A Bridge too Far: Travellers on the A639 to Leeds cannot have missed the metal track laid parallel to the railway line at ground level (Feb 2009). It would appear that Railtrack, or is … Continue Reading →
WWII – Home Guard
During the 2nd World War Methley was the Headquarters of a heavy artillery and searchlight regiment for the protection of Leeds and the Lower Calder Vale who were billeted and … Continue Reading →
WWII – VE Day
VE Day – Norman Green on the drum outside of the Royal Oak after the announcement by Alvara Dell of the BBC of cessation of hostilities. I can’t remember a … Continue Reading →
Harry Veal WWI
Harry was born in 1880 at Otley a son of Thomas and Mary Veal of that town. He took farming work and was employed there as a farm cattleman. At … Continue Reading →
Prisoner of War – Artist
Year 1947. Acceleration of the demobilisation of British troops throughout 1946 and re-employment into their former occupations brought about the need to complete the repatriation of Axis troops held in … Continue Reading →
George Frederick Bedford
George Frederick better known as Fred was born in 1884 in Skinner Lane, Methley Town, Leeds. His parents were George and Mary Bedford. Until the outbreak of war in World … Continue Reading →
Roll of Honour
Pontefract & Castleford Express 19th December, 1947 Village Memorial WWII To raise £500 to complete the memorial in St Oswald’s Church to the villagers who gave their lives to the … Continue Reading →
War Memorial WW1
Unveiling of the War Memorial– Sunday April 10th, 1921 at 3.00pm A simple but very impressive ceremony was witnessed in St Oswald’s churchyard on Sunday afternoon, when the memorial which … Continue Reading →
Colliers Strike 1893
July 1893 Manpower at Methley Collieries at the time of Colliers Strike Colliery Men and Boys Savile … Continue Reading →
Bell Pit
It was 1950, midwinter and freezing. We’d just come across ice covered water in a steep hollow between some trees. The ice was thick and in the middle was a … Continue Reading →
Albert Micklefield’s Notebooks
I am indebted to Ian Micklefield of Methley who has provided me with typewritten copies of the Albert Micklefield notebook entries by year – appended is the copy for year … Continue Reading →




