Work proceeds apace at site for 156 affordable homes

A view from a hillside across the valley of the Keighley Road site (opposite the Aldi supermarket) where 156 affordable homes are being built by Lindum York on behalf of Yorkshire Housing, a not-for-profit association, which manages more than 18,000 affordable and social-rent homes across 20 local authorities. The 5.8-hectare brownfield site was previously occupied by textile firms and a wood yard. (Silsden's first powered weaving mill opened here in 1838.) 

The development, which will take just over two years to complete, comprises 36 homes for affordable rents, 44 rent-to-buy properties and 76 houses for shared-ownership. The homes will be built of stone and there will be a public open space to the south of the site, which lies between Keighley Road and Sykes Lane, from where the above photo was taken. Meanwhile, work continues (in the foreground of the above photograph) on Barratt Homes' Saxon Dene development in Belton Road, where 230 houses are being built, many of them already completed and occupied. The photograph, also taken from a hillside across the valley, shows on the right in front of the Hawber Cote fields Silsden's new primary school, which originally was due to be ready for the new term.Above: at the other end of town Skipton Properties is developing fields bounded by Nab View, Townhead Farm, Rotary Works (formerly occupied by Airedale Factors) and Bolton Road. Skipton Properties acquired the site after it was the subject of a successful appeal to allow up to 62 homes to be built.More local fields will be lost if allocations go ahead to meet government housing targets. Land between the canal and Woodside Road (pictured above) has been scheduled for 146 new homes. Fields either side of Sykes Lane, including smallholdings by the canal, have been earmarked for 145 houses. Altogether eight Silsden sites accommodating 580 new homes have been designated (see my blog posts of February 24th, 2021), in addition to the Barratt and Skipton Properties developments.

Poignant re-discovery of uncle's name carved into landmark Fireman's Rock 80 years ago

The name of a teenager carved into Fireman's Rock and hidden from view for more than 60 years has been re-discovered, to the emotional joy of his family. John Sowray is pictured above by the uncovered name of his uncle J. Sowray. The ancient boulder, on the moorland path between Nab End and Windgate Nick, is known to countless walkers for its carved depiction of a fireman's helmet and the inscription of A. Moore November 1939 (pictured below).

The family of Arnold Moore told the Keighley News in 1964 that as a 17-year-old Arnold and his pal Jack Sowray had incised their names and two helmets into the rock shortly before enlisting for service in the Second World War. For more than 60 years it has been assumed that the carved name of Jack (pictured left), who was killed while serving in France in 1944, had disappeared, probably lost to time and the elements. But a series of coincidences in 2021 has led to the remarkable re-discovery of his name at the rear of the rock, where it is overshadowed by the dry-stone wall that borders White Crag Plantation. Amazingly, the finding was made by Jack's niece, Lesley Sowray, earlier this year. She had been alerted by a former nursing colleague, Mike Fizio, of Swartha, who was researching the rock's history. Lesley, a keen walker, had passed the rock many times over the years without knowing her family's connection. Arnold Moore and Jack Sowray were the sons of serving fire officers in Bradford and grew up together in the staff quarters at the Nelson Street fire station. The Moore family owned a small holiday bungalow at Silsden, in Light Bank Lane, below Nab End where the moorland path to Ilkley starts. The teenaged lads spent many hours exploring and climbing in the area and planned to follow their fathers into the fire service. Arnold and Jack created the carvings when war broke out. Arnold survived the conflict and became a leading fire officer. Jack lost his life aged 22 in August 1944 when he was hit by a German sniper and is buried at Bayeux War Cemetery (pictured below).

Kurdish barber chooses Silsden for his first shop

The Silsden Barber business which opened at 5 Bolton Road in April is owner Saim Sarwan's first shop. Saim, pictured above, is a Kurd and came to Liverpool from Iran a couple of years ago. Having decided to open his own shop, he found the premises in Silsden through a friend in Bradford and says he is delighted to be in such a welcoming community.
The shop in Bolton Road has been a barber's for a few years and previously was AJ's, which opened there in 2013.   

Briggate bike shop riding high after first year in business

Johnny Varley, pictured above, opened his Cyclopedia bike shop at 19 Briggate on July 3rd 2020 and has successfully steered the business through a challenging first year.

He has benefited from the surge, during lockdown, in the popularity of cycling but has had to be constantly resourceful: huge demand has disrupted supply chains and made bikes, spares and accessories hard to come by. Nationwide, customers ordering a bike today might have to wait six months for delivery. Mr Varley says that half the enquiries he receives are about electric bikes.  

Unsettled in his job as a technical manager in the construction industry, in Leeds, Mr Varley took a step back and reflected on where his life and career were going. At the same time, the shop in Briggate, previously occupied by Ayrton Interiors, was on the market. Mr Varley seized the opportunity, quit the building industry and opened his own cycle business. He remembered valuable insights from the days he worked after school at a bike shop in Wetherby, the town where he was brought up. He now lives in Silsden.

Bursts of blackthorn blossom bedeck our hedgerows

Glorious sunshine has highlighted stunning arrays of blackthorn blossom in local hedgerows, coinciding with the National Trust's first "blossom watch" day on April 24th when people were urged to celebrate the sights and scents of the blossom season. The blackthorn pictured above is part of the dazzling display lining the footpath from Skipton Road towards Tar Topping.

Crumbs! Serving up special treats for mums' special day

Aimee Mcnulty (pictured above), owner of Crumbs, the popular cafe and cakes caterer in Briggate, and her team provided 340 boxed-up afternoon teas and cup cakes over the Mothering Sunday weekend. Aimee, a former South Craven School student, is a member of Silsden's well-known Mcnulty footballing family and took over the Crumbs business five years ago. She has been exceptionally busy during the Covid 19 lockdown, which has closed pubs and restricted all cafes to a takeaway service.  

The shopfront has been tastefully decorated with this eye-catching balloon garland provided by Ribbons & Bloom, of Bingley. The door bow matches the window display celebrating both Mother's Day and Easter.

New era in Briggate as iconic DIY shop changes hands

Michael and Julie Whitaker (pictured above) have completed their first six months as the new owners of the Briggate DIY shop, which stocks around 4,000 products. Michael was a printer for 40 years before acting on his ambition to own a DIY shop, having always enjoyed doing home improvements. Julie helps in the shop, now named Whitakers, when her job as a Bradford council support teacher, working with children in care, permits.

Michael and Julie took over the shop, previously known as Paul's DIY, last August after owner Paul Waddington retired. There was much relief when it was found that the new owners were to continue the business as a DIY shop. They say they have greatly appreciated the welcome and support they have received. Paul Waddington ran the shop for 40 years, during which time he established himself as a local character. His parents, Eric and Mary,  also traded in Briggate as proprietors of a fish and chip shop between 1962 and 1983.