Looking rather over-awed by the splendour of Keighley Town Hall, these Fell Lane children were presenting Mayor J W Wardle with the £5 11s 0d they had raised towards the Spitfire-Hurricane Fund in the late summer of 1940.
The photograph was supplied by Mr Harry Mawer, of Occupation Lane, Keighley, who appears third from the left on the front row.
He remembers how they "put on concerts in the gardens at the back of the houses in Clifton Street, with collections for Warship Week, the Spitfire Fund, etc, and two adults always played major parts in these events -- Mr Harry Spencer and Mrs Watson. Two great characters, loved by all the neighbours."
He names the children on the back row, from left to right, as Iris Watson, Jean Hodgson, Doreen Spencer, Betty Wignall, Edna Horsman, Bernard Broster, Jack Brook. Front row: Gordon Cooper, Joan Manning, Harry Mawer, Eric Watson, Kathleen Hird, Brenda Manning, Margaret Wignall.
Keighley's total contribution to the national Spitfire-Hurricane Fund amounted to £11,600, which paid for both a Spitfire and a Hurricane and still left something over for the RAF Benevolent Fund. Dean, Smith and Grace Ltd financed their own Spitfire.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article