A story by John Wilkinson

A story by John Wilkinson.

BUTTERSHAW BACK THEN

Although I lived in Shelf for 22 years, I can lay claim to being a Bradfordian- having been born at 19 Manorley Lane, Buttershaw on 21^st June 1930. My parents moved to Shelf when I was six months old into what had been the Counting House for the local iron works. The remains of the Old Blast Furnace existed close by until the land was taken over for re-development in recent years.

Blackshaw Beck – the boundary between the two villages- ran close to our house and at one point our garden wall was anchored in the stream. It should be explained that the house was elevated above stream level and the garden walls were ten feet high.

Buttershaw came under the control of Bradford Urban District Council, while Shelf was under the control of Queensbury and Shelf Rural District Council. Although classed as urban, Buttershaw was as rural as it’s neighbour, having fields on all side reaching as far as Beacon Hill, Wibsey and Low Moor.

From our front window we looked across the stream to Dunn Ridsdale’s Dyeworks- who’s chimney still exists- and the houses in Farfield Road, leading to Beck Hill, that were almost obscured by the ‘Pit Hills’ (slag heaps) a relic of local mining, or foundry waste. It was quite an event in the late forties when the gigantic earth movers came along and levelled the site to make way for the Buttershaw Council Estate. I was, at that time, working for the Buttershaw and Wibsey Co-Op on Halifax Road, at the bottom of Queens Street, now a hire shop. The head office branch was at Beacon Road, Wibsey- still a Co-Op but now a late night store- and another on North Road, Wibsey- now the Conservative Club. The Buttershaw branch could almost be described as the ‘Hub of the Community’ for there was the notorious ‘Co-Op seat’ The seat was a bench about nine or ten feet long, where customers could rest while waiting to be served. Here all the local gossip was aired and woe betide anyone who became the subject of the latest news, for these gatherings often assumed the mantle of a Kangaroo Court, and mud thrown from here would really stick. It was not unusual for the staff to be told to wait by a customer not wanting to miss “the latest.”

These were the days of rationing where most things were in short supply and fresh foods were only available in season- lacking today’s modern growing techniques.

Trams ran through the village, terminating at the Bottomleys Arms in Shelf

Ridsdale Dyeworks and Bottomleys Mill were the biggest employers, with Farming contributing to the local workforce.

I recall the anger and complaints when the bus fare to Bradford was increased to twopence-halfpenny (one new pence)

Looking back, these were hard but happy days where you made your own entertainment. I can’t help feeling that we were all the better for it.

Back to Buttershaw and Shelf pics.