The extraordinary life of the “Elusive Suffragette”
Lillie Lenton – the woman who escaped from Armley Gaol
Boy John Helston (1899-1916)
Among the 23 Commonwealth war graves in Horsforth Cemetery is that of John Helston, a boy of the Royal Navy. This is his story. John was born John Elston (it is not entirely clear when he acquired the ‘H’ of ‘Helston’) on 12 April 1899, in Keighley. He was one of five children of John... Continue Reading →
Missing presumed dead – Rifleman Lupton of Horsforth
The true story of Rifleman Lupton, lost behind enemy lines in World War One.
“Come on 13, give them hell!”
The young man who was the first of several hundred Leeds Pals to die on the first day of the Battle of the Somme
In memory of Private Ambrose Williamson
I recently wrote about Cyril and Lawrence Marvell . The story prompted a friend, Michael, to get in touch to say that his grandfather, Ambrose Williamson, also fought and died at Gallipoli in the same battalion as Cyril (9th Battalion West Yorkshire Regiment). I decided to look into it. As readers of this blog will... Continue Reading →
Cyril and Lawrence Marvell – a fraternal tragedy in two acts
One day in November 1914, teenage brothers, Cyril and Lawrence Marvell, leapt on board an army recruitment tram as it passed through the village of Rodley, between Leeds and Bradford, close to their home. They had been at the roadside to watch the passage of the illuminated tramcar and to soak up the carnival atmosphere... Continue Reading →
