THE FUNERAL of political campaigner and local historian John Appleyard (pictured) has taken place.

Mr Appleyard, who lived in Liversedge and was a prolific letter writer to local newspapers, died from cancer, aged 66.

He was an active Labour Party campaigner and worked closely with a number of local MPs.

The service, at Huddersfield Crematorium, was attended by Batley and Spen MP, Tracy Brabin, the family of Jo Cox, and members of Spen Civic Society.

Michael McGowan, former Leeds MEP, said: " I have been privileged to known John for over 40 years since we first met knocking on doors on behalf of the Labour Party in Armley in the mid 1970s and I was with him at the nursing home in Dewsbury the day he died."

"John was of course widely known as a prolific writer of "Letters to the Editor" to Yorkshire newspapers - Spenborough Guardian, Huddersfield Examiner, Telegraph & Argus , Yorkshire Post and Yorkshire Evening Post. He wrote on politics, local history and all kinds of nuggets of information he uncovered from his research .

"He was well known to local journalists who would contact him about his detailed knowledge of the Brontes, the Chartists and the Luddites and he was active in the bid to save the Red House Museum in Gomersal.

"John was interested in trees, both planting and preservation, and we recently visited the site of the old tree nursery at the top of Royds Park which was established back in the 1960s which he was concerned has since been abandoned.

We also recently walked round parts of my native Birkenshaw as he was interested to locate sites of the world war two air raid shelters and he wanted to research more about the village during the second world war.

Nothing was too small or unimportant to him. When he knew that I was having difficulty in receiving copies in Leeds of the Spenborough Guardian from the company which I had read since my childhood - and still do - he insisted in posting copies himself to me every week for several years until only a few weeks ago. (And I did pay for them)

"John was a strong supporter of Jeremy Corbyn, and worked closely with Batley and Spen MPs Mike Wood, Jo Cox, and Tracy Brabin. In fact when we spoke shortly after he had gone into hospital Tracy Brabin talked about his important work in the Batley and Spen Labour Party.

John was a private man, who never asked for anything for himself, not even recognition, He never sought positions, he did not play to the gallery or wear his conscious on his sleeve.

He appreciated the visits of those who went to see him during the last few weeks in Pinderfields in Wakefield and in the nursing home in Dewsbury including

visits and support from Erica Amende and Colin Berry from the Spen Valley Civic Society and Barry Ewart and Garth Franklin from the Leeds Labour movement.

John was a committed socialist who devoted his life working for other people. He valued the friendships of those he said had kept the faith over the years. John enriched the lives of so many whilst working quietly in the community for political change.

And John Appleyard never asked for anything for himself. "