H427 – Harry Ramsden’s, 1938.
Harry Ramsden’s – 1938
Image of the original interior of the restaurant with a brief history of the business.
H400 – Harry Ramsden’s, Undated.
Harry Ramsden’s – Undated
White Cross roundabout with Harry Ramsden’s on the right, this is on Otley Road (A65), White Cross Garage is on the left of Ramsden’s.
Harry was born in Bradford in 1888, fish and chip frying was a family business.
He bought premises at White Cross which had formerly been the Silver Badge Café at a cost of £150, opening for business on 20th December 1928.
He was so successful that 3 years later he built his “palace”, based on the opulence of the Ritz Hotel, he installed fitted carpets, oak panelled walls and crystal chandeliers.
Seating 250 customers it was the largest fish and chip shop in the world!
To view the Silver Badge Café, please – Click Here.
In 1952, he served fish and chips at 1912 prices to celebrate 25 years trading, a crowd of 10,000 came to buy portions for a penny halfpenny (less than 1p).
Harry had chosen his site well, White Cross was the terminus of the tramway from Leeds, walkers, cyclists and motorists would stop on their way to and from the Dales, Otley and Ilkley.
In addition to the restaurant there was an adjacent take-away outlet with tables and seating outside.
He also did good trade with bulk orders from all the local mills, using a motor bike to deliver orders.
His sister and her husband took a fish and chip business on Springfield Road, Guiseley, their son also became a household name– Harry Corbett with his puppets Sooty and Sweep!
Harry Ramsden used many ways to publicise his business having music, special events and children’s shows, Harry Corbett often went to entertain there.
Harry died in 1963, the business changed hands several times, the name was franchised and there are now 170 international outlets with his name.
Sadly in 2011, the Guiseley restaurant closed, it has since been refurbished and reopened as one of the Wetherby Whaler chain.
S137 – Harry Ramsden’s, Undated.
Harry Ramsden’s – Undated
Harry Ramsden’s Staff Outing, Guiseley.
Harry Ramsden and Eric Wood, a fish fryer, at the beginning of the outing to Blackpool.
Donated by Shirley Dillon, Harry Ramsden’s daughter.
S138 – Harry Ramsden’s, Undated.
Harry Ramsden’s – Undated
Ready to go on the coach, to the left is the coach driver then Jimmy Jackson one of the fish fryers, next Joe Broughton then Harold Walker.
Some of the ladies were waitresses and named as Anne Ewell, May Walker and Kathleen Pullen, Harry Ramsden is at the centre of the group with his wife Ivy on his right.
On the front row is Bill Forrest a fish fryer, on the extreme right is Harry Ramsden junior Shirley’s half brother, his mother Beatrice had died when he was young.
On his left is Eric Wood, also in the group are Harry’s sister Harriet who was married to Joe Broughton and their daughter Florrie, Mrs Sharp one of the kitchen staff. Inside the coach is Maggie Moffat who was the assistant manageress.
Donated by Shirley Dillon, Harry Ramsden’s daughter.
S139 – Harry Ramsden’s, Undated.
Harry Ramsden’s – Undated
A refreshment stop for sandwiches and drinks on the way, at the counter are Harry and his wife Ivy plus Bill Forrest.
Donated by Shirley Dillon, Harry Ramsden’s daughter.
S140 – Harry Ramsden’s, Undated.
Harry Ramsden’s – Undated
The trip included a theatre show, possibly a theatre near the Tower. Harry, Ivy and Anne Ewell are in their seats behind Ivy is a lady called Sally who worked in the kitchen.
Donated by Shirley Dillon, Harry Ramsden’s daughter.
S141 – Harry Ramsden’s, Undated.
Harry Ramsden’s – Undated
A visit to the Tower Ballroom where Ivy is dancing with Anne Ewell, Harold Walker is with his wife May and to the right is Harriet Broughton with her daughter Florrie.
Donated by Shirley Dillon, Harry Ramsden’s daughter.
Shirley remarked that this was a long time ago and she couldn’t recalled everyone’s names with apologies for any she spelt incorrectly.
This kind of staff outing is almost unheard of now (2016), very few employers would be willing or able to pay for a large staff to go off for the day, now it is corporate managers who are given premium football match tickets, a day at the races or luxury weekends away !
By coincidence there is now a Harry Ramsden’s fish restaurant next to Blackpool Tower.
H421 – Harry Ramsden’s, Undated.
Harry Ramsden’s – Undated
The hut where Harry began his business in 1928 and Peggy Jones (below Image) who began work as a waitress and after 26 years she was restaurant manager in charge of 150 staff.
H421A – Harry Ramsden’s, Undated.
Harry Ramsden’s – Undated
It was also her job to supervise the marketing of souvenir badges, pens, records, pictures etc which were in demand by customers.
Donated by Anne North.
H422 – Harry Ramsden’s, Undated.
Harry Ramsden’s – Undated
Advertisement which shows the front of the restaurant, also the seating area where customers could eat their fish and chips purchased from the takeaway counter.
Donated by Anne North.
S094 – Harry Ramsden’s, 1947.
Harry Ramsden’s – 1947
Watching a team of horses pull a snow plough to clear the front of the restaurant.
1947 was one of the most severe winters on record, it created much hardship as food was still on ration and there were shortages of fuel in this immediate post WW2 period.
Donated by Shirley Dillon nee Ramsden, Harry’s daughter.
S105 – Harry Ramsden’s, 1947.
Harry Ramsden’s – 1947
Harry Ramsden is seen outside his restaurant throwing snowballs with his daughter Shirley. 1947 was one of the worst winters on record with heavy snow and blizzards.
Donated by Shirley Dillon nee Ramsden, Harry’s daughter.
S113 – Harry Ramsden’s, 1947.
Harry Ramsden’s – 1947
Clearing snow outside Harry Ramsden’s restaurant at White Cross during the harsh winter of 1947. Note the drainpipe covered in thick ice and icicles !
Donated by Shirley Dillon nee Ramsden, Harry’s daughter.
S259 – Harry Ramsden’s, 1947.
Harry Ramsden’s – 1947
The car park at Harry Ramsden’s White Cross restaurant covered in snow.
Donated by Shirley Dillon, nee Ramsden.
Previous Comments:
Brionyspandler
My maternal Grandad was Harry Hollings. When Harry Ramsden bought the cafe, he would play his records there – ‘DJ-ing’ I suppose. He had an enormous love of jazz music and anything popular at the time I guess. It was where local people gathered for a social I believe and as well as eat fish and chips they’d dance! My Grandad was from Menston and he knew Harry Corbett who had a puppet workshop in the village I think!
03 August 2013.
shazam
Myself and my 3 brothers (lived across from Harry Ramsdens – in the 60’s and 70’s) I remember asking for free scraps at ‘Harry’s’ and this was a real treat as we didn’t have much pocket money. Often the scraps of batter would have pieces of fish in them. It was lovely.
06 July 2014.
valryan85a
I worked there as a teenager in 1962-64, first in the enclosed cash desk by the main door part time and then full time in the office where I had many varied duties. Monday was collecting together masses of red and blue checked and plain white table cloths and counting them all out into huge wicker baskets ready for the collection by Yeadon Laundry. I could take days emptying and counting all the money in the many charity boxes positioned outside and in the toilets mainly collecting for Guide Dogs for the Blind. The money had all to be sorted and bagged up ready to take to the bank. Thousands of pounds were collected for charity. I used to prepare all the wages for the many full and part time staff from clocking in cards! All the wages were paid in cash on Thursday or Friday in little brown window envelopes with everyone’s names handwritten on the outside. We had to place orders with the supplier of fish (arriving every day fresh from Grimsby) potatoes, bread and all other provisions especially the pre-mixed special HR batter! We got through masses of dripping and tomato and brown sauce and vinegar! Harry Corbett came there when I worked in the cash desk usually Sunday evening.
May Walker, Kathleen Pullen, Eric Wood and Harold Walker all still worked there when I was there but were coming up for retirement. It was a wonderful place to work and I can remember Shirley and her brother young Harry he had the amusement arcades at the back of the carpark. Mr Knott was there on the door and a lady called Peggy some nights arranging the seating. Mr Eddie Stokes was running the business then and his wife Effie and it was a lovely place to work I loved every day there and never tired of the daily fish and chips! My best friends were the Robinsons who lived in the one of the two semi detached next to the restaurant (now demolished) the other occupied by the Stokes. The Robinsons all worked there and Margaret was a waitress I can remember on a good night counting all her tips – customers were very generous!
Stan Jackson still ran the taxi service that used to run us all home after we finished after midnight, John and Peter his sons also worked in the business and wife Kath worked in the kitchen – there were so many local families involved in the success story of the great Harry Ramsdens – so sad it is isn’t there any more such a loss to Guiseley. THANKS TO SHIRLEY FOR SHARING THESE WONDERFUL PHOTOS.
23 November 2016.
teleg
I remember it very well, as I had just returned from Japan at my demob in 1946 and had spent a couple of weeks at sea coming through the tropics to arrive home to one of the worst winters. My friend Laurence Beevers who was also in the Navy with me went to Rawdon pictures and when we came out all the buses had stopped running and we had to walk home in the deep snow.
13 July 2018.
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Consolidated by Jack Brayshaw. 13 May 2022.
Last updated: 13 May 2022.
