Famous Menstonians

These include (please do tell us about others or give us more details on them):

Smith Wigglesworth – born 1859 in cottage bottom of Derry Hill, died Wakefield 1947. Pentecostal evangelist.

Eric Knight of Lassie Come Home. Born 1897. Plaque at Kirklands.

Bill Bowes – English cricketer, involved in the Body-Line bowling Test Series in Australia. Played for Menston. Lived in Bleach Mill Lane.

John Hendrie – Footballer and TV Commentator. Lives in Whiddon

Dean Windas – Footballer, lived in St John’s Park.

Gaynor Barnes – TV Presenter – lived in Beech Close.

Duncan Preston – actor.

Eric Busby – Busby’s of Bradford, Goosewell Gallery, benefactor of White Wells.

John Busby – Artist

Meridith Titterington MP Bradford South 1945 died in office 1949. Bradford Councillor 1919, Alderman 1929, Lord Mayor 1939. Lived in The Homestead.

Dale Paling – needs more research 

Elizabeth Peacock .MP for Batley and Spen 1983-1997. Lived briefly in Menston near the Chemist?

Fred Atkinson – officer for Education, involved with Grassington Sanatorium 1960??? Lived in The Homestead.

Vernon Whittaker – Chief Ambulance Officer for WRCC – 1950??

Peter Nield Whitehead (12 November 1914 – 21 September 1958) was a British racing driver. He was born in Menston, Yorkshire and was killed in an accident at Lasalle, France, during the Tour de France endurance race. A cultured, knowledgeable and well-travelled racer, he was excellent in sports cars. He won the 1938 Australian Grand Prix, which along with a 24 Heures du Mans win in 1951, probably was his finest achievement, but he also won two 12 Heures internationales de Reims events. He was a regular entrant, mostly for Peter Walker and Graham Whitehead, his half-brother. His death in 1958 ended a career that started in 1935 – however, he was lucky to survive an air crash in 1948.