The events of November 1915
The weekly toll of men killed and wounded added urgency to the debate about whether or not some form of
conscription was needed to ensure there were enough men to fight the war that showed no sign of abating. As
well as reporting those casualties, the newspaper often shone the spotlight on families who had several men
serving.
The importance of women doing jobs they wouldn’t have been considered for before the war was growing and
they were urged to show the spirit shown by Edith Cavell. The absence of men from their usual positions also
meant several older men who might have expected to retire, had to keep working. And it affected local
institutions with groups like brass bands short of members.
With the war that ‘would be over by Christmas’ approaching its second Christmas, it was not just recruiting that
was struggling. Those who were responsible for fund raising to assist families of serving men and those
impoverished by the war were also finding it increasingly hard to persuade people to part with their cash.
On the industrial front there were urgent calls for production to be stepped up in munitions factories and a
death from anthrax saw a call for local mill practices to be improved.
The links below will take you week-by-week through some of the stories that appeared in the Shipley Times &
Express exactly 100 years before. The headliines given only contain a few of the leading stories.
There are usually three pages, two generally devoted to events and life in the Shipley district with the other
telling some of the stories of the men at the front.
5 November 1915
- Windhill vicar writes from the Front Line
- Letters home from “Eccleshill Road”
- Serving men condemn striking miners
- Woman drowns in canal after fall in fog
- Shipley stall holder fined for tainted bacon
- Painful early exit from train
- Killed after just two days in the trenches
- Civilian distress shames ‘shirkers’ at home
- POWs give the view from the other side
- Passionate sermon on death of Edith Cavell
- Praise for Windhill vicar’s wife
- Alarm over cloth orders to the USA
- Killed after just two days in the trenches
- Civilian distress shames ‘shirkers’ at home
- POWs give the view from the other side
- Family at war
- Shipley woolcomber killed by shell
- Dispatch rider battles with a storm
12 November 1915
- Windhill vicar writes from the Front Line
- Letters home from “Eccleshill Road”
- Serving men condemn striking miners
- Vicar plans to honour local heroes
- Call for mill changes after Anthrax death
- Guardians can’t tell margerine from butter
- Killed after just two days in the trenches
- Civilian distress shames ‘shirkers’ at home
- POWs give the view from the other side
- Shipley girls make comforts for soldiers
- Conscription moves closer
- Penny a week would ease distress
- Killed after just two days in the trenches
- Civilian distress shames ‘shirkers’ at home
- POWs give the view from the other side
- Families get the news they dread
- Munitions workers urged to produce more
- Praise for Windhill vicar at the front
19 November 1915
- Windhill vicar writes from the Front Line
- Letters home from “Eccleshill Road”
- Serving men condemn striking miners
- Recuperating soldier in home gas blast
- Vexed question of Mr Jaffe’s nationality
- Art students impress with their show
- Killed after just two days in the trenches
- Civilian distress shames ‘shirkers’ at home
- POWs give the view from the other side
- Sgt Helliwell must wait for his pension
- Poultry and rabbits part of economy drive
- Women urged to help recruiting campaign
- Killed after just two days in the trenches
- Civilian distress shames ‘shirkers’ at home
- POWs give the view from the other side
- Wounded soldier warns reluctant recruits
- Two hours in hell take their toll
- Victim of deadly German sniper
26 November 1915
- Windhill vicar writes from the Front Line
- Letters home from “Eccleshill Road”
- Serving men condemn striking miners
- Windhill woman with 40+ reasons to worry
- Living hell of the trenches
- YMCA keeps spirits high
- Killed after just two days in the trenches
- Civilian distress shames ‘shirkers’ at home
- POWs give the view from the other side
- More casualties from Shipley area
- Sick men rescue stranded sailors
- Salt old boys commissioned from the ranks
- Killed after just two days in the trenches
- Civilian distress shames ‘shirkers’ at home
- POWs give the view from the other side
- Heart-throb Eddie is good for business
- Congregation responds to mouth organ plea
- Singers raise cash for serving men