A saucerful of memories
MORE memorabilia from Heckmondwike Co-op has come to light following last week's Looking Back.
Esmond Black of Northallerton sent us a photograph of a commemorative bowl he had bought at an auction, dated April 1930 to mark the Co-op's 70th anniversary.
Had the society still been in existence it would now be celebrating its 150th anniversary.
This week we have been contacted by several readers, two of whom also have commemorative bowls.
Geoffrey and Betty Hodgson of Cleckheaton brought theirs into the Guardian office along with a Heckmondwike Co-operative Society saucer, which is not dated.
Betty's father, Gilbert Humphrey, was a grocery manager there, working at different branches in the society.
Both Betty and Geoffrey also worked for the Co-op which is where they met. Geoff worked there for 37 years in total, in the general office, while Betty worked in various departments, including the wool shop, over the years.
The picture on the saucer differs slightly to the one on the bowl in that it includes the warehouse which was set back from the main building and to its right, facing the green.
Kathleen Parkinson also has one of the bowls which was passed down from her relative Annie North. Annie did not work at the Co-op but was always a member which may be how she came to have one.
Kathleen says if anyone is interested in buying the bowl they can contact her on 01274 870533.
David Kirby also contacted us to say he had a receipt from the Heckmondwike Industrial Co-operative Society for household goods and furnishings dated July 20, 1900.
"It was my grandparents' and there are 20 items listed including an easy chair, brass and iron bed, table dresser, walnut sideboard, walnut sofa, 17 yards of oilcloth and eight yards of carpet," he said.
"There are also four small walnut chairs, and my mother still has two of them."
The final item is a wedding ring costing 1 13s.
The total bill comes to the princely sum of 47 6d 4d - and the shop threw in a couple of pictures, a round kettle and a square buffet for free.
The receipt is stamped and signed by E Sutcliffe, possiby the shop's manager.
David's grandfather was John (Jack) Hirst Bray Preston who worked at Strawberry Bank pit before turning his hand to fish frying.
"He started off at their home in Yew Tree Terrace, Huddersfield Road, but apparently there were complaints from the neighbours about the smell, so he bought some land at the end of Union Road, Liversedge, and set up another fish and chip business there."
He was married to Emily Dey and was a founder member of Millbridge WMC.
He died in 1936 and she died in 1943.
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Sunday 27 May 2012
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