Birkenshaw Liberal Club
Birkenshaw Liberal Club was opened in October 1904 by Mr T P
Whitaker, MP for Spen Valley. The premises were based in Town Street and had
been converted from a two storey cottage at the cost of £150. The ground floor
was a reading room and a library whilst the upper floor was a billiard room. After the opening a meeting was held in the
Temperance Hall where Mr Whitaker addressed
the crowd. The chairman of the
club was Councillor Walter Bagshaw who also addressed the meeting. He said that the two chief objectives of the
new club were
“the diffusion of the views and principles of Liberalism”
and to
provide a meeting place for social events.
The club would not serve alcohol and so gained great approval from the “Temperance”
crowd. Leeds Mercury 31 October 1904
 |
| Lady Kathleen Simon |
A bazaar was arranged in 1934 to raise funds for the
club. Lady Kathleen Simon was to open it
but unfortunately she was taken seriously ill and could not make it. Her husband Sir John Simon sent a letter of
apology to the club. Leeds Mercury 24 March 1934
Birkenshaw Liberal Club appears in Kelly’s Directory
in 1936 with Victor Midgley as secretary and its address at Town Street,
Birkenshaw.
 |
| 2018 |
