When I was maybe about 12 years of age, I visited a bus station at Victoria, in London, from which coaches left from many parts of the land.

I remember hearing a coach was about to leave for Keighley, or was it Keethley? I couldn’t see a stand with that name on.

From 1960 to 1963, I was trained at Headingley for the Methodist ministry. We had preaching appointments most weekends, and I remember preaching at Riddlesden but not, I think, at Keighley. It never seems to have registered at that time Keighley was always said to sound as Keithley, nor in a number of years in the ministry in several places in West Yorkshire – e.g. Sowerby Bridge (Sorby on old maps, hence the way you say it), Bradford (Bratford?), Great Horton and Cleckheaton.

Some time later in the probation service, we lived for a while in West Yorkshire, coming to Beverley about 1984, I believe from Skelmanthorpe.

In the most recent time here, the penny suddenly dropped – why on earth is Keighley said as Keithley? Please save me driving myself to insanity over this one, since no one round here has a clue. I believe a local historian writes for the Keighley News.

I’ve learnt of your existence from a Methodist source. I also want to be able to enlighten folk in East Yorkshire.

I’m 24 years short of a tonne, so I ought to be able to learn a thing or two yet. My wife (now with the Lord) and I did take our two boys on both the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway and the Middleton Light Railway – great!

Allen Kemp Beverley