STANDING on the steps of St Paul’s Cathedral are some of the 180 Keighley schoolchildren who – on October 18, 1947 – were invited to the Mansion House as guests of the then Lord Mayor of London, Sir Bracewell Smith.
The former Keighley pupil-teacher had gone to the capital as a science master but successfully switched into property and became known as London’s “hotel king”.
In 1949, he was to present Cliffe Castle to Keighley.
His invitation provided a unique experience for the children, who were drawn from 15 local schools, selected either by ballot or as a reward for hard work.
They were met at St Pancras Station by the Lord Mayor’s sword bearer, toured London in six coaches and dined in the main banqueting hall at the Mansion House, where they were requested to sing Ilkla Moor Baht ‘at.
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