Did You Know? West Yorkshire – A Miscellany. Francis Frith Collection, £6.99 Why did children from London workhouses end up in Bradford in the 18th and 19th centuries – and why were they unlucky compared to youngsters in Leeds?

Why did Mary Jane and her sweetheart inspire a song about Ilkley Moor? What exactly is a ‘brussen tup’? And why might you need earplugs on Christmas Eve if you live in Dewsbury?

All is revealed in this amusing collection of regional trivia, aimed at challenging local knowledge and providing intriguing insights into the history and heritage of West Yorkshire.

Illustrated with old photographs from the Francis Frith Collection, it’s a fascinating compilation of facts about the region, as well as local dialect words and phrases, ghost stories, recipes and sporting trivia.

The book is packed with Bradford references, some of which are familiar – such as the Grey Lady ghost story at East Riddlesden Hall and the Haworth moorland providing inspiration for the Bronte sisters – and some of which are less so.

As well as intriguing little snippets of trivia, the book offers bite-sized chunks of historical information about the development of industrial Bradford and its evolving population.

It sheds light on the deadly cases of anthrax which 19th century wool handlers were at risk of catching, and which became known as the Bradford Disease. It was down to Frederick William Eurich, working in a laboratory in the city’s Technical College, to come up with the use of formaldehyde which led to a decrease in anthrax cases. Eurich was awarded the Gold Medal of the Textile Institute in recognition of the thousands of lives saved as a result of his work.

The book also covers the stories of Sir Titus Salt, ‘factory king’ Richard Oastler and ‘education king’ W E Forster, accompanied by a charming Victorian photograph of Forster Square. Other areas of the district captured in delightful old photographs include Bingley’s Five Rise Locks in 1900, Keighley Cattle Market in 1910 and Kirkgate in Otley in 1960, which appears alongside a paragraph about the town’s links with furniture designer Thomas Chippendale, Methodist preacher John Wesley and the ‘Donkey Stone’ marking the grave of his horse.

There’s a pleasant photograph of Heckmondwike Market in 1955 – older readers from the Spen Valley may well spot themselves or someone they know browsing around the array of stalls – a Victorian walker taking a breather at the foot of the Cow and Calk Rocks, in 1874, and a shot of Ilkley’s The Grove in 1911, showing how little the town centre has altered over the past century. The story behind Ilkley’s famous Saxon crosses is revealed, along with Charles Darwin’s links to the town.

A chapter on sporting snippets includes the stories behind Bradford Northern, Bradford City and Ilkley Tennis Club’s annual open tournament.

There are recipes for West Riding Pudding and Yorkshire Parkin, and a quiz on local knowledge testing the grey matter with questions on everything from Bradford’s City Hall to Ilkley’s Old Bridge.

An entertaining little book, making local history more accessible, and an ideal stocking filler for this Christmas.