Letters to the Editor

Could I politely request dog owners not to deposit their faeces on the grass outside our homes, along with food containers. The rats are having a field day. Maybe we should give them a packet of fags.

We have a lovely view on Spearhead Way. Rubbish stacked high. At night the gathering of the clans on the unofficial race track. Cars honking. A beautiful area for retired people.

The only thing I have in common are the rats - the Desert Rats because my dad was one.

M WRIGHT

Emily Street,

Lawkholme Lane, Keighley

SIR - I was not surprised to read of the police lack of interest in an assault on the youth Mathew Gray.

My grandson Daniel was attacked in a public place, with plenty of witnesses, when he was 13 years old, by a driving instructor. I had to get Ann Cryer MP involved before he even got an apology.

No wonder people take the law into their own hands when the people who are paid to keep the peace lack integrity.

MARTHA SCOTT

Boothman Walk,

Keighley

SIR - I see that in this week's Keighley News one of the letters refers to the article which I sent in to the letters column regarding the Keighley Library.

Your correspondent is quite right in stating that it was Andrew Carnegie who paid for the building of the library with a gift of £10,000 in 1904. This was the first of many libraries to which he gave money.

We in Keighley should be proud of this and I have for the last 12 months campaigned in the Keighley News and within the Keighley Town Council Chamber for something to be done to bring this fine building back to its former glory.

At the meeting we had of the Recreation and Leisure Committee in the Town Hall with Mr I Watson he stated his priorities are staff, stock services and building stock.

He informed us that the library staff on the ground floor are to be cut from five to four and that the Reference Library staff will be increased from two to three.

He went on to say that many of the books in the Library are never used. There are 90,000 books in the Library and 40 per cent have not been issued in the last 12 months.

With regard to the question of books which the public have donated, he said no books are ever refused but there is no guarantee that books will be put into circulation.

When questioned about the chair lift, the corroded window column, the leaking roof and dropped ceiling tiles, plus the general state of disrepair, he stressed that he is adamant that the Library should be brought up to standard. But my question is when?

There has already been one bid for Lottery money which failed. Why can there not be another bid put in, or why has there not been a bid put in to the National Heritage Fund? We hear of money being put into buildings which are owned by the rich and famous.

Well we are not rich but because the library is famous, i.e. the first Andrew Carnegie Library, should not Bradford Metropolitan District Council apply for such a grant?

Mr Watson informed us that there are to be nine more computers installed in the Library, bringing the total to 28.

This he says will meet National Standards. The stair chair lift was made in Italy and the parts to repair it will have to come from there.

What a pity when we have businesses in Keighley who make vertical lifts that a new one could not be installed to meet with the new regulations which are to be introduced and must be complied with in the Year 2004.

Will the present one be removed? We were informed the cost of restoration will run into six figures. This is at the present time. What will it cost if it has to wait for a few more years? Will the price not have gone up? Come on Bradford Met Councillors who represent Keighley, try and get our Library back to its former glory.

L W BROCKLESBY

Keighley

SIR - The television series where people turn bricks and mortar into serious cash is back and we need your help!

Remember the women from Swansea who chucked in comfy jobs and bought a collapsing cottage? Their dream was to do it up and sell it on for a massive profit.

Or the girls from Maidstone determined to develop a cellar, no matter what anyone else said? And the guys who bought a barn in Lincoln and sold it for a bomb after creating a cool contemporary home?

Well, presenter Sarah Beeny is back with a third series of the Channel 4's hit show and she's scouring the length and breadth of the country searching out brand new developers.

So if you think you'd be perfect, or you know someone who would, then get in touch.

You need to be new to developing. That means on your first or second project.You need to be developing for profit. You need your own ideas about what you want to do with your property. You need to be ready to develop your property right now. You need to be prepared to have all aspects of the development filmed for transmission on the programme.

The deadlines are tight, the properties we film need to be finished by August and we want to start filming them in the next 4-6 weeks.

Either call on 01494 733 527 or email rae.gilder@talkback.co.uk telling us what you're developing and when. Plus please give a daytime phone number.

Rae Gilder

Researcher

SIR - I am trying to trace some descendants of three sisters who were born in Felmingham, Norfolk, between 1868 and 1875. They all married and went to live in Keighley, Yorkshire.

There is a book being compiled for a World Wide "Slapp" Reunion on October 3 this year in Rylston, NSW, Australia. All Slapp descendants are invited.

I have the task of writing the family history of a branch of Slapps - Christmas and Sophia Slapp - who lived in the north east of Norfolk.

In this family of nine, there were two males (the descendants of which I have been able to contact for information) and seven females for which I have information about two of them.

My request to your readers is that if they are a descendant or know of one of the descendants, if would be very much appreciated if they could contact me as soon as possible with relevant information (eg where and when they married, their families and relevant birth and marriage dates and places, schools, occupations and employments, to where they moved, when and where they died, their interests, things that happened to them, anything special about them etc).

I am looking for any photographs also.

On the 1901 British Census they appeared in your town. They are:

At 24 Campbell Street, St Andrews Eccles. Parish, North West Ward: Harriet Richardson (nee Slapp) aged 30 and Arthur Richardson, 35, a scow fitter, born Keighley, Yorkshire; and daughter, Hilda, five, born Keighley, Yorkshire.

At 22 Arctic Street, Eccles. Parish of Holy Trinity, Lawkholme, North Ward: Rhoda Whitaker (nee Slapp) aged 26 and Thomas Whitaker, 30, Spindle Turner Fitter in Worsted Machine Works, born Keighley, Yorkshire, and children: Edith, four, Annie, two, and Frank, nine months, all born Keighley, Yorkshire.

At 49 Orleons Street, Eccles. Parish of Andrews, West Ward:

Elizabeth Walton (nee Slapp) aged 33 and William Walton, 36 Wool Combing Machine Fitter, born Keighley, Yorkshire; daughters Marrine (hard to understand) eight, Alice five, and sons - Joseph, seven, and Mathew or Walter or Arthur, all born Keighley, Yorkshire. (Elizabeth known as Livvie).

I can be contacted by writing to my address: 78 Dobell Drive, Wangi Wangi, N.S.W., Australia 2267, or email: ronajim@ozemail.com.au

RONA SMITH

SIR - Through your columns I wonder if you could help me trace the relatives of Charles and Mary Chapman (nee Wilkinson).

They lived in Thorncliffe Road, off Fell Lane, Keighley from 1930 to the late fifties.

They had a daughter Joyce Mary, born May 1936.

Her grandparents were Richard and Una Wilkinson (JP) of Leylands Lane, Keighley. Could anyone who knew Joyce or her parents please contact me. E-mail teepeebe@hotmail.com

TERENCE JAMES PALMER

High Street, Mundesley,

Norwich, Norfolk NR11 8JL

Sir - with reference to the Down Memory Lane "Apples from Canada" feature in last week's Keighley News.

Although I am not in the photograph, I recognise many of the children as classmates.

I believe the "apples event" must have happened in the summer of the year which was split for me into Mrs Snowden's class and Miss Laws' class.

I was certainly present on the occasion, but had changed classes mid year.

I can remember the very soft blue-green tissue of the apple wrappers, which bore the words "Edmonton, British Columbia".

I can also remember pasting my wrapper into my exercise book and writing about my apple!

Although I still possess several of my old Eastwood Junior exercise books, this vital one is not amongst them!

KATHLEEN SHOESMITH

Address supplied

SIR - With thousands of youngsters across the nation getting on their bikes this weekend to take part in the BBC Blue Peter Bikeathon, the message to cyclists is think 'Cycle Smart'.

The Department for Transport has teamed up with Disney to produce a 'Cycle Smart' comic, using popular Disney characters to help keep children safe on their bikes this summer.

The comic has been produced by the Department of Transport as part of their THINK road safety campaign aimed at reducing road casualties as part of their 10 year Transport Plan.

This is the third BBC Blue Peter Bikeathon, with last year over 21,000 young people getting on their bikes to raise more than £500,000 for charity.

In Yorkshire and the Humber, Bikeathon events are being held in Doncaster, Leeds, Bradford, Sheffield, Rother-ham and Skipton - with local Road Safety Officers supporting the Cycle Smart message which urges children to:

Be aware of other road users; Be seen by using bright clothing; Wear a protective helmet.

It is very disturbing that children make up 30 per cent of total cycling casualties yet only account for one seventh of total cycling mileage.

Cycling is good for young people, it gives them independence and is a healthy, active way to get around. We want them to have fun, but be safe at the same time.

David Jamieson

Transport Minister

SIR - Your readers might like to know about a week of free and fun learning activities coming up - from May 10 to 16.

It is Adult Learners' Week, and a great chance for families and friends, people who want to find a new hobby, or change their career, to go along to a local centre and find out what's going on.

If you want to learn a few sentences of Spanish or French for the summer holidays, or get to grips with a computer so you can keep up with the children's homework, or brush up your English or maths, Adult Learners' Week is for you.

You can find a list of events at the website, www.alw.orquk and click on an on-line calendar of local events, or if you don't have a computer, from the beginning of May you can call a free helpline on 0800 100 900 and ask for details of Adult Learners' Week events near you.

FRANCISCA MARTINEZ

Campaigns Officer, National

Institute of Adult

Continuing Education.

SIR - May I express my sincere thanks and gratitude to all those in the area who contributed to a recent house to house collection between December 7 and 21, 2002, for The National Kidney Research Fund.

The total sum raised was £858.50 and will be used for research into renal disease, kidney patient care and welfare, including the provision of renal equipment, promotion of the organ donor card, and raising the public's awareness of the extent of kidney related disease.

You will be interested to learn that one in five people are affected by kidney problems, and 22 children each day are born with kidney-related problems.

MAUREEN HARBOUR

promoter