Bramham the Village in Times Past

Mrs Thompson, who used to take in washing and hang it out to dry in this field, is seen feeding her hens. The cottages behind her are seen from the back and the one on the left has now been demolished. In the background six very small cottages can be seen. These were reached from a yard which led off Back Street. They were demolished during the Second World War. A shed was erected in this place and Harry Woodruffe kept two racehorses there for a time. In the 1950's a factory with offices fronting on to Back Street was built there. Wilkinson's made dresses and blouses.

It was taken over after four years by a Mr Smith who called the firm Ladysmith; this made overalls. After the firm moved to Leeds, Henderson's Folding Doors and then Matro Forklift Trucks took over the premises. Mr Derek Barton then made the factory and offices into two separate premises using the factory part as his joinery workshop. A high class dress shop, Harlow's, opened in the former office part in the late 1970's and closed in the early 80's. Since then the building has been used once again as offices. This is the front view of the cottages shown from the back in the other photograph. Only the one outside which Mrs. Brooksbank is standing now remains.

The photograph on the right was taken around the turn of the century. There was a pinfold just beyond the wooden gates; this was where stray cattle were kept until they were claimed. It now forms part of the garage forecourt and is still owned by the Parish. The photograph below was taken when the A1, also known as the Great North Road, ran through

the village and before the War Memorial was built. Notice the shed in the Red Lion Yard, the Old School, and the narrow doorway into the shop on the left, kept in those days by Lucy Mary Dacre, later by Mr Seed. In 1939 Miss Thompson became the owner; 'Amy's' remained a General Store and Newsagent's until her death in 1987, when the building was sold and converted into a private residence.

 This photograph was taken after the War Memorial was erected in 1920. Note the loaded wagon. Bramham was the first village in the area to erect a War Memorial after the First World War. Of over 200 men from the village who fought in that war, 44 were killed.

Taken in the late 1920's Mr Wood on the right and Mr Cundall of College Farm on the left. This shop on Front Street was later owned by Mr Webster who made and repaired shoes and had an off‑licence. It continued as an off‑licence owned by Wilkinsons and then Hills. It then closed and is now a private house.

The shop on the left was a newsagent's and fruiterer's kept by Mr Sanderson who also owned the garage apposite. Mrs Sanderson did Bed and Breakfast as the sign shows. Further along on the same side and not quite visible was a Primitive Methodist Chapel built about 1822. Early this century after the renovation of the Chapel in Low Way this Chapel was used by the Salvation Army for a time, after which it became a General Store kept in turn by Messrs Kendrew, Binns, Cresswell, Mr and Mrs Kemp, Mesdames Lusher, Roberts, Spooner and Pickersgill. It only recently became the present Post Office.