THREE generations of the same family came face to face with their hero ancestor during a visit to Bradford Industrial Museum.

The descendants of World War Two hero, Robert Turner, got the chance to see a photo of their ancestor taken at Manningham’s famous Belle Vue Studio.

Robert’s son, grandson and great grandsons were able to view the photo - one of over 17,000 images which make up the Belle Vue Studio Collection, part of PHOTOS BRADFORD.

During World War Two, Lieutenant Commander Robert Turner D.S.C. R.N.V.R. was the commanding officer of HMS Olive, a Tree-Class Trawler, which was a class of anti-submarine naval trawler.

The Second World War hero was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross and also the Atlantic Star for minesweeping duties during the Battle of the Atlantic, keeping the British sea lanes clear to America.

Mr Turner was a prominent third-generation Bradford businessman, whose family ran a furniture shop on Godwin Street, as well as a bed and mattress factory in Bradford.

He was an enthusiastic motorcyclist who won a number of sporting cups and was also a member for West Riding Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve.

There are two photos of Robert Turner in the Belle Vue Collection, which has around 17,000 negatives and prints. 10,000 pieces have now been digitised and made available to view online.

The images of individuals, couples, families and larger groups are all taken between the 1950s and 1970s and depict how people were getting on with their new life. 

Many of the images are of people who migrated to Bradford from the Indian subcontinent, Europe and those who made up the Windrush Generation.

Councillor Sarah Ferriby, Bradford Council’s Executive Member for Healthy People and Places said: “Our Bradford District Museums and Galleries Photo Archive is wonderful, containing images from across the decades and the Belle Vue Studio Collection is a remarkable body of images which capture life in Bradford between the 1950s and 1970s.

“We’re delighted to be able to welcome the Turner family to the Bradford Industrial Museum, to come face to face with this photo of their hero father, grandfather and great grandfather.

“We are still working to identify those captured as part of this collection, so anyone who thinks they or their family members or friends may have had their photo taken at the Belle Vue Studio, should take a look through the archive and see if there’s anyone they recognise.”

The Bradford Council-run museum is the home of PHOTOS BRADFORD: The Photo Archive of Bradford District Museums and Galleries.

The photos can be viewed online by visiting photos.bradfordmuseums.org