A local firm working for the local community.....

We are a long established firm, having served the local community for over a hundred years. Our offices are at Guiseley and Otley, on the outskirts of Leeds and in close proximity to Bradford, Harrogate and the Yorkshire Dales, making us easily accessible to our clients.

Our team of qualified solicitors has over 120 years of legal experience and specialises in both contentious and non-contentious matters, from estate administration and conveyancing, to debt recovery, matrimonial issues and personal injury. Our experience means our clients are provided with a professional and personal service, which means peace of mind for you from the moment you contact us.

We are proud of our links with the local community and that several generations of the same families have sought our advice over many years. As part of our ongoing commitment to the area which we serve, we are proud to be the main sponsors of Otley Cricket Club. In addition to our local clientele we have clients across the Yorkshire region and throughout the United Kingdom.

We recognise the importance of providing a personal service to our clients and are focused on achieving a prompt, positive result, whether it is a personal or business matter that we are assisting with.

History

In 1875 a Mr. John Fawcett of Messrs. Fawcett & Malcolm ran a solicitors practice in Wesley Street, Otley. Mr. Fawcett died in January 1887 and following his death Joshua Fearnside Sinclair and Arthur Holmes purchased the same from his widow. One of the terms of the purchase was that "Fawcett" be retained in the practice name so Fawcett was substituted by Fawcett, Sinclair and Holmes.

A few years later Mr. Holmes left the business and Charles Joshua Fearnside Atkinson joined the Firm which then became Fawcett, Sinclair & Atkinson until around 1902 when the name was modified to Sinclair & Atkinson. The practice was then run by Messrs. J. F. Sinclair and C. J. F. Atkinson until around 1913, followed by Mr. C. J. F. Atkinson on his own until his son, Oliver Dower Atkinson, joined him in 1920 as a clerk. Mr. O. D. Atkinson became a partner about 1928 and both father and son continued in business together until 1936 when the son resigned.

On the 1st January 1937 everyone concerned was invited to lunch in Harrogate to celebrate the commencement of Sinclair, Atkinson & Slack following the appointment of Mr. Harold Fletcher Slack. It was only six months later that Mr. John Charles Dacre joined the partnership when the name was changed to Atkinson Dacre & Slack.  Mr. C. J. F. Atkinson retired c1943 followed by Mr. Dacre in 1956. Mr. Hans Wolfgang Wright became a partner in 1957, followed by Mr. John Herbert Weatherill in 1961 and Mr. John Wordsworth Greetham in 1967.  In 1970 Mr. Slack retired followed by Mr. Wright at the end of 1971.

In or around January 1971, Atkinson Dacre & Slack joined partnership with the partners J. W. Edwards, J. A. Turnbull and T. A. Muckle of Clapham Edwards & Turnbull.  Not long after, Mr. Muckle left and the remaining partners joined partnership with Mr. J. A. W. Smith of Watson Son & Smith.  Mr. Richard W. Margetts became a partner in 1972 followed by Mr. Philip R. Walker in 1981 until his death in August 2007.  Mr. R. W. Margetts was joined by Mr. A. Stewart as a partner in March 2007 and who are the present partners of both practices today.  Mr. Greetham left the practice in 1987 but died in June 1988. Mr. Weatherill retired in 1997. In 1999 a slight change was made to the name when the practice became known as Atkinson Dacre.

Over the years, besides Otley and Guiseley, there have been Offices in Leeds, Bradford, Rawdon, Shipley and Ilkley.  The Otley practice started in Wesley Street before moving to 40 Boroughgate in 1915.  It was in Wesley Street where a cow once got upstairs. The Boroughgate premises were built in 1848 as two Manses for the then adjoining Wesleyan Chapel which, in 1991, was converted into four Flats.

Mr. C. J. F. Atkinson, who had been associated with the Firm for over 50 years, died in September 1943 aged 75 years. He had started his career as a public official, being clerk to the old Burley District Council. He later became Clerk and Solicitor to the Otley Urban District Council, a position he occupied for 30 years. He was appointed Registrar at Otley County Court in 1903 and of Keighley and Skipton Courts in 1932. For eight years to 1907 he was French Consular Agent in Leeds and for 13 years to 1925 was chairman of the York Court of Referees. At the time of his death his son, Oliver D. Atkinson, was serving with the Forces in the Middle East.

Historical information kindly provided by
Elise Brumfitt, retired employee & local historian

ATKINSON DACRE IS A PRACTICE NAME OF ATKINSON CLAPHAM WHICH IS REGULATED BY THE SOLICITORS REGULATION AUTHORITY SRA NO: 45015