| Title | Octagonal Religious Houses |
| Date | c1900 |
| Location | Unknown (Callow End, Worcestershire.) |
| Photo ID | X076 |
| Comment | To me this is what our Aireborough history is all about, read on and enjoy what has been discovered from this photograph of two octagonal religious houses taken by photographer J K Smith, Guiseley, c1900, which was listed in the AHS archives as location ‘unknown’. Ed. Jack Brayshaw. 22 February 2023. |
Additional Research
POWICK CP UPTON ROAD (west side) SO 8249-8349 Callow End 8/120 Nos 17 and 19 (Pair of lodges to Stanbrook Abbey) with connecting wall and 25.3.68 gate piers – II Pair of Lodges to Stanbrook Abbey (qv). Early to mid-C19. Brick with stone dressings and slate roof. Each of semi-octagonal plan with extensions at rear. Two storeys. Each side of one bay with quoined angles. Windows have stone surrounds, a transom, and a mullion which branches to form Y-tracery under a Tudor-arched head. Below the first-floor windows-are blank stone tablets. The eastern lodge has, on two sides facing south-east, two-storey late C19 timber bay windows. Doorways face the drive. Between the lodges are two octagonal brick gate piers with stone urns. Between these and the lodges are pedestrian gateways with arches treated as flying buttresses. The gate piers are now connected by a brick wall.
Helen M.
14 May 2023.
X076A – A young John Kirby Smith, c1885.
John Kirby Smith – 1869-1953
Some years ago the AHS came into the possession of numerous photographs taken by John Kirby Smith a local Rawdon and later Guiseley photographer c1890s/1900s and some of his work can now be found on the various pages of this website. It was unfortunate that we had no images of John Kirby Smith himself and very little other information about him. However, this has now all changed.
One particular image, at the head of this page, of two octagonal religious buildings c1900s, marked ‘JK Smith Guiseley’ was such that it was clearly apparent that the image was not taken locally and unfortunately there was no further information attached to it.
In 2017, in an attempt to establish the location of this photograph, it was published on the AHS website and it was further reproduced on the website of one of our neighbouring Historical Groups, in Burley-in-Wharfedale.
The results, were outstanding and our acknowledgment and thanks go to Peter Grinham, Chair BLH & AG, Burley-in-Wharfedale and Julia Williment, Great Grand-Daughter of John Kirby Smith in discovering the location of the Octagonal buildings and to providing further numerous personal images and information appertaining to her Great Grand-Father and relatives.
We further extend our acknowledgment and thanks to Julia Williment for her kind permission to use images, document’s and information regarding John Kirby Smith on this AHS website.
To view Peter’s and Julia’s research results, which is a must for further detailed information of the early life of John Kirby Smith and subsequent history, please – Click Here.
X076B – John Kirby Smith, Undated.
John Kirby Smith – Undated
An image of the photographer John Kirby Smith.
Courtesy of Julia Williment.
X076C – John Kirby Smith & Mrs Mary Smith, Undated.
John Kirby Smith & Mrs Mary Smith – Undated
An image of the photographer John Kirby Smith and his wife Mary Smith.
Courtesy of Julia Williment.
X076D – Studio Chair of John Kirby Smith, Undated.
John Kirby Smith – Undated
This studio chair used by John Kirby Smith in his premises on Station Road, Guiseley, is now the pride and joy of his Great Grand-Daughter Julia Williment. So much history, if only this chair could talk. Ed.
Courtesy of Julia Williment.
X076E – Letter Head – John Kirby Smith, Undated.
John Kirby Smith – Undated
Stationery Letter Head for correspondence of John Kirby Smith.
Courtesy of Julia Williment.
X076F – Letter Head – John Kirby Smith, Undated.
John Kirby Smith – Undated
Personal stationery letter head for John Kirby Smith who resided with his family at Albion House, Otley Road.
Courtesy of Julia Williment.
X343 – RUDC & AUDC, 1916/17, AHS Archive.
John Kirby Smith – c1916/17
One of many photographs taken by John Kirby Smith and held on the AHS website.
Back row left to right: D O Hardaker, H Walmsley (Clerk), W H Emsley (Wharfedale & Airedale Representative), W B Cartwright (Chairman Sanitary Committee), Eli Winn, J Almgill (Treasurer).
Front row seated left to right: H Davison, T Pratt (Vice Chairman, Chairman of Finance Committee), C Harper JP (Chairman), B Jordan, H Evans (Chairman of Highways Committee).
Sitting left to right: A Holgate (Assistant overseer & Collector), E Wade.
X076G – The Merry Magnets – John Kirby Smith, c1914.
John Kirby Smith – c1914
This image taken by John Kirby Smith of the Merry Magnets Concert Party, c1914.
A further two photographs of the Merry Magnets Concert Party can be seen of the AHS Website, under: Yeadon, Events, Shows, Concerts & Bazaar’s – c1900s Onwards (1) Photo ID: N90 & N91 and or Click Here. I wonder if John Kirby Smith was the photographer then! Ed.
Courtesy of Julia Williment.
Editor’s Note:
This journey is now complete and we have a record of one of our local photographers who thankfully, recorded various historical events in what is now known as Aireborough. I believe that John Kirby Smith must have been friends with another local photographer, Ernest Ethelbert Slater, of Hopeville, Yeadon, who again recorded photographic events in the Yeadon area during the 1850s/1900s.
Some of the other images known to have been taken by John Kirby Smith can be viewed via the following links within this website:
Oxford Circus, Guiseley, Photo ID: B307 – Click Here
First Trams to Guiseley – 1909, Photo ID: B025 & numerous – Click Here
Woodlands Convalescent Hospital, Photo ID: DD036 – Click Here
This coming year I am hoping to visit Callow End to update our website with images of the two octagonal houses, as they are not far from where my wife and her family lived some thirty years ago when I first met her. Stay tuned. Ed. Jack Brayshaw. 23 February 2023.
Additional information, copies of documents and images are held in the AHS Archives. Courtesy of Julia Williment.
Consolidated by Jack Brayshaw. 23 February 2023.
Last updated: 24 February 2023.
