Why aren't you a member of KDLHS?

[Andy Wade]

The Keighley and District Local History Society Annual General Meeting is this Wednesday coming, upstairs in Keighley Library. As I understand it, non members may attend, but may not take an active part in proceedings or vote.
That doesn't mean you shouldn't come along and see what we are about!
There are over 350 members of this forum! But not many of you have actually joined the Society. This should be the year that you do it.
We could always do with more members of the Local History Society. So please come along and meet us in the flesh.
Feel free to use this thread to ask any questions if you like.

MEMBERSHIP DETAILS:
Membership costs (Annual)

UK Membership
£10.00 pa (Individual)
£15.00 pa (Couple)

Overseas Membership
£12.00 pa (Individual)
£17.00 pa (Couple)

Members fees are due for renewal each January.

[alumpot]

hi Andy, you got the venue, you got the date but there is no mention of time.
Dave

[Andy Wade]

Hi Dave, it's the usual time as far as I know. 7.30 pm start.

[gemma]

Because the benefits of membership don't seem to be explained...

[pjd]

'Cos I live in Somerset - I do make regular visits to Bingley but they rarely coincide with meetings/events but I really like to keep in touch particularly with any FH posts
I am a member of KDFHS & Calderdale FHS & can't do them all!
Keep up the good work please

[laura217]

Hi Andy.

What does being a member involve / get to do / etc?
Are there any membership introduction packs / previous minutes from meetings or explanations somewhere that I seem to have overlooked?

Laura

[kpnuts]

Can you confirm your statement "As I understand it, non members may attend"

Thanks

[Andy Wade]

Oct 31, 2010 16:26:09 GMT gemma said:

Because the benefits of membership don't seem to be explained...

Hi Gemma, I won't deny that the history society could do with a bit more self promotion. Perhaps this is an attempt at that? We'd certainly appreciate someone to help us put the word out there. It is difficult when there are so few people interested enough to take an active part in things. As far as membership benefits go, I took the trouble to find answers for myself by asking at meetings and to be honest, there aren't any major 'personal' benefits as such apart from the friendship and the knowledge that is encapsulated in the brains of the other members. Just ask a question on here to get an idea of that.
What I get from my membership is knowing that I am part of a group dedicated to a hands on aim to conserve and promote the history of Keighley and District. I'm not going to quote JFK but please consider this:

Why is this online forum here? Because history society members care deeply enough about the history of this fair town to provide a free online area for people to come along and ask questions and pretty much all of the time they get the answers they want. Have you asked questions on here and got the helpful answers you wanted? If that's the case, then what will you do in return to help us be the history society we ought to be? We'd love people to take a more hands on approach. As with any group, everyone brings something new and unique to the table and I am sure you would be exactly that if you joined. The group can be exactly what you want it to be.

You cared enough to ask, so I thank you for that.

Oct 31, 2010 18:00:46 GMT laura217 said:

Hi Andy.
What does being a member involve / get to do / etc?
Are there any membership introduction packs / previous minutes from meetings or explanations somewhere that I seem to have overlooked?
Laura

I've never seen a membership pack, I just got a badge when I joined, but then I joined part way through a year so I don't know if we even do membership packs. There's a newsletter produced but it suffers from the usual problem of a lack of copy. What should we put in it that would interest our members? What would you like to see in it? Perhaps you can contribute a story or two from your own history?
As with any voluntary group there will always be the 'usual suspects'. You've seen them, the people who are always there at every meeting, helping with setting up chairs or making tea and coffee and perhaps working in the background organising guest speakers for next year's meetings. Someone has to do that, they don't just ring us up. But we'd really welcome people to help lighten the load. These people who do all this will eventually get tired and either take a back seat or maybe even leave because of frustration. It does happen. I'm not saying that we're in that position but there's always a desire for new blood. I'm sure you personally could also bring something to the society that we need. The benefits of working closely with others that have a strong sense of history ought to be self evident. We are a friendly group and always willing to help others with their own history projects.

We have just recently held a History Day in September as part of National Heritage Day and a Local History Day in October along similar lines. There is also the Keighley Show each year where 'the usual suspects' run a stall explaining and promoting the work the society does.
Another aspect of the work done by the society is a bit hidden to be honest. Jan, and others archive material for posterity. This material may take the form of donated papers which require cataloguing or photographs to be scanned and filed. You may not be aware but there is a collection of portable hard drives which move around between people who add items they have collected over the weeks. They may just have found a receipt from the sale of a few bales of wool by a mill owner from Haworth and wish to scan and document it for posterity, whilst keeping the original for their own collection. But they wish to share this stuff with others.
I have recently had a small glimpse of what the society holds in storage and it's a veritable gold mine of stuff.
Want to see it? Come along and speak to Jan at the next meeting, I'm sure she'll show you. You may even consider offering some time when the next box of old papers lands in our laps, to scan and file it all. Imagine the work load here. It's done by a few very dedicated volunteers on our behalf.
And there are walks around the town organised by people who really know all the back alleys and the stories that go with them. The chance to be involved is there for the taking. You just have to want it.


I'm sorry, there wasn't really a short answer to your question.

[laura217]

Thanks Andy.

If I can find a sitter on Wednesday (and Tuesday too for the Oakworth meeting!) I'll try to pop along. I'm struggling scanning and filing our own papers here for the family tree I've been doing so not sure how much time I could give but would love to know more

Cheers again!

[Admin]

Andy has encapsulated absolutely everything in his posting.

Yes, we do have much in our archives, all of it scanned BUT once we have time it will all be added to a new inventory and files for easier access.

We have a large library of books on Keighley, which we intend loaning out if anyone wants to borrow them - this was deferred as we have absolutely no-one who has the time at the moment to get this up and running.

I personally work with Dr John Laycock who runs the wonderful Laycock website - he in turn is in touch with many local webmaster and archivists all of whom have added their village/area collections to our archive here in Keighley.

If anyone has any problems with scanning their pictures and making their own archives, many of us are more than capable of helping you to achieve your own personal library of documents/ photographs etc....

If you have any queries please ask........!

The AGM is on Wednesday 3 November 7.00 for a 7.30 start.

Look forward to seeing you there.

Jan

[malcolm]

Hi Andy and everyone

Andy is spot on when he says that there is a 'gold mine' of information available but Jan gets more by the week & 'bucket load'. As you are aware with the Men of Worth Project, how much this can take, providing others with information, how many hours are taken up away from our families, because we believe that what we are doing is important.

Why have I spent 10 years collating as many records of births, marriages, deaths, workhouse records, census, property dates and general records and occupations in the Keighley area as is possible?

Because these can be linked to Keighley's History, as well as important to Family History, and no one else is doing it!

The total is now exceeding 650,000 records each containing 40 fields of potential information from 1550 to 2010.

You cannot access this on any website in the world, but all you have to do is ask.

This is like the information that Jan holds, it is there available for the asking.

I think it has taken Jan longer than me and spent many more hours than me collating this information, in addition to the website and all the emails that she receives.

Malcolm

[parkwoodgirl]

I had no idea there was a subscription fee to be a member! I would assume that like myself, many of the people who enjoy this site are ex pats who left Keighley many years ago, and can only contribute by passing on their memories of Keighley past. Im a great admirer of the work you put into making this such an interesting site and along with Chris Kelly's Keighley Web, have given me much pleasure over the past years. Im sad to hear you have problems recruiting volunteers and hope your plea doesnt go unheard. Kindly ask Jan for my e mail address and I will send my subscription to your treasurer.

[Andy Wade]

There isn't a fee for this online forum. It's general membership of the History Society that has a membership fee. We run this online forum for nowt.

[danmoorhouse]

Just picking up on something that was mentioned at the AGM:

For people who can / do attend the monthly meetings the entry fee is £1 (members) and £2 (non members), with refreshments provided.

The next meeting is next Wednesday evening. Doors open from 7pm for a 7.30pm start. Ian Dewhirst talking about Keighley Public Houses.

[Andy Wade]

If a person joins it will cost them £10.00 for the year.
If they come to every monthly talk/meeting it will cost them £1.00 each time so that's £12.00.
Added to their membership fee this comes to £22.00 for the whole year.

If someone comes as a non member to every monthly talk/meeting then it will be £2.00 each time, coming to £24.00 for the year.

And you get a free cup of tea and a biscuit or two at every meeting.

If you factor in the newsletter and the support you'd be giving to the society and all the free advice and look ups you get on this forum it's a reasonable do really.
I realise that some people would even find this too much but frankly we're all struggling.

[laura217]

Sorry I missed the meeting. Sadly "events" took over (I won't go into detail!)
Was looking forward to meeting some of the people from here.. putting faces to names!

Hope it went well and lots of people turned up despite the weather.

Laura

[keighlian]

To whom do I send my subscription to become a member?

[Admin]

Lovely to have you on board....

Members fees are due for renewal each January

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT MEMBERSHIP PLEASE CONTACT

Edith our Membership Secretary
by email, telephone or mail.
[e-mail]
01535 600713
56 Hillworth Close
Hillworth Village
Oakworth Road
Keighley
BD21 1QU

ALL meetings held in the Local Studies Library, upstairs in Keighley Library - PLEASE use side door opposite Wetherspoons. Doors open 7.15 onwards - Speaker at 7.30. There is a small entry charge which includes refreshments

[marl]

hi all. i will certainly join in 2011. for now i want to wish all keighley historical soc. a wonderful xmas and safe new year. marl.