Historic Keighley Exhibition Offers Glimpse into Local Past

A fascinating 19th-century exhibition in Keighley reveals community spirit and cultural interests

A recently discovered newspaper cutting, preserved in the Butterfield Archive by a volunteer at Bradford Museums, provides an intriguing snapshot of a community exhibition held in Keighley in the late 19th century. The article, which remains undated but can be roughly placed in the early 1880s, describes an event organised by the Devonshire Street young men’s mutual improvement class at the New Congregational Sunday School on Spencer Street.

Exhibition Highlights

The exhibition aimed to raise funds to reduce the debt of the new Sunday School building, which had been opened after 1877. The event was officially opened by Mr B. S. Brigg, who is believed to be Benjamin Septimus Brigg, Mayor of Keighley in 1882/83.

Visitors to the exhibition were presented with a variety of displays across multiple rooms, including:

• Cases of birds, animals, and rare specimens lent by local naturalists, showcasing taxidermy and natural history.
• Working models of steam engines, locomotives, and pumps, alongside paintings and engravings.
• Chemical and electrical apparatus, with walls adorned by humorous and well-known caricatures by the late George Cruikshank and works by John Leech.
• Collections of old Bibles over 200 years old, samples of old china, curiosities from around the world, and a “Gypsies Tent” where fortune telling was offered.
• Microscopes, moving wax works, and unique artworks such as butterfly arrangements that created images when viewed closely.

The exhibition also featured two large pictures received directly from Italy, intended for Cliffe Hall (later known as Cliffe Castle), part of the art collection of Henry Isaac Butterfield, a notable local collector.

Community Engagement and Cultural Value

Organisers and visitors alike regarded the exhibition as a success, praising the painstaking efforts of the young men’s class and the generosity of local residents who lent their personal collections for public display. The event included additional attractions such as a magic lantern show and a concert by the chapel choir, with the Keighley Reed Band expected to perform on the final day.

The article notes that the exhibition was one of the best of its kind in the district, comparable to a previous event held at the Mechanics Institute. It also reflects the cultural interests of the period, including natural history, technology, art, and social entertainment.

Historical Context and Dating

While the exact date of the newspaper clipping remains unknown, several clues help place it in the early 1880s:

• The Sunday School was not opened until 1877.
• Reference to Cliffe Hall rather than Cliffe Castle, which was renamed in 1884.
• Mention of George Cruikshank as “the late” artist, who died in 1878.
• Opening by Benjamin Septimus Brigg, Mayor of Keighley in 1882/83.

The Bradford Museums team welcomes any further information that might help to pinpoint the date more precisely.

For readers interested in local history and the rich cultural heritage of Keighley, the full blog post offers a detailed account and images related to the exhibition and the Butterfield Archive.

Read more on the Bradford Museums blog: Keighley Happenings in 18??