My wife recently borrowed a book from the local library and, when she opened it, out fell a slip of paper which had clearly been used as a bookmark by a previous borrower. It has the title "History of Laycock Village and Surrounding Hamlets", and directs the reader to the website below.
The website contains a brief history of the area, covering Laycock, Old Braithwaite, Goose Eye, Holme House, Slack Lane, Newsholme, Newsholme Dean, Slippery Ford and 'all surrounding farms', and there are (so it says) over 5000 images.
I've had a quick look and it seems fascinating. Hope others are interested in:
www.laycockvillage.com

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1958-65

Current location (optional) Leeds

Enjoyed trawling through this site, Shaun. Very evocative photographs, including a fine picture of the old Keighley bus station and old town centre in the mid fifties. Often walked up to Laycock from Guardhouse. Holme House Woods and Newsholme Dene were favourite 'beauty spots'! Couldn't find a mention on the site of Old Three Laps, a local legend we were taught about at Guardhouse School. My favourite pictures on the site are of the old single decker number 7 buses as they navigated the impossibly tight turns in the villages of Laycock and Braithwaite.

Would this be the same history written by Dr Johgn Laycock who appears on page 4 of our guest book?

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 55-60

Current location (optional) Harrogate

Can't enlighten you as to that Alec.
All it says on the site is that it is "dedicated to the memory of Colin Hawksworth", though the entry you mwntion does direct us to the same website so there clearly was some involvement.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1958-65

Current location (optional) Leeds

Brought back some memories Shaun . Mother was a keen walker and country woman and we often went through Holme House woods to Newsholme Dean where their was a farmer who served teas with Yorkshire Teacakes and we could sit in the yard and enjoy the view . That was pre war when Guardhouse Estate was just being pegged out so it was a country walk then . Our milk man came from Goose Eye Brow , imagine tackling that hill to Laycock and down to Devonshire Street in a horse and trap with the daily milk in the winters we had then . Later in the war when we kept rabbits we walked to the farm and got bags of hay for our rabbits . Get the kids to do that now they would think you were mad . Thanks for bringing the site to our notice --Mike

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 43-46

Current location (optional) Tasmania

The last message seems to have vanished into thin air.
I recently found 3 old black and white postcards of the Keighley area, uploaded to Old_Keighley. 1 of Newsholme Dean, 1 of Goose Eye and 1 of Ilkley Road on Rombald's Moor.
I did live in Laycock and I think one of the few who attended KBGS.
I have also contributed to the Laycock History web site, family history, No. 7 bus and pantos at Braithwaite, believe Dr. John Laycock lives Winchester way. The only Laycocks I remember were Atki (Atkinson) and Ike must have been born 1870'ish.
To Newsholm Dean, I recall going there Sunday afternoons (1950'ish) for ice cream at the tea rooms and swings down by the beck. It was also one of our summer play areas, we used to call the bridge on the postcard "The Roman Bridge" it looked older than the Pack Horse Bridge, we would go further up to the old stone quarry. About 1958 the tea rooms tried summer evenings dances for the younger end, the lads I remember were all local from Laycock and Braithwaite, girls Dianne Boardman and Christine Cain (North Dene Road), Lynn Anderton and Lesley (or Susan) Smith who I think became an assistant secretary to Watthey about the time of the move to Oakbank.
To Goose Eye, must be the Turkey and BYB dark mild.
To 3 Laps, we knew it as the "bumps" on Tarn Lane (near the top of Back Lane), the Farm near them being known as 3 Laps Farm and famous as one of the farmers took himself to bed and became a recluse.
It was good to go over last year and see other cyclists (Tour de Yorkshire) struggle up Goose Eye Brow and Green Sykes Road.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1957-1962

Current location (optional) Harrogate

I remember walking from Fell Lane (where the bus turned round) downhill through a field (past a small spring) to the North Beck, then all the way through Holme House (Old Mouse) woods to Newsholme Dean for a picnic.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 58-64

Current location (optional) Wirral

A magical place.

Carlos Braithwaite!

It was Brathwaite Chris.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 58-64

Current location (optional) Wirral

Surely just a variant of the same place name. But I noticed there is also a Braithwaite in Cumbria.

That's right Chris, and there's also a Branthwaite where there is a pub which does the most wonderful home cooked food, so much you can hardly eat it all, 2 for £10 on Mondays and Tuesdays. I know we digress from this thread but make no apologies because someone may want to avail themselves of a great repast.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1958-65

Current location (optional) Leeds

Don't forget our own Braithwaite, Albert or Basher. Great Maths teacher who was a dead eye shot with a piece of chalk. I once saw him hit an open mouth in full yawn mode! Cheers.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1947-51

Current location (optional) Orewa, NZ

Bill . Thought about you this morning with the news about the earthquake . hope all is well , you must have had an awful experience . Mike

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 43-46

Current location (optional) Tasmania

Hi Mike

Sorry about this-I don't know what happened yesterday when I completed a reply and put in the password/letters first time and I thought the reply had gone.

Anyhow thank you for your thoughts. A couple of RNZN ships have arrived this morning so they should make a start on the evacuations today. You know, things you normally wouldn't think of-------the second ship is a survey ship and it has to resurvey the sea bed in case the shakes have altered the sea bed and as they said on the news this morning, the last thing you want at this stage is for the rescue ship to run aground.

We are up north and far away from the sad happenings but we have family and friends down there. My wife is a Canterbury lass and I have a cousin there, Alma Walsh who married Geoffrey Smales, also from Cross Roads. They came out in 1964 and retired in Kaiapoi just north of Christchurch. Thanks again for your concern. Now let me see if the message goes this time!Cheers.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1947-51

Current location (optional) Orewa, New Zealand

Chris, the Braithwaite in Cumbria is just outside Keswick. It happens to be where Gilbert Swift was born and went to school.

In the summer of 1960 I was working on the buses as a conductor, and on my first trip up to Laycock I had to help the driver turn and back the double-decker bus, so tight was it. Unfortunately, either I didn't shout loudly enough, or he didn't hear sharply enough, but he went too far and slammed into the building we were trying to avoid. I have often wondered whether there was any outcome to this incident, or any lasting damage done. The top, off-side corner of the bus was certainly badly dented.

Doug

PS How do I get rid of the 'Prof.', Chris?

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1951-58

Current location (optional) Keswick, Cumbria

Is "Prof" short for Profane, Doug?

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1958-65

Current location (optional) Leeds

Sommat't'sort, Shaun. Can't really remember...

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1951-58

Current location (optional) Keswick, Cumbria

The driver of a doubledecker school bus, being late to pick up the Parkwood kids, took a short cut down Low Mill Lane and took the top deck off as he drove under the railway bridge. Were you on that one as well, Doug?

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1952-60

Current location (optional) Nirvana

Did you mean a "profligate", Shaun?

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1952-60

Current location (optional) Nirvana

As you both know, I am ever profligate with my profanity, quite the professional at it, really...

The Low Mill Lane incident was before my time of denting West Yorkshire double-deckers - I hadn't yet received my PSV licence (from Clippies College, Harrogate), which was an absolute necessity if you were to attempt to destroy the company's whole fleet, as a fifth-columnist...

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1951-58

Current location (optional) Keswick, Cumbria