Digging back into school past

11:25am Friday 26th June 2009

PAMELA COLEMAN, from Northampton gets in touch to say: “My great-grandmother Martha Duce was head of the infants at St Oswald’s Primary School in Great Horton from 1901 to 1922, and I wondered if any of your readers have a school photograph taken during that period. The headteacher at the time was Ms M E Dixon and other teachers were E A Firth and E E Tattersall. Any photograph showing the teachers or a class group might show Martha. Any newspaper articles or similar about the school during that period would also be of interest. I would be willing to pay for laser copies to be made, or scanned images can be sent by e-mail. Tel: 07732 698988 or e-mail pammie2@btinternet.com.”

Going up in the world!

11:26am Friday 26th June 2009

More memories of Brown, Muff’s from Ms EILEEN FINDER of Bradford: “I too started my working life at Brown, Muff’s at the age of 14. It commenced in the Lamson room in the basement area, tucked away in a corner. My superior was a Miss Peebles, quite strict but very well respected. Happy days, sending change up the various tubes to all departments, and not forgetting clocking coupons. I eventually progressed to the seventh floor to the main offices. I too served on the social committee like Mr Maskew (Remember When?, June 19). We had outings to the coast and staff dances. One big outing they organised for the staff, we all went to the Festival of Britain in specially-booked trains. Referring to Jeff Darnbrook, he organised a reunion at the Midland Hotel many years ago, which brought a lot of old friends together.”

Who played in the band?

11:26am Friday 26th June 2009

Reader A MICHAEL MURPHY of Keighley writes: “During the course of research into my family history, I have been told that, possibly during the 1930s and 1940s, there was a succesful dance band in Bradford, which may have been directed from the piano by one of my relations, one of the McEvoy family, possibly John, Paul, Charles, or Fred (but not Ringo). If any reader has any knowledge or recollection of this, I would be very grateful if they could contact me at mikemurphyam@yahoo.co.uk”

When was first term?

11:27am Friday 26th June 2009

Mr J C TAYLOR, of the Aire Valley, dropped us a line to say: “Rhodesway School is being replaced by Dixon Allerton Academy on September 1, 2009. This prompts me to ask if any readers have any info on when Rhodesway School opened, in the 1950s/1960s (I have no idea of the date, being an ignorant youth!).”

Work was a privilege!

9:00am Friday 19th June 2009

Bill Maskew, of Shipley, responds to a reader’s call for information on Brown, Muff’s department store: “My own near 23-year association with BMs is just a drop in the bucket, but by virtue of duties on the staff council and a long spell on our social committee, I was able to go to every building we used, every department.

A tale of two South Africans

8:58am Friday 19th June 2009

The first of two missives from Derek Mozley, of Shipley, in response to a piece on June 5: “Re Mr Harragan’s letter about South African Test Cricketer A E E Vogler, the South African touring side in 1924 was possibly one of their weakest ever sent to this country.

Whitakers’ Hall home

8:59am Friday 19th June 2009

And on a different topic from Derek Mozley, this time regarding our piece on the writer Malachi Whitaker last week: “Regarding her son Michael, he was a contemporary of mine at Bradford Grammar School and later became the general manager of Bradford University about the time Harold Wilson was Chancellor.

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