'The ordinary people who became extraordinary'

3 days ago

Grace WoodYorkshire

News image — Rugby player Ellie Kildunne is among the people Bob Smith photographed for the exhibition

Bob Smith A woman with curly blonde hair smiles at the camera. She is wearing a black T-shirt. — Rugby player Ellie Kildunne is among the people Bob Smith photographed for the exhibition

A former newspaper photographer showcasing his work in Keighley has said the exhibition aims to offer a "sideways view" of life in the town.

Bob Smith worked for Keighley News for 31 years and began photographing for the exhibition in May last year as part of Bradford City of Culture.

Despite being an exhibition about "real people", K-Town People features two MBE recipients - England rugby player Ellie Kildunne and Charles Morris, who owns the Picture House Cinema and received an MBE in the New Year honours.

Smith said the exhibition, which is on display at Keighley Creative until Saturday, was focused on the "ordinary people of Keighley who turned out to be quite extraordinary in many ways".

"I am a Keighley person, apart from when I was at university I've lived and worked in Keighley all my life," he said.

"It's very easy to put down towns such as Keighley, northern towns, post-industrial towns but actually I think Keighley's got an awful lot going for it."

Bob Smith Eight men on Vespa-style scooters ride along a quiet residential street — Smith photographed veteran scooter riders in Keighley

Bob Smith A man in blue overalls stands in a garage surrounded by car parts. Above his head is a yellow crane with a sign that reads Smith-Keighley Load 15 tons. — Bob Smith said the exhibition focused on the ordinary people of Keighley

As part of the project, Smith photographed musicians, "scooter boys" in their 70s and a 13-year-old boy who does the scoring for the local cricket club.

"There was a couple who are still in their 80s playing odd gigs but he started playing in a skiffle band in the 1950s and she won a competition in Bulgaria in the Soviet era.

"I took a picture of a goth rock band called Skeletal Family. They've been playing on and off one year longer than I've been a professional photographer. I started in 1983. They started playing in 1982."

Bob Smith A teenage boy sits at a desk with a laptop. Around him are digital screens with large 8s and a printer. — Among the characters Bob Smith uncovered was a 13-year-old boy who does the scoring for the local cricket club

The best known face in the exhibition is Kildunne who played rugby league for Keighley Albion and union for Keighley RUFC before playing professionally for Wasps and Harlequins.

She scored the opening try for England in the rugby union World Cup final last year and was runner-up at BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2025.

"Ellie was probably the best-known person I took because she was all over the media at the time," said Smith.

"But it was very much about the ordinary working people of Keighley.

"There's lots of tales that came out but when you sit down and talk to people things get revealed and it takes you down another path."

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