Another major assignment for the club will be the updating of the Breed Standards Book for publication in 2017. 

Edward, who is chairman of the Craven Poultry Keepers Club, started with his own Light Sussex flock while at junior school. He has been renowned in the poultry world for many years and rears 60 different breeds as well as 40 different bantam breeds. He is pictured above with a Serama cockerel and young hen. The Serama, a bantam from Malaysia, was introduced here in 2004 and is reputedly the world's smallest breed. 

Edward is pictured above with a cock bird of one of his favourite breeds, the New Hampshire Red. A member of a well-known Silsden farming family, Edward successively gave up dairy and beef herds and latterly sheep, and now concentrates on hens, about which he is passionate and is thus maintaining a great Silsden tradition: from the late 1800s and for much of the last century, the town ruled supreme in national poultry shows.

Indoor bowlers enjoyed their first game of the winter season on the first floor of the new-look Town Hall on Tuesday, December 3.  

John Cobb, who is chairman of Silsden Allotment Association, gets the right bias on his wood.

Library staff were busy on day two of their move to the Town Hall, measuring space for noticeboards, newspaper and leaflet racks and other items, such as first-aid kits. There will be a self-service machine for readers to return, borrow and renew books. Pictured above, left to right, are Mandy Webb, Sally Haigh and Judi Rich.   

Autumnal scene in Hainsworth Lane, familiarly known to locals as Gasworks Lane.

Silsden's library opened in the new-look Town Hall on Monday, December 2, after several decades in Wesley Place. Librarian Frances Bancroft is pictured above on the opening day. The library, in a ground-floor room, is open 10am-4pm Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays and 9.30am-4pm on Saturdays. It is closed on Wednesdays. The Wesley Place premises are due to be sold to help offset the cost of the Town Hall restoration, which is nearing completion. The foundation stone for the Town Hall was laid in December 1883 and the building opened as the Mechanics' Institute in 1884. It included a conversation room and a "small but select" library. It was renamed the Town Hall in 1909. The present library has 2,000 books on-site and local readers can also access all the titles in Bradford metropolitan council's libraries. This facility will be available as soon as the Silsden branch's computers are operational later this month.

Hundreds turn out for Christmas Market 

Silsden's Christmas Market on Sunday, November 24, attracted hundreds of buyers and browsers. Stalls at the handsomely refurbished Town Hall (open to public inspection for the first time), in Briggate and at Punch Bowl Hill offered a wide variety of goods, and a number of shops also opened for the occasion. Stallholders were a mix of local organisations, charities, hobbyists and commercial traders. At dusk the Town Band played, church choristers sang and local resident Mary Fryers, a member of the market-organising Gala Committee, switched on the Christmas lights and decorations, which once again were erected by volunteers.

Above: Victoria Williamson watches as daughter Georgina, 3, concentrates on making a colourful pattern at the Silsden Library stall of creative activities for children.  

With appropriate headwear, Mary Fryers, who later in the day switched on the town's Christmas lights, takes her turn looking after the Gala Committee's stall. 

Silsden Youth Council held a raffle to raise funds for its ambitious "Fitness in the Park" project. Left to right are Honey Debney-Succoia, Ben Farrar and Gabby Keating.

Caterer Sarah Morton's Homemade Heaven stall did brisk business. Sarah, of Longbottom Avenue, makes and bakes at home. 

Silsden Library staff took the opportunity to publicise their forthcoming move to the new-look Town Hall (its original home). They vacate their Wesley Place premises on December 2. Left to right are Sally Haigh, Mandy Webb, Frances Bancroft and Carol Wallace.

Silsden Local History Group's calendar of yesteryear scenes has now sold out. Committee members Brian Sunderland (right), who compiled the calendar, and Barbara Hetherington (second from right) helped run the group's stall. The booklet on the left is a Silsden Guide published by the old Urban District Council in the early 1950s. It cost nine pre-decimal pennies.

Shops and stalls in Briggate attracted a steady stream of customers.

Pictured above are Country Kitchen owner Zoe Sugden (right) and Christine Needham.

Lauren Pinkney was on duty at Cafe Cake in Briggate.

Among the Town Hall stallholders who took the opportunity to offer products arising from a hobby was Steve Brown, who makes tableware and gifts from slate. He is pictured here with his wife, Linda, and grandchildren Lennon (left) and Bobby Kerry. 

 Macmillan Cancer Support was among the charities raising funds.  

 David Mason at the Silsden Churches Together stall selling Fair Trade products.

Keighley hairdresser Jody Ellis (right) has a secondary interest in jewellery, handbags and fashion accessories, which featured on her stall. She is pictured with mum Karen Ellis and Sarah Houfe.

Ruth Hall and her daughter Alexandra, of Street House Farm Preserves, Addingham, sold jams, chutneys, cakes and other items made from fruit grown on the farm. "It is a hobby that has escalated," says Ruth.

Street House Farm customers included Charlotte Davison, Emma Parker and (centre) Jan McConville, who had her own stall selling fused-glass jewellery and other products that she makes as a hobby at her Steeton home.

Home-made delights raised funds to help people with Parkinson's.

Sarah Pullen's stall offered a large selection of Christmas cards and wrapping paper.

Jamie at Home parties (meaning celebrity chef Jamie Oliver) were promoted by consultant Heather Richardson, helped by Lucy Lambert, who is pictured above.

This Roll of Honour has been cleaned and now occupies a prominent place in the main function room on the ground floor of the Town Hall. The board is in memory of men associated with Silsden Methodist Church and Sunday School who joined the forces in the First World War. The central panel names those who died.  

The new roof feature on the first floor of the Town Hall. The wooden structure, hidden for many years, was uncovered when a suspended ceiling was removed during the £300,000-plus renovations. The woodwork, restored and painted, gives the function room added visual impact.