Mr Taylor was presented with a bust of himself, which is now on display at the recently re-opened Bagshaw Museum.

But local historian Jennifer Graham suspects this bust could be a plaster cast made from an original sculpture.

She said in the 1980s several former Taylor employees tried to locate the original sculpture and feelings ran high when rumours circulated that it was either in council storage or in the possession of Lord Kagan, who took over the mill.

She said: “A devoted ex-employee of Taylors, the late Bernard Howgate, made lots of enquiries to try and locate it, but to no avail. Maybe, now almost 30 years later, someone can tell us whether the one on display at Bagshaw is the one presented to Mr Taylor or the sculptor’s model.”

Jennifer said the presentation of the bust was made to Mr Taylor by her grandfather, William Ineson of Brookroyd Lane, Brownhill.

The presentation was featured on the cinema newsreel and shown at the ‘old pictures’ in Birstall – the Low Lane cinema.

l Do you know whether the bust at Bagshaw is the original sculpture or the cast? Contact the newsroom on 01924 472121 or write to us at Past Times, Batley and Birstall News, 11 Commercial Street, Batley, WF17 5HL.