OTLEY pubs are a vibrant part of the history and heritage of the town. Otley Pub Club, a community organisation which supports and promotes the pubs in the town, conducts ongoing research into the history of past and present pubs and much of it is published on our website otleypubclub.co.uk Recently we have discovered the names of four men who are listed among soldiers from the town who died in World War 1 and whose given addresses were Otley pubs. They are: Private Max Claxton (Bay Horse Inn), Private Francis Dobson (Rose & Crown), Private Harold Houseman (Black Bull Hotel) and Private Lawrence Paley (Manor House Hotel).

We would be interested in hearing from anyone who knows anything about these men, whether they have any living relatives or anyone who knows of other soldiers from Otley who died in WW1 and who had direct connections with the town’s pubs as relatives of landlords or publicans at the time. Any information can be e-mailed to info@otleypubclub.co.uk

Andy FitzGerald

Chairman, Otley Pub Club

PO Box 148, Otley LS21 9BE