Jack Ramsden, born 15 January 1917, married Lily Brown in 1937. She was born, 1 April 1916. They had a daughter, Jean born in 1939.

In 1939 they were living at 5 Amelia Street with Jack working as a comb jobber.

Report from Shipley Times 18 November 1942 as follows:

Ordinary Seaman Jack Ramsden, husband of Mrs. Lily Ramsden, of 5, Amelia Street. Saltaire. Before joining the Navy, he served in the National Fire Service, and previous to that was employed at Salts (Saltaire) Ltd., Saltaire Mills.

 Their daughter, Jean, married Peter Walton of 6 Balfour Street, Shipley, 21 November 1959 at St Paul’s, Shipley. In 1960 Jack & Lily were still living at 5 Amelia Street. Jack died in 1994.

 

William Raper was the son of John Hodgson Raper. John was born in 18 April1889 in Stockton On Tees, County Durham. He married Miriam Fieldhouse, 18 May 1918, at the Primitive Methodist Chapel in Saltaire Rd, Shipley. Whilst John was serving in WW1, Miriam was living with her parents at 27 Dove St, Saltaire. Having survived the war, John and his wife, by 1921, were living at 42 Mary St, Saltaire.

Bill , who had an elder sister, was born, 21 July 1924, in Dewsbury. Around 1929 they moved to 9 Dove St.

Bill attended the Saltaire Road Boys' School. In March 1938, Bill was reported as receiving, on behalf of Clive House, a trophy for winning the school’s inter-house swimming competition held at Shipley Baths. Bill attended the Shipley Youth Centre and after its formation in March 1941 he was a cadet in the No. 387 (Airedale) Squadron Air Training Corps.

(c. 1941 – Bill is in the centre of the back row)

(c 1942 – Bill is in the centre)

Report from the Shipley Times 14 April 1943: -

Former Cadet – William Raper, of Shipley, was home on leave last weekend, after having passed out as a ‘First Class Gunner” with extra pay. He now expects to go out on ‘operations’ as a fully- fledged able seaman in the Royal Navy. We (The Squadron) can look forward to his next visit with some possibly interesting experiences to relate.

Extract from a report in the Shipley Times 21 July 1943: -

Visitors last weekend were Sammy Dawson, who has been on I.T.W. training and William Raper, who is now a fully-fledged Seaman Gunner, with some interesting experiences of convey trips and visits to Canada and New York, etc.

Extract from a report in the Shipley Times 1 November 1944: -

He (Kenneth Wicks) mentions having met another old cadet, William Raper, now a gunner in the Navy, with whom he had a few outings in Durban, discussing old times in the Squadron.

Extract from a report in the Shipley Times 28 November 1945: -

A.B. Gunner William Raper has several times told us (the Squadron) about his trips around the North and South Atlantic Seas to America, Africa etc.

Bill married Joan Booth in 1951. They had a daughter, Patricia, in 1955. By 1952 they were living at 17 Norwood Terrace in Shipley, moving to 41 Robert Street around 1954. Bill worked as a fireman stationed in Keighley, where he was awarded the Queens Silver Jubilee Medal. After retiring from the fire service he worked as a handyman for Keighley Rugby League Club.

Bill told his daughter, daughter, Patrica, that her grandfather, John, had one of the allotments at the side of the mill and bought some bantam hens. The family were all looking forward to lots of eggs, especially Miriam, John's wife, who did a lot of baking and icing, but no one told John to clip the hen's wings, and when a train went by, startling the hens, they all flew away! John grew a lot of tomatoes and when times were hard William and his sister, Gladys, used to go around the big houses in Nab Wood to try to sell them. William hated doing this! Trish also commented that a cousin of her father co-incidentally lived next door to David Hockney's mother, who Trish knew as Auntie Doris. World-famous painter, David Hockney's paintings have a permanent display in Salts Mill.

Bill married Rita Jarman in 1974. They lived at 2 Hardwick Street in Keighley. Rita died 28 September 2010. Bill died 15 December 2012 at Sutton Lodge Nursing Home, Sutton in Craven (a village between Skipton and Keighley).

[Compiled with the help of Neil & Candida Wood, who kindly provided the photograph; and anectdotes of her father, William, and grandfather, John, shared by Patrica Gray. Many thanks.]

 

Frank Read was the son of David Morris Read. David was born 23 June 1875 in Windhill. He married Mary Hannah Barrow in 1898. Mary had worked in Saltaire Mills up to her marriage. They had five children. David worked as a clerk at Saltaire Mills and he lived with his family at 51 George Street in Saltaire. By 1918 they were living at 33 (renumbered 65) Albert Road in Saltaire.

Frank, their youngest child was born 16 February 1908 in Saltaire. In December 1922, as a pupil at Central Upper Standard Boys’ School, he won an essay writing competition. He married Claretta Sunderland in 1937. In the 1939 Register they were living at 27 Albert Road, Saltire. Frank was a wool sorter and Claretta was a costing clerk. Frank served in WW2.

They were living at 27 Albert Road when Claretta died at Salts Hospital 22 September 1950 aged just 39. In her will she left Frank £260 6s 3d.

Widowed Frank married Marjorie H. Sunderland 6 October 1951. (Although Claretta & Marjorie shared the same surname they were not closely related.)

Report from the Shipley Times 10 October 1951: -

Pretty Baildon Bride

The wedding took place on Saturday between Mr. Frank Read, youngest son of Mrs. and the late Mr. D. M. Read, of Saltaire, and Miss Marjorie H. Sunderland, eldest daughter of Mrs. R. E. Sunderland, of The Old Hall, Westgate. Baildon. The Rev. P. Archer. Vicar of Baildon. officiated.

The bride, who was given away by her uncle, Mr. E. H. Sunderland, of Morecambe, wore a powder blue three-piece tailored costume with matching blue feathered hat and navy blue suede gloves and court shoes. She wore a spray of mauve orchid.

The matron of honour was Mrs. J. Wright (sister of the bride), who wore dark cherry coloured two piece with matching hat, navy blue shoes and- gloves. She wore a spray of white gardenias.

The best man was Mr. A. Firth (friend of the bridegroom).

After a reception which was held at the home of the bride Mr. and Mrs. Read left for their honeymoon, which is to be spent touring Scotland.

Frank, a foreman wool sorter, and his married sister, Edna Jowett, were left £8359 5s 7d (worth c£250,000 in 2020) when their mother Mary Hannah died 2 March 1952. Frank died in 1988. He had an elder brother, George, who served in WW1 and sadly was killed in WW2. Another brother, Harry, served in WW2.

 

Read, George
1899 - 3 November 1940

George Read was the son of David Morris Read. David was born 23 June 1875 in Windhill. He married Mary Hannah Barrow in 1898. Mary had worked in Saltaire Mills up to her marriage. They had five children. David worked as a clerk at Saltaire Mills and he lived with his family at 51 George Street in Saltaire. By 1918 they were living at 33 (renumbered 65) Albert Road in Saltaire

George, their oldest child was born in 1899 in Saltaire. He served in and survived WW1. He married Edith Mortimer Berry in 1921. They had a son, Douglas born in 1924 and a daughter Jean Mary Read born 12 September 1927.

Having divorced Edith, George married Phyllis Mary Walker in 1932.

George served as a Squadron Leader with the R.A.F. in WW2. He died, 3 November 1940.

Report from the Yorkshire Evening Post 4 November: -

The inquest was opened at York today on Squadron Leader George Read (41) of Tong Park, Baildon, who was killed in a collision between a motor car and an army lorry at Tadcaster on Saturday.

Evidence of identification was given by a brother officer, who stated that the driver of the car was badly knocked about and had gone on leave. There was another officer, who was also hurt, but would be available as a witness, and there were six people in the army lorry concerned, who were, however, not injured.

Colonel Innes Ware, the Coroner thereupon adjourned the inquest until Wednesday 13 November.

Report from the Bradford Observer 7 November 1940: -

The funeral took place yesterday at Scholemoor Cemetery, Bradford, of Squadron Leader George Read, aged 41, of Tong Park, Baildon, who died on Sunday following a road accident on the London Road at Tadcaster on Saturday.

He was appointed a squadron leader as recently as 15 October, but never lived to wear the insignia of his office.

The mourners included a large number of personal and business friends, R.A.F. officers, and officers of the Bradford Air Cadet Corps, in which Squadron Leader Read was an officer before the war. The firm of Arthur Howell, Swan Arcade, where Read was formerly a wool buyer and salesman, was represented by Mr. A. Howells, Mr. J. Badland, Mr. A. B. Varley, Mr Vincent Oldfield, and Mr Alan Laycock.

Report from the Yorkshire Post 14 November 1940: -

Officer's Death in Collision

Recording a verdict of "Accidental death " at an inquest at York yesterday on Squadron Leader George Read, aged 41, of Tong Terrace, Baildon. who was killed In a collision between car in which he was a passenger and a stationary motor lorry, at Tadcaster, on 2 November, the Coroner, Colonel Innes Ware, said he desired to express an opinion which might be useful to motorists.

His own experience, and the evidence at many inquests which he had recently held, was that travelling under present conditions with masked headlights only giving a limited vision, should not be more than 20 miles hour. If motorists would reduce their speeds in the black-out the number of accidents would be reduced. " I am continually inquiring into accidents which ought never to have happened at all."

It was stated that the lorry had pulled up to get more petrol at London Road, Tadcaster. Several witnesses said that the lorry had a red rear light in good order, but the driver of the car, and another officer, who was also in the car, said the light was not visible, and they never saw the lorry till the car crashed into it. Another car which had been following also crashed into the lorry and the occupants were hurt.  

In his will, George left £1294 5s 6d (worth c£75,000 in 2020) to his widow, Phyllis, and his brother, Harry.

George had two brothers, Frank & Harry, who both served in WW2.

 

Harry Read was the son of David Morris Read. David was born 23 June 1875 in Windhill. He married Mary Hannah Barrow in 1898. Mary had worked in Saltaire Mills up to her marriage. They had five children. David worked as a clerk at Saltaire Mills and he lived with his family at 51 George Street in Saltaire. By 1918 they were living at 33 (renumbered 65) Albert Road in Saltaire.

Harry was born 3 December 1905 in Saltaire. He married Nora Watmough in 1931. They had two children. In the 1939 Register they were living at 3 Enfield Road, Baildon with Harry working as a textile account clerk. Harry served in WW2.

In his will, George left £1294 5s 6d (worth c£75,000 in 2020) to his widow, Phyllis, and his brother, Harry.

In 1940 Harry was left a share of £1294 5s 6d (worth c£75,000 in 2020) by his brother George, along with his widow Phyllis.

Nora, Harry’s wife, died in Saltburn, North Yorkshire in 1964. Harry died in Saltburn in 1984.

He had an elder brother, George, who served in WW1 and sadly was killed in WW2. Another brother, Frank, served in WW2.