Story
Albert Edward Cheesbrough was born on the 8th August 1908, and was the son of Owen Cheesbrough (1879-1961) and Annie Webster (1875-1955) who married in Kippax on 4th July 1905. Albert married Ivy Hargreaves in 1933, and they lived at Elmdale House, Leeds Road before and during the War, when Albert was on the Service Register in 1945. The couple had four children, and moved to 17 Birch Drive after the War. Albert passed away in 1969.
Harold Cheesbrough was the younger brother of Albert, and was born on 6th November 1916. Before the war, Harold was living with his parents on the High Street, but was unemployed after being dismissed from the army as an unfit soldier. Once War broke out, Harold joined the R.A.F. The local press featured Harold’s wartime experience quite regularly. On 3rd January 1941, it was reported that he had arrived in Canada to undertake an R.A.F training scheme. He wrote back to his parents describing the enthusiastic reception given to the British by the Canadians, and said that they had been met at the railway stations by large crowds and had been given chocolates and cigarettes. Later the same month on the 24th, it was reported that he had written home again repeating that the Canadians seemed determined to make the British feel at home, and he had made friends with a Yorkshireman. On 28th March 1941, Harold wrote home to said he would be spending his leave in Montreal, as he had made friends in Canada with a family that had emigrated there from Leeds before the War.
Harold’s next letter home was reported on 18th April 1941, in which he described his first flight with the R.A.F., which had lasted two hours. On 24th April 1942, Harold is reported to have moved from Kingston, Ontario to Hamilton, Ontario, and described visiting Indians at a reservation, and he’d met Mounties who had acted as interpreters between the Indians and the visitors from the R.A.F. Harold referred to the experience as like cinema life come true. He expected to stay in Canada for three more years, but believed he would have time “to have a crack at Jerry.” The press coverage was picked up in Canada by Mr. and Mrs. William Sissons, who were originally from Sherburn and Peckfield respectively, but had emigrated to Canada in 1911. They wrote to Kippax asking for Harold’s Canadian address with a view to inviting him to stay. Harold was never short of options: in August 1942, he stayed with Norman Hodgson, who was from Allerton Bywater, but had emigrated to Canada in 1934.
After the War, Harold married Olive Moakes in 1958, and they moved to 28 Robinson Street, Allerton Bywater. Harold passed away in 1980.
Kippax Roll of Honour 