THE MILLS of Guiseley and Yeadon were major employers for generations of local people during their heyday.

But these photographs show a turbulent period during 1913 when an industrial dispute led to workers being locked out - a move which gave rise to a series of Hunger Marches and protests.

The images, from Aireborough Historical Society, show men, women and children taking to the streets to highlight their struggle and to appeal for donations to feed their desperate families.

They were called 'Lockwood's Lambs' after Herbert Lockwood who was the union secretary as well as a local Independent Labour Party councillor on Yeadon Urban District Council.

Their action came at a time known as the Great Unrest - a period of labour revolt across the UK between 1911 and 1914. The upheaval included the 1911 Liverpool general transport strike and the 1913 Dublin lockout.

The Yeadon and Guiseley dispute - said to be just one of nearly 1,500 disputes in the textile industry in 1913 - arose after a strike was called because of an unsuccessful pay claim.

In Yeadon and Guiseley men were locked out of the local mills and went on a series of hunger marches to town and cities across the North, including Leeds, Liverpool and Blackpool.

A photograph on the steps of Yeadon Town Hall, donated to Aireborough Historical Society by Mabel Harrison, shows men who were preparing to set off on a Hunger March to Blackpool to highlight their plight and to raise money to support their families.

They held aloft a banner which read: "Collecting for the Yeadon and Guiseley General Lock-out Fund. On behalf of 8,000 men women and children. Subscriptions Earnestly Solicited".

Local historian Mabel Harrison added some names to the photograph, including family members Joseph Harrison, Jack Harrison and Fred Harrison. Mabel's nephew Carlo Harrison went on to become an archivist for Aireborough Historical Society.

The AHS website says workers were locked out after a request for pay rises.

It says:"The Union members involved in the dispute were known as 'Lockwoods Lambs'. Herbert Lockwood had been dismissed from his job because of his Union and political activities.

"He became the first paid Organising Secretary, Canvasser and Collector of the Yeadon, Guiseley and District Factory Workers Union, a Justice of the Peace and an Alderman.

"When he died in 1928 tributes were paid to him from all over Yorkshire."

One photograph shows a demonstration of men and women marching down Yeadon High Street and onto Ivegate.

The AHS website says mill workers were were struggling with low wages.

It says: "Finishers, warehousemen and Dyers had been refused a pay rise and came out on strike.

"Nunroyd, Leafield, Springfield, Moorfield and Westfield mills posted Lock-out notices so that no one could work.

"Strike pay was distributed from union funds but this ran out after eight weeks.

"Local shopkeepers had done their best to help by allowing credit and donating bones and vegetables for a soup kitchen.

"Many families were relying on poor relief and reaching starvation point.

"Union members decided to march to other areas and seek help for their families.

"They left Yeadon in groups to go to Leeds, Bradford, Huddersfield, some to Blackpool and Liverpool.

"Only in Blackpool did they meet with opposition where Police prevented them from collecting money.

"They brought home around £50, workers in some other areas sent voluntary donations direct to Yeadon, £10 being sent by Union members in Burnley."

"Little was gained by the workers as they returned to the mills working shorter hours."