WWI Recruits

Recruits lined up near Stubbing Wharf before marching to Eastwood Station for the train to Halifax. The lad wearing a cap watching was Harry Victor Barker, Alan Brook’s mum’s dad. He was so fired up by watching these recruits that he subsequently signed up himself, lying about his age to do so. He went to France and was wounded, possibly on the Somme, brought back to England to recuperate, and was later honourably discharged, still under age!! The Stubbing Wharf Hotel was built by the Foster family in 1800 and by 1810 was serving both the canal and the road. In 1900 the hotel was enlarged and a barn was built which was used for the twice monthly cattle market that was held in what is now the car park. The pens can be seen over the wall on the right.