Marshall & Snelgrove was held dear by many Bradfordians, who responded to a recent feature about the upmarket fashion department store which was once the go-to destination at the top of Darley Street.

Dorothy Wright got in touch to tell us how much she enjoyed working at the shop as a model and showroom assistant.

Dorothy was just 16 when she joined the staff in 1950. “When each garment arrived it had to be tried on to check that it was I good order, for example that the length was even all the way around, and that it wasn’t sticking in any area.

“The clothes were of a very high quality and mainly came from London. I tried on all sorts of garments including dresses, coats, suits and ballgowns too. Some of them were from Christian Dior, which was in its early days.

“We had lots of regular customers. In those days there were a lot of wealthy wool men in Bradford - their wives spent their money.”

Now aged 90, Dorothy recalls how staff would spend time in various departments, to get properly acquainted with the shop. “I worked on the shop floor, on the switchboard and in the warehouse.

“The shop had everything - there was a shoe department, and a glove department, and also lingerie. Twice a year we had a fashion show that was staged in the coffee lounge.”

She adds: “There was a restaurant run by Miss Foster, whose mother ran the works canteen upstairs.”

She left after six years, in 1956, when she got married. “I really enjoyed it and still have a black dress from there, and also my wedding dress, which was made there.”

Sheila Oldcorn responded to the article on the We grew up in Bradford website.

‘My mum Joan Eastwood as she then named, worked in the cash office around the mid-1940s when she was in her late teens/early twenties. She used to tell us how posh it was.”

‘Senior management checked their outfits every morning , even though she wasn’t on the shop floor. I also remember she said she wished she could afford to buy things from there.”

Marilyn Fryer remembers the Leeds store. ‘It was regarded as the most posh store in Leeds. People would joke that they bought a garment in M&S in the hope that others thought it was Marshall & Snelgrove rather than Marks & Spencer.

Sandra Corcoran also remembers it as ‘a posh and very expensive shop,’ while Sue Jagger told us her mum worked in the shoe department near the Steiner hairdressing salon.

Writing on the website Memories of Bradford, Jeanne Harrison said: ‘It was a place you went to when you had saved up enough to make a purchase. It was expensive.’ She joked: ‘My downfall was I always aspired to having the best.’

Both Wendy Banner and Susan Stead said it was too expensive for them. ‘Think Harvey Nicks of its day,’ said Susan.

Lyn Mountain’s wedding dress came from Marshall & Snelgrove. ‘The staff were really good and didn’t show me anything beyond my budget.’