A snippet in the Keighley News for September 29, 1862 headed 'Longevity in Cullingworth' reads: "There are now living in Cullingworth and the neighbourhood 22 persons, all of them working class, whose united ages amount to 1,758 years."

This is just one of the many facts and exhibits members of the Cullingworth local history society have unearthed to make their first exhibition of memorabilia - to be held this evening and tomorrow - well worth a visit.

The society was launched by Ken Batchelor and John Briggs at the beginning of the year, because, as Ken says: "Cullingworth has a story to tell." And in the form of this exhibition villagers past and present, one from as far away as Suffolk, have been eager to tell it.

Two vintage cars are to stand outside St John's Church on Saturday and inside will be maps and photos of old and modern Cullingworth, scrapbooks of shows by the local amateur dramatic group and newspaper cuttings from as far back as 1862. Information about the first school building which opened for business 21 years after the Forster education act became law is on show as is the school's hand-written journal of 1893 and the punishment book of 1920.

A book revealing the members and exploits of the Cullingworth, Denholme and Harden Home Guard will also be on show, with extracts from it typed out, since the book itself is somewhat fragile.

Artefacts include a commemorative mug from 1936, a very old box camera, a jubilee year telephone and a Quick Cooker bowl for puddings from the 1920s.

But it is the books which most interested me when I was privileged to be invited to have a pre-exhibition look. One from 1906 entitled 'Ye Photographic Apparatus' by W Butcher and Son, a pre-war caravan manual from 1935 and a wonderful undated cookery book 'The Economical Cookery Book' which gives the harassed housewife recipes for every day of the year, together with the costings. A warm breakfast for four in early January for example: Cereal, scrambled eggs with bacon. Half packet Cereal 3d; four eggs 6d; lb streaky rashers 6d. A winter breakfast for approximately 13p!

Is it any wonder that residents of Cullingworth are still here in the flesh to pass on their memories and memorabilia for such a wonderful exhibition.

The display of memorabilia can be viewed in St John's Room tonight, 7-9pm and tomorrow, noon-5pm. Many of the photos and maps will be available as copies at reasonable prices and it is hoped visitors will help to identify some of the people in the photos. Entry is free and refreshments will be available. New members are always welcome to the society's meetings in the village hall the last Tuesday of the month, 7.30pm.For further details contact Ken Batchelor on 274928.