Recent updates from a wider search from the same Battalion, has yielded new information to the record of Private William Emsley. His details have been corrected on our Great War list, with his age and next of kin now confirmed.
Hopeful to make further announcements soon that 3 “lost” lads from Leeds, currently only named at Thiepval, are beginning the long journey out of obscurity - all thanks to a single spoon engraved with its owners service number.

​​Private William Emsley. Service N°: 17/1593
​Aged 30 of the 17th Bn. 2nd Leeds (Bantams) West Yorkshire Regiment (Prince of Wales's Own), died on Jul 17, 1916.
Remembered at Thiepval Memorial Pier and Face 2 A 2 C and 2 D. France. Believed to be interred in an unmarked grave at Delville Wood Cemetery alongside 3 comrades who died on the same day.
Son of William and Nancy Emsley, brother of Joseph (also served) of Watson's Square, Stanningley. Named at Trinity Wesleyan Church Memorial Board @ the Manor Hall.

Private George Mason 18/58 of the 18th Battalion. 2nd Bradford Pals West Yorkshire Regiment (Prince Of Wales's Own) - from an unidentified name on Wednesday to service researched, located locally on our doorstep and amazing photos kept as keepsakes by his grieving fiancee found, all before Saturday lunchtime. Thankyou to everyone that helped, we now have another Bradford Pals life remembered for the future. ​Photos and family history kindly supplied by Gwyneth Wainwright. Archive research by Damon Sugden, The Friends of Pudsey Cemetery & Chapel, and Bus to Bradford.

Buried at Pudsey Cemetery A479 General Section - note headstone is face down
Son of Jabez Stead Mason, tailor of Fartown and his wife Elizabeth Mason. In 1911 when he was 17 George was employed as a joiners labourer. He was an early volunteer of the Second Bradford Pals and wounded in service. George Mason joined up 10th February 1915 and died after discharge (released 25th March 1919), probably from the effects of his wounds on the 10th Sept, buried 13 Sept 1919 aged 25. A member of the Mt Zion Chapel congregation, he was named on their Roll Of Honour.
Gwyneth Wainwright: ”George Mason was engaged to my Great Aunt Lillian Balmforth. She never married and died 30/1/1979 and often spoke to us about George and their courting days promenading with her sister Betty as chaperone. I have looked for his grave but could never find it. She always said she wanted to be buried near him and is quite near in our family plot near the top gate. I have some letters he sent her during the war which she also kept. She was nearly 83 when she died and lived on Westroyd with her sister Betty, they had a small chicken farm, and latterly Claremont Grove.”

​Pudsey & District Civic Society supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund
Heritage Open Days 8th & 9th September 2018

Pudsey Town Hall, access via Manor House Street Entrance
10:30 am until 4:00 pm

Did your ancestors serve their Country in the First World War? Are you curious to know the challenges that they would have faced and how the Township of Pudsey coped? This exhibition will show many aspects of life in the Town during the First World War and the family connections that still exist today.
Our team of local historians will be glad to help you to learn more about your families WW1 heritage. Members of the public are welcome to bring along any photos, medals, mementoes or heirlooms for discussion (note no weapons or deactivated munitions please). You are also welcome to submit family photos from the WW1 era for inclusion in the Exhibition.
Family history prize - Junior members of the community are invited to submit a short essay about a family member who was involved in WW1. The best submission will be awarded a “There but not There” 10”/25cm high Perspex Tommy figure of a World War One soldier. For more information please contact; pudseywwoneinfo@yahoo.co.uk 
The chances are very high that a member of your family would have served in the Military or have been employed in War Work between 1914 and 1918. We want to recognise and remember that contribution.

Main Themes of the exhibition:

Pudsey’s contribution to the Leeds Pals and Leeds Rifles
• The detailed life story of George Frankland of Pudsey, who served with the Leeds Rifles
• The true story of the real “Pudsey Pals” - 40 local men who joined up in one day
• Joining up and life in the Army

Pudsey’s contribution to the Royal Navy and Royal Flying Corps
• Local men involved in many famous Naval battles
• The foundation of the RFC and RAF and where their uniforms came from  
• Farsley‘s WW1 airfield

Famous serving Sportsmen from Pudsey
• Cricketers and long distance running champions

The Pudsey Homefront
• The incredible work carried out by Pudsey Women at the Phoenix Dynamo
• The Boots and Uniform material that clothed an Army 

A Community at War:
• Stories submitted by members of the the Community about their families contributions and sacrifices
• The shocking losses suffered by members of the Town Council’s families 

Our WW1 Legacy today
• Keeping their memories alive with the Royal British Legion
• Preserving our War Graves and Memorials with the Friends of Pudsey Cemetery & Chapel

On Display
Full WW1 roll of Honour for the Town’s lost heroes
Roll of honour for the Town’s missing WW1 names, and proposals for the new information board at Pudsey Cenotaph
Many Photographs including two fabulous colour photos from Leigh Mills, Stanningley. A recreation of the Littlemoor Baptists Chapel window of Remembrance and two paintings by renowned war artist Flora Lion 
Interesting articles from The Pudsey & Stanningley News
Medals and collected items from the Pudsey & District Civic Society archive
Large collection of informative books to browse through

To acknowledge the Centenaries of a number of our lads, a wreath was laid at the Arras Memorial on the anniversary of the Leeds Pals valiant rearguard action during the start of the retreat of the 93rd Brigade - 24th March 1918. 
Dedicated to the memories of these men from our district named at or buried at Arras:
​Rifleman Fred Appleyard
Private John William Atkinson
Private Harry Butler
Corporal Thomas Clapham
Rifleman Fred Coates
2/Lieutenant George Cork Dalgoutte
Private Harold Davey
Private Harry Farrer Duffield
Private Norman Dufton
Private Clarence Percival Dufton
Private Harold Endersby
Private Herbert Ackroyd Fearnley
Private William Gambles
Rifleman Fred Nicholls Halliday
Private John Hargreaves
Private Thomas Henry Harrison MM
Private Alfred Holgate
Private Robert Violet June
Private Samuel Keighley
Private John Edward Lawson
Corporal Ernest Lawson
Lance Corporal Leonard Leffly MM
Lance Corporal Leonard Mawson
Private James Arthur Mills
Sarjeant James William Raynor Moorhouse
Private Matthew William Moss
Corporal Lawrence Myers
Private Wilfrid Naylor
Private Joseph Newsome
Private James Scott O’Brien
Private John Peel
Private Cecil Rimmington
Private Alfred Sugden
Private Archie Edward Tidswell
Serjeant Albert Way
Private Herbert Wilcock
Private Fred Wilson
Private William Farrer Winterburn

An early casualty of “Operation Michael” - the German Spring offensive. Harold Davey originally hailed from Pudsey. A wreath in his memory and that of all the Pudsey lads named, will be laid at the Arras Memorial this Saturday.

Now happy to report that the updates to our Cenotaph Plaque names has been completed. The First World War and Second World casualties, where identified, now have full details matching current research. We welcome any input from family members wishing to add further details about the lives of those named here: pudseywwoneinfo@yahoo.co.uk
Photo of “Tommy” atop the Cenotaph supplied with thanks by Antony Newby (Bronze Soldier believed to be the likeness of its sculptor - Henry Poole).