This information is from a notebook in Keighley Library archive BK10/680/5f, which is dated around the end of 1915 and is over 100 years old.
It appears to be someone going around addresses to check to see if men had enlisted and if not, what their reasons were for not doing so, then making notes, presumably for some sort of report.
Derby Scheme - Register of recruits and exemptions
Original poster calling for single men to volunarily enlist in the Great War. - Keighley Library archives
It complements the 'Keighley's Gallant Sons' list and the Town Clerk's 1914 Enlistments and helps us to build a picture of the attempts to get people to enlist and that physical checks were actually made on men to find out their reasons for not enlisting. Bearing in mind that this notebook was written just a few months away from conscription being brought in, it's possible they were looking for people to 'target' if they didn't enlist before conscription.
There are 204 names in the list with the following information provided: SURNAME, INITIAL, ADDRESS, NOTES, although we have had to reduce it slightly to fit it on to the webpage, we would be happy to provide fuller information on an individual should anyone request this through our 'Contact page'.
Transcription by Andy Wade from photographs taken of the individual notebook pages with kind permission of Keighley Library.
Our Library has an absolute wealth of archive material about the Great War period for Keighley and District.
Name | Address | Notes
Seeking recruits under Lord Derby's Scheme. End of 1915.
Notes at top of page:
Ent'd into K Feb 9. 1916
Ent'd into K Feb 25. 1916 2.3d/m
Houghton, F | 1, Bk Bridge St | says bad in feet
Berry, Arth. | 24, New Br St | unfit
Percival | 28, Burlington St |
McDermott, E | 24, Burlington St. | Removed. Has served. Reject? Bad hand.
Sands, H | 9, Burlington Square | Rejected 3 M's ago. Bad teeth
Whiteley, L | 71, Burlington St | One eye
Kennedy, John | 23, Bk Burlington St | Weak legs. Shoemakers appren 9/-
Kennedy, Thos | 23, Bk Burlington St | Hopeless cripple
Flattery, Thos | 20, Bk Burlington St | Since married. Did not see. They say he claims to be American
Murgatroyd, John | 61, Bk Burlington St |
Roper, Thos | 78, Bk Burlington St |
Roper, John | 18, Bk Burlington St |
Walton, G A | 9, Cashmere St | Offered and rejected
Mitchell, John | 2, Lustre St | Has joined Navy
Wilson | 30, Lustre Street |
Copperthwaite | 100, Leeds St |
Barmber ? | 69, Leeds St |
Jackson, Wm | 12, Leeds St | Says he is 47 not 37
Nilon, J | 14, Leeds St | Has enlisted
Nilon, M | 14, Leeds St | Deformed
Billington, J | 12, Leeds St [Lod'g Ho.] | Gone
Pyrah, A | 12, Leeds St [Lod'g Ho.] | Should be 53 years old
Pollard, Wm | 12, Leeds St [Lod'g Ho.] | Refused. Crooked legs
Palfreman, G | 12, Leeds St [Lod'g Ho.] | Gone
Smith, J | 71, Leeds St | Medically unfit
Blakey ? | 40, Leeds St |
Wright | 38, Leeds St |
Mitchell, Tom | 2, Lustre St | Joined Navy
Stables, A | 6, Lynum St | Will be 19 in June. Lyden Keighleys?
Wilkinson, A | 2, Lynum St |
Barnet, G L | 8, Mill St |
Hardwick, Robt | 8, Mill St | Now 1, Stacey St. Married
Paton, John | 58, Mill St | Now 53, Westgate. Very short sighted. Employer says?
Vulurington ? | 15, Mill St |
Attested:, Probably Leeds St:
Ogden, John | 54 |
Parkinson, Bertie | 58 |
Barrett, P | 52 |
Jas Moniley, Jas? | 57 |
O'Malley, Tom | - |
Duckworth, J | 91 |
Hamsworth, A ? | 12 |
Stainton, J ?
Ramsbottom, Art ? | 30, Mount St | Unfit
Holmes, W | 15, Mount St | Below height. Crooked legs
Bailey, Jc. | 5, Mount St | Been rejected by Capt. Roberts one finger useless
Widdup, Sam | 3, Mount St |
Duffey, JR | 7, Moorhouse St | Too little for Bantams.
Brown, E | 8, Moorhouse St |
Bowan, Thos | 15, Moorhouse St | Attested
Thomas, Henry | 42, Mohair St |
Fenna | 6, N Beck |
Feather, John | 18, North Beck St | Discharged unfit Mar 4/15 Deaf
Shackleton, J | 38, North Beck St |
Walton, H | 61, Orleans St | Lost 2 fingers left hand
Wilkinson, JW | 17, Poplar Terr'ce | Rejected V. Veins
Walton, Th. | 9, Poplar Terrace | War badge Rejected Feb 16
Gill, A | 25, Poplar Terrace | Medically unfit
Hart, L | 15, Poplar Terrace | Ditto. One hip out of joint
Hiscoe, J E | 25, Poplar Terrace | Has had appendicitis 3 times
Walton, GA | 9, Poplar Terrace | Rejected.
Nilon, A | 13, Poplar Terrace | On Munitions at Barrow
Staples, Jas | 13, Turkey St Ldg' Ho | Rejected
Mahoney, JW | 13, Turkey St Ldg' Ho | Rejected
Thwaites, H | 13, Turkey St Ldg' Ho | Has joined Navy
King, F | 13, Turkey St Ldg' Ho | Discharged Army 17 yrs ago
Donovan, L | 13, Turkey St Ldg' Ho | Muni Infirmary
Lawson, W | 13, Turkey St Ldg' Ho | Rejected when war began
Morris, | 13, Turkey St Ldg' Ho | Gone. No address
Davis, Th. | W. Turkey ? |
Thompson, Da' | 13, Turkey St Ldg' Ho | see next page
Swift, Pat | 13, Turkey St Ldg' Ho | but one
Scatchard, Sam | 1, W. Turkey St | Rejected for teeth at Bfd
Scatchard, F | 1, W. Turkey St | At home
Rushworth, W | 13, Turkey St |
Greenwood, Jas | 25, Turkey Street |
Lilley | 101, Turkey Street |
McDonough | 103, Turkey Street |
McWalters | 13, Turkey Street |
Laxton, John | 73, Turkey Street |
McGarry, W J | 11, W Turkey St |
Hey, John | 21, W. Turkey St |
Davies, Arth. | 13, Turkey St |
Bancroft, F | 13, Turkey St |
O'Brien, Steph | 42, Turkey St |
Pearson, Jas | 74, Turkey St |
Gerrard, Jas | 20, Turkey St |
Robinson | 196, Westgate |
Tretton, Jas | 114, Back Westgate | Discharged July 1915 medically unfit
O'Brien, N | 38, Quebec | Short sighted. Stammers
Bentley, Hy | Ship Inn | Rheumatic fever. Weak heart
Coffey, Robt | 155, West Lane | Has had fits. Rejected by sergeant
Shackleton, J C | 147, West Lane | Tried more than once. Deaf
Riley, J | 93, West Lane | ??????
????????, | 279, West Lane | ??????
Ross, G H | 77, West Lane | Served 8 mo's
Mitchell, JD | 177, West Lane | Joined to his group
Smith, J E | 210, West Lane | Examined & rejected G Toynson ?
Tyson | 289, West Lane | Employers ???
Shackleton, J | 243, West Lane | Enlisted
Smith, T H | 125, West Lane | Only support of mother. Short sighted.
Shuttleworth, F | 48, West Lane | Cannot find
Carncross, F | 115, West Lane |
Crawshaw, Ben | 207, West Lane |
Whitaker, Smith | 239, West Lane |
Carroll, E?? | 30, Rectory Row |
Turkey St Cont'd:
Greenwood, T H | 25, Turkey Street | Bad eyes & Rprd ?
Ford, M | 70, Turkey St | Maintains family. Father out of work. Small shop.
O'Brien, Jas | 42, Turkey St | All males have joined
Rohan, A | 40, Turkey St | Maintains mother & half imbecile sister
Gammon ?, J | 38, Turkey St |
Allan, D | 62, Turkey St | Has joined
Moran, W | 31, Turkey St | Has joined after saying he'll wait until fetched | (note: he did enlist and was killed in action on 3rd February 1917.)
Carff, Jas | 26, Turkey St | Has only one leg
McKniff, | 26, Turkey St | Has been – but rejected again
Jowett, D | 26, Turkey St | Rpted
Hodgson, R | 26, Turkey St | Will not go
Moore, J S | 26, Turkey St | Only one arm
Lilley, F | 101, Turkey St |
Norden, W | 82, Turkey St |
Egan, | 31, Turkey St |
Poplar Terr:
Brown, Sam | 23 Poplar Terrace |
Wademan, H | 1, Poplar Terrace | Rejection
Battle, J | 27, Poplar Terrace |
West Leeds St:
Lund, C | 30 West Leeds St |
Flung ? | 10 West Leeds St |
Balmer | 16 West Leeds St |
Westgate:
Paton, P | 163, Westgate |
Paton, John | 58, Westgate |
Really unfit:
Berry, Arth | 24, New Bridge St |
McDermott, | 24, Burlington St. | Bad hand
Kennedy, John | 23, Bk Burlington St | Weak legs
Kennedy, Thos | 23, Bk Burlington St | Cripple
Walton | 9, Cashmere St | Rejected
Jackson | 12, Leeds St | Aged 47
Nilon, M | 14, Leeds St | Deformed
Pyrah | 12, Leeds St | 53 years old
Pollard | 12, Leeds St | Crooked legs. Rejected
Smith | 71, Leeds St |
Ramsbottom, A | 30, Mount St | Unfit
Holmes, W | 15, Mount St | Under height. Crooked legs
Duffy, J R | 7, Moorhouse St | Too little
Feather, John | 18, N. Beck St | Disd'd unfit ?
Wilkinson, J W | 17, Poplar | Offered and rejected
Gill, A | 25, Poplar |
Hart, F | 15, Poplar | One hip out
Hiscoe | 25, Poplar | Appendicitis 3 times
Walton | 9, Poplar | Rejected
Unfit:
Staples | 13, Turkey St | Rejected
Mahny ? | 13, Turkey St | Rejected
Donovan, L | 13, Turkey St | Infirmary
Lawson, Sam | 13, Turkey St | Rejected when war began
Tretton, Ben | 114, Westgate | Discharged
Bentley | Ship Inn | Weak heart
Coffey | 155, West Lane | A cripple
Berry | 147, West Lane | Tried more than once
Shackleton, | 145, West Lane | Rejected by Sergeant
Ross, G H | 77, West Lane | Rejected unfit
Smith | 210, West Lane | Foyusan ? Exam ? Unfit
Greenwood, | 25, Turkey Street | R/or' ?
Carff | 26, Turkey St | Ons ly ?
McKniff | 26, Turkey St | Rejected
Jowett, D | 26, Turkey St | Rept'd
Moss | 26, Turkey St | One arm
Enlisted previously Army & Navy:
Nilon, J | 14, Leeds St | Army
Thwaites | 13, Turkey St | Navy
Riley | 93, West Lane |
Shackleton, J | 243, West Lane |
Attested since L'd Derby's Scheme began:
Allan, D | 62, Turkey St |
Moran, W | 31, Turkey St | (note: he did enlist and was killed in action on 3rd February 1917.)
Anitrum ? | 279, West Lane |
Mitchell, J D | 177, West Lane |
Bowan | 15, Moorhouse St |
Mitchell, Tom | 2, Lustre St | Navy
Whiteley | 71, Burlington St | One eye
Hardwick, R | Nile St | Attested
Stables | Lynum St |
Munitions:
Nilon, A | 13, Poplar Terrace | Barrow
Walton, Th. | 9, Poplar Terrace | Badge
Gone away:
Billington, J | 12, Leeds St |
Palfreman, G ? | 12, Leeds St |
Morris | 13, Turkey St |
Doubtfully unfit:
Houghton, F | 1, Bk Bridge St | Says bad feet
Sands, H | 9, Burlington Square | Bad teeth
Whiteley | | Has attested
Paton | 58, Mill St | V short sighted
Bailey | Mount St | Rejected by Captn Roberts
Walton, H | 61, Orleans St | 2 fingers gone
Scatchard | 1, W. Turkey St | Ky' ? Teeth B/A ?
O'Brien | 3b Quebec | Sh sight'd. Stammers
Berry | 147, West Lane | Leg
Discharged Army:
King, F | 13, Turkey St |
Under age:
Stables, A | 6, Lynum St | Attested
Willing if employers are: | |
Tyson | 2?9 West Lane | CWS
Others:
Flattery, S | 20, Burlington St | Now married
Scatchard, F | | At home helping father
Hodgson, R | 26, Turkey St | Will not go
Gammon ? | 38, Turkey St |
Cannot find: | ? lodging house ? Gone |
Shuttleworth | 48, West Lane |
Family reasons:
Smith, Th. | 125, West Lane | Short sighted. Also supports family
Ford, M | 70, Turkey St | Supports family
O'Brien, Jas | 42, Turkey St | All males gone
Rohan, A | 40, Turkey St | Maintains mother ?
