Newsletter
AUTUMN NEWSLETTER 2023
Programme
Our meetings and walks are as follows. In addition, there are monthly Local History Hub Meetings on Saturday afternoons either face to face or on Zoom and weekly sessions at Ilkley cemetery. All details can be found on ICS website
Face-to-face meetings are held at 7.30pm Church House, Ilkley
Thu Oct 26 The Greening of Denton Hall Estate
Illustrated talk by Karl Milner
Sat Oct 28 Meet at 14.45. The walk covers Denton Road and West Holmes, meeting at the Old Bridge - Middleton side
Thurs Nov 23 1860s Ilkley - the start of the transformation. Illustrated talk - Ilkley Local History Hub, part of Ilkley Arts Festival
Sat Nov 25th at 14.45 LHH Zoom - Denton Road and West Holmes
Thurs 28th December Christmas Walk Meet at 10.45 Ben Rhydding railway station car park.
Thurs Feb 22 Local issues - Zoom
Thurs Mar 28 Meeting 5pm Design & Conservation Awards
Thurs Apr 25 AGM & talk: Ilkley Bid - Helen Rhodes
Railway Ticket Office Consultation
We have commented on the proposal to close the Rail ticket office at Ilkley, leaving only Journey Makers and machines in place. We have not seen any firm proposals about Journey Makers. The problem with ticket machines is that they are OK for buying a quick single, but for more complex journeys the machines are not intuitive. If there’s a long queue waiting to use the machine, you could miss your train. Penalty fares might then be applied. If the machine rejects your payment card for any reason, you may be left with the unsettling feeling that your payment has been taken, even if there’s no ticket.
ECO GPx
David Blackburn and Helen Kidman were interviewed on camera by ECO GPx for their new App on Ilkley, down at the Old Bridge.
Traffic calming measures
Along with others, we have had our say on the proposed traffic calming measures. Our comments have been received positively by councillors and road safety organisations. There is a town poll coming up on 23rd October.
What exactly is flowing in the River Wharfe?
The documentary on sewage in the Wharfe and other rivers on BBC2 the other night was definitely not tea time viewing. Find out more from the Ilkley Clean Rivers Group on 26th October to be held in Hall B at Ilkley Grammar School at 17.30.
Local History Hub
We had a very successful summer exhibition at the Manor House about the 1867 Land Sales. Thanks go to Alex Cockshott, Sally Gunton, Denise Shillitoe, Robert Templar for research and development and to the Manor House. All the display material has been retained in the Local History Hub at the Manor House and can be made available for anyone who would like another chance to see it.
site of the former Hebers Ghyll Hydro. And we were lucky with the weather!
Friends of Ilkley Cemetery – continues to meet each week for an hour or so of light gardening and litter picking and chat in Ilkley Cemetery, weather permitting. If you are interested in getting involved then email Jan on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more information
YHACS
The Yorkshire and Humber Association of Civic Societies met in Richmond on 07.10.23. There was a meal the night before for those stopping over and events in the morning before the meeting. The next meeting will be the AGM in Harrogate on 27th January 2024. Any members of ICS may attend but will need to book a place first. Contact Helen Kidman for more information on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Blue Plaque
Our latest unveiled on 9th August, commemorates Heath House and John Cunliffe and is in Wells Walk.
Heritage Open Days (HODS) walk
Nearly 40 people joined us for this event in west Ilkley.
Much of residential west Ilkley is late Victorian and Edwardian. There are substantial gentlemen’s country residences with interesting architectural features. Their gardens were landscaped and now have many mature trees. We saw how some properties have been sub-divided for changes in lifestyles and increasing demand for property. We saw the frontage of Hebers Mount designed by Alexander Adkin, who was the architect of many Ilkley buildings and we admired the beautiful gardens. The walk finished at the site of the former Hebers Ghyll Hydro. And we were lucky with the weather!