THE SEAT OF POWER

Ilkley Town Hall and Ilkley Library

The purchase of a site for Ilkley Town Hall on the south side of Station Road occurred in March 1897. Several buildings on the site were demolished, widening Station Road itself but no action was taken until Andrew Carnegie an American ironmonger and philanthropist offered £3000 for the provision of a free library. The council announced a competition for the design of the buildings in November 1903 and over 60 entries were submitted before the drawings of Mr William Bakewell of Park Square in Leeds was approved. The foundation stone for both buildings were laid on 31st January 1906, that of the Town Hall by J T Jackson, chairman of the Town Hall committee and the Library by chairman of the local council, John Dixon. Much of the work was done by Ilkley firms - George Smith of Ilkley (excavator, mason and bricklayer), R & T L Nelson of Ilkley (slater, plumber and glazier), Thomas Smith of Ilkley ( carpenter and joiner), G W hampshire of Ilkley (painter) and Oswald Lister of Ilkley, a plasterer.
The Rev. Robert Collyer performed the opening ceremony of Ilkley Library on October 2nd 1907 though the building was not quite finished at the time. Mr Jackson opened Ilkley Town Hall on 27 April 1908 and the first meeting in the new chambers took place on 6th May 1908.