Who were the people who, quite literally, left their mark on a Calderdale museum a century ago?
That’s the question troubling Calderdale Council staff after mysterious signatures were found on a wall inside Bankfield Museum, after being hidden away for decades.
Over 50 handwritten signatures, dated between 1905 and 1914, were revealed during renovation works. They were hidden behind a panel at the back of a display case in the corridor leading to the top floor gallery. Calderdale Council is transforming the gallery into a new exhibition, ‘For King and Country’, to commemorate Calderdale’s role in the First World War.
Some of the signatures hold further clues to their owners’ identity – they are accompanied by addresses including Halifax, Huddersfield, Todmorden, Manchester, Liverpool and London. There are also some doodles and the cryptic signature of ‘Daft Bert’.
Names include:
Mr Alan Leonard Dyer, Woodside View, Halifax
A E Jagger, King Cross, 31 October 1912
Annie Widdop, Halifax, 31 August 1912
James Cargill, Huddersfield, 2 September 1909
Angela Clare, Project Officer for the First World War exhibition, said: “We were really excited to find the signatures. They’re an intriguing part of Bankfield Museum’s history, and it’s poignant that the dates coincide with the outbreak of the First World War. It’s fascinating to think that they’ve been a hidden part of the museum for so many years.
“Do you know these people or the stories behind the signatures? Why are the signatures there? Was the wall hidden and only known to a few people? We’re busy delving into the history of the signatures, and would love to hear from you if you can help uncover the mysteries.”
Amongst the signatures are ‘David Lloyd Williams, Comedian’ and ‘Miss Mona Desmond, Comedienne’. Mona Desmond appears to have been an American musical performer who featured in the Broadway shows Red Feather and The Big Little Princess in 1903. Museum staff are looking into why Mona Desmond might have visited Bankfield.
The signatures will be covered up again when a new cabinet is put in place, so that they can be preserved. A photo of them will be displayed in the museum.
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