About Us

With a history dating back over a hundred years The Keighley Association of Engineers is as active today as when first formed in 1900.

Whether you’re an apprentice, skilled craftsman, designer, retired engineer or simply someone with an interest in engineering the Association offers something for everyone.

If you are a local engineering company representative we would welcome a visit to your company – please contact us with your company details.

Operating a syllabus of events throughout the year, our aim is to inform and inspire through technical lectures and visits to places of local engineering interest.

Representing all fields of engineering The Keighley Association of Engineers also offers the opportunity for engineers to share knowledge, experiences and opinions with other like-minded individuals through its social functions.

Keighley Association of Engineers

Council members

The Association is run on a day to day basis by a Council elected by its members.

From time to time the Council bestows the title of Life Honorary Membership to anyone who is deemed to have given exceptional service to the Association. Current Life Honorary Members are: Mr B R Clough, Mr W J Pankhurst and Mr L Viles.

Grant Hewitt

Secretary and Syllabus Secretary
Grant Hewitt was appointed by Council on 17th November 2025. He is Toolroom Team Leader at Cirtec.

John Pankhurst

Honorary Life Member
John has been the President for two stints of 2 years. He has been a member for more years than he cares to remember and has held the posts of Secretary and Treasurer for over 10 years.

Bruce MacDougal

Board member
Bruce has served as President for two years. He served as Syllabus Secretary for a number of years.

Les Viles

Board Member
Les has been a member for over 50 years and a member of Council for 20 to 30 years and is a past President. At our 2023 Annual General Meeting he was bestowed the title Honorary Life Member for services rendered.

John MacCluskey

Board Member
Retired Maintenance Engineering Manager.
Second time member of the association.

Ian Buxton

Past President
Currently works at Craftsman Tools Ltd as Technical Manager. Formally Works Manager at Hewitt and Topham Ltd, and at Keighley Laboratories Ltd.

Phillip Armstrong

Board Member
Currently works at Five Landis, as Mechanical Design Engineer.

David Armstrong

Board Member
Retired Lift and Escalator Engineer.

Richard Newsham

Board Member
Richard has worked at Fives Landis Ltd for 34 years, and now writes PLCs for the machines. Richard has previously served as a council member, Syllabus Secretary and is a Past President. He rejoined Council at our 2023 AGM.

Pam Buxton

Treasurer
Pam was appointed as Treasurer in 2023. She works for Bradford Council as Group Accountant