The Men of George Hattersley and Sons Ltd:
Workers War Memorial. Northbrook Works, Keighley:
| Names of the 31 fallen: Private W. Arnold Pte J. G. Asquith Private F. Bottomley Lance-Corporal H. Burnett Private E. Crabtree Driver W. S. Chatburn Private H. Dray Private J. Dray Private J. Driver Private T. Green Private R. Harris Gunner W. Hampton Private H. Hill Private J. H Hitch Private J. Hodgson |
Private A Ingham Private W. J. Jakeway Private F. Kelly Sergeant W. Laycock Private W. Lingwood Corporal W. Maddocks Private F. A. Murray Private T. Ramsden Private E. Robinson Private S. Robinson Private F. G. Scott Private M. L. Shutt Sergeant R. Smith Private J. Walsh Sergeant J. Walsh Private J. E. Wall |
There were also 270 names of employees who served and survived the war, inscribed on this war memorial. Sadly we cannot find any record of their names.
From the first we heard of this memorial over twenty years ago, all we knew was that it was believed to be lost. The only record we came upon was that of the Imperial War Musem’s ‘UK National Inventory of War Memorials,’ which stated that the Northbrook Works was demolished in the 1970s and that the whereabouts of this memorial were unknown, and it was probably lost.
The Imperial War Museum seems to have received this information from a newspaper record and no further information was available:
MEN OF GEORGE HATTERSLEY AND SONS LTD (LOST) UKNIWM Ref: 28959.
Address:
NORTHBROOK WORKS (DEMOLISHED), KEIGHLEY, WEST YORKSHIRE, ENGLAND.
Type: BOARD/PLAQUE/TABLET
Other Location Details: IN THE LARGE DEMONSTRATION ROOM. OS Map Ref: SE 060 409.
Inscription: ROLL OF HONOUR OF THE MEN WHO LEFT THE EMPLOY OF GEORGE HATTERSLEY & SONS LTD TO SERVE THEIR COUNTRY 1914 – 1919.
Component Material:
FRAME WOOD – OAK 6FT 14FT UNKNOWN. PLAQUE – FIRST WORLD WAR BRONZE UNKNOWN.
Physical Description: NINE BRONZE PLAQUES MOUNTED WITHIN AN OAK FRAME. CENTRE PLAQUE BEARS THE NAMES OF THOSE WHO DIED.
First World War (1914-1918)
Total names on memorial: 0
Served & Returned? Died 31.
Maintenance History:
EARLY 1970’S: THE WORKS WERE DEMOLISHED AND FATE OF MEMORIAL UNKNOWN, BELIEVED LOST
Ceremonies: Not known.
Cost of Memorial: Not known.
Craftsmen. Not known.
References. None.
Co-ordinator’s Comments: REF: KEIGHLEY NEWS, DEC-1922. Photographs: None. Other Documents: None
Form / Letter: F. Negatives: No. Drawings / Plans: No. Minutes: No.
It is difficult to imagine that a memorial which measured 14 feet (4.26 metres) by 6 feet (1.8 metres) could just disappear, but when buildings get demolished it’s fate could go either way. It was a bit too large to simply throw into a skip or even for the metal panels to be removed and scrapped and the wood frame burnt.
But this memorial was so noteworthy in both it’s style and it’s dimensions that it is hard to believe that this was it’s eventual demise. Could it have been transferred to another building or placed into storage somewhere and forgotten about? We can only hope.
What we do know:
Fortunately for us, Keighley Library has an archive of Keighley News issues available as a microfilm series in 6 month reels so we were able to locate the original newspaper account of the story of the memorial. Here is the transcribed text and the best image we could manage from the microfilm.
Keighley News, Saturday 9th December, 1922:
KEIGHLEY FIRM’S WAR MEMORIAL.
FINE RECORD OF SERVICE.
BRONZE TABLETS AT MESSRS. HATTERSLEY’S WORKS.
Some time ago the loom-making firm of George Hattersley & Sons, Ltd., of Keighley, took steps to commemorate by means of a workshop memorial the sacrifices made and the services rendered on behalf of King and Country to the men from its Northbrook Works who served in His Majesty’s forces during the war.
The memorial, which has been long in preparation, on account of the care taken to create the most perfect finish in all the details, has been completed and placed in position. It is an exceedingly fine piece of work, and in the form of series of beautifully wrought solid bronze tablets, nine in number, enclosed an oaken frame of appropriate design.
The tablets on which the names of the men are set out in raised burnished letters, are fine examples of the metal worker’s art, while the framework, the design of which is based on the ionic style with a central canopy and eight supporting pillars, each having a carved capital – is of English oak, fumed and waxed, and has been executed by Mr. S. Shackleton, of Keighley.
Occupying the special place of honour, immediately beneath the central canopy and between two midmost pillars is the largest of the tablets, containing the names of the men who died, with the simple inscription, “In Memoriam’ in large plain lettering above. The eight smaller tablets, on which are set forth the names of those who served and survived, are ranged in double panel rows on ‘either side, with a supporting pillar between each set and supporting pillars at either end.
WAR RECORD OF THE WORKS:
The only additional adornments are a chastely designed central bronze plaque below, setting forth in old English raised lettering that the memorial contains the “Roll of Men who left the employ of George Hattersley & Sons, Ltd., to serve their country, 1914-1919,” and two small wreath decorations, also in bronze, one in each of the basic horizontal side panels of the frame
From side to side the memorial measures 14 feet by about 6 feet in height at the centre; and, standing out against the mural setting of the large demonstration room at the works, of which it forms a very distinctive feature, the severe lines and artistic proportions of the whole structure combines with the rich colouring of the bronze panels and the surrounding oak to convey an effort of massive simplicity which is decidedly impressive.
The war record of the works, thus substantially and physically commemorated, is in every way a noble one. From very few, if any industrial establishments in the whole Keighley district did so many men go out to take their part in the actual work of the war, by serving in the fighting line, or with the attendant services in the field or on the sea. From the directors downward, every section of workers at the Northbrook Works was strongly represented in the military or naval forces.
Owing to the largeness of the number, and the various times at which some of them joined up, it has been extremely difficult to compile an absolutely full list of those, who thus left their ordinary peace time avocations at their country’s call, but a total of some 300 have been traced and their names have been inscribed on the memorial which the firm has set up to perpetuate the memory of their loyalty and patriotism.
REMEMBRANCE OF THE FALLEN:
Of this number no fewer than thirty-one, or a proportion of just over 10 per cent., made the supreme sacrifice while the list of survivors runs out at 270. Such a record of sacrifice and serving all the more striking when it is borne in mind that the full list of employees who served in the war represents considerably more than a quarter of the whole of the pre-war working strength of the establishment-the total number of those engaged in the works at that time been roughly 1,000 men.
It is not without interest, as indicating the extent to which the names most common to this country prevail in the Keighley district, to note that the list of the fallen includes two Robinsons and one Smith, and there are also two Drays and two Walshes. Among the list of 270 survivors there is also a Jones, while the Smiths predominate to the extent of eleven names, including two of the sons in the head of the firm, both of whom were themselves directors when they went out at the beginning of the war. Equally worthy of note is it that quite a big proportion of the figure in this workshop roll of honour went on service immediately on the outbreak of hostilities as members of the local Territorials all joined up in the first rush of recruits, and remained under arms until the final disbandment of the armies, thus serving throughout the whole of the war and putting in an exceptional period of actual field service.
NAMES OF THE FALLEN:
The thirty-one names of the fallen on the central tablet are as follows:
Pte. W. Arnold, Pte J. G. Asquith, Pte. F. Bottomley, Lance-Corporal H. Burnett, Pte. E. Crabtree, Driver W. S. Chatburn, Pte. H. Dray, Pte. J. Dray, Pte. J. Driver, Pte. T. Green, Pte. R. Harris, Gunner W. Hampton, Pte. H. Hill, Pte. J. H Hitch, Pte. J. Hodgson, Pte. A Ingham, Pte. W. J. Jakeway, Pte. F. Kelly, Sergeant W. Laycock. Pte. W. Lingwood, Corporal W. Maddocks, Pte. F. A. Murray, Pte. T. Ramsden, Pte. E. Robinson, Pte. S. Robinson, Pte. F. G. Scott, Pte. M. L. Shutt, Sergeant R. Smith. Pte. J. Walsh, Sergeant J. Walsh, and Private J. E. Wall.
