ONE of Keighley’s lost Anglican churches, this was the interior of Holy Trinity in Lawkholme Lane, consecrated in 1882 with seating for 730 and – one of many local victims of changing religious and social habits – demolished in 1972. Its Sunday School provided “probably the finest parochial room in the district”.
Here in 1937 arrived as vicar the Rev Harold Goodwin Wilks, from Upperthong, Holmfirth, where he had been known as “the panto vicar” because he wrote and acted in pantomimes. At Holy Trinity in 1938 he introduced Sunday night dances.
“He had evening service,” recalls one of his former parishioners, “and if you attended you were given a ticket to go into the Sunday School hall for a dance.” This experiment filled his church to capacity, but roused a storm of controversy. “I was too young to go to the dancing,” says one young worshipper,” but I remember it was packed to the doors.”
The photograph has been supplied by Mr Kevin Seaton, of Shann Lane, Keighley.
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