Bramham the Village in Times Past

The following pages display photographs taken by the residents and friends of Bramham, together with post cards and clippings from contemporary newspapers. They have been arranged to take the reader on a walk round the village as it used to be. Interspersed with the pictorial matter are disconnected snippets of information about Bramham and its residents.

The house on the left is now part of the Red Lion, incorporated into it in 1958 when the shed next to it was demolished. Beyond that was a shop kept by Mr Hudson who sold millinery. Opposite was a plumbers business kept by Mr Summersgill. In the 1930's Mr Thornton and then his son kept the business. Later Mr Exton and then Mr Simpson. The shop later became a hairdresser's and now is a private house. Behind the shop was a yard in which a gasworks operated during the First World War. After its demolition the ash was used as the foundation for the road laid down in Low Way. Note the railings outside Harlands Saddlers on the right. 

The photograph was taken before the petrol pumps were installed just beyond the water pump. The shop on the right with the awning outside in those days was a butcher's kept by Mr Sanderson. It later (1939) became transport cafe kept by Mrs Hearfield who had been the licensee of the Red Lion. It was also a newsagents and sold sweets and confectionery. Marsdens then sold sweets and also repaired and sold electrical goods. It then became an antiques shop called 'The Witchbowl' but is now a private house.

The house and shed next to the Red Lion were owned by Sam Smiths Brewery and housed a butcher's shop and slaughterhouse kept by Mr Fisher. Mrs Fisher later sold cooked meats from the house and the shed was used by Mr Harland as a garage for his car, as he lived in the house opposite. Next to the shed was a General Store kept by Mr Moon. Much later Mrs Cowling kept the shop and it is now a private house.

Originally Harland's was a saddlery but later sold gas mantles, car and bicycle accessories and accumula­tors. They also installed petrol pumps outside. Miss Harland had a dressmaking room in the building and a Doctor from Aberford used a room as a surgery. In the mid‑1970's Harland's closed, the petrol pumps were removed and it is now a private house.

In the 1930's when Mr Hearfield was the Landlord, Mr Joe Knight worked for him selling fruit and vegetables around the village from a cart. Fruit, vegetables and cart were all stored in a shed in the Red Lion Yard. Previous landlords were Mr James Greenshaw and the Lindleys.

This stood in the square until 1952. The pump had two spouts, seen in the newspaper clipping on the left ‑ one for drinking from and one for wagons to use. This was the only source of water for some villagers. Near the pump was a telephone kiosk removed in the early 1970's owing to constant vandalism. In the photograph on the right, note the house in the background, now part of the Red Lion.