1930 saw the coming together of a few like-minded people who thought that it was time for Yeadon to have its own Amateur Operatic Society. After a sounding out of opinions of likely support for such an organisation, a public meeting was held in the latter part of 1930. Positive reaction at this meeting led to another meeting on 19th January 1931 which was reported by the "Wharfedale and Airedale Observer" as follows:

"A need which Yeadon Musical and Theatrical lovers are said to have felt for some time existed in the life of the township, is likely to be met by the formation this week of a new body styling itself "Yeadon Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society" for some time, interested people have been sounding out the general feeling of the public, and on Monday at a meeting at St Andrew's Church Institute, the movement came to fruition. Another meeting had been held previously, but the meeting this week was the first as a Society. There was an attendance of about thirty. It was thought advisable to leave the election of a committee until a later date when a more representative attendance was present, and in the interim Miss Rita Waterhouse was appointed Secretary and Mr C. W. Yeadon as Treasurer".

The new Society quickly got to work on a production of the play "The Unfair Sex" by Eric Hudson, with Donald Paley of Guiseley as Producer and was cast as follows:

The Society's first production took place on Saturday 18th April 1931 and was repeated on the following Tuesday. The event was not without its off-stage dramas in that the leading lady, Rene Varley, fell ill and had to be replaced by someone from Menston Thespians. A second substitution took place for the second night of the play when Claude Yeadon became ill.

Some ten months were to elapse before the Society's second production and first musical was staged in February 1932. The show chosen was "A Chinese Honeymoon" for which the dress rehearsal took place on Wednesday, February 17th. It was still taking place at 3am, the next morning and was abandoned without Act III even started. The first performance was at what was then Menston Mental Hospital on Friday the 19th followed by a run of six nights at the Town Hall from Monday the 22nd. The Producer, George White, had been taken ill some six weeks before the opening which perhaps gave rise to some difficulties showing at dress rehearsal. The production was completed by C. W. Yeadon who was Musical Director.

The notice in the "Wharfedale and Airedale Observer" was favourable:

"Yeadon Amateur Operatic and Dramatic society have set themselves a high standard in their first musical production "A Chinese Honeymoon" presented each night this week at the Town Hall. Large audiences have found the show one of excellent entertainment value."

The next production another musical "The Sunshine Girl" was staged in December of the same year, 1932, but 1933 passed relatively quietly with only the play "Baa, Baa, Black Sheep" being staged in April.

In contrast, 1934 saw two musicals, "No, No, Nanette" in February and "The Girl Friend" in late November, but then again in contrast, the Society did not produce either play or musical in 1935. Most programmes to date record the staging of "The Vagabond King" in 1935 but this show was actually performed in February 1936 followed by the "The Desert Song" in December 1936.

A full year was to elapse before the Society came up with "The New Moon" in December 1937 and then another year until "The Arcadians" in December 1938.

This was to be the Society's last production before the Second World War, although "Showboat" was in rehearsal when war was declared in September 1939 In view of the uncertain situation at the time, the Society suspended its activities and members were not re-convened until March 1945.

The Philip King play "Without the Prince" was staged in October 1945 to be followed by "The Vagabond King" in March 1946, thus establishing a pattern which prevails to the present day - play in October, musical in March. In all, Yeadon Amateurs have staged 69 musicals and 58 full-length plays.

During more recent times, other activities in addition to the usual October and March productions have been undertaken, the most successful of which has undoubtedly been the Christmas Concert first given in 1976. A mixture of chorus items, solos, audience carols and band pieces from Yeadon Old Band, its success over the past 26 years owes as much to audiences as to performers, in creating an atmosphere heralding for many people the start of the Christmas festivities.

Another event which came about almost by accident was the series of exchange visits with the Aplerbecker Male Voice Choir, Dortmund. Members of this choir with their wives and families first visited Yeadon at Easter in 1979 taking part in a memorable concert at the Town Hall with Yeadon Amateurs and Yeadon Old Band. Further meetings took place in 1982, 1985 and 1989 in Yeadon and in 1980, 1983, 1987 and 2000 in Dortmund.

The present generation of Yeadon Amateurs has inherited the Society from its predecessors and is mindful of the debt it owes to those who founded and fostered the Society in its early days's.