Robin Longbottom looks at some of the many clubs that have called Keighley home over the years
DURING the last century, Keighley had numerous clubs that catered for a cross-section of society.
They included political, sports, trades and social clubs. A few survive today, but many have long since closed.
The most exclusive catered for businessmen, bank managers, lawyers and accountants. The oldest is the Yorkshire Lodge of Freemasons; it dates back to the 18th century and still meets at the Masonic Hall in Cook Lane. The hall was built in 1890 and replaced earlier premises in Hanover Street.
The Keighley Club, also for professional classes, leased a property at the corner of Cook Lane and Towngate. When the building came up for sale it was bought by Scaife Ramsbottom, who owned the electrical business next door. It is said that he then applied for membership but was turned down, so he gave them notice to quit. They moved to Oaklands on Skipton Road, later to become Maurice Leach undertakers.
A club for small-business owners opened after the Great War on the ground floor of the Oxford Cinema in Oakworth Road. It was named the Grafton Club. In about 1938 it moved across the road to West View House, the former home of Abraham Sugden, a Co-operative manager, who retired to Morecambe. The club still occupies the house today.
Political clubs included the Liberal Club in Scott Street, now part of Keighley Playhouse, and two Conservative clubs. One Conservative club was in Cook Lane and moved to Skipton Road when the area was redeveloped in the late 1960s. The other was the Eastwood Conservative Club in Dalton Lane. There was also the East Ward Unionist Club in Parkwood Street, that supported maintaining the union with Ireland. With opposing views was the United Irish League Club in Market Street, which closed in 1945.
Sports clubs included the Keighley RUFC in Lord Street, a rather rough and ready establishment where beer was served straight from the barrel. It has since relocated to Utley. There were two cycling clubs – the Keighley Cycling Club, founded in 1884, with premises in Cavendish Street, and the Albion Cycling Club in Oakworth Road. The KCC boasted two large billiard tables, and membership was by purchase of a £1 share.
The town also had several trades clubs – the Engineers Club in Russell Street, long since converted into flats; the Dyers & Finishers in Low Mill Lane, now an Indian restaurant, and the old Spinners & Weavers Club in Low Street.
Amongst the social clubs were the Irish Club in West Lane – where access was gained by ringing a concealed bell at the entrance – the St Anne’s Catholic Club, and the Ukrainian Club. The latter were both off the bottom of Spring Gardens Lane. The Catholic Club closed in 2010, and the Ukrainian Club sold its premises at Mayfield House and moved to Henry Street after membership dwindled.
Most clubs were exclusively male. However, many admitted ladies on certain occasions. The Yorkshire Lodge had a ‘Ladies Night’ once a year and others allowed women in at Christmas. The RUFC in Lord Street admitted ladies on Christmas Eve, and one working man when asked if he’d got a turkey for Christmas replied “no, the wife and I take sandwiches to the Engineers Club and get five free pints.”
Lastly it would be remiss not to mention the mythical Beckside Social Club – the label given to those who had fallen on hard times and gathered at Beckside below Church Street. There are numerous tales associated with it, such as a van arriving with a snooker table for the ‘club’ and of an entertainer wandering around Church Green enquiring as to where his booking was. A spoof balance sheet dated 1992 includes moneys in the Bottle Bank, donations from supermarkets and expenditure for a trip to Armley.
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