The Quanbury family, who first appeared in Saltaire in the 1880s, have made a considerable contribution to local history – and are still very much in evidence! Emma Quanbury was born in Market Deeping, Lincolnshire, in 1863; a time when most women had to work on the land or go into service. So, as a servant for the landed gentry, she moved around Lincolnshire to different mansions until, in about 1889, she saw an advert for a vacancy as “upper maid” with Mrs Edward Salt, daughter-in-law of Sir Titus.  She was accepted, and after a year or so in Shipley she met and married Richard Trotter, a house painter in Saltaire. They moved into 36, Almshouses, and by the 1901 Census had moved to 64, Victoria Road, with five children.  Their daughters were particularly long lived.  One of them, Bertha, never married but lived for 91 years continuously at her house in Harold Place.

Emma's nephew, George, came to Saltaire, and in 1915 married Mabel Underwood. Mabel always played the Dame in the annual pantomime at Victoria Hall, establishing a family tradition which was to span three generations. George's sister, Eva, was also in Saltaire and for a time owned the shop at No.1 Victoria Road.  By 1933, George and Mabel had moved into 73, Victoria Road, and in 1938 bought No.16, Victoria Road, a sweet shop. They had one child, Edna, who married Albert Nutton, grave digger, of 17, Helen Street.  They in turn had two children, Pamela and David.  [It is to them, and to Pamela's husband, Tony Mahony, that I am grateful for the information in this article. All three still live locally. - Roger ]

For thirty-one years until 1969 , the whole family (including Mabel's sister Ruth) lived in the crowded accommodation above the busy sweet shop. We also have the Quanburys to thank for health in the Village because Dr Ellen Moody, who was GP here in the 1960s, was directly related to Emma. Meanwhile, Emma’s older sister, Mary Ann, had a daughter, Mary Jane Quanbury, who came to Saltaire and married Frederick Ridgeway in 1892.  They had a daughter, Ethel Mary, who married Stanley Thornton,  - and produced the subject of last months “Saltaire people”, Bert Thornton! 

[Now that's what I call a link! – Ed]

Roger Clarke