Keighley’s traditional shopping centre was its old market.

This is what it looked like at the end of the day when its stalls had been cleared, as photographed, shortly before its demolition in 1971, by the late Harold Horsman, Associate of the Royal Photo-graphic Association, who recorded the town’s passing scene during the mid to later 20th century.

Keighley’s Market Charter dates from 1305. For more than 500 years, it was held on Church Green, but moved in 1833 to this site behind Low Street, largely occupying the area of the present Church Green car park.

It was transferred lower down to its present covered premises in 1971.

Ironically, when it closed for refurbishment some years later, some older customers are said to have preferred temporary stalls on the car park, which reminded them of the past!

“Fish was kept on stone slabs and came from Morecambe once a week”, runs one evocative Victorian reminiscence.

“Farmers’ wives sat with their butter, eggs and chickens. Apples could only be bought at the autumn fair – they and onions were stored for winter use.”