The Bradford WW1 Group meets on the 4th Wednesday morning of each month, from 10.00am to 12 noon on the 2nd floor of the Mechanics Institute, 76 Kirkgate, We are a convivial and friendly group and you will be made very welcome indeed. Membership is not required, all we ask is for a small admission fee to cover our meeting expenses. Our wide and varied programme of speakers cover a wide range of topics related to WW1.
2026 Programme
28 Jan – Chris Ludlam: Postcards Reunited
The story of 19 postcards sent from Egypt and Palestine to Yorkshire
25 Feb – Jude Wright: 110th Anniversary of conscription
Jude is fascinated by the conflicts which have arisen following the introduction of conscription in 1916. Jude works at Bradford’s Peace Museum and has researched two Bradford brothers: one fought but not the other. One mights almost ask, which brother had the more difficult war and post – war life?
25 Mar – Ronnie Walsh: Barnbow Explosion Survivors
Ronnie’s research in the archives of Leeds Infirmary reveals the suffering and courage of women rearely heard about.
22 Apr – Andrea Hetherington: War Widows’ Pensions
How many widows were created by the losses in WW1 and how were pensions calculated? As in her previous talks, Andrea will have local stories to tell.
27 May – Howard Middleton: Jutland (31 May – 1 June 1916)
Imagine being a young sailor on the eve of this famous sea battle – like my great uncle Rex Dixon. Several men from Bradford were involved and provided local newspapers with personal accounts. Howard will give us the full story of the battle.
24 Jun – Tom Issitt: Riding in the Zone Rouge (TBC)
The “Visite de champs de bataile de 1919” was the first post-war challenge bicycle race in France after WW1. It covered 2000k of terribly damaged roads and landscape along the front line in equally terrible weather. Tom repeated the ride in recent years and gives an amazing account with details of the route, the riders and the “then and now” photographs.
22 Jul – Bill Smith: Bradford men serving with the Duke of Wellington’s Regiment
Another welcom returner ! Bill based his previous talk on stories from the date of his presentation across 4 years of the war. Having retired from teaching, Bill is now attached to the Dukes’ Museum in Halifax: a dream place for a researcher?
26 Aug Members’ Morning: Bring and Tell
This is an opportunity for Group members and friends to bring badges, artifacts, documents, books, family photos and stories to show the group, to be discussed and ‘chewed-over’ and even for identification. An informal and often fun session
23 Sept – Fraser Skirrow: Officer Training and Tactics
By 1917 it was clear that the rule books needed re-writing. Fraser provides examples of the new tactics taught in training were put into practice by the new breed of young officers
28 Oct – Alistair Fraser: Uncovering Germans at Serre Road (TBC)
Alistair mentioned his involvement with battlefield archeology on his last visit to us. We can now hear the full story of the uncovering and identification of German remains a hundred years later. The site is about 100 yrds from the Pals’ Memorial Stone we installed in 2016
25 Nov: – Nick Hooper: Iwuy: almost the end of our Territorials
Several members of the Group walked this battlefield in 2019. Further research by Nick has revealed more maps, more details and a greater understanding of Bradford’s 6th Battalion as their war approached 11 Nov 1918
16 Dec Members’ Morning: Bring and Tell
This is an opportunity for Group members and friends to bring badges, artifacts, documents, books, family photos and stories to show the group, to be discussed and ‘chewed-over’ and even for identification. An informal and often fun session