RIDDLESDEN’S own Ann Lister will be highlighted in history walks during Keighley Arts and Film Festival.

Historian, writer and storyteller Irene Lofthouse will don period costume to relate the story of mill owner Rachel Leach.

She will tell how Rachel stood up to male rivals in the cutthroat textiles world of the late 1700s.

And she will suggest Rachel, who never married, was a local version of Ann Lister, owner of Shibden Hall in Halifax whose story was told recently in BBC drama series Gentleman Jack.

Irene, in the guise of millworker Nancy Newbody, will lead the walk entitled Mills, Myths and Musings on the afternoons of October 11 and 12.

Starting from Keighley railway station, they will take in Dalton Mill, Low Mill and Whalley’s Timber Works.

Rachel Leach, who lived at West Riddlesden Hall, was described by one of her workers as ‘a bold masculine sort of woman’.

She built Strong Close Mill in 1791, a spinning mill in Keighley that was the forerunner of Dalton Mills.

Irene said: “I came across Rachel’s story when researching mills and myths in Keighley.

“Discovering that she was a female mill owner and entrepreneur who had had run-ins with rivals who were flooding her site, I did think about parallels to that other ‘masculine’ woman of the time and wondered if Rachel was Keighley’s very own Ann Lister! I decided she needed to be brought to a wider audience.”

Irene, as Nancy, will tell true stories, reimagined stories, original stories inspired by the locations, and perhaps some stuff and nonsense.

Irene added: “Keighley was a radical place throughout the Industrial Revolution and some of the colourful and inspirational radicals will also feature.”

Irene wanted to thank Keighley Local History Society for their help with research, and said she found it fascinating following all the leads.

Mills, Myths and Musings is family-friendly and suitable for age 5+. Participants should wear suitable clothing and footwear for the walk and weather conditions and all children must be accompanied by an adult.

The walks are free but there are limited spaces, so booking is essential, by visiting kaff.org or Facebook @keighleyfestival.