14 – Craiglands

A hotel celebrating its 150th birthday in 2009 was recognised as one of Ilkley's most important pieces of heritage.  It is the only Ilkley hydro to continue as a hotel into the 21st century.  Ilkley Civic Society's 14th heritage blue plaque was officially unveiled by chair of Ilkley Parish Council, Councillor Kate Brown 15th January.

The hotel, on Cowpasture Road was built as a hydro in 1859 by Michael Dobson to accommodate 40 patients.    Mr Dobson had previously built Holly Bank House, to accommodate 12 patients before building Craiglands.  Holly Bank House is today no. 31 Leeds Road.  Ben Rhydding Hydro and Wells House (Blue Plaque No. 3) the first two hydros in the area were very exclusive establishments and both Holly Bank and Craiglands were aimed at less affluent clientele - even described as Second-class in the very early adverts.  Dr Macleod of Ben Rhydding Hydro was the first consultant at Craiglands with the help of his assistant, Dr Scott.

Very quickly it was so 'extensively patronised by middle-class tradespeople that it was apparent to the proprietor that an enlargement should be made'.  Craiglands was extended several times to accommodate the growing numbers. The first picture shows the first extension to the east (left hand side) added around 1862, clearly rather more ornate than the original square fronted building.  Originally the plan was to have similar extension on the right, however Michael Dobson died and his sons decided to develop things differently.  In the first land auction of William Middleton's estate in 1867, the Dobson's purchased the land again further east of the property (Lots 38,39 and 40 - abutting what today is the unmade Craiglands Road) in order to establish the Hydro's extensive gardens.  The castellated dining room was added by 1875 (shown in the second picture left of the first extension) and a large entertainment hall by the 1880s to the rear.  It eventually boasted writing and smoking rooms, a promenade corridor, seven acres of grounds , including tennis courts, croquet lawn, bowling alley, stables and coach house, offering patients treatment in cold water, Turkish, Russian and electro chemical baths and through massage and use of mustard pads.  The building accommodated 180-200 patients at its peak in the 1890's.

Michael Dobson came from very humble origins.  He was born in 1822 to James (a wool comber) and Charlotte Dobson of Ilkley, there being many Dobson's in Ilkley at that time.  James and one of his brothers, Francis Dobson (coach proprietor) and family, lived next door to each other for most of their lives.  Michael had brothers John, James, Hezekiel, Edward and Alexander and a sister Margaret.  On 16 September 1839 Michael (now also a woolcomber) married Matilda Walker and in 1841 they are living with Matilda's father Samuel, also a woolcomber in one of the Cottages at Wheatley Hall with an 11 month old son Benjamin.  Matilda died 26 January 1848 leaving Michael with sons Benjamin, Jabez, Edmund, John and Henry.  In 1851 Michael is a Bath Attendant at the Ben Rhydding Hydro run by Dr Macleod, with his sons scattered with relatives.  Benjamin and John are living with Grandfather James, Jabez and Edmund with Grandfather Samuel and baby Henry with his Uncle William Eastwood in Embsay with Eastby.

No record has yet been found of when Michael remarried, however by 1861 having built Craiglands he is married to Catherine from Scotland and the family with the exception of Jabez are running it as a Boarding House and Hydropathic Establishment with 4 live in servants and at the time of the census 7 boarders.  Jabez's location in 1861 is unknown.

In 1864 Michael dies and after 18 months his probate is resworn at £4,000 and John and Hezekiah Dobson, his brothers are executors.  They are the two that purchase the additional land in 1867 from William Middleton.  John Dobson was running Holly Bank House, the first establishment built by his brother whereas Hezekiel ran a beer house on Wells Road, before building The Royal Hotel in 1870.  The Royal Hotel stood on the site where the Wells Court Flats are today.

Jabez Dobson by 1871 at the age of 28 is the manager at Craiglands.  He has married Hannah Thwaites (4 June 1870) from Shipley and his step mother and brother Henry, now a medical student, are also resident.  The census records a Gardener, Billiard Marker, Cook, Scullery Maid, 3 house maids, 2 waitresses and 17 boarders.  Henry went to Edinburgh and trained and qualified as a medical practitioner, returning to Craiglands as the resident physician.

In 1881 Jabez, his wife, step mother, brother Henry and two sons Sydney and Maurice Rowland plus 17 servants are entertaining 23 guests.  Jabez's brother John is running the Troutbeck Hydropathic Establishment in Ilkley, Benjamin is farming 140 acres at Stead Farm in Burley and Edmund is in Matlock Bank, Derbyshire as a Hydrophasist eventually becoming a Worsted Yarn Spinner.

The 1891 Census has Jabez with his wife and sons, plus daughters Lena Slyvia and Hilda Madge and brother Henry running the establishment.  Craiglands now has 36 live in servants and 124 boarders.  The same family are there in 1901, however joined by tow of Jabez's nephews Arnold Clarkson (Book Keeper) and John Edgar (Architect) Dobson.  44 servants and 84 boarders.  Arnold Clarkson and John Edgar are the sons of Jabez's brother John who died about 1890.

In 1906 Jabez sells his ownership of Craiglands to Craiglands Hydro Limited Ilkley, although retains an interest and is Chairman until his death in 1927.  The sale prospectus details that Jabez after his fathers death was part owner, only becoming sole owner in 1892.  It also lists that the establishment includes a Sub-Post Office.  The valuation by Hollis and Webb of Park Row Leeds for £39,043 details 114 visitors rooms, 29 servants bedrooms, several private sitting rooms, a find dining hall to seat 200 guests, one of the most spacious recreation halls in England, fitted with a large stage completely equipped with scenery and other accessories, billiard, drawing, reading and writing rooms room containing three tables, Russian, Turkish and other baths admirable constructed and arranged.  Jabez fixed the purchase price at £50,000 based upon the average annual profits for the previous five years and eight months being £4,422.  The trustees for the debenture holders: Alderman Joshua Wade JP North Park (Ex Mayor of Halifax) and Edward Dobson JP tarn Grange Baildon.  The Directors were Jabez and Henry Dobson and Henry Ellis Linnburn, Ilkley Merchant.  The Manager is listed as Arnold Clarkson Dobson.

Arnold Clarkson Dobson and Dr Henry Dobson continue running Craiglands after incorporation, with Henry in 1911 living at Craiglands and Arnold in residence at Rose Villa.

Jabez retired and moved to Woodbank in Ilkley in 1907 (purchased for £3,000).  Woodbank had been the residence of Thomas Parkinson Muff, the owner of Brown Muffs and although the house is no longer there the name Woodbank can be seen on a Gate Post on Princess Drive.  Jabez died in 1927 and his obituary in the Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer March 10, 1927 recalled that he had been a leading part of Ilkley's public life for 30 years, a member of the Ilkley Local Board and subsequent Urban Council, being chair four times.  He was Chair when the Board in 1893 when the Ilkley Moor manorial rights, waterworks and gas undertaking were purchased.  He was survived by his son Dr Maurice Dobson , who was a Director and Physician (since at least 1915 and in 1917 was also the Physician at Rombold House on Crossbeck Road where Maurice and family lived) to the Hydro and his two daughters Mrs O I Wood and Miss Dobson (Sydney had died in 1921).

Circa 1903

By 1921 Arnold Clarkson Dobson has moved to Bournemouth, possibly in 1917 and is the Proprietor of Kensington House Chine Crescent.  A Miss Annie McBride is the the manageress of Craiglands.

The licensee records show that these were held by Annie McBride,  Ethel Margaret Tonge (1924) , Victor Christopher Lomax (1928) and a Lily Pope (1928) indicating various managers during the 1920s. Arnold Clarkson Dobson returned to Craiglands in the early 1930's as he took over the license from Lily Pope however he appears to have moved back to Bournemouth by 1939 after which Dr Maurice Rowland Dobson holds the licence.

Craiglands in 1930

1938

Dr Maurice R Dobson remained resident Physician.  In 1952 his obituary in the Bradford Observer said "Chairman of Ilkley Urban Council from 1933-35 aged 73, died  at Craiglands Hydro where he was born.  Educated at Caterham University School and the Ilkley Grammar School, he studied at Leeds and London Universities, and after qualifying held a number of resident appointments at Guys Hospital.  In 1910 he took up locum work and finally took at Craiglands Hydro, where he has been for many years Chairman of the Board of Directors.  During the 1914-18 war he was attached to The Royal Herbert Hospital, Woolwich.  Mr Dobson was elected to the Ilkley Urban Council in 1931 and during his second year as chairman was awarded a King's Jubilee medal."  Also whilst Chairman in 1935 Dr Dobson was instrumental in opening the Ilkley Lido.

Following the death of Dr Maurice Dobson Craiglands is managed by Hugh Donnan.  Hugh had married Maurice's daughter Jean Thwaites Dobson (Thwaites being the maiden name of Jabez's wife, and thus Jeans grandmother).  This meant that the founder, Michael Dobson's Great Granddaughter continued the family's management of Craiglands.

In 1973 Hugh Donnan sold Craiglands to Crest Hotels which ended 114 years of management by the descendents of Michael Dobson.

Since then the Hotel has been through a number of hands: Trust Forte Ltd 1977-1988 | Crown Hotels Ltd 1988-1992 | Roddy Barclay family 1992-1999 | Ailantus Hotels Ltd 1999 until today when it is part of the Best Western Chain - https://www.craiglands.co.uk/

1973

This plaque has been sponsored by Ilkley Civic Society  & Craiglands

Ilkley Local History Hub would like to hear from people with pictures or information about Craiglands - localhistory@civicsociety.ilkley.org

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