History of the Spenborough Branch

One of the local pillars of the community and decorated First World War veteran, Lt Col Sir Alfred Law Mowat, Bart, DSO, MC, DL, JP, was the Founder of the Spenborough Branch on 4 July 1921. He was the first President from 1921 to 1922 and again from 1929 to 1968.

In the years since 1922, there have only been four other Presidents: Lt Col Harry S Atkinson TD, JP; Capt David William Sharp; Sqdn Ldr John G Walker DFC; and Lt Eric Martin MBE, BA.

Moorland House is located at the junction of Law Street and Bradford Road, Cleckheaton. At the bottom of Law Street and adjacent to Moorland House was the former textile card clothing company of Samuel Laws, the former Mowat family business. Cleckheaton was renowned the world over for card clothing. Sam Laws' mill was the biggest in the world, and Sir Alfred Law Mowat was the Chairman.

Following the Great War, Sir Alfred gave Moorland House to the ex-servicemen of Spenborough as a recreational centre, and it later became the Spenborough United Ex-Servicemen’s Working Men’s Club. The name was changed in 2011 to "The Moorland," but the former ex-servicemen’s club sign is shown in the picture.

The Spenborough Branch of the Legion has held its regular meetings there almost continuously since the branch's formation in 1921.

The Formative Years of the Branch

The following are a few extracts from the earliest Minute Books of the Branch from 1921 to 1933.

Following local advertisements, on 4 July 1921, a public meeting of the ex-servicemen residing in the Urban District of Spenborough was held at the Spenborough United Ex-Servicemen's Club, with Capt N Crabtree MC in the chair. It was proposed that a Branch of the British Legion be formed.

The committee was to consist of the President, Vice President, Hon. Treasurer, Hon. Secretary, and six other members of the Branch.

The following were duly elected:

• President: Lt Col A L Mowat DSO, MC
• Vice-President: Capt N Crabtree MC
• Hon Treasurer: Major W C Fenton MC
• Hon Secretary: P Fawcett Esq
• Members: O Fulcher, J N Shorrock, H N Smith, A Parker, W Jolliff, and A E Hodgson

The above also formed the committee of the Royal British Legion Unity Relief Fund (Spenborough Branch).

There were a total of 15 members present, and it was agreed that the subscriptions would be 2/6d per annum.

At a meeting on 20 March 1922, the Annual General Meeting was scheduled for 3 April 1922.

At the AGM on 3 April 1922, Lt Col Harry S Atkinson was elected President, and Lt Col A L Mowat became the Chairman.

The Branch started awarding Relief grants, with three beneficiaries typically receiving amounts ranging from 6/- to £1 in groceries, usually reviewed every two weeks.

By August 1922, there were 76 members of the Branch.

On 6 November 1922, to resolve a dispute with Heckmondwike Branch, it was agreed that the boundary line between the two Branches would be the Leeds-Huddersfield Road (A62).

On 2 December 1922, Lt Col Mowat arranged for three local disabled men to attend the next meeting for interviews regarding suitable employment for them. (The Branch was fortunate to have local mill owners as Officers.)

By 5 February 1923, membership had increased to 96.

By 11 June 1923, membership had grown to 121.

On 29 October 1923, it was agreed that the Memorial Service would be shown on the big screen at the Savoy Cinema.

The number of beneficiaries had increased to around 10.

In February 1925, Lt Col H S Atkinson presented a Branch Banner (Standard) with leather carriers (now lodged at St John’s Church, Cleckheaton).

On 5 March 1929, Lt Col A L Mowat reported the loss of the President, Lt Col H S Atkinson TD, JP.

A sign of the worsening employment situation in the early 1930s was that around 50 beneficiaries were then being assisted, and it was agreed that an Employment Bureau would be set up with a full-time official.

By March 1930, a total of 1,372 men had been placed in either temporary or permanent employment.

Membership had risen to over 500.

This plaque was found in the archives of the Ex-Servicemen's Club and given to the Branch in February 2013. The plaque is made of hammered copper on a black-painted board, approximately 340 x 280mm.

The inscription reads: "Presented to the Spenborough Branch of the British Legion and the Spenborough Ex-Servicemen's Club, to commemorate the dinner given by them to the Cleckheaton Territorial Company on 18 February 1938."

Spenborough's first Festival of Remembrance was held on 11 November 1938. The front two pages of the programme are shown below: