Parachutes, Escape Maps and Wedding Dresses

October's History Society meeting features the talk "Parachutes, Escape Maps, and Wedding Dresses: Keighley Weavers' Contribution to the War Effort".

Silsden was recognised as a major contributor to the silk and artificial silk industry through companies such as Driver Brothers, John Knox and others. In Keighley, Driver Hartley Co. Ltd. were also at the front of experimental weaving with silk and artificial silk. In 1937 they started manufacturing fabrics for parachutes and later, escape maps for commandos. Textile experts Pam Brook and Helen Farrar will discuss the areas' expertise in the manufacture of silk, in particular artificial silk, and its contribution to the war effort.

The History Society meeting is on Wednesday 8th October 2025 and will be held in the Main Hall, upstairs in Keighley Civic Centre. Doors open at 7.15pm. There is a lift to access the first floor. Entry is free to History Society members and is £3.50 to anyone else (pay on the door - cash only) - all are welcome to attend. The meeting is scheduled to finish around 8.45pm. Members of the History Society also have the option of joining the meeting online via Zoom.

Membership of the History Society costs £15 for the calendar year. You can join at any of our meetings in the Library (cash only please) or online via the society's website. If you join at this meeting you get membership for the remainder of 2025 plus all of 2026.

You may also like the following events from Keighley and District Local History Society:

• This Wednesday, 13th August, 07:15 pm, Austin Lee: Man of Mystery in Keighley
• Next month, 6th September, 10:00 am, History Society at Keighley Show in Keighley
• Next month, 10th September, 07:15 pm, A Glorious Summer in the Ice Age in Keighley

Also check out other Meetups in Keighley.