This unusual view of office staff at work was probably recorded in one of Keighley's larger textile concerns in the earlier 20th century.

Although the scene absolutely bristles with possible clues -- at least three business calendars and two shelves of labelled box-files are tantalisingly not quite decipherable.

At least we know that it is ten minutes past ten on a Friday morning in a 30-day month when Friday fell on the 12th, almost certainly June.

One of the calendars is advertising a firm called Masseys, another what appears to be Sir Joseph Crowther and Sons Ltd.

Apart from the woman on the right, this is still a male preserve. Despite the warmth those skylight windows would generate on sunny days, dress is strictly formal.

Notice the men in the foreground standing at their desks and the office boy towards the right in his stiff white collar.

The emphasis is entirely on paper-work and there is not even a typewriter in sight, although there are several telephones.