The OLHB is a periodic report on local history relating to Otley in West Yorkshire. All entries are based on extensive private research files of the contributors.
Mechanics: in memoriam 1868-2023
Fish, chips….. and scraps
Customary conclusions
Part V, the final part of our 'Custom, folklore and magic' series draws the key themes together and asks what future generations would make of the hundreds of padlock keys littering the bed of the Wharfe alongside the bridge. Where a rich customary life offers meaning, celebration and pleasure, benefit is plain to see regardless… Continue reading Customary conclusions
Animal magic
Part IV of our series on 'Custom, folklore and magic' enters the realm of Satan through the haunted Fairfax family in the Washburn and shows how animals have been used as demonic signs for generations. by Paul Wood, January 2023 Fantastic beasts, representing good and evil, appear throughout history and Otley's early iconography is no… Continue reading Animal magic
Sporting spirit
Part III of our 'Custom, folklore and magic' series looks at local sporting customs, though whether Dalby F. Russell's riverine activities should be classed as customary or simply insane is debatable.