Auntie Annie

Annie Elizabeth was born in February 1903, the second daughter of my grandparents Enoch and Harriet Burnett. Like all young working class girls born in Bradford at the start of the twentieth century she was destined for the mill - Bradford was regarded as the world centre of the worsted industry - and she will … Continue reading Auntie Annie

Can’t See The Moores For The Trees

This family photograph from the 1930s perfectly captures a marriage of style and elegance. It also captures a marriage between two people, but I am a little uncertain as to who they are. The one person I can identify is the man seated second from the left, the man with a hairstyle of sculptured grandeur, … Continue reading Can’t See The Moores For The Trees

Happy Birthday

Making the love of my life the subject of my daily calendar on her birthday fulfils two important objectives. It reminds me not to forget her birthday, which, after more than half a century together, I'm still capable of doing. It also provides me with a birthday card I can print off and hand to … Continue reading Happy Birthday

Selfie Portrait

I'm not sure who the subject of this studio portrait from the 1920s is, but it was part of a batch of distant family photographs. You don't see that many portraits in these selfie-obsessed times we live in, which is a shame because portraits are more likely to show people as they are rather than … Continue reading Selfie Portrait

Albert And Rose

All praise those sainted mortals who, When given a photo know what to do. With pencilled words small and clear, Discreetly say on the photos rear Whether it's Jack or Joe or God only knows Or in this case, Great Uncle Albert and his wife, Rose.

Enoch & Betty

A date stamp on the reverse of this studio portrait of my grandfather, Enoch Burnett, gives me a precise date - the 18th November 1928. At the time, Enoch will have been 51 years old and working as a window cleaner in Great Horton, Bradford. He is joined in this portrait by his dog, Betty, … Continue reading Enoch & Betty

Kids Those Days

The photograph dates from 1948 and was taken outside our house in Great Horton, Bradford. My brother, Roger, is the one just below the letter box and I am not sure about the identity of the others. I was just about arriving in the world at the time the photo was taken. My question relates … Continue reading Kids Those Days

The Cuppa Stop

Most car journeys of my youth would involve stopping for a cup of tea. If it was a short journey - one of the regular weekend "runs" around West Yorkshire - there would be a flask of milky tea. Longer journeys - those day trips to Bridlington of Blackpool - might necessitate a Camping Gas … Continue reading The Cuppa Stop

With Best Love

Sometimes I choose the subjects for my daily desktop calendar, other times they choose themselves. This redoubtable character chose herself. It might be my Great Aunt Ruth-Annie or her sister Miriam or it might be any of a half dozen sisters from a different branch of the family. Whoever she is, she sent her portrait … Continue reading With Best Love